New Zealand Printer July 2022

THE FLEXIBLE FLATBED THAT DELIVERS ON ROI

The new Acuity Prime FB30 and FB20 flatbeds offer high quality printing on a range of medias, supported by its five dedicated vacuum zones and optional jettable primer. This range is available at a cost effective price point and offers an excellent return on investment, and once you’ve had it installed, FUJIFILM’s nationwide service network will keep it printing!

PRODUCE A WIDE RANGE OF APPLICATIONS

With outstanding image quality and excellent adhesion to a broad range of rigid and flexible media, materials and objects, the Acuity Prime can produce an amazing variety of printed products for distance and close viewing. The vacuum table can handle almost any sheet material. It secures rigid and flexible media and holds it perfectly flat for high quality print across every sheet.

EXPAND YOUR CREATIVE OPTIONS

The option to print with white and clear inks, and to print directly to almost any material in perfect registration, enables the Acuity Prime to produce high value, creative work that could offer opportunities for new revenue. With the jettable primer option, the Acuity Prime can adhere to a wide variety of industrial media.

DESIGNED WITH THE OPERATOR IN MIND

At Fujifilm we understand the value of production time and usability, so we designed the Acuity Prime with the operator in mind. With a new and user-friendly GUI, easy clean printhead maintenance and visible status lights for the ink tanks, operators are able to spend less time maintaining the machine and more time printing.

LOWER COST OF OWNERSHIP AND EXCELLENT ROI

With variable drop-size printheads and highly pigmented inks, Acuity Prime printers lay down a thin ink film, which minimizes production costs, and in combination with a competitive system price, support an excellent ROI.

For more information contact the Wide-Format Team on 0800 242 646.

Finance avaiable though

Cover Story p12-14

Aarque Durst: Leading industry supplier Aarque and technology specialist Aarque have signed a deal for Aarque to supply and support Durst technology and solutions in New Zealand

PrintNZ p8-11

8-10 Helping Hand: Iain MacIntyre looks at the government’s latest announcements which offer a mix of outcomes for the industry

11: Training graduates and apprentices make our industry stronger, says Ruth Cobb

Pride In Print p18-36

18-19 Supreme Award: On the industry’s premier night, Christchurch’s Te Pae proved an impressive venue that matched the spirit of the awards

20-26 Category Awards: Outstanding quality across the board was a hallmark of the Category winners

28-32 Process Awards: This year’s Process winners demonstrated a mix of creativity and artisanship to claim their prizes

34-36 Training Awards: We salute the Apprentice of the Year winner and finalists alongside the Trainer of the Year and Training Company of the Year

Features p16-40

6 Think Laterally: Mick Rowan says printing is a sustainable process but we need to tell people that

16 Konica Minolta: Wellington’s Colourcraft has installed an AccurioPress C4070

Wide Format Plus p37-49

38 Currie Group EFI: Across Australia and New Zealand, Curie Group is installing new EFI solutions including the EFI Pro 30h

40-41 Aarque: Expandasign has recently installed an HP Latex R200 printer and a Zünd G3 cutting table

44 Computaleta: Sign Foundry looked to Computaleta when it needed to update its HP Latex technology

46 Epson: The new SureColor V7000 and SureColor R5000 have got tongues wagging for their innovations and print quality

48 NZSDA Signee: From its Taupo base, Sign On continually works to improve its capabilities and offerings

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Emcees Justine Smith and Jason Gunn at the Pride In Print Awards, p18-36

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IN BRIEF

CALDERA has announced a new version of its prepress solution PrimeCenter. Highlights of this new version include a new user interface; a range of flexible fixups for file preparation; faster nesting; a recipe queue for enhanced automation; and an expansion of operating system support to include Windows 11 and macOS Monterey. In addition to these features, to avoid manual errors, the new system automatically locks layouts by default to ensure secure manipulation. Users can unlock layouts as needed to make last-minute modifications directly in PrimeCenter.

SIEGWERK, a global provider of printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, has received the EcoVadis Silver Medal rating across all business units and regions. Siegwerk’s overall score is considered in the top 15 percent of companies in the manufacture of paints, varnishes and similar coatings, printing ink and mastics industry. The EcoVadis assessment notes a particular strength in Siegwerk’s environmental performance driven from the company’s strong sustainability management systems, emissions reductions targets, and circular packaging solutions developed and sold in the market.

EFI has launched a new service that helps printers to achieve Ghent PDF Output Suite 5.0 Conformance Certification for digital presses and printers using EFI Fiery digital front end print servers. John Henze, vice president EFI Fiery Sales and Marketing, says, “On the latest Fiery digital front ends, set up for certification and ongoing conformance takes seconds, unlike competitive solutions. Plus, we’ve made this service easy and affordable to encourage customers to take this step to higher quality, and more reliable prints.”

Total Supply and Mimaki go all in for 3D

The recent Emex show in Auckland gave Total Supply a chance to partner with Mimaki for 3D printing.

The companies showed the possibilities offered through Mimaki’s full colour 3D technology at the show.

Tomomitsu Harada, general manager Mimaki Australia, says, “Mimaki is proactively seeking opportunities for new 3D printing technology in the New Zealand market. We have enjoyed a long partnership with Total Supply and before that with Blue Print Imaging. Total Supply is the ideally positioned to distribute Mimaki’s 3D printing system into this growing sector.

Jason Hay, Mimaki Australia national sales manager crossed the Tasman for the event. He says, “The feedback from the market was extremely positive. The customers who attended the show had never seen such

New Prosper offers high volume output

Kodak has unveiled its Prosper 7000 Turbo Press. The new inkjet web press prints at speeds of up to 410 metres per minute, or up to 5,523 A4 pages per minute.

It aims to enable commercial, publishing and newspaper printers to

quality in 3D printing. We had people who attended the stand that previously used 3D printing at Auckland University. They wanted to find out more about the technology. What was promising was that 60 per cent of the people who attended the stand wanted further information on 3D bureau work and who they could outsource to in Auckland.

“The attention to detail and quality of the output was the wow factor to anyone who visited the stand at Emex.

compete more effectively with offset and to shift more longrun jobs from conventional printing processes to inkjet.

The Prosper 7000 Turbo Press supports a maximum web width of 648mm and prints on a range of coated and uncoated stocks, newsprint, specialty and recycled papers.

It provides three optimised print modes to meet the specific requirements of different applications. Quality mode targets direct mailing, catalogues and magazines. Performance mode has application for

For example, clients utilising Auckland University, or new signage businesses looking for alternative income revenue could see the benefits.

“Also, it was great to see the excitement from everyone attending and welcoming back trade shows. This was the first trade show since Covid-19 started back in February 2020 and lockdowns began.”

On the stand at Emex, the companies demonstrated the entry-level Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 full colour 3D printer.

textbooks, fiction books and other medium ink coverage applications. Turbo mode enables newspaper printing with low ink coverage.

The new press uses ecofriendly, water-based Kodak pigment CMYK inks and interstation drying with near infrared technology, which enables the press to keep up with any of the print modes to ensure the highest quality output at the given speed.

The Kodak Intelligent Print System automatically monitors and optimises stitching, colour-to-colour and front-to-back registration.

Jason Hay (l), Mimaki Australia and Steve Brown, Total Supply and the Mimaki 3DUJ-2207 full colour printer

Revoria gets EFI Fiery treatment

Fujifilm Business Innovation and EFI have announced new EFI Fiery print servers and workflow software for Fujifilm Business Innovation’s two Revoria production printer models, the Revoria Press PC1120 and the Revoria Press E1 series.

EFI says the new Fiery print servers cater to the need for high-speed, superior quality printing, adding that they bring increased ease of use and innovation to the Revoria Press series.

The EFI Fiery PC11 drives the Revoria Press PC1120 and the EFI Fiery E11 powers the Revoria Press E1 Series. EFI has equipped both Fiery print servers with Fiery Command WorkStation.

Toby Weiss, chief operating officer Fiery Business at EFI, says the new servers and software will bring a familiar and easy to use

unified interface to customers. He explains, “Customers rely on market-leading Fiery technology. It delivers exceptional quality digital prints and it increases their production efficiency and profits. EFI is excited to partner with Fujifilm Business Innovation Corporation, which will broaden the reach of Fiery technology and solutions.”

Hiro Kida, corporate vice president and executive general manager for the Graphic Communication Business Group at Fujifilm Business Innovation, says, “We are

Rebrand reflects printIQ commitment

Print software specialist printIQ has announced a rebrand, which will align it with the significant transformation occurring across the printing industry.

The company will roll out the new branding globally in the coming weeks and will include an enhanced website experience for visitors. Rachel Davis, chief operating officer at printIQ, says, “The new printIQ brand is an evolution of our previous branding and reflects our company’s ambition, drive, and determination to empower the printing industry through technology.

“Our new brand is more than just a logo; it’s a symbol of our commitment to putting our customers first and being their partners in success.”

PrintIQ will continue to operate under the same leadership team and values, with a renewed focus on customer service and

IN BRIEF

innovation. The company says the new brand identity embodies a “renewed sense of purpose, energy, and enthusiasm”, marking its milestone in the evolution of printIQ as it continues to reinvent itself and take a modern and customer-first approach to the market.

Anthony Lew, chief executive officer printIQ, says, “Over the last two years, we as an industry have faced some incredible challenges. Through it all, we have remained strong and resilient. Together, we have innovated and evolved.

“Not only will customers be able to experience the new brand, but they will also discover how printIQ has pivoted to help them successfully adapt to any changes in the market, including constraints in supply chain management and labour shortages.”

incredibly excited about the new business partnership with EFI. It ensures Fujifilm Business Innovation continues to evolve within an everchanging print industry. In addition, it keeps us at the forefront of technology.

“The collaboration with EFI, and the combination of our Revoria presses with Fiery technology, are a digital enabler for many customers. A Fiery workflow will accelerate their growth. We also see this as an exciting opportunity.”

KODAK has become a platinum Sustainable Green Printing Patron. Jim Continenza, chief executive officer at Kodak, says, “When it comes to sustainability within the print industry, our goals align with Sustainable Green Printing. Kodak continues to invest in innovative products and solutions that fuel sustainable growth for our company and our customers. We will play an active role in driving the industry’s transformation toward eco-friendly and resourcesaving business practices and improving the sustainability profile of print.”

TOPPAN has developed a new hologram on which threedimensional images appear in response to strong light, such as a smartphone’s flashlight. The company says the new solution, Illumigram, simplifies verification by making assessment possible using the naked eye. The optical effect can be produced by simply using a smartphone’s flashlight. With trade in counterfeits, imitation goods, and other items that infringe intellectual property rights increasing, the company sees a growing demand for its holograms.

Opportunity for innovation: The Revoria Press PC1102

Printing is a sustainable process but do the consumers know it?

Mick 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 THINK LATERALLY

Today, sustainability is a top priority for decision-makers in our global economic and political arenas. It affects everything from the environment to health, but the decisions don’t just sit with those at the top. Consumers are now looking to do their part too.

Sustainability is no longer on the fringes; instead, it forms part of the consumer journey. The demand for sustainable practices is now forcing businesses to reassess their operations from a new perspective.

The state mandated lockdowns of the past few years have had people in front of their screens for extended periods. Retailers responded to the changing conditions by increasing their digital advertising spend to the detriment of print companies. Many retailers consider the traditional print materials slower, more costly and less sustainable than the digital equivalents. As a result, more businesses have been trading online without using printed materials.

At the same time, consumers’ changing attitudes towards environmental issues have significantly impacted the printing industry. Consumers, growing increasingly concerned with waste and pollution, simply don’t want to purchase products that they believe contribute to these outcomes. If consumers now see the industry as detrimental to nature, we’ve got a significant problem.

Jobs at risk

According to TRMC Industry Insights Report, 2020, paper, print, publishing, mail, and distribution sectors in Australia employ 258,000 people. In New Zealand, the number is 41,000. The idea that

these jobs could be at risk is a terrifying thought. However, one that’s made far worse by the inaccuracy of the argument that print is not sustainable.

Here’s where it gets tricky. Print has been receiving some bad press, with people looking to reduce or eliminate traditional printed paper, board, and cartons as that part of their quest for a greener future. However, the facts don’t bode well for this idea.

The paper industry is constantly planting forests to grow trees. The fibrous part of the trees is then broken down to form pulp, the main ingredient in the papermaking process. If these planted forest lands were not being cultivated by forestation programs, they would most likely be destroyed by the everencroaching urban sprawl. The pulp and paper industry are also totally carbon neutral. The trees the industry uses absorb carbon dioxide from the earth’s atmosphere, and when converted into paper, the captured carbon remains intact. The truth is print is one of the only industries where the product is both reusable and recyclable.

Technology advances

So, the paper seems okay, I hear you ask, but what about the machines? Well printing machines have reduced

energy use by around 40 per cent every 10 years, for the past 30 years! But it doesn’t stop there. Take Canon, as an example, which has received the EcoVadis Gold Award, an internationally recognised standard covering a range of Corporate Social Responsibility issues. Canon has globally achieved the ‘gold’ rating annually since 2013.

Canon’s 2021 sustainability objectives include developing a Canon Oceania carbon zero strategy and roadmap; completing the transition to hybrid or electric fleet vehicles for Canon New Zealand; and promoting responsible printing through growing the continuous ink printer market.

HP is another global powerhouse making significant sustainability moves as they work toward being carbon neutral by 2025. They intend to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50 per cent (on an absolute basis) by 2030. This covers Scope 1: direct emissions from owned or controlled sources, Scope 2, covering indirect emissions from the generation of purchased electricity, steam, heating and cooling and Scope 3, including all other indirect emissions that occur in their value chain.

Then there’s Epson, who Forbes Japan recently named first in their list of sustainable companies. Epson recently announced that they would be joining the RE100 global initiative uniting influential businesses to transition to 100 per cent renewable energy.

It seems that almost everything we do impacts the environment in one way or another. The good news is that our suppliers are striving to be more sustainable and providing options that will keep our industry vibrant for many years to come. There are a multitude of sustainable choices for printing, like supporting forestation programs or choosing the right equipment.

The truth is plain to see: if you are looking for a carbon neutral option for communication, look no further than print. It’s a sustainable process that doesn’t have the negative environmental impacts that many people believe. We just have to make sure that the consumers know it!

When consumers see the industry as detrimental to nature, we have a significant problem

Print is one of the only industries where the product is both reusable and recyclable

Renewed legislative focus for PrintNZ

Government announcements deliver mixed outcomes for print industry

IAIN MACINTYRE

As the government accelerates its legislative programme for 2022, so too has PrintNZ ramped up engagement on Bills covering fair pay agreements, income insurance and modern slavery which could significantly impact the print sector.

PrintNZ chief executive Ruth Cobb says each of these pieces of proposed legislation currently contains elements which would deliver hefty compliance costs on New Zealand print businesses.

She says, “This is particularly concerning, given they come at a time when businesses can least afford it. The details contained in these Bills are quite frankly alarming! Hence, why our association has proactively formulated submissions on each to best represent the print industry’s interests.”

Fair Pay Agreements

When announcing the Fair Pay Agreements Bill, the government stated the system would bring together employers and unions within a sector to bargain for minimum terms and conditions for all employees in that industry or occupation.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment documentation states: “The proposed system will include support for bargaining parties to help

them navigate the bargaining process and reach an outcome, as well as processes to ensure compliance.”

Cobb says, “The submission to the Bill made by PrintNZ, which also specifically supports that made by BusinessNZ, highlights that the proposed legislation is unfair to both employees and employers and will have a raft of negative consequences.

“This will effectively take industrial relations back to pre-1991 when industries had awards which covered everyone and, therefore, will remove the voluntary aspects on both sides.

“Employees would be left with very little scope to negotiate their pay and working conditions with their own employers, and employers would be bound by terms and conditions that may not be right for their businesses.”

PrintNZ says the proposed Fair Pay Agreement legislation is unfair to employees and employers

She adds that concerns the legislation would essentially create unlawful compulsion have even drawn the attention of the International Labour Organisation.

She says, “Compulsory wage bargaining would breach workers’ and employers’ human rights under the Bill of Rights Act and breach international law that requires voluntary participation in collective bargaining.

“It would be compulsory for employers to take part in collective bargaining if invited and compulsory for employers to accept either the wage rates claimed or accept compulsory arbitration.

“Fair Pay Agreements would compel industry organisations, where they exist, to serve as the employer’s bargaining party.

“PrintNZ, like most associations, runs lean and would not have the funding or resource to undertake this function. This particular issue is of such a concern that the two largest employer organisations in New Zealand, BusinessNZ and the Employers and Manufacturers Association, have both refused to participate further in the process.

“Furthermore, not all employers are associated with or potentially covered by an eligible organisation and no comprehensive database of either all employers or all employees is available. The Bill would also require each Fair Pay Agreement to define what work and roles are covered, but again, no comprehensive database of work or roles across New Zealand exists.”

She emphasises that ultimately, Fair Pay Agreements would be bad for business. She explains “Collective disputes and litigation can be expected, given that sector-wide bargaining is more vulnerable to industrial pressure than individual workplace bargaining. Demarcation disputes between unions over which workers they represent could also be expected, and strikes would still be possible for ‘above Fair Pay Agreement rates’.

“Equally, by standardising conditions, Fair Pay Agreements would hamper businesses’ ability to do things differently, making it harder to innovate or be more productive and competitive. Fair Pay Agreements would therefore encourage a sluggish business environment with less innovative goods and services, delivering

lower profitability and escalating prices.

“Fair Pay Agreement settlements would also cause wage relativity pressures in other sectors, bringing generally increased wage-price inflation.”

New Zealand Income Insurance Scheme

Noting that each year 100,000 New Zealanders are made redundant, laid off or have to stop working because of a health condition or disability, in addition to those impacted by economic shocks such as the pandemic, the government is proposing a new income insurance scheme.

The scheme would support workers with 80 per cent of their income for up to seven months if they lost their job through no fault of their own, states Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment documentation.

It states: “It would give people the time and financial security to find a good job that matches their skills, needs and aspirations, or take part in training or rehabilitation for a new, fulfilling career.”

Despite some negatives, the government’s latest budget has delivered some good news for the print industry

While partially endorsing the concept, Cobb says the period of time covered “seems excessive” and would provide “no urgency for employees to seek alternative employment” while at the same time adding another significant cost burden.

She says, “It sounds great in theory but, as per the ACC structure, it would be levied on employers and employees again at a time when neither party can afford it.

“We are concerned about the mandatory four-week payment to employees, regardless of circumstances, as well as the proposed seven-month period of payments overall.

“There will be significant compliance and business costs. For example, the levies for a print business with about 20 staff on the median wage equates to another $14,000 per year.”

Furthermore, Cobb says the “unexpected” inclusion of medical disability in the proposed scheme “adds to the cost and potentially opens it to exploitation”.

She explains, “Medical incapacity is already provided for by government assistance, so there is no need for its inclusion in this scheme. A refined version of the proposal would provide some protection for those made redundant, but in its current format it is untenable.”

Forced labour

On the subject of modern slavery and worker exploitation, forced labour, people trafficking and slavery, the government has also announced it is developing a

“legislative response” to modern slavery and worker exploitation, forced labour, people trafficking and slavery issues.

The proposal would create new responsibilities across the operations and supply chains of all types of organisations in New Zealand, with more responsibilities for larger organisations in particular, states Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment documentation.

It continues: “We are seeking feedback on new legislation that aims to achieve freedom, fairness and dignity in the operations and supply chains of entities and to address modern slavery and worker exploitation, both in New Zealand and internationally.”

Again, Cobb says the aims of the initiative might be admirable, but questions the necessity of its implementation for smaller print businesses in particular.

“This proposal would have a big impact on large business, as they will have to audit their entire supply chains to rule out any possibilities of exploitation.

“That may be understandable and necessary for the big, international players, but it does not make sense to blanket such rules across the smaller businesses in New Zealand. Those operations are already governed by New Zealand employment legislation and so need to be excluded.

“The government funding associated with introducing and monitoring this legislation would be better spent

enforcing the existing laws with the minority of employers that flaunt them.”

Positive announcements

Notwithstanding the aforementioned, Cobb notes that Wellbeing Budget 2022 contained some favourable announcements for the print industry.

She says, “It is apparent the government has tried to deliver ‘something for everyone’.

“It was certainly good to see $100m included for small business to improve access to finance to encourage growth.

“So was the extension of the Apprenticeship Boost programme until December 2023 providing a contribution toward apprenticeship wages, as well as the $30m allocation to implementing the advanced manufacturing industries transformation plan.

“We need to make sure that we focus on making the most of the funding provided by Budget 22 while continuing to voice our objections to the proposed legislation.”

Legislation links

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment information on the three pieces of legislation mentioned in this article can be found on its website www.mbie.govt.nz. Click on the Business and employment drop down banner, followed by Employment and skills › Employment legislation reviews › Fair Pay Agreements.

The Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment seeks feedback on new legislation in relation to operations and supply chains of entities and to address modern slavery and worker exploitation

Working for the future of our industry

Training graduates and apprentices make our industry stronger

that the future of our industry is in good hands. They are all so passionate about print and the work that they produce.

RUTH COBB

One of the most enjoyable aspects of my role is hosting our annual training graduations and working through the Apprentice of the Year programme.

It is an absolute pleasure to see how thrilled the graduates are to bring their family and colleagues along to receive their medals at these events. Whether it is a Level 2 or 3 Certificate, a Level 4 Apprenticeship or the Level 5 Diploma of Print Management, it is a huge achievement and worthy of recognition. Each of these people have gained additional knowledge and skills that will benefit both themselves and the businesses they work for.

Moving on from the graduations to the Apprentice of the Year programme is where we look at everyone that has completed an apprenticeship during the previous year and narrow that down initially to a Top 10, and then name our Apprentice of the Year sector winners.

These decisions are never easy to make and as we narrow down each group it becomes more difficult. We seek input from the employer, the Competenz training advisors, the assessors and the apprentices themselves. Each of these

individuals has done exceptionally well in their studies, kept on top of their paperwork and excelled in the workplace. They are hugely valued in the business and often by the time they graduate they are undertaking additional duties as their employers have recognised their talents.

This year the pool of talent was no exception and we had an amazing group of Sector Winners, all of whom hailed from Auckland this year:

Screen Apprentice of the Year

Liam Blom, ACI Screen and Print

Sheetfed Apprentice of the Year

Kosema Fuiono, Blue Star Collard

Reelfed Apprentice of the Year

John Reddy, Philstic Labels

Packaging Apprentice of the Year

Frey Head, Oji Fibre Solutions Paper Bag

Digital Apprentice of the Year

Nana Southall, Blue Star Constellation

Each of these people have earned the title of Apprentice of the Year in their own field, but there is one further accolade they are all seeking to achieve: the overall Print Industry Apprentice of the Year.

To make this decision we seek further information from the employers and apprentices, but most importantly a small panel interview the five apprentices on the morning of the Pride In Print Awards to get the final input to make the decision.

I wish that everyone got a chance to participate in these interviews and see

One of the key takeaways for me from these interviews is the reminder: print is a craft. They can talk in absolute technical detail about the work they have brought with them to show us, about problems they have solved, and why things are made in a particular way. This is quite mindblowing to listen to, and once they get on a roll there is no stopping them. his is often a part of the interview that we have to cut short, much as we don’t want to. I don’t think I would be wrong in saying that every one of us on the interview panel learns something ourselves each year.

And they all have little nuggets of information that provide an insight to their character, why they have succeeded in their apprenticeship journey and what it means to them. From this year’s interviews, these are the comments that stuck with me:

“I know how to run the machine but I like learning the why”

“I love to gain knowledge and share that knowledge”

“I like being a boss of people”

“I bought a house in Auckland by the time I was 25”

And the one that resonated most from our overall winner, Kosema Fuiono from Blue Star Collard:

“I learn more on a bad day at work”. What an attitude and I think that is something we can all think about.

These are the people that we need in our industry and we need more of them. Thank you to the companies that put in the time and resource to training them. They are a testament to your commitment but we need more of you to do this. You won’t regret it.

And finally a thank you to our sponsors BJ Ball Papers, Heidelberg and Trust4Skills who make it possible for us to reward the talent in our industry; we are so grateful.

Kosema Fuiono, Apprentice of the Year, proudly flanked by Allen Masterson, operations manager at Blue Star Collard

Aarque brings Durst to New Zealand

Nationwide service and support combines with world leading technology

we know people want to produce reasonable volumes quickly and at a high quality, but we are seeing that turnaround time is more important than capacity.

“Second, there is a misconception that Durst caters for only high volume large companies. Nothing could be further from the truth. Across several print sectors, Durst solutions are ideal for businesses of all sizes.

“These businesses may have two or three medium volume machines with two to four people running them. When you look at their production footprint and labour footprint, you can see how having one Durst printer can free up those people, who can be better purposed in other parts of the workflow or of the business.

“Durst builds the most technologically advanced printing machines in the world. They deliver a commercial business proposition with a return on investment that can’t be ignored. With a single operator, you have the ability to deliver a world class result. Durst provides automation and efficiencies with greater reliability.

“Every small to medium size business can benefit. From the Durst entry level label printer to the wide format P5 platform, which is designed for versatility, our solutions continue to surpass our customers’ requirements.”

Aarque and Durst Oceania have announced a partnership for Aarque to supply and support Durst technology and solutions in New Zealand.

The companies will work closely to bring the range of Durst solutions to the local industry, alongside a complete service and support capability for Aarque customers.

A major supplier in the New Zealand market, Aarque is embracing the opportunity to bring Durst to the country. Leo Bult, co-director at Aarque, says,

“As we see customers’ requirements changing, we work to provide them with the technology and solutions they need to succeed in their business. So, we are pretty excited about partnering with Durst.”

With a reputation for high end quality and productivity, Durst has enjoyed considerable success across the Tasman since the establishment of the Oceania Subsidiary. Matt Ashman, managing director of Durst Oceania, says, “Durst definitely sits in the high quality and high production end of the market but there are two sides to that story. First,

Bult agrees that businesses of all sizes, across a range of industry sectors, will benefit from access to Durst solutions. He says, “We have many big customers who produce volume work in grand format. We know they are interested in Durst and the equipment will fit seamlessly into their operations, especially in an upgrade path. However, 95 per cent of the New Zealand market fits the small to medium size business model and we also know they will really benefit from Durst’s capabilities.

“Many businesses that now have a roll device and a rigid device started out with small machines. We see the opportunity for the Durst technology to align with small to medium size businesses.

“The life value of the printer is significant. The customer gets our support and that

Leo Bult (l) co-director at Aarque with Matt Ashman, managing director of Durst Oceania

Photography by: Jay of Manic Photography

really protects the value of the brand. An important consideration is our ability to bring a complete solution to the customer in the five structural areas we represent.”

New markets

Both Aarque and Durst see companies looking for different marketplaces and they have solutions in any number of sectors such as wide format, labels, and textiles.

Ashman says, “For some time now, we have seen a significant breakdown in industry sector barriers such as from screenprint to wide format and from commercial print to packaging print and label print.

“The breaking down of those barriers is not really a printing thing. The challenge in entering labels or textiles is an intellectual one, and once you have made up your mind to expand your options, new revenue streams and opportunities will come.

“What this means is that print sector entrepreneurs can create new business

units. It is incredible to see the potential for print, signage, labels and textiles.”

Wide format focus

Both companies see a focus in the wide format market up to 3.5m production using water-based and UV based formats in both roll and flat sheet.

Of particular interest is the Durst P5 350, a hybrid solution for roll and board printing up to 3.5m. In its High-Speed version its productivity reaches 650 square metres per hour. Ashman says. “Fast media changes, easy maintenance handling and full safety features deliver an efficient and effective printing process. It is about optimum performance, from pixel to output.”

Bult adds, “These machines are versatile. Some customers want a dual roll for five days and then 10,000 sheets of board. Durst solutions can handle all of that and more.”

At Fespa in May, Durst unveiled the P5 500, a 5.25 metre roll to roll LED press.

It features an integrated cutting system which means the press, which includes options for single or multi-roll setup, does not need to stop while cutting.

Durst offers Greenguard Gold certified VOC-free UV and LED inkjet ink systems. Ashman says, “High pigmentation helps deliver a high level of colour brilliance with low ink consumption. As a key factor for a successful and stable production, Durst ink systems are created in accordance with our quality, productivity and environmental standards.

Bult adds, “The Durst machines also fit well with the environmental direction we have taken with our media, in particular, our rigid media programme. Most of them are paper based stocks; that is what the customers are looking for. The market has changed from the days of plastic dominance. Aarque now offers an end-toend environmentally friendly solution.”

Labels and textiles

Also featured at Fespa: the latest solution in Durst’s Tau label platform, the Tau

Wide format productivity: The Durst P5 350 HS D4 + P5 Automat

For labels and flexible packaging: The Durst Tau 330 RSC

COVER STORY

Service and support matters: Aarque sales and technical staff will train at Durst headquarters in Brixen, Italy

offshore three years ago. Their customers can now see there is a fantastic industry in their home country.

As businesses raise their game, they will prevent that work returning to China. Now is the ideal time to look at new markets.”

Long-termers

Aarque provides nationwide distribution and nationwide support. Four years ago, Aarque became a part of BJ Ball, which in turn is part of the larger Ball & Doggett Australasian Group. Japanese giant OVOL, formerly Japan Pulp and Paper, owns them all. Within this Group, Aarque operates autonomously.

Bult says, “We are a business of longtermers and we want to be a sustainable business. We are not into exponential growth. Those factors, combined with BJ Ball ownership gives us strength. It is a great partnership because they recognise the value in Aarque’s autonomy. We run our own sales and distribution network because our customers’ requirements are different.

330RSC E. Ashman says, “It offers a print speed up to 45 lineal metres per minute, from four to eight colours and fully upgradeable to 80 lineal metres per minute to guarantee future increased production capacity requirements are covered.”

Options include a high speed white, so operators can print with all colours and white at full rated speed. Applications range across commercial and industry sectors such as oil and electronic labels; cosmetics; toiletries and body care; beer, wine and spirits; stickers; tubes, commercial labels and many more.

Ashman adds, “The options for printing widths of 330mm, 420mm or 510mm enable operators to complete the full range of jobs from short to mid to long runs, all in the most cost-effective way. For ease of operation, the Durst Tau label platform offers jumbo winders and roll lifts for fast roll changes and good accessibility to print heads, UV-lamps and transport rollers.”

Bult adds, “The trend to completely automated systems such as loading and unloading are definitely a driver for label converters. The Durst Tau platform automation delivers conformity and reliability with no worries about human error.

“Signage companies and commercial printers will see that this is another

digital printer. So, if they are printing the packaging for a vineyard, now they can do the labels as well. They already have digital expertise.”

Globally and locally, textiles and soft signage continue to grow. Another Fespa debutant, the Durst P5 TEX iSUB prints direct to polyester, eliminating the need for a calender unit.

Based on the P5 platform, it prints 3.3 metres wide at a maximum speed of 383 square metres per hour. Like other P5 printers, its multi-roll feature makes it easier to change materials in practice, and it can accommodate dual rolls of 1.6 metres wide. Its integrated finishing unit allows it to sew and stitch inline to reduce material waste.

Ashman says, “This is ideal for progressive businesses who want to know how they can grow their piece of the pie. By changing that market space, they can grow their business.

“Additionally, re-shoring has increased here and in Australia. Shipping and supply chain problems caused by Covid-19 and other global influences mean that companies are having difficulty getting product out of China.

“This has given local print, signage, labels and packaging businesses the chance to take back work that would have headed

“We are lucky to be able to operate in this way. In addition to that capability, we have received the support we needed, in these difficult couple of years, from our parent company. They enabled us to invest in people so we could ride out the pandemic.”

Aarque will send sales and technical staff to Durst headquarters at Brixen in Italy for training. Bult says, “It is vital for us to have those capabilities in terms of knowledge and serviceability.

“This partnership coincides with our move to the new home base in West Auckland. The future is exciting and it is fantastic to bring Durst on board.”

Ashman has spent more than 20 years with Durst, including stints in the UK and Europe. He gladly took the chance to helm Durst Oceania when it launched in 2019. He says, “Covid gave us a baptism of fire but we continued to grow. The Oceanic region is important to Durst and we are so pleased to have secured Aarque as a partner.

“Durst partners with companies that can match the brand. We are a familyowned company and we like to partner with similar companies. We are very old school. Durst was built on supporting small to medium sized businesses and so was Aarque.

“We are excited for the opportunity we have in partnering with Aarque to supply and support this amazing technology to New Zealand.”

Colourcraft updates with AccurioPress C4070

Inline finishing adds productivity benefits

chose a range of other features to further enhance its print capabilities.

The company opted for the IQ-50 Integrated Colour Care Unit IQ-501, a fully automated, closed-loop quality management tool that performs automatic density correction and front-to-back registration prior to printing. This unit inspects colour density and registration accuracy on a sheet-by-sheet basis throughout the print run taking remedial action if it detects any deviation.

Another feature Colourcraft has added is Konica Minolta’s Auto Inspection Technology which scans an image of the proof print, and then compares every subsequent printed sheet, inspecting for quality artifacts such as spots, lines and quality deviation, pausing the press and notifying the operator if it identifies any quality artefact. This reduces waste, reprints and rework.

In 1985, Colourcraft started life as a specialist prepress company. Over the years, it has transitioned to become a printing and graphics business.

Directors Ben Johnston and Lance Bathard own and run the company. Ben says, “I got started in the industry in 2005 doing an apprenticeship in graphic communication, then a Diploma in business.”

Colourcraft, based in Wellington, has carved out a niche in the market for high quality printing and customer service. The company produces a range of customised printed products and a plethora of satisfied customers are more than happy to share their positive experiences with the print services Colourcraft provides.

Recently, Colourcraft installed a Konica Minolta AccurioPress C4070. Ben says, “We are a small company and we concentrate on providing a quality service for our customers. The AccurioPress C4070 is a replacement machine and while its rated print speed is slower than the machine it replaced, we have

improved production with the many production tasks that we can do inline. For example, creasing and booklet making completed inline takes less time and effort.

The Konica Minolta AccurioPress 4070 prints up to 71 pages per minute in colour and black and white, delivering 3600 x 2400 dpi print resolution with eight-bit processing, and high speed dual colour scanning at up 280ipm. It handles a range of media with weights from 62 to 360 gsm.

Ben says, “The print quality is good. The quality has always been good but I would say the AccurioPress C4070 has the best colour consistency of the many digital presses we’ve operated over the years. We’ve had several Konica Minolta machines before this one. The machines are good; the sales support is also and the service that Konica Minolta provides is excellent.”

Enhanced capabilities

Colourcraft also upgraded its Fiery RIP to the External Fiery Controller IC-317 and

The high capacity banner tray option enables Colourcraft to print sheets up to 762mm long and 330mm wide and to duplex 300gsm allowing operators to easily produce A4 six-page brochures and landscape A4 perfect bound covers for books.

Colourcraft added the Plockmatic Booklet Maker SD-506 booklet maker with lead edge trimming, a fully integrated booklet making system with automated workflow along with the TU-510 inline trimmer job recovery that offers trimming, slitting, cutting, creasing and perforating. It produces high quality booklets with up to 200 pages at print engine rated speed. Jobs can be stored in the built-in memory for easy access of frequent jobs.

Ben adds, “They have simplified production of saddle stapled booklets considerably, as finished units come off the back of the machine, smoother production: less labour and less overs.”

He looks forward to adding more quality printed products to Colourcraft’s portfolio. He says, “I enjoy the diversity of a day at work. Like all business owners, there is always something to do and priorities to juggle. We are pleased that the inline finishing has made a difference to productivity and the AccurioPress C4070 is such a reliable machine.”

Colourcraft director Ben Johnston (l) and Adam Hawkes, production specialist at Konica Minolta with the AccurioPress C4070

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Logick reigns supreme at Te Pae for Pride In Print

The industry’s premier event returns to Christchurch

Afourth supreme award win, with a piece called Touchy Feely, placed Logick Print on top at this year’s Pride In Print Awards.

The country’s premier awards took place on Friday night at Christchurch’s new Te Pae events centre attracting a larger than expected audience of industry professionals and supporters.

Touchy Feely also won the Business Print Category. B&F Papers commissioned the work, a promotional pocket book of embellished stocks. Judges called it “an

extremely-complex and multi-faceted exhibition of promotional print work”.

David Gick, founder and director of Logick Print, commented on how the company’s small committed team embraced the considerable challenges in the brief to illustrate to the industry “what can be done” on the particularly textured range of Forest Stewardship Council certified stocks.

He said, “We are happy to work with people who believe we can push the boundaries and we certainly did that with

that job. We have built that history over a number of years and they have seen the work that we’ve produced and how we have progressed it. I would like to say now there is the trust that if we can say we can go to that next level, they have the confidence that we can produce it.”

He explained how the job presented the opportunity to break new boundaries and “not just produce the same old, same old. With it being a promotional piece, we were able to show Foilco foils to the market and say, ‘Hey, there is a little bit of different inspiration here’.

Fourth win, from left: Logick Print’s Dave and Jan Gick with Penny Savidan and Paula Vasquez from B&F Papers

“We made sure the deboss was out of this world and the same with the emboss with a solid black cover. Also, we made sure that what we did, we did very, very well. We didn’t just want to produce the same techniques and do it as usual; we wanted to push it as far as we could go.”

Logick has received “amazing comments” from the principal client and partners involved in the project. He continued, “They have been particularly impressed with the foiling, debossing and embossing being perfectly executed without damaging the texture of the paper.

“From a print-buyer’s perspective, it’s all of those things that they look for in a job, especially with a heavily-textured and uncoated stock.”

The work has also generated international interest. He said, “It is the first time that, with a promotion, we have had requests from overseas: Europe, the United States, Singapore and Asia. They wanted a copy and we sent those.

“What we do these days is about making sure it is a world-class job. This work has gone all around the world and to get that type of feedback shows we are pushing those boundaries.”

Print In Print judges said: “From a finishing point of view, there are not many jobs that encompass so many different embellishments, all in the one place, and they get them all completely right throughout.

“This is a job that everyone who looks at it says how fantastic it is. There are foils, bright inks, perforating stamp work,

binding, creasing and assembly. The whole thing is technically superb, sharp and beautiful.”

New venue gets thumbs up

Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre played host to the premier event on the print industry calendar, when the Pride In Print Awards returned to the Garden City for the first time in five years.

Broadcasting legend Jason Gunn and ‘Seven Days’ star Justine Smith emceed the evening at a rapid clip, riffing off each other with a mix of zappy one-liners, personal stories and crowd pleasers. The larger than expected audience lapped it up and especially enjoyed Gunn’s take on reading the winners lists. At one point, when faced with reciting the names of 17 gold medal winning jobs, he broke into a horse racing commentary worthy of the great Dave Clarkson.

Ruth Cobb, chief executive at PrintNZ, says, “Entry levels were down on 2021, but that was expected because of the extensive lockdown in Auckland at the back end of the year, which meant a lot of businesses weren’t producing work. Then in the New Year, we had the onset of the new variant of Covid-19, so businesses didn’t have the staff to actually put the entries together.

“However, the number of awards given were actually only slightly down, and the standards were still high.

“We are extremely happy with the turnout. Te Pae is a brilliant venue and it was great to be able to gather together and talk with our industry people in person.”

Gold Medal Club

The membership of the Pride In Print Medal Winner’s Club expanded this year.

In the 50 Gold Medal Winners section, Horton Media, Kiwi Labels, Soar Communications Group and Wakefields Digital joined Admark Visual Imaging, Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific Christchurch, Blue Star Constellation, Crucial Colour, Fuzed, Gravure Packaging, Logick Print & Graphics, Permark Industries, Southern Colour Print and Webstar Auckland.

In the 100 Gold Medal Winners Section, Rapid Labels joined APC Innovate, Blue Star Wellington and Ovato Auckland.

Patron and sponsors

The Pride In Print Awards takes because of the industry suppliers who so willingly support the programme and event.

Fujifilm Business Innovation New Zealand is the Pride In Print Patron.

The awards sponsors are Avery Dennison, B & F, BJ Ball, Currie Group New Zealand, DIC New Zealand, HP, Kurz New Zealand, New Zealand Printer Magazine, Nekkorb, Reproflex3, Paper Source, Ricoh New Zealand, Spicers, UPM Raflatac, and Whakatane Mill (WML).

The Friends of the Awards are Blue Star Group New Zealand, Contact Labels & Print Finishers, PhilStic Labels, Sealed Air Hamilton, Soar Print, and Wholesale Print.

The media sponsor is New Zealand Printer Magazine.

Fourth win, from left: Logick Print’s Dave and Jan Gick with Penny Savidan and Paula Vasquez from B&F Papers

Emcees Justine Smith and Jason Gunn at the Pride In Print Awards

Freyas wraps a double for Amcor Flexibles

Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific Christchurch produced Freyas Gluten Free Mixed Seed Soft Wraps to win the Flexible Packaging Category and Flexographic Process Awards.

Designed as a pouch where the product, the wrap, forms part of the design presentation to the consumer, the job received high praise from judges. They said, “Involving the reverse-printing of nine colours while simultaneously surface-printing an overgloss and then laminating and pouch-converting, this high complexity job has delivered crisp print and bright imagery to achieve a very realistic food picture.”

Mark Thian, from Amcor Flexibles, said, “Our clients will be over the moon with the result. Amcor Christchurch has made a deliberate decision to move to lower ink film weights and where possible use water-based alternatives to lower the process’ environmental footprint, but without detracting from the end results.

“The way the colour and matt finish has captured the look and feel of paper is most impressive. By winning these awards, the Freya’s pouch shows that there need not be a comprise on quality by adopting alternative methodology.

“The pouches are an in house product. We extrude the sealant layer and print on the reverse-printing web. The printing process is a challenge involving reverse printing and surface printing inline as well as applying the patterned water-based matt overgloss by gravure cylinder, totalling 11 flexographic stations overall, all in one printing pass and in register. We then laminate to our in house sealant layer, slit and pouch, and install a resealable zip.”

ABC boxes smart with Garnier

ABC Original Print won the Structural Design Packaging Category with the Garnier Fructus Hair Food Presentation Box.

James Hedger, from ABC Original Print, said, “We had limitations in the size and weight of the box as it was to be used for deliveries throughout New Zealand’s courier network.

“This was a challenge as L’Oreal New Zealand requested four fairly large and heavy bottles of product be accommodated in the design. We used two inserts, one over the other, to separate and position each product to avoid movement, making it practical and also making the products look organised and according with the concept.

“The 40EW2 corrugated cardboard gave us the flexibility to make detailed inserts capable of housing the product and acted as support to give the whole package the structural integrity required to withstand the rigors of the courier network.

“We printed the boxes digitally and double-sided. It was a challenge to register both printing sides accurately. Also, the inserts and handles of the box required precision in the cutting and assembly. However, it required very few points of glue, which made the box quite affordable, sustainable and efficient to produce.

“The artwork complemented the quality of the production with a play on the fruit extracts Garnier uses within its products, giving it a fun, striking aspect, while still communicating its brand effectively.

“Our team feels extremely grateful and proud to win the Structural Design Packaging Category and we would like to take this chance to thank our client, L’Oreal New Zealand, to trust us in the production of this job. They can feel confident that we have a great team who can design and produce projects from scratch with great design, great print and great customer service.

“Our client was extremely happy with the final result. The pre-launch teaser they used the box for was a success and resulted in higher-than-forecast sales.”

Flexible winner: Freyas Gluten Free Mixed Seed Soft Wraps

Structural Design winner: Garnier Fructus Hair Food Presentation Box

Wakefields finishes Yesterday in style

Demonstrating excellence in print finishing earned Wellington-based Wakefields the Print Finishing Category award with a photography book called Yesterday Home.

Judges described the job as “special” and praised the company’s creative decisions in binding alongside its “understated” choices of paper stock as combining perfectly to authentically convey the mood generated by the book content.

They said, “This photography book has used a range of substrates, some of which are actually quite difficult to print, which have been beautifully bound and finished, including the creative style of binding with exposed sewing. With great lie down ability, it achieves an excellent result as a coffee table book.”

Dickon Lentell, from Wakefields, said, “The book was a personal expression of work produced by our client Lily Dowd. It has been extremely well received. The client was absolutely thrilled and several reprints have been ordered and produced; the response was that good.

“At 80 pages plus covers, the 190mm x 228mm size book encapsulated numerous high-quality production inputs. It was impressive due to the different materials used and the binding and finishing. It is a hard cover book, which has an exposed coptic spine and an indented photo inserted into the cover. The text was section sewn, with a Gilcear transparent paper interleaved throughout the book.

“The binding was all done by hand and the finished result was excellent.”

Kiwi heads to Holland Road for label success

An uncompromising commitment to deliver a next level gin bottle label has seen Kiwi Labels claim the Labels Category.

Printed on an uncoated Forest Stewardship Councilcertified stock produced from elemental chlorine free pulp, the job featured a high contrast hologram effect in perfect register.

Andrew Thomson, from Kiwi Labels, said, “Holland Road Gin is meticulously hand crafted and bottled in Eureka, New Zealand, and distributed to bars and restaurants throughout the country.

“The distinctive artwork and magical symbols in the label are a tribute to the ancient healers whose folk medicine pioneered modern distillation practices and a reflection of the passion that goes into each batch of this premium gin.

“When we received the captivating design, we wanted to take it to the next level to deliver striking artwork printed on a challenging double-sided black stock with detailed foiling and embossing. This required multiple passes to complete but it was worth the effort.

“The five-colour digital print process built the foundation for this stunning label. We used a Xeikon press to transform the dense black stock into a highly detailed label. Prepress and production equally brought this detailed label to life with multiple hours invested into refining the artwork and tooling files to land on a superblooking label that we are all proud of.

“Holland Road supported us throughout the process and were very happy with the result. They had faith in our ability to lift the label to the next level and this collaborative response resulted in an amazing looking label.”

Holland Road

Wild Ginseng 500ml Gin helped Kiwi Labels win the Labels Category

Wakefields won the Print Finishing Category award with Yesterday Home

Admark on fire for Sign and Display

BK Flamin’ Good Deals won the Sign and Display Print Category for Admark Visual Imaging. The final product was installed in backlit stations outside at BK drivethroughs throughout the country and inside on abovecounter displays.

Judges described the poster as faultless. They said, “It is a great example of what is becoming somewhat of a dying art now with the advent of digital screen. It delivered excellent colour gamut and depth, very clean and crisp print and not a blemish on it. The flame effect jumps right out at you.”

Somp Vaxnay, from Admark Visual Imaging, said, “The end result of what was a challenging process turned out to be very rewarding. Overall, the backlit is meant to pop and catch the eyes of the consumer when deciding on their order. You eat with your eyes first.

“When the product is backlit with light, the overall image must be clear and crisp for the end consumer to encourage them to make that purchase.

“With any backlit, the aim is to be able to control and achieve the appropriate amount of colour densities and to ensure consistency throughout the entire print run. Densities of colours on backlits are always heavier compared to standard prints.

“So, to be able to lay down a heavy amount of ink without saturating or bleeding the image is tricky, especially with solvent-based inks. But, when executed well, as per this job, the end result is worthwhile.”

5Digital delivers a masterclass in promotional print

Producing a distinctive cocktail menu has earned 5Digital first place in the Promotional Print Category.

Judges observed, “Although a somewhat simple looking job in some respects, the Masterclass Recipe Cards delivered a perfect combination of a number of intelligently-chosen inputs. It is just gorgeous.

“The use of the stock, with a velvety feel, and beautiful gold ink on a black background, that was printed perfectly, delivers such an upper class feeling for the job, perfect for its function as a cocktail menu.”

Nick Marsh, from 5Digital, said, “This award is pretty special for our team. We welcomed this job when we got the initial brief from the client as it gave us an opportunity to showpiece our flagship process.

“Digital foiling is a process that we have spent a lot of time developing and mastering. It is a unique manufacturing process that enables the bling without the extra cost of traditional foiling. It also eliminates the cost of the foil block and allows the creatives a license to cover the whole area in foil and not worry about the cost.

“Given the foil block elimination combined with the digital process using a minimal amount of setup and overruns, our approach to this job is more sustainable and environmentally-friendly. From the end client’s perspective, it was cost-effective, eye-catching and a perfect accommodation for their brand and high-end product.”

Admark Visual Imaging won the Sign and Display Category with‘BK Flamin’ Good Deals

Masterclass Recipe Cards proved a winner for 5 Digital in the Promotional Print Category

Sealed Air pledge wins with Waitoa wrap

A high-quality example of print work, created with sustainability at the fore, has seen Sealed Air Hamilton claim the Industry Development and Creativity Category.

The Waitoa Applewood Smoked Chicken food wrap is a product of Sealed Air Hamilton’s 2018 global environmental pledge. Judges said, “A clean and very well-executed print, this flexographic job has innovatively used a 70 per cent post-consumer recycled PET substrate that has FDA food compliance, with the final product achieving 91 per cent total recycled content.”

Damion Robinson, from Sealed Air, said the wrap marked the commercial rollout of the Waitoa brand refresh and highlighted the Carbon Zero delivery to market of its poultry offer.

“The print quality and ease of delivery for such an important brand refresh in the time slot given was impressive. Maintaining the Carbon Zero credentials is critical to the brand integrity. As the consumer continues to be overcome by so many sustainability aspects to their lives, Carbon Zero is tangible, and the packaging supports this effectively.

“Using recycled content input materials requires a lot of research, trials, review and collaboration of various teams, so that the final product exceeds the buyers’ and ultimately the consumers’ expectations, all the while being completely certified food safe.

“Our integration of FDA Food Law Approved for Direct Food Contact recycled content resin supports SEE Corporation’s drive to support circulatory of postconsumer use of food packaging.”

In addition to delivering brand credibility to Waitoa’s new sustainability drive, the award win also provided recognition to the environmental endeavours of Sealed Air and the overall SEE Corporation, said Mr Robinson.

Nadia nets magazine prize for Ovato

Ovato New Zealand took out the Magazine Category with its production of Nadia Autumn – Issue 2 – 2021.

Judges said the quality of production was so high they initially thought the magazine had been printed on a sheetfed press. They said, “It contains a number of sections, folded and trimmed in line and perfect bound, and exceptional colours throughout.

“Printing at high speed was well controlled in terms of the variables: ink and water, the lay and registration. This is about as good as it gets for web offset printing.”

Craig Harrison, from Ovato New Zealand, said, “The job was tricky. The whole team feels delighted to have delivered an end product that the client was absolutely thrilled with.

“The technical aspects of this job lay around the speed of production. We ran the press at 70,000 copies per hour and had to produce five sections plus a laminated cover, perfect bound and delivered, all within five days.

“Another challenge of the 136-page plus cover magazine was that the stock itself was an offset grade printed by a web press at very high speed.

“It was a pleasure to be involved in a project that combined the highest quality of production standards with sustainable inputs and was also actually a great read.

“This job was produced from sustainable resources and all stock used is Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification or Forest Stewardship Council accredited. Nadia Magazine is a great foodie read and has all the requirements for amazing New Zealand food that the average cook can enjoy.”

This year’s Industry Development and Creativity Awards went to Sealed Air Hamilton with Waitoa Applewood Smoked Chicken

Ovato New Zealand claimed the Magazine Category award with Nadia Autumn – Issue 2 – 2021

You beauty: Horton scores a double

A blemish-free art exhibition booklet has given Horton Media the Newspapers Category and Coldset Process award.

Judges said, “It is a huge challenge to achieve perfect registration with no blemishes using the particular press and substrate involved in this job, and it has been delivered perfectly; a superb job.”

Sanjit Dutta, from Horton Media, said, “Achieving comparability in print to the original painting was of prime concern for the client, Kelliher Art Trust. It required a catalogue to complement an exhibition tour of prized and award-winning New Zealand artists’ work. It approached us after seeing our previous works of this nature for various other museums, communities and charitable organisations.

“The catalogue to accompany the tour, also titled Rare and Unrivalled Beauty, was printed by Horton Media to provide an overview of the displayed paintings in their full hue and colour. It was meant to be distributed free to the art enthusiast visitors at exhibition centres in seven different locations across the country.

“The print project kicked off with an active initiative taken by the client’s print designers in adapting the images and files to a newspaper coldset print profile requirements. Full credit must be given to the team who put up the basic input foundation of this award-winning printing.

“It was printed in tabloid format, on 24 pages of 70gsm white offset paper, stitched and trimmed, at a run of 10,500 copies. We were elated to reproduce to the client representative’s full satisfaction a wholehearted appreciation of the job by Kelliher Art Trust.”

Logick scores with luxury boxes

Logick Print won the Paper and Board Packaging Category with a set of Pure Mama Product Packaging boxes.

Judges remarked on the “excellent detailing, with elements such as pearlescent foiling, embossing and printing on foil”. They said, “It is quite rare to see a set of three product boxes delivered with no faults. The quality of the work stood out immediately.”

David Gick, from Logick Print, said, “The client’s brief was to deliver a luxurious packaging box, with clean uncomplicated embellishments, that was sustainable and locally produced. It was something different from the norm. This style of design highlighted layers of tactility to be luxurious, modern and minimalist.

“So Colour Plan was the board chosen in Pristine white colour shade, then the foils to complement that with a pearlescent solid bar and a new Foilco sheen foil, finishing it off with a sharp blind emboss of the Pure Mama logo.”

Logick has worked with a number of start-ups. He said. “It is always interesting to follow them on their journey. Pure Mama has been no different, we have followed their growth through the local market. They are now exporting to Australia with more export markets coming online shortly.

“One of their customers provided feedback that the packaging ‘blew them away’, so they knew the product was really good. The connection between the packaging and product has been correctly linked.”

Horton Media copped wins in the Newspapers Category and for Coldset Process with Rare and Unrivalled Beauty

A set of three Pure Mama Product Packaging boxes earned Logick Print the Paper and Board Packaging Category award

Techspan foil promotion earns award

Expertise in the use of foil finishing to enhance a striking photographic image saw the Techspan Peacock Wall Art claim the Print Industry Promotion Category.

Judges observed that a large number of coloured foil zones had been individually applied, as well as CMYK digital overprinting and embossing, all in perfect alignment. They said, “A number of highly-technical and demanding processes have been perfectly combined to produce an excellent visual result.

“The detail is spectacular and leaves an incredible first impression – a masterpiece demonstration of process.”

Techspan says it used a “careful selection and placement” process to ensure the foils would appropriately embellish the photography of Bernadette Fastnedge, while also serving to highlight the different foils themselves.

Moving past this artwork when hanging on a wall lets you see how the different foils diffract light from various angles, drawing the viewer in and wanting to discover what is really going on.

The project began in 2020 with Randolph Neueli composing the artwork for the foils. Contact Labels & Print Finishers started a multiple-pass process starting, first laying a silver foil on a blank sheet of stock. The job went to Centurion Print for laying down the HUV ink. Once printed, it returned to Contact for the complicated foiling work.

“Inline Graphics made a huge foil block along with several smaller ones to produce this intricate showpiece. The Neo Gloss 350gsm stock from B&F Papers also performed perfectly, which was an integral part of the finished result.”

Techspan has taken up the challenge to promote printing embellishments and has seen a flow on effect promoting the impact of print.

Picaflor wins with a hidden world

Outstanding digital inkjet printing helped Picaflor Fine Art Printing claim the Specialty Products Category for the composite fine art print called A Hidden World (Kākāpō).

Judges said, “This 10 colour fine art print has spectacularly blended lovely photography with a drawn background. The detailed definition, depth and clarity of the imagery produced on an ideal choice of paper stock has achieved a stunning result.”

Oliver Zavala-Ron, from Picaflor, said, “I was captivated by the imagery. At first glance I couldn’t work out whether it was a photo or original artwork. I kept glancing at it and finding things that drew my eyes.

“I later learned it was a composite of original photos taken by Dr Andrew Digby from the Kākāpō Recovery Programme (used with permission) and art by Judi Lapsley Miller. Sinbad and Hoki, the two Kākāpō in the print, are actual living birds.

“The limited edition run includes various sizes. I have completed three of this bigger size, 800mm x 800mm, printed onto archival cotton-based Breathing Colour Elegance Velvet 310gsm paper.

“We printed the job on an Epson P20070, which has 10 inks; this increased the colour gamut considerably, which allowed me to achieve colours not achievable in conventional commercial offset printing.

“The artist donates 10 per cent of the proceeds from the prints to support the conservation efforts of Kākāpō Recovery. These birds only exist on a couple of islands off Rakiura (Stewart Island) and are extremely endangered. We are also conscious about accessing, where possible, sustainable packaging that won’t harm the environment.”

Techspan won the Print Industry Promotion Category with Techspan Peacock Wall Art

The Specialty Products Category award went to Picaflor Fine Art Printing for A Hidden World (Kãkãpã)

Sustainability commitment: Fred Soar, SCG joint managing director and Penelope Savidan, managing director B&F Papers

Soar Communications Group (SCG) has a long-standing commitment to making print more environmentally friendly. It took home the Sustainability Award.

Bobbie Gray, from SCG, said “We know that to be truly sustainable into the future, the print industry needs to slip into a smaller carbon footprint. Our vision drives us, particularly after our centenary year. We are thinking forward across the next 100 years, acting urgently to create a low emissions future that is positive for our people, our business, our suppliers, our economy and our country.”

“One-third of our vehicles, eight out of a fleet of 24, have transitioned to electric, and we will add two more later this year. We also are looking to reduce the fleet by three vehicles and encourage use of two pool vehicles. We have installed rapid chargers for company cars, and encourage staff to use them as well, to help them transition to clean vehicles.

“Additionally, we have halved our heating, ventilation and air conditioning requirements through redesigning our production workspaces and this lead to a significant reduction in power supply requirements with a transformer 58 per cent smaller than our previous premises. This reduces the load requirements on the network. We are also investigating a solar installation to improve our resilience and lower our carbon consumption footprint even further.”

PRIDE IN PRINT AWARDS 2022 - CATEGORY WINNERS

Pride In Print Awards honours mastery of process

Industry celebrates

Onstage representing the Process Winners at Pride In Print, from left: Andrew Young, Gravure Packaging; Mandy Nilsson, Blue Star Constellation; Maree Roan, Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific Christchurch; Trevor Hannam, Horton Media; David Cruickshank, Ovato New Zealand; Nel Becroft, Newton Cutting (with Logick Print); Terry Brown, Blue Star Collard; Cyril Southan, Reaction Screenprint

Dual winners

Pride In Print celebrated two dual category/process winners this year.

Horton Media claimed the Coldset Process Award and the Newspapers Category for Rare and Unrivalled Beauty, which you can read about on page 24.

Amcor Flexibles Asia Pacific Christchurch took out the Flexographic Process Award and the Flexible Packaging Category for Freya’s Gluten Free Mixed Seed Soft Wraps. The story features on page 20.

Digital Process Winner

Blue Star Constellation representative Emma Selwood said the team strove to produce Koa Brochure at a standard that would live up to the mission statement of developer, Ockham Residential.

She said, “We were inspired by the client’s aim ‘to make beautiful buildings that people love to live in, homes that honour this dynamic Pacific city, stand the test of time, inspire others, and bring an awesome Auckland lifestyle to as many people and communities as we can’.

“Koa Brochure is a beautifully designed and printed stitched booklet, showcasing

stylish homes and architecture. Digitally printing the booklet on the HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press on a high quality, bright white and smooth stock made the images pop and provided a sleek and smooth finish.

“The cover was printed on 300gsm Arcoprint and the text on 150gsm Arcoprint. Embossing the cover enhanced the high-end quality finish and provided a tactile finish.

“The finishing was completed through a Horizon stitcher; text as four-page sections and the cover pre-creased and cover fed. The booklet was completed with a clean and square finish.”

Heatset Process Winner

Ovato New Zealand’s Craig Harrison described Whitcoulls Recommends as a “challenging catalogue”, given it required multiple line-ups across pages, was printed at high speed and encompassed artwork layout requiring precise registration.

He said, “The job was finished in line on the press which required all settings of the web, colour and again register to be exact so that when it reached the stitching and trimming process in the last stage,

the catalogue was all aligned and the print looked perfect.

“Whitcoulls was a larger-format product and was produced at 75,000 copies per hour on one of the fastest and largest presses in the country.

“We pride ourselves on the skill set of our printers to achieve these high standards, resulting in the awards we receive. We are very proud of our results.”

Offset Process Winner

Blue Star Collard representative Emma Selwood said in Moana Annual Report, Moana New Zealand sought a document that would reflect its core values of “diversity, innovation and unity” as well as a “unique cultural story”.

She said, “Moana New Zealand is a wholly Iwi-owned seafood provider – their main focus being to provide high-quality kaimoana to the New Zealand market in a sustainable way.

“The document was 128 pages plus covers on 300gsm satin with text on 150gsm and PUR bound to provide the quality and sustainability requirements specified by the client.”

Heatset Process Winner Whitcoulls Recommends from Ovato New Zealand

Digital Process Winner Koa Brochure for Blue Star Constellation

“The spot colour PMS 5455 was used extensively throughout to subtly reflect the business’s relationship to the sea. The CMYK images were all reproduced using Huber Pacifica mineral oil-free inks.

“The cover was laminated using an antiscuff matt, with a modern interpretation of traditional Māori design used extensively throughout the text and highlighted on the cover using a pearlescent white foil.

“All of the key elements of this job came together perfectly, reflecting the client’s identity and values.”

Gravure Process Winner

Gravure Packaging’s Grant Amelung described SPC Provital as “world-class”.

He said, “Our company is the only company in New Zealand and Australia that can manufacture this type of shrink sleeve label. The shrink sleeve is one important part of the overall packaging format, which allows those with weakened hand grip, and other conditions, to use the packaging.”

He believes the technicalities of the shrink sleeve and its interactions with the container are distinctive features for the healthcare market serviced by the client. He said, “Our product is designed specially to be exported to match the demands of high-demand technical customers. SPC is such a client, based in Australia.

“The shrink sleeve product is special due to the technicalities of the film itself, its ability to communicate in high-definition print to visually-impaired patients and its ability to work with the container reliably, on a very high-speed production line.

“These points are unique to this product and because no other manufacturer in Australasia can create such a complex product, we can be proud that such a unique and high-quality product is made in New Zealand by Gravure Packaging.”

Letterpress Process Winner

Pride In Print judges described Logick Print’s Special Edition 2022 Calendar as a masterful example of printing technique.

They said, “A clever design, delivered over three embossing passes and five different coloured foils laid down in perfect register, has produced an outstanding and eye-catching holographic result.

“They have got each pass to align exactly and then performed the embossing as close to perfect as you could want. There is a lot of foil in a small space, so a lot of pressure to transfer correctly, yet they’ve delivered everything in outstanding fashion.”

Letterpress Process Winner Special Edition 2022 Calendar from Logick Print

Gravure Process Winner SPC Provital from Gravure Packaging

PRIDE IN PRINT

Screenprint Process Winner

Reaction Screenprint’s Peter Grant said the production of Wanaka Island marked a triumph of skill and determination over numerous and significant challenges.

He said, “There were many emails, many couriers down to Wanaka with stock samples, colour pulls all mixed by hand sent for approval, matting down the inks to suit. I did hear the words ‘Trust us, we will get it right’ used at one stage.

“There were stock delays due to Covid, a trip to Auckland to pick up some stock. This stock had been purchased by our client, coming from all over New Zealand in different deliveries.

“Our screenprinter, Cyril Southan, one of the best in Australasia and beyond, was pulling what little hair he has left out about the stock being so porous he could see issues, particularly given the temperature fluctuation in the building from which we operate.

“Then bam! It all came together. It took a lot more time that we ever imagined, but what a result!”

Client Fran Shaw from White Light Studio praised Reaction Screenprint in helping fill a “gap” in the New Zealand art print world by expertly utilising screenprint to produce unique art prints.

She said, “We wanted these to be special, something that had been lovingly crafted for our buyers to hang on their wall and admire. But we also soon realised what a dying art form screenprint is.”

After many emails and phone calls “all across the country”, she said the connection was finally made with Reaction Screenprint. She recalled, “They were passionate, knowledgeable and very open minded about doing something a little out of their comfort zone. We soon created a close working relationship which allowed us to work through many of the hurdles that were unexpectedly thrown at us, the classic Christmas deadline and the lack of paper within the country due to Covid.

“All the ups and downs were totally worth it when we finally received our package. The outcome was bright and impactful, with the beautiful tactile feel of the ink on the textured paper.

“We are so happy that we went down the screenprinting route, the process might be a lot more involved than shooting off some digital prints, but in our eyes totally worth it. We hope that our customers will feel the same.”

Screenprint Process Winner Wanaka Island from Reaction Screenprint

Offset Process Winner Moana Annual Report from Blue Star Collard

Training Award winners show industry has a strong future

Strong work cultures are proving fertile grounds for successful training.

PrintNZ announced the Trainer of the Year, Training Company of the Year and the Apprentice of the Year at the Pride In Print Awards.

Blue Star operations manager Mandy Nilsson took out the PrintNZ Trainer of the Year 2022; PSI Brand is the PrintNZ Training Company the Year 2022; and Kosema Fuiono is the BJ Ball Papers Apprentice of the Year.

Nilsson admitted to feeling surprised with the announcement. She said, “There is so much experience within the industry so I felt very grateful for the nomination.

“I have worked in the industry for nearly 30 years and I haven’t been a finalist or won an award before. Blue Star gave me an opportunity to work with apprentices and manage the apprenticeship programme at the Blue

Star Constellation site which has allowed me to be put forward for the Trainer of the Year achievement.”

She aims to bring an open approach to learning and to be able to provide a learning platform from her experience. She said, “I enjoy seeing how the apprentices grow throughout their programme and that they are just as proud of their achievements as I am of them.”

Nana Southall, one of five finalists for the BJ Ball Papers Apprentice of the Year, impressed Nilsson, who added, “I would like to thank Nana for being such a wonderful trainee. It really has been a pleasure to work with a person that has such a desire to succeed.”

She also acknowledged how Blue Star Collard has provided a strong culture

for training and providing opportunities for employees. She says, “There is nothing better than seeing a person grow and advance in their career whilst providing support, offering guidance and experience. Blue Star Constellation is supportive with all of their employees and it shows with how great our employee retention is.

“Blue Star has been a wonderful support throughout my career and I thank them for giving me this opportunity.”

Encouraging apprenticeships

PSI Brand general manager Jim Crawshaw felt “surprised and humbled” at his company winning the Training Company of the Year.

He said, “We have been encouraging apprenticeships for over five years now

Impossible becomes possible: Kosema Fuiono, BJ Ball Papers Apprentice of the Year

Mandy Nilsson, PrintNZ Trainer of the Year 2022 Mandy Nilsson

as part of our ongoing team and company development. We believe you never stop learning and if you think you’ve made it, you are probably going backwards. World-class teams never stop training.

“Henry Ford said, ‘The only thing worse than training your employees and having them leave is not training them and having them stay’. We believe staff members are your number one asset, so it makes sense to invest in them.

“Another memorable quote is from Richard Branson, who said: ‘If you look after your staff, they’ll look after your customers. It’s that simple.’ Cool quotes, but do we live by them?”

Son of a Gunn

During the Pride In Print Awards, ACI Screen & Print was named runner-up in the 2022 Training Company of the Year and Phil Norvill, from ACI Screen & Print, was named runner-up in the 2022 Trainer of the Year.

After consulting with organisers, Pride In Print Awards co-emcee Jason Gunn went from the stage to the audience to award Phil Norvill his own award for his efforts: a bottle of Champagne. Coming from Jason Gunn, it was a priceless moment that really captured the spirit of the evening.

Top apprentice

Blue Star Collard (Auckland) printer Kosema Fuiono became the BJ Ball Papers Apprentice of the Year at the Pride In Print Awards.

As the Heidelberg Offset Apprentice of the Year, he vied with four other worthy finalists to claim the title at the Pride

In Print Awards gala dinner that took place at Te Pae in Christchurch. On the night, he charmed the Pride In Print Awards audience with a humble, generous and humorous speech, in which he described the “impossible becoming the possible”.

After paying glowing tribute to his fellow finalists and their employers, he warmly thanked his own employers and fellow team members. He said, “I believe I am receiving this award on behalf of the very positive and supportive team of Blue Star Collard and the whole of Blue Star in Auckland and New Zealand.

“Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to extend my learning. I feel blessed to be working with people that have been doing this job their whole life, some 40-plus years, and I am there every day, asking questions.

“Thank you, I am very blessed.”

Sharing the credit

Interviewed off stage, he said, “It is a very big achievement for me, from where I have started and how far I have come. I am really proud and happy and it is a story I want to tell my kids, that if you want something then you are going to have to work hard for it.

“I don’t like to take any ‘all me’ credit, I like to pay thanks to those who have helped me to train. Without them giving me the knowledge, I wouldn’t be here today.”

He felt blown away by the faith shown in him, including being entrusted to operate a multi-million-dollar press only months into his apprenticeship. He said, “I guess they just liked the attitude that I brought,

that I never shy away from a challenge that they give me. I just give it a try.”

While currently operating both a Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 74 and Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105, he happily helps out the staff in other departments with the likes of die-cutting and foiling when needed. He added, “I quite like it because it gives me different things to do and a different challenge every day.”

Having studied to 3am on the morning of being named Apprentice of the Year on the first assignment of an external management course, he said, “I would like to continue working where I am and to keep on learning. If there is any chance of moving into management here, I would really like to take it.”

Generosity of spirit

His trainer, Blue Star Collard operations manager Allen Masterson, paid tribute to the other finalists and said Fuiono “totally deserved” the honour. Masterson said, “He proved himself by starting as a print assistant with us with one of the toughest guys to work with and, even without any training, Sema impressed that guy so much.

“He has the ability to pick up quite technical processes quickly and has actually been the lead printer on a five-colour press for at least half of his apprenticeship.”

He also remarked on Fuiono’s generosity of spirit. He said, “Sema mucks in for the team and is extremely diligent. We describe him as a superstar. We’ve had apprentices that don’t see it as a vocation but Sema, right from the beginning, said

From left: Linden Horverd, PrintNZ membership co-ordinator; Niue Vaimoli, PSI Brand apprentice; Jim Crawshaw general manager PSI Brand

TRAINING

‘I want a job where I have a future, where I can do something for my family’. He has pretty much grabbed it with two hands and run with it.

“From my perspective, being called a ‘trainer’, I’m almost embarrassed because he’s the sponge that sucks up everything.”

Masterson emphasised the need for the print industry to continue committing to such apprentices. He added “Sema and people like the other finalists are the future of the industry. And as I said to Sema, ‘Where you go from here is really

up to you’. For our company, it is really great to have someone you can invest that time and effort into.”

Integrity shines through

Ruth Cobb, chief executive at PrintNZ, said even though all five finalists could have taken out the title “with integrity”, Fuiono nonetheless was the standout.

She said, “He is a really hard worker, is committed to the business, has a really sound understanding of the print trade overall from having worked in other

departments, and he has clear plans as to where he wants to go.

“He always had his books ready for Competenz/Te Pūkenga training advisor Grant Alsop; he always wanted more. An impressive thing he said was: ‘On a bad day at work, I learn the most’. So, when things don’t go right, he figures it all out.”

She noted that he had excelled despite the significant challenges of emigrating to New Zealand as a 12-year-old unable to speak English and then becoming the family’s main breadwinner and helping raise his siblings at 15 when his father was taken ill.

Apprentices show true grit

Ruth Cobb commented on how the industry’s apprentices have all completed the hardest two years of their apprenticeship amidst the disruption of Covid-19. She said, “It is a testament to them that their talent has shone through. They have fully illustrated their individual skills and personalities, while navigating a variety of obstacles thrown up by the pandemic.

“That is huge credit to them individually, as well as to their employers and managers for providing much-needed support throughout – particularly when business pressures will have already been heightened, given current circumstances.”

Despite undertaking the two toughest years of their apprenticeships under the umbrella of Covid-19, many apprentices stayed ahead of the game and completed their assignments early. Competenz training advisors – Malcolm Pearce, Steven Jack and Grant Alsop – remarked on the apprentices’ dedication and commitment to quality.

The other four finalists for the BJ Ball Papers Apprentice of the Year were:

• PrintNZ Screen Print Apprentice of the Year – Liam Blom, ACI Screen & Print (Auckland)

• BJ Ball Packaging Apprentice of the Year – Frey Head, Oji Fibre Solutions Paper Bag (Auckland)

• Trust4Skills Reelfed Apprentice of the Year – John Reddy, Philstic Labels (Auckland)

• GAPF Digital Apprentice of the Year –Nana Southall, Blue Star Constellation (Auckland)

Finally, the industry thanks the ongoing support of principal sponsor, BJ Ball Papers, which has provided steadfast support for the Apprentice of the Year Awards over many years. Alongside Heidelberg and Trust4Skills, they enable us to celebrate the amazing talent in the industry.

Broadcasting legend Jason Gunn awards a bottle of champagne to Phil Norvill, from ACI

The five top apprentices line up with their managers for the announcement

Currie Group sells four EFI Pro 30h units in Australia and New Zealand

Kiwis and Aussies are keen to take advantage of the latest EFI solutions

Currie Group Sign & Display business unit manager Paul Whitehead has confirmed four sales of EFI Pro 30h printers in Australia and New Zealand.

This brings the number of EFI units sold by Currie Group in the first 12 months of the distribution deal into double figures.

He says, “We had four EFI Pro 30h units come into the country that were among the first units built in the world; three for customer orders who bought them sight unseen and only through virtual demonstrations.

“One of the initial three units was sold in New Zealand and another commercial unit was sold to Greenridge Press in

Toowoomba. The fourth unit was sold on the floor at PacPrint to Allclear Print + Signs in Brisbane so we are hoping to use this as a base to build and we are excited about bringing this technology to the market.”

Allclear Print + Signs is a sign and display business based in Brisbane and part of a larger print group – but were unable to be at PacPrint to shake on the deal with Whitehead and the Currie Group team.

Michael Mostyn, Currie Group Queensland key account manager, says, “Allclear Print + Signs is a longestablished Currie Group customer – they have an HP Indigo 12000 HD, a fleet of Series 3 HP Indigo presses, a Shinohara offset press and a fleet of Horizon finishing equipment as well.

“They were reviewing their sign and display portfolio for a while and with the recent launch of the EFI Pro 30h. They saw this as a good opportunity.

“Allclear had a multitude of competitor devices and they have consolidated their roll to roll and rigid workflow into one system, their first EFI, as the hybrid can come in and do both of those workflows.

This sale is on the back of a long-standing relationship with Currie Group as well as the service and support that we are able to deliver.”

Whitehead is looking forward to selling more EFI Pro 30h units as there are “plenty of units in stock and there is a three to four month lead time” for the local market.

Paul Whitehead, Currie Group Sign & Display business unit manager, with the EFI Pro 30h

© 2021 ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | WWW.EFI.COM

Aarque and Expandasign show the value of teamwork

Brand solutions expert installs HP Latex R2000 printer and Zünd G3 cutting table

From its Rotorua base, Expandasign has become a global leader in portable branding solutions.

Jayden Dickinson has owned the business since 2008. He says, “We complete a variety of work, all types of signage. We target events signage and we push the textile side with the likes of building wraps. We tend to focus more on exterior events signage. We also complete a lot of prototyping.”

With a background in graphic design, Jayden purchased the company when it was Photo Arts New Zealand. He says, “I was production manager and graphic designer and changed the name to Expandasign to better reflect the work we were doing and the direction we were heading.”

Ideal platform

Expandasign has a long-standing relationship with Aarque. Recently, Aarque supplied an HP Latex R2000 Printer and a Zünd G3 cutting table, the first in the country with a 3.6kW router.

Jayden says, “The HP Latex R2000 replaces two flatbeds and gives us the mix of flexibility and versatility that we wanted. We use it constantly to test new products from our factory in South Africa. The HP R2000 is the ideal platform to do this on.

“We have reached the point where we are happy with all the profiling we have done. We haven’t totally pushed it out yet, because we want to get it right when we need it. At the moment, we are

in the process of obtaining some fast turnaround indoor material that we can print on it.

“The HP Latex R2000 performs so well. We are really pleased with it and our factory guys are confident with it. The white ink is great, giving us the flexibility to complete work we could not do before. It gives us the capability to print on a wide range of media without any cracking.

“Recently, we moved to a much smaller building and it has been easy to accommodate the HP Latex R2000 because of its good footprint. With the HP Latex R2000, the speed and quality is all there. We knew before we went looking that we were not likely to find another machine that would suit us like it does. For instance, we do a lot of

Attitude matters at Expandasign and its ability to adapt has kept it on track

exhibit walls, so the 2.5m width really works for us. It has slotted easily into our workflow.

“We are running the highest quality on the HP Latex R2000 and people are really impressed. We don’t sacrifice quality for speed. I will put on a nightshift before I would run the machine too fast. You match the machine for the job.

“We also do a lot of work on the environmental side. I also have a background in screen printing and offset printing so I understand our industry’s history with solvents. But as soon as it was possible, I got away from the solvents.

“Green wise, the HP Latex R2000 ticks all the boxes. People aspire to be carbon neutral and having the Latex process means we can offer them that option.

“As a whole, our company is excited about what we can do to make the environment better. But being green is not easy. We recycle as much as we can. Where we can’t recycle a product we have a programme where we reuse it in various ways. Our landfill is minimal to what it was a decade ago.

“We are actually subsidising some of our products to get people enthusiastic about them. We have numerous products that won’t end up going into landfill. With the upcoming local elections, there are opportunities for candidates to use our solutions and help the environment. We have also found that councils in BOP are pro-environment.”

Expandasign has found the Zünd G3 cutting table “pairs nicely with the HP R2000”. They say, “This is our second Zünd. We could not live without it. Virtually every job we do is touched by that machine.

“It gives us a number of advantages. For example, the automatic tooling enables quick changes and faster production. It cuts the material we get from the HP Latex R2000 into quite a nice finished product.

“We went for the 3.6 kW router. With our first Zünd, we did a lot of ACM cutting which is hard work, so this time we have upgraded to the 3.6 kW router. It handles the large runs really well, which is good because the work has not slowed down. We can even do light milling with soft alloys and brasses. I definitely recommend the 3.6 kW router; I don’t know why you wouldn’t have it.”

Teamwork matters

Expandasign values its long-term relationship with Aarque. Jayden says, “We have had a number of machines and we know we can expect a high standard with Aarque. I have known Leo and Jason Bult since the mid-nineties and I consider them part of our team.

“We never considered anyone else when it came time to update our equipment. Our relationship is a good one. Aarque has been so good to us. Steve Wilton-Jones is there for whatever we need. He is our go to guy.

“We take a similar attitude with our own clients. It is all about relationships. There are plenty of companies that can match us in price, but we look after our customers and they become part of our team.”

The company has offices and representatives here in New Zealand as well as South Africa, USA, Brazil, Canada, England, Ireland, Spain, Germany, France, the Middle East and Australia. It also exports some of its work.

He says, “The export side does get busy. We do work in the islands and some of our

large event orders come from there. Once a month, we discuss the work we do and our offshore relationships. But we aren’t a giant. At Expandasign, we are often perceived to be a different company than we are. We aren’t massive but we do work well together.

“What we do changes all the time. I really enjoy problem solving. Someone comes up with an issue and I like to wow them with innovation. I also enjoy seeing the massive advances in technology. Speeds continue to increase as does quality.”

Attitude matters at Expandasign and its ability to adapt to industry changes and challenges like the pandemic has kept it on track. Jayden says, “It is important to keep things positive. The print industry has gone though some hard times but there is still plenty going on and plenty of opportunities.

“When I took over the company we did everything for everybody. I learned that we need to take care that we don’t get overwhelmed. So when Covid started, I had similar concerns but we have managed well. The changes we made early on have worked. An example of how we adapted was making face masks before there was requirement for them; we were supplying them to Australia early on. We weren’t the only ones that did that but it was a no-brainer for us.

“Covid has affected us with the events work and it has been hard for our clients in the event industry, but there is light at the end of the tunnel they find themselves in. Shows and outdoor sporting events will increase. We have partnered with event organisers as sponsors. They know we have been here a long time and we won’t leave them.”

The HP Latex R2000 printer

Epson inkjet wins sustainability award

Epson has won this year’s DataMaster Lab Green Award for its Heat-free PrecisionCore inkjet printers and multifunction printers.

The award recognises Epson’s sustainability measures employed as part of its development, production and distribution for its printers.

DataMaster, an independent

Tenchev wins world wrap masters crown

Bulgaria’s Ivan Tenchev won the World Wrap Masters Champion 2022 at Fespa Global Print Expo 2022.

He received his second international vehicle wrapping competition title after an energetic two-day final, competing against 12 other wrap professionals, with runner-up places going to Vít Šimek from Czech Republic and Maria Terp Holt from Denmark.

During the final, regional winners faced the challenge of wrapping VW Golf cars and LED figures of the wellknown Berliner “Ampelmännchen”, the small green and red man found on numerous pedestrian traffic lights in Berlin.

HP, 3M, Wrapstock, Plastgrommet, Car Wrapper 3D, and Oxy Tools sponsored the competition. Tenchev says, “There are no words to describe what an honour it is for us to again defend the Bulgarian flag at the World Wrap Masters in Berlin and to win it for the second time. It is amazing that I fulfilled my dream twice, not just once. I would like to congratulate everyone who was

laboratory and expert in professional document imaging solutions, says energy use is a primary environmental impact factor. It recognised the reduction in energy use Epson has achieved using Heat-free PrecisionCore inkjets. Compared to laser printers, this averages up to 83 per cent less power consumed.

The award covers more than just electrical consumption. Edward Bilson, technical director of DataMaster Lab, says, “We take into account accreditations for manufacturing facilities. Also, we look at levels of noxious emissions, and the nature and lifetime of a machine’s consumables.

“Consider the carbon footprint of a consumable item’s manufacture,

transportation, distribution and its final resting place in a landfill site. All consumables need designing with the environment in mind. In addition, they should have the longest lifetime possible. The winner of this year’s DataMaster Lab’s Green Award have the least impact on our precious environment.”

Since 2018, Epson has invested considerably in the development of its PrecisionCore printhead. Last year, the company committed to investing ¥100bn ($1.2bn) into further developing sustainable technologies, decarbonisation and resource recycling. It has also committed to becoming underground resource free by 2050.

A new solution from swissQprint enables UV flatbed printing on glass.

The solution comprises the glass option and an adhesion-optimised ink set, which includes process and light colours,

in the final with me, all the amazing competitors really deserve to be here.”

During the Berlin event, Fespa announced the launch of Wrap Fest, a brand-new event dedicated exclusively to vehicle wrapping, vinyl installation and detailing. The launch event will

as well as white and effect varnish. It does not require a bonding agent, which eliminates one process step. The varnish is used for finishing, for example, to produce partial frosted glass or gloss effects.

The company says a pivoting alignment edge with five steplessly adjustable horizontal stops ensures precise positioning of glass panels on the print bed. The latter is covered by a special protective air-permeable paper. A vacuum holds down the media while the paper retains ink printed in the bleed margin. The print bed stays clean, and

run for the first time from in April 2023 at Silverstone racing circuit, the home of the British Grand Prix. Fespa says the World Wrap Masters Series is the only global series of competitions and workshops for the wrap installation community.

with the roll-to-roll option, the operator advances the paper at the touch of a button resulting in shorter set-up times between jobs.

Applications for individually printed glass elements include kitchen splashbacks, shower and room partitions, glass doors, lift cabin panelling, and wall art.

With the new solution, swissQprint says that signage and print companies can pick up on the trend for printed glass to grow new revenue streams. Existing customers can have the glass option and inks retrofitted to their swissQprint LED printers.

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Sign Foundry expands with sustainable technology

We want to coordinate more effectively nationwide, utilising our knowledge and expertise across all three branches. Buying the HP 800W will help us do that. We can have a stronger focus on colour consistency and efficiency as we make streamlining a real focus.”

Attracting staff

Duncan says having a successful team approach is ultimately about communication. He explains, “Getting everyone on the same page and working towards the same goal requires some consistent reinforcement. Receiving feedback and consistency in providing updates on what the business is doing help keeps the team on track.

Since its inception in July of 2012 in Wellington, Sign Foundry has expanded its business, staff, and outlook.

Duncan Rourke, managing director at Sign Foundry, says, “We grew quite quickly, increasing staff numbers back to back and experienced some big opportunities that we jumped on.

“We have a solid focus on the end product for our clients and making the process easy. It is exciting to be able to do that in a creative environment. No two jobs are the same, so there is always something to look forward to.”

The company now has sites in Wellington, Christchurch and Auckland, a far cry from its origins. He continues, “We started in a small lock up in a rough part of town. When we had vehicles to work on, we would do them one side at a time, driving them in and out to reverse them for each side.

“We feel fortunate to operate out of purpose-designed facilities that are made for our craft. Exceptional results for our clients are just the baseline.

“We still work with clients we had when we started. We have grown the business through customer referrals and doing what we say. Our work speaks for itself. We do all kinds of signage, from design to manufacture and installation.

“It is great fun transforming an environment with signage. Clients can

trust that when they pick up the phone, we can give them options and feedback to fit within their budgets and time frames.”

Sustainable options

Recently, Sign Foundry placed an order for an HP 800W Latex printer, supplied through Computaleta. He says, “We want to be the smoothest run sign solution provider, and we are always looking for ways to improve. We currently have a few older Latex machines, which have given us great results, but we want to have the latest technology.

“Mark Cleland, our operations manager, has been in the industry for longer than he would like to say and has worked across the floor. He meticulously went through the details of the machine. The HP 800W has numerous benefits, such as its print quality and productivity, and HP is continually refining the technology, so we are looking forward to the installation.

“Also, from a sustainability angle, it definitely is an advantage using the Latex process. We work with several clients and government agencies who are really into sustainable options, which are more affordable now. In New Zealand and globally, we need to see a greater emphasis on sustainability and recycling options. There are significant initiatives now, and businesses like ours need to play their part.”

The HP 800W is more than an update. He says, “This is the start towards further uniform results across the country.

“Attracting new people into the industry is a challenge. Getting the right staff with the right attitude. We have a two-pronged approach. First, understand if they will be a good fit and show the right attitude. The saying you can teach the skill but can’t teach attitude is crucial. We want to work with people who are passionate about making a difference in the creative space. The second is to provide the resources and leaders to train them. Our team has a growth mindset where we always want to learn and better our craft.”

As a long-term Computaleta customer, he values the relationship. He adds, “We have worked with Computaleta since Day One. We chose Computaleta because it is a family business that invests in its technicians, service and support. Their customer service is excellent.”

Creative signage company standardises work with HP Latex.

Sign Foundry’s Wellington site

Duncan Rourke, managing director at Sign Foundry

Epson advances flatbed and resin technology

Latest wide format printers are filled with innovations

Accurate media tracking and temperature control ensures colour, image sizing and positioning are precise and consistent, from edge to edge, top to bottom, and print to print.

Epson says the R Series was designed to deliver the benefits of latex while addressing the traditional challenges in terms of accuracy, repeatability, flexibility and running cost. The 162cm SureColor R5000 and SureColor R5000L deliver the level of image quality and control that customers have come to expect from Epson. The company has reduced curing temperatures over traditional latex to enable enhanced media support.

Epson continues to innovate as shown through its flatbed and resin printers, which are chockfull of the company’s latest technological advancements designed improve quality and productivity.

Versatile flatbed

The company’s first-ever flatbed printer, the SureColor V7000, delivers flexible production with outstanding image quality and a reduced running cost.

Offering a 1.25m x 2.5m print area that supports media up to 80mm thick, the SureColor V7000 features a vacuum system with four independently adjustable zones for flexible operation. Integrated layout pins and a height sensor on the head carriage enable easy media setting while an ioniser ensures reliable and consistent output. The print heads are mounted in a staggered array that enables up to three layers to be applied in a single pass (White + Colour + Varnish) for fast and efficient production.

A robust and versatile printer, it incorporates eight Epson MicroPiezo printheads. Each head features 1,440 microfine nozzles with variable size dots as small as 4 pl. Working in conjunction with a new 10 colour Ultrachrome UV ink set, it will produce images with a very wide gamut and surprisingly fine gradation, sufficient to satisfy the most demanding customers. White and Varnish can even be applied as spot colours for enhanced detail and finish.

It prints on a range of substrates including paper, film, Coreflute, vinyl, canvas, aluminium and acrylic. Applications include signage, POS/POP, premium packaging, décor, custom cabinetry and fine art.

Additional Key features of the SureColor V7000:

• Outstanding colour accuracy, gamut and gradation

• Prints at up to 43 square metres per hour and offers production speeds of 10~23 square metres per hour

• Epson Precision Dot Technology enables quality to suit the most demanding applications including fine art

• Comprehensive on-site CoverPlus up to five years complete with periodic maintenance

• Ships with Epson Edge Print software and Epson Cloud Solution Port service

R5000 for resin printing

The Epson SureColor R5000 Series printers use water-based and odourless six colour UltraChrome resin inks. Epson says the resin ink enables durable imagery and suits indoor and outdoor applications in a variety of environments including schools, hospitals, hotels, shops and homes.

For exceptional print performance and colour control the R5000 printers use Epson’s latest 2.6” PrecisionCore Micro TFP printhead Precision Dot Technology.

The printers feature durable print heads that don’t require constant expensive replacement and are covered under warranty/CoverPlus. Uptime and production flexibility have been maximised through implementation of Epson’s new Cloud Solution PORT service with optional user-self replacement on selected components.

Additional key features of the Epson SureColor R5000 Series:

• High performance PrecisionCore Print Head

• Epson UltraChrome RS ink cures at a lower temperature for enhanced media compatibility

• Dual Waste and Continuous Ink Supply System (the R5000L has a dual supply with auto-switching)

• Epson Precision Dot and Variable Sized Dot Technology for accurate colour with a wider gamut and reduced grain in resolutions up to 1200dpi x 2400dpi

• Intelligent feed management with Advanced Auto Tension Control and precise temperature control for print accuracy and consistency

• Flexible operation with a large touch panel control, see-through platen cover and platen lighting

• Easy loading and fast setting with downloadable integrated media + print profiles

• Cost-effective bag-based ink and comprehensive ‘heads-and-all’

warranty

• Minimal user maintenance with advanced self-cleaning

• Greenguard Gold, AgBB and French-VOC certification

Resin printing: The Epson SureColor R5000 Series

First ever Epson flatbed: The Epson SureColor V7000

Break through the latex barrier

HIGH-PERFORMANCE RESIN SIGNAGE PRINTERS

The new Epson R-series offers all the benefi ts of latex – rapid job turnaround, durable prints, media fl exibility, less odour – but with better colour and the superior accuracy of PrecisionCore head technology.

• Wider colour gamut

• High quality prints with more consistent output

• Advanced self-cleaning and self-maintenance

• No regular head replacement

• All backed with comprehensive service extendable up to 5 years

Learn more visit: www.epson.co.nz/resin

Sign On expands signage possibilities

Taupo-based sign shop sees a bright future for signage

Former NZSDA president Bevan Weal got his start in sign making in January 1996.

He says, “I started part time with an old Gerber 4B Cutter with about five fonts, initially learning all the skills, airbrushing and so on, to add dimension and colours.”

He was in engineering at the time, working for large corporates but he found that culture not a good fit. He says, “I have always looked for opportunities and I went full time about six months after buying the Gerber.

“To begin with, our business Sign On was just me and my wife Suzanne. Then a couple more joined us at our workshop in the garage at home.”

Sign On has expanded even further and now, with a team of 18, it provides the full range of signage work. Bevan says, “The company has grown so much in scope. We looked at changing our name when we rebranded as signs are only a small portion of what we design and build. We now do a lot of architectural work both interior and exterior, streetscape, larger pylon signs and exterior claddings. The engineering and fabrication side has grown immensely.

“Last year, we built a bridge. That was interesting. I love being part of the design process and then seeing it right through to installation. Our front pylon sign was also a great recent project. The icon was invariably difficult to recreate and build but I think the finished result was pretty cool.”

Future possibilities

Bevan has witnessed numerous changes in the industry; some good and some not helpful at all. He says, “With the changes in technology, I have really enjoyed learning new programmes, machines and techniques. On the other hand, the added bureaucracy now is a killer. Thank goodness Suzanne took over the chief executive role and manages all of this and more.”

He is excited with the many possibilities for the industry’s future. “He says, “It is hard trying to predict exactly what will happen but I can see that 3D printing has the potential to be huge and to completely change the way we think and design. Of course, it has to become more competitive first.

“It is possible that the advertising space may become more virtual and less physical but hopefully, I will be sailing a boat somewhere if and when that happens.”

Meanwhile, Sign On will continue to invest in research and development. He says, “This has always been our competitive edge and it keeps me excited in what I do. We are always searching for ways to add value to our customers’ products.

“We are also implementing a training programme so there is a continual, revolving sharing of knowledge. It is really important as a team that we are always learning and growing. We all spend a huge part of our lives here so it has to be an exciting place to be.”

“Every day is different at Sign On. I really enjoy working with creative people to produce work that looks great. What we do is very visual which is cool.

Sign On has expanded with a continuous investment in research and development

Providing the full range of signage jobs, Sign On shows the possibilities in its own branding

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Eamar is a leading producer of customised PVC and polypropylene packaging and stationery products.

We have more than 30 years experience tailoring our products to the specific needs of our customers. Our skilled staff and 'can do' attitude mean you are limited only by your imagination.

If we do not already manufacture the product you seek, we will find a way to do so. With our sister company, Tabbing Services, we provide a complete solution for all your packaging and stationery requirements.

So come and see us first!

11b Culperry Rd, Glendene, Auckland 0602 Ph: 09 836 9069 www.eamar.co.nz

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