Issue 352 - January / February 2025 www.printmonthly.co.uk Hunkeler Innovationdays ▲ We preview the upcoming event in Lucerne, Switzerland this February Page 06 New Narrative for Print The IPIA has made a white paper to help shift the perception of print Page 08 2025 Predictions We ask professionals within print what trends they expect to see this year Page 30 Industry Tips Colin Sinclair McDermott gives advice on hitting and keeping track of 2025 goals Page 34 Colour Management We speak speak to professionals about achieving accurate colours in print Page 43 Packaging Solutions An ever-growing revenue stream for many, we look at printed packaging Page 49
3 CONTENTS Issue 352 January / February 2025 www.printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 ISSN 2976-9213 NEWS Industry 06 Business 10 environment 12 We take a look at the positive and negative news in regards to sustainability KIT & MEDIA 18 People 20 SPECIALS Under the Hood: Fujifilm Jet Press 1160CFG 25 DIRECT MAIL 28 2025 predictions 30 We speak to professionals in print about what trends and challenges they expect in 2025 INDUSTRY TIPS: COLIN SINCLAIR MCDERMOTT 34 FEATURES CREASING, FOLDING, & COLLATING 37 COLOUR MANAGEMENT 43 Rob Fletcher speaks to industry professionals about achieving accurate colour in print LABEL PRINTING 47 PACKAGING SOLUTIONS 53 IN THIS ISSUE 18 06 53 30 34 43 59
ISSUE 352January / February 2025 Publishing director Page Tuck Production Shaun Edwards Contributors Brian Sims, Colin Sinclair McDermott Contact Editorial: 0117 980 5040 Sales: 0117 960 3255 Production: 0117 980 5041 Accounts: 0117 980 5042 Find us online www.printmonthly.co.uk Socials All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or any information storage or retrieval system without the prior consent of the publisher. The views expressed by contributors to Print Monthly magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher or editorial team and Link Publishing Ltd. takes no responsibility for any errors that may have occurred. The publisher also accepts no responsibility for the advertising content, including any error, omission or inaccuracy therein. Calls may be recorded for training purposes. Link Publishing Ltd. retains the right to publish and re-publish any images or information sent to the publication. Link Publishing Ltd, Unit G, Link House, Britton Gardens, Kingswood, Bristol BS15 1TF Editor David Osgar david@linkpublishing.co.uk Accounts Jan Thomas jan@linkpublishing.co.uk Sales Tim Hall tim@linkpublishing.co.uk Features Writer Rob Fletcher rob@linkpublishing.co.uk Accounts Kathryn Quinn kat@linkpublishing.co.uk Office therapist Skye PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine Printed on Sappi Magno Satin from EBB Paper CBP00015512002182040 January / February 2025 - Issue 352 4 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine Hello and welcome to Print Monthly January / February! Having recently taken on the role of editor, it feels like the perfect time to ring in the New Year with a magazine full of interesting comments, news, and articles. 2025 feels like a promising year for the print industry, despite the challenges many businesses and individuals are continuing to face. I started working at Print Monthly in 2021, a year that was extremely different to the one we are living in now. The pandemic meant that businesses were still getting back on their feet while live events were experiencing several delays, challenges, and slow starts. In the years since 2021, the world has continued to face several challenges and hurdles, but from what I have experienced, last year felt like the first time the industry, and the business world as a whole, felt fully back to “normal”. Recently there have been many insightful events and exciting projects announced (many of which are covered in our news section on pages 6 to 12) which demonstrate the potentially exciting position the print industry could find itself in. Several technology companies are pushing for AI and digital alternatives, which certainly have their uses, but as someone who grew up with printed magazines, comics, and catalogues (who didn’t love browsing the Argos catalogue?) I can’t help but be put off more and more by digital communications. I’m not the only one feeling this way, as several studies have recently highlighted the detrimental effect mobile phones are having on our brains, and several high-profile celebrities and “influencers” have advocated for digital detoxes and stepping away from social media to experience more of the here and now. This is where print can really shine. On a recent trip to Norway, I loved seeing how much printed media (especially for young people) was on display in shops and airports. In 2025, I’ll continue to support printed media as much as I can, and I hope you can too, as one of the many ways to highlight how good print can be is to also showcase it as a great solution to digital fatigue. In this issue you can read more thoughts about what may come in 2025, in our predictions special (page 30), as well as get advice on setting goals and sticking to them in Colin Sinclair McDermott’s Industry Tips (page 34). I hope you enjoy this edition of the magazine, and here’s to a promising 2025! Dave EDITOR S NOTE Carys Evans MEET THE TEAM VIDEO COVERAGE Scan the QR code to watch our video coverage over on our Print7 YouTube channel Multimedia Journalist Jonathan Pert jonathan@linkpublishing.co.uk
INDUSTRY / NEWS 6 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine Hunkeler Innovationdays returns for 2025 Pre- and post-press printing manufacturer, Hunkeler, has officially announced its 15th bi-annual Innovationdays event for 2025. The digital print trade show, which is set to include over 100 exhibitors from across the industry, will take place from February 24th to 27th at the Lucerne Exhibition Centre in Switzerland. Among the exhibitors present will be major manufacturers of printing and finishing systems, software developers, and suppliers of finishing systems and consumables. For 2025, the event has been given the slogan ‘Connect’. Focuses for the event will include the experience of comprehensive networking, the exchange of ideas, and the establishing of global business relationships. Hunkeler has highlighted the originality of the event, saying it has always been “characterised by a unique concept”. The company says that owners, managing directors, and executives are able to meet in a “relatively small area” to exchange ideas and focus on new innovations. Hunkeler have also highlighted endto-end workflow automation as a major focus for this year’s show. Together with its partners, Hunkeler AG will be demonstrating a range of connected, automated production processes, designed for use on a wide variety of production systems. In an industry release, Hunkeler says: “The degree of automation ultimately determines how economically and profitably production lines from the white paper roll to the end product can be operated.” As with previous years, the event will also be used as an opportunity for manufacturers to premiere new products and solutions. The 2023 event, which focused on the theme of ‘Next Level Automation’, showcased a number of world and European firsts. Duplo used its presence at Hunkeler Innovationdays to host its European show debut of its DC20K single-pass sheet-bysheet multi-finisher, the manufacturer’s first foray into B2 for multi-finishers. Ricoh also demonstrated new technology at the show, unveiling its inkjet press capabilities with the global premiere of the Ricoh Pro VC70000e continuous feed inkjet press. Hunkeler themselves used the event to premiere products, with the launch of its Starbook book production line, as well as its DocuTrim B2+ sheet finishing device, and BSM book sorting module. The 2023 show reportedly attracted 6,700 visitors over the four days, with a total number of 14,300 visits from attendees. Visitors and exhibitors attended the 2023 event from all over the world, with 21% attending from Germany, 20% attending from Switzerland, 9% from the Americas, and 7% from the UK. The remaining visitors included large percentages from the rest of Europe, Benelux, Asia, Africa, and Oceania. Those wishing to attend the event have been encouraged to go to the Innovationdays website, where more information can be found including how to register. Entry to the event is free of charge. Hunkeler showcased 22 solutions at the 2023 event, including the launch of the Starbook book production line By Jonathan Pert The British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) has reported that growth in output and orders ramped in Q3 in its latest Printing Outlook. The association says that the industry experienced a delayed recovery following a drop in output in Q2 which had been expected to come through earlier in the year. The association also says that while some uncertainty remains in the industry, Q4 expectations remain positive. Currently the concern that competitors are pricing below cost remains the top business concern for print companies. Commenting on the Printing Outlook Q4, Charles Jarrold, BPIF chief executive, says: “While improved confidence usually bodes well for the future, the recent government budget is bound to have an impact on confidence too, with significant red tape and cost implications that are worrying businesses. Our message to government is that just when confidence has been rebounding, a new set of challenges are being introduced through the budget and other legislation, which carry the risk of setting us back.” BPIF releases Q4 Outlook report Pantone has selected PANTONE 17-1230 Mocha Mousse as its colour of the year for 2025. Pantone’s Color of the Year programme is designed to engage designers, printers, and artists alike in a conversation around colour. Each year, Pantone attempts to select a colour that captures a global zeitgeist or expresses a global mood and attitude. Pantone has described Mocha Mousse as “a warming, brown hue imbued with richness”, describing it as having the ability to “nurture us with its suggestion of the delectable qualities of chocolate and coffee, answering our desire for comfort.” Alongside the reveal of the colour of the year, Pantone has demonstrated a range of applications for the Mocha Mousse hue. Print-on-demand wallpaper company, Spoonflower, has announced products using the colour of the year, releasing a range of wallpaper designs using PANTONE 17-1230. ‘Mocha Mousse’ declared Pantone colour of 2025 The BPIF's top concerns from research respondents By David Osgar
INDUSTRY / NEWS 8 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine The Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA) has finalised the ‘A New Narrative for Print’ white paper, which calls on the industry to permanently shift the perception of print by end-users, consumer audiences, and related sectors. The project utilises innovative digital data acquisition and analysis technology to attempt to determine print’s role alongside digital channels and the application of print across other sectors. The data for the publication was gathered over a 12-month period and included over 12,000 data points. The final publication gives a detailed picture of how the print industry is perceived by consumers and key print-buying markets across a range of metrics including effectiveness, trust, and sustainability. It also analyses the perceived role of print within multi-channel marketing campaigns. Among the findings from the publication, the gathered research also suggests that there is a lack of recognition among consumers about the role print plays in everyday lives. The IPIA has announced that it is launching a social media campaign to tackle this issue. With the slogan “Print Made This”, the campaign will point to the role of print in people’s lives and its ability to make lasting memories and increase consumer engagement. The IPIA will also engage with a range of stakeholders identified by the white paper as being important influencers of industry and public perceptions who are directly generating and influencing conversations and content in their respective sectors. 50 individuals have been identified across the marketing, advertising, design, fashion, textiles, and photography industries. By Jonathan Pert IPIA challenges print perceptions The IPIA has launched the “Print Made This” social media campaign Members from across the print industry virtually gathered online for the 12th annual Girls Who Print Day conference on November 7th. The online event organised by Girls Who Print, reportedly the largest network of women in the print and graphics industry, had a theme of “#GIRLPOWER” this year, with participants and the wider industry encouraged to share stories of female empowerment within print online A range of sessions and talks were presented during the event from women in the industry, including a Q&A session with former Print Monthly editor, Carys Evans. There were also three awards presented during the conference, namely the Rising Star Award for young members of the print industry, the Ally Award for an individual seen to encourage gender inclusion, and the Girlie Award for an individual demonstrating leadership and community service. Girls Who Print Awards highlights empowerment [L to R] Award recipients Ryan LeFebvre, Kiki Heron, and Christine Hagopian The 14th annual Power of Print seminar, organised by paper advocacy group, Two Sides, and the British Printing Industries Federations (BPIF), has once again given members of the industry a day of thought-provoking presentations that showcase the power, but this year especially, the potential of print. Mathew Faulkner, EMEA director of marketing and innovation for Canon Europe’s Wide Format division, presented insights from its Power to Move research which has looked at the role of print in the future of consumerism and manufacturing. Faulkner, like many other speakers, touched on the differences with upcoming generations and the values and ways they can be communicated with. Faulkner and the research from Canon, stressed that print can represent a more “nuanced” way to target audiences and can be used as a mid-point/connector to a customer journey rather than just the first or final stage. Other presentations from organisations such as Tony’s Chocolonely, the DMA, Touch, and NOA, all highlighted that print cannot simply be measured by one metric and that the physical effect of print and the environmental benefit of print and paper-based products can provide huge benefits to both brands and consumers. Towards the end of the day, Jonathon Porritt, CBE, founder of Green Futures, made an impactful presentation about the critical moment the world finds itself in regarding climate change. Despite the bleak outlook of rising temperatures and Porritt’s thoughts on the results of the US election, Porritt did assure those watching that many innovative and potentially game-changing solutions are being created throughout the world. The huge potential of print Fedrigoni Special Papers has launched the eighth edition of its Fedrigoni 365 calendar for 2025, in a scheme which has raised over £35,000 for charity. The finished designs are specially printed within books in limited batches, with the proceeds of sales going to charity. Profits this year will be donated to the Alzheimer Society. 730 creatives from around the world reportedly contributed to the latest edition of Fedrigoni 365. Fedrigoni ‘celebrates differences’ with new custom calendar Fedrigoni's 365 annual publication explores the concept of opposites By David Osgar Rachel Aldighieri from the DMA gave a presentation on creativity and measurement effectiveness in mail
BUSINESS / NEWS 10 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine Print-on-demand company Gelato has announced an integration of its online platform with Amazon, and TikTok Shop, the latter allowing creators and ecommerce sellers to offer print-on-demand products directly on TikTok. The Amazon integration, which is currently only available to merchants selling on the Amazon US marketplace, allows users to design and launch products including wall art, calendars, tote bags, and sportswear. Once an order is placed, Gelato takes care of production, shipping, and delivery. Gelato announces Amazon and TikTok integrations Document Data Group purchases Hire Tech Photocopier and printer supplier, Document Data Group (DDG), has acquired the assets of Fife-based machine supplier Hire Tech. The deal reportedly brings in the region of 100 new customers to DDG which now has a turnover approaching £5m. DDG has experienced steadily increasing sales since consolidating its operations and moving into new headquarters at Strathclyde Business Park in 2020. It currently has 35 employees. HEIDELBERG and Canon have met at HEIDELBERG’s new ‘Home of Print’ headquarters in Wiesloch-Walldorf, Germany, to sign contracts confirming their collaboration. HEIDELBERG will incorporate the new Jetfire 50 B3 inkjet printing system with its Prinect workflow, incorporating it into its range of hybrid production solutions that includes offset printing. There will also be a B2 version dubbed the Jetfire 75 which will be added to the portfolio in the future. HEIDELBERG and Canon sign partnership deal Friedheim confirms new partnership with Tecnau Friedheim International will distribute Tecnau's complete product portfolio in the UK and Ireland, reigniting a partnership which originally ran from 1997 to 2011 Under the new deal Friedheim will distribute Tecnau's unwinders, rewinders, cutters and stackers, dynamic perforations and punching equipment, as well as its high-speed book solutions. Following this new partnership with Friedheim, IFS will continue to supply Tecnau products from January to June 2025 to allow for a transition of sales and service activities without affecting service and product availability for customers. As of July 2025, IFS will exclusively supply Tecnau equipment connected with Horizon and Smyth systems, including for stitching and folding solutions, and digital sewn binding. IFS remains the exclusive distributor of these products in the region. Another new deal means that Friedheim is now the exclusive UK distributor of Heripack's packaging equipment and automation technologies. Decisions made since Müller Martini's purchase of the Hunkeler organisation in December 2023 are also set to affect Friedheim's offerings from 2025. In the months since Müller Martini's acquisition of the finishing solutions provider, a series of changes have been implemented at different levels within the two companies including changes to the companies’ distribution plans within the UK and Ireland. As part of these changes, Müller Martini is taking over responsibility for the sale of new Hunkeler equipment from Friedheim International for UK and Irish markets, and will also offer spare parts and servicing for these solutions. Tecnau provides a range of integrated solutions for the digital printing industry Major changes at Koenig & Bauer Koenig & Bauer (K&B) has announced a series of group realignments including eliminating a senior position and reducing its company segments from three to two. The changes were reportedly initiated by K&B chief executive officer Dr Andreas Pleßke in close consultation with the company’s supervisory board. The position of central chief operating officer is to be eliminated after Michael Ulverich left the company by mutual agreement. Ulverich left K&B and stepped down from the executive board, effective from November 30th. The new executive board has therefore been reduced to two: Pleßke and chief financial officer Dr Stephen Kimmich. The company’s previous three divisions of Sheetfed, Digital & Webfed, and Special will also be consolidated into two new segments, namely Paper & Packaging Sheetfed Systems (P&P) and Special & New Technologies (S&NT). The S&NT segment will consolidate previous activities from the Special and Digital & Webfed divisions. The changes were initiated by K&B CEO Dr Andreas Pleßke Printful and Printify announce merger Printful, an on-demand print and fulfilment company, and Printify, a print-focused technology business, have announced they have merged in order to deliver “pioneering innovation for ecommerce sellers around the world.” According to the two companies, the merger has satisfied regulatory review and received overwhelming support from shareholders. The company will now use both Printful’s in-house production facilities as well as Printify’s network of more than 85 third-party production partners. Printful was founded in California in 2013 and is headquartered in Riga, Latvia, and has fulfilment centres in Spain, Australia, Brazil, the US, Japan, and the UK. [L to R] Anastasija Oleinika, chief executive officer at Printify, and Alex Saltonstall, chief executive officer at Printful By Jonathan Pert
Products and services are subject to eligibility, status, terms and conditions and availability. All lending is subject to status and our lending criteria. The right to decline any application is reserved. Close Brothers Asset Finance is a trading style of Close Brothers Limited. Close Brothers Limited is registered in England and Wales (Company Number 00195626) and its registered office is 10 Crown Place, London, EC2A 4FT. Refinancing is for anyone looking to unlock the value of their existing assets. Whether you own equipment or are financing it elsewhere, refinancing can provide a quick way to access funds for new equipment, improving cash flow or other business needs. What is Refinance? We understand the industries we work with and we offer a choice of finance options that best suit your needs. closeassetfinance.co.uk/pm Contact us today
ENVIRONMENT / NEWS PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine 12 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 The Love Paper initiative, which is run by non-profit organisation Two Sides, has announced the first official Love Paper Week, taking place in February of next year. Launched in 2012, Love Paper is a global campaign promoting the sustainable and attractive attributes of print, paper, and paper packaging. During the week, which will run from February 3rd to 7th, professionals from the printing and paper industries will be encouraged to promote the benefits of paper, with a particular focus on its sustainability. Assets and resources will be provided by Love Paper and Two Sides for the industry to use on social media and through other company communications. This will include social media messages, graphics, videos, and email footers. Love Paper hopes to use the event to dispel common misconceptions relating to paper, print, and paper packaging. Speaking of Love Paper Week, Josh Birch, campaign manager for Two Sides UK, says: “We encourage all printers, paper merchants, packaging manufacturers, and all those who operate within the sector to support Love Paper Week and use the materials available to inform their clients, customers, and consumers more widely, why paper is such a sustainable, effective, and attractive medium. “While the first year will have modest activity, the goal is to grow it year on year to be a truly recognised week amongst the industry, businesses, and consumers alike. We want to mobilise everyone in the world of paper, from direct mail and print publishers, to sack paper and corrugated card, to celebrate Love Paper Week.” Industry professionals in print, paper, and packaging wishing to take part in the event have been encouraged to visit the Love Paper website, where further information and resources can be found. Two Sides launch Love Paper Week 2025 According to Love Paper, Europe's paper recycling rate was 70.5% in 2022 and is approaching the practical maximum recycling rate of 78% The UK government has reversed a mandatory takeback scheme for single-use cups introduced by the previous Conservative government, citing limited environmental benefits and high costs. The takeback scheme was backed by companies across the UK retail and packaging industries but was already delayed, having originally been planned to come into effect in 2024. The proposed scheme would have obligated businesses with at least ten full-time staff members that supply drinks in fibrebased composite cups to supply a bin on their premises to collect the used cups. The companies would then need to make arrangements for recycling and report the weight of cups sold and collected to the regulator. In a statement sent out to the press, a DEFRA spokesperson says: "Analysis has shown the mandatory takeback scheme for cups proposed by the previous government would not have the intended impact on boosting recycling rates and reducing litter. It would cost £52m to the government and industry, placing unnecessary burdens on businesses." Materials and packaging company, James Cropper, has responded to the Government’s decision and expressed its disappointment. Rob Tilsley, fibre operations group leader at James Cropper, says: “It was hoped that the scheme would increase recycling rates from 2.8% to approximately 40% — a huge increase considering there are an estimated 3.2 billion cups in circulation in the UK each year.” Tilsley cites cup collection as the key factor behind recycling rates remaining low. He states: “At James Cropper, we have the capacity to recycle up to 750 million PE-lined cups a year. Currently we are nowhere near that. “It’s not the recycling of the cups that’s the problem - all paper cups used on the UK high street could be recycled. It’s the collection of the cups that is preventing progress.” UK Government U-turns on national recycling scheme Analysis from waste management company Reconomy suggested that a mandatory takeback scheme could have increased recycling volumes, reduced contamination, and cut carbon emissions By Jonathan Pert By Jonathan Pert
ENVIRONMENT / NEWS PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine 14 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 Non-profit organisation Two Sides is calling on organisations to remove or change misleading statements that it labels as ‘greenwashing’. Founded in 2008, Two Sides is a nonprofit initiative promoting the sustainable attributes of print, paper, and packaging. Greenwashing is the practice of a company misleading the public about its environmental impact, either through mislabelling, hiding harmful practices, or emphasising a single environmental attribute while ignoring others. According to the organisation, economic pressures have caused companies which have previously relied on paper for customer communication to shift from traditional paper-based services to digital platforms, in order to cut costs. Alongside this transition, many companies have made environmental marketing claims such as "Go Green – Go Paperless" or "Choose e-billing and help save a tree." But according to Two Sides, these claims are misleading and are clear examples of greenwashing. As of October, the organisation has challenged over 2,800 organisations found to be communicating these greenwashing messages to their customers. This has resulted in more than 1,260 organisations changing or removing statements. In Europe, 811 companies including South West Water, New Look, BMW Financial Services, and Deutsche Bank have removed or changed statements following communication from Two Sides. Two Sides has also claimed that consumer preferences are being ignored in the push to digital communications. Data from a 2023 Two Sides 'Trend Tracker' report states that 55% of European consumers believe that companies’ environmental arguments for switching to digital are misleading and are primarily about reducing company costs. Additionally, the research shows that 76% of consumers want the option to choose and do not want to be forced to use digital communications. Two Sides Europe managing director, Jonathan Tame, says: “These greenwash claims not only breach established environmental marketing regulations but also harm an industry with a well-established and continually improving environmental track record. “Far from ‘saving trees,’ a healthy market for forest products such as paper encourages the long-term growth of forests through sustainable forest management. Many of the organisations we challenge are surprised to learn that European forests have actually been expanding by the equivalent of 1,500 football pitches every day.” Two Sides has also warned that the influence of messages about the positive environmental impact of reducing paper production can have a lasting negative impact on consumer perceptions of paper. Research conducted by Two Sides and Censuswide in 2021 found that in the European mailing and postal sector, greenwashing threatens the loss of €337 million of value annually to the industry. Companies and individuals alike have been encouraged to send any instances of company greenwashing to the email address: greenwash@twosides.info Two Sides has so far challenged over 2,800 organisations found to be communicating greenwashing messages to customers The British Coatings Federation (BCF) has found industry improvements in the coatings sector across a range of sustainability measures. The BCF Coatings Care programme was established in 1996 to monitor and drive improvement in the health and welfare of employees, the safe operation of processes, and sustainable practices across the coatings sector. Over 40 UK coatings and printing ink manufacturing sites are currently taking part in the scheme. BCF has reported that in 2023, energy use among the companies taking part was 161 kWh per tonne of production, down 9% compared to the previous year. This is 10% lower than was measured in 2020, and the lowest recorded energy use figure since the survey began in 1996. 59% of the companies surveyed said that all their waste was either incinerated or recycled. For the constant sample of 22 companies providing consistent data for the last five years, 16 produced no landfill waste at all. BCF reports industry improvement in sustainability CarbonQuota has recently announced a strategic partnership with PrintVis, a cloud-based business management platform for the print industry. The partnership enables Print Vis to integrate automated carbon footprint calculations into its print management solution. Through this integration, PrintVis customers can now access carbon footprints for every print order via CarbonQuota's existing calculator technology, enabling print and packaging businesses to track and measure their environmental impact during their operations. Speaking of the collaboration, Dom Harris, co-founder of CarbonQuota, says: "Tracking and calculating carbon data is now essential to managing and reducing emissions. “The integration of PrintVis with CarbonQuota's market leading carbon calculator provides a seamless way for their customers to calculate emissions for every order, equipping them to make informed, sustainable choices." PrintVis and CarbonQuota form strategic partnership CarbonQuota cofounder, Dom Harris The BCF trade association represents the interests of manufacturers of decorative paints, printing inks, industrial coatings, and wall coverings By Jonathan Pert Greenwashing is a threat to the printing industry
18 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 Xerox, a supplier of sheet-fed printing presses and print management software, has announced a new series of digital presses with the tagline: “Everything is Possible”. The new Xerox PrimeLink C9265/ C9275/C9281 printers include advanced features to give printers greater flexibility and customisation, therefore, “adapting to the needs of production and in-house operations” says Xerox. Much like the Xerox Iridesse Production Press, the new presses include a new toner formulation along with a redesigned LED system for ten-bit processing. According to Xerox the devices can also achieve 2400 x 2400 imaging along with smooth colour transitions and speeds of up to 65 to 81 pages per minute. Additionally, the PrimeLink series can process a range of different media sizes from A6 to SRA3 and weights from 52gsm to 400gsm. Media types include envelopes, embossed, linen and textured papers, banners up to 1300mm, synthetics, and labels. Kevin O’Donnell, production marketing manager UK, Ireland, and the Nordics, at Xerox, says: "Our customers are looking for quality, versatility, and affordability in light production printing. These new Xerox presses punch above their weight in features and capabilities. “The new Xerox Primelink C92xx Series has been designed to help them [Xerox customers] cope with a changing market and maximise their return on investment. In today's competitive environment, businesses need comprehensive and sustainable printing solutions, and our new models meet this need." Xerox says the PrimeLink C9200 Series supports the latest Fiery FS600 platform and LLC printer servers and integrates into Xerox’s end-to-end production printing ecosystem. Xerox launches new series of digital presses The printers offer direct access to the Xerox ConnectKey platform FUJIFILM Business Innovation has announced the global launch of four new mid-range production presses in its Revoria Press range. Fujifilm’s POD devices are designed for a wide range of printing applications including catalogues, brochures, manuals, and sales materials. The new Revoria EC2100 and EC2100S presses have a measured speed of 100 pages per minute. The SC285S and SC285 models can achieve a print speed of 85 pages per minute. The EC2100S and SC285S presses are equipped with one speciality toner station in addition to their CMYK toners, allowing for five-colour printing in one pass. The EC2100 and SC285 presses, meanwhile, maintain four-colour capabilities. Fiery, a provider of digital front ends (DFEs), has announced the launch of four DFEs which will work in tandem with the new machines. Fujifilm release four new Revoria presses All four products can handle a wide range of paper weights, from lightweight 52gsm to heavyweight 400gsm International Graphic Supplies (IGS), a Monmouthshire-based machinery supplier, has sold two Titanium cutters to clients Hickling & Squires and Colour Banners. Hickling & Squires, a Nottingham-based wide-format litho printing company, purchased a Titanium 3121 cutting table to complement a Titanium 2516 which was previously purchased from IGS. The 3121 digital cutter is designed for precision cutting of a wide range of substrates including paperboard, cardboard, PVC expansion sheet, thick foam, and acrylics. Colour Banners, a Fleetwood-based wide-format graphics company, was already a user of Titanium cutting technology for several years. The company’s decision to invest in a Titanium 2516 with router was reportedly driven from a need to increase production capacity for clients. IGS sells two Titanium cutters The Titanium 3121 is part of the range of cutters supplied by IGS By David Osgar KIT & MEDIA / NEWS PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine UK label manufacturer, Baker Labels, has installed a Durst Tau RSC 340 LED label printer at its Essex headquarters, making it the first UK company to do so. The investment reinforces Baker Labels' dedication to delivering high-quality printing solutions while expanding production capabilities. Baker Labels is a trade printer of self-adhesive labels which also specialises in materials and packaging. An independent, family-run business, the UK company has operated for over 50 years. In a statement explaining the purchase of the Durst machine, Baker Labels says that it is “committed to continual reinvestment in new innovations,” and that this approach has ensured it remains “relevant, valuable suppliers” to its customers. Baker Labels install Durst Tau RSC 340 in UK first Ricoh has launched the new RICOH Pro VC40000 mono webfed inkjet press, with two ink-based variants. The latest version of the RICOH Pro VC40000 technology platform is designed to meet faster turnaround deadlines and deliver increased output for monochrome applications in comparison to previous models. The VC40000 comes with two ink set options; dye, which is designed for transactional printing, and mono pigment, which is ideally suited to book printing. The technology platform can be configured for duplex, simplex, and dual simplex capabilities. Production processes can be automated and streamlined using Ricoh's Process Driven Automation system, which is powered by the company’s Process Director software. Ricoh launches new VC40000 inkjet press The installation is part of a £5m growth investment by the company The Pro VC40000 was reportedly developed in collaboration with clients to meet a demand for higher mono print quality and faster turnaround times
20 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 PEOPLE / NEWS PrintMonthly printmonthly PrintMonthlyMagazine Compass announces appointments and promotions Print-focused finance company, Compass Business Finance, has announced a series new appointments and promotions, which have been carried out as part of its ongoing business expansion. Bode Adeluola, who works for Compass as a business development manager, has joined the newly established Direct Sales team. In his new role Adeluola will focus on acquiring new customers in Compass’ core sectors, namely print and packaging, manufacturing, engineering, and construction. Kellie Franklin, who currently works as a finance specialist for Compass, has been promoted to lead an office-based team of business development executives. Franklin has worked for Compass for 12 years and according to Compass, is especially well-regarded by customers in the print sector. Charlie MacDonald has also been recruited as an area sales manager within an expanding team of finance specialists. Macdonald’s previous experience includes a role as direct sales manager for Blue Motor Finance, as well as senior investment consultant for One Investments in Dubai. Finally, with more than 35 years’ experience in finance, Katie Dowse joins Compass from Asset Advantage. Prior to this, Dowse ran her own general asset finance business for 11 years specialising in the digital print market. Dowse’s first experience with the printing industry was working for Xerox Finance between 1997 and 2005, in which she supported a range of wide-format print suppliers. Expressing her enthusiasm about joining Compass, Dowse says: “I’m thrilled to be going back to my roots to join Compass Business Finance”. [L to R] Business development manager, Bode Adeluola; area sales manager, Charlie MacDonald; and finance specialist, Kellie Franklin Resolute continues to expand Direct-to-film (DTF) hardware and consumables supplier, Resolute, has announced the appointment of Ricky Robinson-Nunn as head of sales, as part of the company’s plans to grow into new territories and markets. Robinson-Nunn will manage Resolute’s existing sales force, taking a leading role in the company’s growth plans for 2025. He previously worked for the company as a sales manager, starting in 2022, before which he worked in the sales team at garment print manufacturer, Kornit Digital. Operations director at Resolute, Rachel Marsh, says: “Ricky has been a valuable member of the Resolute team over the last couple of years and takes the lead on moving us forward with our growth plans and our return to a strong network of worldwide dealers. “Ricky’s wealth of industry knowledge is second to none and he has been a key figure in helping customers make the move to DTF since Resolute brought it to the UK market as well as growing the Resolute brand across Europe and the rest of the world.” Ricky Robinson-Nunn, the new head of sales at Resolute By Jonathan Pert UK print organisation WTTB (Where The Trade Buys) has announced the appointment of a new ecommerce consultant. The trade printing company, headquartered in Dagenham, has installed Scott Holland in the role, with key roles including advising the board on the company’s business’ digital and ecommerce strategies. Holland previously worked at digital marketing agency, Mediaworks, leaving in the summer of 2023 after holding the group commercial director position for several years. Following this Holland then launched his own agency, Scott Holland Consulting, where duties included advising businesses on growth strategies and aligning companies’ commercial and marketing functions. Speaking of his new role, Holland says: “I’m really excited to get started with the team in developing robust and cohesive ecommerce strategies that allow them to take advantage of future opportunities in the industry.” WTTB hires Scott Holland as ecommerce consultant Holland previously launched his own agency, Scott Holland Consulting Ricoh announces Greaves as CFO Ricoh UK has announced Jonathan Greaves as its new chief financial officer (CFO) for the North Region, which includes the UK, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, Denmark, and Norway. Greaves has a range of previous leadership experience in finance. This includes working as commercial finance director for equipment hire company HSS, and chief financial officer EMEA for product and service solutions company, RS Components. Greaves will report to Tim Stuart, chief financial officer for Ricoh Europe. Commenting on his new role, Greaves says: “I am delighted to be joining Ricoh and confident that my expertise and commercial mindset will blend seamlessly with the team's ambition to deliver growth for the UK business.” The announcement is one of a range of updates from Ricoh within the last few months. Last year, Ricoh announced that it has concluded a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with LG Electronics (LG). The partnership with LG will include the integration of a range of LG’s signage and display products into Ricoh’s product and service portfolio. Jonathan Greaves is the new chief financial officer for the North Region
UNDER THE HOOD / FUJIFILM JET PRESS 1160CFG 25 www.printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 Y ou only need to mention the name Fujifilm, and as one of the heavyweights of the printing industry, the brand can often be attributed to technical innovations. The latest offering for the European and American markets is a press which has already proven itself in Fujifilm’s heartlands of Asia. The Jet Press 1160CF was released at drupa earlier this year and is another step forward for inkjet technology. In order to look forward you need to look at history to understand the success this press delivers. Fujifilm was originally at the vanguard of the inkjet revolution, going back as far as the 1970s when it started delivering presses capable of delivering commercially acceptable copy from this new technology. Roll onto 2011 and it showed the world the first single pass sheet fed inkjet press, the Jet Press 720. Being present at the release you couldn’t help but take a step back and really understand this technology which had found its feet and proved it was here to stay. Following on from this was the Jet Press 750S, which raised the bar with 1,200 dpi and client ready copy at lithographic standards. In 2019 the company started to move the technology into web-fed markets and primarily into the transaction market, but the new press, the Jet Press 1160CFG, not only is a quality machine, but the speed of the press is another boundary which has been pushed to new levels. Web Innovation It is quite natural when we highlight web integration that thoughts automatically turn to websites and web pages doing ever more clever image processing. However, Fujifilm take a far more industry focused interpretation, and this innovative new press has a piece of technology underpinning the ability of it to uphold speed and quality. Typically, a lot of energy and thought goes into the printing process trying to alleviate problems with quality by adapting and changing parameters on the chemicals and inks being applied. Fujifilm has looked at this issue from the ground up and tackled the issue of substrates by controlling them prior to printing rather than after which is far more conventional. In the Jet Press 1160CFG, lots of investment has gone into a unit they call the Paper Stabilizer. What Fujifilm do with this technology is accurately adapt the biggest culprit of paper issues, which is moisture. This is done by passing paper through a series of rollers stacked in the unit prior to the printing unit. The media is then heated and the moisture content is set to the most desirable condition for the inks to be applied. Moisture is a massive headache to printers but a machine that has a conditioning unit built into it means that regardless of the month or weather, at the point of delivery to the printing unit the paper is at the optimum condition. If you apply that thought process further, once printed, quality issues such and waviness or cockling can be all but consigned to history, plus ink adhesion is greatly improved on thicker papers. As would be expected with any web press, the Jet Press 1160CFG has an unwind unit at one end of the press being capable of holding reels up to 1,270mm in diameter and stock of 64 to 250gsm. Moving these from the floor to reel stand is accomplished by the use of a series of buttons so the operator has the minimum of effort to lift even the heaviest of rolls. The whole unwind section, infeed and tension control system, and edge registration control is all fully integrated into the machine’s control systems, meaning the Fujifilm has launched its latest inkjet continuous printer, the Fujifilm Jet Press 1160CF which takes high volume inkjet commercial printing to new levels with innovative new technology CONTINUED INKJET INNOVATION Production speed Up to 160m/min Resolution 1200 x 600 @ 160m/min 1200 x 1200 @ 80m/min Colour CMYK water-based inks Web width 152.4 to 520.7 mm Grammage 64 to 250gsm Statistics
26 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352 paper is in the perfect place and condition for the first drop of ink. The Business End As with previous presses from Fujifilm there is no need to use primers or pre-coatings on the web. You can apply the newly formulated, water based, and highly pigmented inks directly to the web and as it has been conditioned through the Paper Stabilizer unit, the definition is outstanding at 1,200 x 600 dpi at 160m/min. For the highest possible quality, 1,200 x 1,200 can be achieved at 80m/min. The inks are of CMYK colour format and for half tones there are three levels per droplet, so the graduation across the sheet is seamless. The Jet Press 1160CFG uses twin piezoelectric drop-on-demand duplex print heads, the web being reversed at the mid-point of the press configuration. The Jet Press 1160CFG uses two forms of drying technologies to ensure the work is finished dry and ready to be processed. The first is a sub-drying unit which is an IR heater which dries the ink and minimises any deformation of the sheet (bear in mind a lot of conditioning was applied to the substrate in the Paper Stabilizer, so you do not want to undo all that work). Once processed by the IR heater, the substrate then passes over the first of two heat drums which finalises the drying of the applied ink. Fujifilm do not tie a user into a reel-to-reel configuration. Whilst this might be a typical choice, a number of post-print options are available. The rewind stand is of the same specification of the unwind stand, but should your production need sheeted work or any other finishing, Fujifilm can provide a number of options. High Speed Data The conditioning of the substrate, application, and drying of the ink all needs to be done at a speed which can deliver variable data. Fujifilm take care of this with a very powerful print server and the company's Business Innovation technology for the rapid processing of data. The print server can process a vast volume of data, producing high quality images to be printed, and sits protected by a UPS externally to the press itself. Aside from highlight technology such as the print server, Fujifilm place a lot of focus on the simpler points of operation such as ink pack carts to allow the smallest individual to change ink and a clever trolley and pump to decant processed water for the process. Overall, the printer is bound to get attention, just because it comes from Fujifilm, but that attention will stand up to scrutiny as this is a powerful and high-quality press. The Jet Press 1160CFG focuses on paper conditioning via the use of the Paper Stabilizer units Brian Sims, principal consultant, Metis Print Consultancy, www.metis-uk.eu UNDER THE HOOD / FUJIFILM JET PRESS 1160CFG
While the direct mail sector suffered setbacks not so long ago, the medium has returned with a vengeance, as more brands and retailers use print to connect with consumers. We look at some of the latest developments in this market GETTING RESULTS WITH PRINTED, TARGETED MARKETING Is it no secret that direct mail is undergoing a significant resurgence. An increasing number of brands are turning back to the tried, tested, and trusted method of print marketing to reach and interact with consumers, reporting much more success than with some digital methods. Research from Cascade Print Media suggests that the response rate of printed direct mail marketing is 37% higher than email direct marketing, with 80% of households reading or browsing printed advertising mail. Furthermore, the same study shows between 80% and 90% of direct mail is opened, while only 20% to 30% of email gets opened. In addition, crucially for marketeers, 62% of consumers who responded to direct mail in the past three months went on to make a purchase. With this trend showing no signs of slowing down, and more brands expected to make use of direct mail, we take a look at how to best go about direct mail and why the long-term prospects for this sector look positive. How to do Direct Mail In 2024, the UK saw some of the widestreaching campaigns in recent memory during the build-up to the general election in July. Direct mail played a major part in this, with leaflets and printed material about candidates dropping through letterboxes across the nation as parties sought out the support of local residents. Shortly before the election, Washington Direct Mail (WMD), which as its name may suggest, is a specialist in direct mail, published guidance on how to best use this medium during political campaigns. This highlighted some of the best practices for printers and marketeers that can be applied not only to political marketing but for promotional work across other areas. According to research by WMD, some 84% of people say they would be more likely to read mail personalised to them, suggesting marketeers zone in on individuals rather than a generic ‘homeowner’. “Direct mail houses can segment your data to ensure you are targeting the correct voters and that the design or copy of your materials meets their needs accordingly,” WMD says, adding: “For instance, certain demographics, especially older voters, are accustomed to receiving campaign messages via direct mail.” Tying in with this is the fact that 75% of people can recall a brand immediately after seeing direct mail compared to 44% who viewed a digital ad. This uptake, WMD says, can be increased further by personalising messaging to people. “If successful, it’s estimated that direct mail stays in the home for 17 days and may even end up affixed to fridges or notice boards,” reveals WMD, continuing: “This means there’s ample opportunity for your message to find its mark.” There is also the matter of GDPR marketing legislation, with the control of personal data now back in the hands of the consumer. This means you need to remove any constituents who opt out of ▲ Campaigning for the general election relied heavily on direct mail Both parties are collaborating for a mutually successful future DIRECT MAIL 28 email: editor@printmonthly.co.uk January / February 2025 - Issue 352
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MjM0NDIxOA==