ProPrint April 2024

After an eight-year hiatus, the industry prepares for the world’s biggest trade show

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Anticipation builds for drupa 2024

This month, the ProPrint team has traversed continents, from FESPA in Amsterdam to HP’s Open House in Melbourne and Ricoh’s national roadshow. But while the weeks have been busy, our focus now moves to the forthcoming drupa 2024 in Düsseldorf.

After an eight-year hiatus, the return of drupa ignites excitement across the

industry, with preparations underway on a grand scale. Exhibits are being created to showcase printing innovation, new products and groundbreaking technologies. Attendees can anticipate an immersive experience within drupaʼs global hub.

The ProPrint team will be on the ground to provide comprehensive coverage, ensuring our readers remain informed

Contents APRIL

6 –9 Update

A round-up of all the big news from the world of print

10 Think Laterally – Mick Rowan

Mick Rowan discusses how stories foster relationships beyond the confines of a mere transaction

11 Comment – Charles Watson

The PVCA’s Charles Watson looks at understanding machinery supply issues

14 Epson 40th Anniversary

15 Photo Gallery:

Konica Minolta recognises staff after record year at Kick-Off event

16 – 19 Ricoh Roadshow

60 ProPrint Diary

Keep up to date with industry events

PROFILE

13 Zünd Australia moves on from Starleaton administration

FESPA 2024

20-25 A round up of announcements and familiar faces from Amsterdam

COVER STORY

Melissa Parker

of the latest developments and stories from the event. We are excited to bring you live updates and insights directly from Düsseldorf through the Sprinter and ProPrint platforms.

In this issue of ProPrint, we provide a taste of what to expect plus case studies, highlights from FESPA, and the freshest news and perspectives.

26-28 Screen’s new JET 560HDX roll-fed digital inkjet press and more premieres at drupa 2024

DRUPA 2024

30-48 Discover what to expect, from innovations to new products

STAR BUSINESS

50 Lamont Print & Signs leads in sustainable and recycling practices

OPEN HOUSE

52 HP Industrial Print’s Commercial Printing B2 Open House Melbourne

HP invited print business owners from all over the Asia Pacific region to attend its two-day Commercial Printing B2 Open House event in Melbourne. ProPrint was there.

CASE STUDY

56 Agfa brings in-house print to PopArt

58 Centrum Group acquires FUJIFILM Acuity Prime 30

Durst Oceania launches Vanguard

Durst Oceania has confirmed it will launch the entire range of Vanguard products in Australia and New Zealand.

In an exclusive interview, Durst Oceania managing director, Matt Ashman confirmed the full range of roll-to-roll, flatbed and hybrid products will launch following FESPA.

“I am pleased to confirm that Dan Mantel has come on board to develop the Vanguard business sector as business development manager, and we will be reaching out to work with potential partners as well as customers in the near future,” Ashman said.

“Durst acquired Vanguard back in 2019 and the Covid pandemic prevented us from launching it earlier into the local market. The benefit of waiting to launch has meant that the brand is now assimilated into the Durst business as well as the hardware and software ecosystem and this is fully backed by the Durst service network.

Dale Hawkins to lead new Zünd Australia subsidiary

Former Starleaton executive Dale Hawkins will lead a new Australian subsidiary of Zünd Systemtechnik AG based in Melbourne.

The decision to create a dedicated subsidiary follows the recent changes at Starleaton – the former distributor for Zünd – when Starleaton went into voluntary administration owing several companies deposits for Zünd equipment.

Starleaton Digitial Solutions (SDS) acquired the Zünd agency almost 10 years ago in late 2014.

Ben Eaton told ProPrint, he was working with equipment manufacturers, including Zünd, to organise repayment of deposits for outstanding contracts on equipment.

In a statement from Zünd obtained by ProPrint, the details of the new subsidiary have been revealed.

“Zünd Systemtechnik AG now also has its own branch in Australia. Zünd Australia will be based in Melbourne serving existing and new customers from all areas of application in which Zünd is active,” the statement said.

“Zünd Australia is a wholly-owned

“There are now over 1000 Vanguard installations globally and the brand continues to grow in the established market of North America as well as exponentially in the European market.

“Printers have been telling us that they are looking for an alternative to the other players in the market. There have been a number of manufacturers that have delivered some great innovation, but unfortunately, this was a number of years ago. Now Vanguard is here delivering what

Durst is famous for – innovation on a constant rolling basis. We will continue to be focused on what customers need and what customers want.

“Vanguard can deliver amazing quality at incredible speeds, while also providing a very commercially attractive proposition. Vanguard sits within the Durst range as a more accessible entry point for the aspiring print business and we look forward to welcoming new customers to the ever-growing Durst family.”

subsidiary of the Switzerland-based Zünd Systemtechnik AG. The new Zünd branch will be the local contact for existing customers and prospects.

“At the same time, Zünd Australia is also the new competent partner for all areas of application that want to digitise their cutting with cutting technology from Zünd. The partnership with Canon Production Printing will be continued and the aim is to further strengthen the cooperation.

Zünd Australia is under the leadership of managing director Dale Hawkins.

“Being associated with the Zünd products in Australia for 15 years I am excited to head up Zünd Australia. We are currently in the process of establishing a team of highly experienced technical personnel along with a new headquarters in Melbourne,” Hawkins said.

With Zünd Australia, the Swiss company said it will further strengthen its market position in Australia and open new areas of application in the medium term.

Oliver Zünd, CEO of Zünd Systemtechnik AG: “With Zünd Australia, we can support our existing and new customers directly and competently. The close cooperation with the new branch allows us to strengthen our market position in Australia. Zünd Australia enables us to continue to offer our Australian customers the best possible care in the long term. The team on site has a lot of experience with our cutting solutions. This will enable us to further improve advice and customer service.”

Printers interested in learning more about Zünd Australia or Zünd precision cutters, products, service, and support can email dale.hawkins@Zünd.com or call Dale Hawkins directly at +61 409 024 994. Zünd said it is looking forward to personally welcoming Australian customers at drupa in Dusseldorf. If you would like to make an appointment for a personal conversation in advance, you can contact Lars Bendixen directly, lars. bendixen@Zünd.com

Dale Hawkins

Matt Ashman and Dan Mantel from Durst Oceania launch Vanguard at FESPA Amsterdam

Ben Eaton promises to repay staff 100 per cent as he regains control of Starleaton

A very emotional Ben Eaton said he will repay staff 100 per cent of their entitlements after creditors voted for him to regain control of Starleaton.

The voluntary administrator and creditors approved the Deed of Company Arrangement proposed by Eaton after the company went into voluntary administration in January 2024.

In an exclusive conversation conducted with ProPrint shortly after the second creditors meeting was held, Eaton said he will fulfill the commitments within the Deed of Company Arrangement that will see staff repaid their entitlements.

“What I would like to communicate is a clear message that under this proposal all staff will get what they are entitled to and this will also maximise the opportunity for a return to other creditors.

“Staff will receive 100 per cent of what they are entitled to,” he said emphatically.

Under the Deed of Company Arrangement which will now serve as the blueprint for the future of the business, Eaton will set aside $800,000 of funds to restructure the business for 24 months to help repay staff entitlements of $1,384,325.64.

Employee entitlements are estimated to be: Wages ($105,445.55) for 28 employees;

Superannuation ($133,396.73) for 35 employees; Annual Leave ($140,899.94) for 24 employees; Long Service Leave ($261,715.46) for 14 employees; Pay In Lieu Notice ($190,635.36) for 27 employees and Redundancy ($552,232.60) for 26 employees.

“It was critically important for this proposal to get this across the line as liquidation would have been a catastrophic event for everyone involved,” Eaton said.

ProPrint understands Starleaton now has seven employees, down from 35 prior to going into voluntary administration

“Hopefully this demonstrates our intentions to maximise returns for everybody involved after 45 years in business. I look forward to returning to business and getting everything back on track.”

“We are also working with equipment manufacturers regarding the payments made for outstanding contracts,” Eaton said.

ProPrint understands that there was not a 100 per cent consensus to support the Deed of Company arrangement, with some creditors voting against or abstaining from the vote.

Visual Connections welcomes international exhibitors to Visual Impact

Visual Connections CEO Peter Harper has said the upcoming Visual Impact exhibition in Brisbane will mirror global trade shows with increased Chinese attendance.

Harper told ProPrint the increased interest from Chinese companies to participate in Visual Impact represents a global trend and this will be reflected on the floor with a higher number of exhibitors at this year’s event on 17 and 18 July in Brisbane.

“Chinese companies have a greater appetite to exhibit in overseas shows and we are seeing this all around the world. It is well evidenced at drupa this year with almost 400 Chinese companies set to exhibit at the show in Düsseldorf this year. We would also expect the same trend [towards higher Chinese exhibitors] at the FESPA trade show in Amsterdam this year as well,” Harper said.

“Visual Impact Brisbane has attracted a larger number of exhibitor enquiries from Asian companies and we feel, like the drupa team does, that suppliers from China have every right to exhibit – as much

as any other international company. However, as we have always done, we do place some restrictions on exactly which offshore suppliers can exhibit in our shows. Primarily, they must not be selling print or signage directly into Australia and they must be looking for distributors into Australia. Is it hard to police – yes – but we monitor it closely,” he said.

Supported by Platinum Sponsor Roland DG, and Gold Sponsors Avery Dennison, Epson, Graphic Art Mart, HP, Spicers and Trotec, Visual Impact Brisbane has already attracted a long list of exhibitors representing many of the industry’s leading names, promising visitors a comprehensive display of everything from software and workflows to wide-format print, fabrication, illumination, engraving, laser cutting and more.

Visual Connections events manager

Charly Blades said there are still some excellent stands available – but suppliers who want to take advantage of the opportunity will need to be quick, with several potential exhibitors already circling

many of the prime positions which remain.

“We’ve seen excellent attendances at recent shows, with industry businesses keen to see and experience the latest technologies and innovations and make major investment decisions after enduring such long breaks during the pandemic,” she said.

“Brisbane is shaping up as no exception to this. The floorplan is looking pretty full, which is great so far out from opening, and we have already received our first registrations after opening bookings so clearly there are business owners who are already looking forward to taking advantage of all the opportunities available to them in Brisbane.”

Blades confirmed that as always, there will be an educational element to the show, but this year the focus is on delivering maximum value for minimum investment of time, with a program the organisers are calling ‘Expert Connections’.

“Visual Impact only runs for three days, and we know that many visitors can only afford limited time away from their businesses to attend, so the sessions in our Connections Centre will be short, snappy and laser-focused on the topic at hand, whether that’s economic or business updates, market trends, expert opinions, or sessions on various technologies and innovations,” Blades explained.

“The idea is to make sure visitors can gather plenty of knowledge, insights and ideas, as well as connect with experts who can really deliver value to their business, without taking too much time away from the exhibition itself.”

Ben Eaton

Peter Harper

Vale Neil Mulveney - industry remembers a life in print

The print industry is mourning the passing of Champion Press’s Neil Mulveney, an industry stalwart who devoted his life to print.

Mulveney started in print at the young age of 11 years old, delivering copy for E. Angelo & Sons, commercial printers in Campsie. Fascinated by the ‘copy’ he delivered

returning a few days later in printed form he was hooked on the concept.

At the age of 19, from a garage in his parents’ backyard, Mulveney began trading as Dalnor Press (his brother Ronald’s name, backwards). This was the beginning of what was to become Champion Press.

Konica Minolta appoints former EFI executive Frank Mallozzi as president IPP

Frank Mallozzi has been appointed to lead Konica Minolta’s industrial print production channel, which includes the company’s highspeed inkjet, labelling, and embellishment businesses.

Mallozzi previously worked at EFI for 25 years, including eight years as chief revenue officer from 2015 to 2023, and as senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing from 2005 to 2015.

“We are thrilled to welcome Frank to our executive team, and confident this important area of our business will continue to evolve under his leadership,” said Sam Errigo, president and CEO, Konica Minolta.

“Our industrial and production print business is a key strength for our US sales organisation. Frank’s extensive experience developing go-to-market

growth strategies and integrating solutions to accelerate profitability will keep us on a path of innovation and allow us to gain market share and strengthen our position in the marketplace.”

Mallozzi said it was an honour to join the Konica Minolta team.

“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Konica Minolta in different capacities throughout my career, and it is an honour to join the company and be leading this best-inclass team,” said Mallozzi.

Mulveney’s business quickly outgrew the garage and moved to a shop and dwelling on Stanmore Road, Petersham, in 1954. He acquired his first Heidelberg press, a 10 by 15-inch platen – a giant platen for its time – a small Heidelberg cylinder press, and his first KORD offset press.

The business was there for seven years before it moved to Marrickville, where he purchased another KOR offset press and a single-colour Heidelberg RON offset press.

In 1968, Dalnor Press bought out the Langlea Printery, which was in St Peters, and combined the two plants into the Langlea premises. As a result, Champion Press was founded in 1967.

In 1987, Mulveney sold Champion Press to Hannanprint.

“We could not have had a better outcome. The summation of the work of many paid off. The Hannan family were outstanding to deal with, and very accommodating to our staff,” Mulveney said at the time.

Mulveney witnessed vast changes in print over his life, especially with the growth of digital.

Until his final hours, Mulveney held a deep affection for the print trade.

“Like many of my contemporaries, I’ve had the best years in print,” Mulvaney

Neil Mulveney

Frank Mallozzi

World first for CMYKhub and Currie Group

Australian trade print supplier CMYKhub has become the first in the world to confirm an order for the new EFI VUTEk Q3h XP and EFI VUTEk Q3h X hybrid printers, which were released to the market at FESPA Amsterdam in March.

The order, placed with EFI’s ANZ channel partner Currie Group, also includes an EFI VUTEk FabriVU dye-sublimation printer and will not only increase the capacity of CMYKhub’s rapidly growing wide-format trade printing service, but also add a completely new, softsignage service to the company’s growing offering.

The deal, which was signed by CMYKhub Director, Trent Nankervis, at EFI’s New Hampshire headquarters, puts CMYKhub at the forefront of wide-format print technology, allowing it to deliver to the most exacting standards, across a huge range of applications and, more importantly, to do so with reliable, 24-hour turnaround across Australia.

The first of the machines to be delivered will be the VUTEk Q3h XP, which is set to

arrive in Melbourne within the next six months, quickly followed by the VUTEk FabriVU 340i+ which is expected before Christmas. The VUTEk Q3h X will join its stablemates at CMYKhub’s Sydney premises next year.

Dayne Nankervis, CEO of CMYKhub, said the driver for such a significant expansion – which comes on top of a suite of other investments in labels, book finishing and more over the past 12 months – is quite simply to meet the needs of print service providers.

“As a trade printer, that’s always our guiding principle – we listen to what our resellers are telling us, what their customers are telling them. Then we make our own, strategic investments to ensure they can continue to grow and enhance their businesses, whatever sector of the market they are in, and wherever they are in Australia,” he said.

Paul Whitehead, business unit manager – sign & display for Currie Group, said that’s all part of the partnership.

“Demand on all print service providers to meet the ‘key three’ factors of price, quality and speed has never been stronger, and for trade printers like CMYKhub, those demands are amplified even more,” he said.

“It’s been a long process of consultation, investigation and evaluation to get to this

point, but it’s great to see the team now take this step, confident that it is the best technology to suit their own needs, and those of their resellers. With these cuttingedge solutions from EFI, CMYKhub has once again gone one step beyond, to stay at the very forefront of the trade print market well into the future.”

Trent Nankervis (CMYKhub) and Brett Addison (EFI)

THINK LATERALLY

Crafting business distinction

– the art and impact of storytelling

Mick Rowan discusses how stories foster relationships beyond the confines of a mere transaction.

In today’s hyper-competitive business landscape, saturated with an overwhelming array of products and services, the imperative to distinguish oneself from the relentless competition has never been more critical.

Amidst this crowded marketplace emerges the timeless and potent tool that is storytelling. Far surpassing its role in mere entertainment, storytelling has evolved into a strategic linchpin for establishing authentic connections, cultivating unwavering brand loyalty, and ultimately emerging as a beacon in the competitive market landscape.

Harnessing the power of storytelling is not just a choice; it is an essential tool for businesses striving to make a lasting mark. By going beyond the norm, entrepreneurs can utilise storytelling as an approach that captivates and connects with audiences on a deeper level. By transcending surface level interactions, storytelling becomes the catalyst for authentic emotional bonds, creating a space where brands can flourish and endure.

In business, stories are crucial. Never take their value for granted. It’s not just about recounting tales for amusement, but crafting narratives that etch themselves into the audience’s collective consciousness. These stories become the fabric that binds a brand with its consumers, fostering a relationship beyond the confines of a mere transaction. Through the artful use of storytelling, entrepreneurs can transform their businesses with a well-crafted and

compelling narrative that captivates, inspires, and endures.

THE HUMAN FACTOR

The allure of storytelling lies in its ability to humanise businesses, turning them from faceless entities into relatable protagonists in the stories of consumers’ lives. Storytelling invites the audience into a world where companies have values, missions, and journeys that echo their own. On this journey, brands and consumers embark together, creating a shared narrative that extends far beyond the boundaries of a simple exchange of goods or services.

However, a stark contrast exists: the soulless realm of online transactions. Consumers often encounter faceless entities in this impersonal space and the journey becomes a transactional exchange without values, missions, or shared narratives. In navigating this soulless terrain, businesses must recognise the challenge posed by online transactions’ cold, impersonal nature and leverage storytelling’s power to infuse warmth and humanity into the digital realm, creating meaningful connections that endure beyond the confines of a click.

As digital interactions dominate, the absence of a human touch creates a void where businesses struggle to connect with their audience’s deeper emotions and aspirations. The narrative is the tool that will transform the brand from being a mere provider of commodities into a storyteller, weaving a tapestry of experiences, values, and aspirations that resonate with the hearts and minds of the audience.

Storytelling goes beyond market noise, helping businesses carve a distinct identity. It functions like a symphony, resonating with the audience’s emotions and building a connection that outlasts trends. The real power of storytelling is not just about momentarily captivating; it lies in its enduring ability to establish a lasting niche in the memory and loyalty of consumers.

KNOW WHO YOU ARE

Embarking on the journey of storytelling begins by understanding your brand’s essence. Define your values and mission. Uncover the principles driving your business beyond profit. Know your audience intimately; tailor your narrative to resonate with their emotions and align with their values. Identify pivotal moments and characters in your business journey, weaving an authentic story. Transparency builds trust, so be genuine in your communication. Maintain a consistent brand voice across all channels, reinforcing your narrative for a lasting impact.

Storytelling is not a fleeting trend but rather a timeless strategy with the potential to elevate your brand to new heights. Instead of merely presenting products or services, offer a narrative that resonates, inspires, and etches an indelible mark on your audience’s consciousness. In a world overflowing with choices, the story you tell becomes the key, transforming your brand from a participant to a protagonist in the grand narrative of the market.

As we navigate the era of relentless competition and information overload, storytelling stands as a beacon of authenticity, transcending the transactional and resonating with the human experience. Mastering this art is not just about selling products but crafting stories that endure. In the dynamic landscape of modern commerce, remember that the most compelling narrative is the one that embeds itself into the hearts and minds of your audience, creating a legacy for your brand. So, entrepreneurs, let your story be the guiding force in your journey to success.

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

Storytelling offers a narrative to inspire your audience

Understanding machinery supply contract issues

The PVCA’s Charles Watson looks at supply contract issues and explains how to safeguard your business interests when procuring goods and machinery.

As a business owner or manager, one of the critical decisions you’ll face is procuring machinery and goods from suppliers. Whether you’re establishing or expanding your operations or replacing and updating machinery, these transactions play a pivotal role in your business’s success. However, navigating supply contracts can be intricate, and overlooking crucial details may lead to costly repercussions.

To safeguard your interests, we review six essential steps to consider when entering into supply contracts:

1. Thoroughly Review Contract Terms

Before committing to any supply contract, it’s imperative to meticulously review the terms and conditions outlined within the contract. Pay close attention to key elements such as pricing, delivery schedules, warranties, and payment terms. Ensure that all specifications align with your business requirements and that there are no ambiguities or discrepancies that could lead to misunderstandings later on. If necessary, seek legal counsel and talk with your financial institution to clarify complex clauses and negotiate terms favourable to your business.

2. Clarify Deposit and Payment terms

In many supply contracts, suppliers may request a deposit or advance payment to initiate production or secure materials and equipment. While this is common practice, it’s essential to establish clear guidelines regarding the amount of the deposit, the timing of payments, and the conditions under which deposits are refundable, along with the security of the deposit. Further, and unlike property purchasing laws in certain states, deposits paid in relation to a supply contract may not be held in trust or escrow-type arrangements. Ensure related payment terms are understood and explicitly documented in the contract to avoid disputes or potential losses in the event of supplier default or non-performance.

3. Deposits and the Personal Property Security Register (PPSR)

Ordinarily a search of the PPSR may evidence security interests over property or goods that are being purchased. However, this will not likely be effective where a deposit is required by an agent or broker who will then source those goods or equipment. Effectively, they will not have the title over the goods or equipment, as this will remain with the manufacturer or current owner of the goods or equipment. To better protect your deposit, consider requiring the equipment manufacturer or owner to provide a confirmation (via the agent) that the deposit has been received and the purchase order is being honoured.

4. Verify Supplier Reliability and Quality Assurance

Before engaging with any supplier, conduct thorough due diligence to assess their reliability, reputation, and track record. Request references from past clients, enquire about their manufacturing or supply processes and assess their quality control measures. It’s crucial to partner with suppliers who prioritise quality assurance and can consistently deliver goods or machinery that meet your

specifications and standards. Additionally, consider including provisions in the contract for quality inspections and acceptance criteria to mitigate risks associated with substandard products.

5. Address Intellectual Property and Confidentiality Concerns

When purchasing machinery or goods from suppliers, intellectual property (IP) rights and confidentiality are paramount considerations. Ensure the contract clearly delineates ownership of any proprietary technology, designs, or innovations developed during the manufacturing process. Implement confidentiality provisions to safeguard sensitive information and trade secrets shared with the supplier.

6. Anticipate Contingencies and Mitigate Risks

Despite meticulous planning, unforeseen circumstances may arise that disrupt supply chains or impact production schedules. To mitigate these risks, include provisions in the contract for force majeure events, such as natural disasters, industrial strikes, or regulatory changes, which may excuse performance obligations or provide remedies in the event of delays or disruptions. Consider implementing contingency plans, such as alternative suppliers or production facilities, to minimise the impact of unforeseen events on your business operations.

By following these essential steps and exercising due diligence throughout the contracting process, business owners can mitigate risks, protect their interests, and establish mutually beneficial relationships with suppliers. Remember, investing time and resources upfront to negotiate favourable contract terms and mitigate potential risks can yield substantial longterm benefits for your business’s success and sustainability. I strongly advise business owners to seek professional guidance when negotiating supply contracts to ensure compliance with applicable laws and regulations and to effectively safeguard your interests effectively.

Charles Watson GM – IR, Policy and Governance Visual Media Association

This article is of a general nature and guidance only and does not constitute legal advice.

Zünd Australia moves on from Starleaton administration

Zünd Systemtechnik AG executive, Lars Bendixen has said it is time to move on from the Starleaton voluntary administration and shared his reasons for starting the new subsidiary.

In an interview conducted with Bendixen held at the FESPA Global Print Expo in Amsterdam, he confirmed that Zünd was no longer represented by Starleaton.

“Unfortunately, this is a situation where there are no winners,” Bendixen said.

“We are owed $833,947 and we have no interest in supplying any further hardware to Starleaton until the debt is cleared. We are still talking to Ben, but we have not been presented with any plans to reduce the debt, and it is unlikely that we will.

“We enjoyed happy times with Ben Eaton and Starleaton, but as a 40 year-old business with around 60 independent resellers we have never been in this situation before,” he said.

“We are talking to customers who have paid a deposit, and we would like to provide them with a machine,” Bendixen said.

“Unfortunately, we cannot honour the payments that have been made to Starleaton. We have built the machines, and they are in our warehouse.

“We want to take care of customers who have been left behind and our immediate focus is to clean up the mess and hopefully deliver some products to these customers.

“Everyone has a different situation, and we will strive to find a solution for each customer who feels they have been left out or left behind. The solution will be different for each case.

“We have invested in the Zünd Australia subsidiary to reassure the market, provide stability, and create long-term and reliable partnerships. The settlement we will offer to the customers left behind is entirely based on compassion and goodwill. It is also an investment in future relationships.

“When a customer in Australia does business with another party in Australia, that contract is typically governed by Australian law. The contracts between Zünd Systemtechnik AG and Starleaton are under Swiss law, as are the shipments of machines and money transfers.

Lars Bendixen

“There has been some speculation about the legal claims and what the possibilities are under the scope of the law. This claim can only be made to Starleaton, and there is potentially nothing to get. We believe the money they are looking for isn’t there.

“Before Starleaton went into voluntary administration, as long as the ‘music was playing’ and everyone was in dialogue, we did our best to support Ben Eaton and the Starleaton business, and we would send yet another machine. Looking back, maybe we shouldn’t have shipped the last few machines to Australia.

“As a result, we have taken the decision to move on. It has been a hard lesson and we need to do what is best for the future and we decided to open the Zünd Australia subsidiary.

“We could see three options at the time. The first option was to write off the debt

and be represented only by our other distribution partner – Canon Production Printing in Australia. The second option was to go out and find another distribution partner to replace Starleaton. We decided to take the third option, which was to start our own subsidiary. We took this decision because we were able to access highly experienced and passionate employees like Dale Hawkins as well as other staff previously employed by the Starleaton business who were available to work with us – so on this basis, creating a new subsidiary was the best option for us.

“We have had a long relationship with Dale Hawkins since he was at Canon – and he represents the best leader for the future of the Zünd business in Australia.

“The Switzerland to Australia time difference is not ideal and we have also recently taken on Zünd Spain and opened Zünd Brazil – so this has not been the best time for another subsidiary – but this still seemed like the best option for us.

“There are hundreds of Zünd customers in the Australian market, and we now need to focus on getting Zünd operational.

“The future is a new beginning. Worldwide, the graphics and packaging market represents about half of our turnover. We sell machines for many other manufacturing applications, such as leather, shoes, handbags, fashion, textiles and apparel. We feel that we can represent these markets a lot better directly with our own subsidiary rather than by appointing another distribution partner like Starleaton.

“We hope we can focus on opening up these new market segments in Australia that have not been addressed in the past. We are certainly not neglecting the graphics and packaging markets – but there is certainly other opportunities available under a fully-owned subsidiary.

“We are currently looking for new premises in Melbourne. We have four staff members, including managing director Dale Hawkins and a team of specialists who deliver service and application support. We are likely to grow to six staff as we will require additional staff to address all our market opportunities.”

Epson Australia celebrates 40th anniversary in Australia

Epson Australia is celebrating its 40th anniversary of operations, with the company set to use its 40th year to introduce new products in large format printing, projectors, office and industrial printing.

Epson Australia, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Seiko Epson Corporation, started in November of 1983 with a small team of 20 people in the suburb of Frenchs Forest on the northern beaches of Sydney.

Today, the company’s product portfolio consists of home and office printers, scanners, thermal receipt printers, projectors, large-format printers, industrial print solutions, and a wide range of software tools that enhance the productivity and usability of its products and provide more value to customers.

The company has also expanded its team to more than 150 people across Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Auckland, with offices and showrooms in each location.

The company’s recent environmental initiatives include partnering with Earth Hour, sponsoring the Royal Botanic Gardens of Sydney and transitioning to 100 per cent renewable energy across its entire operation in Australia and New Zealand.

Epson Australia MD Craig Heckenberg said the local team was thrilled to commemorate this significant milestone in our company’s history.

“We are very proud of our achievements and success over the last 40 years. As such, I must thank all Epson staff both past and present, our channel partners and customers for contributing to this success. We now focus on the next 40 years and on creating continued growth through providing innovative products and services that make a positive impact to the lives of our customers, their businesses, and their communities,” said Heckenberg.

“Looking ahead, we have a lot more to accomplish and we pledge to continue to play our part to protect the environment by working with our customers and industry to help solve societal issues, strive for sustainability and improve quality of life.”

Seiko Epson global president, Yasunori Ogawa, congratulated Epson Australia for its 40th anniversary and thanked employees, partners and customers.

“Epson is committed to achieving sustainability and supporting the community and no group company embodies this commitment more than Epson Australia. I look forward to working with everyone to achieve even greater success both for Epson Australia and the wider community.”

Epson Australia MD Craig Heckenberg

Konica Minolta recognise staff after record year at Kick Off event

After a record year, Konica Minolta presented awards to staff at its recent Kick Off event in Sydney - the first time the internal company event has been held in five years.

An evening function held at Mosman Rowers recognised the top salespeople from within the organisation for the 12 months ending 31 March across the Konica Minolta Australia business.

The Production and Industrial Print business team was acknowledged, including its general manager Andrew Cocker, who secured the highest-ever revenue in the history of operations when his division set a new record in hardware sales for the 2023/24 financial year.

Sales achievements were recognised with awards, and members of the KM sales team were awarded for exceeding targets, including David Paterson (Victoria), Adam Todd (National), Colin Johnstone (Victoria), Blaise Masson (Queensland), Mary Kiely-Scales (Queensland), and Jim Abouraad from New South Wales, who was recognised as the Production and Industrial Print salesperson of the year.

Honours Club winners 2024

WA team wins State Of the Year

Melissa Dempsey (Konica Minolta), Carmen Ciappara and James Wells (Printer Media Group) and Andrew Cocker (Konica Minolta)

Yohei Konaka, Paul Colarelli, Dean Hosking

Kevin Ryan, Yohei Konaka, Gabrielle Stevens, Kyle Young, James Rolland

Ricoh takes to the road while preparing for its super-sized presence at drupa 2024

Ricoh recently hosted a national roadshow featuring a series of exclusive events in four different states to showcase innovative technology and printing advancements as well as revealing its big plans for drupa 2024 in May.

Products on show at the event included the newly launched Pro C7500 and Pro C9500 models. These products replace the market-leading Pro C7200X and Ricoh Pro C9200/C9210.

ProPrint spoke to chief sales and marketing officer, Tina Economou and national sales manager, Mark Moro about drupa 2024, Ricoh’s ambitions in the

Australian market and its new platforms.

Moro said the progression into the new models has been a result of the industry’s requests for “better image quality, media capabilities, productivity and better operator efficiencies”.

Moro presented a sneak peek into the Henkakuverse, Ricoh’s extraordinary

drupa 2024 two-storey stand complete with café, theatre and product showroom. He encouraged everyone who is visiting drupa to visit the large Ricoh stand.

Guests at the roadshow event also experienced the yet-to-be-launched Pro Z75, which will also be showcased at drupa. The team at Ebina, Ricoh’s technology centre in Japan, created an

Celebrating the first leg of the Ricoh Roadshow at Ricoh’s showroom in Port Melbourne

exclusive and personalised video taking guests through the Pro Z75. As a memento of the night, guests received a personalised, labelled bottle of wine.

Moro says Ricoh’s approach to the Australian market is selected and focused, while Economou says the business has done a lot of work engaging customers and assessing needs before bringing products to market.

Economou says drupa 2024 presents an

RICOH ROADSHOW

excellent opportunity for the sales team to engage with Ricoh’s customers and for the teams to look at what else is happening in the global market that doesn’t make it to Australia.

“Getting that opportunity for the teams to go out, see what’s happening, learn from others, and bring those insights back to the customers who perhaps aren’t able to get to drupa, to me is a critical part,” says Economou.

MELBOURNE

“Drupa is the innovation hub. Customers get to see automation and finishing, work with all our partners, and see how everything connects.”

“But it’s also about the voice of the customer, getting that feedback is the critical piece because it goes back into influencing innovation,” Economou concludes.

The Roadshow headed to Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide.

David Kegan, Mark Moro and Victor Gonzalez

Heath Nankervis, Southern Impact with John Yiannis and Geoff Lawyer, Complete Colour

Ricoh’s Mark Moro presents to guests at the Melbourne showroom

Minuteman’s Michael Milan with Go to Print’s Linda Angelone and Victor Gonzalez

Minuteman’s Michael Milan with Ricoh’s John Yiannis

The Ricoh team. John Yiannis, Allan Webb, Michael Crawford, Tina Economou, Michael Leins, Mark Baker and Mark Moro

Ricoh’s technical manager, Mark Baker, shows guests the Ricoh Pro 7500

Australia’s first purchasers of the Ricoh Pro 7500 are Victor Gonzalez and Linda Angelone from Go to Print pictured here with Ricoh’s Tina Economou and John Yiannis

Ash Harrigan (Snap Franchising), Mark Moro, national sales manager (Ricoh Australia)

Mark O’Connell (Sydney DPS) with doors open on the Pro C9500

Ricoh’s Sydney, Eastern Creek Showroom

Matthew Taylor, key account director (Ricoh Australia), Damien Woods (Link Group)

Grazing board organised by Christina Lewanski, Marketing Co-ordinator (Ricoh Australia)

Personalised bottles of R.S.R 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon for each guest as a token of Ricoh’s hospitality

Henryk Kraszewski, product and marketing manager, Ricoh Graphic Communications

Sydney attendees enjoying the presentation

Sydney attendees at Ricoh’s showroom in Eastern Creek

Sydney attendees enjoying the presentation

Christine and Cassandra Farrugia (Creative Plastic Cards), Carmen Ciappara (Printer Media Group), Christina Lewanski (Ricoh Australia)

Stephen Reid, production solutions consultant (Ricoh Australia), Mark O’Connell (Sydney DPS), Henryk Kraszewski, product and marketing manager, Ricoh Graphic Communications

Richard Granger, Production Solutions Consultant (Ricoh Australia) showing prints from the Pro C9500 to Christine and Cassandra Farrugia (Creative Card Plastics)

Richard Granger, production solutions consultant (Ricoh Australia) demonstrating the Pro C9500 to Anthony Col (Snap Wynyard)

Oppboga showcases new innovation at FESPA 2024

Oppboga’s sales director, Frederik Johansson, shows ProPrint readers the benefits of the company’s innovative paper products, which are distributed in Australia by Spicers.

OPPBOGA SHOWCASES FLOWER POT WITH WATER-RESISTANT PAPERBOARD AT FESPA

Swedish paper company Oppboga, distributed in Australia by Spicers, has showcased a water-resistant paperboard flowerpot filled with water.

Speaking with ProPrint at the recent FESPA exhibition in Amsterdam, Oppboga sales director Frederik Johansson showcased the moisture-resistant paperboard called Oppboga Resilient.

“Here at FESPA, we are showing Oppboga Resilient as a flowerpot filled with water inside. This is a paper product that is made from 100 per cent fibre and can sustain a lot of water exposure. This will last for three or four days before it starts to leak from the flowerpot,” he said.

“We also sell this material for election signs, which can easily last outside for three or four weeks without any problems. We have invested a lot of resources, and with the upcoming European elections, hopefully, many political parties will use our product.”

Watch Oppboga sales director Frederik Johansson explain the paperboard flowerpot at FESPA.

OPPBOGA CONFIRMS FURTHER INVESTMENT IN ACE SCREENBOARD

Swedish paperboard manufacturer,

Oppboga, distributed in Australia by Spicers as Ace Screenboard, has confirmed it will invest in new machinery to maintain growth.

Speaking with ProPrint at the recent FESPA exhibition in Amsterdam, Oppboga sales director Frederik Johansson, said new machinery has been purchased to assist with the global growth of the fibre-based consumable substrate.

“We are the suppliers of the Ace Screenboard sold by Spicers in Australia that has been produced since the 1970s. Sustainability has been a hot topic and we are investing in a new machine to meet with the increasing demand.

The Ace Screenboard range, comprising Ace Kraft, Ace High White, and Ace Outdoor, stands out as the ultimate fibre-based solution for both indoor and outdoor signage.

“Our Ace Screenboard range offers unmatched versatility and durability, making it the perfect choice for any signage application,” says Wayne Hood, Spicers Visual Communications portfolio manager.

These products are integral to Spicers’ fibre-based solutions within the Visual Communications range, ensuring reliability and quality for businesses.

“Customers consistently turn to this range due to its exceptional sustainability features-it’s FSC certified, recyclable,

and boasts versatility in various applications,” adds Hood.

From retail displays to outdoor signage, Ace Screenboard delivers outstanding performance while aligning with environmentally conscious practices. It’s the preferred option for businesses seeking effective, sustainable signage solutions that don’t compromise quality or durability.

Johansson said he has a strong relationship with the Spicers team selling the Ace Screenboard product in Australia.

“Wayne Hood and the team from Spicers are stocking three of our products that are made from 100 per cent paper. Ace Screenboard looks like a plastic sheet that we sell as a product to build signs and displays. Not only does it look the same as plastic, but it is made from paper, and it is easy to recycle. After a customer has used it – for example, as a sign hanging from the ceiling, the retailer can take the sign down and add it to the normal paper waste with other recycled products, such as corrugated packaging and other paper, which can go into the recycling stream.”

Watch Oppboga sales director Frederik Johansson explain the Ace Screenboard at FESPA.

Johansson with the Oppboga Resilient flowerpot

Ace Screenboard

Ace Outdoor Ace Kraft

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FESPA 2024 Global Announcements

FESPA 2024 proves an effective international stage to showcase industry innovation. Here is a round-up of the top stories from FESPA 2024 in Amsterdam.

EPSON SETS FOCUS ON MICRO-PRODUCTION DIGITAL PRINTING

Epson has set its focus on personalisation through micro-production at FESPA Amsterdam, with the company showcasing its first small-footprint UV flatbed printer (SC-V1060) and new entry-level DTG hybrid printer (SC-F1060) for the first time at FESPA in 2024.

“FESPA has been all about demonstrating how Epson’s micro-production digital printing technology can support businesses producing beautiful, bespoke products that enhance our lives,” said Chris Davies from Epson Europe’s commercial and industrial printing division.

“The variety of printing techniques on display demonstrates the many advanced flexible applications of Epson’s digital printer range, including the latest dye sublimation, direct-to-garment (DTG) and ultra-violet (UV) signage printers.”

At FESPA, Epson showcased its new SureColor-V1060 A4 flatbed UV printer and entry-level SureColor-F1060 DTG printer. Epson’s SureColor-V1060 A4 UV flatbed printer has been designed to serve the needs of businesses in the promotional goods industry.

Accompanying the SureColor-F1060 on the stand was Epson’s recently launched DTG

hybrid SureColor F2200, which has been designed for start-up companies or medium-volume businesses requiring high levels of flexibility, accuracy and rapid turnaround.

Also showing at FESPA is Epson’s recently launched 17-inch photo and fine-art production printer. The new SureColor-P5300 combines the technology of the Epson SC-P700/P900 with the production capability of the Epson SC-P5000 and is designed to serve the needs of professional photographers, fine-art users, design agencies and photo retail stores.

AGFA UNVEILS NEW INKJET PORTFOLIO

The three new inkjet printers that made their global debut in Amsterdam included the Anapurna Ciervo H3200, the Jeti Condor RTR5200 HS, and the Jeti Bronco H3300 S. Rebranded models also showcased included the Onset Grizzly X3 HS and (previously the Onset X3 HS) and the Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS.

The machines are branded with names of “formidable animals that reflect their unique strength” as part of Agfa’s new branding campaign,‘Powerful by Nature’.

“Agfa really has a beast for every need,” said Bruno Vermeulen, director of

marketing for Agfa DPC (Digital Print and Chemicals).

“It doesn’t really matter what type of printer you’re looking for – we have hybrid, flatbed, and roll-to-roll printers in our portfolio – and it doesn’t really matter what speeds you are looking for. If you look for a wide-format inkjet printer then Agfa is just the place to be, and that’s the message we wanted to convey,” he said, adding Agfa will continue to build on the portfolio.”

The Jeti Condor RTR5200 S is a 5.2m-wide roll-to-roll printer that can print up to 672sqm/hr and handles a wide variety of flexible substrates at up to three rolls simultaneously. It is field-upgradable with light colours and features white and varnish for increased design and application options.

The Jeti Bronco H3300 S is a 3.3 m highend UV LED inkjet printer that prints a variety of sign and display jobs in six colours plus white, with optional primer. In the first stage, the Bronco will be available with two rows of print heads. However, its horsepower is fieldupgradable to a four-row version.

According to Agfa, the Anapurna Ciervo H3200 boasts a much higher productivity than its predecessor, with an almost 70 per cent increase in printing speed in Production Mode. The CMYK/Lc/Lm plus white machine’s highest speed is 209m2/h while the printer’s continuous board feeding capacity enables efficient printing on rigid materials, at up to four boards simultaneously.

Also showcased at FESPA were the newly rebranded Onset Grizzly X3 HS and Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS.

The Onset Grizzly X3 HS is a high-speed flatbed inkjet press, with a speed of up to 1450 m²/h, fast set-up, and multiple automation options – including loading/ unloading robots.

SWISSQPRINT LAUNCHES 36-MONTH WARRANTY

swissQprint announced the launch of a three-year manufacturer’s warranty across all of its products at FESPA.

Pozitive managing director Phil Trumble, was in Amsterdam for the announcement and spoke to ProPrint

Agfa unveiled its expanded and rebranded inkjet printer portfolio, including three new machines.

Chris Davies

Bruno Vermeulen

“We have always had this as an optional extra that you can purchase, but the renowned reliance of a swissQprint machine, 36-month manufacturer warranty is now a standard feature of the swissQprint machines from today onwards.

“We call this supported reliability, and it is swissQprint’s proof that the machines and the build quality are reliable, and swissQprint stands behind the product and backs it from the factory,” he said.

swissQprint also reinforced its green credentials at the event.

“Every swissQprint machine — no matter how small, or how big it is or how fast it can print uses the same amount of power as a kettle. It is amazing that swissQprint has put so much effort into making its machines as sustainable and as green as possible. At the end of a swissQprint machine’s life — 95 per cent of its parts are recyclable and I think that is quite amazing for the type of product that we are talking about and in an industry where sustainability is at the forefront of a lot of people’s minds, it gives all of our customers reassurance that if they invest in a swissQprint machine today, not only do they use low energy on a day to day basis, but at the end of that life the machine can be recycled and remanufactured into other things.”

FESPA CONFIRMS NEXT GLOBAL PRINT EXPO IN BERLIN FOR 2025

FESPA CEO Neil Felton has confirmed that the Global Print Expo will be held in Berlin from 6 to 9 May 2025.

Felton told ProPrint in an exclusive interview there were some reasons for the decision.

“Eastern Europe is a fast-growing market and Berlin also has a fantastic structure

for halls and we also hosted the exhibition in Munich last year,” he said.

Felton said he has enjoyed returning to Amsterdam for the first time since 2021, in what they describe as the ‘four-year cycle’ that coincides with the drupa exhibition every four years.

“This has been one of the strongest exhibitions within our four-year cycle. The last time FESPA was in Amsterdam was in 2021, and before that, it was in 2016 when we had four halls back then, and we have six halls this year – so this year is about 33 per cent bigger than 2016.

“In 2021, we were very lucky as we were five weeks into Amsterdam opening up and then five weeks after the FESPA exhibition was held – it was locked down again. We managed to hold a show in that 10-week period and it was one of the most emotional and incredible shows I have ever been to. Amsterdam has a warm place in my heart – I love the city and I love the venue.

“We have 512 exhibitors overall, and we have grown in textiles and across our Sportswear Pro, and we also now have the Personalisation Experience, which we didn’t have in 2016, so this has introduced a number of new companies since then.”

FESPA on Film

The ProPrint Editorial Team toted cameras and microphones at FESPA this year, capturing the vibe on the ground on film in a series of interviews with local industry champions.

Click on the following QR codes for an eye into what it was like to be in the halls at the FESPA tradeshow in Amsterdam.

OPPBOGA CONFIRMS FURTHER INVESTMENT IN ACE SCREENBOARD

Swedish paperboard manufacturer, Oppboga, distributed in Australia by Spicers as Ace Screenboard, has confirmed it will invest in new machinery to maintain growth.

Speaking with ProPrint at the recent FESPA exhibition in Amsterdam, Oppboga sales director Frederik Johansson, said new machinery has been purchased to assist with the global growth of the fibre-based consumable substrate.

B-FLEX SHOWCASES NEW DTF FILM AT FESPA AMSTERDAM

New B-Flex Direct-to-Film (DTF) film products, distributed locally by B-Flex Pacific, and sold by dealer Pozitive sign & graphic supplies, were unveiled at the FESPA Global Print Expo in Amsterdam.

JOHN BUITENKAMP CONFIRMS RETURN TO AUSTRALIA WITH KLIEVERIK

Speaking with ProPrint at FESPA in Amsterdam, former Starleaton executive John Buitenkamp confirmed he will be visiting Australia later in 2024 to promote the Klieverik range of calender machines alongside new distributor Ball & Doggett following the announcement in March.

Phil Trimble (Pozitive) and Marco Pigato (B-Flex)

John Buitenkamp demonstrates Klieverik calender machines at FESPA Amsterdam

Neil Felton

Familiar Faces at FESPA 2024

The annual FESPA Global Print Expo 2024 took place in Amsterdam, bringing together executives from screen, digital, wide format printing and textile printing industries at the four-day event. ProPrint spotted a few familiar faces that made the journey to the tradeshow.

Serge Clauss, Matt Ashman, Fabian Sottsas, Michael Deflorian, Frank Kirsch on the Vanguard stand at FESPA Amsterdam

Neil Felton, Duncan MacOwan and Michael Ryan (FESPA)

Matt Ashman (Durst Oceania), Neil Felton (FESPA) and Keith Ferrel (Cactus Imaging)

Stephen Lamont (Lamont Print & Signs), Wayne Hood (Spicers) and Daniel Lamont (Lamont Print & Signs)

Adriano Gut (swissQprint) and Yianni Moritidis (GENR8 Printing)

Mark Canavan (Graphic Art Mart) and Neil Gomez (Arlon Graphics)

Andy Fryer and Adam Parnell (Easy Signs), Rafa Menedez (PlastGrommet) with Nigel Spicer and Keith Ferrel (Cactus Imaging)

Kohei Kobayashi, Takao Terashima, Yasuhiro Haba and Rodd Harrison from Mimaki

Colm Garvey (FUJIFILM), Keith Ferrel (Cactus Imaging), Shaun Holdom (FUJIFILM) and Nigel Spicer (Cactus Imaging)

Richard Lucas (HVG Graphics Media) and Benjamin Burkard (3A Composites)

Kerri Underwood (VMG Print Group), Pat Cybulski (Mimaki Aust), Michelle Merriman (AJ Parkes & Co)

Andy Fryer and Adam Parnell (Easy Signs) with Matt Ashman (Durst Oceania)

Dan Mantel (Durst) and James Smith (Eurotech)

Nigel Davies (FESPA) and Matt Ashman (Durst Oceania)

Screen’s new JET 560HDX roll-fed digital inkjet press and more premieres at drupa 2024

It was drupa 2008 when the world first saw Screenʼs commercial introduction of its first entry into inkjet digital printing – the Truepress Jet520. Previewed at Ipex two years prior and OEMʼd to IBM as a transactional output printer, this launched Screen onto the path of transition from a purely CtP and prepress manufacturer, to a major force in POD digital print, with hundreds of installations worldwide, many model variants and now, a colour quality that rivals offset.

In finalising the development of its new Truepress JET 560HDX roll-fed digital inkjet press, Screen’s line-up for the commercial printing, book, direct mail, and publishing printing markets has taken a major upward shift into its first wider web roll feed machine at 560mm wide. All previous models have been 520mm webs.

Itʼs also faster and higher resolution and uses the remarkable proprietary SC2 inks and drying system for printing offset quality on standard offset stocks. This lowers the cost of papers from specially coated substrates engineered to receive aqueous inkjet inks and enables fast drying.

Screen says that the commercial printing market requires flexible print solutions with high-value economics because of more complex work, faster turnaround times, shorter print runs, multiple versions, late — stage revisions, and variable information—all demanded by todayʼs end customers. These requirements have created new business opportunities for high-productivity digital inkjet presses offering offset-like economics.

LOCAL FRIENDLY FACES ON SCREEN STAND, HALL 8A

Screen GP

Australiaʼs managing director

Peter Scott, who will be on Screenʼs stand at drupa 2024, says: “The introduction of the Truepress JET 560HDX is the culmination of years of experience and listening to customers in the high-volume digital printing space. At drupa 2024, the company has chosen a theme of ‘Creating a Future in Print – Tech x Irodori’ where visitors to our booth will gain valuable insights into the transformative impact of industry cooperation on the future of printing.”

Scott continues, “In Japan, Irodori literally means ‛to add colour’ but also implies

ʻchange for the betterʼ. The 560HDX sums this up beautifully. The specifications and print samples I have seen are stunning. It’s no coincidence that our US branch has already logged two orders from existing Truepress 520 users, for the first installations of the 560HDX, with one exclaiming, ʻIt canʼt get here soon enough!ʼ It’s going to really help printers please more customers, more quickly. One of our US staffers says, ʻIt ʼs not just another new press to sell; it’s a whole new horizon for print.ʼ I can only agree with him and look forward to meeting with Australian and New Zealand customers on our stand at drupa to show how good it is, with live demonstrations.”

CHANGING REQUIREMENTS OF PUBLISHING AND DIRECT MAIL

The publishing market requires aggressive economics and high-quality as well as flexible format sizes to enable a growing number of companies to benefit from the capabilities of roll-fed, high-speed and digital inkjet press systems and workflows. Facing ever-shortening production runs and even ‘books of one copy’ requirements, book production systems need to be optimised for superlow to mid-volume production.

With direct mail, the market’s needs are for high productivity, flexibility to run lightweight uncoated papers as well as thicker, attention-getting, high-gloss selfmailers at low fixed and variable costs. These aspects are essential to help offset the rising cost of postage and other forms of distribution. Driving direct mail production costs as low as possible will encourage marketers to continue to use this valuable, tactile, and effective medium over saturated, confusing, and untrusted electronic communication.

In response to these changing market realities, Screen initially introduced its Truepress JET 520HD, 520HD+ and 520 HD-AD printers with Truepress SC and SC+ inksets. With this combination, Screen became the first manufacturer to provide a practical solution to printing directly onto offset-coated papers with a digital inkjet system and without the need for an inkjet media pre-treatment.

THE 560HDX OFFERS A 360-DEGREE VIEW OF PRINT’S FUTURE

Drupa visitors will be able to witness Screen’s latest development in this area, with the Truepress JET 560HDX, a unique system expected to drive further innovation in printing generally. The Truepress JET 560HDX can operate in a variety of print modes, enabling it to handle paper widths of up to 560mm at speeds of up to 150 metres per minute, with a maximum resolution of 1200 x 1200 dpi. It is also compatible with Screen’s SC2 Truepress ink.

This newly developed, high-optical density inkset allows printing directly onto offsetcoated papers without any pre-treatment. The SC2 inkset’s special properties produce high vibrancy colours that ‘pop’ and have deeply saturated hues, as well as dense and neutral blacks for clearer printing of the very finest text and line work.

Peter Scott

In addition, a new high-efficiency, intelligent drying system enables substrates with high ink loadings to be dried efficiently, thereby supporting superior quality and wide- gamut printing on a wide range of papers. The Truepress JET 560HDX is also equipped with a new, fast-start operating system that inherits and further improves on the Truepress series’ market-proven technologies. This system ensures flawless integration of all internal hardware and software as well as with both pre- and post- finishing equipment.

Screen anticipates that the Truepress JET 560HDX will become a benchmark contributor to the next generation of smart factories, where it is expected to introduce new economic efficiency, high-availability productivity, and print quality to satisfy the most demanding customer needs.

It will be a centrepiece of Screen’s exhibit at drupa 2024, from 28 May to 7 June in Düsseldorf, Germany and will also be displayed at Screen’s Inkjet Innovation Centres in the USA and in Europe, along with Screen’s other digital inkjet solutions for the labels and flexible packaging sectors.

‘completing the loop’ of CtP-offset; high- volume digital and short-run digital sheetfed production.

MONO NOT FORGOTTEN

It’s easy to get carried away with brilliant colours but the market for monochrome books and paperbacks in short runs is still strong. At drupa 2024, Screen aims to redefine monochrome printing standards to unprecedented heights with its Truepress JET 520HD Mono running the new SU Black ink with increased levels of optical density for uncoated or inkjet coated paper. Engineered as the nextgeneration monochrome inkjet press, this

MORE INKJET INNOVATIONS FROM SCREEN ON DISPLAY AT DRUPA 2024

drupa will also see inkjet innovations from Screen in the sheetfed SRA3 sector, a new high opacity mono ink for bookwork and also Labels and Flexible Packaging.

drupa 2024 will be an opportunity for Australian and New Zealand printers to get a first look at a fully featured model of its Truepress JET S320 sheetfed printer, a cooperation with Kyocera Document Solutions, announced and previewed at Printing United USA in October 2023.

The S320 also uses Screen’s Truepress ink SC/SC+ technology for ink compatibility with standard coated papers and unrivalled colour vibrancy. Billed as ‘the offset printer’s digital press’ the S320 will be offered without the traditional cutsheet ‘click charge’ model and is seen as

innovation is optimised to print directly onto offset-coated papers.

The well-established Truepress 520HD Mono inkjet press goes beyond the sharp replication of text characters and

barcodes, introducing a new level of richness in gradations for any image and reliable variable data printing capabilities. This high-speed inkjet digital press is equipped with greyscale printheads that masterfully control droplet deposition, reliable web transfer, and tension control, ensuring precision even with thin papers as light as 40gsm.

Applications such as pharmaceutical leaflets, direct mailing overprints, on-demand book printing and instruction leaflets also benefit from denser, sharper blacks.

LABEL PRESS SUCCESS JOINED BY FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

Screen’s well-established Truepress Label 350UV SAI inkjet range of UV presses, sold throughout Australia and New Zealand by Jet Technologies, will also be featured at drupa. A newly developed digital primer unit for label printing will be demonstrated, broadening the range of label materials that can be printed.

The L350UV and SAI range has proved extraordinarily successful in Australia and New Zealand and, indeed, globally, delivering a high-uptime and fast digital label press to packagers and converters. Using inkjet UV, the L350 series is faster than most other digital methods and can be supplied as either a stand-alone digital solution or integrated inline with flexo and converting modules from Nilpeter to create a total integrated solution that can include semi-rotary die-cutting, hot and cold foil, high-build varnish, doming,

Screen Truepress JET 560HDX new digital webpress

Screen Truepress JET S320 cut sheet printer

Screen TP L350UVSAI labelpress

lamination, matrix stripping, video inspection and more.

The hybrid model is based on Nilpeter’s famous FA-line converting and includes the Screen digital module, which can print up to seven colours, including white.

One advantage of Screen’s L350UV SAI ‘S’ model is that, when equipped with white ink, its speed is still a healthy 50 metres per minute – a very small change from its normal 60 mpm. Coupled with proven high uptime and durability, this makes the L350UV SAI the most productive narrow web digital press overall. In fact, even older, slower models are in high demand when traded in for the new SAI series.

BACK TO SUSTAINABLE PAPER FOR SOME PACKAGING

With increasing concern over microplastics and fossil-resource-based materials, Screen was one of the first to introduce a digital-flexible packaging press capable of producing high-value paper packaging.

intricacies of achieving digital printing on filmic flexible packaging using waterbased food-compliant inks.

The Truepress PAC 830F water-based inkjet digital press has been specifically designed to produce short printing runs in a cost-effective manner while providing total flexibility to operations. This new single-pass industrial inkjet digital printing press is a fit-for-purpose printing solution that allows packaging converters and brands to capitalise on emerging

The Truepress PAC 520P inkjet press uses water-based food-compliant inks for paper packaging, which will also be demonstrated at drupa to help converters and brand owners achieve their sustainability goals. The company intends to present a range of label and packaging samples utilising eco-friendly base materials, introducing sustainable solutions and productivity-enhancing options for digital inkjet printing of small and medium-lot jobs. Screen personnel will elaborate on how these solutions present substantial new business opportunities during drupa presentations.

AQUEOUS DIGITAL FLEXIBLE PACKAGING HAS ARRIVED

The long-awaited Screen Truepress PAC 830F inkjet system for flexible packaging films will also be shown at drupa. This will provide an opportunity to explore the various features of this press, including its innovative design, and delve into the

trends in flexible packaging, boosting profitability in short-runs.

Running at 75m/min, its CMYK and Heavy White water-based inks fully comply with the standard food safety regulations. At drupa, packaging printers will have the

first opportunity to witness the printing module of PAC830F for the first time and see their sustainable future take shape!

DID SOMEONE SAY CTP?

After thirty years of developments, computer-to-plate may seem mature, but Screen – recently surpassing 25,000 devices shipped – has never stopped innovating. It will present the new PlateRite HD 8900NII, an eight-page CtP system and the latest addition to its PlateRite series.

As a solution provider from print data creation, Workflow (EQUIOS) to printing, Screen will present its unique digital and offset hybrid solution to support various applications and run-lengths integrating digital web-fed inkjet presses, sheet-fed presses, CtP, software, colour management and over eighty years of deep experience –all at drupa 2024 in Hall 8A.

Local MD Peter Scott says, “Screen extends a warm welcome to all Australian and New Zealand visitors to drupa to learn more about its vision for the future of printing on multiple levels. I have attended many drupas and other international trade shows, and I don’t think I have ever been so excited about the new technologies to be released and new key learnings to be gained. After all, it’s eight years since the last drupa in 2016, and the innovation will be twice as impressive!”

Screen can be visited in Hall 8A, stand A03 at drupa 2024.

Screen Truepress P520P flexible packaging press

Screen Truepress PAC 830F aqueous flexible packaging

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drupa to return after eight years

Over a period of eleven days from 28 May to 7 June, the global printing community will come together to visit 1,537 exhibitors from 49 countries across 18 halls and 140,000 m².

According to drupa director, Sabine Geldermann, this year’s event will have a strong focus on digitalisation, sustainability and the growth of packaging.

“There’s a great deal of excitement in the international printing industry right now, as everyone will finally be able to meet up in person and exchange information at drupa, the world’s most important event for the sector.

“In these very volatile times characterised by large social and rapid technological changes and global megatrends, companies have to react: Those who do not anticipate important developments and adjust accordingly will endanger their competitive edge and waste opportunities for the future.

“Drupa is being held at just the right moment for this. In an international comparison, the leading global trade fair for print technologies both demonstrates the state of the industry’s art and a wide spectrum of innovations that will shape the future and offers a multitude of opportunities for highcalibre knowledge exchange, discussions and networking with world-renowned sector experts.

“Production of packaging and printed packaging are two areas that have also gained significant importance. From renowned global players to aspiring newcomers and start-ups – the list of registered exhibitors is almost a who-iswho of the printing and packaging industry, including: Bobst, Canon, Comexi, Duplo, EFI, Epson, ESKO, Fujifilm,

Heidelberg, Horizon, HP, Kodak, Koenig & Bauer, Kolbus, Komori, Konica Minolta, KURZ, Landa, Müller Martini, Ricoh, Screen, Windmöller & Hölscher, Xeikon,” she said.

DRUPA 2024 FOCUS TOPICS

According to Geldermann, limited resources and carbon emissions have caused sustainability to become an essential part of long-term company strategies. Depending on the use of resources, the print and packaging industries are already using manufacturing procedures that save energy and resources today. drupa explains the important facts for sustainable production of print and packaging solutions and which trends are evolving within the sector in order to achieve the goal of a circular economy.

This year’s drupa will have a strong focus on digitalisation, sustainability and the growth of packaging

“Digitalisation is changing analogue processes, while artificial intelligence is taking on more and more tasks in Industry 4.0. drupa presents top technologies across the industry’s entire added value chain with a special focus on future and cross-sectional technologies. With this scenario in mind, topics like circular economy, automation, printing/finishing 4.0, artificial intelligence, platform economy and connectivity will be taking centre stage in the conference programme and expert forums,” she said.

SPECIAL FORUMS

In times of constant change, disruptive processes and the resulting new business models, the drupa special forums are important aids for decision-making. They provide impetus and show best practices that the industry cannot do without. Together with its partners, drupa relies on its impressive range of competence across the industry and the topics that concern the future of its target groups.

DRUPA CUBE

Why is printing more important than ever in the digital age? Why do customers not always perceive printed products as sustainable? And how do you calculate your carbon footprint? These are just some of the issues that will be discussed in the drupa cube in 2024. In more than 50 sessions, the conference offers inspiration and expertise. The programme features five great keynotes from renowned international industry specialists and presentations about topics like increasing your business success, circular economy and sustainability, the future of print and packaging as well as sessions and best practice examples regarding new business models and trends. Hall 6/Booth F03

DRUPA TOUCHPOINT SUSTAINABILITY

touchpoint sustainability deals with the role of the printing and paper industries in sustainable transformation and offers an overview of current, mid and long-term developments. Technologies from mechanical and systems engineering are especially important in this context, above all regarding quality, process safety during production and sustainability. Digitalisation and AI play key roles in accelerating the transformation process in the print and paper industries and achieving scaling effects. Manufacturers, industry players, brands and users together show how change can become reality in their many exhibits at touchpoint sustainability. Visitors to touchpoint sustainability can also enjoy a broad accompanying programme.

Hall 14/Booth D60

DRUPA TOUCHPOINT PACKAGING

touchpoint packaging concentrates on visionary, intelligent packaging solutions and brings brand owners together with

designers, print service providers and converters. The involvement of students and young talents in partner projects with exhibitors promises unique packaging solutions for folding boxes, labels, flexible packaging and corrugated cardboard. Beyond this, there will be discussion of important questions regarding global megatrends and their impact on packaging production, for example, sustainability or e-commerce. The five key topics of touchpoint packaging are neo-ecology, connectivity, glocalisation, consumer mind and future regulations.

Hall 3/Booth/B31

DRUPA DNA

Big ideas, tiny budget – for many young companies, it’s not easy to make the right contacts and establish their fascinating and innovative solutions on the market. For this target group, drupa has created a special platform: drupa next age (dna). Newcomers, young talents, start-ups and established companies can network on a level playing field, find matching partners for cooperation and exchange innovative business ideas. For some participants, this is the first chance ever to present their businesses to an international audience of experts.

Hall 7/Booth 09

DRUPA TOUCHPOINT TEXTILE

The drupa touchpoint textile presents the world’s first digital textile micro factory. This is a fully connected, integrated process chain – from digital simulation to design, animation and virtual rendering to production. One thing is sure, the industry is constantly gaining new fields of application, and inkjet technology not only opens doors to sectors like clothing and fashion, but also to interior design,

architecture, automotive and many other vertical markets.

Hall 4/Booth B30

For details regarding the programme, partners and speakers of each special forum, see: https://www.drupa.com/en/ Program

drupa 2024 is open for visiting professionals from Tuesday, 28 May to Friday, 07 June 2024, Mon–Thurs from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Sat + Sun from 10 am to 5 pm. A one-day ticket costs 60 euros, a three-day ticket 165 euros, and a five-day ticket 255 euros.

For more information on ticket sales, contact the local Messe Düsseldorf representative, Robert Laing – at 0427 353 536 or email: robert@messereps.co.nz

There’s a great deal of excitement in the international printing industry right now ahead of drupa next month.

Sabine Geldermann, director drupa

Currie Group set to seize opportunities at drupa

With hundreds of Australians and New Zealanders expected to travel to Düsseldorf for drupa, Currie Group has made the show a priority, sending a sizeable team to support customers across all product categories and business segments. We spoke with Currie Group CEO, Rob Mesaros about the company’s plans for the world’s largest and most comprehensive print show.

At the time of writing, Currie Group executives, segment, and functional managers were already confirmed to be hitting the halls of Messe Düsseldorf – a large contingent and a sizeable investment for the company, but one Mesaros says he’s happy to make.

“With a show like drupa, and all the opportunities it represents, it makes business sense to be there,” he says. “We’ve made the commitment to ensure that we have someone on the ground who can be the ‘go to’ person for every ANZ business, no matter what area of the industry they operate in. We have all bases covered”.

That means every business segment manager in the company – from commercial digital, sign and display,

labels and packaging, to finishing machinery, and consumables – has their ticket confirmed. Even with this coverage, he admits, it will be a huge logistical task.

“With the sheer size of drupa, the number of vendor partners and customers we have, and the amount of change we are expecting on display from those vendors, it’s going to be a fun challenge for our team – but we’re energised and ready to go!”

WINDOW TO THE FUTURE

While some pundits are still debating the future of our industry, the continued strength and evolution of drupa and Currie Group would put paid to any suggestion that print’s finest days are behind it. Mesaros believes quite the opposite that the strength of print and physical communication continues to be important.

“Even as technology creates change and opportunity, print continues to play a significant role,” he says. “It’s tactile, it’s physical. In a world of digital noise, it achieves real cut-through and delivers value. We know it’s effective, and we know that there are plenty of passionate people pushing the boundaries to make sure print not only remains viable as a medium but continues to win hearts and minds well into the future.”

Currie Group’s job, he says, is to ensure that those ‘passionate people’ are equipped to be the best they can be and to do so as efficiently and profitably as possible. At drupa, they will be able to see the latest innovations to take them into the future and they will have Currie Group’s industry experts there to assist.

“Many will be looking at upgrading to bigger, faster, better versions of what they have previously used, while others will be investigating how they might branch out in totally new areas and capitalise on new market trends,” Mesaros says.

WHAT’S ON SHOW

And there will be plenty for them to see at the world’s biggest print spectacular, including the latest innovations in HP Indigo Digital Presses, Horizon, B&R Moll, Daeho and ABG finishing solutions, the latest CtP technologies from CRON and new innovations in wide-format and textile printing from EFI and Canon Production Printing, complemented by Elitron intelligent cutting systems.

There will be label and packaging solutions from OMET, Schobertechnologies, JetFX, KAMA and Karlville, Foliant laminators, and ever-popular embellishment showcased by Scodix.

Currie Group experts will also be on hand to discuss the latest innovations driving quality, productivity and sustainability through plates, inks, chemistry and other consumables from partners including ECO3, Sava Blankets, Stahl Coatings

Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs)

(formerly Hi-Tech Coatings), Michelman, Toka Best One, Toray, Toyobo, Tyre-F, and KMI.

“There will be some amazing new releases, some of which have already been announced and many others we know which have not yet been made public, but we are excited by what we will have to talk about, and demonstrate to customers at drupa,” Mesaros says.

WORKFLOW AUTOMATION AND ROBOTICS

There is another area he predicts will also be of great interest to visitors this year –the creation of intelligent, integrated workflows utilising automation and AI-guided enhancements.

While some are cautious about the topic, lest they be seen as championing job losses, Mesaros says it’s about making better use of available resources.

“The last decade has been all about chasing economic productivity – looking at input costs and increasing production efficiencies,” he says.

“Whilst that’s obviously still an imperative, the question is how can print service providers remain agile and efficient enough to deliver on customer expectations?”

That’s not just a challenge for large volume and web-to-print players where 24-hour turnaround is becoming the norm, but also for the short-run, high-value space and in sign and display, where campaigns are getting shorter and turnovers quicker.

Compounding the challenge is the global shortage of skilled staff and the relatively high cost of labour for businesses in the ANZ region factors that, Mesaros says, mean businesses must work smarter here, more than anywhere else in the world.

“Whatever we produce, we need as far as possible to have everything, from order capture to despatch, streamlined for

maximum productivity. In many cases, this also means with minimal intervention. Businesses can no longer afford to waste their valuable human talent on jobs that can easily be automated.

“With most print technologies now reasonably mature, the real savings are to be made in easing bottlenecks and optimising production – and the promise of automation and robotics, of course, is to allow you to do that while also making the best use of your human capital. That’s a win-win.”

This theme comes through strongly in much of the pre-drupa information from vendors. HP, for example, says it is committed to ‘defining the industry approach to automation through AI and robotics’. At Dscoop Indy, they announced the launch of Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) to automate media transport and also promised to leverage further automated processes, performance wizards, AI-based preflight decisionmaking tools and machine learning algorithms to increase productivity without human intervention.

They will be one of the many vendors at drupa who will have a strong focus on new-generation automated workflows on their stands, and who are indicating continued investment in these features going forward.

Mesaros admits that these areas are also among key interests for Currie Group to explore at the show as the company moves ever closer to its aim of becoming a complete, end-to-end supplier across all its market segments.

COMPLETE, END-TO-END SOLUTIONS PROVIDER

“For the past 75 years, we’ve built our business by being ‘technology agnostic’ –that is, by providing best-in-class solutions that can be integrated into seamless, highly profitable production workflows –backed, of course, by our cornerstone strength of comprehensive service and technical support,” he says.

“For the future, the aim is to build out a full portfolio; we’re not quite there yet there are still gaps but we’re working towards it. So, drupa represents not only an important opportunity to connect with our customers but also a platform for us to explore what’s out there in software, robotics, media, and professional services and to start conversations.”

Of course, drupa is known for innovation. Vendors typically hold back their latest releases to debut at the show, and the show’s Touchpoint sessions and drupa Cube are all about innovations and ‘blue sky’ thinking. That makes it an exciting place to search for new possibilities.

Mesaros and his team, however, need to balance excitement with pragmatism.

“There’s a general awareness that if you don’t keep pace with technology, there’s a real danger you will be left behind,” he says, “but as a trusted supplier and integrator, we can’t afford to sell dreams and hopes. Our customers need tested solutions and a roadmap of future innovation.

“That means we have to ask the right questions. How mature is the technology? Is it proven? How will it help our customers achieve their aims? Does it help fill gaps in our portfolio? And is it the best in class? Most importantly, are these the right people to partner with? Our customers trust us to get it right.”

In the end, he says, it’s all about confidence.

“Every vendor at drupa is investing in the future of the industry. They’re bringing their very best to the table and they’re convincing print service providers, ‘You can bet on us’. That’s exactly our message, too. That’s why we’ll be there.

“We have been extremely fortunate over many years to build strong, productive and beneficial relationships with vendors across an enormous range of market segments and product categories, and we are looking forward to strengthening those relationships at drupa – and, hopefully, starting others.

“In a nutshell, that’s why everyone goes to drupa. That’s the ROI. Everything is built on relationships. Everything. That starts by connecting at places like drupa, so if you are going to the show, we would love to catch up with you there.”

All Australian and NZ businesses looking to contact the Currie Group team in Düsseldorf are invited to register at:

Currie Group CEO, Rob Mesaros

Durst to launch P5 SMP at drupa

Durst has confirmed it will launch the new P5 Super Multi Pass (SMP) at drupa 2024.

The P5 SMP unveiled at the Global Pre-drupa Press Conference at Messe Düsseldorf in March, was conducted by Durst CEO and co-owner Christoph Gamper, Durst vice president – sales, Christian Harder, and Durst sales director for labels and flexible packaging Thomas Macina.

The 3.5 metre P5 SMP high-volume hybrid production LED UV printer delivers up to 2000 square metres per hour or five million square metres per year.

Production of the P5 SMP is not expected to commence until September in Europe.

Harder described the P5 SMP as the “pinnacle of efficiency, speed and quality in graphics, displays, corrugated and industrial decoration”.

“We successfully introduced the P5 platform back in 2019, and today, we now offer a complete product portfolio comprising hybrid as well as dedicated roll-to-roll printing with UV printing inks in various widths and various speeds.

“This year at drupa, we proudly introduce a further enhancement to the P5 series –the P5 SMP, which stands for Super MultiPass. The Super Multi Pass delivers a new peak in productivity with the versatility of the P5 platform and productivity of up to five million square metres per year or 2,000 square metres per hour.

“This is tailor-made for the sign and display and corrugated display printing market. The press will be available in the various levels of automation empowered by our software solutions for further automating the production processes.”

The P5 SMP machine will feature Ricoh Gen 5 printheads, the same print heads used on other Durst P5 printers, but an entirely different printhead configuration is expected to deliver the speed of the new machine.

“So far, we haven’t seen any major advantages with the Ricoh Gen 6 printheads, and we have had an extremely good experience with the Gen 5 printheads since 2018 so we have decided not to change printheads at this stage,” Harder said.

The P5 SMP will also feature LED drying and new UV ink formulations.

“With this machine, we will be using UV ink since we want to be versatile and also our customers want to print on a wide range of different substrates such as rigid, carton and various banner materials.”

DURST TO LAUNCH P5 350 HS PACK

Durst Group has launched the P5 350 HS PACK, a highly automated solution for digital corrugated and display printing.

According to the company, the P5 350 HS PACK combines the versatility of a P5 hybrid printing system with the ability to print on a wide range of materials used in the POP/POS and retail markets.

Andrea Riccardi head of product management – graphics at Durst, said the P5 350 HS PACK is the result of Durst’s customer-oriented approach.

“The modular design of the P5 technology platform enables us to develop new products for a wide range of applications. We identify market requirements and incorporate them into our development process,” said Riccardi.

Matt Ashman, managing director of Durst Oceania, said further innovations from the team at Durst HQ are exciting, and the P5 350 HS PACK does not disappoint.

“The new P5 PACK series is tailored to the needs of a corrugated packaging environment with new automation, new inks, and more software integration. What is particularly exciting is that this will be available to Durst Oceania customers from Q3 this year,” said Ashman.

The P5 PACK series is equipped with all the functions that enable efficient print production of corrugated boards. The width and height are set automatically by simply selecting the media channel in the software, which significantly reduces set-up time. In addition, P5 350 HS PACK vacuum system increases the suction power on the print belt by up to 40 per cent compared to the conventional systems.

Sabine Geldermann (drupa) with the Durst team – Christoph Gamper, Christian Harder, and Thomas Macina

REDEFINING HIGH VOLUME DIGITAL PRINTING

At Drupa 2024, we will unveil the next level of P5 and set a new standard for efficiency, quality, and versatility in the digital printing industry.

DRUPA

2024,

MAY 28—JUNE 7, DÜSSELDORF Hall 16, Booth A41-1 & A41-2

For more information, please visit durst-group.com/drupa2024

FUJIFILM launches robotic automation system for Acuity Hybrid

FUJIFILM has announced a robotic automation system for its high-end Acuity Hybrid wide format machines to be demonstrated at drupa 2024.

The announcement by FUJIFILM was made at the Pre-drupa press conference at Messe Düsseldorf.

In a statement outlining the announcement, the company said the new automation system is designed to give Acuity Hybrid customers the option to upgrade their high-end, wide-format machines with a full solution.

“The robotics unit allows a single operator to run the machine and facilitates a palletto-pallet process for rigid substrates,” the company said.

“The robust system, which was designed to support and speed up production lines, comprises a loading option to feed rigid substrates onto the printer and an unloading system to unload material from printer to pallet. It can be set to deliver full or half automation.

“The system has four lanes and allows four rows of material to be printed simultaneously. Each lane has two suction arms to pick up materials and a vacuum that can be adjusted to carry a variety of substrates and surfaces with different weights. There is also an optional ionisation unit that removes unwanted static from substrates that are typically challenging to print on.

“The automation system’s user-friendly GUI seamlessly communicates with the printer while allowing the operator to continuously monitor the materials being handled. The automation unit includes a specially designed latching system,

patented by FUJIFILM, which enables it to be quickly connected to the printer.

“In addition, for use with a hybrid printer such as the Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED, it has a feature on each side of the doors allowing easy access to the roll system. This feature facilitates an efficient changeover when using a hybrid printer – from roll-fed to flatbed, for example – maximising its functionality and versatility.

“FUJIFILM strives to ensure the longevity of its partnerships. The automation system was, therefore, designed to support the growth of its customers’ printing businesses and is compatible with current and upcoming technologies in the Acuity Ultra Hybrid range.

“At drupa 2024 (stand A02, hall 8B), FUJIFILM Group will showcase this exceptional technology, demonstrating the unloader function on a brand-new machine. Customers will be able to see the system in action while FUJIFILM highlights to the market how adding this technology to daily production lines can increase uptime, streamline processes, and generate more business.”

FUJIFILM LAUNCHES WORLD’S FIRST B2 FULL COLOUR DRY TONER DIGITAL PRESS

FUJIFILM has launched the Revoria Press GC12500 with B2XL capability for six A4-sized prints that will be on display at drupa in May.

The GC12500 supports the largest size available in the current digital B2 printer

market, B2XL size (750 mm x 662 mm) paper. It can print up to six A4-sized prints in a sheet, delivering high productivity of 250 ppm with A4.

The GC12500 was launched at the Predrupa Press Conference at Messe Düsseldorf in Germany.

FUJIFILM says the press is capable of printing on small-sized applications and large-format applications, such as posters. Additionally, consolidating the paper feeder/stacker and machine control panel in one place significantly improves the daily work efficiency and productivity of printing operators.

The printer was developed to enable B2 printing on demand without the need for specialised operators. Furthermore, FUJIFILM has improved maintenance capabilities and optimised routine operations to minimise downtime.

Printing on B2 paper with dry toner has its challenges, but FUJIFILM has incorporated proprietary new technology to overcome this. By developing new mechanisms for the fuser unit and developing unit, the stress on the paper during the printing process is reduced, improving image quality. With this new technology, the maximum paper size can be expanded to B2XL while also enabling automatic duplex printing on paper weights ranging from 64 gsm to 450 gsm. Combined with the wide media versatility inherent to dry toner, a broad range of applications can be produced.

FUJIFILM Group has sold over 300 of its B2 sheet-fed digital presses — the Jet Press 750S boasts industry-leading image quality and printing speeds.

The newly released Revoria Press GC12500 has been added to FUJIFILM’s Revoria range, giving customers a dry toner B2 size printing option in addition to A3. This product offers high production efficiency, user-friendly operation, and media versatility.

FUJIFILM Group will showcase the Revoria Press GC12500 for the first time in an international exhibition in Europe at drupa 2024 in the commercial print area of the FUJIFILM stand.

Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED

Heidelberg to unveil new Speedmaster XL 106 at drupa

At drupa, Heidelberg will showcase an end-to-end, highly automated packaging workflow for the diverse requirements of industrial packaging production.

For Heidelberg, the major focus at drupa will be the launch of the new Speedmaster XL 106 and its production speed of 21,000 sheets per hour. As an alternative to offset printing, Heidelberg is also presenting the new Boardmaster in combination with Intellimatch: a real game changer for highvolume packaging printing. Commercial and publishing printers can also look forward to an integrated end-to-end workflow with Prinect. With automation from plate imaging to plate feeding with Plate to Unit, and the new generation of CutStar, Push to Stop end-to-end at the new Speedmaster XL 106 will become the new standard in offset. Supplemented by collaborative robotics in postpress with StackStar C, production is more efficient and economical than ever.

The printing sector faces a combination of three challenges – ever-increasing cost pressures, a shortage of skilled workers, and growing sustainability requirements. In response to these megatrends, Heidelberg will present numerous innovations under the motto ‘Unfold Your Potential’ at this year’s drupa trade show.

The focus will be on customers and the need for their print shops to optimise the development and leveraging of business potential using state-of-the-art technologies and services. Thanks to the innovations being unveiled at drupa, such as the new-generation Speedmaster XL 106, Heidelberg can support its customers with a holistic concept that delivers up to 20 per cent higher productivity than the previous solutions. “Heidelberg has been an industry pioneer in the digitalisation of printing for20 years. Our main goal is to optimise our customers’ entire value chain,” says Heidelberg CEO Dr. Ludwin Monz.

“To this end, we have almost fully digitalised and integrated print shop processes, and our solutions at drupa offer our commercial and packaging printing customers maximum efficiency in industrial print production,” he says.

The shortage of labour and skilled workers is becoming more and more acute in the printing industry, too. With this in mind, Heidelberg is offering customers solutions for automating products and processes,

including training for print shop staff. Fully automated Plate to Unit plate logistics on the Speedmaster XL 106 and the new robotics solutions for postpress operations are two examples of this in commercial printing. The new-generation Speedmaster XL 106 also supports cluster production, whereby a single operator controls an entire machine . In the future, Heidelberg will make autonomous printing possible for standardised applications in packaging printing. The company will also help operators with more complex print jobs by providing navigated user guidance.

Sustainability in print production is one of the biggest trends worldwide and, at the same time, a major challenge for the sector. Modern print shops are aiming to become even more sustainable by reducing their consumption of energy and resources. Print products are also changing, though, moving away from plastic and toward more paper. Heidelberg offers sustainable print solutions, helping its customers save on energy and raw materials. If you compare a Speedmaster from 1990 with the current version, the energy consumption per 1,000 sheets has been reduced by up to 40 per cent. At this year’s drupa, Heidelberg will be presenting its latest generation of presses, which have a maximum speed of up to 21,000 sheets per hour. This increased production speed will help customers further lower their energy consumption per sheet. What’s more, the use of artificial intelligence and new assistance systems will also result in paper being saved by reducing the amount of paper waste.

Digitalisation in the printing industry enables end-to-end integration of the production process – from receiving the digital customer order, preparing the print data, planning and carrying out the print job, and passing on the print product to post press, all the way through to delivery and billing. In this context, Heidelberg will exhibit end-toend autonomous printing for commercial and packaging customers at drupa. With its new customer portal, the company is taking digitalisation to the next level and further expanding press management, including aspects such as capacity utilisation, maintenance, and upkeep.

All set for drupa – the world premiere of the new Peak Performance generation of the Speedmaster XL 106 with production speed of 21,000 sheets per hour and up to 20 per cent more productivity compared to the previous generation.

DRUPA 2024

Kodak at drupa 2024: groundbreaking solutions for inkjet and traditional offset

Kodak will showcase its digital technology and traditional print solutions, all designed to help printers increase productivity and profitability, at drupa 2024 from 28 May to 7 June 2024.

The revolutionary KODAK PROSPER ULTRA 520 Press, powered by KODAK ULTRASTREAM Continuous Inkjet Technology, will take centre stage at Kodak’s booth A02-2 in Hall 5. Driven by the KODAK 900 Print Manager and integrated with the KODAK PRINERGY Workflow Platform, the high-speed press will be demonstrated with newly launched versatile KODAK manufactured pre and post-finishing solutions. During drupa, the PROSPER ULTRA 520 Press, which uses KODACHROME Inks, will be printing various high-quality applications at full production speeds of up to 152 mpm (500 fpm) on a range of substrates live every day, highlighting new business opportunities printers can pursue with Kodak continuous inkjet.

Debuting at drupa 2024 will be the powerful new wide-width KODAK PROSPER imprinting solutions for hybrid packaging and commercial print applications. This inkjet innovation can be integrated into offset, flexo and gravure presses as well as postpress and converting systems for highly flexible, high-quality digital imprinting of custom packaging, security, and commercial print applications. Kodak’s high-performance imprinting technology enables printers to enhance their existing analog equipment with flexible digital capabilities and offer value-added services to their customers.

KODAK PRINERGY PLATFORM –SMART INTEGRATION OF DIGITAL AND TRADITIONAL PRINT

The KODAK PRINERGY Platform will play an important role at Kodak’s booth as it provides a single, integrated and futureproof workflow solution that consolidates production across digital and analog printing processes. The PRINERGY Platform is compatible with virtually all third-party software and equipment and connects with the broadest range of digital presses. It can act as the central hub of a smart print factory enabling centralised management of jobs using an intuitive interface to create, submit, manage and quality control jobs. Show

attendees will be able to learn more about the new PRINERGY version 11.0, which has just been announced.

Visitors to Kodak’s booth can also experience KODAK PRINERGY Business Solutions, a fully integrated MIS/ERP, e-commerce and collaboration software solution that is seamlessly compatible with any workflow solution. Powered by PRINERGY and backed by Microsoft Azure, Kodak has combined print-specific software applications into a single integrated solution.

Additionally, the Kodak team will showcase the cloud-based KODAK PRINERGY Access content management solution which combines PRINERGY’s high-performance automation and customer portal tools with the versatility of connectivity to any digital press and any on-premise workflow.

INNOVATING TRADITIONAL OFFSET

Kodak is also committed to driving continued innovation in offset printing. This year, the company is celebrating the 20th anniversary of its industry-leading line of KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. SONORA Plates can reduce costs in both prepress and the pressroom and improve sustainability without compromising quality or productivity.

Industry partner Koenig & Bauer (Hall 16/ A31-1 – A31-5) will use KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates for printing a wide range

of applications on its Rapida Presses during the show. At Koenig & Bauer, a KODAK MAGNUS Q800 Platesetter with T-Speed Plus (up to 84 B1 plates per hour) and a Multi-Pallet Loader will image SONORA Plates. The MAGNUS Q800, which is the industry’s fastest 8-up CTP system, will be driven by PRINERGY Workflow Software.

Komori Corporation (Hall 15/E02) and RYOBI MHI Graphic Technology (RMGT, Hall 16/E11) will also run live print demonstrations on sheetfed offset presses with SONORA Plates. In addition, Kodak will unveil further product innovations in offset solution categories at the show.

“With our presence at drupa 2024, we will demonstrate our commitment to innovation across our complete portfolio of both traditional and digital solutions. At the Kodak booth, printers will learn how Kodak can help make their business more efficient and profitable in today’s ‘and’ era of print,” stated Jim Continenza, Executive Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Kodak.

“For being able to serve their customers comprehensively and be successful in the market, printers today need both innovative digital technology and modern, highly automated solutions for traditional offset. That’s exactly what Kodak offers them from a single source.”

For more information about Kodak at drupa 2024 visit kodak.com/go/drupa

Kodak will showcase its digital technology and traditional print solutions at drupa 2024.

CONTINUOUS PRODUCTIVITY.

CONTINUOUS PROFITABILITY.

CONTINUOUS INKJET.

The proof is in the print. See it for yourself at drupa 2024, Hall 5

Konica Minolta to unveil new AccurioJet 60000 at drupa

Konica Minolta will unveil a new top-of-the-line AccurioJet 60000, which will be positioned above the KM-1 and KM-1e machines.

Speaking to global journalists at the Pre-drupa Global Press Conference at Messe Düsseldorf in Germany, Konica Minolta’s head of marketing for Konica Minolta Business Systems Europe, Olaf Lorenz, confirmed for the first time that the world will be able to see the new top-of-the-line model AccurioJet 60000 at drupa. It will remain under wraps until then.

“The AccurioJet 60000 further enhances the quality and functionality of the AccurioJet KM-1 and KM-1e, which have been used around the world since the release in 2016 for various printing applications such as various printing papers and PVC plastics,” Lorenz said.

“The AccurioJet 60000 maximises throughput with high productivity of 6,000 sheets/hour and improves automation and labour-saving. Using HS-UV (Highdefinition, Single-pass UV) ink, it maintains high image quality and gloss reproducibility that approaches offset printing, while a high level of colour stability is achieved with easy operation.”

Lorenz also provided an overview of the major products to be shown on the 2500 square metre Konica Minolta stand from 28 May to 7 June under the theme ‘See the Potential in the Future of Print’.

With a particular focus on labels, packaging and embellishment, Konica Minolta and MGI will demonstrate the most efficient use of digital print automation and end-to-end production workflows, as well as worldclass software solutions.

For the first time, Konica Minolta will also provide a live demonstration at drupa of the AlphaJET integrated system incorporating printing and finishing equipment.

“To create a sense of luxury and meet customers’ diverse needs, embellish printing is performed using spot varnish to create a relief effect, foil stamping, etc. for packaging. Since many companies and departments are involved in plate creation and each process, redundant printing and time consumption are issues in the industry.

“AlphaJET, provided by Konica Minolta together with its France-based partner MGI Digital Technology, performs all processes necessary for package printing, from inkjet printing to embellish printing and post-processing, all in one step. It significantly shortens process time, reduces installation floor space and waste, and provides a clean working environment,” Lorenz said.

“Under the main message of ‘See the Potential in the Future of Print’, Konica

Minolta will propose a future vision for printing companies by making full use of its unique technology and know-how, which the company has cultivated over many years of working closely with partners committed to printing.

“Konica Minolta’s top priority is to automate and provide assistance technologies for the printing process and maximise throughput. By reducing the routine work time required to prepare for printing, the productivity of the entire printing process will be improved, and operator stress will be reduced. At the same time, by focusing on the professional quality that printing companies require, Konica Minolta increases customer satisfaction and trust in the printing company. In addition, by providing a variety of support functions that enable even less skilled and inexperienced operators to work comfortably and achieve high performance, Konica Minolta contributes to improving the working environment of printing companies, reducing environmental impact, and improving business continuity.”

The new Konica Minolta AccurioJet 60000 will remain under wraps until drupa in May.

Konica Minolta will also provide a live demonstration of the AlphaJET printing and finishing system for the first time at drupa.

IN THE FUTURE OF PRINT

Come to drupa 2024 and witness the printing world evolve like never before! Visit us at the Konica Minolta stand in Hall 8B and witness our latest groundbreaking advancements in printing technology.

Join us for an immersive experience that will redefine how you perceive productivity, quality, and sustainability in printing.

Ricoh invites drupa visitors into the HENKAKUVERSE

Ricoh is inviting drupa visitors to experience the HENKAKUVERSE, a virtual production environment where you can learn about how Ricoh’s leading-edge technologies can be harnessed for the benefit of their print operations.

An array of applications on the stand will showcase the production possibilities of Ricoh’s broad technology portfolio.

Ricoh will bring together a host of new technologies for the first time including the Ricoh Pro Z75 B2 sheetfed digital inkjet press. Shaking up the B2 sheetfed space, the first B2 perfecting (auto-duplexing) sheetfed inkjet platform using aqueous ink, accelerates the shift from offset to digital with higher print quality, faster turnaround times, and fewer demands on staff.

Also, on the drupa stand will be the new Ricoh Pro VC80000 colour high-speed inkjet webfed press, also known as the Harpy Eagle. With its AI capability, its newgeneration Ricoh printheads, and its high level of integration with finishing equipment, it enables commercial, book, and direct mail printers to enjoy breakthrough performance in terms of consistently high print quality and new levels of productivity, shift after shift.

Helping print specialists ensure they thrive are both new digital colour sheetfed presses – the Jaguars. The next generation 135ppm Ricoh Pro C9500 empowers commercial printers to expand revenue streams and enhance operational efficiency with its labour-saving automation. It will be complemented by the latest in agile, versatile, flexible and responsive toner-based technology in the form of the five-colour Ricoh Pro C7500 digital colour sheetfed press.

Designed for speed, precision, and durability, Ricoh’s market-leading printheads deliver optimum print quality while minimising downtime. On the stand, visitors can explore Ricoh’s latest generation printheads and some selected applications and gain insights into the inkjet printhead roadmap.

All the production technologies on display are built on Ricoh’s commitment to sustainable and responsible operations that last month achieved a double A score from global environmental non-profit organisation CDP for climate change and for water security. Ricoh also secured its 12th inclusion among the Global 100 Most Sustainable Corporations list. Visitors will see how Ricoh’s automation technologies can support print businesses’ drive to reduce their impact on the planet.

Ricoh’s software area will focus on production automation, combining cloud based and on-premise solutions that aid maximum production efficiency. There will be a raft of value-added software solutions that focus particularly on workflow automation, such as Ricoh TotalFlow Producer, and Ricoh Supervisor, as well as FusionPro which crafts highly personalised data driven communications. Visitors will also be able to explore Ricoh’s expanding Professional Services consultancy offer including the extensive colour management support that is available.

High quality and consistent results are ensured by an array of specially developed solutions, including the award-winning, trailblazing Ricoh Auto Color Adjuster, which provides precise colour management and matching capability without the need for a colour specialist.

Some of the many ways these technologies can prove transformative for forward-thinking businesses, from datadriven book and commercial printers to enterprise operations, will be dramatised by an immersive theatre experience at the heart of the stand, where the HENKAKUVERSE and its opportunities will be presented in a spectacular way.

To spark creativity and new approaches and fire up the imagination is a print bar and applications garden featuring inspiring client cases that illustrate how Ricoh’s co-innovation approach can help different types of Print Service Providers future-proof their business. Printed samples from across the technologies will be on show as well as those from Ricoh’s versatile large format systems.

Eef de Ridder, Vice President, Graphic Communications Group, Ricoh Europe: “We are excited to create a partnership environment focused on helping print production specialists unleash the power of co-innovation. We are looking forward to helping visitors from all sectors unlock business-evolving opportunities with an eye on sustainable production that will enable them to shape their businesses successfully and responsibly. Our expert team will be on hand to help them explore innovative ways to transform and redefine their own environments.”

The Ricoh stand at drupa 2024 is in Hall 8a of the Messe Düsseldorf, Germany, from 28 May to 7 June.

The Ricoh Pro VC80000 will be on display at drupa

Ricoh will introduce drupa visitors to the HENKAKUVERSE

UNLEASH THE SPIRIT OF CO-INNOVATION WITH US AT DRUPA 2024

In Japanese, HENKAKU means transformational innovation – and at Ricoh, it means everything to us.

But to truly unlock the power of HENKAKU, we need to work with you our partners and ‘Co-innovate’ –taking on your real world challenges and finding solutions, together.

At drupa 2024, join us to discover what Co-innovation could mean for you and the future of your business.

We’ll be unveiling our latest inkjet technology, alongside our incredible sheetfed and software developments.

You’ll also be able to enter The House of HENKAKU and experience an immersive theatrical show that will bring the spirit – the magic – of Co-innovation to life.

May 28 – June 7, 2024

Düsseldorf, Germany

REGISTER FOR UPDATES HERE

Unlocking the Future with Xeikon

Xeikon gears up to unveil its latest innovations and state-of-the-art solutions at drupa 2024.

Adivision of Luxembourg-based Flint Group, Xeikon is a leading provider of digital print production solutions catering to the packaging and graphic arts sectors.

The company’s presence at renowned industry event drupa underscores its dedication to providing customers with cutting-edge technology that meets the evolving needs of the printing and packaging industry.

The marketing manager for Xeikon says that, like many other industries, the print industry has weathered a turbulent period, which has expedited its move towards digitisation.

“This shift is in response to emerging trends that demand greater agility, a commitment to sustainable solutions, and heightened efficiency,” says Danny Mertens, marketing manager at Xeikon.

During drupa, Xeikon will spotlight its unique offerings in the following areas across key markets:

FLEXIBLE PACKAGING

Xeikon TITON solution guarantees food safety even on paper-based flexible packaging, meeting requirements for temperature, chemical, and mechanical resistance.

CORRUGATED PACKAGING

Xeikon’s IDERA technology delivers a food-safe solution within the postprint corrugated environment.

GRAPHIC ARTS

Xeikon SIRIUS offers cost-effective technology for medium-run commercial print, ensuring quality and efficiency.

LABEL PRINTING

Panther (UV Inkjet) and LION (Dry Toner) technologies deliver sustainable benefits and speed and quality.

Sabine Geldermann, director drupa said she was proud to have Xeikon onboard and called the company, “a pioneer in digital printing that has been present at drupa since its inception”

“Xeikon continues to deliver cutting-edge solutions that are strongly valued by the market. Their participation reaffirms the significance of drupa as a platform and milestone event for the printing industry, attracting industry leaders like Xeikon who recognize the unique value and opportunities the event has to offer,” says Geldermann.

“drupa has consistently served as the pulse of our industry, providing an ideal platform for industry players to embrace current and future innovations. With eight years having passed since the last edition, numerous innovations have come to light and can now leverage the drupa platform. This event will showcase the incredible journey Xeikon has undertaken, expanding its offerings into diverse new markets.”

Xeikon’s TITON solution guarantees food safety even on paper-based flexible packaging.

Lamont Print & Signs leads in Sustainable & Recycling Practices

Lamont Print & Signs is committed to sustainable and recycling practices.

The ProPrint team recently caught up with Stephen Lamont at his recently expanded premises in Townsville in Far North Queensland to discover more about his approach to best environmental practices at Lamont Print and Signs.

“We have always been focused on sustainability – it has been in our name for over 10 years,” Lamont said.

“Our name is technically Lamont Sustainable Sign Solutions. That’s why everything in our building is connected to sustainable practices, from the solar on the roof to latex printers. We have just converted our second sedan to electric.

We’re just waiting for Ford to create electric utes, and we’ll change those to electric as well in 2025.

“I have a sign with Lamont Sustainable Sign Solutions written on it that goes with us to each building location—and we will never throw it out. I position the sign in our office next to my desk to remind myself that this is our DNA.”

Lamont realised he needed to create a solution for recycling corflute when he became a major supplier to local businesses.

“We realised we were the largest corporate producer of corflute in the region. So, we

had a responsibility to try and do what we could. It is only recently that Correx has started to have relationships with companies outside Sydney and Melbourne. They recently created an arrangement where they have sent their boxes up to us and there is a company that is based in Brisbane for processing. We have Correx bins here on site and others that we supply to some of our resellers. Any corflute that the clients would like to recycle – they can then put it in the bins and deliver it back to us. We then send it to a recycling company that crushes it into bales. Then, it gets shipped back to Correx in Melbourne to be recycled back into not only corflute, but other products.”

Stephen Lamont with the sign that goes with him everywhere

Lamont says he is prepared to invest in sustainability even though there is an impact to his bottom line.

“There is an absolute cost to our business with recycling corflute as there are no subsidies available. We incur this cost due to our responsibility not to have corflute or polypropylene go into landfill.

“Recycling is one thing we can do, but there are also other sustainable materials now available that you can print on as an

alternative to corflute. As a result, we have engaged with our other suppliers as it is possible to print on outdoor card material for applications such as short-term event signage. So now we’re giving our customers the option of corflute or other more sustainable products that can be put into your standard cardboard recycling bin at the end of the event.”

Lamont says he has noticed events need a sustainability strategy, and so his business offers an entirely sustainable solution

printing on recyclable substrates from PVC-free mesh that goes on fences to short-term event signage. The good news is at the end of the event, not everything’s just going into the dump.

“Obviously, a premium has to be paid for those more sustainable materials. Currently this premium is around 20 to 25 per cent more expensive than nonsustainable alternatives,” says Lamont.

“But these more sustainable materials are becoming easier to get, and there is more material out there, which means there is more competition on pricing. But we don’t always pass on the entire premium as we want to provide an incentive for our customers to use sustainable products.

“Our clients demand certain sustainable products, and we can access and provide those products using our buying power. We have had retail clients produce all of their Easter campaigns on materials that were then easily recycled afterwards, and we are often approached by overseas brands who are building an exhibition display where only sustainable materials are able to be used due to the strict policies in place from these global companies.”

Lamont also believes the trend towards sustainability is an important factor when dealing with the next generation of employees and customers.

“Generation X and Y are invested in the concept of sustainability because they have been brought up at school to care about recycling and the environment. It is traditionally my generation and the older generation who struggle with the whole recycling thing because it hasn’t been ingrained in them from a young age. My son Daniel is the one within our business who has worked with Close The Loop to recycle our print cartridges, for example. Our paper no longer goes in the bin – we have a company that takes all of that away – that’s is our normal way of doing things now,” says Lamont.

Lamont also extends his definition of sustainability to fitness and being healthy.

“We have a gym here onsite, and that’s part of our sustainability strategy because you must be healthy to live longer. So, health is also, in a way, a sustainable product. All our staff are generally involved in some fitness. Even in the interview process, we ask them,‘Do you play a sport?’ because the mentality that goes along with discipline in sport and health translates into business. Those people are more likely to take a piece of cardboard and throw it in a cardboard bin and not throw it into the wrong bin.”

Lamont Print & Signs’ electric vehicle

Lamont Print & Signs is committed to recycling

HP Industrial Print’s Commercial Printing B2 Open House Melbourne

HP invited print business owners from all over the Asia Pacific region to attend its two-day Commercial Printing B2 Open House event in Melbourne.

ProPrint were invited to attend HP’s International Open House event to speak with delegates and learn why they deliver excellent learning experiences and how they influence purchasing decisions.

HP’S FIRST INTERNATIONAL SITE TOUR IN AUSTRALIA SINCE COVID

Delegates from India, Korea, Southeast Asia, and China toured some of HP’s largest Australian customers based in Melbourne to experience HP Indigo digital printers in a variety of commercial environments as well as learn from Australian-based print operators.

Hosted by HP Indigo’s country manager, ANZ, Craig Walmsley, the two-day schedule included site visits to IVE Group and Southern Impact on Day 1 and CMYKhub hosted by Paul Norton, Dayne Nankervis, and Shannon Nankervis on Day 2. The tour concluded with a workshop in the HP customer experience centre in Collins Street where XMPie, E-Productivity Software, and Taopix presented on market opportunities. The event wrapped up with John Wanless from Bambra Press holding a Q&A with Walmsley on the industry trends and his experience over a decade with his B2 Press.

DAY ONE – IVE AND SOUTHERN IMPACT

The first stop was IVE Group and a look at the HP Indigo 100K, the HP Indigo 15K Value Pack, the HP PageWide WebPress T370HD and the Indigo technology. The team at IVE, Shaun Hodge & Chad Willats, highlighted to the group the dramatic swing from offset to digital over the last few years in Australia.

IVE uses the Indigo presses to produce retail-based work and customised print for every store with offset quality print. The team stresses what the HP Indigo 100K and HP Indigo 15K Value Pack presses mean to the business as productivity has increased more than previously possible, particularly with the B2 press – HP Indigo 100K.

IVE runs the HP Indigo 100K press as a pure production machine for large-volume print jobs, up to 50K sheets full colour on both sides, while the HP Indigo 15K VP is used for shorter runs and more bespoke work because it has seven colours. IVE uses the latter for more short-run jobs or bespoke packaging where there may be a layer of white put down first and a fourcolour process over the top.

The HP Indigo 100K was installed at IVE Melbourne 18 months ago, and the Group

has since gone on to purchase a machine for its Sydney site, too, with both machines delivering beyond business expectations.

“We wanted the 100K to be as powerful as possible from a volume perspective, which is why it was originally released with four colours. We’ve added the fifth colour station, but ultimately, most sites in Australia are running four colours,” said Walmsley.

“We run a high percentage of EPM (enhanced productivity mode) as well, which allows for greater throughput and speed,” said Hodge.

“The bigger point we’re seeing from a volume perspective is that the 100K is 50% more productive, and we are getting the productivity because of additional paper feeders, fewer jams, less downtime, and longer lifespans from the consumables.”

When asked why a printer should buy an Indigo. Walmsley said because of its versatility.

“HP Indigo presses can accommodate many applications without limiting your business.”

The second visit was to Southern Impact Group hosted by managing director, Heath

The HP Commercial Printing Open House at IVE in Melbourne

Nankervis. It runs multiple HP Indigos, including the 15KHD. Delegates toured the digital department, one of three production departments but the busiest. Southern Impact runs a large number of jobs through its digital department. All its high-value colour work is done through the Indigo printers because their customers demand it.

Wendy Coss, GM of Commercial Digital Print, says it’s because “they’re used to the quality on Indigo.”

Marcus Cafolla, one of the longest-serving Indigo operators in Australia is the lead digital press operator at Southern Impact. He has worked with printers since the Indigo Series 1 in the late 90s. Cafolla experienced the progression from the pre-HP Indigo presses to how the brand took off after HP took over. He says HP’s research and development took the Indigo brand to new heights.

“It leads us to this B2 here today, which is the best. It’s a state-of-the-art press. It’s amazing,” says Cafolla.

“It’s also quality and reliability, but it’s also speed to market. To be honest, I think we’re under-utilising its capability because we’re so busy with its core capability, but there is more we have yet to discover.

“Silver was a perfect example. Running the silver and then applying the full-colour process on top has created a solution for a number of clients that historically would have required a foil paper or sending for hot foiling outside the site,” Cafolla said.

DAY TWO – CMYKHUB

Day 2 began at CMYKhub, and clients were amazed at the workflow powered by

DFLOW and its end-to-end production capabilities. Paul, Dayne and Shannon took the group through a comprehensive site tour and explained their HP Indigo journey with offset and finishing capabilities.

WHAT THE DELEGATES HAD TO SAY

Delegates from XGraphic in Indonesia, Nadiya Febiola, Lucio Effendy, and Harjanto Sudarso, said they were here to learn how to operate the printers and about their environments. They have five machines in their business, including two HPs, the Series 2 and Series 3, and are looking to upgrade. They are interested in the Series 5. “Every year, we must upgrade the machine,” says Sudarso.

Saifee Makasarwala is from India. His company is Silverpoint Press in Mumbai. They are one of the well-known commercial printing presses from his region. He currently has an HP Indigo 12K as well as offset machines and is interested in buying the 100K.

“It’s about the speed and the productivity. I understood from today that it is more productive than the 12K, and it’s 30 per cent more productive.”

“It helps to see the machine operating in a commercial space rather than an exhibition where it is in a controlled environment. When you see it on the actual floor of a printing press, you realise what the machine can do,” said Makasarwala.

Alex Ch’ng from Pulau Pinang in the north of Malaysia has run his Thunder Print business for 27 years and has four HP products on his printing room floor, the 12K, 7K, 7600 and 7900. The last time he

was in Melbourne was six years ago. He was interested in seeing how Australian printers run their businesses.

“I want to see how Australians work in terms of workflow, how they make things more effective and how they use automation to reduce labour costs,” says Ch’ng.

THE VALUE OF SITE TOURS

Walmsley commented that this marks the first B2 Open House HP has organised in many years. He acknowledged the considerable commitment and effort made by the businesses hosting the delegation, recognising the time involved. However, Walmsley noted that Australians are accustomed to conducting site tours overseas, and all participating sites are eager to contribute to the industry. He highlighted the value derived from building new networks and gaining insights into the workings of other organisations, a practice consistently integrated into the agenda through DSCOOP seminars held in the US over the years.

Walmsley elaborated, “It’s a significant investment for our clients to travel to Melbourne. We aim to ensure they witness the presses in action within working environments, providing them with a comprehensive understanding of their capabilities.”

Through the application of site tours, Walmsley highlights the critical importance of industry sharing in our market. He emphasises that clients, suppliers, operators, and management gain valuable insights from these experiences, benefiting everyone involved.

Andrew Gasper, Executive GM Sales & Customers Satisfaction Southern Impact with Saifee Makasarwala, Silverpoint Press, Mumbai

Admiring HP Indigo’s quality printing samples at Southern Impact

Delegates from XGraphic in Indonesia, Lucio Effendy, Nadiya Febiola and Harjanto Sudarso

Outside Southern Impact Melbourne

Craig Walmsley, country manager Australia (left) and Mike Kim, business manager, HP Industrial Print, South-East Asia and Korea

Marcus Cafolla with Wendy Coss at Southern Impact

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Agfa brings in-house print to PopArt

A new wide-format printer purchase from Agfa has elevated design agency PopArt’s client offering to new heights.

Established in 1998, PopArt in Melbourne’s Cheltenham delivers tailored solutions for its clients’ retail display needs. The designers and project managers at PopArt have a robust understanding of retail and deliver creative solutions from in-store fixtures to promotional counter units.

Before PopArt moved to purchase its first Agfa printer in October 2023, it sent all its wide-format printing needs off-site. The new printer has transformed the way PopArt does business. An entire section of its office was redesigned to house the equipment in its new air-conditioned space including an automatic sliding door.

ProPrint spoke with PopArt’s group managing director, Colin Robertson,

about the installation of the new Agfa Jeti Mira MG2732 HS LED machine, and received a full demonstration of its impressive capabilities.

This award-winning flatbed printer is a moving-gantry printer that relies on UV LED curing to offer impressive print quality with a wide variety of media. It accelerates the printing process to 248 m²/h, with a dockable roll-to-roll extension, up to 2.69 metre wide prints and 3D Lens Technology.

WHY DID YOU MAKE THE DECISION TO INVEST IN A NEW PRINTER FOR YOUR BUSINESS?

We are not manufacturers; we are graphic designers. We outsourced our printing needs. That is still the case for our highvolume jobs, but we are using our new

WHAT WAS BEHIND YOUR DECISION TO CHOOSE THE AGFA PRODUCT?

There were two frontrunners, both flatbeds, but this is a fixed bed machine, so the media sits on the bed and is sucked flat. Because we do a lot of corrugated work, it doesn’t sit well on the hybrids because the bed is moving back and forth, so it’s never completely flat. The image quality is higher here. This kind of printer model is better for heat-sensitive media such as paper products, and this is all paper products. For this application, this is the best solution. Plus, we chose this one for the speed and the high level of quality, including fine print for the price.

Agfa for our bespoke complicated stuff that the big operators can’t do or, let’s face it, don’t do because it’s a pain.

Phillip Burns (Agfa) with Adam Leach and Colin Robertson (PopArt) and Rashed Chungtai (Agfa)

HOW DID YOU DISCOVER IT?

Through Adam Leach, our print production manager. We had been working with him for many years through printer companies. We contacted him, and he was looking for new opportunities. He also recommended Rashed Chughtai from Agfa as a supplier.

We wanted a print-and-cut solution. We want our machines to talk to each other.

As we say in our industry, one throat to choke. If a printer’s not talking to your cutter and things aren’t going well, you don’t want two or three different vendors to deal with. Rashed has been fantastic. We really couldn’t say enough about the excellent service we have received from these guys.

WHAT WAS THIS ROOM BEFORE IT WAS YOUR PRINTING ROOM?

This print room was a whole series of

offices. Imagine seven or eight offices with steel posts and all sorts of stuff. It was a major engineering exercise. These guys were manufacturing the machine as we were constructing the room at the same time. It all came together nicely. The reason it’s in a room like this is because they don’t like temperature variations, so it’s environmentally controlled, which means that everything produced is consistent and has the best possible result. My favourite part is the automatic sliding door to the warehouse.

WHAT ARE THE FEATURES OF THE PRINTER YOU WERE ATTRACTED TO?

One of the selling points is the tandem printing mode. There are two separate lay corners so that you can print on one side of the bed, and while that’s going, you can load on the other side and print in reverse. It delivers consistent printing without any downtime of unloading, loading, and waiting. When you unload and load the sheet, there is no loss of time.

Then there’s the lay edge. It’s a series of pins that, when popped, create the lay edge so we know what we are working with. Every single sheet is the same for when we multi-cut them. This is critical. On hybrid models, you don’t have these accurate layers of reference.

WHAT HAS THE RESPONSE BEEN LIKE FROM YOUR CLIENTS?

Very positive. We opted for the varnish and white ink in the machine so we could print a full varnish coat over a print or do a spot varnish. It makes an image pop.

Same with white, we can do a spot white if we want to print on transparent material, or we can do white lettering with an image next to it.

AND THE OUTPUT?

27 sheets an hour. It’s not a massive part of our turnover, but it’s vital to producing a promotional display that pops. It’s high quality when the client is looking for something really special. We are not going to become printers as such; we just want to be able to print our work in-house, particularly the prototyping. Prototyping is a massive part of our business. Clients want to see what a job looks like, which is fair and reasonable.

When I first started as an industrial designer, we used to do sketches with coloured pencils and spirit-based markers. Clients would only see the real thing once it was offset or screen printed. We could show them the film, but we could only show them a final example once we had one. There would often be problems in translation between what the client thought they were getting and what they got. Now, it’s full circle. What they are seeing is what they are getting.

Agfa Jeti Mira MG2732 HS LED machine at PopArt, Cheltenham

Before PopArt moved to purchase its first Agfa printer in October 2023, it sent all its wide-format printing needs off-site

Centrum Group acquires FUJIFILM Acuity Prime 30

Sydney-based Centrum Group recently invested in a FUJIFILM Acuity Prime 30 to broaden its print work for new and existing clients.

Centrum

that investing in digital equipment allows the business to complement its strengths in offset printing.

“The Acuity Prime 30 is an important addition to our business, particularly in the point-of-sale category,” Elvin says.

“Not long after I joined the business, I saw a need for a new piece of digital equipment to help us deliver a larger volume of branded point-of-sale and marketing material for specific clients.

Printing Pty Ltd (Centrum Group) CEO Craig Elvin told ProPrint

The addition of the FUJIFILM Acuity Prime 30 has provided Centrum Group CEO Craig Elvin with more flexibility.

One reason Centrum Group installed the Acuity Prime 30 is to control the production process in-house and not rely on outsourced work to external companies.

“What we are seeing more and more often is a single campaign from an FMCG client that is being rolled out simultaneously across a number of different retailers such as Big W, Kmart, Woolworths, Target, Aldi and IGA – and the majority of these clients want personalised brand-specific point of sale executions.

“In an offset environment, if you are creating 250 floor stands, you have to run out 50 to 100 sheets per colour to get the set up right , so it is just not economical.

“Our business is Centrum Group – we sell print and should not limit ourselves to just offset.

We have two of the biggest offset printers in the southern hemisphere – the KBA162 and the KBA145, but when these machines cannot fulfil our customers’ needs, we need to be able to have options; the Acuity Prime 30 allows us to do that.

“We are known for creating big bold colourful packaging and point of sale for many clients, but we are also asked to produce a lot of other different work for customers. One of the reasons we have installed the Acuity Prime 30 is because we want to be able to control the production process in-house, not rely on external companies. It has also been great to help turn around work for clients in a couple of days that we have not been able to deliver previously.

“Before we decided on the Acuity Prime 30, we had discussions with various of the major suppliers and from these discussions we struck up a great relationship with Glenn Conyers and the team at FUJIFILM Australia.

“We started looking at a higher-end model, but we decided to dip our toe in the water with a good machine like the Acuity Prime 30, which can help us hit the sweet spot. This also involved understanding the difference between LED UV and offset ink consumption.

“It was also important that we bought the right machine that also worked for our estimators and floor staff and worked in conjunction with our die cutting and finishing equipment to prevent bottlenecks.

“Before we made our final decision, we did some trials of the Acuity Prime 30, and I visited the FUJIFILM demo centre in Sydney. We ended up buying the demo model, which worked for us, and FUJIFILM were also keen to get the machine into the market. The big selling point for me was the spot gloss, and customers were continuously surprised by the quality of the work. We have a foil laminator, so the ability to print on foil was also a huge Elvin said it is also very beneficial to be able to access the FUJIFILM Australia Campbellfield ink laboratory in Melbourne.

“We have also had very open discussions with FUJIFILM Australia’s teams about inks and substrates as well as things like drying times and tape tear tests. For example, a few weeks ago, we were not sure of the dyne level of the CORFLUTE®. We sent some files down to Campbellfield and they performed some testing on different substrates with different inks and sent them back so we could look at the colour variances from the different inks. It is clear that FUJIFILM wants us to succeed with this machine, and as a result, we are getting more and more work, and we are getting better and better at running the machine.”

With the Acuity Prime 30, Centrum Group is now focused on providing customers with a range of printing solutions and not just limiting itself to offset printing.

Shortly after joining Centrum Group as CEO, Craig Elvin saw a need for a new piece of digital equipment to help new and existing customers.

Centrum Group

PRINT DIARY

EVENT

Women in Print Breakfast Series

Women in Print Breakfast Series

Women in Print Breakfast Series

Women in Print Breakfast Series

Women in Print Breakfast Series

Women in Print Breakfast Series

drupa 2024

Visual Impact Brisbane

Printing United

Labelexpo Americas

2024 ProPrint Awards FESPA Australia Annual Conference

Hosting an event? Send an email to the editor — Melissa Parker — mparker@intermedia.com.au with the details

Böttcher Australia: the experts in new rollers and replacements

• Near total coverage of roller requirements for the graphic arts sector

• Wide range of rollers for printing and packaging, laminating, gluing, transport and nip

• Specialised services for non-standard applications

• In-house expertise to help you achieve your production goals

Talk to us about the range of services we offer for all your roller maintenance needs. National

Co-located with

25 October Shangri-La Sydney

productive new technology showing at DRUPA!

PRISM-hpm

HXCP

YFMA 800A

Dapeng 5575 Rotacut

offline jogging, backtable uploading, 210mm cut gap, waste

HPM 1370H is the world’s most productive cutting line, with extraction and downloading.

Hall12, booth B30

HPM has been cutting in australia for 18 years

HXCP servo-set folders and log stackers, complete folding automation in line with robotic pallet stacker. at 11,000 sph

Hall 6, booth F41

YFMA 540

Newstar induction-heated celloglazers, For fast, accurate temp control.

Speed: 80 mpm.

Hall12,booth A32

Dapeng 5575 Rotacut user-friendly, flexible magnetic rotary die cutter.

Max: 550 x 750mm at 6,000 sph. Waste

stripping.

Hall13, booth C14-1

Wan Jie Intermittent Web for labels, film and packaging From WJPS 350mm wide to WJPS 1050mm

Hall 5, booth C08

Volunteer or Sponsor help us grow!

Come and see the extensive expansion and renovations.

Need a venue for a function?

Talk to us we can help.

Visit https://www.printingmuseum.org.au/

Why LED-UV ?

No odor

No Ozone

No spray powder

No set-off

No loss time

• Instant dry

• Instant ON/OFF irradiation

Reduce CO2 emission

No large peripheral equipment

No need for overprint varnishing

Reduce electrical consumption

• Up to 91%

No VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds)

Reduce heat generation

Long life span

• Up to 15 times

Printing on film and cardboard

Just like your conventional offset press

...without the cons.

The RMGT 1060TP series is the Gold Standard for perfecting printing. This innovative tandem perfector on which the reverse-side printing units are connected to a straight printing press via a special translink unit. After printing the reverse side, the front side is printed without the need to reverse the printed sheets, eliminating various limitations typically associated with perfecting. This also makes it possible to perform perfecting on folding cartons, such as for blister packaging. LED-UV perfecting printing is also possible by equipping both the translink unit and delivery with a LED-UV dry-to-dry printing system, providing an instantly dry, high-quality printing solution. Achieving printing quality equivalent to that of a straight press with highly accurate front to back registration. In addition, the translink unit does not flip the sheets thus perfecting printing can be done with only 1 grip edge. Eliminating the need to make plates differently for front side and back side printing units and can handle pallets of sheets with irregular length just like a straight press.