ProPrint April 2020

People Technology Business

www.sprinter.com.au April 2020 $8.00

Textile Printing

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HP Indigo’s new age

Discover what’s new in this booming and vibrant sector

Digital print was crucial to the revival of a TV favourite

HP Indigo unveils next level digital print technology

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EDITOR’S LETTER SHEREE YOUNG

2020 an unprecedented time for all of us Welcome to the April issue of ProPrint and I sincerely hope that you, our dear readers and your families, staff and friends, are coping with the brutal onslaught of the coronavirus pandemic as best you all can.

Our leaders have talked about these being unprecedented times and that we, as Australians, must be on a ‘war footing’ to best defend ourselves against this silent terrorist. The threat targets two equally crucial aspects that together determine the quality of our lives – our health and our economy.

On the economic front, the fallout of this virus is so big it is hard to comprehend and it can only be described as heartening that the federal government has now announced a $130b JobKeeper package which will mean employees will be paid a flat $1500 a fortnight through the employer for the next six months.

Yes, this will cost the country into the future but to safeguard against another depression it must be worth it?

Businesses of all sizes have taken a massive hit and the printing industry is by no means immune. It has seen work coming through the door literally stop overnight and many businesses have had to make the tough decision to cut back staff numbers or have their teams moved to reduced hours.

But then at the same time many printers are relatively busy, particularly the ones that specialise in labels and the provision of outdoor signage that can easily promote social distancing rules and handwashing reminders.

The health impact is also huge as the highly contagious virus infects more and more Australians each day.

There are also concerns about social dysfunction as we are all shuttered away inside our homes for potentially months on end.

But through all this it is heartening to see some green shoots of hope.

4 ProPrint April 2020

Editor Sheree Young (02) 8586 6131 SYoung@intermedia.com.au National Sales Manager Carmen Ciappara 0410 582 450 carmen@proprint.com.au Design and Production Manager Carrie Tong carrie@i-grafix.com Managing Director James Wells james@intermedia.com.au

Technology writer Peter Kohn explores print's role in the re-creation of the set of one of his favourite US sitcoms in this issue (credit: HGTV)

Many gin distilleries have been busy producing anti-bacterial sanitiser.

Sydney printer, Carbon8, has developed a face mask that it can produce on site.

Packaging companies are making face masks. AFI Branding in Adelaide launched a new product range designed for virtual tradeshow booths after the virus cleared just about all major tradeshows from the calendar until October 2020, at the very earliest.

These initiatives show a flexibility in Australia to work with the current circumstance to help the end result.

We also hope it shows why bringing manufacturing back onshore is crucial for Australia going forward.

State and federal government leaders have been keeping the public updated almost daily with the latest interventions to revive the economy and ensure it is strong in a postpandemic world.

We hope you enjoy this edition of ProPrint and that it gives you the chance to read about more than coronavirus. We have focused on Textile Printing in this issue.

Technology writer Peter Kohn has put together a great piece on all the technology that is now on offer in this dynamic sector.

Peter has also tapped into his longheld love of The Brady Bunch to examine how a Californian print business was integral in bringing the 1960s sitcom house to life again.

We hope you enjoy the read.

Go well and stay safe all.

Subscriptions (02) 9660 2113 subscriptions@intermedia.com.au Subscription rate (6 issues) Australia $69.95

Printed by Hero Print Alexandria, NSW, 2015 Mailed by D&D Mailing Services Wetherill Park, NSW, 2164

ProPrint is published bi-monthly by Printer Media Group, registered in Australia ABN 47 628 473 334. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, it is a condition of distribution that the publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omission in the publication.

www.sprinter.com.au

Introducing Fujifilm’s most affordable flatbed The Vybrant UF10 is a true flatbed printer offering high-quality printing on a range of rigid and flexible media, supported by four dedicated vacuum zones.

With performance that is suitable for print volumes up to 7,500m² per year, the Vybrant is ideal for businesses looking to grow their wideformat capability.

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CONTENTS

36

30 44

26

66

8

Contents April 8-16 Update

PRINT DIARY

Keep updated on major printing news including the latest on fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic

23 What is ahead in print

18-19 Debrief

2020 has been a year of change, don't miss the diary to stay informed

Recap of all the major developments published on sprinter.com.au

HP INDIGO

20 Comment: Northwood

HP has released a wide variety of new printing technology. Check out this guide to stay up to date

The Real Media Collective CEO Kellie Northwood shares some useful pointers on staying strong during the COVID-19 pandemic

26-29 HP unveils new tech

COVER STORY

22 Comment: Romano

30-31 Visual Connections

Industry legend Frank Romano does a print by numbers on the US industry

Suppliers association backs advanced manufacturing

24 Comment: Gettler Leon Gettler issues some useful advice on how to keep your customers happy 6 ProPrint April 2020

FOCUS 36-42 Textile Printing Fast fashion and demand for personalisation are taking textile printing in new directions

44-45 A very Brady adventure Technology writer Peter Kohn finds out how a Californian print operation worked with the original Brady Bunch cast to recreate the famous 1960s house

SPOTLIGHT 46 Surviving COVID-19 Kissel + Wolf reflects on the 2008 global financial crisis to find the best way forward post-pandemic

POSTSCRIPT 66 Q&A Mel Ireland, national president of the Lithographic Institute of Australia, reflects on her career and shares how she almost became a veterinarian until the printing game caught her eye

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UPDATE

Federal, state and territory governments working hard to save the economy

by Sheree Young

With the COVID-19 pandemic wreaking havoc on all facets of life, the federal Parliament and state and territory governments have passed a raft of measures to help prop up the economy by keeping businesses going and staff employed until it passes.

At the time of writing some $320b, or 16.4 per cent of GDP, had been spent by the federal government to keep workers in a job, help students and give businesses vital life support to survive the pandemic and build a bridge to recovery. Interest rates are also rock bottom after intervention from the Reserve Bank.

The interventions include a $1500 per fortnight wage subsidy for every worker in Australia that is linked to a business that has suffered an at least 30 per cent drop in business from the virus.

Eligible businesses need to apply for this support through the ATO. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) have been heavily targeted with the government to guarantee business loans to $250,000 and pay up to $100,000 in tax credits to help with wages.

There is also a provision for those who need it to access up to $10,000 of their superannuation funds if needed.

Increases to the asset write off scheme to $150,000 for businesses with up to $500m in revenue were also announced as well as measures to pay half of the wages for apprentices.

Print and Visual Communication chief executive officer Andrew Macaulay welcomed the wage subsidy and said it was what the industry

was crying out for.

“This is fantastic because it will give some certainty to both the employer and the employee about ongoing income stability and help businesses move forward. The application process appears to be relatively straightforward also,” Macaulay told ProPrint.

Macaulay also supported the loan guarantee scheme and urged printers to contact their banks.

“The benefit that we are getting most calls about is the government backing unsecured bank loans for SMEs up to $250,000 with a delayed repayment making this essentially bridging finance.

“This is very important immediately and is of real value.”

Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the stimulus was about helping businesses stay open and employing staff during this crisis.

“We know this will be temporary and that’s why all our actions are geared towards building a bridge, keeping more people in work, enhancing the safety net for those that aren’t and keeping businesses alive so they can get to the other side and stand up their workforce as quickly as possible,” Morrison said.

“We know Australia’s more than three million small and medium businesses are the engine room of our economy.

“When they hurt, we all hurt.

“The next few months are going to be a difficult journey but we all have a role to play to adapt to the changes we’re facing.”

Apprentice subsidy may struggle for take up in printing industry

by Sheree Young

In a bid to keep apprentices in work during the COVID-19 pandemic, the federal government has committed $1.3b to pay half the wages of apprentices employed prior to March 1 in businesses with 20 or less staff.

This will help many businesses greatly but with increasingly fewer print apprentices coming on board it may be hard for many SME print operators, many of which employ junior staff that aren’t technically apprentices, to be able to get this assistance.

ProPrint spoke to a number of printers who either struggle to find young people to employ or when they do they find a traditional apprentice program doesn’t suit the needs of the role with much of the training easily able to be learned on the job.

Constantly changing digital technology also 8 ProPrint April 2020

means many staff need machine-specific training, which is often handled by the suppliers.

Bambra, a commercial printer in Melbourne, currently does not have an apprentice but does employee many staff who need specific training on a certain machine.

“I don’t know anyone with an apprentice whether they are over 20 or under 20 staff,” Bambra owner John Wanless told ProPrint.

“I think in the industry apprenticeships are redundant because training is specific to a brand of machine, and we train all the time.

You can get people to be competent in their roles in a short period of time and vendors like Currie Group will do the training for HP whereas 30 years ago that would have been done in a trade school. It is interesting where this is going.”

Print and Visual Communication Association

CEO Andrew Macaulay said the restricted nature of the apprentice subsidy means few printers will be eligible for it.

“We have written to the government saying that assistance with driving recruitment and costs of apprentice hiring would be more beneficial as a stimulus,” Macaulay told ProPrint.

“Many printers want apprentices but they cannot find the apprentice to hire. So, supply needs to be fixed from the school end, support for study at TAFE needs to be the same way government supports HECS at uni, and as an economic stimulus packaging, defray hiring costs for SMEs. The current offer is parsimonious.”

James Cryer, a recruitment consultant at print industry specialist JDA, said more needs to be done to attract young people into the industry, with sales account managers and customer facing staff in critical demand. www.sprinter.com.au

UPDATE

Mediapoint hits COVID-19 challenge front on

by Sheree Young

These are without question unprecedented times, but it is encouraging to see print business owners doing what they can to keep afloat during the brutal COVID-19 pandemic.

Printers across the country have communicated what they are doing to implement operational changes to comply with federal government social distancing rules and ensure a clean and hygienic workplace.

Showrooms have been closed down, staff are working from home or on reduced hours, trolleys are in use on despatch docks to avoid contact on loading docks.

Mediapoint, a wide format trade printer in Melbourne, was created just before the global financial crisis of 2008 and is using that experience in the current downturn.

As the Australian dollar began to tumble in January 2020 Mediapoint decided against passing that increase on to customers but partially absorbed the cost and simultaneously tweaked processes and workflow to cut costs.

Mediapoint sales director Jamie Xuereb told ProPrint: “This way our suppliers still have margin and we are not biting into their profits so they can look after their staff and their business more.

“We are heavily production focussed so we are always looking at the little things.”

“We looked at how we print, how we batch our orders together, how our orders flow from printing to finishing. We found a few little savings there

The maximum business loan amount the federal government will guarantee for SMEs

The maximum amount of wage support SMEs can receive for employees through the BAS system Forward thinking: Mediapoint’s Jamie Xuereb

that got our jobs out earlier and this led to some time savings for us which is labour.

“We’ve probably made thousands of little changes over the last three or four years that have led to a big result.”

Mediapoint also has been limiting face to face contact with customers and sales reps.

Many other printers have also jumped on board.

Foxcil, a trade printer in Sydney, has adopted strict hand washing protocol and other rules around how deliveries are collected and received.

“We are effectively in lock down,” Foxcil managing director Roger Kirwan told ProPrint, adding all deliveries are received and despatched from outside the building to minimise contact.

by Sheree Young

www.sprinter.com.au

250,000 100,000

Next Printing staff to work less days during crisis The staff at Sydney exhibition and signage print specialist Next Printing have agreed to work three days per week during the COVID-19 crisis to help keep the business alive.

Next Printing managing director Romeo Sanuri told ProPrint that he made this suggestion to staff as the crisis began to unfold and they wholeheartedly agreed.

“It would be great to have a crystal ball but I think everyone is in the same boat,” Sanuri told ProPrint.

“I spoke to our employees and said ‘this is going to be a tough time’ and asked for their understanding to work three days a week and everyone was happy to adopt this.”

As for the federal government stimulus, Sanuri said he and his accountant were still working out which measures to make the use of.

“It is more important what is happening with our people. If we don’t have them then the business

SURVIVING COVID-19 PRINT BY NUMBERS

50% The share of apprentice wages the federal government will pay for businesses with less than 20 staff that had an apprentice before March 1, 2020

150,000 The new asset write-off value for company’s earning up to $500m a year looking to invest in capital

10,000 The amount of superannuation funds people can access this year and next year should they need to during the crisis

Next Printing general manager Andrew Oskar and managing director Romeo Sanuri

has nothing. So today we have talked about accessing superannuation and whether that needs to happen if we are locked down for two months.

“We just need to work out a way to survive the next six months so everyone has a job to come back to.”

1,500 The fortnightly wage subsidy for workers in COVID-19 hit businesses

April 2o2o ProPrint 9

UPDATE

COVID-19 halts global tradeshows

by Sheree Young

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted countless tradeshows, including the highly anticipated megashow drupa in Germany, the Fespa Global Print Expo in Madrid and local shows Visual Impact and PacPrint.

It was the news that everyone knew was coming but the confirmations were still devastating with many already having locked in travel plans and planning well in hand for exhibition booths.

Visual Impact, organised by supplier association Visual Connections, was to be held on the Gold Coast at the end of April but there was no choice but to postpone it just over a month out.

“On the best advice available, the event could not go ahead,” Visual Connections chief executive officer Peter Harper said.

“Obviously we were reluctant to make the call and are disappointed that we cannot proceed at this stage, but our priority is, and always has been, the wellbeing of our friends and colleagues across the industry.”

Drupa, which is held every four years at Messe Düsseldorf, was scheduled from June 16 to 26 this year but has been moved to April 20 to 30, 2021.

“The decision was taken in close consultation with our advisory boards and sponsoring associations,” said Werner Dornscheidt, chairman of the board of management of Messe Düsseldorf GmbH, adding the decision reflected the wishes of individual industries.

The rescheduling of drupa then presented issues for other key Australian exhibitions, PacPrint and its co-located Visual Impact and Label & Packaging Expo, which was planned for May 2021 in Melbourne.

Visual Connections have also now confirmed this show has been postponed.

“One of the strongest advantages of the PacPrint expo in Melbourne has always been

drupa will now be held on April 20 to 30 in 2021

its timing, coming roughly one year after drupa,” Harper said.

“We are keen to give our exhibitors time to arrange to bring their drupa releases to Australia, to maintain that advantage for the regional market and ensure the many thousands who cannot make it to drupa have a chance to see the latest innovations as soon as possible.”

Fespa has also had its tradeshows disrupted with the Global Print Expo, European Sign Expo and Sportswear Pro due to be held in Madrid in March postponed until October 6 to

8 2021 at the original planned venue, the IFEMA - Feria de Madrid, which is also a current hotspot for the coronavirus pandemic.

Fespa CEO Neil Felton said: “Despite the ongoing impact that the coronavirus is having on the speciality print sector, we’ve been overwhelmed by the strong demand from our global community for a Fespa platform in 2020.

Therefore, we are extremely pleased to confirm that our shows will be going ahead on these rescheduled dates and we’re very grateful to IFEMA team, who have been fully supportive of our decision.”

Virus hits Durst production

by Sheree Young

Durst, a manufacturer of advanced digital printing technology headquartered in Brixen, northern Italy, was forced to temporarily cease production due to COVID-19 pandemic on March 16.

Spare parts and ink continue to be available through the company’s extensive subsidiary network, including Durst Oceania, which is based in Melbourne and is continuing to operate.

Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman said it is business as usual for Durst with the Durst Oceania office distributing parts and continuing to provide customer service.

Ashman says Durst launched a global disaster management plan in January and has 10 ProPrint April 2020

Durst HQ in Brixen, Italy

sufficient stock of spare parts, pigments and ink ingredients on hand.

“We are here to support our customers and that is why we set up Durst Oceania. The message from the Durst board, the CEO and the

owner is we must keep our staff, our families and our customers safe and then continue supporting our customers’ businesses,” Ashman told ProPrint.

Durst customers in Australia and New Zealand are urged to contact Ashman and the team at Durst Oceania if they have any concerns regarding ink supply, spare parts or other issues.

Durst CEO Christoph Gamper has also been keeping customers updated via videos posted on his Twitter account from his home in Italy.

“We will reopen as soon as we can and the essential services like spare parts and ink are guaranteed through our subsidiary structure so there is nothing else that we can do right now than to stay home and stay safe and wait until life goes back to normal,” Gamper said. www.sprinter.com.au

UPDATE

New drupa timing was best option: Robert Laing

by Sheree Young

The length of time needed to bring complex and large machinery in and out of the Messe Düsseldorf trade halls is why the new date for the 10-day epic tradeshow drupa is so far away, Messe Reps’ Australia and New Zealand travel representative Robert Laing said.

Messe Düsseldorf, the organiser of the drupa tradeshow, has announced that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the show scheduled for June 16 to 26 will now be held from April 10 to 20 in 2021.

Robert Laing is the Australian and New Zealand representative for Messe Düsseldorf and he said many people are asking why there is such a delay for the show.

“It takes weeks to get the machines in to the fairground and have them assembled. There are still other fairs going on in Düsseldorf so they had to find the time when there was a big enough gap to fit not just the 11 days of drupa but the weeks beforehand and the weeks afterwards required for the build-up of the fair and the breakup of the fair,” Laing told ProPrint.

“These are extraordinary circumstances, everybody is getting a bit of a hammering. It is just a bad situation for everybody and it’s nobody’s fault.”

Laing said the new date was arrived at in

Robert Laing of Messe Reps is the representative for drupa in Australia and New Zealand

conjuction with Messe Düsseldorf and the representative companies that sit on the drupa management board.

He said hotels in Dusseldorf and airlines are for the most part being flexible in terms of moving the dates needed to April next year.

“Most of the airlines are being pretty helpful in terms of allowing people to rebook their

flights for later dates and they are loosening a lot of the penalties that they would normally have about changes,” Laing said.

“The hotels in Düsseldorf are in a really bad situation because they have got all these bookings for drupa and other events like ProWein but in most cases they are allowing people to transfer to new dates without penalty.”

Pettaras sells Digitalpress to Bridgestone Investments

by Sheree Young

Theo Pettaras, a well known member of Australia’s print community, has sold his 15-year-old business, Digitalpress, to marketing communications consortium, Bridgestone Investments, via its subsidiary National Print Express.

Pettaras and his team will continue to run Digitalpress under the new ownership with the current factory in Waterloo to operate alongside a creative print hub in North Sydney.

Pettaras said the decision to sell ensured a successful continued journey for Digitalpress, its staff, supply partners and the industry.

Negotiations for the sale began in the latter part of 2019 with the acquisition settled on February 3, 2020.

“This is a very strategic acquisition and a perfect fit that suits the objectives of both parties.

We share similar values and passion for all forms of marketing communications. It really is very exciting,” Pettaras told ProPrint.

“My future is definitely set in print and the potential to incorporate other aspects of marketing communications to print provides vast untapped opportunities.”

Pettaras said Bridgestone Investments’ commitment to print is evidenced by its investment in a new HP Indigo Digital Press and flatbed printers and cutters with these installation taking place in April and May. “It was a strategic acquisition to add high-end digital print production capabilities to our expanding digital business and enable a wider www.sprinter.com.au

Theo Pettaras and new Digitalpress owner Jahangir Khan

array of quality finishes and skills for our customers. Having successfully operated for over 15 years I believed the opportunity presented the strategy and fit to ensure we remained a market leader enabling us to grow and diversify the business,” Pettaras said.

“I am excited about this acquisition. It is an example of what any forward-thinking printing company large or small is able to do if they have

both long and short term vision with a realistic exit strategy – something I am particularly more passionate about than ever,” Pettaras said.

“Set realistic goals, stay focused, keep your pockets short and understand what your customers want.

“Most of all be a proactive printer rather than a reactive one.”

April 2o2o ProPrint 11

UPDATE

Dr David Cooke resigns from Konica Minolta

by Sheree Young

Konica Minolta Australia chairman and managing director and highly regarded advocate for human rights and social justice Dr David Cooke has announced his resignation after seven years at the helm and almost 15 years with the business.

Dr Cooke will remain in the role until midJuly to see out the Japanese financial year and facilitate a smooth transition with his successor, Yohei Konaka, who started in his new role on April 1.

Konaka is currently in the office business planning division of Konica Minolta headquarters in Japan and has extensive experience in the business holding roles in both the US and Canada in his 19-year career with the company.

Dr Cooke was the first Australian to hold the top job at Konica Minolta. He stepped into the role on May 1, 2013, succeeding Hiro Kaji, who returned to Japan.

“As I am sure you can imagine I have very mixed feelings about leaving, with the greatest challenge being leaving behind the friends I have made during my nearly fifteen years at Konica Minolta,” Dr Cooke said.

Konica Minolta chairman and managing director Dr David Cooke

“The choice of replacement however, gives me considerable confidence with regards to the future success of the company.

“I’m confident that Yohei will continue to build on the reputation Konica Minolta Australia has as a leader in areas such as human rights and ethical sourcing in line with the company strategy aimed at creating value for business, customers and society and meeting our commitment to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, and delivering that into the future.”

Dr Cooke is not retiring but will instead focus his time leveraging his corporate

experience to have an impact in the area of human rights and social justice.

Under Dr Cooke’s leadership, Konica Minolta Australia developed a reputation as a company that cares about its employees, customers and the community, and one that’s deeply committed to ethical leadership, creating societal value, and sustainability.

In 2018, Konica Minolta was awarded the Human Rights Award for Business by the Australian Human Rights Commission for the work the company has done to promote and support human rights within its business and supply chain.

Dr Cooke has also been instrumental in leading the company’s transformation and expanding on its core strengths of office and production printing to become an IT and technology business partner, providing innovative products such as 3D printing and robotics, as well as software and services solutions to a growing number of customers.

Last year, he was appointed to chair the inaugural Australian Human Rights Institute advisory committee at UNSW, which includes a group of eminent Australians who will help guide the research institute over three years.

Konica Minolta gold sponsor of Power 50 for 10th consecutive year

by Sheree Young

Konica Minolta has again confirmed its support for the Australian printing industry by signing up as the gold sponsor of the 10th anniversary of the ProPrint Power 50 to be held later this year.

Konica Minolta has supported the Power 50 since its inception and remains committed to the event which recognises printers and those working to improve the industry through strong leadership, a commitment to innovation and sustainability and a willingness to assist in the broad improvement of the sector as a whole.

Konica Minolta general manager industrial and production print, Sue Threlfo, says the company is delighted to be involved in the Power 50 again.

“Konica Minolta is proud to be the gold sponsor of ProPrint’s Power 50 event for the 10th consecutive year,” Threlfo told ProPrint.

“The Power 50 is a great initiative that recognises leadership and talent within the print industry.

“We are delighted to be involved again and are very much looking forward to seeing many of our customers succeed this year and be recognised in the 2020 Power 50. Congratulations James, Sheree, Carmen and the team at ProPrint for such a positive initiative for the industry.”

The Power 50 has evolved in its 10 years and 12 ProPrint April 2020

Sue Threlfo and Dr David Cooke of Konica Minolta with 2019 winner Geoff Selig of IVE Group (centre)

is now a truly 100 per cent peer-voted award.

Each of the top 100 nominees have the opportunity to vote on who they think should make it into the Power 50. An industry judging panel also ranks each person in the top 100 to reach a final Power 50.

These votes are then extracted automatically through an online survey system and sent to an independent auditor for verification.

Once this process is completed, a true and honest Power 50 list is confirmed.

Nominations will be opening soon so please consider who should be on the list. Each of the 100 nominees are invited to the event to announce the Power 50.

The Emerging 50 is also gearing up again with Cactus Imaging and Visual Connections supporting the initiative. www.sprinter.com.au

NEVER STOP DELIVERING Meet tight deadlines with ease and exceed customer expectations for quality with the new AccurioPress range. Offering impressive print speeds, award-winning reliability and an array of inline finishing options, the AccurioPress range will ensure you deliver on time, every-time and within budget. Plus with the optional IQ-501, Intelligent Quality Optimiser you can expect to boost productivity even more thanks to automated colour control and registration accuracy.

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UPDATE

Next Printing installs Asia Pacific’s first HP Stitch S1000

by Sheree Young

Next Printing has strengthened its ability to print textiles for the increasingly popular backlit light box display market with the installation of the Asia Pacific region’s first HP Stitch S1000 dye sublimation printer.

The 3.2 metre wide press uses water-based dye sublimation inks and was chosen for its ability to print accentuated imagery with deep blacks and vivid colours using 1200 dpi printheads on textiles while at the same time minimising environmental impacts during production.

The press, distributed in Australia by Quadient, can print at up to 220 square metres per hour onto either dye sublimation transfer papers or 50 per cent polyester textile and can operate unassisted with 10 litre ink tanks installed.

Concerns around sustainability and environmental protection weigh heavily on the management and owners of Next Printing with managing director Romeo Sanuri telling ProPrint the company is constantly looking at ways to be more sustainable in the work it does.

“The HP Stitch S1000 has added to our capacity and also added something that the market has been asking for, which is backlit dye sublimation printing,” Sanuri told ProPrint from the factory in St Peters.

“Backlit signage attracts the customer and the size of the signs is so large that it draws in the shopper. Fifty per cent of the business is in retail and exhibitions and events also use a lot of light box features so this type of signage covers a number of different markets.

“We have been looking at more sustainable

L-R Andrew Oskar and Romeo Sanuri with the new HP Stitch S1000

directions and believe that fabric is the way to go, we also wanted to increase our capacity.”

Sanuri said the demand for fabrics for backlit light boxes is growing and this prompted the need for the additional machine.

“In terms of fabric printing, HP has reinvented dye sublimation printing. They have the Latex range but this is the first time they have developed a fabric printer from the ground up,” Sanuri said.

“We had a call from HP telemarketing asking if we had heard about this printer and I did a search and then they had it at PrintEx so [Next Printing general manager Andrew Oskar] went and had a look at it and then a team member went to the HP Centre of Excellence in

Singapore for training.”

The press was installed at the end of last year and is now up and running without any issues.

HP released the Stitch S series last year and says the range features thermal inkjet printhead technology to reduce time and waste, and achieve repeatable, colour consistency.

The arrival of the Stitch range signalled HP’s entry into the textile printing of sportswear, fashion, interior decor and soft signage sectors.

“Quadient has been very excited to work with Next Printing. They are a very well known customer in the industry especially with their dye sub work,” Quadient national sales manager Morgan Quinn told ProPrint.

ACCC clears Spicers purchase of Direct Paper

by Sheree Young

Japanese owned paper supplier, Spicers Ltd, has been cleared to acquire Australian family owned paper supplier, Direct Paper, with the competition watchdog ruling there are enough other suppliers in the market to constrain pricing.

Spicers Australia, owned by Kokusai Pulp & Paper Co. Ltd, (KPP), announced in November 2019 that it was interested in acquiring Direct Paper, which was created by the O’Neill family 23 years ago. Both Direct Paper and Spicers predominately supply commercial print businesses in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane.

Spicers Ltd CEO David Martin welcomed the ACCC approval with the combined entity commencing trading together on March 2.

“We are all very happy. We complement what each other does and pulling these two teams together I think we have a really strong team with fantastic people,” Martin told ProPrint.

The purchase has added new dimensions to the Spicers offering, most notably packaging board.

“It means we are now stronger in packaging 14 ProPrint April 2020

Spicers CEO David Martin

than we were so that’s one of the key areas for us to focus on. It also gives us a chance to operate more with commercial print as well. Our businesses have products that the other didn’t so basically this completes our portfolio on the paper side quite nicely,” Martin said.

Direct Paper will continue to trade under its name ensuring a smooth transition for customers.

When Spicers’ proposal was first announced Direct Paper sales director Dale O’Neill, said the proposed sale was a “logical step” for Direct

Paper and its 60 staff. Dale O’Neill and his brother Todd O’Neill, who has served as managing director of the company, will take senior roles within Spicers.

ACCC Commissioner Stephen Ridgeway approved the purchase ruling there were alternative suppliers of commercial printing paper and direct supply arrangements between printers and paper mills that “will continue to provide strong competition and constrain paper prices”.

“We have looked very closely at this proposed transaction because it combines two of the larger paper merchants in these cities,” Ridgeway said.

“We decided not to oppose this deal because we considered that rival merchants will continue to provide strong competition. Smaller customers generally have several alternative sources of supply, and larger customers can also import paper directly from paper mills.

“We found that many printers in Sydney and Melbourne were comfortable with alternative suppliers, such as Ball & Doggett, Domain and Vital.” www.sprinter.com.au

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UPDATE

Bambra recognised in Aust first certification

by Sheree Young

Bambra, a renowned commercial print business in Melbourne, has become the first Australian printer to have the quality of its work certified by the global Academy of Certified Printers which was created by fine paper company Arjowiggins in 2016.

Bambra was invited to enter the award and was required to submit work using offset printing, screen printing, hot foil stamping and blind embossing techniques for stringent assessment by an international jury of paper, print and design experts.

Bambra worked with Avon Graphics and Ancyn Screenprinting to prepare the submission with the recognition putting Bambra in the company of 31 of the world’s finest printers.

Bambra chief executive officer Steven Haas said the company was thrilled the submission had been received so positively.

“We were invited to be a part of this certification with Arjowiggins. They were looking for

L-R: Gary Bowles, Antalis Australia; Alan Didus, Ball and Doggett; John Wanless, Bambra; Jenny Lynch, Bambra and Steven Haas, Bambra.

the best quality printers around the globe so it is nice to be included with such an amazing group of companies,” Haas told ProPrint.

“Arjowiggins provided all the plates and

materials and then we had to do the job and send it to them for evaluation. It was quite a rigorous process. They were very critical and used microscopes to examine registration and embossing.

“It was quite challenging but we were very happy to take on that challenge and all the results that came back have been pretty much excellent across the board so we are very happy with it.”

The Academy of Certified Printers was created by Arjowiggins to promote and encourage exceptional printing by some of the most precise printers in the world. Bambra says, “as a key printing partner of many exacting clients, we are always on the pursuit of perfection. This was a real motivation for us to take on the challenge of certification.”

The principle of the academy is simple: to certify printers who are capable of accurately reproducing a complex job comprising of four key printing techniques: offset, screen printing, hot foil stamping and blind embossing.

Australian printers win Kodak Green Leaf Award

by Sheree Young

Four Australian printers have been recognised

by Kodak for their sustainable practices and adoption of a new plate technology that has environmental benefits.

Advance Press, Bluestar Print NSW, Australian Community Media and Hague Australia are all adopters of Kodak’s Sonora Process Free Plates technology.

They also now join 52 global printers to be recognised after winning the Kodak Sonora Plate Green Leaf Award – a program that highlights printers’ green credentials.

Advance Press director Ian Smith said his Perth-based business switched to Kodak’s processless Sonora plates three years ago and this removed the need to deal with thousands of litres of chemical waste and was better for the environment.

He also said the plates perform well and are highly robust.

“We are delighted to have won it. We have done a lot of work at Advance Press in the last five years to minimise our environmental impact and this is highlighting what we’ve done,” Smith told ProPrint.

Before switching plate technology, Advance Press had to store the platemaking waste chemistry in a 10,000 litre tank and have it taken away to be treated and disposed of.

“It’s so much better for us. We are not actually connected to sewers where we are here in Perth and we used to have a 10,000 litre tank, so all the waste chemistry would go in there and then get taken away for treatment,” Smith said.

“Now there is no waste and the plates are robust, they perform really well so we are very happy with the outcome.

“The plates perform as well as our previous 16 ProPrint April 2020

Kodak’s Green Leaf Award is now in its seventh year

plates which would obviously go through a processing line. We have had no issues with the plates for three years so it’s been good for us.”

Switching to the processless free plate system has removed this need, saving time and money and relieving the environment as well.

Robert Mollee, sales director print systems division at Kodak Australasia said adoption of this plate technology is increasing.

“The market is rapidly migrating to process free plates and more than 62 per cent of Kodak ANZ plate sales will be Sonora Process-free by end of this year,” Mollee said.

Eastman Kodak Company plate business general manager Robert Price said an increasing number of printers are seeing the benefits that sustainable business processes can have on the bottom line.

“Those recognised in this year’s Sonora Plate Green Leaf Award exemplify the tremendous dedication it takes to run a high-performance

print operation,” Price said.

“In an increasingly competitive and complex industry, more and more printers are adopting sustainable business processes. They understand it can deliver real bottom-line impact to their business, from improved efficiencies to their print operation to increased profitability of their entire business.”

Over 4,000 printers of all sizes use Kodak to capture all the benefits of process free, the company says.

It added that transitioning to Kodak Sonora Process Free Plates delivers long run lengths, fast imaging speeds, excellent resolution capabilities, UV capability, and excellent productivity, while delivering cost savings and increased profitability.

It said as the transition continues at a rapid pace, one out of every three plates Kodak sells is now process free, with this trend expected to grow. www.sprinter.com.au

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April 2o2o ProPrint 17

UPDATE FEBRUARY - MARCH TIMELINE

Debrief Recapping the major developments since your last issue. Stories are breaking every day at www.sprinter.com.au

February issue

People Technology Business

www.sprinter.com.au February 2020 $8.00

18 february

13 february MIMAKI TO DISTRIBUTE OKI WIDE FORMAT RANGE OKI and Mimaki Engineering have signed an exclusive international sales agreement for OKI Data’s wide format inkjet printers, effective April 1. Under the agreement, Mimaki will sell OKI Data’s wide format inkjet printers, ink and other supplies, and maintenance parts in overseas markets including Australia. “Mimaki Australia will take the best efforts to minimise the impacts for all OKI Data wide format printer customers after April 1st, regarding the distribution network, customer support and consumable supplies,” a statement from Mimaki’s head office in Japan said.

Any inquiries of OKI Data wide format printer products, please contact Mimaki Australia after April 1st.” This covers the M-64s H3-104s models.

TWO SIDES GREENWASH CAMPAIGN WIN Two Sides’ anti-greenwash campaign, which encourages businesses to stop using environmental claims for paperless billing, had a successful 2019 with 131 companies changing their messaging. During 2019, 388 companies were found to be encouraging customers to opt for paperless billing by using slogans including ‘Choose e-billing and help save a tree’ or ‘Go green go paperless’ which the non-profit global promoter of paper and print says is actually a cost cutting measure. The number of worldwide companies that changed their message since the campaign began in 2010 is now at over 500, with many of these being large multinational corporations.

Kellie Northwood, CEO of The Real Media Collective runs the campaign in Australia and New Zealand where a 67 per cent conversion rate was achieved. “Our Keep Me Posted campaign partners with Two Sides in challenging the environmental myths about paper as well as highlighting, particularly in Australia, the digital divide.”

18 february

Star Business

Focus Digital Labels

Power 50 & Emerging 50

Self-belief a key ingredient for success at Imagination

Market pressures continue to propel label printing technology

A review of the 2019 event celebrating print leaders and

News happens every day at

sprinter.com.au

Sign up for our free daily news bulletin.

18 ProPrint April 2020

KORNIT DIGITAL 2019 SALES UP 39% Digital textile printer manufacturer, Kornit Digital, announced a record 2019 with the company achieving year-on-year growth of 39 per cent to December 31, 2019.

The company achieved fourth quarter revenues of US$48.7m which took full year revenue to US$179.9m, an increase from the US$142.4m in the prior year. Kornit Digital chief executive officer Ronen Samuel (pictured) said the fourth quarter capped off an exciting year for the company.

“We are extremely proud of our strong performance in 2019 and believe that our leadership position in the market continues to widen,” Samuel said. “Our 2019 results provide a robust foundation for continued growth and execution in 2020 as we are seeing the exceptionally strong momentum in the business continue in the first quarter. “We believe Kornit is best positioned to lead the textile industry in its shift to on-demand manufacturing in a sustainable way.” Last year, Samuel said Kornit Digital’s APAC revenues had doubled.

20 february REDBUBBLE FOUNDER RETAKES CONTROL Redbubble, a publicly listed global marketplace which coordinates the print and distribution of bespoke artwork, has a new interim CEO with the company’s founder and largest shareholder Martin Hosking stepping back into the role.

The leadership change was prompted by the termination of former CEO Barry Newstead after 18 months in the job.

Redbubble chairman Richard Cawsey said in a statement to the Australian Securities Exchange that the company had undertaken a review of its strategy and operations.

20 february FUJI XEROX COMPLETES $140M TAKEOVER OF CSG Fuji Xerox subsidiary Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd has completed a $140m acquisition of Melbourne-based IT services provider CSG Limited. The acquisition opens the way for Fuji Xerox to expand into the small to medium sized business markets by harnessing the synergies between the two companies to supply office printing equipment and IT services. The approval rounds out months of negotiations between the tech giant, which is now a fully owned subsidiary of Fujifilm, and CSG which has nearly 10,000 small to medium sized business clients across Australia and New Zealand. In February this year, a majority of CSG shareholders supported the acquisition with 88.89 per cent of them voting in favour of the move. The approval means CSG, with its headquarters in Melbourne, will now come under the ownership of Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific. CSG will continue to operate under the same name post acquisition. Ken Sugiyama (pictured), the corporate vice president responsible for Australia/New Zealand regional operations at Fuji Xerox, is CSG’s new managing director. “CSG has a strong 30-year history of working closely with local SMB customers in providing attentive sales and support in Australia and New Zealand,” Sugiyama said. www.sprinter.com.au

UPDATE 5 march KONICA MINOLTA RECOGNISED FOR GENDER EQUALITY AGAIN Konica Minolta Australia was awarded a Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation for the fourth year in a row. The citation encourages, recognises and promotes active commitment to workplace gender equality.

Konica Minolta Australia managing director Dr David Cooke said it recognises the effort the company makes towards creating an inclusive environment for all. In 2019 it instituted a parental leave policy allowing all new parents 12 weeks paid maternity leave. It has also enacted policies to help employees stay healthy, safe and enjoy a good work-life balance. “Konica Minolta is pleased to have again been acknowledged by the WGEA as an Employer of Choice for Gender Equality,” Dr Cooke said. “Each year the bar gets higher and we continue to look for new ways to create a company that’s a great place to work for everyone.

Our new parental leave policy removes the distinction between ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ carer.”

5 march MYSTERIES OF PRINT UNRAVELLED FOR SYDNEY TAFE STUDENTS AT CLARK MURPHY PRINT A group of graphic design students from Sydney’s Hornsby TAFE had the mysteries of print unravelled during a tour of Clarke Murphy Print which specialises in offset, digital, wide format and point of sale in Sydney’s north. The objective of the tour, organised by James Cryer of printing industry recruitment company JDA, was to debunk some myths about print and give the students insight into the printing process so later in their careers they can appreciate the possibilities of print. It was also about inspiring students to consider the printing industry as a career path with all the depth it offers in terms of creative design, technology adaption and marketing. Clark Murphy Print chief executive officer Benn Murphy showed the students the wonders of prepress, offset and digital print and the bindery, finishing, die cutting, wide format printing and laser cutting areas. “Benn’s approach de-mystified printing and his passion was infectious as the students came away with a much deeper understanding of the exciting world of print,” Cryer said. “The purpose of the tour was to debunk three myths: that print is dying, that print is boring and that print is only about ink on paper.” www.sprinter.com.au

24 march

17 march OOH!MEDIA DITCHES 2020 FY EARNINGS AS VIRUS HITS Outdoor advertising giant oOh!media, owner of wide format printer Cactus Imaging, has withdrawn its 2020 full year revenue guidance due to uncertainty caused by the coronavirus. The company says first quarter year to date revenue is line with this time last year and on track to hit the full year guidance. But with nine months to go before the end of its financial year the full economic fallout from the pandemic remains unknown. Based on this, the company has withdrawn its full year guidance. Last month oOh!media reported its full year 2019 earnings with a 10 per cent drop in net profit after tax to $52.4m. “The deteriorating macroeconomic conditions and resultant market uncertainty caused by COVID-19 has made forecasting full year revenue in the current environment difficult. This is particularly relevant for oOh!media given the company has nine months remaining in its financial year to December 2020,” it said in a statement.

SITMA MACHINERY FOUNDER FALLS VICTIM TO VIRUS Aris Ballestrazzi - the founder of Italy’s Sitma Machinery - passed away on March 19 after contracting COVID-19. His passing came as Italy endured unprecedented lockdowns brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. “On the 19th of March in Italy, we celebrate St Joseph’s day; the symbol of dedication and humility; ‘Father’s Day’.

Yesterday was the 19th of March 2020, and by some tragic coincidence, we lost our ‘father and founder’ Aris Ballestrazzi,” Ballestrazzi’s family said in a statement.

“Here in Italy, as throughout the rest of the globe, we are fighting this silent and deadly virus – COVID-19 – and it has brought yet another painful loss. “There are no words to describe the anguish and pain for such a heavy loss; no hugs for the family, and no hand shaking between friends and colleagues. Ballestrazzi founded Sitma in 1965 and has been with the business ever since. “He guided it to such an illustrious notoriety, held its hand through ‘thick and thin,” his family said.

13 march

18 march

GRAPHIC ART MART STRENGTHENS PRESENCE WITH TWO NEW SITES Graphic Art Mart opened two new sites in Australia – in Newcastle in New South Wales and another in Willawong in Queensland – to strengthen its service capabilities around the country. Graphic Art Mart general manager Mousa Elsarky said the extra sites will enhance the company’s ability to service customers from central and northern NSW through to southern Queensland. The sites are stocked with products from Avery Dennison, Arlon, Mactac, Aslan, KPMF, Chemica, Sihl and 3M among others. Graphic Art Mart also stocks printers and cutters from Roland DG and Mimaki, laminating solutions from CWT and Forte, and trimming and finishing solutions from Keencut. The move to the open the new sites closely follows its exclusive distributorship deal with Mactac.

Elsarky said the company recognises the challenges faced by customers and aims to provide them with better access. “We are eager to have the opportunity to better service our customers in regional New South Wales and southern Queensland.

We recognise the challenge our customers face when they need to access their favourite products quickly but are far from a branch,” Elsarky said. “These new sites will offer faster and more convenient access to products for our customers.“

XEROX POSTPONES HP ACQUISITION PLAN DUE TO COVID-19 PANDEMIC Xerox has paused its bid for HP saying it needs to focus on protecting stakeholders from COVID-19. Xerox vice chairman and CEO John Visentin (pictured) said the halt in the takeover bid was saying the health and safety of employees, customers, partners and affiliates are the priority. “As we closely monitor reports from government and healthcare leaders across the globe and work with colleagues in the business community to minimise the spread and impact of the virus, we believe it is prudent to postpone releases of additional presentations, interviews with media and meetings with HP shareholders so we can focus our time and resources on protecting Xerox’s various stakeholders from the pandemic,” he said. Xerox said the decision was not due to a market decline since the date of its offer or the temporary suspension of trading in HP shares on March 10 and March 12. “Xerox will take the same view on any future temporary trading halts, unless otherwise stated in advance,” the company said. Xerox’s tender offer includes the acquisition of all outstanding shares of HP for US$24.00 per share, comprising of US$18.40 in cash and 0.149 Xerox shares for each HP share.

April 2020 ProPrint 19

UPDATE COMMENT

Knowing what support is available is critical in unprecedented times The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown the world into chaos. It can be tough for a business owner to work out how to navigate this terrain. The Real Media Collective business checklist may help but most of all stay safe.

Your Business Checklist

KELLIE NORTHWOOD

T

he past weeks have had significant impact on our lives, livelihoods, mental and physical health and it is difficult to not feel overwhelmed. I have felt overwhelmed. I have been frustrated, angry, fearful, confused and sleepless. I have needed to lean on family, friends and most inspiringly, on you. We are a wonderful community and most of us have been a part of it for decades. If you are feeling overwhelmed reach out, share the load. It is important.

I have had many conversations where I’ve had nothing to do but listen and understand and others where I have been listened to as, I too, release the pressure valve. We all care deeply. We want this to change for our businesses and for the industry more broadly. Each and every conversation starts with a genuine ‘how are you going today?’ and ends with a ‘take care, keep well’.

This has filled me with a sense of pride for the fight in us all. I’ve had the opportunity to work on some solid pieces of intelligent, positive and future focused plans to present to government, industry partners and customers – there is a genuine sense of ‘we are in this together’.

The times are difficult, they are overwhelming, however there is a humanity amongst us that keeps us strong. I thank you all for that.

Following the announcement of the economic response by the Morrison government on 12th March 2020, the Australian states and

20 ProPrint April 2020

territories announced their respective economic stimulus packages to further support Australian households and businesses to survive the impact of COVID-19.

It is important you are all wellarmed, without being inundated with changing information.

Understanding how these packages can provide relief for your staff, households and businesses to ensure our resilience is important.

We have produced a reference guide with detailed information regarding the various measures for you to access. You can access it here: https://www.therealmediacollective. com.au/covid-19/. It is important to know this information is not provided as advice and all members, and non-members, are urged to seek independent expert advice from a chartered accountant, financial adviser, your banking partner or government department to ensure full relevance to your specific needs.

This is a fluid situation with economic stimulus, restrictions and more being reviewed regularly. We are working to keep our members and the industry updated and informed during this difficult time.

We will get through this.

Our industry will endure and we are here to support you. Do not hesitate to reach out to either myself, the board or our Collective team with anything you feel we can assist you with. Most importantly, do not be complacent, keep healthy and be kind to yourselves. The rest we will rebuild together.

Contact your landlord and try and negotiate a rent-free period or a period of reduced rent.

• Ensure the landlord is aware the government is supporting the banks in freezing loans so they can contact the bank and freeze the loan for a period, so they are not feeling the pain also.

• Each landlord will have a different situation so you will need to work to their individual circumstances to get a result that works for both of you.

• Keep aside any rent saving here that you can avoid spending. Once you are in a secure position you can make the additional rent repayments back to the landlord if possible.

Review staffing levels and make sure you are not overstaffed.

• If you have under-performing staff now is the time to let them go. The reason the government has announced so many initiatives is because they want you to keep as many staff employed as possible. It takes time and investment to build a good team and culture so try to prevent disrupting that by letting go of employees too quickly.

• Communicate early and communicate often. Your staff will be facing the same fears you are in the current climate so try to help them through.

• Where possible try to hold on to as many people as possible and split the burden, e.g. consider reducing wages.

Understand the economic stimulus that has been announced by government. Create a marketing plan for the next six months and execute it.

• While everyone in your industry is on the defence, you have an opportunity to get on the offence and try to win market share during these challenging times.

www.sprinter.com.au

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UPDATE COMMENT

The US printing business by numbers Every year, WhatTheyThink.com, an industry e-publication, surveys the US printing industry. Frank Romano unpacks the results.

FRANK ROMANO

I

t is often said that 2019 was the best year the US printing industry has had since 2016. There was a renewed sense of optimism at the fall trade shows, particularly PRINTING United in Dallas, where we heard that it felt like 1997 again.

The last two years have seen a printing renaissance, driven by new technologies such as inkjet and the applications it can enable. These new enhancements — with finishing techniques such as those from Scodix, MGI and Highcon — make print applications special.

The US printing industry is mostly comprised of small businesses with 70 per cent of the 25,256 businesses in the US employing under 10 staff. Twenty two per cent were medium sized with 10–49 employees and seven per cent had over 50 staff. But these seven per cent are very important — they represent a large portion of industry revenues and about 70 per cent of capital investment.

The shift from print to electronic communication, from print advertising to social media and from traditional mail to e-mail has definitely taken its toll on print.

It was fortuitous that new technologies came along when they did. It can be said that wide format inkjet “saved” the industry. The industry’s climb out of the Great Recession was a tough slog and 2017 and 2018 recorded some pretty dismal shipments data. Challenges still remain.

Even during the Great Recession, surveys found boundless optimism for the next year.

The US industry seems happy, but cautious.

A major challenge for the industry is a skills shortage, which is a reason for the heightened interest in automation.

People worry that a ‘robot will take my job’ but we may welcome robots because we can’t get people to do the jobs that need to be done.

There were a few recurring themes.

The first is that print businesses have been on binding/finishing equipment buying spree over the past few years which seems to be largely over.

The second is that many businesses don’t have many investment plans — ‘we have no planned investments’ was the top response to our investment question for the first time.

The third theme is that the shift to wide format printing is also largely done.

So, what’s the next adventure? Textiles?

Packaging? A little bit of the former, not so much the latter, according to the survey.

Print business owners seem to be having

22 ProPrint April 2020

sales force issues. Finding qualified sales people and the capabilities of sales people were the top opportunities and challenges and sales reps topped the list of positions businesses were looking to fill.

In revenue terms, business in 2019 was perceived as pretty good.

Forty eight per cent said revenues had increased by six per cent or more compared to 2018 (up from 42 per cent in last year’s survey), while 12 per cent said they had decreased by six per cent or more, up from last year’s four per cent.

Twenty per cent said they stayed the same.

There was an average change of +4.1 per cent in revenues from 2018 to 2019, compared to +3.8 per cent last year.

Almost two-thirds expected revenue to increase by six per cent or more in 2020. Only three per cent (up one percentage point) of respondents expected revenues to decrease by six per cent or more.

Overall, just over one third expect revenues to hold steady.

Printing establishments on the whole expect a +6.6% change in revenues in 2020, up from +5.8% last year. If we adjust for inflation, that’s more like a +4.5% change.

As for anticipated 2020 jobs, 45 per cent (up one percentage point from 2018) expect orders to increase six per cent or more in 2020, while only three per cent (up one point) expect them to decrease by the same amount.

The survey found profits in 2019 were down over 2018; 37 per cent (down from 42 per cent last year) reported that profits increased six per cent or more from 2018, and seven per cent (up from four per cent) reported that profits had decreased by six per cent or more over 2016. The average change in profits from 2018 to 2019 was +3.7%, down from +4.1% last year, or, adjusted for inflation, +1.6%.

Shops with 20–49 staff continued to fare less well. Only 30 per cent (down from 33 per cent) said profits had increased six per cent or more while 14 per cent (down one point from 15%) said they had decreased six per cent or more.

Things improved slightly for the businesses with 50+ staff: 39 per cent (up from 35 per cent) said profits had increased six per cent or more while eight per cent (up from five per cent) said they had decreased six per cent or more.

Overall, 44 per cent (down from 46 per cent) expect profits to increase six per cent or more in 2020, while an unchanged two per cent expect them to decrease by the same amount.

Getting pricing under control Pricing is the new number one challenge from this survey - as it was two years ago.

Last year, it dropped to number two, and this survey it again rises to the top at 29 per cent of respondents, although it’s down from 31 per cent.

As printers move into new product and service areas, knowing how to price them — and price them competitively — is a challenge. But that this item is declining suggests that printers are getting a handle on communicating the value of print.

The number two challenge is “competition from other print providers” selected by 25 per cent, down from 39 per cent.

The number three challenge is traditional in printing industry surveys: “capabilities of sales personnel” selected by 23 per cent of respondents. Tied at number four (22 per cent) are economic challenges “national” and “local economic conditions” up from 21 per cent and 19 per cent, respectively.

What are print businesses planning to buy in 2020?

The overwhelming response selected by one-third of respondents was “we have no planned investments”.

Exhibitors at the upcoming Drupa will have to offer solutions that really provide an economic benefit to industry services.

The number one actual item is “finishing/ bindery equipment for digital production” (16 per cent, down from 25 per cent last year).

Finishing equipment has been at the top of the list for the past few surveys; as we saw with less interest in “broadening our finishing capabilities”.

It’s likely that binding and finishing have been broadened and the opportunity and corresponding investment will languish until there is some new compelling product introduction.

The number two item is “additional space/ new location” (15 per cent up from 8 per cent). That’s a good sign that businesses are expanding and adding capabilities.

The number three item is “workflow automation software” selected by 14 per cent, up from 10 per cent.

The crux of the problem that has plagued the industry: costs increasing, demand decreasing and pricing a challenge are still evident.

The full report is 125 pages with explanatory charts and graphs.

All values are in US dollars.

“Printing Outlook 2020” WhatTheyThink’s Overview of the Current Economic State of the Industry is prepared by Richard Romano. www.whattheythink.com www.sprinter.com.au

PRINT DIARY

EVENT

LOCATION

DATE

Real Media Awards 2020

Melbourne

Aug 28

FESPA Global Print Expo 2020

Madrid

Oct 6-8

interpack 2021

Düsseldorf

Feb 25 - Mar 3

drupa 2021

Düsseldorf

Apr 20 – 30

PacPrint 2021 postponed

Melbourne

TBA

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April 2020 ProPrint 23

UPDATE COMMENT

Make your customers feel like numero uno In a crowded market, the printers that know how to hold on to their customers will be the ones that survive

LEON GETTLER

E

xperts identify 10 rules to please customers and all boil down to one point: you make them feel like they are the top priority.

1. Put the customer service policy in writing: It doesn’t have to be elaborate but it needs to spell out to all employees what the rules are and how to engage customers. That includes everything from closing the sale to dealing with unhappy customers, perhaps even detailing when it is acceptable to give a discount.

2. Make sure staff members are trained and satisfied: There is a rule about good customer service: staff discontent always leads to bad customer service. Your sales staff are the front line to making sure customers are not just satisfied but will keep coming back.

3. Use employees to pick up information: Many companies rely on customer surveys but these do not tend to deliver much information. Customers will just jot down anything, if they do at all.

Employees are a better source of information so it is a good idea to make sure they pick it up. Some of the smarter companies put in time and resources picking up information from their staff about customer trends, what customers are asking and what’s driving customers

crazy. Make sure front line employees are picking up that information.

4. Link bonuses and team pay to customer service: Companies rarely make customer satisfaction measures a core part of how employees get paid but many experts say they should. It’s a way of ensuring that superior customer service, the stuff that differentiates the company and gives it a strategic advantage, is front of mind.

5. Take care with the web site: The web site is your shop front to the world but lots of sites make it impossible for the customer to get in touch with a live person. That’s a mistake. Give the customer a choice of how to interact and get help. It can be by phone, Skype, chat or email. Phone conversations tend to leave a more lasting impression.

6. Be accessible: This is critical. Customers often want access to decision-makers, they don’t want to go through layers of management and gate-keepers to get an answer. Having access to the managing director can be a plus and lets the customer know that they are a priority.

That can be a challenge with time constraints but it’s one that has to be managed. The managing director needs to be accessible to customers.

7. Choose your sales staff carefully: Good sales people are a breed apart. Studies show that top sales professionals have some common features you need to look out for when recruiting. The best sales

A well trained and happy sales team are critical for customer satisfaction

24 ProPrint April 2020

people, according to the studies, are highly conscientious, achievement oriented. They all look for knowledge and information. They don’t get overly friendly with customers, they are not easily discouraged and they seem to lack any sort of self-consciousness which means they are not shy about cold calling new prospects. Their personalities will determine their success, and how much money they will make you.

8. Make it difficult to leave: Customer loyalty is always difficult to get, and high levels of service will not necessarily guarantee it, especially if competitors are offering the same service cheaper.

One way of keeping them would be to introduce loyalty incentives like for example discounts for long term contracts and free service offerings.

9. Keep it personal: In this day and age, voice mail and email make communication easy but it is always better to have a personal touch with special customers. That means organising times to get together. Face to face is always effective.

10. Deal with unsatisfied customers carefully: Experts say that means never arguing, taking responsibility for the problem, not making excuses, immediately taking action to fix the situation and empowering your frontline employees to be flexible in resolving complaints. That means giving them some leeway in deciding when to bend the rules. Either that or ensuring you or another manager are there to handle the situation.

11. Organise your data: Big data is the new normal for business, particularly with the millennial generation’s heavy use of technology, mobile devices and apps. A smart printer will unify that intelligence marketing by extracting meaningful information about customers from every channel, and applying predictive analytics to predict consumer behavior.

Data-driven printers will have a competitive edge and ultimately, they will be the most successful at customer engagement.

12. Make use of social media: These days every business uses social media to get their brands and products out there, keeping them up to date with their latest offerings. They are using social media to build their community. Make sure the content is valuable and relevant. www.sprinter.com.au

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FOCUS HP INDIGO

HP Indigo reshapes

Most productive: the HP Indigo 100K Digital Press

With a raft of new technology and solutions, HP Indigo retains the lead in digital printing

A

new commercial digital printing fleet has been unveiled by HP Indigo which it says sets new industry benchmarks in productivity, print quality and versatility to help print service providers stay ahead of changes in the industry.

Among the new presses are the next generation B2 commercial printing solution, the HP Indigo 100K Digital Press; the new B2 HP Indigo 15K Digital Press, based on the successful HP Indigo 10000; the HP Indigo 7K Digital Press, targeting the 48cm (SRA3+) market; The HP entry level Indigo 7eco Digital Press; and the HP Indigo 90K webfed press.

Currie Group distributes HP Indigo in Australia and New Zealand. Phillip Rennell, sales and marketing director for Currie Group, says, “HP Indigo has really shown their leadership in the graphic arts market, producing an enhanced portfolio for our customers, continuing to deliver digital print 26 ProPrint April 2020

solutions for today and showing how they are creating the future; again.”

100K productivity

The HP Indigo 100K Digital Press is now HP’s most productive B2 sheetfed solution in market. The first press in HP Indigo Series 5, the HP Indigo 100K is designed for offset players to adopt highly productive, on demand digital printing.

Offering uninterrupted duplex digital printing, the HP Indigo 100K Digital Press enables print service providers to deliver more than one million B2 duplex sheets per month. Printing at 6000 sheets per hour, the new four-colour HP Indigo 100K press delivers significantly higher productivity compared with the HP Indigo 10000 series along with the look and feel of offset. This high performance is enabled by advanced paper handling and offset-like gripper to gripper design for precision registration, as well as distinctive HP Indigo digital advantages such as colour automation, calibration, fast switchover between jobs and media and a five input source feeder.

Customer beta testing is now concluding at customer testing sites globally, including offset print service providers. Vincenzo Cirimele, chief executive of beta tester PressUP, based in Italy, says, “HP Indigo 100K performance is above and beyond anything we have experienced with digital printing. The automation innovation is enabling continuous printing, helping us

deliver orders faster to our customers, opening new profit-making opportunities for our business.”

15K builds on 10K success

The HP Indigo commercial portfolio has also launched the new B2 HP Indigo 15K Digital Press. Based on the successful HP Indigo 10000 platform, which has sold more than a thousand units since launching at drupa 2012, the HP Indigo 15K is engineered to address the broadest variety of customer demands in a highly productive way. It features greater media support, including for thick substrates, and ink versatility, opening new opportunities for print service providers.

The HP Indigo 15K Digital Press brings new quality with high definition printing and FM screens, and versatility enabled by a wider range of substrates, now offering additional options with up to 600 microns (24 pt.). New inks include ElectroInks Premium White and Invisible Yellow. New high definition FM stochastic screens support increased sharpness for halftone text. The HP Indigo 12000 is upgradeable to new features of the HP Indigo 15K.

SRA3 and entry-level

The HP Indigo 7K is a 48cm (SRA3+) digital press offers a broader range of high-value digital applications with a media gamut up to 550 microns, with special inks such as HP Indigo ElectroInk Silver, high opacity Premium White, Invisible Yellow for security www.sprinter.com.au

HP INDIGO FOCUS

print production

Speed: The HP Indigo V12 will print in six colours at 120 linear metres per minute

or specific applications and ElectroInk Easy Release ink for scratch-off applications. New features will be upgrade options to the HP Indigo 7000 series.

The HP Indigo 7eco is an entry-level press with Indigo quality and productivity offering an economical and sustainable choice to sprint into digital printing.

The HP Indigo 90K webfed press supports simplex applications including banners, oversized B1 posters and wallpaper, incorporating new and patented algorithms for continuous print.

HP has updated its customers’ cloud capabilities. HP PrintOSX unites the cloud platform applications with artificial intelligence (AI) driven service and support infrastructure to help customers get the most out of their press investment.

HP says that, using HP PrintOSX advanced technology, tools and know how, customers can start building the ‘Print Factory of the Future’ and reach operational excellence, automate production and innovate with high value applications.

Other innovations and benefits include: • HP Brilliant Ink delivers high quality print with eye catching colour, bold reds and dazzling blues with a glossy output. A new CMYK ink set offers an extended gamut, specifically designed to print with high quality on coated and uncoated offset media with one press.

• HP Optimizer provides smooth colour gradients and fills by compensating for www.sprinter.com.au

batch to batch mill variation on coated media while delivering high optical density with reduced show-through on offset uncoated media.

• HP Quality Image Check uses a built-in colour vision system and colour spectrophotometer to help maintain high quality and increased productivity. It monitors print quality in real-time and provides the operator with performance insights while running the press at speed.

Alon Bar-Shany, general manager, HP Indigo, says, “Our philosophy for success is grounded in two key principles, innovation

and automation, and how they play together to build a profitable business for customers.

All this is underpinned by a view towards reducing waste with a genuine concern for the environment.

“As we develop our product repertoire, we keep these guiding principles in mind. Our new portfolio reflects a range of products that offer unprecedented productivity, as well as new levels of quality and versatility, to inspire the unbounded creativity of our customers and the brands they serve.”

Continued on page 28

Entry level: The HP Indigo 7eco Digital Press April 2020 ProPrint 27

FOCUS HP INDIGO Continued from page 27

Reinventing label printing

HP has also announced a new portfolio for HP Indigo digital labels and packaging, designed to offer converters exceptional choice with an extensive portfolio of presses, along with new colour and workflow automation solutions, to efficiently deliver diverse, on demand print orders with low waste.

Rennell, says, “With this announcement, HP Indigo has delivered label printers a digital future with new release products and set forward the future direction for digital printing of labels.

The HP Indigo V12 Digital Press for labels, the first HP Indigo based on next generation LEPX architecture, competes with analogue speeds and creates new opportunities for label production with HP Indigo print quality, ink range, and application versatility.

The first of Indigo’s Series 6 platform, this narrow web label press provides Indigo’s renowned quality and versatility at significantly higher speeds.

HP says the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press will disrupt the label market ecosystem by making significant production volumes a reality for operators with HP Indigo quality and flexibility.

HP points out the key benefits that the HP Indigo V12 Digital Press offers: • Print up to six colours at 120 linear metres per minute, using six inline imaging engines running simultaneously. Produce up to 130,000 linear metres per day with one operator.

• New high definition (HD) imaging. The HD Imaging System on press offers native to 1600 dpi resolution.

• Up to 12 colours on press. Change inks on the fly and create any combination of

colours.

• Print on one of the industry’s largest range of digital label printing substrates, from 12 micron film to 450 micron (18pt) board. Support pressure-sensitive material, sleeves, flexible packaging, tubes, IMLs and more.

• One pass, high speed finishing capabilities will be provided by AB Graphic.

New narrow web

The portfolio also introduces the new narrow web HP Indigo 6K and HP Indigo 8K digital presses for labels, the HP Indigo 25K for flexible packaging and labels, and sheetfed HP Indigo 35K and roll to B1 sheet HP Indigo 90K for folding cartons.

Value packs with various upgrade options will allow the existing customer base to benefit from new features and capabilities.

Since drupa 2016, more than 1000 HP Indigo labels and packaging presses have been installed at converters worldwide Bar-Shany says, “The digital labels and packaging market is growing and evolving as converters move to support market needs for on-demand production, SKU diversification, customisation and printing with reduced waste.

“Labels and packaging converters using HP Indigo are growing their Indigo volume four times faster than the market and are consistently generating new opportunities.

“The new labels and packaging portfolio is a blueprint for customers to create a digital print factory so they can stay ahead of the curve and deliver a wider range of jobs faster, with less labour, all while keeping the environment top of mind.”

The HP Indigo 6K Digital Press is the new model of the highly successful, high-

versatility HP Indigo 6000 series. The press can deliver more applications using higher opacity white for shrink sleeves, new inks including silver, fluorescents, invisible red and green for brand protection applications and new varnishes from leading partners for higher durability.

The HP Indigo 8K offers increased productivity, reduced waste and easier transitioning between media types and jobs.

High capacity label production and flexible packaging on the new mid-web HP Indigo 25K Digital Press are supported with a new slitter for labels, making it easier to diversify into new and lucrative applications.

Faster time to colour

Another innovation, the new colour automation solution, Spot Master, will enable converters to reach brand colours within minutes, making it one of the industry’s fastest time to colour solution.

Spot Master enables converters to deliver high colour consistency and uniformity across the entire print frame using a new patented algorithm for fast and accurate colour matching, ensuring every package looks the same no matter when or where it was printed. Spot Master will be available for the HP Indigo 35K, HP Indigo 25K, HP Indigo 6K and HP Indigo 8K presses.

Brand Beat, a new application offered in HP PrintOSX, delivers real time colour reports directly to converters and brands.

PrintOS Production Pro for Indigo Labels and Packaging, featuring HP Indigo’s fastest HP Indigo Raster Image Processor (RIP), integrates with the new Esko Automation Engine for HP Indigo, allowing converters to process more jobs per day.

HP PrintOSX unites the cloud platform

Print service providers can expand their reach with new applications 28 ProPrint April 2020

www.sprinter.com.au

HP INDIGO FOCUS

applications with AI-driven service and support infrastructure to help customers get the most out of their press investment. With its suite of tools and applications, customers can start building the digital Print Factory of the Future and reach operational excellence by automating production and minimising operator touchpoints.

With HP Indigo Secure and partner solutions, converters can provide brand protection solutions using special inks, anticounterfeiting marks, micro-text fonts and protected track and trace solutions.

Digital embellishment solutions from HP Indigo and partners offer ways to stand out, including the inline Kurz DM Jetliner digital metallisation solution, HP Indigo ElectroInk Silver for metallising the colour gamut, and HP Indigo GEM, a digital print and embellish, one-pass solution integrated with the HP Indigo 6K Digital Press.

Open the carton market

The new portfolio significantly extends HP Indigo folding carton capabilities, offering enhanced productivity, wider application range and expanded colour capabilities.

The portfolio includes the new sheetfed B2 HP Indigo 35K for high value folding cartons, the new sheetfed B2 HP Indigo 15K for mixed commercial print and packaging production and the new B1 HP Indigo 90K roll to sheet solution with an inline water-based UV coater and sheeter.

Rennell says, “HP Indigo’s release of the 35K and 90K enables folding carton solutions we haven’t seen before and this gives us and our customers an opportunity to drive the market in new ways.”

Building on the experience of over 100 folding carton press installations worldwide,

the HP Indigo 35K introduces significant enhancements: • Faster time to colour with Spot Master colour automation.

• Faster job changeover with drawers, pallet feeder and proof while print capabilities.

• Printing on thinner substrates from 150 microns to capture applications such as rigid boxes.

• New HD printing with 1600 dpi for enhanced print quality.

• New HP Indigo ElectroInk Premium White for higher opacity.

• New ElectroInk Invisible Yellow, track and trace solutions and security elements for multi-layered brand protection applications on one press, in one pass.

• Tresu iCoat II, integrated with the HP Indigo 35K, delivers offset-quality for overprint varnish and coating applications using industry-standard UV or waterbased varnish in a single production pass now optimised for high accuracy varnish registration at full speed.

On demand flexible

The portfolio of HP Indigo Digital Label Presses give print service providers in the digital flexible packaging market the capability to offer on demand and sustainable flexible packaging.

The company says the new HP Indigo 25K Digital Press is designed to help converters meet brand needs with an even more attractive total cost of ownership, a wider media range to deliver compostable and recyclable pouches and more choices to create a digital pouch factory.

Advances to help converters harness production power include: • Optimised lamination solutions with the

• • • •

new SuperSimplex e800 laminator by Nordmeccanica. The 800 mm wide solventless laminator offers low waste and reduced energy consumption for on-demand pouch production. The field proven Karlville Pack Ready thermal laminator and Karlvile KS-DSUP-400 pouch maker are optimised for shorter runs.

Greater flexibility with two white ink stations.

Higher productivity with frame expansion from 729mm to 737mm.

Faster time to colour with Spot Master colour automation.

Sustainability credentials include the Green Leaf mark and certification from TUV Austria’s ‘OK Compost’ verifying HP Indigo ElectroInks can be used as printing inks for packaging and are recoverable through composting and biodegradation in accordance with leading standards. In addition, HP Indigo ElectroInks comply with leading food packaging regulations and are free of UV-reactive chemistries.

All HP Indigo presses are manufactured carbon neutral.

On their way here

The B2 HP Indigo 100K and HP Indigo 15K, HP Indigo 7K and HP Indigo 7eco for commercial will all become available later in 2020. Value packs with various upgrade options will allow the existing customer base to benefit from new features and capabilities.

For labels, the HP Indigo 6K, HP Indigo 8K, HP Indigo 25K, HP Indigo 35K, and HP Indigo 90K digital presses will be commercially available later in 2020.

The HP Indigo V12 is not scheduled for commercial availability in 2022.

HP Indigo technology has taken digital label production to a new level www.sprinter.com.au

April 2020 ProPrint 29

COVER STORY

I

f you have ever thought about the future of engineering and manufacturing in Australia – have no fear, the next generation is at the top of their game and they’re making the rest of the world sit up and take notice.

The national finals of the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge in Melbourne, supported by Visual Connections, was a demonstration of passionate boys and girls pushing themselves to new limits to master industry-standard software, equipment and processes to innovate at an astonishing level.

F1 in Schools, which is not only the biggest Science-Technology-EngineeringMathematics competition in Australia but also in the world, challenges students to form teams akin to Formula One with a manager, design engineer and a person in charge of manufacturing and resources. They have to design, make, test and race a miniature powered F1-style racer with an aerodynamic body and wings. It accelerates from 0-80 kilometres per hour in less than two seconds.

It was amazing to see teenagers engaged in animated discussions with the judges about machining techniques, 3D printing, drag coefficients and using various materials.

Something you would expect to see in a professional design office or machine shop.

The students were encouraged to collaborate with industry and understand the design-to-manufacture process and exploded views of their cars on the multi-media pit displays showed just how much work had gone into them. Special wheels, hub assemblies and multi-layer aerofoils were made from the lightest possible materials.

Employers would be pleased to know that not only is this an engineeringmanufacturing project, it includes sought after ‘soft skills’ including teamwork, problem solving, time management and communication. In fact, the students were judged on their presentation and ability to work together.

The national finals were staged at the Australian headquarters of Robert Bosch for the second year in a row and the global manufacturer excelled itself at encouraging

The future is in The future of advanced manufacturing and engineering in Australia is in a strong position if the recent national finals of the F1 in Schools STEM challenge is anything to go by the youngsters to consider a career in manufacturing. Staff members ran a series of breakout sessions which included augmented reality and autonomous technology.

Following several days of intense competition, with race times separated by hundreds or thousands of a second, the 36 teams attended the awards ceremony. The VIP list was a reminder of how highly respected the program is. It included Andrew

Students had to design and build an F1-style racer that could accelerate from 0 to 80km/h in less than two seconds

30 ProPrint April 2020

Denford (founder of F1 in Schools UK), Thierry Chevrot (Education division of Parisbased software giant, Dassault Systemes), Professor Richard Hopkins (former Director of Operations, Red Bull Formula One), Tim Richardson MP (Parliamentary Secretary to Minister for Education, the Honourable John Merlino MP), Robyn Frampton (Visual Connections, representing the signage printing manufacturing sector), Associate Professor Warren Smith (UNSW), Engineers Australia and the Australian Institute of Project Management.

The recipients of the 40-plus awards came from across Australia showing that STEM is being promoted and led by a large contingent of educators. As expected, STEM strongholds Perth and Melbourne starred, along with Tasmania. The Gold Coast was a delightful newcomer.

A team of students from Wesley College in Perth earned the title of National Champions in the Professional class. “Nebula” won awards for Best Engineering CAD, Best Engineered Car, Best Manufactured Car, Best Team Marketing and Best Team Pit Display. They will now prepare for the World Finals, which will be held in conjunction with a round of the Formula One championship. This is where they will face teams from 50 nations and all eyes will be on www.sprinter.com.au

COVER STORY

good hands Students work on their entries for the national finals of the F1 in Schools STEM Challenge in Melbourne

them. This is because since F1 in Schools began in 2004, Australia has had a strangle hold on it. Our tally is six world championships, five runners-up, three third places, the reigning world speed record (0.916 seconds), eight Best Engineered Car Awards and six Fastest Car Awards.

Victorian schools continued their dominance once again proving that Victoria is a STEM powerhouse on a global scale.

“Seido” from Trinity Grammar School, Kew, claimed the title of National Champions of the Development (entry level) class. The school’s other team “Hydron” finished third in Professional. Between them they won seven awards.

Trinity’s team at the World Finals will also be under the microscope because the school has won the World Championships of F1 in Schools twice – a feat only equalled by one other school in the world (in Adelaide). They have also finished in the Top Ten twice. This makes them a leading STEM school at an international level. In recognition of this feat their teacher Peter Clinton, who introduced F1 in Schools to the school 15 years ago, was presented with the prestigious John Button Award For Outstanding Contribution To STEM Education by Tim Richardson MP. It is remarkable that for a decade and a half Clinton has continued to raise the bar. It is www.sprinter.com.au

schools like his which are providing our nation with such high-quality designers and technicians.

Tasmania always ranks well at the National Finals and their teams picked up awards for

Best Engineered, Best Manufactured Car, Best Managed Enterprise, Best Team Portfolio and Best Team Verbal Presentation.

Up north, in only their second appearance at a National Final, the Gold Coast Christian College owned the track. They entered four teams – the most from any school – and one team called “Dark Matter” made its presence felt with the slipperiest design. Not only were they runners-up to the National Champions (Professional), they won every on-track award: fastest lap, knockout competition, Grand Prix race and best reaction time (the cars are sent down the track by pressing a hand held trigger). A second team, “Soar Racing”, won the Development knockout competition making it an all-Gold Coast affair. “Vivacity” received the award for Best Managed Enterprise and student, Amelia Tegler, received the Engineers Australia Women in STEM Award for her work.

GCCC Principal, Guy Lawson, was honoured for his efforts and he was presented with the prestigious REA Founders Award.

He was also made a Fellow of REA. While you work away in your business, there are more than 25,000 high schoolers busily preparing for the next round of F1 in Schools knockout finals. And, they are the newest contingent of close to one million students who have been a part of the REA Foundation’s project-based STEM programs since they started in 1998.

Special thanks to the Department of Defence, Department of Industry, Visual Connections, Bosch, Autodesk, Dassault Systemes, Engineers Australia, Australian Institute of Project Management, Denford, Jetta Excess Baggage and Motorsport Australia for supporting this remarkable producer of such highly employable young people. If you want to invest in a movement which is building the future of this nation you couldn’t go past Re-Engineering Australia Foundation, the brainchild of Sydney engineer, Dr Michael Myers OAM. PP

Design teams employed 3D priting techniques to make their projects a reality

April 2020 ProPrint 31

Gold Sponsor

Coming soon What is the Power 50?

The Power 50 is an annual event which recognises the leaders and innovators in Australia’s printing industry – the people that keep this industry strong with a clear vision into the future. It is also a wonderful opportunity for all 100 nominees to come together and celebrate the highs and lows of the year. The Power 50 is 100 per cent peer voted making it truly your Power 50. In 2020 the Power 50 will celebrate its 10th birthday.

How can I get involved?

To become a valued sponsor of the Power 50 please contact Carmen Ciappara on 0410 582 450 or carmen@proprint.com.au Editorial enquiries to Sheree Young on 0402 759 893 or syoung@intermedia.com.au

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Coming soon What is the Emerging 50?

The Emerging 50 burst onto the scene in 2019 to recognise the contributions of the rising stars of Australia’s printing industry. Emerging 50 recipients have a maximum five years of experience in all facets of the industry including production, sales, graphic design and administration and were nominated due to their commitment in the workplace. If the 2019 Emerging 50 members are anything to go by, the future is in safe hands.

How can I get involved?

If you would like to join Visual Connections and Cactus Imaging in supporting this great initiative please contact Carmen Ciappara on 0410 582 450 or carmen@proprint.com.au Editorial enquiries to Sheree Young on 0402 759 893 or syoung@intermedia.com.au

PROMOTION

UK’s Elle Media Group installs world’s first 2020 Speedmaster XL 106-5+L

Heidelberg introduces its 2020 generation Speedmaster XL 106-5+L

A leading UK printer of charity greetings cards has become the first in the world to install a high productivity 2020 generation Speedmaster five colour sheetfed press with coating unit

H

eidelberg has announced its 2020 generation Speedmaster XL 106-5+L has been installed in a world first at UK market leading printer, Elle Media Group.

The deal for the very first serial 2020 generation XL 106-5+L was made through Heidelberg UK in January and was installed in March. The new investment replaces a three-year-old machine which has produced 210 million impressions since its installation in March 2017.

Heidelberg was planning to present this press and its full range of print technology and solutions at drupa in June 2020 at Messe Düsseldorf but due to the COVID-19 pandemic the global printing megashow has been postponed until April 20-30 2021.

Elle Media Group is Heidelberg’s most productive operation in Europe on a straight configuration press. The business regularly produces over seven million impressions on one press per month with an average run length of circa 4,000 and an average makeready time of just over 3.2 minutes.

Heidelberg says the new industry benchmark press will allow the Essex-based business to continue its ethos of deploying the latest technology to ensure the lowest operating cost per sheet and to ensure the right capacity is available for its ever growing greeting card publishing division and 34 ProPrint April 2020

commercial print customers.

Heidelberg says with this investment the company can continue to adapt its service structure to ensure technology continues to enhance the customer experience at Elle Media Group.

With a full suite of Prinect products, its transition into a fully working Smart Print Shop and Push to Stop producer has been accelerated through the continued drive and delivery of its fantastic team. The numbers from Prinect Smart BI both in terms of output and quality showed this investment would deliver the required ROI in what remains one of the most competitive market spaces in worldwide print.

“We had been evaluating this investment for over 12 months as we knew with the output levels we were producing and the fixed operating costs in place that our investment cycle would need to be decreased to ensure we sustained our operating cost per sheet,” Elle Media Group managing director James Cuthbert said.

“This was the primary driver for the investment combined with the increase in capacity for the same overhead due to Intellistart 3 ensuring one minute improvement on current performance which will give us another 320 hours of available press time per year to ensure we maximise the opportunities being presented to us.”

Founded in 1982 as Falder Printing Limited, Elle Media Group boasts an in-house creative studio and is a leading charity greeting card publishing house equipped with the very best of modern technology.

The acquisition of the new 2020 generation XL106-5+L press will ensure Elle Media Group remains at the cutting-edge of technology in the industry in the years to come.

Despite drupa’s postponement, Heidelberg is pushing ahead with the slogan “Unfold your Potential” which is designed to act as a guide to help customers optimise and best develop their business potential through the very latest in technologies, innovative solutions and new business models.

Heidelberg’s Smart Print Shop is a key part of this message as this tool can assist printers with key factors including process optimisation and intelligent, operatorindependent productivity.

Rainer Wolf, head of sheetfed product management at Heidelberg, says the integrated measures will enable customers to take the next step towards higher productivity and process reliability.

“Our forecast at drupa 2016 that the industry would double its productivity by 2026 is on its way to becoming a reality, and Push to Stop is the key to this,” Wolf said.

All of Heidelberg’s Speedmaster models, in small, medium and large format, are equipped as standard with the Push to Stop functionalities and a cloud connection enabling all customer groups to make use of the ever-increasing range of cloud-based software solutions that are available.

Heidelberg is also looking at addressing the issues around increasing job complexity in the pressroom and how technical innovations can solve concrete customer problems and close the gaps in the automation chain.

“Interesting innovations in the area of intelligent assistance systems and artificial intelligence will be an impressive display of what is already possible today and where development will lead in the coming years.

We are consistently thinking beyond the printing press here also, for example in the area of printing plate logistics,” Wolf said.

Heidelberg was also preparing to unveil its fully automatic printing plate logistics at drupa. The technology allows for printing plates to be provided automatically in the correct plate changing shaft and the used plates are removed.

The company says this is the only way to achieve consistently high productivity with short runs. As well as reducing the operator’s workload, process reliability is increased since damage caused by handling of the plates is systematically minimised. This increases the reliability of plate changes and reduces the risk of scratches on the plate causing paper waste. www.sprinter.com.au

FOCUS TEXTILES

L

istening to ABC Melbourne on the radio recently, my ears pricked up when host David Astle began talking about fabrics – very serendipitous as ideas for this ProPrint feature on the technology and business dynamics of textile printing were brewing in my head.

Astle enlightened his audience about the origins of well-known fabrics – that suede came from Sweden, damask from Syria (Damascus), jeans originally from Italy (Genoa) and calico from India (Calicut).

This got me thinking about the diverse range of substrates a creative printing enterprise could introduce in a sector that is brimming with potential and ranks with packaging and signage as among the most future-proof.

Print businesses can, to a point, use skillsets developed in paper printing to bring textile printing to reality.

While we should beware of being cavalier about the specific skills needed for textile printing, in a broad sense, these skills are universal and adaptable.

So, what your team has learned from applying ink to paper is a good start in this lucrative segment.

Whether it’s pigment-based direct-togarment (DTG) printing for short-run or personalised merchandise or volume projects using roll-to-roll dye-sublimation with paper transfer or flatbed direct-to-fabric (DTF) for soft signage, apparel or home furnishings, the future looks bright for fabric printing.

So, what do the textile printing vendors have to say about this exciting space?

Canon

Garry Muratore, product manager at Canon Production Printing, says the figures are compelling with the interior décor market recording double digit growth since 2016.

“We take a wider view of where textile printing can fit and consider it a core part of our interior décor suite of applications,” Muratore said.

“The capability of digital inkjet technology to print to almost any surface, with longevity, along with an explosion in the development of new digital media and the trend for personalisation, is driving volume growth in this sector. Not only is market growth high, but printed décor products can command high value, and therefore high prices.”

Interior décor covers a range of categories including retail, exhibition, corporate fit-outs and museum and gallery spaces with each presenting a long list of applications for digital print, he explains.

Many interior décor products are manufactured using traditional analogue methods and switching to digital techniques would allow some to be created faster and more cost effectively.

To respond to this demand, Muratore says Canon Production Printing offers UV cured technology that allows a wide range of substrates to be printed at high speed and at near photographic quality.

36 ProPrint April 2020

Material Printing on fabric is a sought after specialisation that enables print service providers to hone existing skills to benefit from a dynamic new sector

By Peter Kohn

Durst Oceania

Matt Ashman, managing director, Durst Oceania, says textile print production falls into two categories: soft signage and home/ apparel decoration. “Soft signage is a steady, solid sector, not a huge growth area, not double-digit, but it certainly is an area that people in wide format are looking to go into.

The people who started doing this five or ten years ago – such as Vivad in Melbourne are very strong,” Ashman said. “If I was advising anybody in wide format, I would tell them to look at soft signage.”

The real growth is in home and apparel decoration and, Ashman says, this combined with an increased push for onshore production but in shorter and higher value run lengths can only be a good thing for Australian operators.

Ashman says digital textile printing’s key benefits are its ease and cost effectiveness to only print the amount needed and as such dramatically slash waste and water usage.

“Fabric decoration historically has been done in Bangladesh or India using traditional methods that use phenomenal amounts of water, so the environmental impact on those developing countries is becoming unsustainable,” Ashman said.

“The advantage of digital is you are producing the correct amount and the amount of water required is proportionate to the amount produced. For sustainability, that’s much more attractive.”

Ashman says Durst’s pigment inks do not need steam or water treatment and, unlike conventional pigment-ink decoration, Durst’s new-generation pigments offer strong, fade resistant colours. “There are still some playoffs like certain fabrics that can’t be printed with that technology, however, there

are a lot that can be.”

The rise in the popularity of short-volume high-value textile decoration particularly in the swimwear and niche apparel categories is also a big advantage for local producers, Ashman says.

“Australia will get on board with home furnishing, fast fashion and apparel and when it happens, it will happen quickly.”

Durst’s Rhotex dye-sublimation range comes in medium, large and superwide formats up to five metres and are designed for direct-to-textile and transfer printing (from paper to textile) at up to 300 square metres per hour. For apparel and home furnishings, its Alpha industrial direct-to-textile press can print at speeds up to 1,500 square metres per hour.

Epson

Gordon Kerr, Epson Australia’s Business Marketing Manager – Professional Print, says figures in a recent IDC report show the textile printing market grew between 30 and 50 per cent over 2018 and 2019. Driving a significant part of this increase is the shortening of the fashion season.

“Retailers are struggling with decreased trade and are responding with increased attention on differentiation, increased promotional activity and more frequent sales,” Kerr said.

“Customers are continuing to purchase but they are buying when they see value; what is new, what is fresh, and what is offered at a ‘reasonable’ price point.

“The ability to provide just-in-time delivery is becoming as important, and in some cases more important, than the ability to offer the absolute lowest price.”

Soft signage is another undeniable growth www.sprinter.com.au

TEXTILES FOCUS

benefits

to 2023 from a 2018 global base of $US7.5m in garment print value to illustrate the power of this sector. Again the message was clear about the role of digital technology in the rise of fast fashion.

“Digital technologies – from machines and software to workflow management systems – are considered as the enabler to fast fashion,” Richardson said.

Richardson says while large department stores opt for traditional summer and winter seasons, it is boutiques and online stores that are driving the spike in quick-to-market digitally printed garments.

DTG offers some unique selling points – including short lead times, no makeready, minimal set-up costs for design, variable/ personalised product and scalable production through hardware investment.

Impression Technology’s DTG range includes the G4 entry-level shirt printer; the M series large-field industrial range; the PTM garment pre-treatment machines and GoTx 1900mm-wide roll-to roll textile printer and fixation systems for natural fabrics.

Kissel & Wolf

space and is continuing to eat into territory once preserved for paper, canvas and vinyl, Kerr said.

“We are really starting to see a shift in focus from film to fabric particularly in regards to light boxes and point of sale and point of purchase applications,” Kerr said.

Epson has got both the DTG and dye sublimation markets covered.

In the DTG space, Epson offers the F2160 press for low to medium volumes on light and dark shirts. In 2020 it will launch the F3060 for the high-volume producer.

In dye sublimation, Epson has the F560 for merchandise and hard surface imaging; the compact F6360 for 44 inch roll-based media for medium volume garment and hard surface imaging; the F7200 for medium volume fabric and soft signage producers with roll-based media up to 64 inches; the F9460 / F9460H for high volume fabric and soft signage production up to 64 inches and a soon to be launched very high speed production model with roll support up to 76 inches.

HP

In the past decade, digital inkjet printing has become the fastest growing printing technology for textile decorations, says Craig Hardman, country manager, large format, HP. Dye-sublimation represents an important sub-sector of it and is a key process within digital textiles printing, he adds.

Quoting data from the Smithers-Pira report, The Future of Dye Sublimation Printing to 2023, Hardman says volume growth is expected to continue at 11.6 per cent year-on-year from 2018 to 2023 significantly higher than the three to four per cent expected in the conventional textile www.sprinter.com.au

printing market to 2023.

“It’s hard to deny the impact of fast fashion on both the fashion industry and the retail landscape as a whole,” Hardman says.

“Digitally printed textiles offer innovative solutions to support the fast fashion industry as designers and brands are able to react quickly to changing trends and consumer demand.

“The rapid turnover of fashion means brands will attempt to minimise holding significant inventory, which is often what happens with traditional analogue printed fabrics – to make this process viable you need to produce significant yardage.”

Increasing pressure to examine the lifecycle of printed products is also driving a trend towards more sustainable solutions and, where possible, recyclable materials, Hardman says. Polyester and R-Polyester textiles (made from recycled PES yarn), coupled with dye-sub inks, present an ideal opportunity to help deliver short term displays and expo components without the ‘throw away’ waste of typical PVC-based materials.

Hardman says the newly released HP Stitch S series of digital textile printers delivers fast and precise colour-matching with efficient and simplified processes.

Sydney’s Next Printing is the first Asia Pacific wide format printer to install a HP Stitch S1000 with managing director Romeo Sanuri saying he chose it to meet a growing demand for vibrant backlit light box applications.

Impression Technology

Steven Richardson, director of Impression Technology, quotes a Keypoint Intelligence report which forecast a 14 per cent CAGR rise

Since the new millennium there has been significant growth in streetwear, says Jon Field, sales and business development director (digital) ANZ at Kissel & Wolf Australia. At $US185b in sales, streetwear comprises around 10 per cent of the global apparel and footwear market. Sports apparel is also booming with Field pointing to an Allied Market Research report which says it accounted for around $168b globally in 2018 with this expected to grow to $250b by 2026.

A combination of online ordering, digital workflow and the take-up of digital DTG and DTF technology has allowed brands to benefit from just-in-time production and the opportunities of an on-demand customer experience.

Field points to opportunities in dye sublimation printing on polyester for exhibition graphics, POS, sportswear and home and hotel furnishings and pigment print on cotton, silk, rayon and mixed fibres.

Kissel & Wolf caters for the high production roll-to-roll textile inkjet print markets with solutions including the Mutoh VJ 1638WX 64 inch dye sublimation printer, which runs dual CMYK bulk dye sublimation inks for high productivity sportswear printing; the Mutoh VJ 1938TX 75 inch roll to roll printer which uses dual CMYK bulk disperse dye inks for direct-to-polyester printing or CMYK, orange, green and blue bulk pigment inks for printing direct to cotton, silk, rayon and mixed fibres.

The Kornit Presto 1800mm direct-totextile printer runs CMYK plus red and green Neo Pigment Robusto inks for unparalleled direct-to textile production speed and quality on cotton, silk, rayon and mixed fibres and the Homer 3200mm HM3200R industrial large format high-speed dye-sublimation graphics printer.

Continued on page 38 April 2020 ProPrint 37

FOCUS TEXTILES Continued from page 37

Kornit Digital

On-demand printing of fabrics and garments is the new wave in non-paper printing, says Ashley Playford-Browne, regional manager ANZ, of textile print hardware developer Kornit Digital. Playford-Browne says the push away from analogue technologies is fuelled by the on-demand flexibility of digital print.

“Fast fashion has revolutionised the industry and improved the customer experience, however, we also must be mindful that this has come at a cost – more clothing manufactured means more waste.

The challenge now is to reduce the excess waste.”

Playford-Browne says DTG’s strength is that a relatively cheap garment, with some ink added, can be sold for a much higher price. “This is down to the fact that it’s customised to the client’s requirements. It also allows you to set up a cash-flow-positive business, as most of the sales channels in DTG are B2C, therefore you don’t manufacture until the orders come in and it’s paid for.”

Kornit’s print technology is based around its pigment inks with in-built pre-treatment, notes Playford-Browne.

“This is a unique and patented process which means you literally can take a garment and print on it, there is no pre-treatment required. Being a pigment solution means we can print on virtually any fabric type – think cotton, rayon, silk, polyester, and so on.”

Kornit Digital’s DTG range includes the entry-level Breeze, the mid-range Storm and the high-end Avalanche and Atlas platforms.

Its Presto roll-to-roll range is designed for high-volume fabric decorators or microfactory operations.

Kornit Digital has got DTG covered

Industrial textile print: Durst Alpha

Mimaki

Australians are among the most sportsminded in the world, Mimaki Australia’s textile channel manager Iman Monem says.

“We have competitions on every sport field, in every age group, and they all need customised jerseys with their names and numbers.

“Although we face competition with overseas products, the Australian government is supporting local manufacturers by offering grants for those who wish to start up production and employ local people.”

Monem notes that with the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic temporarily closing Chinese factories, demand for reliable local suppliers has risen significantly.

As part of its response, Mimaki has set up its first TX300P-1800B press with reactive ink in Melbourne to print the work of textile design graduates.

Monem says the ability to wash and re-use dye-sublimated banners is a major benefit for events and exhibitions.

“Those who have already purchased a frame or tubular shape stand just need to order a new skin if details change,” he said.

“This is why in shopping centres and exhibitions we see printed fabrics almost everywhere. Customised table cloths, lamp shades, tapestry and furnishing is another growing sector,” he says.

DTG is also a growth area due to its ability to print down to one on cotton.

But Monem says this is problematic when printing on dark polyester as the only way to do this is with heat transfer vinyl, which isn’t as durable as dye-sub printed fabric.

Mimaki Australia offers dye-sub printers in 1.3m, 1.8m and 3.2m widths. It does not offer any DTG technology at this stage but does have the TX300P direct-to-textile press available.

Pozitive

For Phillip Trumble, managing director at Pozitive, an increasing focus on sustainability and using recycled polyester is giving digital printing a big green tick. Its other benefit is the relatively smaller physical size of folded textile which means less space in landfill and savings on shipping. “For big media roll-outs it is easier to ship and have more impact with fabric than it is with multiple boards or other unrecyclable media,” Trumble said.

Re-usable framing systems are the other benefit of this application.

“Framing systems that are installed by professional sign makers can also have skins easily installed by a shop owner or business owner and can be easily reskinned so once you make the investment in the hardware you are only replacing skins,” he said.

Trumble says the rise in on-demand garment customisation will only increase, with sportswear leading the charge.

“Individual garments can easily be customised with dye sublimation and certainly in DTG and HTV (heat transfer vinyl) where premade garments are customised prior to sale,” he says.

“These markets are booming due to the short run length required and the high level of customisation the market now knows is relatively easily available.”

Crossing between DTG and dye sublimation doesn’t commonly occur but Trumble sees no reason why it can’t.

“Certainly, in this diverse world where many are looking to widen the net, clients can migrate from one to the other, or more likely, combine technologies and offer more to their same customer base,” Trumble said.

“It really has a lot to do with understanding your business and more so understanding your clients.

“Many sportswear companies could easily Continued on page 40

38 ProPrint April 2020

www.sprinter.com.au

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FOCUS TEXTILES Continued from page 39

Pozitive supplies the Summa range in Australia

Pozitive sees massive growth: sportswear

DGI calender unit supplied by Pozitive

offer textile banners and soft signage, but don’t. It may be harder for signage companies to offer sports team jerseys though because the printing is only one small part – making a garment is a whole additional skillset.

“It really is about understanding that printing is the common link between these different industries and applications, but what happens after the print can be completely different skill sets and abilities.”

Pozitive does not currently supply DTG products but does offer products for heat transfer including printable and cuttable films that can be applied with a heat press onto shirts, apparel, sportswear, garments and bags.

For high volume dye-sub and direct-totextile in soft signage or sportswear markets, Pozitive offers RIPs from Caldera and Ergosoft. It also distributes DGI’s range of dye sublimation paper transfer and direct to textile technology from entry level through to industrial. Also on offer is a range of industrial printers for dye sub transfer and direct to textile from MS Italy.

Pozitive also supplies a range of Mimaki entry level and production textile printers.

It also represents: Kiian, an Italian-made global leader in sublimation ink; Transjet sublimation transfer papers (manufactured

by Sappi in Italy); Italian-made Monti Antonio calender and flatbed presses and rotary knife and laser cutting systems from Summa in Belgium.

“In analogue processes, tonnes of discharged water generated from the dyeing process causes significant social and environmental problems.

“Significant waste is also generated during the manufacturing process – spinning, dyeing, cutting and sewing – as well as through transportation and disposal of unsold stock.”

The global increase in inkjet hardware and ink sales further proves the rise of textile.

“IT Strategies Inc has projected that global sales of inkjet hardware and inks for industrial printing on textiles has grown from $US130.5b in 2015 to $US231.4b this year,” Kraszewski said.

“Fashion is by far the largest segment of the printed textile market.”

Texintel estimates fashion accounted for 39 per cent of all printed textiles in Europe in 2018, measured in turnover. The next largest segment was sportswear (29 per cent), home décor (19 per cent), contract décor (nine per cent) and events (four per cent).

“While events and soft signage represented the smallest market segment – by turnover – of printed textiles, it had the highest digital penetration of 83 per cent. With a low growth – and high digital penetration – the digital opportunities in this well-established segment are limited,” Kraszewski said.

All segments combined represent 96 per cent of turnover of printed textiles in Europe, with digital penetration at a low 11 per cent, he added.

Ricoh’s Pro L5160 wide format printer uses Ricoh’s aqueous resin ink to print on impermeable and permeable media. The Pro L5160 prints on synthetic material, cotton, tarpaulins and canvas for indoor and outdoor use. For DTG, Ricoh’s Ri 100 can fit on a bench top and its ease of operation means a product can be finished in minutes. The Ri 100 can print t-shirts, outerwear, polo shirts, pillow cases, towels, socks and wall prints.

Eaton says Dutch substrate developer Neenah Coldenhove has recognised the gap between pigment analogue printing (analogue printing with pigment ink is 52 per cent of the total) and pigment digital printing (digital printing with pigment ink is only three per cent of the total) with the development of Texcol, a special paper for pigment transfer on an industrial basis.

She adds two factors are driving the fast fashion boom – outsmarting counterfeit operators and the demand for personalised goods.

“Brands are protecting themselves against the copy industry by increasing the frequency of new designs – a new collection every six weeks kills the market potential for the copied products,” Eaton says.

“The other driver is the trend for individualised products – a t-shirt costs a few dollars but a shirt with your own picture or artist’s impression makes it unique and the pricing can easily reach $US25.”

Choosing whether to go DTG or high volume, or a blend of both, is a calculation each print enterprise must make for itself, Eaton says.

“The equipment can do both but how you organise the production is what matters.

Handling four high-volume production orders or 2,000 single print orders simultaneously in one day requires a completely different organisation,” she says.

Starleaton offers a comprehensive range of textile printing and finishing hardware and consumables.

Its EFI VUTEk FabriVU 180 and 340 dyesublimation printers offer production-level speeds, outstanding image quality and optional inline fixation capability in 1.8m and 3.4m formats.

It also offers Epson’s dye-sublimation printers, the SureColor 64in SC-F9460, 44in SC-F6360, the world’s first 24in SC-F560 plus the SC-F2160 Desktop DTG printer.

Finishing gear includes high-quality transfer printing and fixation calenders from Kliervik, thermal transfer papers from Flexa of Italy and fabric sewing solutions from Impulsa. Included in its consumables range are the Neenah Coldenhove sublimation papers, ranging from 45 to 140 gram. PP

Ricoh

Mass-customisation, personalisation and increasing environmental and social pressures have opened the door for digital textile printing, says Henryk Kraszewski, senior product manager, commercial and industrial print, at Ricoh Australia.

“Online stores for customised clothing – and other items – is a trend that has exploded in recent years,” Kraszewski says.

“Organisations such as Cimpress, The Dream Junction and Amazon have invested heavily in IT infrastructure, online communications, manufacturing and quality assurance to drive demand.”

The other big plus for digital textile printing is the textile and apparel industry’s unenviable position as the world’s secondlargest polluter – after oil, says Kraszewski.

40 ProPrint April 2020

Starleaton

Starleaton marketing manager Ines Eaton says reports from Fibre2Fashion and Smithers Pira point to textile printing continuing to grow as digital printing costs reduce, new applications become available, the trend for personalisation continues and the growing potential of pigment inks.

Continued on page 42 www.sprinter.com.au

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FOCUS TEXTILES Continued from page 40

Taking on textiles Technology vendors offer advice for print enterprises pondering a move into fabrics.

Garry Muratore of Canon Production Printing says vendor support is critical for any printer looking to successfully expand into textile printing. “We regularly help customers complete the story with professional solutions and well-managed implementation. Our purpose-built Customer Experience Centre in Melbourne is often used to test various fabrics and substrates in a range of applications on our various technologies. This means our customers know that they can rely on us for R&D and proof-of-concept samples.”

Matt Ashman of Durst Oceania says with the cost of entry now lower than ever – and skillsets that are similar, although not identical to those for paper printing – textile decoration is becoming an attractive transition target for some conventional print businesses. But he says up-skilling in this area needs close attention particularly in hanging fabric, laser cutting and choice of materials. “You can’t print with dye dispersion or sublimation on just anything.

It has to be minimum 50 per cent polyester so there are all these rules that come in and there is no way around them. Durst has huge knowledge and we will happily act as consultants and advise people about what they need,” he says, adding Durst’s Experience Centre in Brixen in northern Italy is a magnet for print enterprises fascinated by expanding into textiles.

Nathan Fulcher of Epson says migrating to dye-sublimation would be relatively easy for someone experienced in signage production as it uses the same RIP software. “The considerations are investment in a suitable heat press (flat model for cut sheet or pre-cut garment work, calendar style for roll to roll fabric, specialty type for merchandise), time spent getting used to new media and press settings, the need to change mindset towards profiling of output media rather than print media and reversing images.”

DTG isn’t hard to manage as a portfolio expansion. “While operators can print using the same types of images, they will need to learn some new software that manages layouts and image positioning.

They also will need to work out how to fit production into their existing business. In addition to a heat press (flat style for low volume, tunnel style for higher volume), they would be well advised to invest in a pre-treatment machine unless their intention is only to print on light coloured fabrics.”

Craig Hardman of HP says there is a learning curve as with moving into any new 42 ProPrint April 2020

market. “With HP entering into the textile printing market, we have retained a similar workflow and interface for our Stitch textile printers to our other devices, so those already producing wide format print on our DesignJet or Latex printers can make the transition simply. The biggest hurdles to overcome relate to the finishing of textile products. This often means new cutting machines or additional tools for existing cutters, and the addition of sewing. Whilst not technically complicated, these are additional considerations many print companies may have never thought they would be seeing in their factory. But it is hard to ignore the growth and additional profit opportunity in the textile market.”

Steven Richardson of Impression Technology says transitioning to textiles should be hassle-free, but some basic cautions need to be observed. “Knowledge of various ink types and pre and postprinting processes are critical. Textiles themselves have great variances - they can be knitted, woven, stented, starched, preshrunk, bleached, silicone processed, they can be non-stretch, one-way, two-way or four-way stretch, or a combination. There isn’t a single rulebook that applies when it comes to digitally printed fabrics.”

Jon Field of Kissel & Wolf advises paper printers against moving into this market unless they partner with someone who is experienced in the roll-to-roll sector but says success in the DTG space is more attainable. “The DTG market is more straightforward, although like moving into any new market, it still provides its own set of challenges. With that said, we already have customers here in Australia and New Zealand who have successfully navigated from a paper print background into the DTG market and have had to learn quickly about getting ink to successfully adhere to textiles and fabrics, along with factors such as wash and rub fastness.”

Ashley Playford-Browne of Kornit Digital says it depends on where you enter the market. He says roll-to-roll is more demanding due to the finishing that is required. DTG does not have this issue but there needs to be an understanding about quality. “Textile is not just about a goodlooking print, you need to consider the wash-and-rub fastness, durability is key as prints need to withstand wash after wash.

You also need to be able to adapt your production methods to the different fabric types and batch types. Fabric itself has many variables that operators need to be mindful of.”

Brad Creighton of Mimaki Australia sees dye sublimation as having its complications. “There are a number of

factors involved in determining the finished product’s quality. Mimaki is one of the few companies that’s in control of all major elements. We supply printers, software, ink, paper, ICC profiles for all papers in the market and support customers from A to Z. Some fabrics definitely require different press temperature and time but most print businesses that are our clients know how to tackle most issues that come up.”

Phillip Trumble of Pozitive says the key barriers are price and finishing. “If you can print wide format and understand the files and how you manage this workflow then you can easily print onto textile. You can even do this with your existing printer – there are textiles available that work with UV, eco solvent, aqueous and latex. It is a foot in the door to develop your business but you won’t get the same result or colour vibrancy as dye sublimation, and eventually the options are limited.” So, depending on the market, volume and finish you are after, you may need to invest in dyesublimation and in that case the barrier to entry is also setup cost. This is attractive for those who can invest as there is comparatively less competition in this space.” Finishing is the other barrier. “How you finish the printed textile – the pressing (in the case of dye sub), cutting and sewing of the textile to make a finished product – this is new equipment and potentially a new skill that may need to be acquired.”

Henryk Kraszewski of Ricoh Australia says like any transition there is a learning curve and adjustments to make. “The first issue is the printing process itself – learning about how ink interacts with the different substrates – various textiles and materials rather than paper varieties – followed by the curing process, that is, ensuring the printed product is ready for hand-off or finishing. The second issue is workflow – the management of jobs, print controller, colour management, operations management and fulfilment. Solutions continue to evolve to help printers move jobs seamlessly through the print business from concept to fulfillment. Print providers should talk with suppliers of substrates and with equipment manufacturers to get guidelines on what works best.”

Ines Eaton of Starleaton says printing on textiles brings challenges compared to other substrates. “It is not as stable as many other substrates and a number of small variations - in the textiles, the printer, the ink, the paper, the environment, humidity, the calender – all may affect the colour. A certain level of expertise and stable good quality equipment are required to turn textile printing into a commercial success.” www.sprinter.com.au

Print’s Brady Bunch bonanza The Brady Bunch is an iconic staple of modern popular culture. Now a Californian printer has been involved in reproducing the set. As the famous jingle goes: Here’s the story.

By Peter Kohn

S

Original cast Maureen McCormick, Barry Williams, Chris Knight, Eve Plumb, Mike Lookinland and Susan Olsen (credit: HGTV)

ixty-somethings may remember watching The Brady Bunch when it was in production (1969-74), with further legions of viewers becoming diehard fans over 50 years of re-runs or by seeing one of the spinoff TV shows or movies.

The Bradys had a magical appeal with many attracted to the foibles of a large, rowdy family of six kids, a mum and dad and a live-in housekeeper. Much of it was fantasy and any resemblance to real families was kind of tenuous, but therein lay the sitcom charm. Pure escapism!

With the show still as popular as ever, US home renovation channel HGTV decided to take the Brady passion up another notch. In A Very Brady Renovation (broadcast in Australia on Foxtel), the show focused on the house that featured in the show. Located in Los

Angeles suburbia, that house bore no resemblance to the Paramount Studios sound stages that became the famous interiors and backyard of the modernist ‘60s-chic house that, according to the storyline, dad Mike Brady, an architect, had built. So HGTV acquired the house and assembled a crew of architects and builders to renovate it to replicate the rooms so familiar to viewers.

To add sizzle, HGTV brought in six cast members of the show – the Brady kids – as advisers.

When you analyse it, fandom is based on intimate knowledge, which means details are important. Brady aficionados feel as if they are part of that family and have lived in that home. Many know exactly how the faux timber panels looked or how the orange-andavocado hued kitchen was laid out.

This is the logic that sparked the project.

Yet it would sink or swim on how accurate the reproductions turned out. If ever there

Durst presses were used to reproduce the Brady Bunch furniture (credit HGTV)

44 ProPrint April 2020

was a case of ‘near enough ain’t good enough’ – this was it.

And this is where Astek, a textile print company located at Van Nuys in LA’s San Fernando Valley, came into the script, through its sub-brand, On Air Design, an acclaimed provider to the US entertainment industry of digitally printed wallcoverings, flooring, grand-format prints, signage, window graphics and more.

Astek frequently provides textile decoration for Hollywood productions and was recommended for the project.

Astek’s president Aaron Kirsch says the objective was to achieve as near as humanly possible the original look on treasured icons such as the living room couch and the wallpaper in the kids’ rooms. The ultimate judge would be a worldwide TV audience of Brady fans – and in the words of Susan Olsen, (who played Cindy and has worked as a graphic designer), “Brady Bunch fans know their stuff”.

The challenges were at times daunting.

Samples were taken from screenshots of the actual Paramount Studios TV series, which was originally recorded 50 years ago on somewhat grainy colour film stock, and, even then, the surfaces were in the background and not in sharp focus.

It was hardly an exact science but err from the original and the diehards would call you on it.

The actors who played the Brady kids – Barry Williams, Christopher Knight, Mike Lookinland, Maureen McCormick, Eve Plumb and Susan Olsen (pictured above) – were invited to offer their recollections of the sets – details such as the correct shade of a chair or the shape of a shelf.

Replicating the famous living room couch – the scene of much scripted Brady drama – was one of the tasks brought to Astek. Printed www.sprinter.com.au

TEXTILES FOCUS

Drapery and wallpaper were reproduced and printed on Durst presses at Astek in Los Angeles (credit: HGTV)

fabrics that were in vogue in the 1960s were no longer commercially available, so Astek stepped in, custom printing them digitally.

All of the wallcoverings and fabrics that were created – including drapery for the kids’ rooms, wallpaper for the kids’ rooms, fabric for the day bed in the den and sofa fabric in the living room – were printed on large format Durst printers (800, 712, and 512).

HGTV’s design and build manager Dylan Eastman teamed up with Astek project manager Nicholas Ray and former cast member Maureen McCormick (who played Marcia) to get it right.

For example, comparing a rendition of the upholstery on a screen at Astek’s design studio, McCormick noted it had more white spaces between the motifs than the original screenshot brought in on a tablet, a discrepancy that was quickly fixed with some deft stylus strokes on a Wacom drawing tablet

by Astek’s lead designer Anna Tatsuno.

When McCormick declared a match, Astek ran a printed proof from a Durst flatbed printer. So authentic was the look and feel of the digitally printed sofa fabric, that, running a hand over it, Eastman declared: “It doesn’t even feel printed!”

Then with Susan Olsen’s input, Brian Kuhar, one of Astek’s senior designers, tweaked a digital version of the girls’ bedroom wallpaper, reducing the size of a floral motif and brightening the reproduction to match the original. For the wallpaper in the boys’ bedroom, an early reproduction featured ship motifs too close together, a mast at the wrong angle and water waves too exaggerated. These tiny faults were corrected on-screen, before proofs were printed on a Durst roll-to-roll printer. That was the degree of authenticity the project was chasing.

Kuhar told ProPrint, “I grew up watching The Brady Bunch re-runs and I was very www.sprinter.com.au

excited to have a part in this renovation and reimagining. Normally when I’m asked to be on-camera talent, I decline, but this is one project I just couldn’t pass up. We at Astek are often requested to recreate iconic designs and as a designer and manufacturer of custom wallcoverings, we of course received the call from production designer John Shaffner to tackle the project. We worked on the designs on and off for a few months, but condensed, it really took a few days to redesign and perfect

the five patterns seen on the show. It was difficult and demanding but I feel it was overall very successful.”

Again in the spirit of the theme song, that’s the way they restored the Brady house. It was a case of print ‘going Hollywood’, and an exercise in fun and nostalgia, but at its core, it proved the versatility and wide appeal of printing on fabric to exact client specs. All in all, it spells a bright future for custom textile printing. PP

Watching the magic happen with wallpaper production at Astek (credit HGTV)

April 2020 ProPrint 45

PROMOTION: SURVIVING COVID-19

Capitalising on a COVID19 pandemic rebound Kissel + Wolf, with some help from the Harvard Business Review, share some recommendations on how to fire up your textile printing business in a postpandemic world

T

his is the first time in history that a global pandemic has systematically closed down the economy. However, it’s not the first serious downturn and it won’t be the last.

What can the textile and garment printing industry do now to capitalise on the post COVID-19 rebound?

What learnings can businesses and owners apply from firms that outperformed their peers during the post recovery phase of the global financial crisis (GFC)?

Here are some recommendations from Kissel + Wolf (K + W) with some assistance from the Harvard Business Review to help.

Post the GFC some key K + W customers and a select group of companies experienced exceptional growth.

Firms that cut costs faster and deeper than their rivals didn’t necessarily flourish. Only one in five pulled ahead of their competition once times got better.

It was the same for businesses that boldly invested more than their rivals. These companies had a one in four chance of becoming segment leaders after the down turn.

For many market leading companies going into the recession, they struggled to retain that edge and regain momentum post GFC. However, the companies that prospered mastered the delicate balance between Many Kissel + Wolf customers flourished in a post-GFC world

46 ProPrint April 2020

cutting costs to survive, while investing to grow for tomorrow. This group deployed a specific combination of defensive and offensive moves and experienced the highest probability (almost 40 per cent) of breaking away from the pack.

They successfully and selectively reduced costs, focused on operational efficiencies, and invested in their future, with regards to marketing, R&D and even new plant and equipment.

Their multi-pronged strategy proved the best antidote to a recession.

Which subset does your business sit in?

1. Prevention-focused companies that primarily make defensive moves and are more concerned than their rivals with avoiding losses and minimising downside risks.

2. Promotion-focused companies invest in offensive moves that provide upside benefits more than their peers do.

3. Pragmatic companies combine defensive and offensive moves.

4. Progressive companies blend the optimal combination of defensive / offensive moves.

It sounds easy, just develop a little offence, a little defence, right? The companies most likely to outperform their competitors after a recession blend pragmatism (deal in facts) together with being progressive.

Chief executive officers of pragmatic companies recognise that cost cutting is necessary to survive a recession, and that investment is equally essential to spur growth and that they must manage both simultaneously.

They typically use a three-prong approach by: • selectively reducing employee numbers; • improving operational efficiencies; and • developing new business and market opportunities While developing new business opportunities and markets these businesses continue their R&D and marketing efforts

and, where necessary, invest post-recession growth in sales and earnings to emerge as a progressive enterprise.

Few progressive business leaders have a master plan when recessions bite. However, they encourage their organisation to create a portfolio of initiatives to improve efficiencies.

This focus drives them on a course towards long term growth and profitability.

There is further evidence that progressive strategies result in those businesses riding the momentum gained after a recession is over. Their approach doesn’t just combat a downturn, it lays the foundation for continued success once the downturn ends.

Here is Kissel + Wolf’s 10 point ‘fast fire’ checklist to prepare your DTG (direct-togarment) and DTF business (direct-to-fabric) businesses to capitalise on the opportunities that will emerge post the COVID-19 downturn: 1. Spend time now to qualify your customer lists. Know who your ideal customers are by profiling them.

2. Partner with complementary companies to service a broader market and service your customer needs.

3. Ensure you have the right equipment for the right mix of jobs.

4. Know your numbers intimately like all successful businesses do, including fixed and direct costs, margins and your cash flows.

5. Know where you’re going. If your business doesn’t have a roadmap then develop one.

6. Review all internal processes to make your business more efficient for when good times return. Introduce lean manufacturing, just-in-time production and apply smart thinking to inventory holdings. Bring manufacturing back onshore.

7. Revisit your marketing and communication plan. Consider the most effective ways to reach your target audience frequently and measure the ROI on your marketing investment.

8. Zoom out and view your business in the present environment. Consider initiatives and incentives you can capitalise on.

The Morrison government has released a host of stimulus incentives. Work out which ones you will benefit the most from and pursue them.

9. It’s the lowest interest rate environment in history, so refinance (pool) all existing loans and negotiate with your bank on your lines of credit.

10. Remain positive and stay close to your staff and customers.

For more information please contact us on digital@kiwo.com.au or on 03 8318 5555. www.sprinter.com.au

HELPING BUILD THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL PRINT WWW.KISSEL-WOLF.COM.AU

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EH Manufacturing and Alltab pick-ups and deliveries from 3 McDonald Street, Coburg

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Ron 0418540862 Fax 03 9533 4982

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60 ProPrint April 2020

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MT Envelopes Established 7 years. Serving a wide range of customers we pride ourselves on punctuality, reliability and customer satisfaction.

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Q&A 5. Career highlights?

Mel Ireland A printer by trade, Mel Ireland is the national president of the Lithographic Institute of Australia and a member relationship executive at Ai Group.

1. How did you get into printing?

I had decided to take a year off between high school and uni. I was planning on studying veterinary science. A neighbour was a teacher at the School of Printing and Graphic Arts so I decided to try a hand at my creative side and enrolled in a pre-vocational course there.

2. What was your first job in the industry?

About three months into the course an apprenticeship as a print machinist was offered at a company in Bowen Hills in Brisbane so I applied and got the job. That was in 1990.

3. What do you love about the printed form?

It’s tactile, it can be emotive and when design and substrate complement each other, it can be beautiful. Just about every sense is impacted by a printed piece.

4. What do you love most about your current role within Ai Group and how does it fit in with being the LIA National President?

The people I work with at Ai Group are phenomenal and I love the diversity of my current role. I have the pleasure to be able to cross between and be the conduit between industry, academia and politics. Having the opportunity to learn about so many other industry sectors has and continues to be exciting. Even though Ai Group represents a wide range of industry segments, manufacturing is still its heartland. As printing is a subsector of manufacturing it is rewarding to be able to still have a wide range of the printing industry within the Ai Group fold. How does it fit with my LIA role? Simple answer is connection. LIA is fundamentally about connections within the industry and educational networking. By seeing other industries being impacted by various trends or innovation, it gives a great perspective to be able to share with the printing industry also.

Each industry segment is tackling various pressures that are impacting their business models. A lot are similar. Some are unique. If we are aware of how other industries are evolving there can be learnings from that.

66 ProPrint April 2020

The first state PICAs that I organised when I started at the Queensland branch of Printing Industries. The night was a great success with the largest numbers at the time in six years.

Also when I was operations manager of PaperlinX Qld. I really enjoyed that role and working with the staff I led there.

6. Three people you would like to have dinner with and why?

Peter Norman – this Australian track athlete and silver medal winner at the 1968 Olympics supported a cause based on his beliefs at a time of human rights fragility and suffered a huge career blow because of it. I would like to be in the presence of someone who had that much conviction and to learn how he felt and how he dealt with the repercussions at the time.

Coco Chanel – a fascinating lady that kept a treasure trove of secrets in her life. In a fashion sense she was ahead of her time in regard to gender norms. She did what she wanted and spoke her mind at a time less forgiving.

My Grandfather – just because.

7. How do you cope with pressure and unwind after a busy week?

I cope with pressure pretty well in general, although I am told I can sometimes unconsciously be a bit direct in my communication. I just work through one thing at a time. I like to have a lot on my plate as it keeps the mind active. It takes a lot for me to unwind and I don’t know that this happens on a weekly basis – that’s what holidays are for. I tend to relax best either going for a walk or enjoying a good glass of red or Champagne with friends.

8. What are the three biggest issues impacting the printing industry today?

Awareness, perception and succession planning.

9. What are the answers to these issues?

Awareness – there is often a comment thrown around about printing ‘being the most visible invisible industry’. There needs to be a joint campaign with support from suppliers such as paper/ink/equipment, peak bodies, printers and others to educate the wider public about the printing industry. It is about visual communication; it always has been. People that aren’t in the industry have no understanding of the time and effort or technicality of creating a printed piece.

Perception – I get so tired of hearing comments about ‘saving the planet so we will email or produce digitally NOT print’. Again, it is key to make the wider community aware of the environmental arguments to this. There are pockets doing this, and doing it well such as twosides.org, but the broader industry needs to be in it together. The circular economy is such a conversation point right now and especially with the next generation – the printing industry is a perfect example where circularity principles can and have been applied for many years.

Succession Planning – we need to wrap

Recognised: Mel Ireland at the 2019 ProPrint Power 50

this up into the campaign I have mentioned earlier. The industry needs to start to rethink how they attract talent. It isn’t an easy thing to do and it’s not just this industry that is struggling to attract newcomers. The industry needs to get on the same page when it comes to what is needed in regards to talent, and how do we pitch to government/s and the wider community such as high schools etc.

10. How much has printing, and the approach printers must take changed in the last two decades?

Significantly. Technology has played a key role in this, but the printing industry is not alone in these changes. Gone are the days of a print shop just providing to a certain style of clientele. Diversity is the key to any business these days. However, diversity doesn’t mean having to be everything to everyone, it’s important for like businesses to cluster/work together by utilising each other’s strengths. I think more than ever, printers must look after their existing client base with more focus on service and data. Printers have so much data at their fingertips and have had for a long time they just have to use that data effectively to service their clients needs most effectively.

Being able to offer a range of services is critical.

11. If you didn’t work in the printing industry, what do you think you would be doing?

Honestly, I don’t know. There are some days that I still say ‘I don’t know what I want to do when I grow up!’ I do enjoy the industry as a whole, and in particular trying to help SMEs with solutions to problems and to connect them with other companies that can complement their own business.

12. All time favourite holiday destination?

Anywhere that has a great beach.

13. First band you saw live?

I remember seeing David Bowie as a young teenager, it was his Glass Spider tour. I think that was the first one that I saw. www.sprinter.com.au

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