Australian Printer February 2018

Australian Printer

February 2018

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Print’s biggest news section Buyers Guide MIS W2P Buyers Guide Inkjet Web Océ goes direct Industrial printing Short run label drivers Print’s biggest classifieds

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AUSTRALIAN PRINTER FEBRUARY 2018

CONTENTS

¢¢ News

¢¢ Warning Signs For Business

Australian Printer’s comprehensive news section, covering all the comings and goings in the dynamic world of print p6-16

Recognising and acting on early signs can save your business p38

¢¢ Value of Paper and Print Kellie Northwood discusses latest virtual offerings from Two Sides with the launch of its new resource centre p18-19

¢¢ Super Crackdown ATO is about to get heavy on employers for unpaid super p40

¢¢ Wide Format News Latest updates from the sign and display segment p42-44

¢¢ Print Diary All the big events and trade shows for the year in the fast moving business of print p21

¢¢ Cover Story: Fuji Xerox Adprint seeks new markets and applications with its Fuji Xerox Iridesse Production Press p22-23

¢¢ Fellman: Prospecting US print sales expert Dave Fellman shares monthly wisdom p24

¢¢ Making Digital Move Mr Sticker installs world-first, custom made 250mm wide Konica Minolta C71cf label press p26

¢¢ Océ Australia Focus On Future Company launch brings customers closer p29-32

¢¢ EFI Connect 2018 Paul Brescia reports first hand from Las Vegas p34-36

¢¢ Profiting From Boats Australia is surrounded by water, and Denise Nathan says you can wrap entire fleets of boats p46

¢¢ Visual Impact: Preview What the wide format world can expect in Brisbane this April p48

¢¢ Buyers Guide: MIS W2P Gareth Ward reports on remarkable efficiencies from the latest generation of MIS W2P systems p50-51 Currie Group HP PrintOS simplifying processes so printers meet deadlines p52 Print iQ Incorporating both MIS and W2P as standard sets Aussie company apart p54 Quote & Print Cloud-based software launching second quarter p56

¢¢ Labels & Packaging News Latest from the growing segment of packaging print p58-60

p34-46

¢¢ Mark Andy: Short Runs Label press manufacturer explains why brand owners want shorter runs, and why printers should invest to provide them p62-63

¢¢ Blast From The Past AP looks back in time, the biggest stories from February last year, ten years ago, and 25 years ago p64

¢¢ Classifieds Buy, sell and trade in Australia’s biggest print classifieds section, everything you need but cannot produce yourself p66-80

Advertiser’s Index

To advertise, call Brian Moore on (02) 9806 9344 or email brian@i-grafix.com

Ace Rollers ������������������ 33 Admag ��������������������������72 AGS ������������������������������11 All Work Crane Services ����������76 Ball and Doggett �������������7 BCS ������������������������������77 Bottcher ������������������������21 Cherri International �������33 Clever Trade Products ��������������������70 Colour Graphic Services ���������������������59 CTI Colour Printer���������75 Currie Group �����������������53 australianprinter.com.au

Cyber �������������������IBC, BC Dockets & Forms ����������71 Doctor Sticker ���������������79 EFI ��������������������������������37 EPSON �����������������������IFC FESPA Asia ������������������61 Foyer Printing ���������������66 Fuji Xerox ��������������FC, 39 Guru Labels ������������73, 75 HeroPrint �������������������� 4-5 Hilton Laminating ����������66 iQ ����������������������������������55 JetMark �������������������������45 JET Technologies ���������17 Kayell �������������������������� 2-3

L�I�A� �����������������������������33 Lifhart����������������������������70 LuxeFilms ���������������������67 Konica Minolta ��������������13 Mimaki ��������������������43, 65 Misbit ����������������������������33 Mutoh����������������������������47 National Auctions ����78, 79 Novagraphics����������������79 Oce �������������������������������31 Pack One & Post ���������74 Partica ��������������������������28 Pegras Asia Pacific �������33 Penrith Museum of Printing ������������������33

Photo Electronic Services ���������������������49 Printstuf ������������������������66 Quote & Print ����������������57 Stewart Graphics ����������70 Sydney Binding�������������76 Tafeda ���������������������������33 Tips Print ����������������������33 Two Sides ���������������������25 UV Consulting���������������71 Visual Impact ����������������27 Western Graphics ���������68 PHE ������������������������������69

Australian Printer - February 2018

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The new models feature a significant number of enhancements that enable superior quality production with simpler, faster and more efficient operation. Brighter and glossier prints are produced using less ink and power and production speeds have been increased while drying times have been reduced. Job turnaround is also faster and there is enhanced reliability and reduced maintenance on all three models.

SureColor SC-S80600

The SC-S80600 incorporates Epson’s latest PrecisionCore print head and UltraChrome Eco-Solvent ink technology. It produces durable prints that are bright and glossy with an unparalleled colour gamut.

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It can be used with a wide range of media including paper, canvas, film & vinyl.

SureColor SC-S40600

The SureColor Solvent 40600 is designed to produce durable high-quality signage quickly, easily and at minimum cost. It suits a wide range of applications including indoor POS & outdoor signage, back-lit displays & window decorations, banners, vehicle wraps, wallpapers, surface finishes & labels.

Soft Signage Reinvented - Epson SureColor F-Series Range Epson’s fabric and merchandise printers are designed to enable rapid and cost-effective production of printed goods and material. Whether you are producing clothing, sportswear, soft-signage or gifts, Epson has a solution. Our printers offer flexible output capabilities with easy management and low maintenance. All models are backed with Epson warranties and on-site service.

SureColor SC-F9200

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The SC-F9200 combines Epson’s advanced PrecisionCore™ print head technology with UltraChrome® DS ink, a large Continuous Ink Supply System (CISS), 64” wide print engine with media output heater, and high precision Auto Take-Up. It also has a dual head for faster production speeds.

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SureColor SC-F6200

The SC-F6200 is designed to operate in conjunction with a small to medium sized heat press. It combines Epson’s advanced PrecisionCore™ print head with UltraChrome® DS ink, a Continuous Ink Supply System (CISS), and a 44” print engine.

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Epson Proofing, Packaging & Posters Printers

The Stylus Pro and SureColor Prographics series have been designed for people who need to produce extremely accurate colour with 11 cartridge models providing support for up to 99% of the PANTONE® range. All models can be ordered with an optional SpectroProofer for ISO standard proofing and workflow management. Epson’s poster and graphic printers provide a flexible and cost-effective solution for production of promotion and display materials.

SureColor SC-6070

SureColor SC-7070

SureColor SC-8070

SureColor SC-9070

SureColor P10070

SureColor P20070

Able to produce a wide spectrum of colours, it comes with an eight-colour ink-set and an Epson TFP PrecisionCore printhead to create accurate and long- lasting results.

Produce professional prints and proofs of the highest quality with this versatile 24” photo printer and proofer.

Able to produce 99% of Pantone-certified colours for accurate reproduction.

The SC-8070 is the bigger brother of the SC-6070 at a 44” width. Take your professional photos and fine art prints to new levels of quality with the SC-P8070.

The SC-9070 is the bigger brother of the SC-7070 at a 44” width, also able to produce 99% of Pantonecertified colours for accurate reproduction.

The SureColor Production P10070 is a 44” Large Format Printer that is designed for medium-high volume graphic, fine art and poster printing.

The SureColor Production P20070 is the bigger brother to the P10070 and has a width of 64” and is designed for medium-high volume graphic, fine art and poster printing.

Epson Commercial Label Printers Epson’s ColorWorks Desktop Label Solutions is ideal for high mix label requirements, these solutions feature commercial inkjet printers; fastdrying, durable colour inks suitable for a range of media types and sizes. With on-demand colour printing, instead of maintaining an expensive inventory of pre-printed labels, you can print the labels you need, when you need them.

Epson ColorWorks C7500/G

Epson ColorWorks C3500

Seamless integration. Reliable performance – rugged design means minimal maintenance. High-speed, on-demand, colour printing. Durable labels BS 5609 certification means labels won’t smudge. Low cost of labelling – up to 50% lower printing cost than with a laser. Astounding image quality powered by PrecisionCoreTM inkjet technology. Highly efficient – high yield ink cartridges mean fewer user interventions and less waste than most thermal transfer printers, easy to change.

Epson’s compact, four-colour TM-C3500 inkjet printer features fast printing speeds up to 103mm/ second, a banding reduction mode and a nozzle check system that produces a reliable output of high volume labels with excellent image quality. In addition, it offers multiple easy-to-use features such as an autocutter, easy paper loading and an LCD with printer status readouts.

Kayell Australia Knows Colour. More than four decades of professional imaging excellence.

Since 1970, Australia’s imaging professionals have relied on Kayell for their professional Photography and Graphic Arts solutions.

Kayell Australia is unique in that we combine the skills and products that involve the entire imaging process; From image capture to printed output and all the steps in-between. This holistic view about high quality imaging puts us in an ideal position to help all involved in the imaging chain: Photographers, Educators, Designers, Pre-press operators, Brand custodians, Advertising agencies and Printers.

Digital imaging technologies have driven the professional Photographic

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and Graphic Arts worlds together. From the moment light enters a lens, until a sublime, colour-managed print is produced, Kayell offers the know-how, equipment, training and technologies to help our customers achieve the best possible results. Our team in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney are highly experienced professionals who care passionately about all the aspects of imaging excellence.

Kayell Australia is the preferred partner for the manufacturers who create accurate lighting, densitometers and spectrophotometers, online quality control software, ink formulation software and close loop colour for offset and web printers. We have distribution agreements, some exclusively, with world-leading firms such as GMG Color,

108 Johnston Street Collingwood Vic 3066 03 8412 2800

X-Rite, Rutherford, GTI Graphiclite, Eizo monitors, Epson, Serendipity Software, Barbieri, Datacolor, Drobo and many others. Some of Australia’s largest and most prestigious printers have engaged Kayell Australia in the achievement of PSO/ISO internationally recognised colour standards. We are available as technical partners and as the supplier to your company for proofing, wide format print production, textile print production and UV printing. Our solutions extend to print kiosk and photo book equipment.

If you are after office printers and projectors… we do these too!

At Kayell Australia we have consistently achieved excellence over our longer than 40 years history. We invest our efforts in backing up our coveted reputation as “the go to team” for the best outcomes

www.kayellaustralia.com.au 1 300 KAYELL (529 355) info@kayell.com.au

in the business of high quality imaging and reproduction. The Kayell Australia team is a group of professionals that are also enthusiasts about what we do.

Getting it right is all about planning, accurate colour and colour management; and this is what drives us.

So if your goal is to produce images for fine art reproductions, photographicquality prints, displays, textile printing, UV printing, office printing or certified proofs that guarantee the colour on commercial and packaging jobs; trace backwards from any of these and you will find that Kayell Australia has the products, expertise and commitment to be your preferred business partner.

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AUSTRALIA’S BEST TRADE PRINTER

NEWS Editor’s Comment

2018 has opened its doors, and as we charge in it is clear the world continues to change and morph into the digital era. This week the big three outdoor media infrastructure companies in Australia, oOh!, APN and QMS all published their first half results, and all three revealed that for the first time revenue from digital signage had outstripped print - also known as classic or static - and they will continue to drive their businesses down a digital route, although all three did say that print will remain part of the mix.

In the same week I rejoined my local gym, and the entire process was digital, everything on a tablet, signing various forms with an electronic pen, paying with a tap card, although unfortunately the pain from the exercise was stil analogue.

A quarter of a century ago Benny Landa, inventor of the Indigo digital press, famously said at his Ipex press conference that ‘anything that can be digital will be digital’ which we all took with a pinch of salt at the time, however he is being proven correct, not just in print but across the whole of society.

For print business owners this race to a digital world is of course problematic, but not without opportunity. Those printers that can find a niche and own it will do well, those that can tap into the drive to personalisation will also do well, those that are seeking and developing new applications that meet the market will do well, those that stand still and hope things will turn around are unlikely to do as well.

PIAA: leave minimum wage alone LABOR leader Bill Shorten’s announcement that his party would look to boost the minimum wage has been slammed by Printing Industries, which says it will have a negative effect.

While the opposition party has not given any specific figures on what the increases may be, the current minimum wage nationally is $18.29 per hour or $694.90 per week before tax.

Printing Industries notes that nearly half of small business owners in Australia already earn less than the minimum wage, and says the proposed increase are an attack on small businesses, which represent a significant part Australian businesses, and the printing industry.

Andrew Macaulay, CEO, Printing Industries, says, “It is not unusual for a small print business owner to be earning the same or seasonally less than some of their better

Far reaching: Andrew Macaulay paid staff. This is diverting assets away from an incentive to invest in business. When small business is looking to invest in productivity, this will encourage further automation of production processes.

“The industry tends to pay above average. Printing Industries does not believe the minimum wage should be touched. The point is that this proposed increase substantially

Macaulay questions energy on Q&A ANDREW Macaulay questioned the government and opposition industry ministers on the nation’s top rating current affairs TV panel show Q&A. On the ABC programme Macaulay told the duo, “It (energy) is crippling manufacturing in this country.

It is a crisis right now. We are seeing a reduction in employment, in manufacturing in Australia as we speak. It is already here. That is why I ask, what can we do immediately?”

Responding Josh Frydenberg, minister for energy, said the biggest thing government can do is to get more gas into the market, as it is setting the price of electricity.

“The answer is that we are taking action now and there

is no silver bullet. You have to deal with every aspect of the supply chain when it comes to energy. One of the things that we can also do is bring more generation on and there are now a significant commitment, whether it is in gas, renewables, that’s been the focus - there’s even an energy company that is upgrading its coal-fired power plant. We need to get more generation into the market as quickly as possible but what’s been missing in Australia has been certainty at the policy level,” he said.

He was contradicted by opposition spokesman Chris Bowen, who said the country needed policy certainty but a bipartisan agreement but fired a political spear at Frydenberg,

Australian Printer - 68 years in print Tel: (02) 9806 9344 • Fax: (02) 9806 0455 • Email: info@i-grafix.com Managing Director: Shankar Vishwanath • shankar@i-grafix.com Group Publisher: Brian Moore • brian@i-grafix.com Group Editor: Wayne Robinson • wayne@i-grafix.com News Reporter: Paul Brescia • paul@australianprinter.com.au Contributors: • Gareth Ward • Dave Fellman Design and Production Manager: Carrie Tong • carrie@i-grafix.com Junior Designer: Miriam Lewis • miriam@i-grafix.com Sales Enquiries: salesau@i-grafix.com • (02) 9806 9344 Subscription Rates: (incl GST) Australia: A$110, Overseas: A$330 ISSN: 1033-1522 Australian Printer is a member of Printer Magazines Group

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impacts the ability of a small business to remunerate for performance, to be flexible in workplace arrangements, to find deals that suit employee and employer.

“It means less employment.

Creating an artificial minimum wage means a business owners finds more efficient ways of production without labour, meaning jobs will go.

“From what we see and hear, many small businesses in our industry are already having a tough time of it in an environment of soaring electricity prices and everincreasing compliance costs.

This increase could be the end of many of them.

“And the potential impact is far reaching; the recent positive uplift in business confidence and the potential for economic growth will soon reverse if small to medium businesses across Australia can not afford to employ.”

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February 2018 - Australian Printer

saying “Josh cannot get his preferred policy through his own party room”.

But the Macaulay was unimpressed by the political back-and-forth, saying, “I’m sorry, I know both of you are trying to provide a solution.

“However the reality is, we are talking about employment today and investment in industry today.

“Policy, from all governments, state and federal, has created sovereign risk in Australia which gets directly to the issue of investment, an issue in energy production and in hi-technology which goes into manufacturing. We need a solution immediately because the easiest solution is to move manufacturing offshore.”

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Copyright: Contents of this magazine are subject to copyright and cannot be reproduced in any way, shape, or form without the written permission of the publishers. The views expressed within Australian Printer are not necessarily those of the publishers. The publishers accept no responsibility for any consequences of actions undertaken as a result of information within.

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NEWS

Eastlink Book Binding to open doors A new trade binder is now operating in Melbourne, Eastlink Book Binding, run by John Mandile, who bought out Hornet Press in August.

The Eastlink Book Binding name was held and unused by Hornet Press prior to Mandile purchasing the company. He says he had an abundance of equipment for book finishing, and after purchasing a PUR binder, decided to open a second business. The company officially opened its doors early February.

John Mandile, owner, Eastlink Book Binding, says, “I am a bookbinder by trade, I figured this was a good opportunity. We have all finishing aspects, perfect binding, saddle stitching, wiro binding, laminating, die cutting.

“I have been a production manager, general manager, realistically I had a good client base, and I did not like clients feeling let down by others. If you work for yourself no one else can let the client down.

“I was sick of working for other people. I have been in the industry for a lot of years, major printing companies, and got sick of working for salespeople, people controlling my destiny.”

While Eastlink officially opened its doors earlier this month Mandile says it has been doing trade book finishing for Melbourne printers for a while.

“We are running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We have about 32 staff between the two companies.

“It is all trade work. I have one building which is print, and one building which is finishing.

I do a lot of trade finishing for printers in Melbourne.”

Hornet Press was previously owned by Graham Bell, who Mandile says was looking to gradually retire out of the business.

Bell owned Hornet Press for 35 years, having founded the company in 1982 with wife Sandra Bell. He is planning to stay for a couple of years.

Games provide $2.8m for industry

Fujifilm buying majority of Xerox

THE Commonwealth Games are proving to be a boost for print, as the total value of print-related contracts awarded for the Commonwealth Games surpasses $2.8m.

The largest contract awarded to date for the Games, slated to take place in April, is $1.7m, it was given to a panel of providers which includes Fast Proof Press, CPX Printing & Logistics, IPG Connect, and Heaney’s Performers in Print.

Mark Zerba, operations manager, GPX Printing & Logistics, explains “There is a panel of printers. The organisers post individual jobs, then the panel members have to quote, and then the jobs are awarded to the appropriate printer.

“The $1.7m is the print component spread across that board.”

Newly-formed company MAT Events, created by selfdescribed sublimated specialists Loco Sportsware, will manage merchandise for the Games, operating as a quasi-broker to source all textile print, winning $420,000 worth of contracts.

FUJIFILM is purchasing a majority stake in Xerox for US$6.1bn to create an US$18bn mega business, with New Fuji Xerox as it will be called now 50.1 per cent owned by Fujifilm.

The company says it is chasing a potential addressable market approaching US$120bn, and that it will jump ahead of Canon and Ricoh in printing revenues, close to HP in scale.

At the same time, Fuji Xerox says it will cut 10,000 jobs, mostly in the APAC region, from its already existing venture to cope with a decline in its photocopying business.

This equates to one-fifth of its global workforce.

Fujifilm already owns 75 per cent of Fuji Xerox in a deal stretching back to 1962, the business operating in the Japan/ Asia-Pacific region including Australia. The New Fuji Xerox will cover the rest of the world including the US and Europe.

The combined company will then be considered a subsidiary of Fujifilm, with dual headquarters in the United States and Japan, and listed in New York.

Leading the new company: (l) Jeff Jacobson, (r) Shigetaka Komori It will be led by current Xerox CEO Jeff Jacobson, with Fujifilm CEO Shigetaka Komori serving as chairman.

The deal comes a week after two of the biggest three shareholders at Xerox called for the board, including Jacobson to be sacked, saying the company has lost its way.

In the A3 printer market Xerox is now behind Konica Minolta, according to Ibis.

Jacobson says that combining the two businesses has compelling industrial logic, unlocking significant growth and productivity opportunities.

Shareholders in Xerox will receive a $2.5bn cash dividend as a result of the deal and will have a 49.9 per cent stake in the new entity.

New Fuji Xerox will have revenues of US$18bn, and is expected to deliver at least $1.7bn in total annual cost savings by 2022, with approximately $1.2bn of the total cost savings expected to be achieved by 2020.

Shigetaka Komori, chairman, Fuji Xerox says, “The merger will enable Fujifilm to formulate a consistent global and management strategy.”

Minuteman takes top print franchise MINUTEMAN Press International (Minuteman) has been named the #1 marketing and printing franchise by business publication Entrepreneur.

The Entrepreneur Franchise 500 list is published every year, with Minuteman coming in at 177th overall for its 2018 edition.

The list looks at franchises globally, and ranks them based on system size, growth, and financial strength and stability.

Newer iterations of its list also take into account social media presence.

australianprinter.com.au

To qualify, a franchise must have at least one location in the United States or Canada, and not be in Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.

Bob Titus, president, Minuteman Press says, “In addition to achieving the #1 marketing and printing franchise ranking, Minuteman Press International is proud to once again join the Entrepreneur Franchise 500.

“It is a testament to our Minuteman Press franchise owners who follow our tried and proven system, our corporate

staff, our regional franchise support teams, and our franchise business model that we are the #1 ranked marketing and printing franchise by Entrepreneur in 2018.

“To achieve this number one rating for 15 consecutive years and 26 times overall really shows our continued strength as the leaders of the printing industry with high core values.

“This is a tremendous accomplishment and honour, and we look forward to continuing to build on our unique position as the modern

printing industry and support our franchise owners in the years to come.”

In 2018, Minuteman Press says it plans to continue their pattern of franchise growth and expansion.

“New and existing franchisees are able to benefit from Minuteman Press unique royalty incentive program, ongoing local and corporate franchise support teams, strong mass purchasing power, easy to use proprietary business management software, and continued research.”

Australian Printer - February 2018

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NEWS

Canva hits $1bn valuation AUSTRALIAN-FOUNDED graphic design and printing startup, Canva, says it has reached a US$1bn valuation ($1.28bn) in its latest capital raising venture, putting it into the mythical unicorn status.

It was founded by Melanie Perkins, who leads the company, alongside Cliff Obrecht and Cam Adams, in 2012.

Perkins says, “My coworkers and I were university students, we had no money, and we had no engineering or business experience. We just had a problem that we wanted to solve and an absurd amount of determination.

“Canva took two years and hundreds of rejections.

“There is always a lot of rejection for entrepreneurs in their early days. But every time we faced a hard question or a reason why people would not invest, we stayed focused on what we would change.

“I revised our pitch after every meeting which was more than 100 times in one year to answer the questions or fix the reason for rejection from the last time.

“You just have to keep going.

The normal thing to do after your 100th, 80th or even 20th ‘no’ would be to stop, but you just have to persevere.”

The app originally allowed users to create professional graphic designs for an array of

Morgana unveils new PUR binder

Prime Minister visits Print Approach

MORGANA has launched a new PUR binder, the DigiBook 300 XL Pro, which adds landscape A3 capabilities to the range. Morgana equipment is sold through Print & Pack in Australia.

Morgana says the DigiBook 300 XL Pro is suited to traditional and digital printers who require short runs of PUR perfect bound books to a professional standard. It only requires single phase power, rather than three phase.

The DigiBook 300 XL Pro binder has an increased input cover size of 450x1,000mm, compared with the 350x700mm maximum format of its predecessor, the DigiBook 300.

It can now produce landscape A3 jobs, and produce up to 300 books per hour.

Ray Hillhouse, vice president offline business, Morgana, “We were getting requests for larger books in some markets.

For example, in Asia where the photobook market is huge, they were pushing for a larger size.”

PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull has been shown through Print Approach by owner Tom Eckersley, who took the opportunity to convey some of the key issues facing print businesses today to the PM in a focused meeting.

The Prime Minster was visiting Queensland based Print Approach - part of the Eckersley Group - with Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash, to see some of the results of the government’s PaTH scheme for apprentices and interns, with Eckersley’s business an active participant, resulting in it taking on two apprentices from the scheme, Jarrod Coombe and Jonathon Garrett, who both met the Prime Minister.

Tom Eckersley says, “It was great to have the PM and the Minister for Jobs and Innovation here, we took them through the factory, they met the lads on the scheme, and then we had an excellent meeting with them, where I was able to convey some of the major issues facing printers in this country today.

both print and digital outputs such as posters, invitations, presentations and social media posts, but now also offers to print the designs through Canva Print.

In Australia the print work is completed through PMI. Chris Zapris, CEO, PMI says he has known Canva cofounders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht for a while and that, “Canva has a fresh and exciting culture, we are strapped in and ready for take-off.

“The quality of the product is second to none, the customer consideration of the quality of the paper and packaging lends itself to be an amazing user experience.

“Personally, I have never seen anyone tackle print this way.

“This promises to be bigger than anything I have seen during my time in business.

Canva have taken an amazing view of the print industry and considered every possible facet to deliver products and make connections with its customer.”

While private investors and speculation factor into its $1bn evaluation, some voices in the media have expressed skepticism, considering Canva ran a $3.3m loss last year, according to files submitted to ASIC. Canva says it is now profitable, and cites 240,000 customers across the globe.

Meeting the PM: (l-r) Tom Eckersley, MD Print Approach; Prime Minster Malcolm Turnbull, apprentices Jarrod Coombe and Jonathon Garrett; and Minster for Employment Michaelia Cash “It was a productive conversation with Malcolm Turnbull and Senator Michaelia Cash about the industry, which is a key manufacturing sector in Australia.

“They were pleased to hear about our involvement with PaTH which has allowed us to grow our team and give some younger Australians the opportunity to get in print.”

Andrew Macaulay, CEO of the PIAA says, “Our dialogue with the Government on this subject is ongoing.”

Print Aproach uses an onsite training strategy, Ekersley explains, “We train our young people to operate across multiple processes such as offset, digital, wide format, so find that on-site is best for us. We use an RTO for the theory.”

Energy blackout hits Sydney printers A fault in an underground transmission cable left printers in Sydney without power, disrupting production schedules, costing companies time and money.

Supplier Ausgrid reported that power was out to about 25,000 customers in Sydney.

Impacted areas include parts of Revesby, Panania, Padstow, Picnic Point, Milperra, East Hills, Bankstown, Padstow 8

Heights, Condell Park.

Emergency crews worked to restore power, which was successfully reconnected later in the morning.

Energy supply is top of the agenda for the print industry, costs have been ballooning in Australia, while supply issues have plagued South Australia, and more recently, Brisbane.

Now Sydney has also been affected.

February 2018 - Australian Printer

While power has since been restored in Sydney, printers in the region will carry the burden forward. Naderco Signs and Printing (Naderco), based in Revesby, says that customers were assuming the business was shut down, having been unable to contact it through phone, email, or the web.

Andre Nader, director, Naderco says, “It was a complete blackout. We lost phones,

internet, cameras, unsaved work, it has been a bit of a struggle this morning. I was in the middle of a large-format job when it happened, which now has to be started again from scratch.

“Customers thought we closed down; how do you get the message out without power?

As a printer, no power even for an hour really affects us, it is a complete loss.”

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NEWS

Visy wins casual labour case IN a landmark ruling Visy is being backed by a Fair Work Commission ruling, upholding its refusal to convert two of its labourers into full time permanent employees, after they were engaged by the company for three months.

The Commission bench rejected an appeal by the AMWU towards an earlier decision upholding the decision.

A clause within the company’s

EBA made with the union stated that workers should be offered permanent employment if they were to be continuously engaged for longer than three months. A commissioner ruled that the clause was not justified under the Fair Work Act, saying it undermined job security by forcing Visy to increase its permanent workforce irrespective of the circumstances and restricting its

use of independent contractors.

Paul Mitchell, industrial relations manager at the PIAA says “I read about the decision this morning and was pleased that the full bench had taken that view.

“Printing Industries welcomes the decision of the Full Bench of the Fair Work Commission. There needs to be a clear choice for businesses when considering taking on a casual

or labour hire employee as a permanent full time employee.

The practical effect of this clause would have been for companies to create two-month casual or labour hire contracts and this is not at all a fair outcome for an employee or for a business. The Fair Work Commission should be commended for considering this clause’s impact on job security and employee wellbeing and industry productivity.”

Goss releases reelstand upgrades

Fishprint bills rise despite power cut

GOSS International (Goss) has released reelstand upgrade packages, to reduce operating costs and control waste for customers.

The packages are available to printers with a Goss CT45/50, Static Belt RTP, Megtech or Mitsubishi stand.

Goss says the benefits include a phased approach to spread the cost, removal of obselete equipment, improved tension control, improved splice performance, reduced downtime, and improved reliability.

Goss says that when new reelstands would have been performing at more than 99 per cent splice efficiency, but over time this may have fallen. It says even a slight drop from 98 per cent efficiency to 95 per cent more than doubles downtime and materials waste.

Any decrease in efficiency adds downtime and increases costs due to restarts, paper waste, and staff time.

Goss presses were particularly popular with regional newspaper publishers throughout Australia, with many still in full production, and it installed a couple of its Sunday commercial presses, including a Sunday 2000 at Hannanprint in Victoria.

MELBOURNE printer Fishprint has seen its energy costs rise sharply despite cutting power usage by a third.

The company invested in a new $1.4m press in 2017, with the goal to cut power over time, but instead has seen its bills increase in the period leading into summer.

Peter Booth, founder of Fishprint says, “In November, we saved 33 per cent of our power. We went from 3000kwh to 2000kwh per month. Our previous bill was $1200 so we expected the next one to be $800. It came in at $1400.

“We made an inquiry with our provider, Momentum Energy and they said prices were higher because of their summer surcharges, which came with a higher demand on energy.

People are switching on their air conditioners and so on.

“This would be fine, except to go from $800 to $1400, that would make for an almost 100 per cent surcharge, almost double.

“They did say they had sent us a letter about the surcharge, but I did not recall seeing it.

When I got the bill, I thought it was a mistake but I called the company and they said it was not. With energy companies raising their prices even more, they are killing us.

Bills keep rising: Fishprint saves energy without saving money “It was also in November, which as far as I am concerned is not within summer. Summer starts in December, maybe they should change the terminology there to incur warmer weather.

“I am unsure about how energy costs will affect us next year. If it keeps on like this, it could affect waging and staffing levels.”

Fishprint has eight full-time employees and has a focus on sustainability, with the company claiming it saves almost all of its waste.

Booth says, “I started the business 15 years ago and I have seen energy prices go up, but it has been incremental and manageable. This shift is massive. We are feeling penalised for saving power.

There is a printer down the road, he has not cut his energy and who knows how much extra he has been charged. How can you run a business with all its costs and still make a profit if this is possible? We are trying to do the right thing.

“Modern equipment comes with more power savings, and the press we bought in particular had more advantages in the technology it uses. We bought it to replace the old equipment, hoping to contribute to power savings. In this past month, I do not feel that we have achieved the full savings yet but we expect more to come.”

Fishprint was an early adopter of the KBA waterless Genius 52UV, and has received multiple awards.

Ricoh launches entry direct-to-garment RICOH is launching what it says is a compact, affordable direct to garment (DTG) printer, the Ri 100, marketing it as a sub$10,000 low-risk investment into promotional garment printing.

Henryk Kraszewski, senior product & marketing manager - Production Print, Ricoh Australia, says, “It is at a price point where you have never had DTG before. Even the other entry level options are $20,00010

$25,000, this is under $10,000.

It is almost like a consumer type product, and makes DTG accessible to virtually any printer, quick printer or franchise. Even if you are just a home industry pumping out a couple of shirts a week you would be able to produce and supply them. Where I see the opportunity is more for the franchise type operations, where it is adjunct to their existing business. “Commercial printers

February 2018 - Australian Printer

would look at a more upscale type solution. The Ri 100 can be operated by anybody, you do not need a high skill set.

“It can also produce tote bags, pillow cases, other promotional products, as long as it fits within the cartridge.

You load the substrate onto an A4 sized print, print to that, and then bind it to the substrates. It can handle cotton from 100 per cent up to a 50-50 mix.

“It comes bundled with the

software, which is PC-based computer, and you can use Wi-Fi to send images to the device directly. The aim is to make that production as easy as possible for a novice user.”

It prints up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi in vivid mode, leveraging Ricoh’s printheads and modular drop-size technology.

Users can choose between Ricoh Design Software to create and print designs or an RPCS driver.

australianprinter.com.au

NEWS

Warshall retires, sells Nulab AWARD winning photo printer Michael Warshall has retired, selling his Nulab Group – which he founded in 1980 - to rival Victorian photo printing company HC Pro. Warshall bows out at the peak of his prowess, winning top awards across America, Australia, and highly commended in Israel over the past year. Nulab Group has shot to prominence as the most awarded digital printer of the past decade at the National Print Awards, and through his work with HP Indigo.

Nulab Group has been printing for professional photographers for the best part of four decades, Warshall originally set the businesss up after failing to find a printer that could meet his own expectations as a photographer.

Nulab says, “After 45 years of business our director Michael Warshall has decided to retire.

The Nulab business has been sold to HC Pro and will continue to operate with business as usual. Over the Christmas break

operations will be moved to our new Horsham location.”

Bruce Wilson, owner, HC Pro says, “Michael has been indicating he was looking to require, it is a perfect set for our business, so we are able to come to an arrangement. We are the two biggest in Victoria, it made sense to go down that path.

“Now we can produce acrylics, which we have not previously done. We have used metal print. Acrylic is something that we have been contemplating, this is accelerating the process.

Everything else we had capabilities for.

“We will continue operating under the Nulab brand. Michael has established a strong brand, the marketing has been good.

If anything we are more likely to add to that brand rather than take away from it.

All the production is being relocated to Horsham. There is potentially a role for the album printing from Nulab. For general print production we are well staffed.

Retiring on top: Michael Warshall “There is an opportunity for some Nulab staff to find employment in Melbourne, at The Edge, another photographic lab in Melbourne. We have established close ties with them.

We do a lot of work together, and that will give us flexibility for localised print within Melbourne. We outsource work to them.

“Unfortunately most will have to find new homes, jobs, as it is a big move to leave Melbourne city for a location so far away.

“I have owned HC Pro for a bit over four years, and bought it from Brian Murray, who I had worked with since 2000.

“We have 42 full and part time positions, sometimes more depending on the time of the year.

“I want to congratulate Michael, he has been at the forefront of promoting photographic print for a long time.”

Warshall became known for his pioneering work with HP Indigo, his company became the first photo lab to switch from silver halide to HP Indigo digital printing technology. and developed its new Enviropix media products.

Nulab created Enviropix after 20 months working with physicists and colour scientists from Israel, they have finally perfected the technology. Nulab offered the new solution to its customers, and will eventually sell Enviropix around the globe.

Warshall says he is the only printer in the world currently capable of producing the prints.

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NEWS

Facebook changes limiting ad reach FACEBOOK founder Mark Zuckerberg is changing the social media behemoth’s algorithms, so that users see more content from friends and family and less from businesses.

For print businesses using Facebook as a means of marketing and gaining exposure, the changes could have a detrimental effect, with Zuckerberg warning that the company expects measures of engagement to go down, alongside the amount of time people spend on Facebook.

For those spending money to advertise with Facebook, the notion that measures of engagement will go down has been met with alarm.

Media and marketing analysts are up in arms following the announcement, which some have described as the end of the already shrinking organic reach on the site. Reach refers to how many users see your content once it is posted.

Organic refers to unpaid reach.

Dockets & Forms offering $20 freight cap DOCKETS & Forms Australia is offering a new courier deal for printers, a maximum of $20 for freight charges for any sized order, anywhere in Australia.

Tony Lee, sales manager at the company says, “The deal is for resellers with NCR books, notepads or tickets. Any order with freight charges over $20 will only have to pay $20, it does not matter where they are in Australia, or what the size of the order is.

“Freight charges for customers would usually depend on where they are, it can be up to a few hundred dollars for some orders. So customers with big orders will definitely see a benefit and be able to minimise their costs, in a way we are giving their money back. It is also a way for us to promote ourselves.”

Dockets & Forms is the largest NCR printer in Sydney, running a fleet of six specialised NCR presses.

Lee says, “Most of our machinery and equipment are

Tony Lee, Dockets & Forms with NCR sets for NCR printing. We import our paper direct from overseas, and print our own covers, which saves costs, and we are able to pass on those savings to our customers, instead of using local suppliers and doing things the usual way.

“We have customers everywhere in Australia, we have some in Tasmania, Perth, some in the Northern Territory and far north Queensland. There are more printers in rural areas I

think that we may not be getting to yet.

“Our NCR product prices are not increasing, what better way to get new customers interstate and all around Australia. This is all about trade printing and for businesses in the trade or reselling, this is a great opportunity.”

Dockets & Forms was established in 2000, and its Sydney factory has been on their current premises for 12 years.

Worldwide Print achieves latest ISO

NordVPN releases online security steps

WORLDWIDE Printing Solutions has achieved the latest ISO colour standard, ISO 126472:2013.

It has been completed alongside the Mellow Colour ISO 12647-2 Proficient Printer on the company’s Heidelberg Speedmaster XL75, a fivecolour press plus coater, as part of its offset workflow in its Cannington, Perth hub.

The hub covers 4,000 square metres and is one of the largest printing facilities in Western Australia. It is also one of the most energy-efficient and carbon-neutral print sites, featuring rooftop and ground based solar panels. Together, Worldwide says it generates over 2.4 gigawatts of clean energy each day, accounting for a quarter of its energy needs at the facility.

The site has come a long way since its inception as a ‘hub and spoke’ printing franchise in 1994. In July 2010, the Worldwide name and franchise was acquired by long-established Perth Printer Crystal Print, which now trades under the Worldwide name and services a national network of more than forty Worldwidebranded franchisees.

Arnold Whiteside led Crystal Print and is now the managing director at the Cannington hub.

Whiteside says being carbonneutral is also important at Worldwide, and that while the

ONLINE security consultant NordVPN has issued a list of six online security resolutions to keep businesses safe, focusing on best-practice for browsing and social media use.

Experts contend that cybersecurity threats will worsen in 2018, with individual internet users, as well as businesses, to experience a rising number of breaches, including ransomware attacks, sophisticated phishing emails and WiFi hacks.

The first item on the list is public wifi safety. NordVPN says, “As the number of public Wi-Fi scams only seems to be increasing, it shows that people and businesses do not treat their online security seriously.

“Hackers can position themselves as hotspots, and use wireless sniffers to capture data or watch over a shoulder to memorise passwords. It is important to be vigilant when using public WiFi, to use a firewall and to install a VPN, which encrypts information shared online into a secure tunnel.”

A VPN, or Virtual Private Network, works by encrypting your IP address, obscuring your identity, location, and browsing from outside agents so that you are not identifiable online, by using a private network to intermediate between your computer and the internet.

12

Assisting tenders: ISO standard ultimate aim is to capture 100 per cent of all fugitive emissions, the inevitable small amount of CO2 that does escape is offset by the purchase of carbon credits in line with the Carbon Reduction Institute’s criteria.

“Being Green and socially responsible is in our culture. If we are to maintain our leading position as a trusted print service provider to our 35,000 customers, we had little choice but to upgrade to the latest ISO colour standard.

“It has proven very satisfying, hitting the right colour every time and with very little waste along the way,” says Whiteside.

Jeremy LLoyd, operations manager, Worldwide, says, “In terms of keeping colour consistent in our network, franchise groups have been hard taskmasters for colour repeatability over the years.

“We have our own auditing

February 2018 - Australian Printer

and implementation of colour control, but we felt that going forward, we needed to be at a standard like ISO for us to continue on without relying on internal staff managing it all.

“We have stringent procedures in place for colour.

We do not have issues for colour, but putting this in to place gave us structure, and another layer, with someone outside of the business auditing it. They will come every six months, and will be here in April, in between we do print tests and record keeping to show them we are keeping up to scratch.

“I think it will assist with tenders and government stuff.

We only got the certification just before Christmas. Our second audit is in the end of April. Once we are confident, we can go into a tender with it and definitely get more work. It seems the tenders stipulate ISO standards more and more these days.

“We bought out a company called Abbott printing midlast year. Traditionally we never got into the tender game.

Abbott were, and they have a few tenders on the back of accreditation, a big reason why we went down this path.

“When the tenders come up for renewal, we want to position ourselves with that extra string in the bow.”

David Crowther, owner, Colour Graphic Services conducted the training.

australianprinter.com.au

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NEWS

Safe Work issues multiple notices to DIC THE DIC ink manufacturing facility in Auburn has been issued multiple notices by Safe Work NSW as its investigation into the tragic death of an ink vat cleaner ramps up.

The incident at the DIC ink factory in Auburn, in which Craig Tanner died and two more workers were

injured, is now under a full investigation, potentially leading to prosecutions if there are significant breaches of work and safety laws found.

As it stands, SafeWork NSW has issued notices to the company, relating to both electrical safety and systems of the work. The company will have

New Print OS app for ad hoc jobs

Lane leaves PIAA after 27 years

HP PrintOS – the app suite for its users - can now also process ad-hoc jobs automatically using arifiQ technology.

The arifiQ estimating engine instantly and automatically creates quotes, job tickets, gang-runs, cost-optimised impositions and production routes for the full variety of print jobs moving through a workflow – including ad-hoc jobs requiring custom quotes.

In the first implementation of the technology in a digital workflow solution, arifiQ is making this capability available to HP PrintOS users, empowering them to take ad-hoc jobs from print customers or the sales team, all the way to the press, without stops.

The arifiQ technology makes it possible for PrintOS Box and PrintOS Site Flow to receive job tickets and, most importantly, print-ready imposed PDFs – without requiring predefined products.

PETER Lane has retired from his role as the South Australian board representative of Printing Industries Association of Australia, replaced by Sarah Leo of Openbook Howden Print & Design (OPH).

While it was made official from the start of the year, Printing Industries notes it has been preparing a succession plan alongside Lane for the past 12 months.

Walter Kuhn, president, Printing Industries, says, “He has been invaluable over 27 years. He has had a major input in the way it has been run, especially in the changes over the past couple of years.

“A big thanks is deserved to his company, Lane Group, for being flexible with Peter Lane, allowing him to spend so much time and effort in the association.

“He has been a mentor to a lot of board people and CEOs with his insurmountable knowledge of the industry and association.

to comply with the notices over a period of time before they are lifted by Safe Work In a statement, SafeWork NSW says, “Initial inquiries indicate the mixer activated while two workers were undertaking maintenance on the tank.

“A third worker, aged 28 is

Leaving PIAA: Peter Lane “He is one of a kind, and we can not thank him enough.”

As for other changes among senior level board members, Kuhn says, “There are none planned for in the immediate future.

There may be one or two in the next year or so with long term board members. We are working on a succession scenario.

reported to have gone to their assistance and been injured.

A 29-year- old worker that was undertaking maintenance on the tank was freed by emergency services while the other worker, aged 42, was trapped by the mixer’s blade and passed away from injuries he sustained.

“They are planned strategic moves to allow the association to grow and move with the industry.”

Andrew Macaulay, CEO, Printing Industries says, “Peter Lane has done an incredible job. For close to 30 years he has contributed enormously, and I am particularly grateful for the assistance he has provided me.

“A lot of what we have done since I have taken over has been influenced by Peter, and the industry, association, and myself thank him for his contribution.

“The board itself has been looking at succession planning, and last year Kieren May led by example in that regard.

“Peter was seeking a SA replacement that represents a generational change, and Sarah Leo definitely does that. She is an extraordinary representative for the industry, she is successful, young, and dynamic, and we are lucky to have her.

“We consider her to be representative of our change.”

Epson releases robots, ready for print EPSON is launching an autonomous dual-arm robot, the WorkSense W-01, which it says will expand the scope of automated production in print.

The robots are sold through Motion Solutions Australia, a Victorian-based supplier which deals to the Australian, New Zealand, and Indian markets.

Gautam Manoharan from Motion Solutions Australia says, “We have not sold robots for printing to the Australian market yet, but internationally Epson robots have been used in print manufacturing.”

Robots have yet to make any significant impact in print, however their time may be coming, Currie Group’s PacPrint stand featured a Sawyer Collaborative Robot picking up and transferring stacked sheets from an Indigo press to the adjacent Horizon BQ-480 perfect binder and Horizon 14

HT-1000V three-knife trimmer, where a completed book was produced, all without a touch point.

Epson says, “In recent years, manufacturers’ needs have grown more diverse with demand for products fluctuating sharply and a growing necessity to flexibly accommodate smalllot production and just-in-time production.

“Industrial robots are conventionally installed in a fixed location on a line to perform a given task. The WorkSense W-01, however, was developed for easy mobility so that it can be wheeled from place to place to perform assembly, transport, and other tasks.

The features described below enable the robot to automate production tasks that previously defied automation.”

“The robot is equipped with 4 head-unit cameras and 2 arm-

February 2018 - Australian Printer

mounted cameras that give it human-like vision, enabling it to detect an object’s position and orientation in three-dimensional space.

“Even if the location of objects and obstacles changes, the robot is able to independently determine their position.

“The robot arms are outfitted with Epson’s precision force sensors, which are already available on sale. Thus it is able to perform delicate assembly, transport, and other tasks that require human-like force control to avoid damaging objects.

Multipurpose hands that can grasp, grip, and clamp objects of various shapes and sizes are included as standard end-of-arm tooling. They can manipulate tools and jigs that were designed for humans.

“The robot is able to detect the position and orientation of

objects in three-dimensional space, so even if the robot is relocated, it can immediately start work - with no programming change required.

This gives the robot the ability to flexibly adapt to sudden changes in production. So, for example, it can be wheeled to different locations to perform different tasks every day, if need be. The robot independently decides the path and orientation of its 7-axis arms and is able to avoid obstacles.

“The robot’s two 7-axis arms move like human arms. The dual arms move independently from one another to allow the robot to perform tasks that a single-arm robot cannot.

With its WorkSense robot, Epson says it is targeting market segments where demand for small-lot production and JIT production are particularly high, such as automotive parts.

australianprinter.com.au

NEWS: DIGITAL

Canon partners with Plockmatic CANON Australia has signed a reseller agreement with Plockmatic, adding a scalable inline booklet maker for its imagePress series of digital colour and monochrome printers.

Canon Australia says it can now further support its production print customers with a wider range of high quality, fully-finished products, which already included perfect binding, punching, folding, ring binding, and three-knife trimming.

Canon will service the machines, which it says is aimed at print shops both with and without current booklet making capabilities.

The BLM 50 and BLM 35 Production Booklet Makers produce stapled or square-fold booklets of up to 200 and 140 pages, at rated engine speeds.

Canon says that both of the models can handle coated, uncoated and textured stocks up to 350 gsm.

Whirlwind installs Horizon SmartSlitter TRADE outfit Whirlwind Print has installed a Horizon SmartSlitter, expanding its short-run finishing equipment range.

Supplied through Currie Group, Whirlwind says the SmartSlitter complements its digital embellishing system.

Peter Milburn, operations manager, Whirlwind says, “We were aware that some traditional cutting methods may produce problematic issues for our new finishing process, potentially creating chipping, and flattening the embellishment with the pressure of the guillotine. We required a new cutting solution.

“We needed a solution that could cut card-thick stocks without pressure, and after thorough testing we chose the Horizon SmartSlitter.

“I was impressed with its quick changeover, as all the settings were servo driven. It is programmable, and therefore maintaining settings and templates is easy. Now we just recall the templates with a

Solving finishing gap: Whirlwind’s Jethro Jai (l) and Peter Milburn (r) push of the button, so set up is less than a minute, providing significant productivity gains.

“It also offers flexibility, with slitting, cutting, scoring and creasing. So that provided for variation within the device.

“It is providing options for us in short run traditional scoring and creasing, which we used to have to run through traditional equipment.

“Most importantly it is delivering expertly finished

products, maintaining our high-quality standards and showcasing the digital embellishments.

“The backup service that Currie provided is second to none in this small finishing machinery segment, their technicians are strong in their area of expertise.”

Vince Pignataro, account manager, Currie Group, says, “It is fully-automatic, and reads QR codes, barcodes.”

Australian printers win Pixis

Xeikon introducing Café Academy

FOUR Australian businesses have been awarded by Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific at its Printing Innovation with Xerox Imaging (Pixi) Awards for 2017.

Pronto Direct was the standout business, taking three awards, including two firstplace, in the Brochures and Catalogue categories. Direct Mail and Marketing took home two awards, winning the Direct Marketing category, and tying for second in Self Promotion.

Blue Star Print Victoria took second place in Books and Manuals while Enviro Print Group came second in Point of Sale Materials.

Pronto Direct has been recognised at the Pixi awards for three years running now. Geoff Davey, general manager, Pronto Direct says, “We do refer people to our website, where we feature the awards. When selling, we can show the materials that have won awards in APAC. From there we hopefully gain a better level of acceptance and trust with the customer.

“We have 100 per cent Fuji Xerox print room. Two iGen150s, and the 1000i press with a fifth colour. That does the bulk of our production for printed material.

“We also have Fuji Xerox wide format equipment.

“We have been going for 25 years. The business was traditionally a fulfillment company which evolved into

XEIKON is introducing an educational academy to its Café Exhibition and Conference (Xeikon Café) for its 2018 edition, taking place March 20-23.

The company says its Lier, Belgium based event will feature a range of newly introduced components that will make the event even more relevant, informative and interactive for participants.

The educational Academy will include technology-driven presentations and practical workshop sessions, and an informal social gathering to increase networking opportunities. Essentially, it will provide a technical, educational forum centred around innovative end-use applications and packaging decoration technique Danny Mertens, Xeikon Café says, “Our goal with the Xeikon Café is to provide an industry educational venue that is as agnostic and neutral as possible as it explores the future of digital production. We want it to benefit the industry at large, helping people understand the new opportunities digital production can bring to their businesses, and inspiring them to achieve new heights.

“This year’s focus is again on packaging innovations, we hope to attract more visitors than the 1,000 attending last year.”

australianprinter.com.au

Leading the pack: Geoff Davey direct mail, with the advent of colour it has evolved into digital print and direct mail company. We specialise in high quality digital print, and highly personalised direct mail in the text and image.

“I think historically, direct mail, or personalisation was getting a name and matching with a standard letter. Today, people who engage in multi-level direct communication have higher demands.

“We use the real estate of the envelope to personalise it, helping the letters to be opened.

“Then once its opened, we can customise things based on the organisations data. We specialise in data mining, so that each communication is directed at that customer, not a group of customers.

“We might send a letter out for automotive around service.

Instead of saying we have a

special, we will say, “Hi Paul, we notice your SUV is …” so that is specifically around you and your car.”

“We have adopted a strategy of layering our services for our customers. It is not uncommon to do a banner, then the next day do some small packaging, a wine box or POS piece. We see a $5000 and $5 customer with the same value. We bring them on board. There is no typical job for us, it could a financial report, or a pillow box, or direct mail. The products are a consequence of the relationship not the purpose of the call.

“We really like the output of the products me use. It enables us to be flexible and aggressive in the marketplace.”

Steve Green, executive general manager, Sales, Fuji Xerox Australia says, “This year’s PIXI Awards have been a great opportunity for our Australian customers to showcase their commitment to innovation by presenting work that demonstrates how they have been pushing the boundaries in print.

“For Pronto Direct to be awarded second place in the newly added 5th Colour Award simply proves how our partners are looking at the industry with innovative eyes. We are thrilled with the seven wins and congratulate all the winners and participants at this year’s Pixi Awards.”

Australian Printer - February 2018

15

NEWS: PAPER

EnergyAustralia scraps paper bill fees ELECTRICITY and gas provider EnergyAustralia is scrapping paper bill fees and over-thecounter payment at Australia Post fees for all their customers, following pressures from consumers and the Keep Me Posted campaign.

The Keep Me Posted campaign is backed by a

coalition of representatives from the print, paper and mail industry, charity, trade unions and community groups advocating for a ban on paper fees, urging companies to not wait for the legislation to change.

Kellie Northwood, executive director, Keep Me Posted, says, “In NSW a ban on paper bills

Candida to downsize for new year

FWC meeting fails to resolve picket

CANDIDA, the second largest envelope manufacturer in Australia, is closing down its envelope production in Sydney, and resizing to a smaller production facility, located in Adelaide.

Ben Westall, managing director for Candida Stationery says, “We have branches in Sydney, Adelaide and Melbourne. We are continuing our current manufacturing in Adelaide. We are shutting down our manufacturing in Sydney because we need a smaller branch.

“We are affected by Australia Post and their prices, and we have found it will be more cost effective for us to have a reduction in our business. We will have a smaller run, and it will be faster and more effective.

“We have had to resize so we will have to let some staff go. They are being paid appropriately and we will be helping them with the transition.

“It is due to go through this month.”

Candida has been running for 41 years, with 200 staff across Australia and New Zealand.

A second Fair Work Commission (FWC) mediated meeting between workers at Australian Paper’s Preston plant and management has failed to resolve the long-running picket.

Australian Paper management applied to get the picket dispanded, saying owners Nippon will not negotiate while industrial action is taking place.

Management was initially successful, but an appeal upheld the worker’s right to strike.

Now the FWC is ruling whether it will dispand the picket for two weeks, or force the company to the table to negotiate with workers.

The dispute is centred around pay increases, and RDOs, with workers requesting a 2.5 per cent annual rise and no loss of RDOs, claiming that management wants to grandfather pay increases for long-time staff while newer additions catch up.

The picket line was started when nine-months of negotiations between management and staff broke down.

With the picket now stretching to its fifth week, there have been no signs of the workers abandoning the picket without what they would consider a satisfactory outcome.

Latest issue of VoPP out now THE latest issue of VoPP (value of paper and print) magazine is out, with a focus on the enduring power of partnering with print for luxury brands.

Produced by industry lobby group TSA Limited (TSA) the latest issue confirms that the luxury market is one of the biggest success stories in print.

TSA says brands understand the physical quality of print ‘screams luxury’, and are tapping into the power of print to appeal to this lucrative market.

Luxury advertising spend rose by three per cent in 2017, and is tipped to rise again in the year to come, with print a primary recipient of the spend.

16

from energy providers was legislated by the State.

“However this is the first time a company has willingly decided to scrap the fees nationally for all of its customers.

“We have contacted all the main telecommunications providers, and have not been lucky so far.

“We hope that the competition will work among energy providers, with EnergyAustralia leading by example. With the banks, when one scrapped ATM fees, all followed. We have our fingers crossed other energy companies will follow suit from EnergyAustralia’s decision.”

Still fighting: Australian Paper workers at its Preston site AMWU organiser Dean Griffiths says the staff will not return to work while there is no settlement, and that management has refused to negotiate while the industrial action is taking place, setting up an impasse.

Griffiths also says that supplies are running low at the Preston site, having conferred with warehouse workers.

“We have heard from people inside the warehouse that they are quickly running out of envelopes. Officeworks is running out of its premium line

of envelopes, other customers are facing delays in getting their orders filled.”

Melbourne-based envelope manufacturer Express Envelopes says there has not been much extra work picked up since the picket began, though it has to capacity to handle it.

A big downturn in mail volumes, combined with increased prices from Australia Post has hit the envelope manufacturing sector.

The biggest envelope manufacturer in the US, Cenveo, has just gone into Chapter 11.

The impact of soft touch films and its sensory experience on consumers CONSUMERS today have at their fingertips an endless array of products to choose from.

One way in which consumers are making their choices when faced with such wide product ranges is the emotional connection they feel in response to a particular product. This has led to an uptake in the concept of ‘sensory branding’, as a way of enhancing a business’ brand, increasing sales and building brand loyalty.

The advantage of using the sensory experience in product marketing is that in contrast to visual or verbal advertising,

February 2018 - Australian Printer

the sensory experience is unconscious and not obvious to the consumer.

The first physical interaction a consumer has with the product is at the packaging point. So in branding a product businesses need to place a great deal of emphasis on the sensory experience offered by the packaging.

Jet Technologies and its partners have invested in researching and analysing the emotional impact, positive emotion and influence of the packaging sensory experience on counsumers.

Research found that with a choice between two products, one of which is laminated with Jet Technologies’ Soft Touch film, it produces a significant 275 percent more emotional intensity, and 247 percent more positive emotions in the participants when handling product which is coated with Soft Touch.

Some 70 per cent of the test participants said when making a purchase decision they would choose the films coated with Soft Touch, compared to 30 per cent who would choose the ones without.

australianprinter.com.au

Soft Touch Range

Also available in: • Gold Soft Touch • Black Soft Touch • Metalised Soft Touch Coming soon.

Preorder your swatch book now at www.jet-ap.com or 02 48399 4999

TWO SIDES

Value of Paper a virtual reality Print and paper lobby group launches new website with multiple resources for printers to promote the industry

T

HE Value of Paper and Print campaign is arguably the strongest bow in the TSA Limited cap – launched in 2014 the campaign promoting the effectiveness of paper and print marketing has delivered to the industry representative body a staggering 322 per cent increase in members since its launch.

Last year saw the team launch their very own VoPP Mag, which is now about to publish its fourth issue. The magazine is distributed across Australia and New Zealand and filled with content exploring successful local and international campaigns.

With 67 articles produced, 61 thought leaders from the retail, agency and corporate space and over 30,000 distributed you would think they would be busy enough, however this month sees them launching their new ‘The Sales Catalogue of Print’ or as most would call it – their new website.

Kellie Northwood, Executive Director, TSA Limited says, “I don’t like calling it a website – it is so much more than that. It has print-ready files for Members, search and filtering functionality to find the right nickable chart for your presentation and more. It is a resource for our industry to promote the power of print in today’s market.

“Housing more than 200 case studies, nickable charts, fact sheets, white papers, media articles and more this is, without doubt, the resource bank of the industry.

“With the VoPP campaign running for almost four years now, our library of case studies, charts, fact sheets and research papers

18

February 2018 - Australian Printer

New from Two Sides: much more than a website

is staggering. We have collated over this time the largest resource bank across Australia and New Zealand, however our Members were struggling to navigate through all the material and we knew we had to launch a porta’ if you like for VoPP members whilst also providing content for non-Members,” commented Northwood.

But how do we use it and what is what? Here’s the top five things you need to know about this new site:

1. First things first, only Members have full access.

THERE are two levels of access – Public content which is available to all and Premium Content which is limited to Members only.

Northwood comments, “We want the content to be available for everyone, from within the industry to print buyers, marketers and agencies.

However, our Members do get a head start with the content and that is part of our value offering to our Membership.”

2. ENews should not be underrated.

OFTEN the eNews sections are searched the least, however this section is filled with articles from across the world that have senior marketing minds talking up print.

Each eNews has about four articles and they have a collection of eNews publications over twenty-four months.

australianprinter.com.au

TWO SIDES

and Print : y : vopp.com.au 3. Crunch it out with the Case Studies.

EXPLORING successful campaigns using print as the foundation the case studies talk to the ROI, Readership, Effectiveness and other statistics that support the strength of the campaign and the role print played. Downloadable as print-ready PDFs this section can be either an educational piece or something to add in your sales packs.

4. Inspire yourself in the Inspiration section.

IT may not be as comprehensive as the print-ready case studies however the Inspiration section is the latest on all things print marketing. This section provides a short summary of innovative campaigning and ways some of the greatest creative minds have used print recently for multi-national and bespoke brands. If it is

inspirational it is included – because the content is loaded weekly these campaigns have often not even hit the marketing media publications.

5. Nickable Charts.

EXACTLY as their title suggests these are charts that are ‘nickable’.

This section provides graphical representation of research, facts and figures the VoPP team have collected highlighting the key take-outs.

They are sized to fit straight into a PowerPoint slide and developed for sales teams.

And to the critics arguing why use digital to promote print Northwood in her usual straighttalking style “Nonsense. Our channel outperforms digital regularly, this is a virtual library set up for the industry and Members to gain access to content and either print it directly or redesign and include in other print collateral. I am not an opponent of digital at all – there is a place for all channels, as a library resource this is a good

use of a digital tool. In the instance of our VoPP Mag, where we want buyers to trust, engage and refer to the information time and time again, print is the best option. Knowing this is part of our educational journey with our Members.”

“Our aim is to unite the industry to one voice when communicating the strength of print. We hope the new VoPP site provides that resource and the industry uses the content, prints it for clients, friends and family. The research and content is overwhelmingly supportive of how strong our channel is so let’s share it in every possible way we can.”

The new site is indeed impressive, with a search filtering functionality you can search for the type of print category – Direct Mail to Catalogues, Brandzines to Print Marketing as well as industry categories from Retail to Automotive, Financial to Healthcare the search can be refined further with results from Brand Awareness to Sales Increase, it is unmatched across other sectors. It is print-ready, easy to navigate and should be on every print sales rep’s Favorites list.

Resource rich: Two Sides provding major support to printing industry

australianprinter.com.au

Australian Printer - February 2018

19

NEWS: BUSINESS Local and global print stock watch Dec 5-Feb 20 ASX (AUD$)

Price

Change

Amcor APN Fairfax IVE News Corp oOh!media Opus PMP Redbubble Spicers Wellcom

14.16 4.36 0.67 2.19 20.92 4.60 0.47 0.34 1.84 0.032 4.47

1.67 0.57 0.03 0.11 0.85 0.24 0.01 0.15 0.75 0.002 0.44

APN

          

IVE

1.7500

80.00

1.6000

75.00

FEBRUARY 2017

NYSE (US$) Adobe Apple Canon Fujifilm News Corp Xerox

70.00

FEBRUARY 2018

Price 202.98 171.85 37.94 40.90 15.95 31.03

Year High

23.46 0.46 0.02 0.12 5.41 1.31

202.98 171.85 35.07 41.76 21.75 41.20

     

200.00

15.00

180.00

14.00

160.00

13.00

140.00

DAX (EURO)

120.00

FEBRUARY 2018

Price

Agfa 3.91 Heidelberg 2.92 Koenig & Bauer 70.05 Metsa Board 7.40 UPM 28.11

0.10 0.02 6.85 0.96 0.69

Agfa

FEBRUARY 2017

Year High 4.46 3.50 71.00 7.40 28.11

    

119.63 136.69 27.3 35.86 10.94 27.56

FEBRUARY 2018

Year Low 2.56 1.69 27.07 4.31 14.44

Heidelberg 100.00

10.00

95.00

9.50

90.00

9.00

85.00

20

Year Low

FEBRUARY 2018

80.00

ELECTRONICS For Imaging (EFI) has achieved a record fourth quarter revenue of US$269.2m, while increasing its full-year revenue from its 2016 results.

For the quarter ended December 31, 2017, the company increased revenue 1 per cent from the fourth quarter 2016 result of US$266.7m.

In its full-year results, EFI’s revenue increased over the previous year, but only by the thinnest of margins, up by 0.1 per cent to US$993.3m from US$992.1m, tantilisingly close to the $1bn marker it is aiming at.

Guy Gecht, CEO, EFI says, “The performance of our direct business drove record quarterly and full year revenue for EFI. We look for this growth from inkjet and software to accelerate in the first quarter.

“Having just finished an exciting Connect Users’ Conference, the EFI team is energised as we enter 2018, with a year full of new product introductions across the Company and Nozomi on track for a strong first year in the corrugated market.

“We are well positioned to help customers transform their businesses.”

GAAP net loss was US$25.4m compared to GAAP net income of US$19.9m for the same period in 2016, or US$(0.55) per diluted share compared to US$0.42

per diluted share for the same period in 2016.

Non-GAAP net income was US$24.0m, down 33 per cent compared to non-GAAP net income of US$35.7m for the same period in 2016 or US$0.52 per diluted share, down 31 per cent compared to US$0.75 per diluted share for the same period in 2016.

Cash flow from operating activities was US$8.9m, down 86 per cent compared to US$65.2m during the same period in 2016.

In its full-year results, EFI’s revenue increased 0.1 per cent to US$993.3m from US$992.1m.

GAAP net loss was US$14.4m or $(0.31) per diluted share, compared to GAAP net income of US$44.9m or US$0.94 per diluted share for the same period in 2016.

Non-GAAP net income was US$100.7m or US$2.14 per diluted share, compared to nonGAAP net income of US$116.2m or US$2.43 per diluted share for the same period in 2016.

Cash flow from operating activities was US$51.3m, down 58 per cent compared to US$121m during the same period in 2016.

The company has three more publicly confirmed Nozomi installations underway, one in Australia for Orora Fibre Packaging, and two more in North America.

Lowde new Salmat CEO

Change

10.50

FEBRUARY 2017

FEBRUARY 2018

Adobe

16.00

FEBRUARY 2017

FEBRUARY 2017

Change

News Corp

8.50

13.4 4.36 0.52 1.98 14.93 3.96 0.32 0.34 0.68 0.02 4.03

85.00

1.6500

12.00

Year Low

16.42 5.20 0.73 2.43 21.77 5.64 0.60 0.87 1.84 0.035 5.52

90.00

1.7000

1.5500

Year High

EFI reaches record revenue

FEBRUARY 2017

February 2018 - Australian Printer

FEBRUARY 2018

SALMAT has appointed Rebecca Lowde as CEO of the $450m business, taking up the role permanently following her performance as acting CEO from May this year.

She succeeds Craig Dower left by mutual agreement at the time after three years in the job.

He succeeded Grant Harrod, who is currently CEO of Pro-Pac, which has former AusPost CEO Ahmed Fahour as its chairman.

Lowde says, “This is an important and challenging time for Salmat as we complete the strategic review and work to achieve the best possible outcomes for all stakeholders.

“I look forward to continuing to lead the Salmat team and updating shareholders on our progress as we are able to do so.”

Peter Mattick, chairman, and co-founder, Salmat, says, “Lowde joined Salmat as chief financial officer in August 2014 and has been closely involved with the business transformation and other strategic programs since that time. She has made a seamless

transitions into the acting CEO role and the board is very pleased that she has accepted the offer to continue as CEO in the future.

“She has already made an enormous contribution to the business and we are confident that she will deliver great results for Salmat’s shareholders, clients and staff in this role. Her extensive leadership experience in Australia, Asia and Europe will serve Salmat well as we shape the future direction of the business.

While the marketing company sold its print assets five years ago to Fuji Xerox DMS for $375m, it still places a huge amount of print, and actively promotes print marketing.

Salmat was founded by Philip Salter and Peter Mattick in 1979.

Salmat recently introduced its salmatHub app, which tracks the delivery of direct mail, ensuring marketers have confidence that their runs are reaching letterboxes. The company says it also simplifies its delivery workers’ jobs.

australianprinter.com.au

PRINT DIARY

Got an event? Send an email to paul@australianprinter.com.au with all the details and we will put your event on the page

 Fespa Asia February 22-24

 SA/NT PICA Awards

 Worldstar Packaging Awards

April

May 2

Location tbc

Surfers Paradise

piaa.org.au

worldstar.org

 Victoria PICA Awards

 Fespa Global Expo

Bangkok

April

May 15-19

fespa.com

Location tbc

Berlin

piaa.org.au

fespa.com

 Embracing Digital March 1-11

 NSW PICA Awards

 National Print Awards

Perth, Adelaide, Brisbane,

May

end May

Sydney Melbourne

Location tbc

tbc

piaa.org.au

piaa.org.au

piaa.org.au

 Visual Impact 2018

 AIP National Conference

 Igas

April 19-21

May 2-3

July 26-31

Brisbane Convention Centre

Surfers Paradise

Tokyo

visualimpact.org.au

aip.com.au

igas-tokyo.jp/en

If you are promoting an event, fax: +61 2 9806 0455 or email: paul@australianprinter.com.au

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COVER STORY

Differentiation m with Fuji Xerox Adprint seeks new markets and new applications with its new Iridesse Production Press

C

USTOMERS of Fuji Xerox Australia say they are positively thrilled with the decision to implement the new Fuji Xerox Iridesse Production Press, due to the possibilities it has created to diversify their businesses, bring in new products, and differentiate from the competition.

We spoke with Adprint who have installed the Iridesse, and Fuji Xerox Australia. With differentiation through diversification as their strategy, the opportunities for organisations like Adprint were obvious for them. The company desired one thing, to respond to the changing needs of its customers by providing a diverse range of applications. It had to find technology that would help achieve this.

Steve Green, executive general manager - sales, Fuji Xerox Australia says, “The press allows print providers to look at their customers in a different way, and to collaborate with them to produce printed communication pieces that previously either would not have been possible, or would simply not have been economic to produce.”

Adprint is one of Fuji Xerox Australia’s first customers to purchase and install the new Iridesse Production Press. Based in Victoria, Adprint’s core business is in promotional print merchandise. The world of promotional merchandise is one of high competition with many companies, both local and international, offering the same product with little differentiation.

The Iridesse was a perfect choice for Adprint allowing it to step away from the competition and begin to offer unique print merchandise.

Furthermore, it has been able to enter new customer markets by offering higher value print items.

Joby Graves, managing director, Adprint said the company is a loyal customer of Fuji Xerox Australia and has been since the early 2000s.

22

February 2018 - Australian Printer

He says, “The Iridesse Production Press is both the natural replacement for the Colour Press 800, but also meets our needs in a category which requires us to diversify.

“In the promotional products market we see our competition not necessarily being other printers. We see our competition being the huge range of other promotional products.

"It is therefore important that we continue to develop products that show off the print capability on different substrates.

"What we are really trying to do is impress our customers with our print quality so in turn they can impress their corporate clients.

"The embellishments available on the Iridesse Production Press meet our needs perfectly.”

Product Marketing manager for the Iridesse at Fuji Xerox Australia, Lieti Foketi, explained that, “The

point of differentiation is greatly achieved through the application of the metallic colours. This product feature gives our customers’ applications a premium look and feel important for the corporate market. The Iridesse ticks most of the customers boxes for different features delivered by a press, offering underprint and overprint of white and metallic colours in the one pass, banner printing and automation of maintenance features.”

Joby Graves explains that customers are demanding more, and the features of the Iridesse have allowed Adprint to meet those demands successfully. “We do get customers wanting foil stamped, metallics or other forms of embellishment. Many of our customers deal with products embroidered, pad printed or screen printed where setting up the artwork correctly is not as difficult as it is with high quality printing on paper based promotional products. We need to assist our customers with

australianprinter.com.au

COVER STORY

made possible New applications in new markets: Fuji Xerox Iridesse

the artwork set up, and try to offer them solutions to make the graphics stand out for their customers. Our objective is to try and make it as simple as possible for our customers to sell paper based promotional products.” Graves says that their clients provide the artwork and they add value by adding gold or other alternatives. “Most of what we supply, like everyone in the print trade, is wanted tomorrow, so the quicker we can go back to them and say ‘this is what we can do for you’ the easier it is for them to do business with us. Hopefully then it is easier to retain their business."

What impressed Graves most about the Iridesse Production Press originally was the print quality, he says, “The gold the silver and the white, and the ability to print short runs of those colours certainly helps with our customer base because a lot of what we do is short run. The other side for us is the ability to print up to 400gsm stock. We do a lot of notebooks and diaries and to be able to offer a 400gsm stock was important to us because it gives a thicker cover material. But also, the addition of the banner gives us the ability to do more with the covers.

We can do Canadian binding covers,

australianprinter.com.au

but also with our diaries we can add in folded planning pages. We can print a 12-month planner and fold and crease so it fits within a diary.

This played an important part in our decision to purchase. We also installed a creasing unit which we use for creasing covers and calendar bases, which has eliminated the need for the die cutter for short runs."

After installing the device recently Adprint is yet to reap all the commercial benefits of the Iridesse, and is soon going to market with promotions and new products to stimulate demand. Graves says “In March, we are doing a roadshow.

We start off in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, then Perth. Many of our customers come to these trade shows. We are in the process now of producing samples to give away.

We label the samples, for example, 400gsm stock with a silver and white so that the customers can then show their clients. From there we can reproduce what they are trying to achieve for their customers.”

From a differentiation perspective, Graves says that, “Initially it will be white that will have an impact for us on coloured cover stocks. I would predict that is where we will see the growth. I think as people become more familiar with what we can do we will start to see growth with white, gold and silver. The other advantage with the Iridesse is that the bigger sheet size opens up a few opportunities for us with products that we are wanting to launch. Products which have

traditionally been done on an offset press at high quantities. Now we have the potential to offer the longer sheet size in shorter run lengths.

This is the other thing we are hoping to have ready for the show in March.”

On the cards for Adprint are some great products for children. Graves says, “One of our key products are childrens colouring books, for which we see a significant demand. With the Iridesse banner attachment we plan to produce children’s growth charts. This means they could have monkeys, gorillas, flowers, whatever they choose, with the 1.2 metre banner sheet size we can print on the base of the growth chart mount 300mm from the floor, to give a 1.5m growth chart, which the children can colour in and then mount to measure their growth.

“The other item we are looking at is whether we can do something with disposable tape measures.

Customers ask us for a tape measure a metre long and disposable. There are a few products that we would like to explore.” says Graves.

Lieti Foketi of Fuji Xerox says that “With ever changing customer needs and the speed at which the print industry must change to meet their demands, Fuji Xerox is proud of its continued innovation to ensure a sustainable future for the industry through diversification of the portfolio. We have now seen with the customers taking on the Iridesse that their needs to differentiate are being met by this press and we’re happy to see customers accelerating their operations and diversifying their product offerings as a result of installing the device.”

Australian Printer - February 2018

23

BUSINESS

Prospecting skills A

RE you doing enough prospecting? For 99 per cent of all printing salespeople, I think the answer is no.

That’s my experience anyway. I hear a lot of talk about wanting to make more money, but I don’t see as much action toward making it happen.

And I think there’s a simple equation at work here – more money requires more customers.

Yes, you stand to make more money by increasing your business with your current customers, but there’s a risk attached to that strategy. The bigger they get, the more it hurts when you lose them, and I think it’s been proven in the marketplace that customers are not forever. So, if you want to make more money, you should probably be doing more prospecting. The same goes for wanting to minimise the risk of making less money. I’ve seen too many incomes suffer when a big customer is lost and there are no replacements in the pipeline.

attitudes

DAVE FELLMAN

Dave Fellman explains why attitude is key to successful prospecting

Skills and attitudes OBVIOUSLY, there are skills involved in effective prospecting but I think it all starts with your attitude. The following five statements represent the attitude that I would like you to have. ¢¢I do want to make more money (or minimise the risk of making less). ¢¢I will make the time to prospect for new customers. ¢¢I won’t get discouraged if I don’t get immediate gratification. ¢¢I will identify and pursue worthwhile prospects. ¢¢I won’t lose sight of my goals.

This all begs a question. Is prospecting fun? In my experience, parts of it are, but most of it isn’t.

That begs another question, what is prospecting anyway? Here’s my definition: prospecting is an activity chain that begins with the identification of suspect companies, and ends with the first meeting between the buyer and seller.

The term suspect refers to a company that is not yet a qualified prospect, and here’s what that means: to be considered a fully qualified prospect, you have to know – not just think or hope – that the company meets three criteria. First, that they buy, want or need the kind of print you sell. Second, that they buy, want or need enough of it to make pursuing them worthwhile.

Third, that they have real interest in buying from you.

In truth, we should probably call this process suspecting, but I’m 24

not hopeful that I’ll ever succeed in changing the terminology of a whole industry. So let’s call it prospecting, and let’s also recognise that prospecting is all about getting to that first meeting. Which is fun, right? It’s the work you have to do to get the meetings that is usually not fun, especially considering that most of your suspects will decline to meet with you, and maybe not even return your calls or emails. That’s why it is so important to have a strong prospecting attitude.

Critical skills WHAT skills are required to be effective at prospecting? The first two are analytic skills, the ability to identify good market niches and to calculate a suspect’s annual volume potential. The next one is a research skill, the ability to identify the decision-maker and the rest of the players or influencers.

The next two are communication and convincing skills, the ability to craft and deliver an introductory message and the ability to deal with a number of predictable early-stage objections; for example, “I’m really busy right now,” or “I’m happy with my current supplier.”

The last one is an organisational skill, which I’ve written about before, and that leads to another important attitude statement: I won’t let any new business development opportunities fall through the cracks.

Beyond prospecting LOOKING beyond prospecting, I like to say that the first meeting is the end of the prospecting stage, the beginning of the convincing stage, and the heart of the opportunity stage.

The opportunity part is really important. You must understand that most of your first meetings will be held with suspects; in other words, you won’t know when you first sit down with them whether they’re fully qualified prospects. So part of the agenda is to determine if they do buy, want or need enough of the kind of print you sell to make them worth pursuing.

The other part of the agenda is to explore their real interest in buying from you. Remember that being willing to meet with you is often a long way from being ready to buy from you, so the first meeting is your opportunity to learn exactly how you can differentiate yourself from the printer-in-place.

More on that topic next month.

Dave Fellman is the president of David Fellman & Associates, a graphic arts industry consulting firm based in the US. He has delivered keynotes and seminars at industry events across Australia, the US, Canada, England, and Ireland. He is the author of ‘Sell More Printing’ (2009) and ‘Listen To The Dinosaur’ (2010). Visit his website at www.davefellman.com.

Prospecting: skills and attitude crucial

February 2018 - Australian Printer

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BUSINESS

Making digital move Mr Sticker opens up new revenue streams with the world-first Konica Minolta C71cf digital label printer with 250mm web width

M

R Sticker is an Australian family-owned company established in 1980 to supply pressuresensitive labels and specialised tags. It has grown from a single foil printing machine to a factory containing ten printing machines and ancillary equipment. Mr Sticker is a registered manufacturer of export labels for meat products for the Australian Quarantine & Inspection Service (AQIS). The company specialises in fast-turnaround jobs.

The challenge WITH its existing equipment starting to age, Mr Sticker needed a new machine that could produce high quality, four-colour labels quickly. With the industry trending towards more short-run, highquality labels, Mr Sticker was seeing profits erode because the analogue printer could not turn jobs around fast enough. While Mr Sticker produces printing plates in-house, it doesn’t produce film to produce the plates. This created a two-day delay while the film is outsourced before the machine is ready to print.

Michael Williams, manager, Mr Sticker, says, “We knew Mr Sticker needed to move to digital equipment so we could produce the highquality, short-run jobs customers were demanding. It was important to find a digital device that could use the same materials as our existing analogue devices so we would not have to buy specialised material.”

Mr Sticker also needed to be able to produce the machine in 250mm width, not wider. And the new printer needed to provide the capability to turn jobs around in a single day, which had not been possible with the previous equipment unless it was a repeat job.

With the new C71cf are (l-r) David McCredie (account manager TO Technologies), Michael Williams (owner Mr Sticker), and Andrew Garrard (sales manager TO Technologies)

The solution KNOWING it needed a solution, Mr Sticker began casually researching the market five years ago. Each time a new printer would be released, the team would review it, then put the project on the backburner and continue to wait for the right solution.

26

February 2018 - Australian Printer

Mr Sticker worked with the local Konica Minolta dealer, TO Technology to find the right solution. TO Technology suggested Konica Minolta’s new C71cf label printer as the ideal solution for Mr Sticker.

Although the machine is usually produced in a 330mm web width, Konica Minolta produced one in a 250mm web width specifically to meet Mr Sticker’s requirements.

This was the first machine to be produced in that width anywhere in the world.

Michael Williams said, “The quality of the labels produced by the Konica Minolta C71cf label printer was excellent, and we saw that the device represented good value for money.

It was easy to use and we could run all the stocks we have through the press. Importantly, we knew the machine would be fully supported by TO Technology as a local provider.

The parts were held locally so that, if they were required, the machine wouldn’t be down for too long, which would be costly to a small business like Mr Sticker.

If there is an issue with the printer, TO Technology can be here with parts within two hours and no other supplier could match that.

That support isimportant.”

Additionally, the five-year contract is fully-inclusive with no hidden costs, which lets Mr Sticker manage budgets carefully.

The benefits MR Sticker has always provided fast turnaround on jobs but now, using the C71cf label printer, the company can provide same-day turnaround even on full-colour, short-run jobs.

This helps Mr Sticker target other markets, including high-end markets where it was not able to print to specifications in the past.

Michael Williams said, “Some of the widths and lengths of labels we are doing now, we could not touch before. The machine we had was getting tired and we could not trust that the output would deliver the required quality.

“Now, Mr Sticker can produce full-colour, wider labels. The quality is excellent and the customers are happy. They are getting a better product for the same price.”

Mr Sticker is also saving on inventory since it can use the same materials across all its presses with no need for specialised stocks for the digital device.

Michael Williams said, “The C71cf label printer is easy to use and maintain, even more so than the analogue presses we have. We’ve also found it reliable and have not needed to call on TO Technology for support. But it is great to know that they will manage the maintenance and upkeep of the machine and we do not have to worry about it. If something goes wrong, we know they will be there to fix it, so we can just concentrate on running the business.”

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BUSINESS Craig Nethercott, managing director, Océ Oceania

Océ Australia focus on Print Future

W

HEN Océ Australia officially launched its new direct-tomarket operation on New Year’s Day, it was bringing the market in the Oceania region one step closer to a company whose product offerings reflect the passion, commitment and deep market understanding which is helping the 140 year old manufacturer define the print future.

Last year it was announced that Océ Australia, a Canon company, would take over the marketing, distribution and service for all Océbranded wide format and production inkjet products in Australia and the surrounding region.

On January 1 the transition took place and Australian print service providers (PSPs) are now getting their first chance to see how that change will impact on the market – and, so far, the response has been universally positive.

Craig Nethercott, managing director of Océ for the Oceania region, says the change in the company’s go-to-market strategy allows the Australian team to engage more closely with customers and place a greater focus on the specialised professional print market – including, importantly, ensuring they have the chance to help shape what Océ calls Print Future through closer connection with its extensive R&D operation.

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The launch of Océ Oceania brings printers close to the innovative company

Imagining the future – Océ R&D for Print Future NO market of course stays still, a fact Océ acknowledges with its strap line, Print Future. The company, therefore, must not only have an eye on today’s market, but also a vision for tomorrow. Nethercott says, “R&D is at the heart of Océ technology, of course, but it is our customers who drive progress at every level with their ideas and feedback”, adding that Océ has 1350 separate R&D specialists forming an interconnected web of multidisciplinary teams around the world, collaborating on myriad projects, and all feeding back to HQ in the Netherlands.

“Driving all our new technologies is the desire to make our customers more productive and profitable, and to do that, we must not just solve today’s problems, but imagine the future and invent for markets which do not yet exist,” he points out.

“It is an enormous challenge, but Océ has a sound track record in market foresight, largely due to our collaborative partnerships with our customers, which allows us to understand, step-by-step, how the printer is able to benefit from any new technology.”

In recent years Océ has focused on two new technology platforms, Piezo Latex – the technology behind the Océ VarioPrint i300 – and UVgel, on which the company’s latest flagship release, the Océ Colorado 1640, is based.

Unsurprisingly, this strong focus on customer driven progress has resulted in a suite of award-winning technologies, particularly in the decade since the manufacturer became part of the worldwide Canon group, with access to a resource base which helped bring several new technologies, now proven performers, to the market.

These include the ColorStream/ ProStream continuous feed inkjet series, the ColorWave series highspeed wide-format family, the VarioPrint i300/i200 series sheetfed inkjet systems, the Arizona 6100 flatbed series and the Colorado 1640 64” roll-to-roll printer, the first to feature the newly developed Océ UVgel technology, launched in 2017.

Proven performers – Océ Arizona IN Australia, there is probably no better example of this perfect response to market demand than the Océ Arizona range, which has given thousands of business owners worldwide the versatility to expand their business and exploit valuable new opportunities.

Featuring the stability of flatbed architecture with roll-toroll capability on most models, and options like single or double white ink, Océ says Arizona offers unrivalled versatility, coupled with exceptional print quality, thanks to Océ VariaDot imaging technology.

Continued on page 30

Australian Printer – February 2018

29

BUSINESS

UVgel – breaking the rules

Media progress through the UVgel printer Colorado 1640

Best of all worlds: UVgel

TO create products for a new world, you have to break the rules of the old. UVgel technology, which made its Australian debut with the first showing of the Océ Colorado 1640 at PacPrint in May last year, was developed by Océ in response to existing and projected market requirements.

“With strong growth expected not only in traditional sign and display products, but also in areas like packaging, and continued pressure expected on turnarounds, we knew that versatility and productivity would be key drivers for print service providers,” Nethercott explains. “

UVgel differs from other ink technologies

“This is really where UVgel hits the mark, heralding a new generation of technology which will fill the gap between current offerings in the rollto-roll production market.”

As its name suggests, UVgel is based around an ink formulation which provides far more stability and versatility by allowing the ink – jetted through specially designed print heads – to form a gel structure as it is pinned to the surface of the substrate, aided by a partial LED precure process. A full LED cure post-printing delivers completely dry prints off the end of the machine.

“UVgel allows for an increased volume of ink to be laid down in one pass with virtually zero dot gain, for prints of outstanding quality at top production speeds. It has a colour gamut that rivals eco-solvent, and a hard ink-set, safety profile and environmental credentials which surpass that of Latex and other UV-cured systems,” Nethercott says.

“Technically this is impressive, but it is even more exciting in practice, where it helps eliminate bottlenecks, reduce the need for outsourcing, and allows our customers to confidently increase capacity, while maintaining healthy margins.”

Continued from page 29 With more than 30 international awards under its belt, the quality and innovation of the Arizona range is without question – but it is its performance in practice which has led to a seriously impressive installation base not just here in Australia, but around the world, Nethercott says.

“The technology behind the Océ Arizona range means that, with one printer, you can print on almost any rigid or flexible substrate, and do so to the highest quality standards, quickly and profitably,” he explains.

The company points to the versatility, quality and size of the Arizona range (it can print materials up to 50.8mm thick and 1.25 x 2.5m in size) as making it ideal for everything from standard sign and display jobs like POP, retail signage and backlit signs, through to specialist applications as diverse as packaging prototypes, to membrane switch overlays, relief printing and decorator products.

30

February 2018 – Australian Printer

Nethercott says, “This makes the Océ Arizona an ideal option for businesses which are serious about increasing the revenue – and profits – from their display graphics, because it not only allows them to produce existing work more profitably, but to confidently take on increased volumes and capitalise on new markets like bespoke interiors and limited-edition packaging, to create valuable new revenue streams.”

Direct representation lifts commitment EVEN the best technology, however, is only making money when it is running, so technical support and service is vital.

Canon had already established an enviable reputation for this throughout Australia, and Nethercott says the Océ direct-tomarket strategy will only improve

an already strong position.

“We understand that the quality of service and support is vital and we are committed to investing in our own team, rather than contract staff, to ensure we can always prioritise the needs of our clients and meet their requirements swiftly and effectively,” he says.

“We are fortunate in Australia to have an excellent team of factorytrained technicians, many of whom have been with the company for more than 20 years, who are specialists in Océ equipment, so whether it is over the phone, or on a maintenance or service call, our customers can rely on us to provide the expertise and experience which will keep them running productively and profitably.”

Going direct-to-market, he says, will make the entire company more responsive and agile and provide a much more direct channel back to Continued on page 32

australianprinter.com.au

printing future

Our long history of technical innovation and development has resulted in excellence in jetting technology, the game-changing engine behind our success in high-volume, high-speed printing.

For the future, we believe in taking jetting to the next dimension.

Our vision is to further establish ourselves as a leader in jetting and application innovation and as an inspirational employer that innovates for a living on a global scale.

All of this is only possible due to to our commitment to cuttingedge knowledge, our expertise, and the curiosity to explore new and exciting avenues of research. We foster successful partnerships with scientists working on the next breakthroughs in fluid dynamics, which will enable us to design even better, faster and innovative products.

Today, our vision drives us to push the limits of our skill and technology to develop beautiful, impactful and high-productivity print applications. Tomorrow, our ambition will drive us to apply our excellence in jetting, to fluids beyond ink, media and paper.

To go from printing, as an information technology, to printing as a manufacturing tool. Think of what we could do with printed airplane components, jewelery, solar panels, chocolate and even medical implants.

For further information please contact OcĂŠ Australia Pty Ltd 1300 363 440

www.oce.com.au

BUSINESS

Cut-sheet B3 inkjet – the VarioPrint i300 Inkjet B3: VarioPrint i300

THE Océ credentials in wide-format are well known, but its digital print technologies for the cut-sheet market are no less impressive, with the award-winning VarioPrint i300 inkjet cut-sheet press bridging the gap between the application flexibility and efficiency of sheet-fed presses, and the economy and productivity of web-fed systems, without compromising quality.

“Again, the impetus for the Océ iSeries of digital presses can be found solely in our customers’ changing requirements in a rapidly evolving print market,” Nethercott says. “The trend towards evershorter runs and quicker turnarounds has been with

us for some time now, but print service providers are also now having to meet demand for an increasingly diverse range of high quality colour products at very keen price points.

“Both quality and productivity are equally impressive on the i300, which features Océ iQuarius inkjet technology to produce outstanding 600 x 600dpi imaging – equating to a 1200dpi perceived image quality – and production speeds of up to 300 A4 images a minute, or 10 million A4 images a month.”

The result, Nethercott says, is that this machine fills an important gap between traditional sheetfed production and the established digital print environment.

“Offset has traditionally been the undisputed leader for high quality and low costs on long print runs, yet it struggles to deliver cost-effectively on short runs and, of course, customisation simply is not possible. In contrast, digital has offered the flexibility of almost limitless personalisation and far more affordable options for very short runs, but has struggled to compete on other metrics.

The Océ VarioPrint i-series, including the i300, redefines the cost, productivity and throughput equation by using advanced inkjet technology to offer high productivity and low running costs, with sheet-fed versatility, and adding a suite of innovations like intelligent automated quality control and maintenance functions which reduce set-up and maximise productive up-time.

“The Océ VarioPrint i300 is one of the first sheetfed inkjet colour presses released to the market, and it is helping drive the transition from offset to digital by providing with a productive, high quality, economical digital print alternative which allows PSPs to cater easily for the diversity required by today’s print buyer,” Nethercott explains.

“In practice, this technology means you can easily consolidate several digital workflows – mono, spot colour and full colour – into one production printing system, with the Océ Prismasync workflow allowing virtually non-stop productivity. It means PSPs no longer have to take a hit on some jobs in order to retain more profitable work – the i300 makes just as much sense to profitably produce a high-volume mono job as it does for the higher value, higher margin quality short run colour work.”

Continued from page 30 the Océ international operations and, in particular, its extensive R&D operations – bringing our conversation back to where it began.

“It has become something of a cliché, but at Océ we really do believe in a partnership approach,” he says.

“Whether it is our colleagues in the Netherlands and around the world,

or our clients across Australia and the wider Oceania region, our aim is to consult and collaborate, to make sure there is as seamless a link as possible between what the market needs, and what Océ delivers.

“Australia is a strategically important market for us, not only because of its reputation for early

UVgel: Colorado 1640 uses the exclusive new ink solution 32

February 2018 – Australian Printer

adoption of new technologies, but because the PSPs here are innovators, who constantly push our technologies to the limit and so, provide invaluable feedback and ideas to help us shape the future.”

With Océ Australia officially a month old as this issue goes to press, Nethercott says he hopes and believes the market is already noticing – and responding positively – to the change. “I have spoken before about the positive qualities which characterise the Océ organisation around the world, and I can say that this is definitely reflected in our team here,” he says.

“Over the past few months, I have met our people around the country and I’ve been genuinely impressed with their passion and energy, and with the deep industry experience they can offer. With a great base already in place through our parent company Canon, we’ve really hit the ground running, and I am looking forward to bringing a new level of commitment, engagement and excitement to the market, and to giving our clients the full benefits of a closer connection with Océ.”

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OPPORTUNITY

EFI Connects wi A USTRALIAN Printer reports back after attending EFI Connect 2018, including which saw close to 1200 people descend on the Wynn, Las Vegas, in the 18th edition of the user-conference, the 12th in a row at The Wynn.

EFI CEO Guy Gecht kicked off the proceedings, giving his opening keynote address, foreshadowing an upbeat future for the future of print.

Centred on the concept of the fourth industrial revolution, which will involve big data, personalisation, virtual reality and augmented reality technologies, and the internet of things (IoT), Gecht contends that print will play a key role for consumers, bridging a gap visually between the virtual world and the physical world.

He says, “This is an important moment for the world, for technology, for industry, especially for printing. We think it is the early stages of the fourth industrial revolution.

“Involving artificial intelligence, robots, virtual reality, new applications that require more computing power and more data, will lead to more personalisation.

Adaptable designs will become more common, and industries that use images, like fashion, building materials, display graphics, packaging, they will need a lot of the printing tools, that we as an industry build over the years.

“Manufacturing on demand will change what we want. Marketing will not be the same, people have their own tastes.

“We will not have advertisements targeted at everyone on the east coast that watch TV at 7am, you will target the people you want to give them the product they want.

“With that, we think there will be a new definition of print. No longer are people after just documents, no longer is this an industry just about publishing, every material in the world that needs to have images is print.

“If we as an industry embrace that, there is a bigger opportunity than we have ever had before. There are bigger markets than we ever addressed before.

“Ten years from now when we talk about EFI being 40, whoever is on stage will be asking ‘who remembers when boxes were just black, or white, or brown?’ and younger people will be confused by it. In packaging, personalisation will enable every single box leaving the factory to be tailor-made for the customer.

“In apparel, the changes in the design are so fast now, that the only

34

The latest hardware, software, and strategy revealed by digital giant, which says the future is bright for print, especially those that redefine themselves

February 2018 – Australian Printer

Bright future for print: Guy Gecht, CEO, EFI at Connect 2018 in Las Vegas way to keep up is with inkjet, digital printing, and colour management.

There will be a great revolution there, it is only at the beginning.

“Our role will be exactly where the virtual world meets the physical world. We are going to translate the images from the virtual into the physical.

“Those who were quick to embrace the first digital revolution, the third industrial revolution, took advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves, and are doing well now.”

Gecht pointed out that while a lot of printing businesses had closed, many of those who remained had seen increases of revenue, benefitting from less competition.

Gecht noted that Darwinian ideas of the survival of the fittest came into play, with the print business still remaining those best able to adapt to a new environment.

Australian Printer sat down with Gecht the following day to discuss Connect, EFI, and the future of the industry.

Gecht says, “We are aiming to do multiple things at the conference. The first is to connect with customers, listen to them, see what is new in their business. It is a once a year opportunity to speak to them, try to understand what they are trying to accomplish, and what their customers are trying to accomplish, what opportunities they are seeing, what they want from us going forward.

“We also want to share our thoughts. Where we are taking the products, where we are taking the company, what we believe is going to happen in the industry, and see what feedback we are getting.

“Connect used to be a place to talk about the next year road map, and get training on current products.

We took it to a more strategic level, talking about longer term objective and vision, trying to figure out how customers see their business.

After Connect we come together to talk about what we learned from customers, what they like and do not like. It became a lot more two-way.”

australianprinter.com.au

OPPORTUNITY

with printers

EFI has made big investments in R&D, alongside acquisitions to expand its product range, and now is across labels with Jetrion, textiles with Reggiani, wide-format with Vutek, with its latest addition being digital corrugated print with its Nozomi press.

The company indicated a change in strategic direction, it will not be looking to major acquisitions to get into new markets, but will be focusing on developing its existing markets.

Guy Gecht, CEO, EFI says, “In the past we made big acquisitions to get into an area. We are not planning to do that now. What we want to do is get deeper in the areas we are currently in.”

“The goal is to get a lot deeper in packaging, textiles, display graphics, commercial print, and give more to the customers. We find it more rewarding and interesting to do more with existing customers than to try and get new customers in new industries.

“Clearly commercial print has a lot of challenges. A lot of things which were printed are moving to

australianprinter.com.au

electronic media, maybe not as fast as people think, with some areas seeing a bounce back. There is definitely pressure, the question is where is the gulf, where is the value?

“Printing on things beyond paper is definitely going somewhere, and has a lot more value. If you speak at people that print display graphics they will tell you business is going well, and that it is a lot more profitable than commercial print. We are seeing that as a trend.

“Commercial print has tremendous talent, and a lot of passion given that it is normally a family-run business, and a great customer base. So the question is how do you take that and build different applications.

“You have to follow the money, and follow the trends. What kind of things can you do beyond printing documents for customers? What kind of things they do, and how can you accommodate their desire to customise, to have shorter runs, to not hold inventory. Normally that means digital printing in our industry.

“Can you take out some of the waste and inefficiency in your system? That generally means automating business processes using software that you were previously doing manually.

“We have smart people in the industry, and the people that invest in the right things, and have modernised are doing really well.

“You need to think about print in a much broader definition. It is about putting great images on any material. If you think that is print, I have the creative skills to do what it takes, what can I do for my existing customers, what can I do with the people I get comfortable with and how can I do that, who can I learn from? That is what makes Connect a great event, being able to learn from your peers.

“If you are a commercial printer, and you say I want to become a supplier to Zara, or Nike, or Adidas, that is going to take a lot of knowledge. But if you say I want to be able to do short runs, some fabrics, some decoration, you can definitely do it. A lot of signage is moving to fabric as it has a great feel, and travels well.

“People found that fabric is a great way to do signage, with the Reggiani technology that started in professional textile and migrated to signage, you can do that at affordable prices, and a great quality.

“For print shops looking to expand offerings, it is about being open minded with taking your skills to different applications.

“Everybody wants to customise things faster. Marketing today is about tying things to a certain

time, area, age, gender, and mass marketing is almost gone.

“The next big trend is short run.

No one wants to keep inventory, they want things to come in, then out, and then change it.”

The event also featured keynotes from early adopters of the Nozomi press, EFI’s single-pass corrugated digital inkjet packaging solution first shown at drupa, with Eric Bacourt of Spanish company Rafeal Hinojosa, and Mal McGowan, owner of Irish printer McGowans speaking.

When explaining how it had changed his business, McGowan says, “It is the biggest change we have seen in 10 years. The print is better and looks different. It is the easiest sale for my people to do: same price, looks better.”

The conference also featured a section on customer success stories.

Australia was represented on the panel by Peter Wagener of WA-based All Flags.

Wagener is a big user of EFI products, dating back to the start of his company two decades ago.

He says, “Being able to look at what is happening, what is available, plus the advantage of being able to speak to multiple people in the EFI network brought me here.

“I have everything from a Vutek 5300, which is 20 years old, an 18 year old 5330 5m solvent machine, the Gen-1 FabriVU, a QS2000, just put an LX-Pro 3.2m, the new FabriVU 340, and the new Vutek 5r.

An EFI Pro 24F is on the way, due to be launched in four weeks.”

The Pro 24f is EFI’s latest flatbed printer, with a 1200 x 1200 dpi resolution, coming in CMYK + dual channels of white standard. It is able to print in 107sqm/h in its fastest mode, and 7sqm/h in its highest quality, with four more options between the two, Production Mode, POP Quality, and High Quality.

It features a four-zone, userselectable vacuum system, which EFI says is designed to match the most common media sizes without masking, ensuring efficient hold-down, no unintended media movement and easy transitions between jobs. It can also print multiboard simultaneously, even if they are different sizes. EFI says it is ideal for high-value applications, such as lenticulars and photographic backlit displays, exotic materials, and irregularly-shaped or heavy objects.

With a table width of 291.8 cm, the Pro 24f has a maximum printable area of 254 cm 132 cm, handling a maximum media thickness of 5 cm, and 180kg of weight evenly distributed.

Wagener says, “The latest products are more efficient.

Continued on page 36

Australian Printer – February 2018

35

OPPORTUNITY Continued from page 35 “The information that feeds back from the machines and its ability to collect data is extremely helpful.

“We can look at our cost controls much better, run the machines more efficiently, and have more equipment running with less staff. They are more environmentally friendly, and better across temperature and humidity. We have less problems with colour shift over a major print run. The repeatability is a huge benefit for us.

“Every machine that they have on display in here I have. It is not like I am attending Connect just to look at new equipment, it is more about being able to speak to the heads of departments like Fiery. It is information that we do not normally get to speak in Australia, but speaking to some of these specialists is invaluable.

“Perth is isolated, seldom to people come to see us, reps will only come if there is something of significance. There are reps in Perth for small equipment, but not the stuff of the sort of scale All Flags uses.”

Command Workstation, the new centralised platform which print shops can operate all Fiery-driven printers through, was seen first hand.

John Henze, vice president Marketing, EFI says, “Command Workstation was about a more modern user interface, and a more efficient way of working with applications, a left to right type of flow. This platform now enables you to connect to all Fiery driven devices, not just cutsheet documents. Whether that is highspeed inkjet devices, or in display graphics.

“There can be a tremendous amount of efficiency gained and productivity by being able to manage a broader portfolio of printers under one common, centralised job management interface.

Discussing Nozomi: (l) Eric Bacourt, CEO, Rafeal Hinojosa; (r) Mal McGowan, CEO, McGowans Print “If you are a customer that decides you want a Ricoh colour device, and a Konica Minolta black and white device, the look and feel of Command Workstation across all of the products in exactly the same. A lot of people have their proprietary workflows, that compete with Fiery in many ways, the customers position should always be to get the right workflow for them.

“For the Australian market where we are focusing on software a lot of customers have mixed fleets. For anyone that is looking to integrate workflow, and management information systems, the Fiery is going to give them the best opportunity.

EFI also debuted its latest marketing automation software, MarketDirect, which has been designed to easily link in with databases to provide and generate personalised communications using

Standing by EFI products: Peter Wagener, owner, All Flags Signs & Banners 36

February 2018 – Australian Printer

pre-ready templates, across direct mail, EDMs, mobiles, and social marketing.

Taking the rise of mobiles as user’s main access to the internet, MarketDirect is built with HTML5, with responsive design enabled to automatically be optimised for mobile screens.

Aaron Tavakoli, segment marketing lead, E-Commerce, Cross-Media Marketing, EFI, “MarketDirect Cross Media is a multi-channel marketing platform that integrates all aspects of direct mail, VDP (Variable Data Print), with email, traditional marketing, landing pages, all the necessary QR codes to connect them, along with mobile messaging, marketing, and social marketing.

“It is aimed at print service providers with as few as 14-15 employees, and can be used to provide marketing services to their customers. What the system produces is a vendor ready-file that they can pass on to any printer they are using.”

“It can be scaled, and is great for those who cannot invest in an enterprise-sized platform like Marketo.

“For a commercial printer, the advantage is integration. If they are using it alongside an e-commerce platform like EFI Digital StoreFront, they can take the campaigns they produce in MarketDirect, publish them to StoreFront, and re-use those assets, and re-sell those programmed campaigns to other customers. They can also place those campaigns online, and let their customers self-execute.

“As they move into distribution and fulfillment, if the campaigns involve shipping finished goods, that they may be warehousing or holding in inventory for their customers, our fulfillment platform will integrate, and they can convert them into shippable packages.”

It is now available worldwide.

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BUSINESS

Warning signs for business

T

aking steps to help ensure your business is protected against failure is vitally important. The following warning signs should not be ignored.

The number of personal insolvencies relating to business causes, such as business failure and personal liability from a failed business, is on the rise, however business failure does not happen in a vacuum, there are clear indications that things may be awry well before any business collapses.

Recognising, and acting on, the warning signs early can help prevent business failure. There are a number of signs to be aware of, including:

Missed obligations WHEN a business is facing challenging times, it may be tempting to delay payments which do not impact the day to day operations, such as PAYG, GST or superannuation obligations.

However, even if revenue does not improve, the payments still need to be made.

Failure to remit PAYG and super to employees may also result in personal liability being imposed on company directors.

Warning signs: Sticking you head in the sand is not a solution

Cash flow management

Trading losses ALTHOUGH it may seem worthwhile to trade at a loss in the short term, in order to get the business up and running, ongoing trading losses erode the working capital of the business.

If trading losses continue for a number of months it is important to seek professional advice.

Poor records IT can seem like a time-consuming exercise, and take time away from revenue generating activities, but maintaining up to date financial records is important.

Without accurate data from management reports, cash flow statements, forecasts and business plans, it is difficult to make informed decisions about the direction of the company.

Maintaining good financial records allows a business owner to be able to identify issues, determine the extent of those issues and find appropriate solutions.

38

RIDHWAANAH IFFAT

Ridhwaanah Iffat from HLB Mann Judd Sydney says printers must be alert to business warning signs and not ignore them

February 2018 - Australian Printer

MAINTAINING an ageing debtor ratio, recorded in days overdue, allows business owners to more accurately monitor how quickly accounts are being paid.

Strict policies and collection procedures should be in place to ensure maximum and efficient cash collection of debtors. This is essential for all businesses especially those in the expansion phase.

Cheques bouncing and dishonour fees may indicate poor cash flow management and inability to repay creditors on time.

Defaults on banking facilities and regularly being at the maximum limit of the overdraft facility may indicate cash flow deficiency. Using a personal credit card for payment of business expenses is also a red flag.

Payment terms rising DELAYING payments to creditors may seem like a good stop-gap action, but it can have a negative flow-on effect on business finances.

If there is a history of delayed payments, suppliers may reduce trading terms or cash-on-delivery terms, which usually reflect their

concerns about the ability of the business to pay invoices on time.

Only selectively paying some creditors over others or making payments outside of usual payment terms may be a sign of cash shortage.

This is another red flag that business cash flow needs review.

Legal actions NOTICES issued by creditors, suppliers or the ATO demanding payment or threating legal action is a serious red flag which if ignored may result in business failure. Debt and money owed will not go away if it is ignored, and a payment plan can be implemented with those that the business owes.

If your business is facing any of the above issues, it is important to be proactive in identifying the source of the problems and in taking action in a timely fashion to address them.

Caught early, and with professional advice, the chances of addressing these business issues, and protecting against business failure, is increased.

Ridhwaanah Iffat works with HLB Mann Judd Sydney, contact her for more information at riffat@hlbnsw.com.au

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BUSINESS

Government crackdown on employer super

T

HE ATO has released a report that estimated that Australian employers had underpaid compulsory superannuation guarantee (SG) contributions by a staggering $2.85bn.

As a result the Federal Government will provide the ATO with additional funding for a Superannuation Guarantee Taskforce to crackdown on employer non-compliance.

However although $2.85bn seems large, it only represents about a 5.2 percent shortfall in compulsory employer super payments. Hence about 95 percent of employers are doing the right thing.

Through its compliance activities, the ATO identified some key factors which may be contributing to this super guarantee gap. They include: • non-compliance is reported more often about employers in accommodation and food services, construction, manufacturing and retail trade industries, • drivers of non-compliance include poor cash flow management by employers, poor record keeping and low levels of business experience, and • insolvency among employers means that debts are sometimes difficult to collect on behalf of employees. Around 50 per cent of collectable super guarantee charge debt is subject to insolvency.

The Government plans to introduce a package of measures designed to give the ATO near realtime visibility over SG compliance by employers. It includes measures to: • require super funds to report contributions received more frequently, at least monthly, to the ATO, • roll out Single Touch Payroll (STP). Employers with 20 or more employees will transition to STP from July 1, with smaller employers (with 19 or less employees) moving to STP from July 1 next year.

• to align payroll functions with regular reporting of taxation and super obligations, • improve the effectiveness of the ATO’s recovery powers, and • give the ATO the ability to seek court-ordered penalties in the most severe cases of nonpayment.

40

Government crackdown: make sure you are paying the employer super contributions These measures are on top of its proposed legislation to apply from July 1 to ensure salary sacrifice contributions do not reduce an employer’s SG obligation.

Super guarantee 101 ANDREW YEE

Andrew Yee from HLB Mann Judd Sydney says the ATO is about to get heavy with non-payment of super

February 2018 - Australian Printer

THE ATO’s super guarantee gap would indicate that some employers are not aware, or are ignorant of, the SG rules and their obligations.

The following are some basic SG rules for employers: • if you pay an employee $450 or more (before tax) in a calendar month, you have to pay SG in addition to their wages, • if your employee is under 18 or is a private or domestic worker, such as a nanny, they must also work for more than 30 hours per week to qualify, and • you may need to pay super to your contractors, even if they have an ABN. Furthermore, employers need to pay SG regardless of whether the employee: • is full-time, part-time or casual, • receives a super pension or annuity while still working – including those who qualify for the transition-to-retirement pension, • is a temporary resident – when they leave Australia, they can claim the payments you made through a departing Australia superannuation payment, although some foreign executives who hold certain visas may be exempt from SG, • is a company director, and • is a family member working in your business, if eligible for SG.

The minimum super employers must pay each quarter for each eligible employee is 9.5 percent of their ordinary time earnings (OTE).

OTE is usually the amount your employee earns for their ordinary hours of work.

It includes things like commissions, shift loadings and allowances, but not overtime payments.

Unfortunately, it is not unusual for businesses reporting systems to miscalculate OTE, particularly with the increasing array of employee working arrangements.

Employers do not need to pay super above the maximum contributions base, which for the 2018 financial year is $52,760 per quarter. Where an employee earns more than this amount, their employer does not need pay SG on their earnings above this limit.

With increased ATO resources allocated to employer SG compliance, it is now imperative that businesses with employees are vigilant in ensuring that their SG obligations are met.

For some employers, it may be worthwhile to engage their accountant or business adviser to carry out an external review of their SG obligations. If you get it wrong, the penalties can be quite severe.

In addition to the SG charge, which imposes nominal interest and an administrative charge on top of the SG shortfall, the ATO can impose additional penalties of up to 200 percent of the SG charge.

Andrew Yee works with HLB Mann Judd Sydney, contact him for more information at ayee@hlbnsw.com.au

australianprinter.com.au

WIDE FORMAT +Plus February 2018

l

Latest News from the Wide Format World l Visual Impact Show Update l Applications Boat Wraps GOLD

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WIDE FORMAT: NEWS

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NSW rewrites signage laws THE NSW Government has made changes to signage laws, introducing stricter laws around roadside trailer advertising, citing driver safety as a concern.

Illegal trailer wraps, or signage, that the State Environmental Planning Policy No. 64 – Advertising and Signage (SEPP 64) covers will be liable for $1500 fines for individuals and $3000 for businesses who advertise on trailers parked on roads, footpaths, nature strips and road shoulders, or where trailer advertising is displayed on private land without development consent. Local council will issue the fines, which will come into effect March 1.

Further, the SEPP requires signage ‘to be compatible with

the future character of an area, provide effective communication in suitable locations and be of high quality design and finish.’

As a plus for the sign industry, advertising will now be allowed in transport corridors, while signage applications will be simplified.

Tess Phillips, general manager, OMA, says, “Now is an exciting time for signage in NSW, as the Lord Mayor’s comments come on top of another happy piece of news for the OOH industry: a significant change to the State’s regulation of signs – the SEPP 64.

“The updates to SEPP 64 and Guidelines will not necessarily mean more signs, but it will make the process of seeking approval for a sign development much more efficient. It also

means that there is now one safe and consistent standard for the operation of digital signs in the State. To the OOH industry, it shows that NSW really is open for business.

“And good news for industry is good news for the State, given approximately 60 per cent of all OOH signs are owned by Government and the industry returns approximately 50 per cent of its revenue to government and landlords through rent and taxes.

“Print or digital, Christmas has come early for OOH as we progressively see Governments shift their focus to the creativity, innovation and utility our signs can deliver to cities, and we start to see more reasonable, evidence based regulation. We just hope this leads to even greater

collaboration to pave the way for opportunities that will benefit us all.

The NSW Government says, “The changes to planning rules for outdoor advertising and signage will improve road safety and reduce driver distractions.

During consultation, safety and amenity concerns were raised about roadside advertising trailers blocking motorists’ vision and distracting drivers.

By reducing the types of roadside trailer advertising currently on our roads, we will minimise risks to drivers.

“Allowing advertising in transport corridors will provide funding for transport agencies and councils to deliver public benefit programs, such as road safety improvements and better public transport services.”

Fespa Asia launches conference details

OOH grows as print shrinks

FESPA Asia has released details of its conference programme ahead of the event taking place at the BITEC exhibition centre in Bangkok.

Fespa says the conference programme has been created with the needs and interests of wide format print service providers (PSPs) and signmakers in mind, and says it will deliver key insights and market knowledge across digital, screen, industrial, textile and interior décor printing industries, as well as signage.

According to the organiser delegates attending the seminars will hear exclusive insights from leading local consultants, listen to inspiring stories from end users, as well as pick up practical advice from respected industry leaders who will provide invaluable knowledge across a wide portfolio of printing applications. Check the Fespa website for details.

THE Out of Home (OOH) industry has increased by six per cent on net media revenue for 2017 compared to 2016, with the growth driven entirely by digital signage, according to the latest figures from the Outdoor Media Association (OMA).

Revenue for 2017 is $837.1m, up from $789.5m for 2016, the industry’s eighth consecutive year of growth.

However, underneath these figures, revenue from classic outdoor is down $31m, from $472.1m in 2016, to $441.1m in 2017.

Digital OOH revenue accounts for 47.3 per cent of total net media revenue year-to-date, an increase over the recorded 40.2 per cent for the same period last year.

The figures are divided into four broad sections, roadside billboards, roadside other, which includes street furniture, bus/ tram externals, small format, transport including airports,

Growing: out of home media up by six per cent in 2017 over 2016 and the final category, retail, lifestyle and other.

With the exception of transport, which shrunk a modest $1m from $136.3m to $135m, all others saw growth.

Roadside billboards led the charge with a revenue increase of $36.2m, from $296.4m in 2016, to $332.6m in 2017.

Among the major signage players, oOh!media now has

a larger proportion of its total revenue from digital as opposed to classic, despite having purchased Keith Ferrel’s Cactus Imaging in 2016, leading to improved supply chain efficiencies, the company also bought digital content specialists Junkee Media in the same year, adding to its non-print revenue.

Over at APN, digital is clawing towards 50 per cent of revenue.

Sign Essentials completes move BRISBANE based print supplier Sign Essentials is now open in its new premises in Geebung, having expanded its business once again.

Sean Strange, directing manager for Sign Essentials says, “We started with one unit and then got two, then three, and now we just needed more space once again.

“Now that we have the extra space, we can have a broader range of their products and 42

expand what we currently have.

“Previously, we had 900 square metres over three units which were not particularly well laid out – they were units so there were doors and walls in the way. Now everything is in one factory with a purpose built showroom, and we can see everything we are doing.

“We were always in the same complex before. This is the first move we have made but it was important for us to stay in

February 2018 - WIDE FORMAT +Plus

the same area. We have a lot of customers on the north side of Brisbane, it is important for us to keep catering to them and allowing them to get their stock.

“We do have plans for 2018 to introduce new products and equipment. We have two parts, we have been a Roland dealer for 20 years and that is our main side of the business. We are also an Impact CNC distributor so we sell lasers and routers on the cutting edge of the market.

On top of that, we sell materials for print, including vinyls from Grafitack in Germany.

“We are a family business, my father owns it and started it 35 years ago. He is retired now, I am the general manager and I run the business with my brother and sister.

“For next year, we are planning to keep going down the road we are going, keep expanding and bringing in new products.”

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Summa launches new flatbed SUMMA is unveiling a new size in its F Series flatbed finishing systems, the F1832, which it says will enable printers to develop their businesses in different innovation markets, including soft signage.

The new F1832 is largely based on the proven technology of Summa’s F Series flatbed systems. Which the company says provide cutting quality, durability and tool modularity, within a userfriendly working operation.

With a working area of 184cm wide the F1832 flatbed system

is designed to process popular material widths in order to meet customer demands and provide the digital printing industry with a robust finishing solution.

The F1832’s working area is a match for popular sizes, such as 150cm wide roll material and 152 x 304cm rigid board material. Summa’s F Series is known for cutting a wide range of substrates and sizes with its extended range of tools and modules, which fit on all the F Series sizes available.

Summa says this additional size in the F Series range

Castle resigns from APN

Print to play a part in Sydney outdoor

WAYNE Castle has resigned from APN Outdoor, following 15 years at the company, and six years on the board.

The resignation was effective as of yesterday, though the company notes he will be available as required over the next three months.

David Watkins, general manager Finance, will be acting CFO and company secretary while the company searches for a successor.

Castle was also the interim CEO, holding the position following Richard Herring’s resignation until Herrings successor, James Warburton, starts on January 22. Andrew Hines, chief operating officer, will be leading the company until then.

APN says, “The board thanks Wayne for his significant contribution since joining APN News and MEdia in 2003 and subsequently becoming the CFO of APN Outdoor in 2012.

The board specifically notes the important role Wayne played in the successful transition of the company from private equity ownership to an IPO in 2014.”

PRINT will play a role in Sydney’s signage and street furniture, says the Outdoor Media Association (OMA), following calls for digital, wi-fi first technology for the new street furniture contract.

Clover Moore’s announcement earlier this week that City of Sydney will be looking for digital, wi-fi inclusive submissions for its street furniture contract, prompted speculation that it was looking away from print. It is the first time the street furniture contract will be renewed in 19 years.

OMA says print still has a large role to play, particularly with the coming introduction of augmented reality technologies.

Tess Phillips, general manager, OMA, says, “It was great this week to hear City of Sydney Lord Mayor Clover Moore’s glowing review of how signage can improve Sydney using technologies to make it easier for people to stay informed and find their way around our city.

“But while the media focus is on digital, it would be remiss to think that this spells the end of the tried and trusted printed

will fulfill popular demand.

It says that combined with the productive durability of Summa’s rotary tool and the F1832 is ready also for the textile market with the ability to cut the popular textile size of 183 cm.

Jean-Pierre De Moor, APAC business development manager at Summa says, “Thanks to the F1832’s added ability to cut popular sizes of roll material, rigid board material and textiles we can easily conclude the multifunctional use of the F1832 make it the ideal workhorse to offer numerous high-end

cut solutions within the sign making, textile and digital print industries. Moreover, a large number of available features and add-ons on the F1832, such as the standard conveyor, ADC, Tandem Mode, camera system further expand the capabilities of the F1832 and lead to a substantial increase of productivity”.

The new F1832 flatbed system will be showcased, amongst other Summa products, during the Fespa Berlin show May 15-18. It will be available from April.

Moving: new contract for Sydney outdoor media, print will be there poster. In fact, all Out of Home (OOH) formats, from roadside to street furniture, to transport to retail, continue to grow in revenue as our audiences continue to grow.

“Sure, digital OOH is sexy and is a key factor in driving overall growth, but in this digital world, printed posters offer high impact and visibility and still make up a large proportion of OMA member inventory.

“What is more, in the coming years, the Internet of Things (or IoT) and Augmented Reality will start to bring our printed posters to life. Digital will not kill the analogue star, it will enhance it.”

While the announcement focused on wifi, digital street furniture, Australian Printer sought clarification on whether print submissions will be accepted.

City of Sydney responded, “All conforming EOI submissions will be considered.

The existing advertising assets are a mix of digital and print ads, and it is expected that they will be replaced with new assets serving a similar purpose.

The City will work with the successful service provider to determine the optimal arrangement of the assets. There is no predefined expectation.”

No change print digital in APN trains contract APN Outdoor has renewed its 20-year contract with Sydney Trains, a multi-year contract that covers some 1500 advertising spaces.

The company says the new contract will not change the split between print and digital assets, a reassuring point for printers, and out-of-home specialists, in a market which is increasingly shifting towards digital.

APN uses production house GSP in Braeside - which it 44

acquired - for much of its print work.

Australian Printer spoke to James Warburton, APN chief executive, on the new contract.

Warburton says, “It is an important contract, and we are delighted to renew with Sydney Trains. It is a 20 year association, and it is a great contract to be continuing to bring to the market.

“We have our classic printed posters, and the Xtrack

February 2018 - WIDE FORMAT +Plus

television network, including screens and digital assets. There will be no change on the split of digital and print assets in the renewed contract.”

“That is 32 digital screens, the Xtrack television screens running content from television, plus advertisements from clients, 550 posters, which is the classic portion, as well as the premium backlit posters, and the static and digital billboards, about 1500 advertising spaces.

“It is similar to the last contract, and includes all the billboards on land owned by Sydney trains.

“We always look into major contracts and look at opportunities, and where we see opportunities for improving and updating sites, maximising assets.”

Warburton started his role at APN in January and made the move from leading the V8 Supercars.

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The Vulcan’s fast firing industrial heads are especially designed for UV ink and use anti-blocking and automatic bubble cleaning technology which reduces nozzle blockages to maintain high quality continuous printing.

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WIDE FORMAT: APPLICATIONS

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Profiting from boats B

OAT signage does not automatically spring to mind when we refer to mobile fleet advertising.

Cars, trucks, buses and trains are known ways of advertising but considering boats as an advertising medium is an almost untapped concept.

Boat advertising would not be advantageous in every market but in areas where there is focus and activity on the water, boats offer as much potential as more traditional forms of advertising.

Passenger ferries and water taxis take on the same role as buses and taxis in the city, and we can see how well used and effective these media are. As with any innovative concept, customer attention is higher when they see something special and unexpected.

The self-adhesive technology available today does not restrict the application possibilities in any way. In fact, vinyl is being used as a paint replacement on boats already. Rather than painting boats, wrapping in coloured self adhesive films has proven to be a durable and economical alternative when using the right film.

Paint needs time to dry and cure.

Other maintenance work such as welding and grinding cannot be carried out on the boat body during this time. Paint needs several coats, protective gear from the solvents for the painters and is a generally a more labour intensive process.

Paint also does not last as long as some self-adhesive films, and it requires more maintenance to prevent corrosion of the underlying surface.

This is testimony to the performance of self-adhesive vinyls in this demanding environment.

Boat signage can easily be extended beyond simple lettering to include stunning graphics and full digital wraps and opens up new opportunities for sign businesses.

Boat wraps can be for sponsorship or corporate branding, convey a message or be purely decorative and at the same time provide the customer with the dual advantage of protecting the boat surface as paint would.

DENISE NATHAN

Australia, surrounded by water, has ships and boats of every description, Denise Nathan says we can wrap the entire fleet

Printed wrap makes it looks like a basket, but it floats like a boat Just as you would not recommend a customer take his newly signwritten vehicle through a car wash within that time period allowing the same curing time for boats is an advantage.

When choosing a self-adhesive film, it is critical to consider the adhesive properties.

Often the adhesive performance characteristics are overlooked and more focus is placed on the top sheet and its ability to withstand UV and other environmental aspects, however the adhesive is just as important a determinant of performance.

Solvent-based adhesives are the best choice over water-based adhesives. They are superior in performance, can better withstand temperature extremes and are not as affected by water.

Edge sealing is still a recommended as an extra safeguard for long term applications. Taking these few extra precautions will ensure the best possible result for the end user.

Overall offering boat signage is not that different to any other signage medium and can add a valuable new opportunity to your business.

Similar application WHILE in some cases, applying graphics to boats will require a little more dexterity from the applicator, it is not that different from the rules covering vehicle graphic application.

The surface must be cleaned and prepared to allow good adhesion.

Adhesives take about 24 to 48 hours to cure.

In order to ensure maximum bonding of the graphic to the surface it is advisable to give the adhesive time to set.

46

February 2018 - Australian Printer

The performance of adhesives becomes critical when boat wraps have to withstand extreme conditions

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Get Answers, See Solutions – Visual Impact Brisbane 2018 The wide format market is evolving with new markets and applications opening up as the older space of posters and banners becomes crowded, and Visual Impact in Brisbane in April will highlight the latest technologies available to printers in this field

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HANGE is inevitable, exciting and means new opportunities.

Consumer habits are changing rapidly and digitisation has reinvented the way we shop, research, and interact with society and how marketers and advertisers reach their target audience.

The pace of this change leaves many to wonder what the print, sign and display markets will look like in a few years time, and what tools and capabilities are essential for emerging markets. There is a place where these questions can be asked, and where one can meet and talk with experts from Australia and around the world, the place is Visual Impact Brisbane 2018. It is the place where you can get answers and see the solutions to your needs.

These are exciting times for the industry. We can create more for less cost. We have far greater choice than ever before when it comes to machinery, substrates and supplies and, thanks to shows like Visual Impact Brisbane 2018 you do not have to travel the world to see what is available, the world comes to you.

A packed show means visitors will be spoilt for choice when it comes to seeing and evaluating the latest technology, materials and services. That is one of the attractions of Visual Impact Brisbane 2018, the rare opportunity to see the width and breadth of the industry in one place at the same time. A day spent on the floor of Visual Impact Brisbane is a valuable investment of your time, keeping you informed and, preparing you for future markets and how best to position your business.

Taking a look at what is on display and speaking to the experts at the show will open your eyes. You will gain a greater understanding of what can be done with your existing equipment, but also how that equipment can be used in conjunction with new products and materials to develop new markets or new potential products. That’s the

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Display graphics: Unbeatable eyeball attraction for an unbeatable price

February 2018 - WIDE FORMAT +Plus

thing about Visual Impact Brisbane, change your perspective a little and you can come away with something entirely new and be prepared for what lies ahead.

Getting to meet the people responsible for the technology and equipment you use is one of the other real benefits of the show. For those of you with questions, who want to know more about specific applications or where manufacturers and suppliers predict markets will head, Visual Impact Brisbane is the place to do it. You’ll be amazed just how much you can learn from a simple conversation with some of the experts on-hand.

The opportunity to learn is not just limited to having a conversation on the stand. The show boasts a comprehensive list of presentations on a range of topics from industry experts. In addition, there are a number of hands-on demonstrations planned where participants can actively engage with materials and substrates to learn new skills and see what clients will want in the future.

To cater for those whose working week is busy, Visual Impact Brisbane will also be open on Saturday, giving print, sign and display professionals the opportunity to see everything without having to cut short their working week. Show organisers have said that, ‘Feedback from attendees to the previous Brisbane show expressed the desire to be

able to attend on a Saturday. We have listened to the feedback and incorporated that into the opening times’.

It is not just the question of future markets that Visual Impact Brisbane will address and answer, but also other issues currently facing the industry. For example, it is well known that there is a skills shortage, that there is a need for new apprentices to fill growing businesses. Whilst Associations are doing a lot to help promote the industry, manufacturers have come up with solutions to help reduce the number of touch points involved in the production process. Software solutions are well on the way to help reducing the need and cost of labour, and at last year’s PacPrint, we saw robotics make their debut. This trend is going to continue and grow.

An automated future is definitely on the cards for the industry. The people who know best will be at the show, so too the software systems and smarter production technology that make it all possible.

Visual Impact Brisbane 2018 is going to be great, with so much to see, do as well as people to talk too; it is an event not to be missed.

The show will run from: Thursday April 19 - 10am to 6pm Friday April 20 - 10am to 6pm Saturday April 21 - 10am to 4pm For more information, please visit www.visualimpact.org.au.

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Buyers Guide

MIS W2P

MIS W2P is optim

T

HE days of the expert estimator are numbered, so too the process of filling in successive screens to define the parameters of a print job and submitting a quotation 24 or 48 hours later for the client’s due consideration.

In the 21st century print business there simply isn’t time for this. If a company that prides itself on its efficiency elsewhere in production, from automatic selection of the appropriate screening, exposure of printing plates, set up of the press and folders, is insisting on talking to customers about every job, any gain in the production area is lost before the job has even begun. When margins are wafer thin, no printer can afford to operate like this. And the rise of technology means that they do not have to.

Shorter runs mean more jobs per day, more customers. It is simply impossible to process this number of jobs in a conventional way. Speaking at Labelexpo, HP Graphic Systems general manager Elon Bar-Shany explained the vital nature of this: “If you do not know how to process 200 jobs a day, you will not survive.”

In this world, job submission must be through an online portal.

Ideally job specification and costing should also be calculated by the customer, using interactive technology to offer up some alternatives – the choice of paper or format, the difference between saddle stitching and perfect binding for example. The danger is that the prospect will opt for cheaper when a smart salesman will focus on the upsell possibilities. As yet software cannot make all the decisions about the way that the job is defined when it is printed, though this is where MIS can make a real difference. The latest improvements can cope with different technologies as well as different formats.

The giant German online print businesses exploit this. Customers willing to wait five days for delivery will be offered a lower price than someone waiting three days while those wanting overnight delivery will pay a premium for the service. This is because the longer turnaround gives the printer a better chance of filling an imposition so spreading a makeready across multiple jobs rather than simply one or two. The algorithms aim to fill each large format sheet to the best possible way, easier to do when there is a longer delivery time.

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GARETH WARD

The new generation of MIS and W2P are providing remarkable efficiencies, reports Gareth Ward

February 2018 – Australian Printer

In all cases the aim is to get the client to upload a finished PDF through a web portal where it can be picked up automatically by the MIS and loaded into the production workflow. The price of the job is either calculated according to a price matrix which limits the customer to certain common formats, papers and run lengths. The tacit agreement is that anything outside this framework counts as a bespoke job and will be charged accordingly to take into account the amount of time necessary to tap into the MIS screen to calculate a price in the traditional way.

The calculating engine behind the web portal is capable of delivering dynamic pricing to adjust up prices on the web site and down from a centre line according to how busy the presses are or according to a discount that had been identified by the client’s log on information.

Under a contract pricing model, the details of the job are captured and costs are added to the end of month invoice along with details of whoever ordered the job in hand.

This is how ‘job of one’ workflows can operate. The front end is hosted by the greetings card or photobook publisher with prices negotiated by the print service provider to be adjusted at the web portal for any promotion that the publisher is running. Production details are captured for the workflow with delivery date driving the majority of subsequent decisions.

This is the thinking behind the huge order that EFI has won to equip more than 100 Kwik Kopy Print and Design Centres here in Australia with EFI Digital Storefront feeding into the latest version of the PrintSmith Vision MIS and where possible into an EFI DFE at the press.

Chairman Stephen Penfold explains that the motivation was a more integrated and automated web to print offering allowing each franchise to be in communication with customers 24/7. The customers will be able to log on, test different options in terms of cost, submit files and receive a quote without disturbing any of the operation’s staff.

The storefront can be custom designed to suit a particular customer, a fast food or retail franchise say, and preloaded with artwork and templates that each outlet can edit and order while remaining inside the brand’s design guidelines. If ordering print can be reduced to the fewest possible choices, the greater is the likelihood that print will be used.

With a Fiery rip to drive a digital press the incoming job administered by the PrintSmith Vision MIS will be placed in the job queue ready to print without human intervention.

As and when the job is executed data about the job flows back to the MIS and potentially to the customer through job tracking applications.

For all MIS tracking is now an essential feature, though dependent on JDF or another way to communicate with production equipment.

The MIS is no longer simply a smarter way to achieve a quote, it has to be the eyes and ears of the production manager and managing director.

For the production director, shop floor data collection either with a direct machine interface, a bar code scanner, or sheet counting unit, is essential to know where every job in the plant is.

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MIS W2P

Buyers Guide

imum efficiency

As the jobs per day count rises and the number of sheets in each job falls, tracking the job by walking around and checking pallets is not sensible or an appropriate use of technology. HP’s OneFlow and SiteFlow job production system operate with a printed bar code which is scanned at each production point as the best way to track where an individual calendar or photobook is in the process. It is part of the expanding PrintOS Cloud suite of applications, which also includes the Avanti Slingshot MIS. Cloud and browser based MIS will inevitable become more popular and powerful. For the software supplier, support and upgrade become easier, for the user the implementation is quicker and the learning curve shorter. There is no need to take account of the operating system or age of the computers that the customer has.

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PrintIQ uses a browser to display with clarity information from what it describes as a management workflow system. The boundaries between what is a pure MIS and what is an ERP or even a production workflow is becoming blurred. Heidelberg’s approach has been to offer all elements, the MIS and business management system sitting above the Prinect workflow in parallel. It acquired Belgian MIS Cerm with particular expertise in job planning and with a second string in MIS for labels, one adept at handling multiple jobs a day.

For PrintIQ web-to-print is integral to the overall solution. This comprises eight modules in the Core of the system with additional modules for specialist applications or the different technologies and job types. It means that instructions about jobs can be tailored to the relevant operation via a user specific

Automated MIS and web-to-print means optimum efficiencies can be worked out in seconds rather than hours

view. It means that production scheduling is a key element and it is fast. PrintIQ reckons an estimate will be generated in less than 10 seconds.

PrintIQ is also typical in that integration with other software applications are part of the proposition and the company is part of the XMPie users group. Avanti is another that has extended the MIS beyond the host system, linking with XMPie, Indigo web to print and Marcom Central for example in its Slingshot MIS. The Canadian company became 100 per cent owned by Ricoh at the start of this year. Now Ricoh is starting to get behind the cloud based MIS with some success and report advanced discussions if not too many installations outside North America. It comes from a digital print background so is at home in that environment and does not carry the baggage from old ways of working.

This meant that Optimus completely reengineered its MIS in 2010, introducing Dash as a technology agnostic modular MIS that would use the internet and would be product focused enabling someone with a modicum of understanding to generate an estimate quickly, or for that process to be fully automated. Web-to-print is fully integrated and hosted in the Cloud for easy implementation while managers and sales people can log in remotely to track jobs, raise quotes or submit an order.

The year, Dash has been extended into packaging, enabling users to generate quotes for what is a fast expanding source of revenue for many commercial and digital printers. It is ‘growing market for so many of our customers in Australia’, says Optimus managing director Nicola Bisset.

Tharstern has also entered the packaging realm introducing a web-based imposition module which can nest different jobs on the same sheet and assign the costs of printing the sheet to each of the jobs on that sheet regardless of size of how many carton blanks there are. The Advanced Imposition system was first developed for running multiple greetings cards on a sheet. Now it can cope with non-standard shapes, calculating the best way to impose jobs according to delivery, material and customer. What had been a job which might take a skilled estimator hours, if not days of work, is now completed in minutes.

The new generation of MIS has opened the gate to the path towards full automation of the printing plant.

Australian Printer – February 2018

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Buyers Guide

MIS W2P

Reinvent your print operation

The HP PrintOS app based solution is created to enable smarter more efficient print production

H

P PrintOS is a cloud based print production operating system with web and mobile apps that the company says helps printers get more out of their HP presses and printers, and simplify production.

Phillip Rennell, sales and marketing director at HP Indigo supplier Currie Group says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;The PrintOS platform makes it easy to instantly view your operation via and intuitive dashboard and enables management of any number of jobs from submission to shipment, and to collaborate with partners and colleagues, and discover new opportunities for growth.â&#x20AC;?

The solution will support the full range of HP Indigo digital presses, HP PageWide web presses, HP Scitex Industrial presses and HP Latex printers.

HP says PrintOS will simplify and automate production, enabling printers to innovate, collaborate and grow. There are currently ten apps available.

On logging into HP PrintOS printers meet the home dashboard, which provides a single integrated view of what is happening in print production - giving a snapshot to remain connected and in control.

HP PrintOS has ten apps today and more coming in the future. Rennell points out two in particular; Box and Site Flow. Box is a file exchange app optimised for print. It simplifies file receipt from clients, content validation, and file routing directly to production.

Site Flow combines automated order submission, pre-press and shopfloor management capabilities to address the needs of PSPs serving the B2C and B2B2C markets.

HP PrintOS Box is designed to radically simplify the process of receiving, validating, preparing, and routing new jobs. A one-of-akind offering, PrintOS Box helps print service providers speed up file receipt, increasing the number of jobs that enter the production pipeline each and every day, while optimising human resources.

The act of receiving files from various sources (such as e-mail attachments, Dropbox, or 52

Simplify and automate print production: HP PrintOS

February 2018 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Australian Printer

WeTransfer), downloading them to your shop, validating their properties and imposing on the printed sheet before sending them into the next phase of production, while communicating back and forth with the customer can be a resource and time consuming process. Box automates and simplifies much of this process. HP PrintOS Box is a cloud-based file exchange app - the only one of its kind optimised for print - that radically streamlines the process of receiving files, preflight the files, and quickly moving them into production The HP PrintOS Site Flow app is designed to address the needs of print service providers that want to effectively fulfill hundreds to thousands of online orders with direct shipment to end consumers.

HP says that by using PrintOS Site Flow printers can improve service levels, and generate more business, increasing the productivity of the printing organisation.

It is designed to help printers exploit the global and growing trend towards customisation. Consumers today can purchase tailored, highvalue products - books, cards, calendars, signs and more - in low, even single, quantities, and the number of orders coming in through the web is increasing exponentially.

Print service providers that work with companies offering personalised services are under tremendous pressure to keep track of hundreds or even thousands of single, low-volume jobs daily,

get it wrong and profit flies out of the window, but get it right and realise high margins and increased profitability.

Printers are expected to turn jobs around at an incredible pace to meet service level agreements (SLAs). Traditional approaches to job submission, management, and fulfilling orders cannot keep up with this new model. A different approach is needed - one that can help printers adapt, control, and grow their businesses.

HP says Site Flow is just that tool. It combines automated order submission, prepress, and shop floor management capabilities enabling printers to effectively receive, print, and ship hundreds or even thousands of orders every day.

With Site Flow printers can manage the production of jobs originating from automated systems, websites, and web-to-print systems, along with ad hoc orders from print buyers via sales reps. How does it work? From order submission to prepress, printing, finishing, and shipping, Site Flow helps control the production process from beginning to end.

Site Flow is available through a tier-based monthly subscription model allowing you to start with a low initial investment and pay as your usage grows. The price is determined based on the number of jobs flowing through the system and items shipped.

The following actions are automatic, involving zero human intervention: receive and validate orders from mobile apps, websites, and web-to-print for mass customisable and stock products; fetch and preflight product artwork ready for printing; batch similar items across orders for production efficiency and release batches for production based on time or quantity; barcode and impose batches and production schedules to meet required shipping times; track individual items through print, assembly, and finishing workflows, ensuring nothing gets lost or mixed up; prioritise batches and jobs so that your staff know what they need to work on next; collate multi-item orders, so they can be shipped in one package to minimise postage costs; item barcodes are scanned and verified at dispatch, ensuring the customer receives exactly what was ordered; a dispatch scan triggers the printing of shipping labels and invoices, and sends a message confirming shipment and tracking number.

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Buyers Guide

MIS W2P

PrintIQ (Far more than just an MIS) Mick Rowan from developer printIQ says perhaps it is time to make the leap

A

CCORDING to Mick Rowan, Director of Product Development at home grown developer printIQ, when you start talking about MIS, it will not be too long before printIQ enters the conversation.

According to Rowan it is partly because this innovative software always has more to offer, from enhanced functionality through to new modules and integrations. He says, “In fact, at every viewing there is added functionality that makes printIQ standout further from the pack. However, there is also the ethos of the team behind printIQ that resonates. The way the printIQ team listen to their customers and take feedback from the coalface, leaves a lasting impression.”

Rowan says printIQ gets get some of its best ideas from live sites, he says, “We get little gems and snippets that help the product evolve to better fit the segments that we support. It is a treasure trove, to be honest”.

Talking of segments, printIQ now covers Design, Digital, Flexo, Fulfilment, Labels, Mail, Offset, Packaging, Signage, and Wide Format. According to Rowan, covering this range of segments has been achievable due to their work within the various print sectors.

He says “We work closely with new markets, in Australasia, Europe and North America, to make sure that printIQ covers the needs and nuances of each specific market. In fact, we have just recently developed new label functionality with the help of input from customers in Western Australia and Utah.”

Deborah Corn & Mick Rowan at the Printerverse Chicago 2017

The Key Difference ROWAN says the key difference is that printIQ is a management workflow system (far more than just an MIS) that will deal with all the business information, from quoting through inventory, production and shipping, as any good MIS should.

However, where printIQ differs is that it also works upstream and 54

February 2018 – Australian Printer

downstream in the process to include branded web portals for customers, SmartSite widgets to include on search engine optimised websites, and a full shopping cart process with payment gateway for ordering both manufactured and pick and pack products. There is no need for a separate, bolt-on, web to print system, because with printIQ it comes straight out of the box.

In the production workflow space, there are various boards to suit the specific environments, from the status-based All Jobs workflow, for the smaller shops, through to the department-based Production Board for the bigger plants. There is drag and drop production functionality on the Production Board, along with a full set of user-right options so that everyone sees what they need to see.

The Capacity Planner allows for automated planning to simplify the complexity of the factory, again using drag and drop functionality.

This particular module is a completely new take on capacity planning and does away with the dated Gantt chart style interface.

According to Rowan, “Capacity Planning has been big on my list of development because I do not believe that it has ever been done particularly well. So far, we have spent months refining and adjusting the module to fit best in the modern plant, and I am really happy with what we have come up with.”

Key to printIQ is its ability to integrate, for example with CRMs such as Hubspot, Salesforce, and Zoho (to name but a few) as well

as document editing using the embedded Chili Publisher, the online editing solution that packs the wallop of a professional layout tool from within printIQ. And with XMPie, for cross-media, variable data and one-to-one marketing.

There is also the automation workflow options such as Enfocus and Esko, for automated preflighting, automated proofing, and submission straight to the digital from end. As well as the integration with prepress options such as Apogee, FreeFlow Core, and Prinergy, among others.

Why printIQ? TO sum up, we asked Rowan to give us his elevator pitch, and he responded, “We have developed a leaner, more dynamic approach to managing print, with dedicated workflows and streamlined job management tools. We have integrated both upstream and downstream to create a seamless workflow, and in so doing we have become far more than just an MIS. Our product development team is focused on the future of print, and we back this up by delivering enhanced functionality to the core product. In short, when a print company chooses printIQ it gets groundbreaking software, and a team that specialises in transitioning them from an outdated MIS to a system designed and built for future growth. Perhaps it is time to make the leap.”

australianprinter.com.au

DESIGN

DIGITAL

FLEXO

FULFILMENT

LABELS

MAIL

OFFSET

PACKAGING

Welcome to the future of print

In the type of fast-changing business environments that we now operate in, you have to adapt your strategies and innovate just to remain (let alone become successful!).

With printIQ you get groundbreaking software, and a team that specialises in transitioning you from your outdated MIS to a system designed and built for future growth.

When you work with IQ you can finally start to see what future success might really look like, and rest assured that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be there to help you with your leap into the future.

www.printIQ.com

To be the best we partner the best

SIGNAGE

WIDE FORMAT

Print & heads to the cloud Buyers Guide

MIS W2P

Quote Leading management software solutions developer set to launch cloud based solution

Q

UOTE & Print is moving its management information system into the cloud, with the launch date set to be in the second quarter.

It has taken the past four and a half years and some $850,000 to produce its new cloud software.

Shanti Kumar, managing director Quote & Print says, “The arguments for cloud based software are compelling. It is secure, it requires little investment from print businesses in their own IT, servers or IT staff, everyone is always up to date, upgrades are automated, no maintenance, no annual installation, everyone is operating from the same version, and there is no up-front cost.”

All Quote & Print modules have been upgraded, the company is also introducing a new mobile module.

The cloud based solution is using the latest Microsoft Azure

Receiving the award from the Singapore government, Shanti Kumar (right) technology on an SQL data base.

Kumar says, “The security is bullet proof, printers can be assured that only they will ever have access to their data, in fact it is more secure than if it was running off their own severs.”

The cloud software will be hosted at a Microsoft Data Centre in Australia. It is currently been beta tested by a few select customers.

The software will be sold on a SaaS model. There will be a utility that will convert the data on customers current Q&P systems to the new format, so there will be little disruption to your business in converting to the cloud software.

Singapore government selects Quote & Print as productivity tool for small to medium printers THE Singapore government has been trying to make its printers competitive against printers from lower cost countries like China, Indonesia and Malaysia. Today approximately 30 per cent of Australia’s printing requirements come from lower cost countries, and it is the same story for European countries, so the price driven market is huge.

To support its printers the Singapore government has just awarded the major ERP contract to Quote & Print, due to its track record over the past eight years in installing and supporting Print ERP solutions in the city state.

The Infocom Development Authority (IDA) of Singapore selected an integrated web-toprint software from OPS and a print ERP solution

by Quote & Print to be installed in 33 small to medium sized printers.

Quote & Print already has 70 print businesses using its software in Singapore.

The decision by the government was made 56

February 2018 – Australian Printer

due to Quote & Print offering a turnkey solution, which includes installation, training, customising the printer’s web site, developing skins for their individual customers, and taking all the trouble away from the printer.

Shanti Kumar says, “The small to medium sized printer cannot afford IT people to customise their solution to match their customers’ requirements.

They want it all done for them. OPS and Quote & Print provides such a turnkey solution.”

The Printing Industry Association of Singapore presented Quote & Print managing director Shanti Kumar a special award for the company's service and contribution to printers in Singapore.

Quote & Print has been supplying print ERP solutions in Australia for 36 years, and currently has more than 600 printers in 11 countries using the software. Quote & Print is the only print software company with local offices staffed by senior IT and print consultants in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth and Brisbane.

The Australian-developed Quote & Print solutions are now running in 11 countries around the region.

Initially developed by Dave and Judy Bell the company has been owned

by Kumar for the past decade. He says, “Printers love Quote & Print because it is developed by Australian printers for printers. We provide excellent local support in all states, it is a roust product that works really well.” Kumar says, “We have been working hard over several years to create the new cloud solution.

We are using the latest Microsoft technology. For printer sit means they will be more efficient, their IT bills will be reduced by around 30 per cent, and they can access all their data anywhere anytime. It is a tremendous step forward.”

Web-to-print integration WEB-TO-PRINT software is the most popular software that printers are currently looking for. Kumar says, “In today’s tough economic climate, customers look for printers to give them good service, at a lower cost, fast turnaround, and make it easier to do business.

Printers can achieve this, and keep the competitors away, by installing a flexible and easy to use web-to-print solution. Kumar says, “When you integrates the web-to-print solution to your print ERP solution then you have a total integrated solution, from online ordering to the job bag, BOM, invoicing and straight to your P & L without the need for double entry, which takes time, is error prone and costly.”

australianprinter.com.au

NEWS LABELS AND PACKAGING NEWS:

All Amcor packaging to be recyclable AMCOR is pledging to make all of its packaging recyclable or reusable by 2025, joining ten other brands and retail companies making the commitment with the Ellen Macarthur Foundation (EMF).

The company says it is the first global packaging company to make the commitment and it will also commit to increasing

its use of recycled materials and driving more recycling of packaging. It also says most of the other companies undertaking the pledge are Amcor customers, with the EMF estimating the businesses together ultimately influence more than six million metric tons of plastic packaging each year.

Finat releases 2018 event schedule

Orora to take first EFI Nozomi presses

THIS year’s calendar of events and supporting activities offered by the international association for the label and sleeve markets, Finat, is designed to reflect and addresses, the complex and ever-changing opportunities and challenges in the world of packaging today.

The association says it has been created for the benefit of the Finat membership which, in itself, is a diverse web of companies, from raw material suppliers through inks, printing and application machinery, to converters and contract packers.

First on this year’s agenda of international events is the Finat Technical Seminar – a two-yearly event which attracts high attendances for its astute combination of all the key elements of commercial label production today.

Taking place in Barcelona on March 7-9, this year’s seminar addresses a broad range of topics for printers and converters. Keynote speaker Andy Hobsbawm, founder of a smart products platform, will provide a leading-edge insight into the IoT, and how smart products transform brand relationships.

PACKAGING newcomer Orora saw its profit surge on increased revenue in its half year results, and revealed it would be the first Australian company to take the new EFI Nozomi large format digital carton press.

The company’s net profit after tax increased 14.8 per cent from the pcp, reaching $105.7m for the HY. Sales revenue increased by 6.2 per cent to just off $2.1bn, while EBIT is up 10.5 per cent to $165.3m.

Statutory net profit after tax for the HY is $103.8m, which includes a significant item expense after tax of $1.9m from net profit on the sale of Fibre Packaging’s Smithfield site, which wasoffset by costs related to the restructure of Fibre Packaging in NSW, including the closure of the Smithfield site and potential additional decommission costs associated with the Petrie Mill site.

Orora will be installing an EFI Nozomi press into its Oakleigh, Victoria Fibre Packaging site, and a similar machine going into its US operation, it will be the fifth company to do so worldwide.

The single-pass corrugated digital packaging printer opens up personalisation possibilities,

Amcor’s move is the latest action by the industry to take plastic out of the supply chain, while single use plastic bags will soon not be given away by Coles and Woolworths, Harris Farm has already stopped them.

Ron Delia, CEO of Amcor says, “Our aspiration is to be the leading global packaging company. That means winning

on behalf of the environment, customers, consumers, shareholders and our people at the same time, in ways that differentiate Amcor and generate growth.”

Delia also says most of Amcor’s packaging is already developed to be recyclable and reusable and designed to use less material.

Coming to Australia: Orora to install EFI Nozomi digital presses while maintaining high production speeds.

Nigel Garrard, managing director, CEO, Orora says, “We released the Orora Global innovation initiative in 2015, earmarking $45m to be invested, that has now been fully committed, and we are increasing that by $30m to a total of $75m allowing us to invest in innovating customer led solutions “The EFI Nozomi machines are large format digital printers which gives us bigger sheet size, but almost the same speeds as other equipment.

“We have trialled digital over the past couple of years, and the two that we are buying are the fifth and sixth machines released in the world. We see an exciting opportunity to look at these with our customers.

“We will have an innovation forum in May where we show customers our investment and give an update on what is happening in the business. The Nozomi will arrive in April or May. “I think there are strong opportunities with digital, we have also invested in a newgeneration laser cutter.”

Nintendo creates packaging based-gaming JAPANESE gaming giant Nintendo has launched a line of interactive, DIY cardboard build-and-play extras, Nintendo Labo, designed to complement its latest portable gaming console, the Nintendo Switch.

The modular cardboard cutouts are sold as printed flat die-cut sheets, which the user pops out, and puts together to make different designs, including a 13-key piano, car, and robot.

Priced around US$70, when bundled with software, it turns what is a relatively-cheaply printed product into a premium 58

Cardboard games: Nintendo options its packaging price, maximising its value.

It works by combining the technology of its hardware, the Switch, which has motion-

February 2018 - Australian Printer

sensitive, detachable controllers called Joy-Con, with the 3D completed Nintendo Labo builds. When combined the new

creations, which the company calls Toy-Con, create a new experience for the user.

Nintendo explains, “You can build a functioning 13-key piano that brings your musical creations to life once the Nintendo Switch console and Right Joy-Con controller are inserted. As you play, the IR Motion Camera in the Right Joy-Con detects which keys are pressed and translates them into notes.

“You can even take control of your very own motorbike by constructing a functioning set of handlebars.”

australianprinter.com.au

Printflow Moments DESPERATION FRUSTRATION “Not another reprint due to colour!”

“I really don’t want to buy a new press”

AGITATION “Grrr... someone must be able to help me with colour!”

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REALISATION “Wow! The Colour Doctor’s free* Printflow trial really worked!”

modernise your press www.printflow.eu

Printflow from The Colour Doctor works with almost any make of offset press and brings ink and colour under fully automated, preset and CIP3 optional closed-loop control.

Contact us to see if your press qualifies for a free trial.

Techkon SpectroDrive is the ideal press-side ISO-compliant bar scanning system to partner with Printflow DC. Variable scan lengths fit any press width.

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NEWS LABELS AND PACKAGING NEWS:

Fespa looks to digital corrugated FESPA is introducing a digital printed corrugated display at its giant Global Print Expo in Berlin in May, showcasing how digital technology can value-add for packaging.

The global federation for the speciality print industry says specialist knowledge is vital, and that short-run promotional packaging may represent

a valuable new revenue opportunity capitalising on their experience of flatbed printing and cutting.

Digital printing on board was a key theme at the last drupa, with major companies such as EFI, HP, Screen, Durst, Heidelberg and Landa all promoting digital carton printing.

Fespa says its Digital Corrugated Experience will showcase the commercial and production advantages of digital print for corrugated packaging and retail display applications, aiming to highlight to packaging converters and box-makers the benefits of integrating newer digital technology into their production mix.

Fespa says digital complements traditional analogue methods, and says the exhibit will address all elements involved in printing corrugated materials, including substrates; workflow solutions; digital printing technologies; materials handling; primers, inks, coatings and varnishes; and cutting and folding.

Kelton appointed to WPO board

Oji opening $72m Queensland site

NERIDA Kelton, has been nominated as ANZ delegate to the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) Board, effective immediately.

Dr Carol Kilcullen-Lawrence, national president, AIP, says, “Nerida Kelton, as the executive director of the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP), has been part of the packaging industry now for almost two decades, and is hands-on with all aspects of representing the AIP, its members and the wider packaging industry.”

“With her in-depth knowledge and significant contribution to the AIP educational programs, Kelton is the key person to represent the interests of not only the AIP on the world stage, but also the greater packaging industry in Australia and New Zealand.

Nerida Kelton is taking the place of Pierre Pienaar, who was recently elected as president of the WPO. Pienaar says, “From time to time the Board of the World Packaging Organisation requires new ideas, fresh thinking and sometimes a new approach.

What better time now that Nerida has been elected.”

OJI Fibre Solutions has completed building its $72m site in South East Queensland, with assistance from the Queensland Government’s Advance Queensland Industry Attraction Fund.

The company says it will produce corrugated packaging and packaging products, particularly in the fruit, vegetable and meat sectors.

While it is currently unknown which presses will be inside of the site, the company uses flexo four-colours at its other sites in Sydney and Melbourne.

Japanese-based packaging manufacturer Oji Fibre Solutions (Oji) had increased planned staff numbers from 55 to 70 ahead of schedule at its soon-to-open Yatala factory and was already setting its sights on Queensland’s regions, with plans to expand the business in Far North Queensland later this year.

Dr Jon Ryder, CEO, Oji says, “The Government’s support was a major factor in the decision of the company, which produces corrugated packaging products for use by fruit and produce, meat, industrial, fast moving

Oji: major new plant in Queensland consumer goods, paper products and consumer durables.

“The Queensland Government has been tremendous help, they are pro-business and commercially astute. We very much appreciate the industry attraction program they put together which has been fundamental in helping us select Queensland as the best destination for this factory.

“It is an exciting time, we are investing, growing, and getting good support. Being associated with the world’s fifth largest pulp and packaging manufacturer helps, we feel fighting fit, and will keep going.”

The Queensland Government says Oji plans to open satellite

businesses in far north Queensland and two other regional Queensland locations, potentially creating 30 jobs.

Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk says, “Oji’s decision in 2016 to build a corrugated box manufacturing factory here in south-east Queensland was a corporate vote of confidence in our state from one of the world’s largest forest, paper and packaging producers with a billion-dollar-plus turnover.

“The incentives our government is providing through our industry attraction fund were instrumental in Oji building this highly automated facility here in Queensland.”

Screen introducing new label presses SCREEN GP Australia (Screen) is introducing two new digital label presses to its range, the Trojan T4, and TC-2.

The Trojan T4 is an all-inone label press line with inline finishing. Screen says it offers with robust printing, laminating, die-cutting, slitting and rewind for an end-to- end solution.

It runs at up to 18 metres per minute with a maximum print width of up to 223mm across a 250mm web, with image quality up to 1600 x 1600dpi.

Peter Scott, managing director, Screen, says: “It is a mini-marvel unlike any other 60

solution for short-run and variable versioned labels. The engineering standard is first class and the die-cutter can be fully or semi-rotary and used alone to create die-cut blanks or to finish labels from another press. Best of all both the T2-C and T4 are fully supported by Screen GP’s local engineers and Jet Technologies’ expertise.”

The Trojan T2-C is a desktop label printer that uses Memjet printhead technology.

It can print on pre-diecut or continuous label reels, for offline finishing. Print speed, resolution and width is the same as for the

February 2018 - Australian Printer

T4, but unlike the T4, a 1200Kg floor-standing unit, the TC-2 is a desktop label printer with a smaller footprint.

Scott says: “The Trojan T2-C has proper web feed and take up with tensioning and yet fits any size print department due to its compact desktop footprint. Ink supply can be either by internal 250ml cartridges or, for higher productivity, external 2 litre tanks. At either 1600 x 1600dpi or 1600 x 800 dpi, the image quality is superb.”

While the TC-2 has the same print speed, resolution and width as the T4, unlike the T4, a

1200Kg floor-standing unit, the TC-2 is a desktop label printer, and simpler to fit into print shops.

The company has been selling another Trojan press in the mini-digital labels segment, the Truepress Jet L250AQ. Sold through channel partner Jet Technologies, Screen featured the it as the sole piece of equipment on its stand at Visual Connections.

Scott says, “We now have a complete range of digital label presses from desktop 18 metres per minute to high-end UV at 60 metres per minute.”

australianprinter.com.au

FESPA ASIA 2018 22-24 February 2018 | BITEC, Bangkok, Thailand

DISCOVER THE FUTURE OF PRINT

THE ASEAN REGION’S NO.1 PRINT SHOW RETURNS TO THAILAND IN 2018 FESPA Asia, Asia’s premier exhibition for the ASEAN print industry will be in Bangkok, Thailand, from the 22-24 February 2018. Featuring world-leading screen, digital, textile print and signage manufacturers, new technologies, unbeatable launches, inspirational seminars, World Wrap Masters, workshops and best practice for speciality printing - it’s not to be missed.

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PACKAGING

Why brand owners are dem There are compelling reasons why brand owners are demanding shorter run lengths for their packaging and why print service providers should be investing to meet their needs, says Mark Andy

M

ORE and more we hear converters talk about the pains of running short (and even micro) runs for customers on traditional analogue presses. With different definitions and interpretations, short run has become somewhat of an abstract topic and an industry buzzword. Do you classify on the basis of feet or units per job? Is it more profitable to run small quantity jobs flexo or digital? Within the walls of Mark Andy, we loosely define short run as a label, carton, or flexible packaging job of less than 10,000 feet / 3000 metres.

Shorter runs are perfect candidates for hybrid technology production, giving the converter flexibility to fulfill low volume job orders without compromising on print quality, all with the added bonus of freeing up full-production flexo assets for jobs that make the most sense. While understanding the mechanics of short run and how to leverage it in your pressroom is great, many converters are still scratching their heads as to why their customers are demanding shorter run lengths.

62

February 2018 - Australian Printer

It is cost effective MARK Andy customers have observed a shift in brand ordering, to adopting Just In Time (JIT) inventory principles. Generally accepted economies of scale within the label industry have changed, meaning customers require final product be delivered with shorter lead times and in much smaller quantities. Ordering fewer labels to match product demand is more cost effective for the brand owner, as basic business principles teach us that holding excess inventory is an additional risk. Neither party wants to assume the cost associated with holding extra label stock, making it critical for label printers to profitably support shrinking order sizes.

WITH roughly 65 per cent of the label work produced globally coming out under 6,500 feet, digital adoption and understanding of short run optimisation is a must.

Unable to produce small-batch work and turn a profit, many converters produce short run jobs through their traditional analogue workflow. Rolls of excess product sit on print shop shelves and converters cross their fingers that the customer will place another order without artwork modifications. Sounding familiar? We also hear too frequently the pains of having to outsource digital work to maintain customer satisfaction.

It is a risky business, but there are various entry-level digital hybrid solutions - whether it be a flexible retrofit or approachable standalone press - to help converters leverage these short run jobs to their advantage.

SKU proliferation Product line extensions are more prevalent than ever, making SKU variety one of the top reasons labels are ordered and produced in smaller quantities.

This is a direct result of consumer demand for multiple variations of familiar products.

Take soda as an example. On any given day you will find a multitude of different sized beverages filling the shelves: minis,16 ounce, cans, bottles, two-litres.

And that does not begin to scratch the surface if you include the flavored adaptations; cherry, lime, vanilla, diet, and caffeine-free to name a few. The list can go on and on for just a single product line.

Inline hybrid technology allows you to take on these requests with ease.

Rather than wasting time changing out flexo plates for each variation, on-the-fly changeovers with digital are your new best friend.

Impress your customers with short turnaround work produced in a way that makes sense for your business and your bottom line.

australianprinter.com.au

PACKAGING

manding shorter run lengths Marketing and testing BRAND owners are constantly evolving their product, looking for ways to increase sales and optimise their businesses. When it comes to a consumer packaged goods (CPGs for short), packaging is a great way for a product to be more relevant.

The 2000s have been an age of customisation, making personalised products a common desire of the contemporary consumer. Individuals can go to the store and find water bottles with their local sports team on it or their name on a soft drink.

This has transformed the modern packaging landscape, making short run even more necessary in support of specialised packaging and promotional labeling. Hybrid digital printing technologies are an attractive solution to profitably support converters seeking opportunities in this arena.

Final thoughts

Segmented marketing, seasonal products, multiple variations: all leading to shorter run lengths

Seasonal reign supreme Modern brand owners are using versioning to establish brand equity like never before.

For instance the mass commercialisation of Halloween is a new entry to Australia, but is now a core marketing date.

Around the holidays people flock to festively packaged goods.

Companies know this and leverage limited edition products with eyecatching packaging to boost sales.

Seasonal packaging connects with the consumer on a deeper level that standard packaging cannot touch, enticing impulse buys through emotional appeal and flashy design.

Due to the exclusivity and timestamp associated with seasonal products, these are jobs that typically require smaller production quantities.

Not to mention, brands are now connecting on a personal level by offering this highly personalised packaging. To support these trending demands, digital printing provides its advantages to printers and converters while offering benefits to end customers.

australianprinter.com.au

PRINTERS and converters who understand the short run environment and brand owner rationale will unquestionably be able to earn more business. They are enabled to go after work they did not think was possible, and are open to investing in the right technology to support their growing short run needs. Instead of being plagued with downtime and changeovers on your flexographic press, smaller jobs can be run digitally. At Mark Andy, our digital hybrid solutions fit any book of business, and help converters keep their flexo presses running jobs that make the most sense. We encourage you to take our short interactive questionnaire as a helpful guide to getting started with digital.

Australian Printer - February 2018

63

Blast from the past BACK IN TIME

One Year Ago FEBRUARY 2017 saw the biggest printers in Australia in a process of merging and acquiring the competition, with a proposed megamerger between PMP and IPMG given the green light by the ACCC. The PIAA gave strong indications to the ACCC that the merger was necessary for the industry, with a fresh-faced Andrew Macaulay, six months in the role as PIAA CEO, noting, “An ACCC blockage would lock the market in its present state - lacking in efficiency, with excess capacity and obsolete equipment.

In so doing, the ACCC would be consigning the market and industry to the past.”

Meanwhile, competitor IVE had just bought Franklin Web and AIW for $116m. The surprise move came just three weeks after PMP and IPMG announced their intentions, and was completed in early January. It paid $100m for Franklin Web and $16m for AIW. The local heatset web sector effectively went from five players to two in a month.

APN Outdoor and oOh!media were also proposing a merger, which would be spectacularly knocked back by ACCC chair Rod Sims, who pointed at the merged company would have too large a market share, and have poor outcomes on competition.

Steve Dunwell stepped down after 40 years in print, bowing out as managing director of manroland Australasia. Senior executives from IPMG, PMP, IVE, Fairfax, News Corp, Hannapak, and GPIA attended his farewell party.

And John Ferguson joined an elite bunch of printers, honoured with an Order of Australia medal.

64

Time is travelling at an ever faster rate, or so it seems, AP casts a look back over the big February events in years gone by

February 2018 - Australian Printer

2017 2008 1993

Ten Years Ago

Twenty Five Years Ago

HEATSET was in the news a decade ago as well, as Adelaide’s State Web went broke in February 2008. The business was only two years old, founded by John Williams who ran Argyll Times Graphic, the Melborune arm of the Singapore business which eventually became part of PMP. It wasn’t all contraction in the heatset world though, AIW, which would become part of IVE ten years later, bought a new 80pp Goss Sunday Press. AIW had been established in 2001 by Peter Clark at the time of the demise of the ill-fated Diamond Press, the only printer in Australian with a swimming pool in its building.

Clarke is now the Tasmanian representative of the PIAA, and doing great things down there.

Meanwhile in the sheetfed workd Glama-Pak bought its third large KBA press, a six-colour 142 with coater. With the Paris climate agreement still years out of existence, KBA launched its first carbon balanced press, a Rapida 105 six-colour, which was to be sold to a UK printer, while the printing industry here and overseas was embattled by false-greenwashing claims on the detrimental impact of paper on the environment, with the greenies never thinking for a moment that paper companies may actually want a business future for themselves and so may therefore be actually planting trees as well as cutting them down. The greenwashing movement would lead to the end of both annual reports and free paper based billing for utlities, telcos and banks, as the corporates found a new way to save money under the guise of helping the environment.

AGFA was leading the way in digital prepress systems, its second generation incorporating colour capable capstan imagesetting, and ‘ultra fast modular rips’. Agfa’s top of the range systems featured a 64Mb RAM and a 1GB hard-disk.

Compare that to the mobile phone of today, which is hundreds of times smaller, but has a hundred times as much RAM, and 50 times as much storage.

And a published feature in the February magazine warned printers of technological advancements which may displace print, listing Kodak Photo CD, Walkman Television, and recordable 2.5 inch CDs. Columnist Phil Lawrence wrote, “It may not be any of these particular technologies that replaces printing, but they do point to a trend towards high quality home and portable adatable information systems. This has to be competition for print media in the future. Of course, the governing factor for the unit cost of production has to be the bigger run length, but how long would it take to get high volume CD production systems?”

The answer of course, was not long. Obviously the writer was not a great fortune teller, missing out on the internet, which at the time was still in its infancy, but Lawrence was remarkely prophetic in perceiving the massive impact on print.

The February 1993 issue reported the country’s first Heidledberg GTO-DI (on press imaging) had gone to Wild & Wolley in Sydney, sadly neither the press not the printer is around today. And Hannanprint signed a seven year deal to print Reader’s Digest.

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Niche Printing Business For Sale Large Format Offset Facility  Melbourne location 15/16 T/O Circa $1.6m  Minimal Staff Required  Long lease 5x5 or relocate (your choice)  Roland R806-7 6 Colour & Coater Max Sheet 1600mm x 1100mm  Roland R804-7B 4 Colour 1600mm x 1200mm Max Sheet  2014 Agfa/Screen CTP  2005 Polar 176X Guillotine  $50,000 stock at cost  Great addition to any packaging business  Ideal for the large format digital operator  Business assets for sale at installed equipment value only  Goodwill will be handed to the new owner at no cost  Further information please contact Peter Brand 0417 908 907 or peterbrand@nationalauctions.com.au

WANTED:

ALL PRINTING & BINDERY MACHINES, CASH PAID

HEIDELBERG CYLINDER 770 X 540 MM

HEIDELBERG TI52 4X4 FOLDER

ITOH 115 GUILLOTINE (LATE MODEL)

URGENTLY WANTED HEIDELBERG SM52, 74 & 102 MACHINES KOMORI 26, 28 & 40 MULTI COLOUR RYOBI & ROLAND 4,5 & 6 COLOUR POLAR, ITOH, WOHLENBERG & SCHNEIDER MULLER MARTINI 335, 321, 235, 1509 & PRIMA STITCHERS HEIDELBERG & STAHL FOLDERS, CYLINDERS ALL HORIZON FINISHING EQUIPMENT & BINDERS

VALUATIONS: PRINTING VALUATIONS FOR INSURANCE & SALE OF BUSINESS CONDUCTED AUSTRALIA WIDE GTO52 4 COLOUR & VARN’S

SMI PACK AUTO WRAPPER (AS NEW)

MASTERCARD/VISA/AMEX ACCEPTED

Please call Peter Brand on 0417 908 907 or email: peterbrand@nationalauctions.com.au

• • • • • •

Printing Blocks Foiling Blocks Stamping Dies Solid Mounting Photopolymer Plates Embossing Blocks

24 HOUR Turnaround

Please call for a Free Quote Newspaper Gauge 14 Gauge 8 Gauge 1/4 Gauge

1mm 2mm 4mm 6mm

Unit 20/ 17 - 21 Bowden Street, Alexandria 2015

Tel: 02 9699 7976 Fax: 02 9310 5914 E: production@novagraphics.net.au Unit 10, 42 Harp St. Belmore, NSW 2192

australianprinter.com.au

ACN: 001 269 647

ABN: 454 001 269 647 Australian Printer - February 2018

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Outdoor Label Specialty

ROLL & SHEET STICKERS CMYK / PMS COLOUR PRINT

Art Paper Silver Metallic Poly Clear Poly (Vinyl) PVC Cards Car Service Labels More....

Decal Label Various Materials Available to Industry Requirements, o o from -18 C to 85 C, from Indoor to Outdoor.