Explore more - Print Business
←
→
Page content transcription
If your browser does not render page correctly, please read the page content below
THE MAGAZINE FOR FORWARD THINKING PRINTING MARCH/APRIL 2021 Explore more… COVER STORY Venn: it all comes together for Andy Rae and Anthony Thirlby. INKJET The definitive guide from B3 to continous. PVC The end of the line looms for landfill lout. Explore more at printbusiness.co.uk
The HSB 13.000 is the forward thinking solution, requiring a minimum number of personnel. Totally automated, even down to the stacker; the HSB 13.000 can, like no other, be changed from one job to another, from minimum to maximum formats in a matter of minutes. Sophisticated software including job memory and automated setup makes for a highly flexible, highly productive, & operator friendly platform.
THE EDITOR’S COMMENT
THE PERSONAL
THE MAN IN THE HAT, GARETH WARD
has been the editor of Print Business SHOULD NOT
BE PUBLIC
since its second issue in 2005. Five years
later he took control of the magazine in a
management buyout and fully achieved
his vision to create a unique publication
for printers. THE SUCCESS OF DIGITAL advertising
What Print Business does is take all this is one of the mysteries of the age. Ever
increasing sums are poured into online
information – supplied via press releases,
messaging, emails, social media, search
announcements at events, word of mouth
engines and more. Once you start to feed
or good old fashioned journalism – sorts the digital monster you find there is an
the puffery from the facts, weaves it ever increasing number of demanding
together and puts it into context for those mouths: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook,
who run print businesses. TikTok, What’sApp and the list seems to
grow exponentially. Almost all are funded
AT THE HEART OF EVERYTHING that Print
through advertising with the promise that
Business publishes are the printers. Those
online advertising, digital advertising can be
whose businesses are no longer about targeted with precision to people that are
simply feeding paper into a giant lump of ready to buy.
highly engineered metal and selling the There is none of the waste associated
sheet that comes out the other end. Those with direct mail, let alone run of press or
who face myriad decisions, some of which out of home advertising. A banner with
an animated GIF viewed on a smartphone
point in opposite directions, and need to
seems to have greater impact than a 96
know more than how fast it prints.
sheet billboard. And advertisers nod along the adtech companies to prove that the
They need to know what affects them just as seduced by technology they do not messages are getting though and by the
and how. Just as every print job is bespoke, fully understand, captivated by pictures of marketing managers who like these details
every print company is different. There is youngsters, their noses pressed against a because it can justify the expenditure.
no one-size-fits-all in this industry. hand held screen, a generation in thrall to It would be brave to question the system,
digital technology. too brave for a young under pressure
BEFORE COVID Gareth Ward was out
The current generation of marketing marketing manager to challenge. The
and about all the time. He went to print
managers who have no memory of the whole system, however rigged it might
factories and talked to printers in their high impact that newspaper and magazine be, appears to be more cost effective than
language. He has seen first hand the advertising, or television slots can make, print and is certainly faster. This was a key
problems they face, the solutions they find, are making decisions about where to place finding from Canon’s recent research into
their achievements and their innovation. advertising budgets. The promise of attitudes held by marketing people.
He has finally been able to safely visit precision placement, engagement through The printing industry meanwhile seems
interactions such as retweets or likes, to be sitting by and watching this happen as
some factories.
indicate that consumers are absorbing the if unable to respond. Canon’s work points
BEFORE PRINT BUSINESS Gareth Ward
message and are more likely to buy. out that there has been something of a
worked on the leading weekly magazine But more and more research shows that generational switch in marketers in recent
Printing World for 22 years and was editor the enthusiasm for digital advertising is years. Their job is not what it was. Print
for 15. It is this experience, and 360° view utterly misplaced at best. In many instances has not undergone this transition and the
of the industry, that gives him his sixth those that are charged per click through two sides, it seems, no longer understand
are paying for non existent consumers. It each other. Marketers like print, but do
sense about printing. His ability to spot
is a fraudulent system that is known to be not believe in it in the way they used to.
trends, often years before they become
wrong but which is supported by those They prefer the statistics they get from
apparent in the mainstream, is legendary. adtech companies that promise to target digital channels, however spurious. They
THIS IS PRINT BUSINESS, THE MAGAZINE the messages, it is supported by the large believe this makes their marketing spend
FOR FORWARD THINKING PRINTING. agencies who can look at data supplied by measurable, like an up to date version …
www.printbusiness.co.uk March/April 2021 3
COMMENT GARETH WARD’S THOUGHTS ON…
… of the marketing wonk characters that
appeared in the Rise and Fall of Reginald
Perrin sitcom.
JICMail does excellent work to create
some measurements, to show that printed
direct mail has longevity in a household,
that it is read and even welcomed. It is
heading towards a way to measure the
unmeasurable and should generate the
statistics to populate the spreadsheets for
C
AT • ON
those who believe everything can be boiled
down to statistical analysis. Elsewhere M
SU
E FOR
there is work to show that advertising in
LTANC
magazines and newspapers works. But it is INKJET
ZIN
too disparate. There is no hard hitting core YI
message: Print Works repeated across the
N MAGA
different printed products.
A LARGE PART OF THIS ISSUE IS
Two Sides shows that this style of intelligence, something that makes some
DEVOTED TO INKJET the future of
consistent messaging does work. Its which is a fascinating subject and pundits salivate and makes others sweat.
regular perception survey show that there one that Gareth Ward has studied for In the end artificial intelligence is as
is an increasing awareness that paper years. He lays out the complex subject likely to confuse as it is to illuminate.
comes from trees, that trees are a crop in straightforward terms page 24 Because we do not know what mix of
like man y others and that therefore paper experiences and emotions individuals have
is a truly sustainable resource. The rise and targeting of individuals based on their that frames their opinions and character.
in the number of printed books sold is propensity to spend on your products. This is Data sets are about points of information.
hard evidence that people will go out of pseudo science. We know you bought that kettle, we might
their way to pick print. Print is engaging If this works, the algorithms would even know what sites were visited before
on an emotional level that is difficult to know that an individual who had just the click to buy decision. But we do not
distil in terms of statistics, unlike the vast purchased a kettle is highly unlikely to know what it was that stimulated that
quantities of data that emerges from an want to buy another. Yet, before GDPR click: was it a replacement for a broken
online journey and purports to have huge restricted such behaviour, ads for kettles kettle, something to fit with a new kitchen,
significance. would track you across the web. a gift for someone else. If a human being
The system of cookies scattered across And every time the deficiencies of the could be reduced to a set of numbers and
web is supposed to give unprecedented technology are pointed out, the message percentages with any degree of accuracy,
details about the choices, the lifestyle and the comes that the real advance just around Tinder and other online dating sites would
aspirations of every individual that spends the corner will provide the solution. It be out of business.
time with Google, YouTube, Facebook or is like chasing the pot of gold at the end Pulled into print terms, this helps
any other of the digital behemoths. And the of the rainbow: every time you get close, explain why print personalisation has not
belief is that this gold mine of personal data you discover that the rainbow has moved. worked despite the millions poured into
can be used to feed into precision profiling This time the crock of gold is artificial driving mass personalisation for marketing
PUBLISHING Print Business is published six times a year by Print Business Media Ltd
Haymakers, Swamp Road, Romney Marsh TN29 9SQ | 01580 236456 | general@printbusiness.co.uk
www.printbusiness.co.uk
CONTRIBUTORS Printed by Manson Group | Printed on Gallerie Silk not via a contra deal. Open to offers.
EDITORIAL Editor/Publisher | Gareth Ward | gareth@printbusiness.co.uk | 01580 236456 | 07866 470124
Press releases should be sent to pressreleases@printbusiness.co.uk
COMMERCIAL Publisher | Debbie Ward | 01580 236500 | debbie@printbusiness.co.uk
ADMIN & SALES SUPPORT Publishing Assistant | Sarah Cross | 01580 236456 | sarah@printbusiness.co.uk
MEDIA INFORMATION The Media Pack is on the homepage of printbusiness.co.uk
4 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.uk
…THE SHORTCOMINGS OF DIGITAL ADVERTISING COMMENT
campaigns. Some have worked, but there
are very few personalised print campaigns
that are repeated. Even with good profiling
data, marketers do not really know what
to do with it. Supermarket loyalty cards
gather huge amounts of data about
shopping habits, but is this data used to
reinforce consumer choice, for example
offering a customer money off vouchers
against the red wine that he always buys,
or to influence it by offering the voucher
against bottles of white wine. Possibly
the most successful of personalised print
campaigns from supermarkets was one
from Sainsbury. It sent a card using the card THE PVC PROBLEM It is the printing decision to purchase is made, not before.
holders name on a birthday day together industry’s dirty little secret. The The greatest personalisation engine in the
only way to dispose of the beloved
with a voucher for a bottle of wine or box world is the one between your ears.
banners is to let them degrade
of chocolates as a birthday present. It was This is the secret that Gelato, for
down to noxious nasties in landfill.
a great success in the numbers of bottles Clean thinking printers are finding example, has discovered. The clients
handed over, or did it cause complaints alternatives to print on page 44 it works for are selling personal gifts,
from teetotallers? It never repeated the posters, maps, books all produced in a run
offer. Personalised print on this scale can should receive. What makes something of one. Consolidating these individual
be too effective. That came from a simple personal is the person choosing it. Share orders amounts to very large print runs
nugget of readily available information, but a Coke is still held up as an exemplar of a and enough to excite the venture capital
even a brand knowing your birthday can marketing campaign using personalisation, companies that have invested in the
feel intrusive. It is human nature is to find but Coca-Cola’s campaign depended on Norwegian business. This is personalised
this use of profiling creepy and frankly off individuals choosing their name. The print that is welcomed. It celebrates the
putting if brands know too much about us. software was used to assess the likelihood individual’s unique experiences, whether
The only personalised print that works of named individuals entering stores in through a printed face on a mug, map of a
every time and is welcomed are the bank different neighbourhoods and to create a cycle ride, or photobook of holiday snaps
statements and credit card bills that track suitable mix of bottles with likely names of the same city views that every other
our financial status. supplied to each store, making it easy for visitor takes even though they do not match
Does this mean that the technology those that felt the need to pick up a bottle the quality of a mass produced postcard.
developed for inkjet presses is wasted? That of a sugary drink to find the label with This is personalised print where the
personalised print is dead in the water? Not their name on it. purchaser is in control and chooses how
to our minds. It is simply that it is being What Share a Coke showed is that to interact with a brand. This, rather than
used in the wrong way. Personalisation is personalised packaging, diaries, print generated by artificial intelligence
not about a brand or advertiser trying to photobooks and other personalised items algorithms which merely demonstrate ‘how
profile an individual and using an algorithm are personal to the person buying them. much they know about me’, is the stronger
to determine the message an individual The personalisation takes place after the future for this industry. n
NEWS The Monday Morning News ezine is a popular collection of a handful of the week’s news, always going
beyond the press release and often exclusive. One email, no third parties. Sign up at printbusiness.co.uk/subscribe
SUBSCRIPTIONS Print Business is moving to a subscription based business model. Subscriptions for those
who would like to contribute to securing the future of Print Business are available at printbusiness.co.uk/subscribe
EVENTS Print Business is the organiser of Forward Thinking Printing, round tables and more. Gareth Ward is in
demand for hosting, chairing and generally being an accomplished ringmaster, online or in real life.
CONTENT Content is copyright © Print Business Ltd 2005-2021. All rights reserved.
ARCHIVE Previous issues are available for subscribers. See the Archive page under
the Information tab at printbusiness.co.uk available issues.
TERMS Apply for terms & conditions to general@printbusiness.co.uk
www.printbusiness.co.uk March/April 2021 5
INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
McGowans lines up Landa
for greater versatility
DUBLIN PRINTER McGow- in display and some in web to over, and the Irish market in not
ans will take delivery of a Landa print applications. McGow- big so we have to be a Jack of
S10 in July, making it the first ans has a range of applications all trades as a company. With the
of the nanography presses in in mind, covering post of sale Landa we will be able to address
Ireland and only the second in display, packaging, commercial all kinds of products. This is the
the British Isles. print and direct mail. It is this right move for us.”
The date may have to change McGowan believes that could be The investment will also be
because of restrictions result- the game changer, proving that a breakthrough installation for
ing from Covid-19, but the the technology is applicable as a Landa, an indication that the
company’s commitment to the replacement for a conventional technology will suit smaller
technology will not. “Because of B1 litho press. companies with a wider range
continuing restrictions on travel, He says: “We can print from of applications just as much
it may be difficult to travel for Mal McGowan wants the
800 micron board to 60gsm as it suits the biggest specialist
the sign off procedure,” says Landa for a wide range of papers with the Landa. We will businesses.
CEO Mal McGowan. And different applications. cover 94% of Pantone colours McGowans has built a repu-
then there is the installation to and the quality is fantastic. We tation as an early adopter of
consider. run Indigos at both formats new technology having been the
“This is a technology driven It is that that will make and Xeikon and we have always first to install Scodix and then
company and we have watched McGowans the focus of atten- wanted to go to B1 digital, the the EFI Nozomi inkjet press.
development of the Landa since tion. Other Landa machines Landa does that and also gives us The latter has been particu-
its earliest days and the machine have been installed for specific the power of a B1 press. larly successful and McGowans
now is a very good commercial and relatively narrow applica- “We are not a big company, has built an €8 million business
proposition.” tions, many in cartons, some 110 staff and a €20 million turn- around it.
Little space for terms of signage and promo-
tional materials. And before too
effects on staffing levels and the
lack of demand as a result.
Among the customers
that Mercian is taking on are
optimism says the Prime Minister’s outline for organisations handling blood
survey an end to lockdown “no earlier transfusion labels, needing to
than 21 June”. Mercian banks be matched to patients, or to
THERE WERE NO surprises The figures suggest that on blood work be identified through a manu-
in the latest Printing Oulook despite the gloom, the outlook facturing process. It amounts to
report from the BPIF. There is is not as bad as it was in the first MERCIAN LABELS HAS around £1 million of business
all round gloom increased by lockdown. Operating levels completed the acquisition of and adds to Mercian’s expertise
lockdowns in Q1 knocking back were down on a year to year the variable content barcode in this area.
any hope experienced towards comparison in Q4, but were label business from Computype Managing director Adrian
the end of the year. above the levels for the quarters Europe having undergone exam- Steele says: “The areas involved
It finds that 19% of printers beginning in May and July last ination to ensure that it could require critical specialist
describe themselves in survival year. offer a smooth take over for what constructions of adhesives,
mode with just 24% looking A 28.7% drop in paper can be mission critical labels. inks and substrates, and over …
forwards to expansion in 2021. consumption over the year and a
There is a glimmer in that those 16.1% reduction in ink volumes Mercian factory will take in Computype work.
describing the outlook for the shed further light on the pain
industry as a whole are closely that Covid has inflicted.
split between the optimists, the Coping with Covid remains
pessimists and those that see no the major concern for 62%
immediate change. of printers in the survey, with
This is before the Chancellor the concerns about competi-
has had chance to outline the tor pricing and the survival of
additional help for the hospital- customers vying for second
ity sector as it inches towards a place. Looking ahead the chal-
Covid safe opening, something lenges are around coping with
that would require print in Covid’s direct and indirect
6 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.uk
We print your world We combine inks and substrates so that ingredients become an experience. Because printing is our world. Koenig & Bauer Sheetfed koenig-bauer.com
INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
CoBo robots take the
strain at Micropress
MICROPRESS HAS installed a since the first lockdown last year alongside one Stahlfolder from
brace of CoBo Stack automated and we had to ensure we got it Heidelberg, supplier of its
stacking machines at its plant at right. three B1 Speedmaster presses.
Southwold, Suffolk. “Despite having only been Friedheim has also supplied
The two MBO robot stack- running for a couple of months, Micropress with Palamides
ers were delivered at the start we have seen some benefits stackers.
of December and have quickly already, with the CoBo Stacks The CoBo Stack robots are
proved indispensable. freeing up staff to look after what is known as co-bots,
“Like all other print compa- other work.” working without guards along-
nies, we have been under greater The company becomes the side human operators. Safety
pressure during the last year due first in the UK with two of the systems prevent any unwanted
to Covid-19,” says director Paul stacking arms. They collect a accidents while in operation.
Coby. “We traded throughout pile from the delivery of the CoBo Stack in operation at And that has proved reliable,
the pandemic and were busy folder, lifting and placing each in Micropress. says Coby, with the devices
again towards the end of the the ideal position on a pallet for operating as smoothly as
year. the next phase of production. It Prior to the latest investment, anticipated.
“As a result, we were looking reduces the manpower load on the company had developed “December was a very busy
for greater automation in our a folder, allowing an operator a 12-year long relationship month of the year for us and
print production to help work- to concentrate on the feed end with Friedheim International. we were really pleased that the
flow. The CoBo Stacks were the while automation takes care of It currently runs three MBO CoBo Stacks were able hit the
first pieces of kit we invested in offloading tasks. folders supplied by Friedheim, ground running,” Coby says.
… our 50 years of growth we ing a more efficient production
have a developed a high level layout. She joined the Burnley Ink price increases are said to be caused by shortages.
of technical expertise in them. printer as an office junior 26
Computype has nurtured their years ago and had been its
relationships in these areas over commercial director.
a number of years, and this deal
represents a careful handover of
valued customers to a trusted Brace for
manufacturer as they look to price rises
strategically focus in fewer core
markets. in ink
“We have recently invested
in state of the art equipment to INK PRODUCERS ARE facing
expand our world class capabili- a perfect storm that will inevi-
ties in high volumes of variable tably lead to printers paying
data and are pioneering devel- more for the ink they use. Sun combination of raw material “Already in 2021 we are
opment in intelligent industrial Chemical has already announced shortages, shipping costs and seeing a combination of several
automation. We have a lot to price rises from 1 March across rising demand as economies factors which are interlinked
offer customers like these.” packaging and sheetfed inks, recover. Nicolas Bétin, Sun with the Covid-19 crisis which
coatings and adhesives. Chemicals’ director for product has severely impacted the
It has been joined by strategy EMEA, says: “The overall raw material supply
Top job for Siegwerk, citing a similar pressure across the supply chain chain,” said Dr Arash Babai,
Hindley combination of sharp price is causing an abrupt rise in raw director of global purchasing
increases for pigments, short- material costs and unfortunately for Siegwerk.
JOANNE HINDLEY HAS age driven price increases for requires us to increase customer “Our team is working hand
been promoted to managing resins and solvents derived from prices. We will continue to work in hand with our global supply
director of Peter Scott Printers petrochemicals and increasing with our sourcing partners chain to leverage its buying
after successfully leading a move costs of transport. to manage and minimise the power and minimise risks to our
to new premises and instigat- Sun Chemicals blames a impact on our customers.” customers.” …
8 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.uk
At Compass,
we’re all about you.
Compass worked within a compressed timeframe
and delivered on all aspects of our requirements.
Andy Rae, Director & Owner, John Dollins Print
It’s important to have the right funding partner, Compass
understood our vision and supported us throughout.
Tim Brown, Owner & Chairman, Browns Print
We want to see our customers grow, innovate and
thrive; we want to help make your ambitions a reality.
If you need finance to support your aspirations, talk to us.
compassbusinessfinance.co.uk | 01732 833477
INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Canon booked for Wiley’s
zero inventory bid
CPI BOOKS IS READY to begin Publishing and Edward Elgar is TJ International. The site is for our latest partnership with
production at Wiley Distribution Publishing. The first has more a third print on demand opera- Wiley Distribution.”
in Bognor Regis under a book of than 2,000 titles available across tion for CPI Books in the UK. As well as a ColorStream, the
one joint venture signed by book a diverse range of sectors. Anthony Rowe in Chippen- new site will have an ImagePress
printer and distribution partner While not a vanity publisher ham operates with HP T series C9010 at the outset. Finishing
last summer. – it describes itself as an inde- machines while the Eastbourne is in the hands of a Hunkeler
At the heart of the set up pendent publisher – John Hunt site, close to Gardiners book Bookline feeding a Horizon
is a Canon ColorStream 6700 Publishing specialises in new distribution centre, runs with perfect binder and linked three-
running reel to reel and a fully authors and unsolicited manu- Canon. knife trimmer.
automated book production line scripts which many writers find Alison Kaye, managing direc- Wiley’s aim is to create a print
able to change format on the fly impossible to place with large tor, STMA and Colour for CPI on demand, zero inventory and
and a perfect binder able to cope publishers. UK, says: “We’ve had a strong ultra short run auto stock
with single-copy production. It Edward Elgar Publishing working relationship with replenishment system which
enables the two businesses to handles scholarly books from Canon for a number of years and results in what the company
offer a zero inventory publish- research organisations across after installing a ColorStream calls granular visibility over
ing model. law, economics and government. printer in our Eastbourne site in the full cost of production and
And two publishers have According to the company’s 2019, we knew that the device inventory analytics to improve
already signed up: John Hunt website, its main book printer would be the perfect solution stock management planning.
It has also installed a DuSense, all manner of functional print Irish market where Highcon has
Iridesse for Duplo’s digital embellishment from plan printing to manuals yet to install a machine.
Service device, and added a Fujifilm and hoardings. The potential is there both
Graphics Acuity large format printer to
run alongside its SwissQPrint
in carton and corrugated. The
corrugated market is becoming
THE FORMER TODS Nyala flatbed press. APS makes more interested in the capa-
business in central London It is a big vote of confidence secure move bilities of the Highcon digital
has completed a three-part by Service Graphics in the crea- finishing technology on the back
investment, the first since its tive production business, which APS HAS MOVED ITS of its fourth UK installation at
acquisition by Service Graphics as its core business is the London secure communications busi- Linneys.
at the end of last year. creative agency and marketing ness to purpose built premises “We have had to up our game
It has replaced one of its sector, has been severely hit by in Preston Brook, Cheshire. for a customer like Linneys;
two HP Indigos with a Xerox the pandemic. The 9,000m2 premises will also they would not accept anything
Iridesse, able to print clear, The Service Graphics network house the delivery and fulfil- less from us,” says head of
white toners or silver and gold has strong ties to the construc- ment arm of the company. content marketing Shelagh
metallics. tion industry, supporting it with APS has invested in two Hammer. The Beam machine
Böwe Systec Fusion Cross there is being used to produce
inserting lines and two Crite- retail display units including cut
rion letter sorting machines at outs to hold small sized products
the site. that would be all but impossible
to produce in any other way,
Service Graphics And the changes wrought
has installed a Donegal to by Covid-19 on consumer and
lead Highcon
Xerox Iridesse retail behaviour open up poten-
in its Farringdon
tial for Highcon, both in terms
premises. to Ireland of more intricate display units
and from ecommerce packag-
HIGHCON IS TO SELL ing and growing web to pack
through a direct route into the customers. The intention is to
UK and Ireland with former build on the interest generated
HP Indigo staffer Steve Donegal by the installation at Linneys to
heading the operation. increase awareness among other
He will have support for the prospects. …
10 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.ukNO MINIMUM
SPEND BARRIERS.
WE’RE HERE FOR
ALL TRADE BUYERS.
FREE NEXT DAY DELIVERY
FREE 30-POINT ARTWORK CHECK
TRADE CUSTOMERS ONLY
WHITE LABEL PACKAGING
1000+ ORDERS A DAY
DEDICATED ACCOUNT MANAGERS
0114 294 5026
sales@route1print.co.uk
route1print.co.uk
Reviews 2,097 • Excellent
Correct as of 16/02/21INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Impact Digital delivers
for Costa winner
IMPRINT DIGITAL IS to date thanks to appearing and designer Hannah Bannister.
celebrating the success of The on numerous award short lists When asked how the publisher
Mermaid of Black Conch, the culminating in winning the 2020 could keep up with the surge
novel which has won this year’s Costa Book of the Year, since in demand, she replied: “We
Costa Book of the Year Prize. publication in April last year. always print in the UK so we
It is written by Monique Imprint Digital is responsible didn’t have any supply chain
Coffey and published by Peepal for 10,000 of these, with a 5,000 issues related to Brexit or Covid.
Tree Press, a small Leeds first run. The success that the We have a fantastic printer
publisher that specialises in book has enjoyed has meant that Imprint Digital, who print on
titles by Caribbean and Black it had to switch to litho printing a little farm down in the south
British authors. to keep unit price low. west.”
Almost all are fiction and Before then Imprint had kept Impact Digital operates
poetry titles with initial print up with demand. “One week Canon mono presses, Ricoh Pro
runs of 100-200 copies followed we reprinted it three times I C9200 for colour and a Horizon
by short order reprints. And in believe,” says managing direc- BQ470 for binding. This is the
ten years it has struck a firm The Costa Book of the Year tor Keith Sutherland. only one in the UK able to cope
partnership with the digital winner was printed digitally The book featured on with French flaps on the perfect
print business near Exeter. by Impact Digital and BBC Radio 4’s You and Yours binder. It also has single-clamp
With the Monique Coffey title published by Peepal Tree. programme where its presenter BQ270 and HT30 trimmer for
24,000 copies have been printed interviewed operations manager proof runs.
service communications busi-
Green drive ness focusing on customers
for Latcham across nine sectors.
While print, mail and fulfil-
LATCHAM IS AIMING TO ment remain crucial Latcham
become carbon neutral before says that the emphasis of
2030, in line with the strategy the business is connectivity:
adopted by Bristol City Council. between Latcham and its clients,
The company has plans for “the connections between
a vast solar panel array, has organisations and their audi- Stuart
switched to an energy supplier ences that Latcham brings to Speechely
enjoys
generating electricity from life, and the flow of informa-
Horizon’s
biomass, is investing in elec- tion and ideas that facilitates
reliability.
tric vehicles, insulation, new the joined-up thinking that
windows and aiming to elimi- Latcham is known for”. This
nate the last 6% of waste that has led to a new look to the
goes to landfill. brand, including reducing the the old, now replaced, machine. booklets to A5 booklets used
The business has fitted four company’s name from Latcham Managing director Stuart to fit a C5 envelope for mailing.
electric vehicle charging points Direct to Latcham. Speechley says: “By bringing The updated machine has the
for the four electric cars and our capabilities up to date we latest in touch screen control
KJS strengthens
one delivery van in its fleet. The knew we could be more efficient and set up. It links to a MKU-54
new van has replaced a diesel and experience less downtime. mobile knife unit.
version. line up with IFS We have just put an 80,000 run And no sooner has the
The investment in improving through the system and it has company invested in booklet
the company’s carbon footprint KJS MAIL HAS UPDATED its saved us many hours. We can let making than it takes delivery
has gone hand in hand with a booklet making line, installing it run and that means our team of a CMC paper wrapping line.
revamp of the corporate brand a late model Horizon SPF200s can turn their attention other This is expected to arrive this
to emphasise how it has devel- stitch and trim unit and a new systems at the same time.” month, about a year after the
oped from a print, mail and VAC1000 collating tower to The system will switch easily company had initially planned
fulfilment company into a full overcome reliability issues with between production of A4 to invest. …
12 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.ukFINISHINGSTARTSHERE
IN A RACE TO THE FUTURE
M A K E S U R E YO U FI N I S H FI R S T
S T I T C H | B I N D | F O L D | C U T | L A M I N AT E | F O I L
Intelligent Finishing Systems, Unit C, ATA House,
Boundary Way, Hemel Hempstead, Herts HP2 7SS
T: 020 8991 6624 www.ifsl.uk.comINFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Glossop Cartons starts
new chapter after MBO
A MANAGEMENT TEAM, The company supplies a
Former Glossop Cartons
led by Wane Fitzpatrick, has owners (left): Brian range of customers in diverse
acquired family owned Glossop Sidebottom, Jacky Every- markets ranging from large
Cartons from its founders Sidebottom, Jill Every FMCG brands to independ-
Brian Sidebottom and Jacky and Vicky Every and ent businesses. A number have
Sidebottom-Every. Wayne Fitzpatrick (right). been with the business for
Three of the five-strong more than 20 years, handled
team have worked previ- by Sidebottom-Every. She and
ously at Meyr-Melnhof, one her husband will continue as
of Europe’s largest packaging consultants for a period. “This
groups. Fitzpatrick, who joined buyout is the next chapter for
Glossop in 2018 as sales direc- Glossop Cartons and it is an
tor, had spent more than seven incredible opportunity for a
years as sales director at MM’s stellar management team to
Deeside factory. Simon Boden, HR and David Bartlett, head further sales from the site and further develop the business and
commercial director, joined of operations. Bartlett became equipment in place. take it to the next level.
Glossop in 2019. Prior to that production director in 2018 Fitzpatrick says: “We have “We’d like to thank Wayne
he had held a number of Euro- and joined the company from nearly four decades of success for buying the company. We
pean roles at MM and Matthew Trenton Box. on which to build and I’m genu- are delighted that it will remain
Clarke, head of sales, had spent In 2020 the company gener- inely looking forward to the independent and managed with
four years at the MM Deeside ated sales of £11.5 million, prospect of leading the busi- the same values that have stood
plant. The team is completed up from £9.5 million the year ness forward in its next phase of it in great stead for the last 39
by Clare Beswick as head of before. It has headroom for development.” years.”
tenance software and service. the demonstration machine
Special edition There are Virotec covered from Heidelberg’s UK show- Screen eyes
folder for rollers for the parallel fold unit. room in Brentford which is flexible packs
anniversary The slitter shaft is on an easy to
switch cassette.
closing as part of a move for
the press supplier. It had few SCREEN HAS CONFIRMED
MBO HAS RELEASED A Both versions also include the impression and all the bells and that it be introducing the
special edition of its K32 combi- A80 delivery stacker which is a whistles needed on a demonstra- PAC830F inkjet flexible pack-
nation folder to mark a year match for the CoBo Stack robot tion machine. aging press to the European
since completion of its acquisi- arm to move folded sections The impression count is marketing, opening up a third
tion by Komori. from the delivery to a pallet now heading beyond 5 million, leg for continuous feed inkjet
The K32 KSE (Komori without operator intervention. Fretwells having notched 3.5 after labels and the TPJ520. The
Special Edition) will be avail- million sheets during January, new press will run at 75m/min
able until August and is supplied its first month of operation. on an 830mm wide web with the
with what Friedheim Interna- “It has a full Autoplate Pro first to ship later this year.
tional calls “a comprehensive From Brentford and push to stop technology,”
equipment package”. This to Keighley he says.
includes an additional set of “Heidelberg calculated that Artisan doubles
with XL75
transport belts and feeding from we would get an additional 400 with Duplo
the pallet. hours of production a year. And
There are two versions of FRETWELLS PRINT & with finance available at a low ARTISAN PRINT Solutions
the B1 folder available, an auto- Design has taken advantage of rate, this was the right time to has installed its second Duplo
mated version with six servo “a deal that we couldn’t resist” invest for the long term and for iSaddle Pro booklet maker,
driven buckle plates while the to swap out its five year old the short term. seven years after buying its first.
manual version has four buckle Speedmaster XL75 for a new “Autoplate Pro will halve The investment comes two
plates. five-colour plus coater Speed- current make ready times which years after installation of a
Both include touch screen master XL75. because our average run is Speedmaster SX74.
interface to MBO’s M1 control Joint managing director Andy 5-6,000 sheets, it amounts to a This boosted capacity at the
and set up system, remote main- Gillet says the press had been lot more jobs per year.” Oxfordshire company and …
14 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.ukBUSINESS SUPPORT,
IT’S ON US.
We’ll cover your membership
when you reach Rockstar status.
It’s just one of the many ways we can
help you grow your business in 2021.
LEARN MORE
wttb.co.uk/pbINFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Argos deal brings coating
to Morgana
PLOCKMATIC HAS TAKEN channel and will continue to system, it’s low cost per sheet,
on worldwide sales and support sell the machine, says Ray Hill- it uses less varnish per sheet
for UV coaters developed by house, VP sales and marketing and achieves a very high level of
Argos Solutions in Belgium. It at Plockmatic. gloss,” says Hillhouse.
will add the cold cure UV and “There’s a lot of interest in Morgana will hold spares and
LED coaters to the Plockmatic coating thanks to the growth in will support machines through
inline finishing portfolio and inkjet printing,” he says. “And its network while manufacture
will sell the same machine, with there is an aqueous machine with shift to the Plockmatic
its own feeder as the Morgana under development which will factory in Latvia. The deal will
DigiCoater 400. appeal to packaging print, espe- allow Argos and its owner Tony
This marks a return to UV cially with a B2 version.” Michiels to focus on develop-
coating for the Milton Keynes The cold cure UV lamp ment of new ideas and other The DigiCoater 400 is
business which had offered an version is installed in the product areas. popular with photobook
entry level Korean made coating Morgana showroom and an The Digi Coater 400 includes printers.
machine until supply difficulties LED UV will join it. Part of the a choice of feeding. The VFX
put paid to the arrangement. appeal is the light weight of the is for conventional sheets from
The Argos machine is a very UV coating that the machine a two tray configuration for It is also possible to hand feed
different kettle of fish and has achieves. This helps reduce the continuous running and part- for finishing. Delivery can be to
become a staple for companies power requirement and means ners the Morgana booklet a deep pile stacker and smaller
in the photo products sector. In a low total cost of ownership. makers. The VFL feeder copes tray. A double-sided version is
the UK Renz has been the sales “Because of the cold cure with long sheets, to 1300mm. also available.
a busy year last year, despite can run A5 books two up. That that advertising on paper is at to a print media conditioning
pandemic, meant it faced makes such a difference.” least as good as advertising on station, and lightweight papers.
bottlenecks in finishing. “The The company has found a the internet,” he says. “And we It means a 1200x3600doi
amount of work we had, we niche in hyper local community are bombarded by emails, or by imaging unit with a 21 micron
were finding we couldn’t keep magazines which are enjoying tracking ads. You don’t get that spot size, a new toner, closed
up,” says managing director Ian something of a purple patch with a local magazine. loop quality measurement
Campbell. underpinned by advertis- “The SX has been fully module and a fusing system that
“The new iSaddle has ing from local shops, services operational throughout and has operates at a constant tempera-
acquired a lot of new features. and tradespeople. “I think it’s never missed. We have had so ture for greater control and
It can take a six-page cover and because people have realised much work for litho. It has been consistency.
digital work that has suffered,” The target is both book
printing, where the impor-
tance of volume is diminishing
Xeikon enters compared to the importance
fifth generation of shorter supply chains and
higher quality, and direct mail.
XEIKON HAS ANNOUNCED Here too Xeikon says the trend
an entry level version of its is towards higher quality mailed
latest commercial press, a year pieces where a fifth print unit
after the SX30000 was first can be used for brand colours.
announced. It also names point of sale,
And while deliveries have yet security print and commercial
to begin in earnest for what it printing.
says is a fifth generation toner Price information and cost
Ian Campbell (left) with
the new iSaddle. powered press, the developer of ownership details are not
has launched the SX20000, currently published, with
a 20m/minute version of the Xeikon saying the new model
same technology. This involves “presents an excellent value
the capability of handling a proposition for printers looking
wide range of papers, thanks for a cost-effective machine that
16 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.ukINFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Agfa’s Tauro pushes
productivity ceiling
AGFA IS RETURNING TO putting development money into comes to printing corrugated being to enable to press to run
the top end of the large format machines with a broader appeal. boards for packaging.” with minimal reasons to stop. A
market with the Jeti Tauro 3300 Now customers are looking The 3.3 m wide press like predictive maintenance routine
UHS. The Ultra High Speed to move up from existing Tauro other Tauros can print on boards is part of the package.
machine is 30% faster than machines and there is a tanta- or rolls. It has 80 Ricoh Gen5 Alaert says that Agfa has a
previous Tauros and has a top lising new market to go after. heads and comes in four- and strong order book for the 3300
output speed of 600m2/hr. It “The decision to go faster and six-colour versions with options UHS, the four generation of the
takes Agfa into competition to introduce other features was on white and primer. The six- Tauro hybrid platform, from
with Inca, the latest Vutek and based on customer feedback,” colour version uses a Light Cyan existing customers wanting a
Durst machines. says marketing product manager and Light Black rather than the faster machine and also from
A decade ago Agfa had been Reinhilde Alaert. “We wanted more customary Light Magenta. companies using competent
at the pinnacle of high speed to help customers achieve more Saleable quality is achievable equipment. “We have made
large format inkjet with the uptime and to be able to work in with two or three passes of the sure that we have covered as
MPress machines, but decided adjacent markets. inkjet array, firing 7pl droplets many applications as possible.
not to compete in what was “We have added features to and able to print 4pt text. Ink is We are pretty happy with the
then a limited market, instead improve performance when it held in 20-litre tanks, the idea order book already.”
will give them superior image While the debating chambers printed or plain card. This work tigation into narrow width inkjet
quality, perfect registration will move to the Queen Eliza- was suspended last year and is presses before making the deci-
front to back and exceptional beth II Conference Centre when unlikely to be needed while the sion. “Initially we didn’t think
colour quality”. the desperately needed repair builders are in. inkjet could meet our quality
and restoration project gets standards. However, we found
underway in the mid 2020s, the that the Screen TPJ SAIS does.
Labels UK printing unit will cross the river Links takes It brings inkjet print quality to
opts for KM’s to a new home underneath the first Screen the level of flexo printing,” he
arches. says.
latest Permission to occupy a LINKS LABELS & TAPES has “This is exactly what we need
railway arch close to Waterloo installed a Screen L350 UV SAI because in line with the market
LABELS UK IS THE LATEST Station was granted by Lambeth S labels press, its first machine trends, we receive print orders
roll label printer to invest in the Council last month, despite from the Japanese press supplier. for relatively small quantities
Konica Minolta AccurioLabel opposition from local residents. The Bourne company has more frequently.
230 toner digital press. There was concern about previously focused on HP “This machine is especially
The Manchester company noise from vans picking up Indigo for its digital print well suited for this situation as
can run the new machine to printed material for Parliament requirements along with three it handles print jobs of up to
overprint and add variable from 5.45 am. But these were ABG Digicon finishing lines. 10,000 metres fast and reliably,
customer content to labels it has dismissed compared to the noise The Screen inkjet press was the with a high up time.
printed on its flexo press; break- of trains heading into Waterloo first of its kind sold in the UK “We can process most assign-
ing a large order into smaller East station. and has become the company’s ments in two or three days,
batches; and improving delivery The inplant unit produces the fastest digital press. a significant improvement
times. mundane work that is needed The speed of the Screen compared to five to seven days
for the smooth functioning of machine has been crucial in previously.”
Parliament. This includes the handling demand for labels
Move for daily order papers listing the applied to NHS Covid testing
Parliament’s business of both the House of kits supplied to the NHS by the Richline
press
Commons and House of Lords end of last year, the company installs XL75
as well as committee reports and had supplied 40 million of the
documents for MPs. individually identifiable label RICHLINE HAS INSTALLED
PARLIAMENT’S INPLANT It has also handled menu cards sets with demand continuing an XL75-5-L from Exel Print-
print operation will move across and place cards for events being into this year. ing Services, following success
the river as part of the renova- held in the Palace of Westmin- Managing director Darren in gaining two new contracts,
tion works on the Palace of ster. These include the Crowned Dutton says that the company necessitating an increase in
Westminster. Portcullis badge, stamped into a carried out an exhaustive inves- capacity.
www.printbusiness.co.uk March/April 2021 17INFORMATION/TECHNOLOGY
Heidelberg shapes for
tighter future
THE COST SAVING measures end of year. Nobody has said
Heidelberg’s Print Media Academy
that Heidelberg has introduced whether the latest wave of lock-
has become an iconic building
this year will enable the press downs across Europe has had
in the city. Now Heidelberg
manufacturer to break even on an impact on output levels and
has sold the building,
sales of less than €2 billion. including offices and
incoming orders since the start
This will be close to the sales a presentation of 2021.
volume for this financial year, theatre. It has paid off loans to bring
which Heidelberg is predicting net debts down to €127 million
will be €450-500 million below (€262 million) and reduc-
the €2.35 billion earned last ing outgoing payments by €12
year. million a year.
It was on course for this at the By the end of financial year
end of its Q3, closing at the end in March Heidelberg will have
of December. shed 965 jobs from a total of
After a 44% fall in incoming 1,600 that have agreed redun-
orders in Q1, 20% in Q2, Q3’s dancy packages. Of these 1,200
orders received were just 12 % are from Germany.
down on the position last year. However, it has failed to bank
It amounts to a 24% drop in Hundsdörfer, China had recov- to be suffer the effects of the €120 million after the expected
incoming orders in the year to ered fully and orders from pandemic. Operating levels sale of Gallus fell through
date. In the same nine month Europe were well on their way of existing commercial and leaving Heidelberg with an
period sales were down 25%. to a full recovery at the end of packaging presses had almost unwanted asset, staff and five
According to CEO Rainer Q3. North America continues reached pre crisis levels at the plants to operate.
K&B beats reset at €1,246 million and 2020
came in at €1,029 million when
uted to inclusion of full year
sales from MBO for the first
to parent company Langley
Holding’s income in 2020
expectations it would otherwise have been time. according to the group’s
KOENIG & BAUER TURNED €978 million. This is still above At the Q3 mark sales are annual report.
in results for 2020 that were the company’s initial forecast for running 8.3% below last year In the Covid year the
“significantly above the fore- the year. due to the economic hit of the sheetfed press producer deliv-
cast” despite losses reaching €68 Likewise the loss was not as pandemic. ered €214.7 million in revenue,
million. severe as it would have been Overall orders for Komori a rise from €203.5 million in
The press manufacturer under the previous account- are at 70% of last year’s levels 2019. Orders in hand dropped
reported sales of €1,029 million ing method. That would have at this point. Sheetfed press from €61.2 million to €54.6
having forecast that they would resulted in a deficit of €76 orders, the company’s main million at the end of December.
be in the range of €900-950 million at the Ebit level. source of income, are at 78% In the chairman’s report,
million. Orders in the final while the new division produc- Tony Langley notes: “It is
quarter were up on Q3, but not ing machinery for printed perhaps too early to say whether
enough to affect the end result as Komori electronics is running 9% above January 2021 marks the turning
dramatically. controls fall last year. point in the crisis, but certainly
Koenig & Bauer’s orders for The company anticipates that the increase in the order intake
the pandemic year fell 14.5% KOMORI IS ON COURSE TO by the end of the year, orders is welcome and management
compared to 2019 to €975 end the financial year with sales will be at 81% of 2019. are, as I write, ‘opening the
million. But this was better than 8.6% lower than in the 2019/20 taps’ in production in antici-
the overall market. financial year. When this year is pation of continuing increased
Revenue is now recognised completed at the end of March Optimistic demand.
when the customer has signed the company anticipates it will sounds from “It will take the remainder
off on an installation and paid in report sales of ¥71.0 bn. of this current quarter to ramp
full rather than in tranches from This is thanks to a growth Manroland up production, but when the
deposit to sign off. Revenue in sales in the Japanese market recovery comes, presses need
which had been recorded as and a forecast increase in sales in MANROLAND SHEETFED to be available as quickly as
€1,219 million for 2019 has been Europe. This in turn is attrib- increased its contribution possible.” n
18 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.ukFind your new edge with the
Unleash CREATIVITY and differentiate yourself from the competition.
Produce short run on demand packaging
Custom shaped business and greetings cards
Labels
Promotional items
Floor graphics
and mo
more.
Can your business afford NOT to have one?
For further information or to book a demo,
Find out more please contact info@duplointernational.com
www.duplointernational.com #beyondA4 #dealernetwork #unleashcreativityCOVER STORY VENN: IT ALL COMES TOGETHER
WHEN IDEAS
BECOME
REALITY
ANDY RAE AND ANTHONY THIRLBY HAVE SHARED A DREAM. IT HAS
BEEN HONED OVER MANY, MANY CONVERSATIONS. NOW IN THE
FORM OF VENN HOLDINGS THE FORMER CONSULTANTS INTEND
TO TURN THESE IDEAS INTO REALITY.
Anthony Thirlby (pictured here
being interviewed pre pandemic
by Gareth Ward) and Andy Rae
have the opportunity to put into
practice what they have been
teaching other printers about
process, data and automation.
20 March/April 2021 www.printbusiness.co.ukANDY RAE & ANTHONY THIRLBY COVER STORY
Nigel and Ian
Dollin have been
able to retire from
the £3 million
business thanks
to acquisition by
Venn Holdings
FOR THE LAST YEAR ANTHONY Nelson had other ideas. “I asked them “We bought a company with the lowest
Thirlby has been dispensing advice to print- ‘Why not now?’.” There was no reason to impression count XL105 in the country,”
ers from behind a camera on his desktop, delay and the meeting took place Rae and says Thirlby. “It is a 15-year-old press with
sitting up late at night or rising early in the Thirlby explaining their idea of buying a 120 million impressions.” It has value that
morning to reach printers in the furthest print business to put into practice the ideas the new owners can leverage, providing
flung corners of the globe. Likewise Andy they had been discussing. space for a different emphasis with a new
Rae’s activities as head of marketing for type of investment. Thirlby is not letting on
Koenig & Bauer’s sheetfed presses, have THE CONVERSATION RANGED OVER what this might be, but it will sit within the
been curtailed by stay at home rules in what a business with the right sorts of char- overall view of where the opportunity for
response to the pandemic. acteristics would look like, how it would be Venn’s approach lies and what the strategy
It has been a good time to reevaluate life funded, what would happen after. It was a for an ambitious group will look like.
styles and ponder on other opportunities. challenging request. “I explained that it Alongside the litho press, John Dollin
Or in the case of these two to pick up on might take a year to find a suitable prospect has an Indigo 12000, again with what is
conversations that had begun more than five which the guys accepted,” says Nelson. quite possibly the lowest click count in the
years earlier. “Two hours later I called back. We had country. Thirlby says: “Dollin is a very
found the right company.” clean business. It is a fantastic opportunity
AT THE TIME RAE WAS WORKING Nine weeks after that first meeting Venn to build a bigger business on. None of the
as senior vice president of equipment at Holdings had been set up, the funding equipment has been hammered and the
Heidelberg North America and had the job arranged and the acquisition of John Dollin Indigo 12000 sits in a very interesting space
of escorting Thirlby as Heidelberg’s global Print had been completed. Andy Rae and in the market.”
head of Prinect around US commercial print Anthony Thirlby will now have the oppor-
businesses. “I was spending four or five tunity to live the messages that the two THE OPPORTUNITY EXISTS to target
months a year in the US and worked along- have been preaching to other printers about niche areas of the market that suit the
side Andy in 2015 and 2016,” says Thirlby. process efficiency, strategic selling, the machinery the business has, he explains.
“Andy was fascinated by what had been done change in the way that customers purchase Reaching these will require an online pres-
at ESP Colour. He wanted to know all about print and the way that printers need to ence that Dollin does not yet have. And it
it.” position themselves in future. “It’s been can stretch into areas that these customers
The conversations about that combined exciting, now we want to get on with it,” are already active – a buyer of brochures
with those about Thirlby’s experiences as says Thirlby. will be working for a company that is also
chief operating officer of Pureprint, the buying labels and packaging for example. It
companies that they had visited and what STAFF AT JOHN DOLLIN HAVE taken is not surprise that Venn Holdings will be
the ideal print business for the next decade well to the new ideas and way of working. investigating opportunities in these sectors
might look like. And then, why could they “They have been fantastic. We changed for subsequent acquisitions. These are also
not build it? a lot in the first three days,” he continues. sectors that have to a large extent not been
Not least there has been a focus on driving exposed to the process focus that Thirlby
ALONG THE WAY THEY KEPT IN work through the Speedmaster XL75 press. was part of in commercial print. The large
touch with David Bunker who had moved It represents the most versatile litho press groups have imposed process optimisa-
to Compass Business Finance. By November around, capable of coping with short and tion, but their strategy is about maximising
last year the opportunity was crystallising. long runs when set up correctly. And that efficiency on long runs. The independent
Mark Nelson, director at Compass Busi- is where Thirlby excels. Before the first companies produce shorter runs, but have
ness Finance, says the company received a week was over the B2 press had produced less of a strategic approach to production
call. Anthony and Andy wanted to set up a 100,000 sheets in a shift for the first time efficiencies. This is not the case in commod-
meeting after Christmas. “We were thinking ever and days later a new name and logo for itised sections of the commercial print
at that time about doing something for the ‘JDP, a Venn Holdings company’ had been sector where there are few opportunities for
middle of this year,” says Thirlby. completed. the sorts of improvement that Venn can …
www.printbusiness.co.uk March/April 2021 21You can also read
