New Zealand Printer August 2023

Studio Q increases production with AccurioLabel 230

Since its inception almost 20 years ago, Studio Q has expanded its capabilities to offer a distinctive range of design, printing, and finishing services to both retail and trade customers.

Company founders and owners David and Liesl Trotter run the business from their premises in Avondale, Auckland. David says, “The business has grown steadily over the past few years, and we now have added Laserfoil and Envelope World to our Studio Q brand, which sees us working with more printers and brokers.

“ We have developed strong and positive relationships with them. Rather than them seeing us as competition, they are comfortable working with us, especially as they know they can trust us and we won’t let them down. With a staff of 12, the company offers its customers a diverse assortment of printed products. David says, “We have always had a wide range of customers and we have had to increase our offering. Combining letterpress, foiling, envelope production and digital printing enables us to be a one

stop shop. We run an array of old and new technology, which gives Studio Q a strong point of difference.”

Studio Q has won a number of awards at Pride in Print. This year’s haul was no exception with a gold medal in the Structural Design Packaging Category. Its Laserfoil brand won two gold medals in the Business Print Category and was also The Letterpress Process Winner.

While Studio Q has a reputation for producing high-end boutique printed products, more recently, it has had a requirement to complete bigger runs. David says, “We have had to increase our volume output, especially in response to a growth in label demand. We diversified into more packaging products because the need for those is also growing.”

AccurioLabel 230

Recently, Studio Q installed a new AccurioLabel 230 digital label printing system, supplied through Konica Minolta New Zealand. David says, “We looked at

buying an AccurioLabel 230 a few years ago. I saw one in action at the PrintEx show in 2019 and it impressed me with how it could handle different substrates.

“Unfortunately, for a number of reasons, we could not purchase one at that time. However, about a year ago, I saw the AccurioLabel 230 in Konica Minolta’s showroom in Auckland, and I could see it fitting in perfectly at Studio Q. We have had a digital label press for about eight years but we needed a digital label press with a faster output. Additionally, we could see the benefit in having the capability to deliver a nice flexo look with a CMYK machine.

“The AccurioLabel 230’s higher speed is a significant factor because we were struggling to get jobs out. The installation went smoothly with few teething problems. We found the training straightforward as we already had our heads around roll-fed label printing. The AccurioLabel 230 is a typical toner machine, but we are comfortable working with toner so once again, no problems.

Konica Minolta digital label system ideal for print company prepared to take on any job.

Quality and speed: David Trotter with the AccurioLabel 230

“Running both machines gives us so many more options than we used to have. For example, we can jump between machines on the same job. It certainly helps knowing that the AccurioLabel has been around for a long time; it is a reliable machine.

“The finished print quality the AccurioLabel delivers is excellent. Running costs are good too. Putting through a higher volume of print is much easier now that we have it.

“What I must say is that it is not just a matter of buying a machine; you need to know what kinds of work you are doing. With some jobs you need to hit a wider gamut of colours while other jobs might be black and white. Some jobs require speed and others need time.

“We print all kinds of labels, but our staple is food and beverage. It is such a wide and varied market; just go to a supermarket and see the different labels and packaging on display.”

Konica Minolta support

“We enjoy our relationship with Konica Minolta New Zealand, especially with its new structure. It seems more lightweight and responsive to our needs. It is quite interesting how Konica Minolta has bounced back in the New Zealand market since it became a direct operation in 2020. Being a lighter organisation allows for greater flexibility, which is ideal for customers.

“Konica Minolta service and support has been brilliant. I have known their analyst Mark Northin for many years. He is knowledgeable and he has come out and helped whenever we needed assistance.

“Downtime is significant. You can’t afford to have the machine sitting still for days

while you wait for parts to come from overseas. All it takes is a phone call to Konica Minolta.

“Digital label printing has been a steady growth area for us. When we started in this sector, we had to deal with a massive learning curve. After eight years, we have amassed the knowledge and expertise required to offer a comprehensive range of labels.

“For anyone looking at us from the outside, producing labels appears easy but it is a different market to sheetfed. You need to take care and you need to understand the margins and the kind of competition you have. Also, you need to find your niche and have the capability to offer a point of difference, and we have managed that. All our brands – Studio Q, Laserfoil, and

Envelope World – they deal with adhesive labels to some degree, so it continues to be a growth area in the overall business. We also complete brokerage work through our various brands.

“We have found the market becoming increasingly competitive. New players have come into the market offering low rates, but we are not interested in becoming involved in a race to the bottom.”

Varied work

Supplying to trade clients has added another dimension to Studio Q’s work. David says, “We look forward to working with more print companies now that we have the AccurioLabel 230. We deal with a good number of other printers, and we have good relationships with them. Obviously, we want that to continue.

“We enjoy taking on quirky and different jobs. It does not matter whether that is variable data printing or work that involves something new, such as a job that might involve some unusual shapes and cuts.

“It is an advantage for Studio Q in having such a strong team of people with the level and diversity of each team member’s expertise and knowledge. This gives us the confidence to take on virtually any job. Bouncing between our digital and analogue technologies adds another layer to our offering.”

He has accepted the reality that he does not have enough hours in the week to personally complete every job that comes in. He says, “The business has evolved so much from when we began. I wanted the

Diverse offering: Liesl Trotter with some of Studio Q’s wide and award-winning range of printed material

Bouncing digital and analogue technologies: Tim Morris and David Trotter at Studio Q

company to be big enough for me to do whatever I wanted to do, but it became clear that I could not do everything. So, we now have this really capable team that provides a diverse range of services and we are proud of the work we do.”

AccurioLabel 230 delivers speed

and print quality

Built on Konica Minolta’s successful AccurioPress engine technology, the AccurioLabel 230 offers label converters and print companies a cost-effective alternative to traditional label printing, adding value through its digital capabilities such as variable data printing and numbering.

Chris O’Hara, national production manager for Konica Minolta New Zealand, says, “The AccurioLabel 230 digital label printing system delivers enhanced productivity, job flexibility, operability, and excellent image quality. It is ideal for commercial printers and label converters looking to expand their offering. Additionally, the AccurioLabel 230 will also work well for label converters with existing analogue label presses.

“The AccurioLabel 230 offers long continuous printing up to 1,000

The past few years have presented specific challenges to the business, and he sees a few tough years ahead. He explains, “The obvious thing is cost of living and that is immediate. Another factor is the environmental issues affecting everyone.

metres meaning you can schedule larger production runs without needing to build in switching time and reducing paper wastage. When the toner coverage is low, a print mode that adds colour belts outside of the image area is available that supplies the necessary amount of toner to keep the developer fresh. Its additional features and enhancements suit any print or label company looking for added capability or moving into digital production wanting the technology’s productivity, stability, and features that fuel critical thinking around business applications and profitability. Its features include:

• High productivity with a maximum print speed of 23.4 metres per minute.

• Excellent image quality to meet a variety of needs.

• Wide media compatibility without pre-treatment.

• Small footprint.

• Intuitive operation.

• Sophisticated colour management features.

• Thin line expression – the edge treatment function faithfully reproduces thin lines in complex line images.

• Small point characters – to ensure ease of reading, it prints small

Liesl and I talk about that quite a bit and we can see that there will always be issues with the climate.

“Everyone is looking at how we can mitigate those problems, whether it is the heat or flooding. The costs of dealing with climate change get shared across the economy, which will mean that some businesses disappear. We don’t want to be one of those.

“Where we sit right now, the AccurioLabel 230 is a really good fit for us. The look and feel of the product is significant and this machine gives us the flexibility for us to complete a much larger range of work.

“We are looking forward to the time when we will need to place a larger machine into the plant but right now, having the AccurioLabel 230 is an ideal way for us to accelerate our production. We welcome the kind of trade work that will keep the AccurioLabel 230 busy.

“It is also exciting that Konica Minolta has a focus on the ability to upgrade the engine only. This is something that could be a possibility for us. So, if the engine is tired and the other parts are fine, the upgrade is easier and more affordable. Another exciting possibility is the AccurioLabel 400.”

characters vividly.

• Variable data printing – operators can change content for each sheet, depending on the customer’s requirement.

• Gradations – an abundance of gradation expressions helps achieve a natural finish.

• Reproduction of skin-tone –roughness of the skin can be suppressed to reproduce richlytextured human skin tones.

• Barcode printing – operators can print small barcodes without blurring. It can also print variable barcodes.

• Solid density – solid black areas with high image density can be expressed with a suitable glossy appearance.

• Photographic image quality – it achieves stable, high image quality using multi-gradation data processing and an expansive colour gamut.

• No warm-up time – the label press’s fuser keeps warm for up to 30 minutes between jobs, which also helps reduce waste.

• Overprinting - such as flexo white pre-printed on clear PP labels.

• An all inclusive service cost model (excluding paper) that provides confidence in quoting and costing label jobs.

Busy: With 12 staff, Studio Q offers its clients a one stop shop of printing possibilities

STEP INTO A NEW WORLD OF LABEL PRINTING WITH THE ACCURIOLABEL 400

The new Konica Minolta AccurioLabel 400 press helps you profit from the latest trends in the Digital print customised label market. With the addition of our Vivid white colour option, you can capitalise on special finishes on a wide range of clear and metallic label media to produce striking Labels in one pass efficienc y

Whether you’re a label print specialist looking to upgrade your digital capacity, or adding labels to your offering for the first time, you’ll profit from the flexibility and speed the new AccurioLabel 400 Press brings to your business.

SCAN TO REQUEST A FREE SAMPLE PACK

CONTENTS

Cover Story p2-4

2-4 Konica Minolta: Studio Q has installed a Konica Minolta AccurioLabel 230 digital label printer. Offering a diverse range of printing products to trade customers, Studio Q is already taking advantage of the AccurioLabel 230’s speed and quality

PrintNZ p12-14

12-13 Helping Hand: Iain MacIntyre looks at “how far we have come” since the first Pride In Print Awards in 1993

14 Comment: Ruth Cobb says we need to take advantage of industry career days to increase our talent pool

Features p16 & 31

16 Fujifilm Business Innovation: With a new Apeos Pro C750 printer, Digiprint continues its more than 20 year partnership with Fujifilm Business Innovation

31 Think Laterally: Mick Rowan has sound advice on how you can increase your digital marketing capabilities

Labels & Packaging p18-22

26 Computaleta: A freshly inked distribution deal with Canon Production Printing gives Computaleta customers access to the Arizona and Colorado platforms

28 Durst: Pushing the technology boundaries for those in the printed décor, sportswear and fast fashion spaces, Durst has products to suit the market’s needs

30 Fujifilm: SCG has installed the country’s first Inca Onset X1 HS printer at its Mt Wellington site, supplied through Fujifilm New Zealand

32-37 NZ Sign + Print Expo: NZSDA joined forces with Print NZ to present the revitalised and rebranded NZ Sign + Print Expo 2023. Piotr Wnuk caught up with everyone at the show

38-41 Fespa: This year’s show in Munich delivered a stimulating environment where visitors focused on business growth opportunities

42 NZSDA Update: Laura McConchie keeps us up to date with the latest from NZ Signee and the NZSDA

44 NZSDA President’ Corner: Shae Goom, our new NZSDA president, is excited about the prospects for the coming year and beyond

18-22

Labelexpo: Piotr Wnuk previews the upcoming Labelexpo show taking place in Brussels featuring the latest technology from the likes of Durst and HP

Wide Format Plus p23-49

24 Aarque Group: The new Aarque website ushers in a new era of convenience and accessibility for its customers, with a host of new benefits

NEW

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New Zealand Printer is mailed to members of the printing,

45 NZSDA Signee: We conclude our sign maker’s journey with Aaron Joines sharing what inspires him in this everchanging industry

46-49 Sign + Print Expo: See who was at the show in our four-page photo spread

Apprentice of

Year Catriona Mellows with Ruth Cobb, chief executive of PrintNZ, p12

ISSN 1171 7912

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NZ PRINTER DIRECTORY & CALENDAR

Durst Label Open House

Labelexpo Americas

September 9 and September 15, 2023

September 13-15, 2022

Brixen, Italy

Chicago, USA

Apart from the latest technology and solutions, Labelexpo Americas this year features a full two-day conference programme and two masterclasses organised by the Label Academy on digital embellishment and self-adhesive materials. www.labelexpo-americas.com

Following the success of the past few years, Durst once again is organising its Open House in 2023. An exclusive event where customers and partners from around the world will meet at its headquarters in Brixen, South Tyrol, and get a chance to take a look together towards the future of the label printing world.

Wayzgoose 2022

September 17, 2022

For more information please contact: durst.oceania@durst-group.com

Napier

Labelexpo Europe

September 11-14, 2023

Brussels, Belgium

The Association of Handcraft Printers has a full day programme including visits to Imprimo in Havelock North and Neighbour’s Press in Hastings; a swap meet; as well as a barbecue dinner at the Napier RSA. This is a must attend event for all interested in letterpress and the craft. www.inkianapress.co.nz

Foodtech Packtech

September 20-22, 2022

Auckland

This will be the first Labelexpo show in Europe since 2019. Along with demonstrations of the latest printing and converting equipment will be masterclasses and special events focused on automation and flexible packaging. New equipment at Labelexpo Europe will include the new HP Indigo 200K press, the Xeikon CX500t Titon toner press and the Screen Truepress PAC520P water-based packaging press. www.labelexpo-europe.com

Letterheads

September 29 - October 1, 2023

Christchurch

The country’s largest food manufacturing, packaging and processing technology trade show brings industry professionals and decision makers together providing a forum for education, discussion, as well as sharing knowledge and expertise. www.foodtech.packtech.co.nz

All in Print China

October 11-15, 2022

Shanghai

This year’s event, hosted by Anne McDonald of Signs of Art, will feature a series of demonstrations and workshops with industry experts such as Dean Evenson, Clinton Potter, Alan Clarke, Alex Burnett, Louisa Jessop and Ross Probert. Experts will be on hand to show both apprentices and those experienced in the industry “How to” with a variety of different old-school techniques. www.letterheads.co.nz

ProPrint Awards

November 3, 2023

More than 1300 exhibitors will demonstrate their solutions across the 120,000 square metres of show space at the Shanghai New International Expo Centre. Organisers expect more than 160,000 visitors from all over the globe as they open the “Oriental Window of the World Printing Industry”. www.allinprint.com

Sydney

Letterheads

October 21-23, 2022

Sign Foundry, Welling

Celebrate and acknowledge the achievements of the people in print across Australia at the ProPrint Awards 2023. What started as the Power 50 eleven years ago has evolved into a comprehensive annual awards evening recognising the industry leaders, rising stars, suppliers, and industry veterans. www.proprintawards.com.au

Printing United Expo

The call has gone out for all signees to grab their brushes and head to Lower Hutt for the annual Letterheads event. This year’s theme is ‘Red and Blue’. Your hosts this year are Lydia Reeve and Duncan Rourke. www.letterheads.co.nz

October 18 - October 20, 2023

Atlanta, Georgia

Interpack

May 4-10, 2023

Düsseldorf, Germany

The global packaging industry will meet in Düsseldorf with a focus on packaging materials, packaging machines and related process technology for the food, beverage, confectionery, bakery, pharmaceutical, cosmetics, non-food and industrial goods sectors. www.interpack.com

This global printing event serves markets across all printing segments. With over a million square feet of equipment, technology and trends on display, attendees will live product of the industry’s latest products and innovations across apparel, commercial, wide-format, industrial, promotional, label and packaging, mailing, shipping and fulfilment and more. www.printingunited.com

IN BRIEF

XEIKON will showcase a long list of innovations at Labelexpo Europe 2023. The company will focus on helping converters succeed by making label and packaging production easier and highly sustainable. The manufacturer is set to take its Cheetah technology to new heights by introducing Cheetah 3.0, representing a significant leap forward in sustainable production. Xeikon says it is poised to revolutionize the manufacturing of labels and packaging, playing a pivotal role in minimizing the industry’s carbon footprint.

FUJIFILM BUSINESS INNOVATION ASIA PACIFIC has commenced collecting entries for the Innovation Print Awards (IPA) 2023, an annual competition showcasing the best production design and digital print innovations. All entries will be reviewed by an independent judging panel with experience in the graphics communications industry. All winners and runnersup will be able to profile their creative applications in the IPA Winners’ Booklet.

Epson Monna Lisa textile printer turns 20

strengthen its digital textile printing business to access its strengths in marketing, consulting to the textile printing industry and expertise in pre- and post-processes.

Ten years later, in 2022, Epson Australia launched the Monna Lisa ML-8000 direct-to-fabric textile printer as a new entry model in the Monna Lisa series with eight of the latest PrecisionCore printheads offering high print quality, productivity and stable operation with minimal downtime.

Monna Lisa, an industrial inkjet digital textile printer jointly developed by Epson and an Italian textile equipment manufacturer Robustelli, celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

Robustelli develops, manufactures and sells textile printers near Como, a centre for the textile printing industry and home of many high-end brands.

Epson provided Robustelli with inkjet technologies, such as Micro Piezo print heads and ink supply mechanism

components, enabling the two companies to commercialise a digital textile printer that can handle volume printing. Epson also worked with For.Tex, an Italian company with strengths in pre- and post-printing processes, to develop a special ink suited to textile printing.

At the time the Monna Lisa was developed, the textile printing industry had started using digital textile printers for the preparation of samples. However, manufacturers were hoping for advances in digital processing technologies and inkjet technology for volume printing.

In 2012, Epson took a 50 per cent share in For.Tex to

“Digital printing has become increasingly popular with fashion and textile designers as they strive to meet the increased demands for short runs and fast fashion while under pressure from public criticism to ease environmental burdens. The ability to deliver digital designs for digital print on demand enables businesses to offer their customers a faster turnaround without having to rely on mass shipments of stock crossing continents, much of which result in higher waste streams due to analogue printing,” said the company in a statement.

Canon Colorado M gets 3M warranty

Canon Colorado M-series has been recognised by 3M for its exceptional quality and together with its UVgel 460 white ink has been covered under the 3M MCS Warranty program. This approval assures that applications printed on the Colorado M-series in combination with the UVgel 460 and 3M’s approved media will achieve the highest quality standards.

Applications covered by the 3M MCS Warranty include vehicle graphics, signs and displays, floor graphics, as well as transparent film and multilayer applications such as window graphics and many others.

To qualify for the approval, the Colorado M-series and its UVgel 460 inks including white, in combination with a variety of 3M media,

successfully passed a series of tests carried out under 3M’s assessment conditions.

The 3M MCS Warranty gives print service providers and their customers peace of mind and confidence that their images will perform as expected.

The Colorado 1630, Colorado 1650 and also the new Colorado M-series with the UVgel 460 ink set, which includes white ink, are now all approved for the 3M MCS Warranty program.

Last year, Epson launched the Monna Lisa ML-8000 DTF printer as a new entry model

Colorado M-series with the UVgel 460 ink now comes with the 3M MCS Warranty

Durst continues heavy investment in software solutions

Durst has confirmed it will continue a heavy investment into software solutions which are available to all printers operating any brand of machine.

Durst product manager for software and solutions Serge Clauss said, “We are providing solutions to automate the pre-press and the production with Durst workflow. We are providing ERP solutions with LiftERP to cover the entire printing process as well as analytics that grabs data from the printer to analyse the productivity of the printer –

including downtime, uptime as well as ink consumption.

“The reason why we went into software was to provide the highest level of service and the best possible solutions for our customers. This software is not just for Durst hardware – it is for every single customer – and if you are operating in a hybrid environment with Durst printers alongside other brands – or even without a Durst in your portfolio – it works as well so the Durst workflow will handle all of your printers.”

Durst currently uses its analytics software to monitor more than 900 printing systems that are in production at customer sites to ensure the continuous availability of the printing systems with preventive maintenance measures.

Over 600 print service providers also use Durst Workflow for their prepress and print preparation steps, and 150 Smart Shops are in use at web-to-print providers to enable seamless connection from the web store to production.

IN BRIEF

AVERY DENNISON GRAPHICS SOLUTIONS has brought Supreme PPF Xtreme, the next generation paint protection film to New Zealand. The new range is aimed at helping vehicle owners to safeguard their investment against the impact of extreme environmental conditions. The new product offers an extended 10-year warranty across all zones, optimised installation performance, enhanced selfhealing and stain resistance.

EPSON has sold over 80 million of its award-winning EcoTank high-capacity ink tank inkjet printers, which are one of the company’s biggest selling products in Australia and New Zealand. The company is now marketing three EcoTank ranges, from everyday home and business printing, through to EcoTank Photo, which uses 6-colour inks and EcoTank Pro that includes professional grade, robust, durable machines with pigment inks.

Durst product manager for software and solutions

Serge Clauss

Your Decal Shop turns

single-use plastics into wall art

Your Decal Shop, a family-run business based in Hawkes Bay, has been making remarkable strides in sustainability by utilising recycled PET plastic materials and water-based inks to create wall art that aligns with the principles of a fully sustainable, circular economy model.

At Your Decal Shop, the journey towards sustainability begins with a community-driven effort to recycle single-use plastic PET bottles. These bottles undergo a meticulous process that involves sorting, shredding, washing,

Kale Print achieves Toitū carbonreduce certification

Tauranga-based Kale Print, an awardwinning, family-owned and operated business with a reputation for quality, service and innovation, has achieved Toitū carbonreduce certification, further emphasising the company’s commitment to the environment.

Toitū Envirocare is a New Zealandbased organisation leading positive change through a system of robust environmental programmes that are

Whakatane Mill invests NZD70 million in production expansion

Whakatane Mill Limited (WML), which was on the brink of closure in early 2021, has announced it has secured a substantial private investment of over NZD70m from its shareholders for significant investment upgrade.

This investment marks the most significant capital expenditure for WML since 2004. The funds will facilitate a major upgrade, delivering an additional 50,000 tonnes of premium folding box

drying, and pelletizing, ultimately serving as the raw material for the vinyl film used in the wall art creations.

But the sustainability commitment doesn’t end here. When customers feel the need for a change, they have the option to return their wall art decals to Your Decal Shop, which ensures that these decals are recycled once again, reverting to their raw state.

The recycled plastic then undergoes a transformation, becoming durable fence posts for local farmers. These fence posts can be recycled repeatedly, providing a sustainable solution that embodies the essence of a circular economy.

Your Decal Shop owner Antony Clark said, “Every year 380 million tonnes of plastic bottles are used for single time use, creating a huge amount of waste. These bottles are thrown away and take at least 450 years to decompose. We are proud to collaborate with creative people to transform this waste into something quite remarkable, removable and reusable decals.

“By recycling these plastic bottles, dedicated facilities sawed, shred, wash, dry and palletize the PT material. These pallets serve as the raw material for our vinyl, which we use to create a range of stunning wall decor from New Zealand homes.”

resources supporting businesses to set real and achievable emissions reduction goals.

The Toitū carbonreduce programme is accredited by the Joint Accreditation System of Australia and New Zealand (JAS-ANZ). It is the world’s first to be accredited under ISO 14065 and is recognised in over 60 countries through the International Accreditation Forum.

internationally recognised. It helps businesses be more sustainable by giving them the science-based tools, actions and evidence they need to make real progress.

The organisation helps to identify what data is needed to measure the greenhouse gas inventory. It provides tools and

Kale Print brand manager Tessa Lawrence commented, “As leaders in our industry, we feel it is our responsibility to help forge a pathway for sustainability and to also inspire others to join us on this journey. Regardless of where you sit on the sustainability scale, taking action and making ourselves accountable when it comes to our environment is a nobrainer, with environmental, social and economic benefits.”

boards, increasing WML’s production from 150,000 to 200,000 tonnes.

Customers will enjoy the advantages of higher quality board, while the production process will be more environmentally friendly, utilising less raw materials and operating with improved energy efficiency.

Per tonne of board, the energy efficiency will be approximately 30 per cent better, gas consumption will be reduced by more than 30 per cent and

WML’s water consumption from the local river will also see a significant decrease.

Additionally, WML will eliminate plastic consumption by transitioning from plastic to paper wrap for its packaging with the heat recovery system contributing significantly to the company’s ESG profile.

Construction commenced at the end of June and will continue until mid-late August with full production expected to be achieved by November 2023.

Your Decal Shop team. From left to right: Antony, Jess, Shayla and Kieran

Taurange printer reinforces its commitment to the environment

Whakatane Mill

Look how far we have come

Learning from the past and training for the future.

Speaking at the Pride In Print Awards Evening, held recently at Auckland’s Cordis Hotel, PrintNZ chief executive Ruth Cobb reflected on “how far we have come over 30 years of Pride In Print”.

Noting that the 1993 ceremony bestowed 16 gold medals compared with 202 this year, she remarked, “It is not because the judges have got more generous. In fact, over those 30 years the requirements to achieve a gold medal have become so much harder, meaning there has been an exponential lift in quality. It is heart warming to see so many of the businesses

in our industry producing genuine, world class work.”

She pointed out that, in addition to the high levels of quality, New Zealand’s print industry produces an “amazing breadth of products. The great thing about print is that every job is bespoke. So, it allows you the scope to think as differently, and as big, as the customer’s budget allows.

“The creativity gene flows strongly through our industry as new technology, and sometimes valued, staid expertise, offer the ability to try new things for customers. This is overlaid with the constant evolution of outside influences that require us to strive for greater sustainability and cost-effectiveness, all the while working to create a point of difference with each piece of work.

“Our industry continually delivers those outcomes. The Pride In Print Awards has played a key role in recognising the levels of excellence that industry professionals

can achieve, providing the opportunity for businesses to market their success.”

Also speaking at the event, Pride In Print chair Lisa Hegh praised suppliers, judges, printers, and the audience for their support of the Awards over the last 30 years. She said, “The success of the Pride In Print Awards has been the result of collaboration across the whole industry, and that has allowed the ongoing evolution of the programme to where it is today.”

Organisers tweak the awards programme every year in response to feedback from judges and entrants. This ensures the categories remain an accurate reflection of the ever-expanding breadth of the industry. Ruth continued, “At times, we have had a major overhaul, such as when we moved specific categories from having an inward-focus on the process that was used to produce them, to taking a more outward-facing approach and reflecting on the products being produced. For example, moving from Sheetfed Offset to

IAIN MACINTYRE

Pride In Print Awards chair Lisa Hegh

Focus on training: Apprentice of the Year Catriona Mellows with Ruth Cobb, chief executive at PrintNZ

categories such as Business Print with sub-categories including annual reports, and catalogues has enabled the industry and its customers to better use the Pride In Print Awards to market their businesses.”

Focus on training

Aligned with her celebratory Pride In Print message, Ruth took the opportunity during her speech to acknowledge the print industry’s impressive commitment to training.

She remarked, “The reason we can produce this high-quality work comes down to the people in our industry. There has never been a more important time to train. Our immigration settings seem to change on a weekly basis, so if you want a certainty of labour supply, the best way to achieve that is to grow your own.

“Print is a craft, and we need skilled workers to ensure a solid future for our industry.”

As industry training continues to evolve, PrintNZ has a focus on ensuring the framework provided remains fit for purpose. She continued, “Over the last 12 months we have undertaken reviews of every qualification in the print apprenticeship programme, including the Diploma of Print Management. A huge thank you to those that have participated in these reviews, as we need people from the industry to help make sure the qualifications keep up with the pace of change.

“This year, we have registered two micro credentials for print. Micro credentials are small bites of learning on a niche topic, and the ones we have registered to date are for guillotining and printer’s assistant.

“We will continue to look at new topics in this area, with reviews for the potential of both die-cutting and letterpress, with more to follow.”

“In similar fashion to the Pride In Print Awards programme, industry training needs to continue to evolve in line with the industry and keep up with the times.

“We have gone from having our own dedicated industry training organisation to being part of a much larger organisation, Competenz. So we have committed substantial resources to ensuring that print/packaging/sign training remains front of mind.”

She highlighted the collaborative relationships PrintNZ has with both Hanga-Aro-Rau and Competenz | Te Pūkenga. She said, “Hanga-Aro-Rau,

the workforce development council that covers print, packaging, and sign, is responsible for the development and updating of qualifications, and for ensuring that the people that are qualifying are meeting the standards.

“Competenz | Te Pūkenga is the organisation that is responsible for delivering training to the industry.

“These two organisations are really important to the future of training in our

industry, and we maintain very close ties to both through representation on their boards and industry stakeholder groups.”

“The Pride In Print Awards continue to raise the bar of excellence in the print industry and training will ensure that the sector has the highly skilled people needed to achieve those accolades.

“While things continue to change in this space, you can rest assured that we are on to it.”

Reflections from 1993

work together in a celebration of skills and knowledge, it demonstrates a commitment to quality and service, and it demonstrates the high degree of pride there is in what we do and what we have to offer.

Pride In Print Awards foundation chair John North made the following comments when launching the campaign in 1993:

“The Pride in Print Campaign has been designed to show the pride we have in our people, the skills they possess, and their achievements,” he stated.

“In presenting this campaign to the printing industry of New Zealand, the Printing Industries Federation of New Zealand was concerned that our profile as an industry needed to be raised. Raised high enough to demonstrate our skills, high enough to keep printing within the country, and high enough to attract the calibre of people we want to have play a part in our industry, both now and for the future.

“As an industry body we are committed to the continued development of skills within the industry, through our staff, our management, and our investment in technology. It is the intention of the campaign to continually demonstrate to New Zealand this commitment.

“We include within this campaign the conviction that our clients and suppliers are our partners. It is together, that we must strive to claim the satisfaction of giving our best to every job. The Pride in Print Awards have been a complete demonstration of this synergy. It demonstrates a determination by our industry to

“There is, as the originators of the symbol say, ‘a new symbol for the pride that goes into our work’. It is a symbol of dedication, a symbol of craftsmanship, a symbol of unity, and it is this aspect of unity that we believe is so important in the management of a professional and successful industry.

“In today’s business world it is increasingly obvious that no business stands alone. Every business is a link in the chain of serving and being served, a link between the supplier and the consumer. This also holds true within an organisation, as people within the company are seen as customers and suppliers. When we come to this realisation, we come to the next statement made by the Pride in Print campaign, that we care about our clients and our company, that because we care we must be honest and value not only our own integrity, but the integrity of those we deal with.

“It is with considerable pride that the Printing Industries Federation of New Zealand has brought the Pride In Print campaign to New Zealand, and it is with immense gratitude that we acknowledge the dedication and enthusiasm with which the industry as a whole has accepted the extension to the Pride in Print Awards. Without the considerable benefit of patronage and sponsorship, personal time and commitment, and the integrity of all involved there would not have been an evening such as we celebrate in the awarding of these prizes for excellence in print.

“The Pride In Print Awards will stand as a testimony to the energy and foresight of all those involved.”

John North, Pride In Print Awards foundation chair

Looking for future talent

Educating young people about the advantages of a career in print begins at school.

The next step will see us taking students and teachers through a couple of printing plants to let them see exactly what we have to offer. For those with a real interest, we can move them into work experience opportunities both during and outside of school, eventually transitioning some of them into apprenticeships.

Help with career days

For PrintNZ, this work fits under two of our key strategic pillars: ensuring that training in our industry continues, and promoting the purpose, effectiveness and sustainability of print. These two pillars form a vital part of the work we do for the industry. While traditionally we have focused on encouraging the businesses in our industry to train, we have expanded that mandate to do more direct work with schools.

PrintNZ recently participated in a school careers day at One Tree Hill College in Penrose in what we hope is the first of many such events to try and both educate young people, ass well as their teachers and parents, about the industry. In addition, we want to encourage some of them to consider a career in the printing industry.

With all the changes that happening in the vocational education space, it is really important that we don’t lose sight of the work that needs to be done on the ground to continue to attract new talent to the industry. Data from Infometrics reports just released indicate that we need approximately 2,500 new recruits coming into print, packaging and sign over the next five years, which means we need to see a steady flow of newcomers every year.

While we have previously relied on Competenz, as our industry training partner,to do these events for us, it represents 36 industries that range from the huge world of engineering through to other niche industries such as bakery,

butchery and fire protection. If print wants to have its day in the sun, we are going to have to do that ourselves.

Opening eyes to print

For the careers day, we gathered a range of print work from a broad cross-section of our industry, so that we could demonstrate, in our limited space, just how much work our industry undertakes. We certainly had a bright and interactive stand, while competing with a fire engine, police jet ski and army truck. Over 1000 students from Year 8 to Year 13 came through the displays.

We talked to many of them and ended up with quite a pool of interested parties who certainly had their eyes opened about what the world of print was about. This was also true for the many teachers and parents we talked to who had neither realised the extent of what the industry does, nor the career opportunities we have on offer.

There were only a couple of trades that had taken the time to participate in the event; the rest consisted of universities showcasing their courses. This allowed print the opportunity to shine, and it was particularly pleasing to point out to everyone just how much print was on all the other stands. From banners and backdrops to brochures, print formed big part of every stand, and that helped make our point about the longevity of the printing industry.

The average apprentice in our industry is not a school leaver, perhaps because we have not had direct access to them. Spending more times working with schools could change this. Having the capability to offer work experience to young people helps them get to know our industry and helps you get to know them.

A thank you must go to Trust4Skills for providing funding for the collateral we use at these careers days. If you have large high schools in your area running careers days, we are keen to work with you to participate in these events.

RUTH COBB

Linden Hoverd, PrintNZ membership coordinator at the One Tree Hill College careers day

PrintNZ provides young people with good reasons to complete an apprenticeship

CONGRATULATIONS

to all our 2023 print and training winners

We are proud to be part of an industry that celebrates achievement and recognises excellence

Digiprint targets fast turnarounds with its new ApeosPro C750

Copy centre partners with Fujifilm Business Innovation for over 20 years

work we do is that you need to get the job done quickly and well. So, while we have some learning to do on the ApeosPro C750, we will make things work.

“Both the Versant 80 and the ApeosPro C750 give us a finished booklet. In a nutshell, the job goes from the computer to the machine and comes out as a finished booklet. In the bad old days, we had to do all that manually. In fact, we still have a 20-year-old folding machine in the cupboard.

“Since I bought Digiprint, I have been impressed with advances in technology, which have been phenomenal in terms of speed and finishing capabilities.”

Situated in Tauranga’s central business district, Digiprint services a range of clients such as local businesses and sports clubs.

Mark Taylor bought Digiprint in 2002. He says, “It had been going for four years at that stage and I bought it as a going concern. I was a company accountant, and I wanted a change of lifestyle – a change of direction. I don’t regret my accounting career, but I also don’t regret the last two decades running Digiprint; I have enjoyed it.

“With no experience in the print industry, I bought the copy centre business because of the fact it looked like it could make a dollar. I had looked at other businesses but this one seemed to have a skillset that I could more readily learn, and I already knew how to handle the accounts.

In 2004, Mark bought another copy centre in nearby Mt Maunganui. He says, “The Mt Maunganui shop was running equipment supplied through Fujifilm Business Innovation and Digiprint was running equipment from another supplier. As the print industry began to contract, having two shops became not such a great idea, so we consolidated the businesses in 2014 to one location, back in the Tauranga CBD. We kept the

arrangement with Fujifilm Business Innovation.

“Since then, we have seen numerous changes in the industry, but it has made sense for us to stick with Fujifilm Business Innovation and to continue the leasing arrangement. We are a short run; do it now type of business.

“For a small concern like us, we have to consider the implications of what we do. We only have a limited ability to take financial hits from changes in direction, so we appreciate having a long and solid relationship with Fujifilm Business Innovation, close to 20 years as our supplier. They have been reliable.”

Short run work

Until recently, Digiprint ran two Versant 80 printers. Mark says, “We recently leased an ApeosPro C750 to replace one of the Versant 80 printers.

“We needed to bring our machine leases and building leases in line and Fujifilm Business Innovation gave us this option.

“The ApeosPro C750 fits our size business. As it only went in last week, I can’t tell you much about its performance yet. The reality of the type of short run

Digiprint will put the ApeosPro C750 to work for its customer base. He says, “Our customers include individuals, clubs, and businesses. We also run wide format printers - a DocuWide 6057 and an Epson T7200 - supplied through Fujifilm Business Innovation, which enables us to do work for businesses in the building industry including designers and architects as well as tradespeople.

Recently, we have completed a significant amount of work for law firms, who, fortunately for us, require a large amount of paperwork. We also service walk-in off the street work, but a solid repeat customer base is essential if we want to survive.

“The work we will do on the ApeosPro C750 will include bookletmaking, basic business stationery, some brochures and business cards. We even still do the odd duplicate book. Older buggers like me do still actually use these.

“We know our capabilities and we stick to them. I see it as a horses for courses type of scenario: little guys doing the little jobs for the people who need things done quickly. There is a niche for what we do, which I guess is why we have been doing it for over 20 years.

“You need a dose of realism. For example, we can set things up, but we are not graphic artists; we don’t do design. Where we can’t do a job, we pass it on to someone else. We know there are machines with capabilities well in advance of our machines, but these are beyond the realm of what we do here.”

Mark Taylor, owner at Digiprint, with the ApeosPro C750

ApeosPro C750 Series

High performance multifunction printers that are perfect for creating beautiful, professional output quality in-house promotional material.

Find out how to accelerate your business at: www.fujifilm.com.fbnz

EUROPE PREVIEW

Innovation to shine at Labelexpo Europe 2023 in Brussels

An exciting range of new conventional, digital and hybrid press technology will be on display at the upcoming Labelexpo Europe event in Brussels

Labelexpo Europe 2023 is expected to be a landmark event, unleashing four years of pent-up technology development for visitors to the Brussels Expo. The event, which will soon take place from 11 to 14 September, will focus on the key themes of automation, sustainability and diversification.

Over 600 confirmed exhibitors will be taking part in Labelexpo Europe 2023, including ABG, Avery Dennison, Bobst, Canon, Domino, Durst, Epson, Fujifilm, Gallus, HP, Kocher & Beck, Konica Minolta, Lombardi, Mark Andy, Nilpeter, OMET, RotoMetrics, and Xeikon.

Between them, they will be demonstrating their latest innovations and technology including: digital and conventional printing presses; high tech label and packaging materials; finishing and converting systems; inspection, overprinting and label application equipment; inks and coatings; RFID and security solutions; as well as software and interactive technology.

With just a few weeks to go until the event, many manufacturers have already announced what they will be showing

at the tradeshow. Here is a round-up of some of them:

A B Graphic International (ABG)

ABG is preparing for its biggest presence yet at this year’s Labelexpo Europe event, where it will unveil its automation technology and showcase its latest product innovations. The company said its primary focus will be unveiling its new automation technology – ABG Connect – and showcasing its latest product innovations.

ABG Connect is an automated workflow solution that streamlines the print and finishing process by connecting all stages into one automated workflow.

ABG will also showcase its latest new product innovations, which will include advancements in non-stop winding technology and the new turret rewinder model. It will introduce the Converter – a new fully modular converting line that boasts higher speeds, new flexo technology and a smaller footprint.

Other products include a Digicon with screen and Ecoleaf unit for sustainable foiling, DigiLase 4.0, DigiJet 330, DigiLite, SRI3 430 with monochrome inkjet, shrink sleeve seaming, doctoring solutions and an entry-level SRI. ABG’s stand will also feature a booklet module and its partner Maan Engineering’s module for laminate and linerless label solutions.

Labelexpo Europe will be a showcase of the latest innovations and technologies

ABG’s primary focus will be unveiling its new automation technology, ABG Connect

LABELEXPO EUROPE PREVIEW

To complete its extensive showcase, ABG will also collaborate with HP to demonstrate its non-stop unwind and rewind system, seamlessly integrated into the HP Indigo V12 line.

Asahi Photoproducts

At Labelexpo Europe, visitors to the Asahi Photoproducts stand will be able to learn how switching from solvent-wash to water-wash plates can not only make their operations more sustainable, but also reduce waste, improve print quality, and speed time to market.

The company has developed a specific roadmap towards a Solvent ZERO solution that will help platemaking operations not only be more sustainable, but create a safer, more enjoyable work environment for their employees as they migrate to a Solvent ZERO operation.

At Labelexpo Europe, the company will be unveiling this roadmap and helping visitors understand their best pathway to a Solvent ZERO future.

At Labelexpo Europe 2023, Asahi Photoproducts will also be introducing its updated AWP wastewater recycling unit for use with AWP plate processing systems.

The Asahi Photoproducts water-washable AWP-DEW CleanPrint flexographic plates have been certified Carbon Neutral by the Carbon Trust.

In addition, to increase sustainability of its platemaking solutions even more, Asahi has developed this innovative water recycling system for AWP plate processing equipment. The unit features proprietary filtering technology developed by Asahi Kasei – Asahi Photoproducts’ parent company – that reduces wastewater by 75 per cent, and detergent usage by 40 per cent.

Bobst

Under the motto “Simplifying label production”, Bobst will be demonstrating its innovation in labels and flexible packaging production with two main production lines in focus.

The company said it is spearheading digitalisation, automation, connectivity and sustainability in packaging production with a portfolio that includes flexo, digital and all-in-one presses for the widest variety of applications.

The Bobst Digital Master 340 All-in-One modular and upgradable label press, equipped with the latest UV inkjet technology, will be running live at 100 m/min.

Visitors will be able to see how Bobst’s AccuCheck system, which comes as standard on this machine, performs 100 per cent inline at full speed. The full configuration will also include flexo modules and a highly automated die-cutting unit to showcase true end-to-end label production.

As converters face manpower shortages and demands for more sustainable solutions, Bobst said it will highlight unique automation features that can alleviate these issues.

The high-end Bobst Master M6 flexo press will demonstrate how oneECG technology for extended colour gamut printing and V-Flower printing units enable fast, automatic changeovers of the printing cylinders without stopping the press and with only very minimal waste.

Durst

The spotlight on the Durst booth will be on three primary themes – more applications, more automation and less waste.

At Labelexpo Europe, Durst Group will again be setting the benchmark in digital printing with the introduction of its Durst Hawk Eye technology. This innovative technology utilises camera vision systems with the aim of automating print quality, resulting in significantly reduced waste and overall improved print quality. The Durst Hawk Eye is not only an inspection system – it goes one step further as it is correcting print mistakes, such as missing nozzles, inline and in real-time, without any setup needed and without any operator intervention. Additionally, it aims to significantly reduce setup time and waste, resulting in enhanced efficiency and an even more competitive total cost of ownership for the Tau RSC platform printers.

“The Durst Hawk Eye is revolutionary for the digital printing industry. This technology will greatly increase productivity and efficiency, but more importantly, it will reduce waste and the carbon footprint of our customers. We are thrilled to introduce this innovative solution to the market and provide exclusive information during

Asahi’s new water recycling unit for the plate processor

The Bobst Digital Master 340 All-in-One modular and upgradable label press

Durst’s Tau RSCi range is designed to take over mid-to long-run jobs

LABELEXPO EUROPE PREVIEW

Labelexpo,” Durst Group product manager Martin Leitner said.

Durst Group will also unveil the next generation of the Tau RSC UV ink set at Labelexpo. This new ink set, available in the colours CMYK OVG and white, will meet the latest regulatory requirements and expands the converters’ application range even further.

On the showfloor, alongside a new digital printing press, the successful Tau 510 RSCi will be showcased. This press will demonstrate its capabilities in real-time, printing at a remarkable speed of 80m/min at a printing width of 510mm, leading to productivity of over 3000 square metres per hour. The Tau 510 RSCi brings powerful advantages to production: material and application versatility and excellent print quality even at highest productivity and extremely aggressive TCO. These are a few reasons why label converters are using the Tau 510 RSCi to switch their flexo production to digital.

Durst has equipped the Tau 510 RSCi with new automation features, making the life of the operator easier and increasing the overall high efficiency of the machine. The press on the showfloor will be equipped with the new, powerful double white feature, as well as inline flexo stations, adding an extra option for customers that need just a little bit more for challenging applications. Visit the Durst booth to see these technologies and for other surprises.

Esko

Esko and X-Rite Pantone will join forces at Labelexpo Europe to spotlight one connected workflow across the label and packaging supply chain.

Visitors will see first-hand how a connected Esko and X-Rite Pantone ecosystem of automated workflow, colour management, flexo platemaking, digital printing and print inspection tools can deliver consistent performance and accelerate business growth. The companies will lead a deep dive into all facets of labelling and packaging.

“Visitors to our combined booth will discover how Esko and X-Rite Pantone

are helping the packaging industry achieve consistent performance from concept to market,” Esko director of marketing, industry relations and strategy Jan De Roeck said.

“Using demonstrations of the latest technology, displays and expert discussions, we will highlight how an end-to-end ecosystem of new colour management software and measurement solutions supports digital workflows to increase efficiency, enhance sustainability and drive growth opportunities.”

Esko and X-Rite Pantone will showcase their entire range of digital workflow solutions – from design through production. Highlights include:

• Phoenix, Esko’s AI-based tool that unlocks planning and imposition productivity improvements, with a seamless interface between prepress data and production data in Esko applications.

• The award-winning CDI Crystal XPS 4835, utilising UV main and back exposure to produce highly consistent digital flexo plates while minimising waste.

• AVT Helios System, which automatically inspects printed labels or packages for defects and imperfections, delivering exceptional quality results and eliminating customer rejections.

• The latest Esko Software version, which delivers a combination of prepress editing and cloud-based workflow automation solutions, now more integrated and connected throughout the entire pre-press workflow.

• X-Rite eXact 2, a connected and easyto-use handheld spectrophotometer that can measure colour across various substrates – including flexible film and paper – in a single device, while also verifying customer standards.

• X-Rite ColorCert Suite, which works with Esko WebCenter, AVT’s Spectralab, and eXact 2 to provide printers an overall view of print quality and colour performance in a single number score to confirm compliance with brand specifications.

• PantoneLIVE digital colour libraries for the creation and sharing of accurate brand colour standards that are achievable across printing technology and substrates.

“Error and waste reduction has a direct impact on the environmental footprint of a packaging businesses,” De Roeck said.

“As we are all looking to protect the environment in which we live and to safeguard it for future generations, we must reduce the impact of our operations

on the environment. With sustainability and digitalisation fundamentally altering how the industry operates, it is imperative that today’s label and packaging companies invest in digital workflow technology that enables them to boost efficiency, reduce costs and improve their overall productivity.”

Gallus

At Labelexpo Europe, Gallus, a subsidiary of Heidelberg, will celebrate its 100 years in business as well as the opening of its landmark facility, the Gallus Experience Center.

It will showcase unique digital solutions developed with parent company Heidelberg, to support increased automation of the entire eco system. The objective of these solutions is to facilitate ‘Smart, Connected, Printing’ to support skilled labour shortages, increase productivity and reduce waste.

In line with this theme, the company will be showcasing its Gallus One digital label press. Launched in August 2022, it was specifically designed to remove the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) barrier for the adoption of reel-to-reel digital labels with the highest level of automation and cloud-based technologies. In doing so, Gallus One provides brands, for the first time, with access to cost effective and sustainable, high quality digital labels.

Built on the Gallus Labelmaster press platform, Gallus One is a 340mm wide rollto-roll UV inkjet digital inline labels press. It utilises a host of impressive features to achieve high levels of automation and press efficiency, with unrivalled UV inkjet print quality and stand-out print speeds of up to 70 metres per minute.

HP Indigo

HP Indigo will be showcasing end-to-end digital production at Labelexpo. With the first presentation in Europe, both the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press and the recently launched HP Indigo 200K Digital Press will be on the show floor, demonstrating digital efficiency, sustainability, and profitability for the labels and packaging industry.

Built on the Gallus Labelmaster press platform is the Gallus One

Esko will demonstrate its latest technology at Labelexpo Europe

Alongside the popular HP Indigo 6K Digital Press, converters will be able to learn how Indigo’s LEP and LEPX technologies can help them grow their business.

The HP Indigo V12 Digital Press ensures non-stop production and earning power. A narrow-web label press, it prints at 120 linear metres per min with all the capabilities of HP Indigo’s technology for label production. HP said it is a versatile digital press with offset- and gravurematching print quality for commercial and labels and packaging jobs.

The HP Indigo 200K Digital Press delivers a 30 per cent improvement in speed and 45 per cent increase in productivity, opening the door to more flexible packaging converters who want to enter the digital market. It provides an entire production line in a small footprint and prints up to 56 metres a minute.

As for the HP Indigo 6K, it is a versatile, narrow-web printing solution for digital labels and packaging production, delivering high productivity, wide versatility and intelligent colour automation.

The Digital Pouch Factory, featuring the HP Indigo 200K Digital Press, will also be demonstrated at the booth with pre-press and finishing equipment. An elaborate application showcase will invite visitors to examine samples of unique and sustainable labels, shrink sleeves and flexible packages.

Konica Minolta

LABELEXPO EUROPE PREVIEW

narrow web market will showcase its latest space-saving technology at the upcoming Brussels trade fair in September.

On working display will be two of its most popular machines in the narrow web sector, an MBS automatic unwind butt splicer and an LRD transfer rewinder.

The company said creative use of the vertical festoon on the butt splicer and a proprietary roll unloading feature at the rewind saves users nearly one metre of overall space in the running direction.

label and packaging production by igniting creativity on its stand at Labelexpo Europe.

Seeing the potential by stepping into a world of digital label production will be a major theme on the stand where Konica Minolta will demonstrate its unwavering commitment to customers and growing importance within industrial printing markets.

As well as its toner-based AccurioLabel 400 digital press, Konica Minolta will demonstrate its entry-level AccurioLabel 230 configured with a DC 330 Mini finisher with an integrated inkjet module supplied by Industrial Inkjet Ltd (IIJ). This unit can be used for a wide range of applications from white, to security inks and digital varnishes.

Konica Minolta will also be sharing the booth with partner MGI Digital Technology, to showcase the latest trends and the full label production cycle as well as packaging solutions.

The company said pooling both their knowledge and know-how, they will show how customers can increase profitability, as well as benefit from comprehensive software and global service capabilities delivered locally.

Martin

Konica Minolta has pledged to show first-hand how converters and brands can rethink end-to-end sustainable digital

Furthermore, these machines can be installed directly against walls at either end of the press and still allow access for the maintenance and roll loading and unloading, without the use of carts.

In addition to the innovative machinery on display, Martin Automatic said it looks forward to welcoming visitors to its newly designed stand and serving up some true American hospitality with its renowned hotdogs.

Martin Automatic vice-president of sales and marketing Gavin Rittmeyer said, “After a four-year break, we are looking forward to meeting friends old and new, and continuing our commitment to in-person working relationships with our longstanding sales team”.

OKI

OKI Europe has announced a key strategic partnership with Graphtec Europe to provide solutions that address the varying applications for creating ‘ready to use’ labels and packaging in the market. Labelexpo Europe will showcase this partnership.

As part of OKI’s continued expansion in the provision of solutions for printing labels inhouse, it will be using Labelexpo Europe as a platform to highlight the increased demand for specialist finishing requirements.

As customers want to make the most of media flexibility, the OKI Pro 10xx range of roll-to-roll label printers and the OKI Pro 9xx range of sheetfed package/label printers will be on display.

Automatic

Martin Automatic, a supplier of non-stop unwind and rewind technology for the

The Martin Automatic MBS butt splicer with stacked festoon

The HP Indigo V12 Digital Press

Konica Minolta’s AccurioLabel 230

The OKI Pro 10xx roll-to-roll label printer

LABELEXPO EUROPE PREVIEW

Their key features include being able to run blank media, which OKI said provides the freedom to create labels of constantly changing size, shape and durability.

As for the Graphtec range of cutting devices, they enable customers with flexibility to cut, perf, slit and rewind a variety of substrate types.

Being able to perform these functions on a separate device means customers can print the next job at full production speeds whilst finishing others at the same time.

“One minute, you can print silver paper labels and at the same time you can be cutting synthetic white labels, so regardless of whether your business is in beauty or beer, cosmetics or coffee, a joint print and finish solution from OKI and Graphtec gives your business a whole host more flexibility to print a huge range of labels in-house and on-demand,” OKI said.

In addition, OMET will present its proven capability to print from 12 microns mono films such as PET, PVC/PET shrink, BOPP, IML and foils to 600 microns paper-based packaging such as cartons, paper cups and liquid packaging, covering the widest gamut of packaging materials on the market.

Screen

OMET will be running live demonstrations of its new KFlex flexo printing machine at its stand.

The KFlex flexo printing machine is a modular platform press that can handle substrates from 12 microns up to aluminium lidding and light carton board. It comes in two web widths –16-inch and 20-inch – and boasts a maximum print speed of 200m/min.

The machine is targeted at end-use applications in markets including food and beverage, industrial, household, healthcare, cosmetics and wine and spirits. The press is also designed to handle a range of jobs – from wraparound, shrink sleeve labels to lids, self-adhesive labels to wet glue and multi-layer.

With 60 years on the market and proudly serving market leaders across 100 countries, OMET said it will also take to Labelexpo Europe to demonstrate its ability to provide optimised solutions in the areas of flexo, digital, offset and gravure printing technologies with the capability to provide all these printing technologies in single pass combination printing solutions.

At Labelexpo Europe, Screen and Nilpeter will present an innovative printing press for the digital hybrid printing segment. The collaboration showcases a third generation press that combines Screen’s SAI inkjet digital printing technology with Nilpeter’s FA-Line flexo platform, delivering stable and high-quality combination printing.

This end-to-end solution is said to enable efficient production of value-added labels with expanded gamut printing and white imprinting capabilities.

Additionally, Screen will be introducing an In-Line Digital Primer prototype for the Truepress L350UV SAI Label Digital Printing Press. The company said this feature addresses the challenge of poor ink adhesion on various substrates by incorporating a digital primer directly into the press.

In addition, it said this solution could deliver superior ink adhesion and better printing quality. Visitors at LabelExpo 2023 can witness this technology firsthand and experience its transformative impact on label printing.

Finally, Screen will also showcase the Truepress PAC520P Inkjet Digital Printing Press for paper packaging, responding to the growing trend of replacing plastic packaging with environmentally friendly paper alternatives.

This high-speed, water-based inkjet press offers label converters seamless entry into the profitable flexible packaging market. With its compact footprint, low environmental impact, and compliance with food-safety regulations, the Truepress PAC520P aims to provide a competitive edge and increased profitability.

Xeikon

A host of solutions will be on show when Xeikon sets up its stall at the 2023 edition of Labelexpo Europe. Xeikon will unveil important new advancements at Labelexpo Europe, taking its Cheetah technology to new heights with the introduction of Cheetah 3.0.

Leveraging the success of the Cheetah Series of toner presses, this latest iteration represents a leap forward in sustainable production. Cheetah 3.0 is poised to revolutionise the manufacturing of labels and packaging, playing a pivotal role in minimising the industry’s carbon footprint. Upgrades include:

• A new Xeikon ECO toner that is formulated with over 60 per cent high-grade recycled PET. ECO toner will be available for the high-end presses in the Cheetah Series – the Xeikon CX300 and Xeikon CX500.

• Xeikon has developed the Quality Measurement Module (QMM) which can be fitted on all Cheetah 3.0 CX Series presses as an option. The QMM will be responsible for the quality assurance of the printed output, closely monitoring the density and registration throughout the print run.

Xeikon will also use Labelexpo 2023 as the European premiere for its new TITON toner technology, which has been developed to meet market demands for paper-based flexible packaging applications, such as stand-up pouches and sachets.

The first press presented with TITON technology will be the Xeikon TX-500 which prints in up to five colours at 30m/min in a resolution of 1200dpi. The 520mm-wide press will be instrumental in opening new market opportunities in paper-based labels and flexible packaging, helping converters to future-proof their businesses and respond to consumers’ concern for the environment.

As the next step in digitalising label production, Xeikon will be showing the Xeikon TX-500 press running live in-line with a digital embellishment module from Kurz.

OMET

The Screen Truepress L350UV SAI Label Digital Printing Press

The Xeikon CX500

OMET’s new KFlex flexo printing machine

Fujifilm puts first Inca Onset X1 HS into SCG

Aarque Group introduces online ordering to its new website

Industry supplier transforms customer experience with a seamless digital platform

In an ever-evolving digital landscape, businesses across all industries are continually adapting to meet the growing expectations of tech-savvy consumers. The Aarque Group is no exception. With the launch of its new website, the company demonstrates its commitment to embracing the digital age while retaining its core values of quality, customer service and innovation.

The new website aims to transform the way customers interact with the Aarque Group’s products and services. The userfriendly interface has been re-designed to provide a smooth browsing experience via easy navigation toolbar. Customers can now explore the comprehensive range of consumables, hardware and software, conveniently categorized for easy navigation.

The revamped website now boasts interactive hardware landing pages that offer a wealth of engaging content. Each landing page features detailed product descriptions, captivating images, informative videos, downloadable brochures, product datasheets, and safety sheets. Additionally, visitors can conveniently find links to printer-

compatible inks and media, further enhancing their browsing experience.

The new website brings an array of exciting features, with the streamlined online ordering process being one of the highlights. Customers can now place their orders effortlessly with just a few clicks, whether they are at home, in the office, or on the go, making purchasing more convenient than ever before. Additionally, registered users can easily curate their favourites list, enabling swift and straightforward repeat ordering in the future.

collection of products for customers to explore. Each catalogue is downloadable and printable, providing users with easy access to frequently ordered items and their reference numbers, making website navigation even easier.

Another exciting update includes an extensive inventory of clearance sale items, offering astounding discounts of up to 50 per cent.

Furthermore, Aarque Group has thoughtfully added a comprehensive range of product catalogues to the portal. Covering everything from inks and durables to tools, storage, and more, these catalogues offer an extensive

Aarque Group national equipment sales consultant Steve Wilton-Jones commented, “Embarking on this new digital journey, Aarque Group is thrilled to unveil our cutting-edge website, replete with an innovative online ordering system, user-friendly enhancements, and interactive landing pages. With comprehensive product catalogues at your fingertips, we can’t wait to elevate your browsing experience and deliver an unparalleled journey through our world of possibilities.”

To experience the enhanced convenience of the Aarque Group’s new website visit www.aarque.co.nz

A new section of the website offers downloadable product catalogues

Roland TrueVis AP-640.

Aarque Group has launched its new website, ushering in a new era of convenience and accessibility for its customers. The innovative platform aims to enhance the shopping experience by offering a seamless ordering process and a host of benefits for its users.

At Aarque we offer solutions tailored specifically for your business.

All from top industry brands...

Computaleta can now take you to Arizona and Colorado

Canon and Computaleta ink a new distribution deal.

speeds of 111 metres per hour, while the M5 ranges from 40 square metres per hour to 159 square metres per hour.

Both models give the option for upgrading from one speed to the other temporarily for production peaks, or permanently.

Canon says its Arizona flatbeds can print on virtually anything. Boasting over 35 industry awards for exceptional image quality, versatility and productivity, Arizona has over 7500 units installed worldwide.

Computaleta has signed an agreement with Canon Production Printing Oceania to supply Arizona and Colorado hardware and consumables to the New Zealand market.

Arlette Farland, director at Computaleta, says, “After making huge inroads in the last few years with HP hardware, adding Canon complements our portfolio. From now on, our customers will have the opportunity to harness the Canon printers’ power to increase their productivity, extend their application versatility and expand their product offering.”

The new partnership enables both companies to grow their operations locally: Computaleta can further expand its foothold in the commercial printing market and Canon Production Printing will see its footprint in the New Zealand market grow. Craig Nethercott, managing director, Canon Production Printing Oceania, says “With a knowledgeable and experienced partner like Computaleta, we can realise our ambition to help more New Zealand printers and graphics producers to capitalise on the production advantages that the Arizona and Colorado offer.”

Computaleta has served the sign and graphics industries in New Zealand for over 40 years, supplying solutions in graphics, window films, hardware, lighting, and digital signage. Arlette says, “This agreement enables us to fill those gaps in width, application, and production speed that many customers require. Computaleta can now cover every demand a print provider may need.

“As the only nationwide familyowned distributor to the sign and graphics market in New Zealand, we feel passionate about helping our customers succeed. This deal with Canon will help our customers to broaden their capabilities and increase their profitability for ongoing success in the longer term.”

Award winning range

The Arizona and Colorado range of wide format printers have established a reputation for quality and reliability. Craig says, “Established globally as market-defining solutions, the Arizona flatbed series and the Colorado M-series roll-to-roll printers can unlock a broad range of creative and profitable application opportunities for customers.”

In March, Canon launched the modular Colorado M-series, comprising two roll-to-roll large format graphics printers. Modularity means owners can upgrade these printers as their business grows to print at faster speeds, as well as handle gloss and matt printing at the same time, or white ink using Canon’s UVgel technology. Combined with new media detection sensor technology, these machines enable you to expand your product offering to include structured, transparent, reflective, and magnetic substrates.

Scalability also gives options for various output speeds with the Colorado M3 offering a cruising speed of 29 square metres per hour and maximum print

Arlette says, “As an entry-level flatbed printer the new Arizona 135 GT opens exciting new commercial opportunities, providing easy access to the awardwinning Arizona series: renowned for its incredible quality, impressive reliability, and excellent total cost of ownership.

“With thousands of installations worldwide, the Canon Colorado rollto-roll printers and the Arizona flatbed series have proven to be a popular choice for customers looking for reliable solutions to produce a large variety of wide-format applications.”

Global and local

As a global leader in digital imaging, industrial printing and collaborative business services, Canon has a mission to accelerate new digital print technologies, transforming them into local printing products and services for both bluechip multinationals around the globe and creative studios around the corner. Locally, it boasts a long history of providing sales, support, and service to printers throughout the Oceania region.

The graphics giant invests heavily in the training, processes and tooling required to maintain its service team’s knowledge and skills at a premium level. Arlette says, “Computaleta is also renowned for service and responsiveness. With technicians across New Zealand, and an experienced and passionate team, we can ensure our customers receive the support they need.

She concludes, “Canon has a great future in print, and we are excited about where it plans to take the technology next. We want to ensure we are a part of that journey.”

New partners, from left: Computaleta directors Janene Forde, director Operations; Arlette Farland, director Sales and Marketing; and Adele Peterson, director Product and Finance with Craig Nethercott, managing director Canon Production Printing Oceania

Durst answers to growing demands for printed décor with its solutions

Durst has continued to push the technology boundaries for those in the printed décor, sportswear and fast fashion spaces, and has products to suit the market’s needs

BY DURST OCEANIA MANAGING DIRECTOR MATT ASHMAN

All forms of textile printing and decoration have been part of Durst’s core business for many years. It all began with the Rhotex Series for soft signage and our range soon rapidly developed to include two products that catered for soft signage through to apparel and in-home décor. Both these products have since developed into the P5 TEX iSUB and the Alpha platform for industrial applications today. Our in-house research and development team looked at the problems and bottlenecks that Durst’s users faced within their whole process and streamlined them with these presses.

Alpha is the textile platform for apparel and home décor. This industry has undergone such a transformation with digital technology, especially as businesses look to re-shore the production of textile and textile-based products into Australia. This reduces the dependency on other countries, reduces transport costs and carbon footprint and massively reduces waste. With digital textile production, even with high volume apparel, the exact yardage that is required can be produced. This enables printers with the ability to offer custom fabric designs and short-run bespoke projects.

For soft signage, handling and final calendering is key. If you were printing with dye sublimation inks directly onto fabric in the past, the fabric would be

first printed on the Durst Rhotex or another textile printing device, then be sublimated on an offline calender, requiring a separate process.

Double handling is never good, so with the P5 TEX iSUB, Durst has incorporated the calendering, including the final heat finishing process for direct-to-fabric into the machine. Not only does it remove the need to double handle, it also helps to regulate that sublimation process. Harmonising the process with our ink, it results in the production of outstanding quality and durability of the final fabric. The machine can also double roll and has in-line stitching to reduce loading waste to almost zero. Durst has also enhanced that final sublimation process, the calendering in the unit, to require much less power, less floor space, and much less wasted heat compared to an offline rotary calender. This helps all of us to achieve our sustainability goals.

As for the Alpha industrial range, it uses not only dye sublimination inks as the P5 TEX does for polyester-based fabric but also has ink solutions for natural fibre. The Alpha can handle a wide range of fabric, including very stretchily fabrics (for sportswear for example). Natural fibre fabrics are notoriously hard to stabilise in the printing process, so at Durst, we utilise the ‘sticky belt’ approach as the media comes off the master printer. The roll is stabilised in a sticky, moving belt, enabling fast and precise printing – up to 900 m² per hour. We can also include an optional in-line drying and rolling or folding technology for the finishing process.

Looking to the future, Durst is always seeking the next opportunity for our customers to allow them to further develop their businesses. Sometimes that

comes from refining and developing the machine, as we did in the transition from the Rhotex platform to the latest P5 TEX platform. As we develop our own inks, we’ve incorporated the latest innovations, specifically from pigment ink technology.

Pigment ink technology has been around for some time and is generally associated with natural fibre fabrics like canvas. It was possible to print in high quality with pigment ink, but there were some significant challenges. At Durst, we found a way to overcome those challenges and developed pigment ink that is good for natural fibres, but incorporated the ability to deliver on fine detail and strong, longlasting robust colours.

This ink was perfect for the Alpha industrial segment, resulting in the birth of the Alpha Pigment Edition – a range that prints natural fibres roll-to-roll at high speeds, with no additional finishing. The Alpha fabric machine can also be utilised to print high quality applications across a range of media – from fabric to wallpaper – with no changeover required. The end result of a wallpaper or fabric print must look and feel good, and by using any of Durst’s systems, the finished product ticks that box.

The Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition can also print from a wide master roll, print finish and cut in-line into finished rolls of wallpaper – it is a true industrial solution.

This whole suite of solutions from Durst can satisfy printers that want to add soft signage to their offerings, through to full industrial textile production lines for apparel and home décor. We have all the systems running at our CEC in Italy and a whole team of experts ready to advise any business interested in the opportunity that fabric can bring to their business.

High production: The Durst Alpha Series can hit speeds of 900 square metres per hour

The Durst Wallpaper Edition can print on paper and fabric-based wallpapers

Durst’s P5 TEX iSUB prints direct to polyester and has an integrated finishing unit

Fujifilm places New Zealand’s first Inca Onset X1 HS into SCG

Monster wide format printer carves out the work and wins Pride In Print gold in its first month of operation.

support we have required. The machine’s downtime has been minimal and for us here at SCG, this is critical to our production deadlines.

“We have received very positive customer feedback around the print quality. In addition, because it can print up to 90 beds per hour, the timing from file supply to delivery of product has accommodated them in some of their tricky situations.”

From its Mt Wellington base in Auckland, Soar Communications Group (SCG) offers its clients a comprehensive range of printed solutions including wide format.

The country’s most sustainable print company produces all manner of signage. Its ongoing investment in the latest print technology includes purchasing an Inca Onset X1 HS printer, the first of its kind in New Zealand, supplied through Fujifilm New Zealand.

Craig Harrison, operations manager at SCG, says, “Since we commissioned the Inca Onset X1 HS late last year, it has become an essential machine in the SCG arsenal.”

Capable of printing over 90 massive sheets per hour on its 32m bed, the Inca Onset X1 HS can produce anything from a mix of fast-turnaround retail graphics to high-quality images for close-up viewing as well as direct-to-board corrugated display and packaging.

Craig says, “It has given us the advantage of additional speed to market for a variety of time critical clients along with a very high quality of print reproduction. We purchased the Inca Onset X1 HS to enhance SCG’s already impressive offering. We also had an objective to retire some older end of life equipment, and we achieved that with the new machine.

“The current work mix covers a wide range of point of sale work. We work with some large retail clients completing the likes of posters, Coreflute signage, and spot gloss finishes.

“We have also thrown packaging into the mix. Our Inca Onset X1 HS has printed

on 30mm plywood for some game boards; it can print up to 50mm thick. Across the whole range of substrates, the machine has produced very high print quality and it has picked up a gold medal this year at the Pride in Print Awards. The job came from a Resene promotion, which we completed on the Inca Onset X1 HS during its first month of production late last year.”

ROBUST AND DEPENDABLE

Built on a robust chassis, the Inca Onset X1 HS print engine and fast moving vacuum bed targets pinpoint drop placement accuracy of billions of drops per second, optically mapping, and adjusting for optimum quality across the bed. The manufacturer says the nozzle-mapping feature minimises print quality issues caused by deviated, unstable or blocked nozzles. It automatically identifies defective nozzles; the software scans and analyses a printed test pattern, prevents jetting from affected nozzles and compensates with adjacent functional nozzles.

Inca printers share a reputation for reliability and production uptime. The combination of compatible hardware, software and inks on a well maintained machine can mean that the printheads can potentially last the lifetime of the printer. An automated cleaning station helps maintain printheads without manual operator intervention and an in-built maintenance scheduler displays and plans tasks for the operator, which they can log and track.

Craig says, “The machine has been extremely reliable and is supported by Fujifilm who have been more than accommodating throughout its installation and with any ongoing

Stephen Hodson, director and general manager Fujifilm New Zealand, adds, “Fujifilm New Zealand is very happy that SCG has chosen to install the new Inca X1 HS, the first of its kind in New Zealand. We appreciate our strong partnership with this Group and the trust SCG has in our service, support, and account management.”

FUJIFILM LISTS THE INCA ONSET X1 HS MAJOR FEATURES:

Quality and speed – the Onset X1 HS uses new pass modes and jetting ink at the higher frequency of 57 kHz for high print quality and a high speed output.

Full width UV lamp system – Sensors monitor the amount of UV light exposure around the print carriage and control the cleaning cycles in the daily schedule.

Mechanical Substrate Height Detectors (MSHDs) – these protect the printheads and carriage from damage while printing, monitoring for potential obstructions.

25 Zone Vacuum Table with Automated Sliding Skin – reduces setup times for the most common POS substrates.

Vacuum Level Monitoring – stops the printer if the vacuum pressure is too low to hold the material securely.

Graphical User Interface (GUI) –allows the operator to initiate and finalise jobs as well as save settings and create print queues while managing the print process.

Automatic Side Shutters – these limit the effective width of the UV lamps by blocking UV, allowing printing with reduced or no masking for UV.

Formidable Inca, from left: Rory Williams, Craig Harrison, and Amit Patel in front of the Inca Onset X at SCG

The time has come to unleash your digital marketing mojo

Increase your online presence and soar to the top of Google’s rankings

Location-specific keywords

In the wild world of the internet, it’s sink or swim for businesses. To rise above the digital noise, one thing you absolutely need is a stellar online presence, and that means a top spot in Google search results. So, here are a few digital marketing secrets that will push your website to the top, bringing in boatloads of traffic and making your brand shine in the cutthroat ANZ market.

Let’s start with Google ranking and why it’s a big deal: Google reigns supreme in ANZ, with over 90 per cent of the search engine market share. If you can snag a top spot-on Google’s search results page, you can make a massive difference to your business. The higher you rank, the more eyes you’ll have on your website, bringing in clicks, organic traffic, and potential customers. Google ranking offers a genuine competitive edge that can lead to increased revenue and sustained business growth.

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

If you want to unlock the secret to Google supremacy, let’s talk Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). You can elevate your website’s status by fine tuning content, structure, and metadata to charm users and search engine algorithms. You can score significant visibility points on Google by wielding killer keywords, crafting toptier content, and constructing authoritative backlinks. There’s no doubt that SEO is your ticket to digital domination.

Mesmerising Content

Next is the art of mesmerising content. Connect with your audience and soothe their troubled souls by addressing their deepest concerns. Keep your website buzzing with a relentless stream of blog posts, articles, infographics, and videos overflowing with precious knowledge and practical solutions. Google rewards those who serve up fresh, relevant, and

magnetic content. So, updating your site has never been more imperative.

Mobile Optimisation

Mobile optimisation is no longer a luxury; it is an absolute necessity, with almost 60 per cent of all internet traffic coming from mobile devices. So, it’s time to ensure your website is smartphone friendly. Google rewards sites that play nice with mobile users. So, if you want to rise to the top of the search rankings and connect with as many people as possible, ensure your site is responsive, speedy, and a joy to use on mobile.

Turbocharge with social media

Next, we unleash the force of social media to turbocharge your website’s traffic and skyrocket your Google ranking. The oft-maligned social platforms can help you connect with your audience, share priceless content, and incite them to spread the word – the perfect formula for boosting brand visibility and luring in precious inbound links, essential factors in Google’s ranking algorithm.

If you want to conquer the local market in ANZ, tap into the magic of local SEO. Sprinkle your website with location-specific keywords and create a well-structured Google My Business profile. And remember to encourage customer reviews and ratings, as they significantly influence Google’s local search rankings. Soon enough, you’ll be the star of local search results, shining bright and winning over your community’s hearts (and wallets).

Art of analysis and adaptation

The next step is to embrace the art of analysis and adaptation. Forget about static strategies and discover the power of continuous improvement. You can start by unleashing the power of Google Analytics to monitor website performance, unravel user behaviour and uncover areas for growth. Let data guide you as you fine tune your digital marketing strategy and skyrocket your Google rankings.

In the fast-paced world of digital marketing, securing a prominent Google ranking can change your business. However, in order to crack the code to digital marketing success, you must stay ahead of the game with the latest trends and algorithms and embrace the power of SEO to dominate Google. Boost your visibility by creating killer content, optimising for mobile, harnessing social media, and nailing local SEO.

So, are you ready to conquer the digital world? There’ll be a few bumps along the way; that’s a certainty, but don’t let that deter you. With a bit of savvy and a whole lot of hustle, your business can reach new heights and leave competitors in the dust. Get ready to skyrocket your visibility, expand your audience, and climb those Google ranks.

Don’t waste another moment. Arm yourself with the tools and knowledge to thrive in this evolving digital landscape. The time is now. Seize the opportunity.

Mick Rowan has spent the past decade building printIQ into one of the most recognised software brands in the printing industry, and with over four decades of experience, Mick truly has ink in his veins.

MICK ROWAN

Is your website smartphone friendly? Google rewards sites that play nice with mobile users

NZ Sign + Print Expo 2023 fuels industry with new energy

Running from July 5-8 at the Due Drop Conference Centre in Manukau, Auckland, the show gathered over 20 exhibitors from the signage and print industries.

Ruth Cobb, chief executive of Print NZ, which teamed up with NZSDA to organise the conference says that the industries have continued to evolve, both despite and because of the challenges of the last few years.

She says, “New products, technologies and services have been developed during this time and this show provided the platform to showcase these innovations and demonstrate their potential to transform. Learning is a vital part of our journey and utilising all the resources that the trade show had to offer allowed us to be better educated about the industry and in turn provide a better support to our clients and customers.”

Andy Lowe, immediate past president of NZSDA, adds, “Hot topics for the future right now are well-being and environmental change, and our industry must become more responsible to become better and develop innovative ways to overcome these challenges.

“Some industry leaders have already engaged with change and have challenged this to the industry. At the expo we welcomed those industry leaders and future change makers to tell their story and to highlight how they managed the challenges to make the changes for the future of our industries.”

Show visitors also had a chance to attend the keynote speech by Simon van Velthoven, the first ‘cylor’ on Team Emirates New Zealand, which won the 35th Americas Cup in Bermuda. Known for his explosive speed, the Olympic Commonwealth Games and World

Championship Track Cycling medalist from Manawatu spoke about his drive for innovation and pushing the limits of finding new ways to achieve success. Emirates Team New Zealand recruited the then 28-year-old to provide the power that allowed the catamaran to be so competitive in Bermuda and bring the cup to Auckland.

The show organisers also invited Alex Bratley Catt from Spacetime to talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI), chat bots and everything in between, touching on the relevance of using AI at work and life. He also spoke about trends and benefits of using AI to create images and plans but also to improve operational processes.

Alisha Dixon, social strategy director at OMD New Zealand presented an interesting training session and discussed why short film has become a dominant method of storytelling. She also touched

NZSDA joined forces with Print NZ to present the revitalised and rebranded NZ Sign + Print Expo 2023 in Auckland, igniting a renewed sense of energy within the industry.

New Zealand track racing cyclist and America's Cup sailor Simon van Velthoovan gave a key note speech

on building a presence on social media platforms, taped into trends of creating an effective video and the best way to tell a story to generate leads.

Aarque Group, one of New Zealand’s multi-brand suppliers, showed an arsenal of equipment and live demonstrations available.

The company brought a wide range of equipment to the show, highlighting its expertise across several verticals and the multitude of brands it represents.

Visitors to Aarque Group’s stand saw a diverse range of print samples produced on the latest Durst wide format and label machines, highlighting its quality and versatility.

NZ SIGN + PRINT EXPO 2023

customer bases in new products in terms of media. Our customers are looking for sustainable solutions to support their offering to their customer base.

“HP has been leading the charge in that area for a long time, especially with the R series printers, and more sustainable products like corrugated, recyclable products, so customers are really driving that sort of sustainable, environmentally friendly products.”

Arlon, the California-based manufacturer of graphics films and quality vinyl solutions for real-world applications, came to Auckland to launch its latest product line and inspire local market with eye-catching car wrapping.

Creating innovative material that bring creative ideas to life, Arlon shared its industry know-how in ways that can benefit the sign and graphics industry by looking for innovative solutions that help to transform the market.

This history of Arlon is rooted in its customer-centric approach. Founded in 1958 as a manufacturer of flexible materials, Arlon has evolved into a global company manufacturing cast films.

Total Supply and Computaleta supply Arlon solutions in New Zealand.

Arlon launched the Premium Colour Change at the show. It offers a high gloss level and switch vision making it suitable for automotive restyling and fleet applications. Arlon says the new film features Flite Technology for fast, easy installation, excellent repositioning, and clean removability, developed to stay down in deep channels, curves, recesses and the most demanding shapes.

Neil Gomez, director of sales and general manager for Australia and New Zealand at Arlon Graphics, says, “We are a manufacturer of a wide range of products, not only in the car application business, but also in the signage business. Probably one of the biggest trends is air release, so lots of our products feature it, making it very user friendly.

“We have a range of monomeric through to polymeric. Also, what is important in

The company showed the Polar laminator and Roland DG VersaUV LEF2 Series, which offers direct printing onto a wide range of materials and objects. Roland DG has expanded its offering with the new Roland TrueVis AP-640 resin printer, with fast drying inks, and the Roland TrueVis VG3-540 eco-solvent inkjet printer and cutter.

Aarque also showcased the HP Latex 335, printing at 13 square metres an hour and the HP Latex 800 W, which prints white.

On the stand, visitors also saw the Epson SureColor S80600, designed to produce durable images with wide colour gamut at reduced cost and one of the most popular direct-top-garment printers, Epson SureColor F2160.

Steve Wilton-Jones, national equipment sales consultant at Aarque group, says, “We see strong interest across our

Scan the code to see Steve Wilton-Jones giving a tour of the Aarque Group’s stand at the NZ Sign and Print Expo 2023.

Visitors to Aarque Group’s stand were able to see and discuss the benefits of Durst, Epson, HP and Polar solutions

Occupying a central stand, Arlon’s wrapped Lamborghini garnered visitor’s interest

NZ SIGN + PRINT EXPO 2023

New Zealand is UV degradation, so it is important to have a conformable product that lasts. We are a very conservative company when it comes to durability. So, when we say it is going to last seven years, it is going to last seven years.”

“Our customers have to be very responsive. If someone gives them an order, they can have it done in an hour. They don’t have to wait, for example, for a die to come out of Australia, which might take up to a week. If there is an order for 5,000 labels, it might be cost effective to do in the traditional way, but it will take up to three weeks. Our customers can have those jobs done very quickly.”

The company also displayed a Gemini digital sheet feeder and cutters, Afinia label printers and direct transfer printers.

Scan with your mobile to see Dave Deavoll, Cohesive regional manager for South Island, demonstrating the Bubble Free Pro Application table at the NZ Sign and Print Expo 2023 in Auckland.

Cardy has served local businesses for over five decades. At the show, Cardy, urged visitors to “get on a roll with labels”.

The New Zealand-owned and operated company showed a range of equipment, including its popular Oki Pro 1050 label printer, which uses digital LED together with dry toner technology and offers a fifth colour or ‘CMYK+1’ option.

Cardy says the Oki enables provides manufacturers to offer on demand short run colour label printing services with a vast range of media including textured papers and synthetics with white, clear, opaque, or coloured substrates.

Cohesive, an Auckland-headquartered signage, digital print, and display markets supplier, promoted a range of products including Roland printers, Bubble Free application table and Orafol highperformance films.

Trade show visitors saw live demonstrations of two Roland wide format printers. Cohesive says the TrueVis AP-640 premium four-colour Resin/Latex printer features dual, staggered printheads with variable dot printing and presets offering natural, vibrant print results with higher colour saturation. It is also eco-friendly with its water-based quick-drying and scratchresistant TrueVIS Resin Ink, according to Roland DG.

The Roland TrueVis VG3-640 operates with up to eight ink channels from dual CMYK for increased printing speed, light inks and improved gradients with boosting greens and oranges. The company has designed its high opacity white to open up access to a range of clear materials.

As the exclusive distributor of Orafol products in New Zealand, Cohesive devoted a large part of the stand to its range of innovative, self-adhesive graphic products, retroreflective materials, adhesive tape systems and high-quality polymer films. Steve MacLean, general manager at Cohesive, says, “We are thrilled to be here at the NZ Sign and Print Expo 2023 to meet with our current and potential customers. Cohesive is also the Diamond Sponsor for the NZ Sign and Print Awards. This partnership not only signifies our commitment to excellence in the industry but also serves as a testament to our desire to give back and support the growth of the sign and print community.

“As a Diamond Sponsor, we recognise the importance of celebrating the outstanding talent, creativity, and innovation within the industry. Through this sponsorship, we aim to provide a platform for industry professionals to showcase their exceptional work, inspire others, and contribute to the overall advancement of the industry. We are proud to be a part of this event and to have the opportunity to support and uplift the sign and print industry in New Zealand.”

Computaleta highlighted its market expertise at the show with strong creativity and sustainability messages, while also highlighting the past, present the future of the market.

At the core of New Zealand-based, family-run company’s philosophy lies the belief that the future of sign making rests within the creative hands of its customers. To empower its vision, Computaleta says it equips them with the world’s leading brands, transforming their imaginative concepts into tangible realities.

Cardy couples the Oki with DPR Virgo VRG 14PL compact desktop finishing system that unwinds, laminates, digitally die-cuts, removes excess label material around each die-cut shape, slits and rewinds offering an option to have all labels professionally cut and finished.

Danny says, “Our customers are asking for the flexibility. They want to be able to do short runs, white labelling, and that is where the machines on show here really fit in well with being able to do 100 labels, 300 labels, or 500 labels, and to turn them around really quickly.

Cohesive stand visitors also saw live demonstrations of the Bubble-Free Pro combining the advantages of the high quality KeenCut cutting equipment with the well-known Bubble-Free applicator. Cohesive says its wide scale of sizes provides easy customisation with MDF and glass working surfaces ensuring perfect cutting and applying layers on different materials with different thickness.

The stand featured a glimpse into Computaleta’s humble beginnings. Founded by Noel Morrison in 1982, the company pioneered the introduction of computer-cut technology in New Zealand, marking the inception of a transformative era.

Prominently displayed within the exhibit, Computaleta showcased the latest products just launched worldwide. These included the Hexis Bodyfence protective

finishes; the Arlon colour range wrap film; and the 3M glass finishes.

Scan the code to see Cohesive’s national hardware manager David McKay talking about the benefits of the two Roland printers.

Scan the code to see Cardy’s managing director Danny Mountain, giving New Zealand Printer a tour of the stand.

Scan the code to watch a short video of Neil Gomez, director of sales and general manager for Australia and New Zealand at Arlon Graphics talking about the new Premium Colour Change range.

Cardy’s managing director Danny Mountain urged visitors to “get on a roll with labels”

Arlette Farland, director of Computaleta, emphasises the company’s commitment as suppliers to introduce products that support customers at every stage of their sustainability journey. She says, “The winds of change are sweeping through our industry, and we strive to be a catalyst for our customers’ transformative endeavours.”

Furthermore, Computaleta unveiled its innovative line of Zero Waste products. The company collects production waste, which is then transformed into fence posts, exemplifying its dedication to reducing waste and embracing a circular economy.

NZ SIGN + PRINT EXPO 2023

Currie Group highlighted a range of signage applications produced using EFI printers.

The company partnered with Textiles Alive to produce some of the signage featured at its stand, including backlit textile displays featuring vibrant colours and punchy blacks that as well as a backdrop stand display with stretch textile material and creative table throw with the company’s branding.

Structurflex, the largest truck curtain supplier in New Zealand, recently installed an EFI system, and produced an eye-catching black curtain with vibrant colours with clear coat, which protects the products against the weather elements and graffiti for five years.

Currie Group also featured a range of other materials and samples for its hybrid and flatbed technology.

Visitors to the Computaleta booth also saw live equipment demonstrations, including the HP Latex 800W printer, as well as Summa flatbed and roll cutters. Aaron Kemp, digital print hardware manager at Computaleta, was on hand to share his expertise.

the industry and the exciting potential future that lies ahead.

Arlette adds, “The future of print is all about the automation. We saw the recent launch of Cobot sheet feeder for the Summa flatbed cutter, which we showed on the screen. The future is also about fighting commoditisation, in which the sign and print makers play a significant role by producing their unique and creative work for the customers.

To end the tour, Computaleta provided a glimpse into the current trends shaping

“Being connected is also increasingly important for the market for being able to offer web-to-print services and running printers from anywhere.”

Paul Whitehead, Currie Group’s business unit manager for the sign and display markets, sees an acceleration in retail space buying cycles. He says, “We are seeing a real trend towards soft signage, which allows to transport the print easily as a retail person

Scan this QR code to watch a brief presentation by Aaron Kemp, Computaleta’s digital print hardware manager.

Scan the code to watch Arlette Farland, director of Computaleta, as she shares the captivating history of the company and presents the latest showcased products.

Some of the Computaleta team

Currie Group partnered with local printers to showcase signage created with EFI products

Scan here to watch Paul Whitehead, Currie Group’s business unit manager for sign and display markets presenting EFI applications showcased at the NZ Sign and Print Expo 2023.

NZ SIGN + PRINT EXPO 2023

can fold it up and then install it. It is really a big trend enabling signage being able to get across Australia and New Zealand.”

DecraStrip, scooped the Best Large Stand award at the show with a speakeasy bar inspired booth designed and created by Wellington-based Dzine Signs.

From small beginnings over two decades years ago, family-owned Decrastrip has grown with brands such as Avery Dennison, Mactac, Aslan, Poli-Tape, R-tape, and Universal Products.

Among Decrastrip’s promoted products was Yellotools. This German manufacturer produces high-quality, innovative products, which serve the needs of sign makers, vehicle wrappers, digital printers, and light advertisers.

Visitors at the stand discussed the benefits of digital media, coloured films, overlaminates, vehicle graphics, inks, tools, and everything needed for the sign and graphic professionals.

for commercial printing applications, features a high resolution imaging system that produces sharp and vibrant images, ensuring that every detail of the print is captured accurately.

Fujifilm says the new Revoria Press EC1100 offers a wide colour gamut and excellent colour consistency, making it suitable for a range of applications such as brochures, catalogues, direct mail, and promotional materials.

The company adds that the Revoria Press EC1100 handles high volume printing

jobs with ease, allowing businesses to meet tight deadlines and deliver superior results. It also boasts advanced automation features that streamline the printing workflow and increase operational efficiency.

It incorporates intelligent colour management technology, which ensures consistent colour reproduction across different print runs and minimizes the need for manual adjustments.

The company also displayed a range of wide format printers that it supplies in

Fujifilm Business Innovation

New Zealand brought a wide range of equipment, highlighting its versatility.

The Fujifilm new Revoria Press EC1100 dominated the stand. This high performance digital press designed

Scan to watch Evan Marshall, DecraStrip sales representative talking about the company’s presence at the NZ Sign and Print Expo 2023.

DectraStrip scooped the Best Large Stand award

Fujifilm’s stand featured the new Revoria Press EC1100

NZ SIGN + PRINT EXPO 2023

New Zealand, including the Epson T and S series along with Uchida Aero Cut and Mutoh Value Cut and the upcoming Fujifilm iEcho digital cutter.

PrintNZ featured the winning works of the recent Pride In Print Awards on its stand as it co-hosted the Sign + Print Expo 2023 for the first time.

Ruth Cobb, chief executive officer at PrintNZ, says, “There is a general recognition that our industries are blending closer and closer together. There used to be a small amount of overlap. That overlap is huge now, so there aren’t many commercial printers that are not making signs, and not many sign writers that are not doing printing.

“We must recognise those as opportunities to work together and to try and take the best of both industries and represent them. It was a great opportunity to do the Sign and Print Expo and have a mixture of printers and signwriters exhibiting, but more importantly, it is the audience that comes into it which makes it a success.”

Celebrating the winning works at its stand enabled PrintNZ to bring some of the flavour of the recent Pride In Print Awards, which also celebrate the talent within the industry. Ruth explains, “There are three layers to recognising our talent. There are the young people coming into the industry, the people that train them and the companies that enable and allow their training. We are so proud of the people that come out of those apprenticeships, but also the trainers and everybody else that’s part of that.”

available materials; and the ease of use the Siser machine enables. James Smith from Siser Australia was on hand to demonstrate the machine.

The Total Supply team showed new and creative opportunities with the Re-board Technology paperboard. The company says Re-Board offers almost unlimited applications with sturdy display and point-of-sale material.

Visitors also saw new ranges of Paint Protection Film from 3M and Avery Dennison as well as newly launched Arlon Premium Colour Change wrap films. Total Supply also highlighted its latest sign tech products, including

neon, LED, and battery-operated portable digital screens.

Jason Hay, national sales manager for Mimaki Australia, crossed the Tasman for live demonstrations of the equipment. Visitors took the opportunity to see the Mimaki JV100, UCJV300, JFX200EX printers as well as a Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 3D printer in action.

Total Supply demonstrated its 360-degrees expertise, promoting newly launched materials, sign tech products and printing equipment, accompanied by a strong sustainability message.

Visitors to the stand witnessed live demonstrations of a Siser Heat Press with the opportunity to create their own personalised T-Shirt. Total Supply says this showed the quality; the range of

Scan the code to watch Fujifilm Business Innovation national production print specialist Glen Greenhill showcasing the equipment on show.

Scan to see Jason Hay, national sales manager for Mimaki Australia who presents the equipment at the Total stand

Scan to watch Ruth Cobb showcasing all category and process winners of the 2023 Pride In Print Awards.

Total Supply showcased its 360-degrees market expertise

ASGA and Hexis ran the Trans-Tasman Wrap Battle during the show

FESPA Global Print Expo 2023 impresses regional visitors

FESPA Global Print Expo held in Munich delivered a stimulating environment where visitors from Australia and New Zealand focused on business growth opportunities.

Exhibitors shared overwhelmingly positive feedback, praising the vibrant, busy halls, the decisionmaking seniority of the audience and delegates’ readiness to invest.

The event attracted 14,776 unique visitors from 134 countries. Investment in new technology was a priority for the majority, with 50 per cent planning an equipment purchase within 12 months.

Delegates also committed more time to their participation in the event, with 54 per cent attending over multiple days. This brought total attendance to 22,757 over the four-day show, an increase of 42.5 per cent compared with the Berlin event in 2022.

FESPA EXCEEDS EXPECTATIONS

Local executives attending the recent FESPA exhibition in Munich have described the event as the ‘Best Ever’ following high attendance and equipment sales.

Blue Star Group NZ chief executive Jill Cowling attended FESPA for the first time and was impressed with the event, “It was a great show – it was fantastic to see the automation which is now what it is all about. I thought the robotics on the Durst stand was very impressive. Everyone can print – but it is now all about the post-press and automation and how it is integrated.

“All of the big players are here at FESPA and it is good to see everything that is going on in this digital world and we all know that digital has a strong place in our industry and our future.”

Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman said FESPA 2023 exceeded his high expectations, “This has been the best FESPA ever – the amount of Australians and New Zealanders that have visited has been unbelievable and they have constantly returned to the Durst booth for demonstrations on the machinery and information on our software platform.

Fujifilm business manager Troy Neighbour said he hosted printers from

Australia and New Zealand on his stand throughout the exhibition and purchasing intentions were obvious.

“We have shown our new machines, including the new Acuity Ultra R2 LED, to a lot of Australians and New Zealanders, and it is clear that everyone who has attended FESPA was in the market to buy equipment,” Neighbour said.

TECHNOLOGY ON SHOW

Canon launched two models in the Arizona 1300 flatbed printer series, the GTF and XTF, featuring the awardwinning Flow technology and an innovative zone-free vacuum system helping with media handling.

Extending the comprehensive Arizona flatbed printer family, the Arizona 1300 serves the growing mid-volume segment, enabling large format graphics printers and other print service providers to offer their customers an extensive range of applications for retail, interior décor, packaging, and industrial markets.

Designed for productivity, the new printers provide versatile, accurate and highly efficient multi-board and doublesided printing.

With variable print speeds of up to 52.8 square metres per hour, the Arizona 1300 series allows users to print pin-sharp, high-value print applications.

The company said customers will benefit from eye-catching prints on rigid or flexible media of any size up to 1.25m by 2.5m with the Arizona GTF or 2.5m by 3.08m on the Arizona XTF.

The Flow technology allows much quicker media changeover while its board size makes it suitable for printing many short-run jobs spread throughout the day, allowing users to deliver commercial quality prints with higher levels of productivity.

Dimense took to FESPA Munich to show off its latest, fourth generation print and emboss, one pass and eco-friendly system, placing a high importance on sustainability.

The system uses a water-based glue, prints on top of a printed mirror and on top of a white colour, bringing in a special effect.

This system represents the next step forward for the industry as printing a texture is something entirely new and by offering 3D effects, it gives users an added advantage on the market.

Dimense’s products, such as the Dimense 3D structured wallpaper printer, have been gaining popularity in Australia and New Zealand. Two machines have been purchased by Australian printers at PacPrint last year.

Dimense products are available in New Zealand through Total Supply.

Durst believes the P5 350 HSR, unveiled at the show, will introduce a completely new set of customers to its brand.

The new P5 350 HSR is a 3.5m LED roll-to- roll model that achieves print speeds up to 670 square metres per hour

and features an optional master roll. It can feed rolls weighing up to 1,000kg and 635mm in diameter, enabling long production cycles without interruption.

Matt Ashman said, “The P5 350 HSR model is what the market has been asking

and stole the show in terms of visitor engagement and interest.

The mesmerising robotic performance was the most photographed and videoed area at the FESPA 2023 exhibition as printers weighed up and openly debated the potential benefits of the investment required to duplicate the dual-robot prototype concept demonstrated. According to Durst, the decision to introduce the P5 Robotics concept was the logical next step following the introduction of the P5 Automat – the company’s automated feeder/stacker system for flatbed printing.

for – and now we have delivered. Based on the extraordinary reaction to the launch of this machine, it will definitely bring new Durst customers to the family because it will incorporate X-Y trimming as well as back printing of posters.

“The fact that you can load one tonne of media on to the machine and run it unattended overnight also adds significant value and versatility.

“Importantly, for the regional industry where mesh printing is so prevalent, the new P5 350 HSR has a built-in mesh kit which is an absolute game-changer for local large format printers. This feature provides the ability to switch from banner or poster paper directly to mesh printing and our ink collection system keeps the machine clean while also offering completely attended operation.”

In a move not known to many people within the company, let alone the industry, Durst has also introduced a robotic system at its stand. The unveiling of the Durst P5 Robotics concept followed a year of research and development

EFI had several of its machines on display, but the ones that are gaining the most popularity amongst the regional customer base are its roll-to-roll printers, such as the EFI VUTEk Q3r and Q5r, EFI VUTEk 3r+ and 5r+, EFI VUTEk D3r and D5r, and EFI Pro 32r+ printers.

EFI senior business development manager Brett Addison said that the most popular features from this range are its ability to offer the widest application capabilities – in-line slitting and cutting, double-sided printing, superb white ink printing performance in single- and multi-layer print modes and white and clear ink printing together for increased design and application possibilities.

“During COVID, we found that our truck tarp manufacturers were receiving up to

Two new Arizona 1300 models were launched on the Canon stand at FESPA

Visitors to the Durst stand witnessed the P5 350 HSR achieving print speeds up to 670 square metres per hour

The unveiling of the Durst P5 Robotics concept followed a year of R&D

EFI senior business development manager Brett Addison

FESPA GLOBAL PRINT EXPO 2023

50 new trailers a week. This meant that printing on truck tarps couldn’t be done the analogue way anymore. With EFI digital inkjet roll-to-roll printers, you can print, coat, and cut truck tarps in under one hour using one machine,” Addison said.

EFI UltraClear Coat can be used as a final protective coating or for decorative applications. It prints with a gloss or matte finish in-line, simultaneously with the image. The EFI inks for truck side curtains come with a warranty for up to five years (subject to terms and conditions set forth in EFI Ink Warranty for Truck Side Curtains applications).

“UltraClear Coat not only works on truck tarp applications. This special feature means that if you have a backlit graphic or wallpaper that has been clear coated, all you need to do is spray and wipe it instead of having to replace it,” Addison added.

EFI’s broad portfolio of wide format printers are available locally through Currie Group.

Epson showcased the SureColor F2200 direct-to-garment printer, a significant upgrade to its SureColor F2100 large format printer. Tailored for medium volume printing, the DTG printer, known as the SureColor F2260 in the region, helps users create stunning personalised items.

A range of these applications were on display at the Epson stand at the tradeshow, where the company was demonstrating the full scope and flexibility of this printing technology. Epson said all demonstrations on its stand at FESPA meant to demonstrate how its printing technology can create beautiful products with healthy revenue streams.

Epson said the new SureColor F2260 is ideal for start-up companies or mediumvolume businesses that need high levels of flexibility and accuracy with fast turnaround times.

Designed to produce complex designs on a variety of garments, it uses Epson’s advanced PrecisionCore MicroTFP

printhead technology to provide faster printing and data processing speeds, resulting in a productivity increase of up to 25 per cent over the SureColor F2100, while maintaining extremely high print quality (This applies to light garments only – there is an increase of 15 per cent for darker garments).

Epson Europe manager of product management, commercial and industrial Heather Kendle said, “Although the DTG market has become challenging due to DTFilm technology, this development offers new and medium- volume businesses a highly cost-effective and flexible option that delivers outstanding quality and can easily be scaled to meet future needs.”

With a very low TCO, the F2260 uses new UltraChrome DG2 Ink Pouches instead of cartridges. These 800ml pouches (previously 600ml) mean a lower change frequency, and significantly reduce wastage, in terms of space and weight, compared with ink cartridges.

Fujifilm unveiled HS6000, the most expensive inkjet product on the market with estimated value of over €5 million or over NZD8.9 million. The HS6000 will operate at 6000 square metres an hour, consume 30 tonnes of ink annually and measure over 42 metres in length.

Marketed as being ‘fuelled by Fujifilm’, the HS6000 is not a joint venture with a separate company formed – but a joint development with a Spanish company Barberan.

Fujifilm wide format inkjet systems marketing director Dave Burton said he is not exactly sure how much the product will cost, although he has already received interest from prospective buyers.

“We actually don’t know the end user price yet because the machine has almost completed its development so we will be talking to customers in September about the real pricing,” he said.

Fujifilm also showcased the new Acuity

Prime Hybrid printer for the first time. Modelled on the highly successful Acuity Prime, the new machine brings additional versatility due to its ability to handle rigid and flexible media.

The new printer is designed from the ground up as part of a new “blueprint for wide format”. All machines in the range were purposely developed to offer a balance between output speed, print quality and price, while incorporating intuitive design features for the operator.

When used as a flatbed machine, the Acuity Prime Hybrid can print on substrates up to 2m in width. It can simultaneously print on up to four pieces of rigid media and features registration pins for exact edge-to-edge printing.

The Acuity Prime Hybrid offers production quality starting from 92 square metres per hour. It also features front and back handling tables to support all media types while facilitating easy media positioning.

The roll-fed configuration can handle two rolls, each up to 0.9m wide, and its GreenGuard Gold certified ink makes it suitable for wallpaper production – as well as an extensive range of other applications.

HP took to FESPA Munich to showcase its latest innovations, one of them being the HP Stitch S1000 dye sublimation printer.

HP worldwide LF solution pre-sales GTM lead Jeremy Brew said, “There is a printer that I haven’t ever had the chance to talk to Australia and New Zealand about – the HP Stitch S1000, which is our 3.2m dye sublimation printer.

“One of the things that we really love about this printer – and our customers love – is that with dye sublimation, you often need to pick if you want to print on transfer paper or direct to fabric. The great thing about the HP Stitch S1000 is we let you do both.

“On this machine, we can run paper for very sensitive materials such as silks and

EFI VUTEk D3r, D5r and Q5r roll-to-roll printers are gaining popularity in the region

Fujifilm Wide Format Inkjet Systems marketing director, Dave Burton in front of the HS6000

scarves and very stretchy materials or for signage, exhibitions displays or backlits. We know customers want to print direct, so this machine allows users to switch from paper directly to fabric without reconfiguring the machine at all.

“It is a very versatile dye sublimation printer and we are excited to have it running here at FESPA 2023.”

swissQprint team celebrated a milestone at its company headquarters in Switzerland: the sale of its 1,000th Nyala 3.2m-wide flatbed printer, which the company launched in May 2012.

swissQprint said the printer enjoys a large following around the globe and has been the best-selling model in its category for eight consecutive years in Europe.

Due to its print bed dimensions and modularity, Nyala offers freedom in

FESPA GLOBAL PRINT EXPO 2023

applications and formats and can handle up to 1,350dpi resolution.

swissQprint chief sales and marketing officer Carmen Eicher said, “Our customers also appreciate the high system availability and low energy consumption”.

The users can configure the printer according to present needs and then expand and change that configuration later.

swissQprint production manager Christof Lüchinger said, “Right from the start, practically every customer has ordered the roll-to-roll option and thus, so to speak, gets two printers in one”.

Other add-ons include the dual roll option, the board option for panels up to 4m long, the glass option and the loading and unloading robot for unmanned shifts. Nyala has nine freely configurable colour channels, so in addition to CMYK there is capacity for light colours, white, effect varnish, orange, neon and a primer.

Helpful features contribute to an efficient workflow: in tandem mode, Nyala processes larger print runs non-stop. Thanks to the registration pins and powerful vacuum, any format is quick to set up and print.

The printer consumes an average of 2.2 kWh, the same amount of electricity as an ordinary electric kettle.

swissQprint products are available in New Zealand through Total Supply.

Vanguard Europe unveiled its next-generation UV flatbed printer, the VK3220T-HS, marking the official introduction of a new compact, userfriendly product design.

The changes – a result of a collaboration with multi-award-winning Zanzotti Industrial Design, which is also behind the design of the Durst portfolio – aimed to bring a more intuitive, ergonomic, and optimised experience for machine operators.

A 3.2m by 2m flatbed printer becomes part of Vanguard Europe’s growing portfolio covering the industrial flatbed and roll-to-roll printer spectrum with highperformance needs.

Using up to three rows of the 4-picoliter drop size Kyocera print heads at up to 1,800 dpi print resolution, the Vanguard VK3220T-HS runs at up to 360 square metres an hour.

Vanguard Europe managing director Fabian Sottsas said, “We are incredibly excited to be at FESPA for this world launch of the Vanguard VK3220T-HS next- generation UV flatbed printer.

“Together with a new modular design with user-friendly design changes that are more intuitive, ergonomic, and optimised for the operator, were of huge interest to visitors at the show.”

Xeikon was showcasing the broad versatility and flexibility of its digital printing technologies, along with new innovative concepts that it has developed in cooperation with its customers.

The company was exhibiting its integrated end-to-end solutions designed to give printers the freedom to diversify and exploit opportunities in different segments.

In addition to presenting digital print samples and products covering the whole spectrum of printing, from marketing communications, specialty applications and interior decoration, to labels and point of sale solutions, the latest iteration of Xeikon’s Wall Deco Suite ran live to showcase digital printing on a variety of non-woven materials from its substrates partners Ahlstrom and Lahnpaper.

This end-to-end in-line solution consists of a jumbo unwinder, web cleaning unit, and Xeikon CX500 digital press followed by a water-based varnishing module and a slitting and waste removal unit before a wallpaper rewinder.

The next FESPA Global Print Expo will take place in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, between March 19 and 24, 2024. www.fespa.com

HP worldwide LF solution pre-sales GTM lead Jeremy Brew at the HP stand

Geoff Milliken (Total Supply), Jill Cowling (Blue Star Group NZ) and Craig Loveridge (Blue Star Group NZ)

Matt Ashman (Durst Oceania) and Jason Bult (Aarque)

A 3.2m by 2m flatbed printer, the VK3220T-HS becomes part of Vanguard Europe’s growing portfolio of printers

Vocational Expos give youth a look at the industry

future focus on school leavers and our prevocational programme.

Recognising specific skills

Micro credentials are a small, standalone formal award that recognises the achievement of specific skills, experience, or knowledge. Industry manager Yanah Partsch from Hanga Aro Rau Workforce Development Council is seeking more industry contacts who would like to be involved in scoping the need for micro credentials especially those Māori or Pacifica owned businesses.

LAURA MCCONCHIE Training &

Attending the recently held North Canterbury Youth Futures Expo at Rangiora High School, gave Signee NZ an opportunity to meet some wonderful young people discuss a career in sign making.

During the event, we handed out 40 to students, parents, and caregivers. A massive thanks to Scott Walklin from Sign Network who joined me at the expo.

Signee NZ also took advantage of the chance to present at the Vocational Pathways Expo at Rolleston College with around 800 attendees. Rolleston College wants learners to gain experience, skills, confidence, and feedback in a simulated environment, without the pressure of applying for a real job, and within the comfort zone of the school. So, Year 11, 12 and 13 and have been invited back in September to assist Year 12 students for mock interviews: a great initiative.

Next month, we will attend Cashmere High School for its Passion, Purpose and Pathways Career Expo. We welcome any

industry professionals who are interested in assisting at future career expos. You could speak about your role in sign making and shine a light on the industry. Please contact us; we appreciate any support.

We want to acknowledge those sign businesses that hosted MSD Skills for Industry trainees this year: Dynamite Signs, Signz NZ, IU Signage, Sign Pursuit, Fulton Hogan Signs and Signbiz. We appreciate the time and patience you provided to the trainees. Signee has reviewed this programme and we have decided to no longer provide the Ministry of Social Development Skills for Industry course for job seekers with our

Thanks to Jayne from Cosign, Jeremy from Big Brown, and Leeanne Freeman from SignFX who provided feedback thus far. Yanah is visiting businesses in Wellington, Christchurch, and Dunedin to speak with industry stakeholders who express an interest in supporting the need for the micro-credentials and to be part of the process of forming what this will look like. Official communication will be out shortly from Hanga Aro Rau.

Signee is increasing its reach with trainees currently in Christchurch, New Plymouth, Hokitika, and Auckland. We are pleased to announce our first Māori and Pasifika fully funded scholarship thanks to PSP and Computaleta. We will be advertising soon with applications closing on 31st August.

Finally, it was great to meet so many of you at the New Zealand Sign + Print Expo in Auckland earlier this month. I really enjoyed seeing the faces of people I had talked with on the phone or emailed.

What an amazing awards evening and congratulations to everyone who entered. Let’s give a round of applause for Melissa Coutts, who was the driving force behind coordination of the expo and conference.

Signee NZ is working to attract newcomers to a career in signage.

Communication Officer NZSDA

Rolleston College hosted a Vocational Pathways Expo recently

The Sign + Print Expo gave Signee NZ a chance to speak with industry professionals

Signee NZ is looking at ways to bring micro credentials to industry members

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Exciting events promote and support our industry

NZSDA helps members break Covid shackles with awards, conference, and first expo in five years.

Beginning my term as president of the NZSDA has started off on a high note as I participated in the NZSDA Conference and Awards as well as our first industry expo since 2018.

Taking place at the Due Drop arena in Manukau over July 5-7, the New Zealand Sign + Print Expo gave us the opportunity to team up with PrintNZ for the first time. It was great to see key suppliers from the Print industry attending with stands at the show, supporting both of our industries, along with our very important suppliers, who put huge effort into the stands.

We saw some stunning set ups this year. The expo stands really showcased the new printers and products that we, as trade shops, now have access too. I particularly enjoyed the energy that all the suppliers’ team members put into the expo to make it the success that it was. A huge thank you to everyone involved.

On my walks around the Due Drop Events Centre, I took the chance to listen to the people manning the stands. The general comment was that the show was a terrific opportunity to get in front of our industry, and that of the PrintNZ members. The general theme of discussions was that the quality of enquiries was high, and time spent visiting each stand was positive. So, thank you to all our members for making the effort to support our suppliers.

Other highlights of the show included the wrap competition and the informative and entertaining Speakers’ Forum.

Awards achievements

At the conclusion of the Expo, we held the 2023 NZ Sign Display Awards Gala, and this year, I was also a judge. The quality of the work entered was just outstanding. This really shows the skills that we as an industry have, and how our work promotes all the brands that operate in our little country.

I want to congratulate everyone that went away with an award. That is a great achievement. The evening went well, and it was great to see the dance floor full to capacity until the very end of the evening, which I am sure was a reflection of the positive energy of the evening, and the tunes by the band. Although the slight isolation of the venue may have also been

a contributing factor. No matter, how fantastic that everyone found a way to keep the moves going on the dancefloor until the end.

Working together matters. I want to thank the members who have put their hands up to join the NZSDA board to offer your knowledge and energy to our industry. Your efforts will help ensure we stay on the right track to support our members as best as we can with the resources we have.

On a personal note, 2023 has turned into an exciting year for me. I have the opportunity to put something back to the industry that has looked after me since the mid-1990s. I look forward to supporting our industry as it shakes off the challenges of the recent Covid years. Making intelligent and informed decisions around dealing with all of that will help our industry move on. I also see the excitement that new technologies present to the industry.

Among the opportunities we will have over the next 12 months is the next industry conference. Please save the date for June 13-16, 2024. The beautiful Hawkes Bay will host the next NZSDA Conference and Awards. I hope to see a huge turnout to support the Bay, to meet old friends, to learn new tricks, and to taste some of the region’s world-class wines.

SHAE GOOM President NZSDA

At the Sign + Print Expo: the Big Brown Industries team in the wrap competition

Sign making should be fun

Employing people gives small business owners an opportunity to spend more time working on their business strategy. Alternative Graphics has one apprentice, Hunter Woolley and one full-time contractor, Paul Johnson.

Alternative Graphics founder Aaron Joines says, “A couple of years ago, Hunter walked in off the street and asked how to get into signage. I told him that he had taken the first step by walking in the door and showing his motivation to get involved in this industry. Since then, he has demonstrated his passion for design and to create something distinctively his.

“Paul Lastname, an experienced and knowledgeable a sign maker with over 20 years in the industry, has been with us for about three years. I meet him working for another signage company.

“I believe you should look after your people as they are your biggest asset. We are at work for more hours than anything else during the week so we need to make sure it is enjoyable; work should be fun. We come to work to design, create and install, and to have fun doing it.

“Work should be a place to have an enjoyable experience every day. I regularly check in on the two guys here at work, just to make sure they are in a good head space, especially with men’s health the way it is today. But nothing beats a week when every job has gone smoothly, and the guys have a real sense

of accomplishment. It is enjoyable being able to teach Paul, an old dog, new tricks. It is also gratifying seeing Hunter grow and develop in his confidence and skillset.”

NZSDA benefits

As a relatively new member to the NZSDA, Alternative Graphics has not yet had the chance to make full use of all its services. Aaron says, “We find the correspondence with Melissa Coutts efficient and helpful. With so many benefits from NZSDA membership, we look forward to continuing as a member for many years to come.

“We attended the recent NZSDA Conference and Awards along with the Sign + Print Expo and we had a great time. The awards night is always fun, whether you win or not. Amber and I received a silver award for New Shoots Daycare centre signage. Also, Hunter and I won a silver for his work on our work van.

The awards give us a chance to see the kind of work other companies are doing and it reminds us of just how creative the industry is. We really have some talented people in our country. We also see how other companies use various materials and the way they execute their projects. This inspires us to get creative and push the boundaries of how we look at products and materials.

“At the show, I also had the pleasure of competing in the Trans-Tasman Wrap

“Something else that inspires me about this industry is just how diverse it is. There are so many products now, and I am still constantly learning. Every industry and trade will evolve over time, and you must keep up with new technologies and materials. Compared to when I started as an apprentice, the products we use now are so much more user friendly.

“It is exciting to see how the industry evolves and changes.”

Customer relationships feature high on his work agenda. He sees value in taking the time to educate customers on the different products available, their lifespans, and the associated costs. He says, “This helps to paint a picture for our customers so they can make an informed decision on what matters most, short term impact or a longer-term look.

“I find once you provide them with the information it is easier for them to understand that the cheapest quote doesn’t always fit their need. When talking about their project I always try to explain timeframes to keep realistic expectations with them. The more you can communicate to them, the better.”

He concludes, “Signage really does have a bright future. It is always needed and requires someone with skill to bring it together. So, here’s to the future of the industry. I am looking forward to whatever is coming next.”

Challenge as part of Jeremy Hunt’s Big Brown team.”

In the final instalment of our sign maker’s journey, Aaron Joines shares his thoughts on the industry and what inspires him.

Aaron and Amber Joines at the recent NZSDA Awards

Alternative Graphics apprentice Hunter Woolley winning silver for his spaced out van work

Industry welcomes connection and collaboration at 2023 Expo

Held at the Due Drop Events Centre in Manukau, Auckland, the Sign+ Print Expo brought industry professionals together with suppliers. New Zealand Printer took the opportunity to take some snaps of those in attendance…

From left: Paul Whitehead and Craig Paul, Currie Group with Brett Addison, EFI

NZSDA Past Presidents, from left Andy Lowe, Paul Walters, and Bevan Weal

Greg O’Shanassy (l) and Paul Thomas from Fujifilm Business Innovation

Kylie Taylor (l), Total Supply with Linden Hoverd from PrintNZ

Shane Dalbeth (l), APC Innovate and Simon McNee, Access Specialties Linden Birnie (l) and Scott Lunn from PSP

Aaron Kemp and Irma Turnbull from Computaleta

From left: Avinash Patel, Epson with Steve Wilton-Jones and Mitch Boocock, Aarque

Wayne Shaw (l) and Jeremy Brew from HP

Darren Sunderland (l), Roland DG with Craig Moore, Fujifilm

Neil Gomez (l) and Adam Bratter from Arlon

Geoff Milliken (l), Total Supply and Peter Inder, Signtech

Glenn Greenhill and Natasha Poznanovic from Fujifilm Business Innovation

Neli Tolova’a (l) and Danielle Grandiek from Wholesale Print

Rajesh Mudundi and Khush Mahda from Five Star

From left: Chris Knuckey, Dylan Mitchell, and Jarren Kumaran from Total Supply

Nelson Chan (l) and Paul Smith from Fujfilm Business Innovation

From left: Oliver Reid, Dean Gallery, and Phil Officer from MAG

From left: Roanna and Garth Hulsdouw with Leo Milligan from Rogue Graphics

Rachel Guise and Will Thompson from Computaleta

Daniel Panchia and Suzy Cawson from PSP

Kaity (l) and Rachel Foye from Blue Star

From left: Arlette Farland, Computaleta; Wayne Shaw, HP; with NZSDA President Shae Goom

The Cardy team, from left: Max Lyness, Danny Mountain, Steven Richards, and Vijay Bulland

Logan Sutton, Future Grafix between Morgan John (l) and Rae Abbot from Spicers and Total Supply

Melissa Coutts (l), NZSDA with Zoe McSkimmings, Total Supply

Clayton Witney (l) and Ian Parsonson from Hexis

Dave Watts (l) and Stephan Vorster from Computaleta

Peter Wagener and Fiona Hunter from Otago Grand Format

Grant Alsop, Competenz with Chantal Scholtz, Cambrian Plastics

Doug MacLachlan and Meri Murphy from Dynamic Graphics

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