Print Week articles from April 2004

Print Week archives from April 2004

Buzwell looks to buy Offset Colour Print.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Buzwell Group is in talks to buy Offset Colour Print, the Southampton-based printer that has been hit by bad debts. Buzwell Group chief executive Colin Parker said he hoped a deal could be struck to save the business, and retain some of...

Edotech in merger talks with Astron.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Edotech has been in talks with print management giant Astron as one of several potential buyers of the business process outsourcing specialist. The two firms have been talking since before Christmas about a potential deal. 'We haven't...

Garden denies sell-off rumour.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Garden House Press has quashed rumours that it is the subject of a potential sale or merger, after weeks of intense speculation. 'I can quite emphatically say that no one has made me an offer for the business,' said managing director Derek...

St Ives shuffle in web division.(Corona perfect binder)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Up to 18 jobs could go at St Ives Caerphilly after the plant's Corona perfect binder is relocated to Roche. The group is currently in discussions with its workforce about the move. Roche runs a 30-station Corona. 'From a production...

PrintWeek site enhancements.
April 1, 2004... PrintWeek has enhanced the content and design of its website - the new-look site is unveiled today (1 April) at www.printweek.com. Enhancements include a new easier-to-navigate home page, the content of which will change daily - keeping...

Stop Press: Fulmar's preliminary results ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Fulmar's preliminary results for the year to 31 December 2003 were released yesterday. See www.printweek.com.

Stop Press: The GPMU is still considering legal action ..(Graphical Paper and Media Union)(Kidderminster printer TPL)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The GPMU is still considering legal action, as discussions continue with Kidderminster printer TPL's owners, Singaporean media group Times Publishing.

Stop Press: Print entrepreneur Nicholas Humes ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Print entrepreneur Nicholas Humes is to stand trial on charges of acting as a company director while an undischarged bankrupt (PrintWeek, 16 October 2003). All witnesses in the case against him have been put on standby for 10 May at Birmingham...

Stop Press: Luscher has made a move ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Luscher has made a move into the flexo CTP market buying UK direct engraving equipment firm Zed Instruments. It has also launched FlexPose! A flexo platesetter based on its Xpose! range of internal drum thermal machines. See www.printweek.com....

WWF: Europe lags on green practice.(World Wide Fund for Nature)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... WWF has issued an open offer of help to the European pulp and paper firms, after a survey showed less than half produce either an environmental or sustainability report. Only one company, Sweden's SCA, was found to report on the 12 areas...

PrintWeek ready for Marathon.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... A team of runners from PrintWeek and sister title Marketing are gearing up for the London Marathon on 18 April and are seeking industry support for their chosen charity Scope. The Marathon team includes publishing director Julie Moore,...

Adare buys second A52 press.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... DM print specialist Adare Halcyon has made a 'multi million pound' investment in a 10-colour Muller Martini A52 UV press. Due to be installed in June and working by July, it is the firm's second Muller Martini A52. The press increases its...

Shorts: Cooper Clegg has installed two Muller Martini BravoPlus stitchers ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Cooper Clegg has installed two Muller Martini BravoPlus stitchers and an Onyx inserter at its in-house binding facility Evesham Binders. The stitchers have been put to work on Emap's weekly publication Zoo. 'Until this purchase, stitching was...

Shorts: Rotherham-based Wright Printing Services ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Rotherham-based Wright Printing Services has ordered a Web Print 48 five from CP Graphics, the UK agent for Edelmann Graphics. The press is a four-colour running roll-to-sheet with UV drying and 12in inserts. It is the fourth web press CP...

Shorts: Grgprint.com has installed a six-colour Mitsubishi ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Grgprint.com has installed a six-colour Mitsubishi press, which joins two five-colour Mitsubishis. It is the second phase of an investment scheme worth pounds 1.5m that included a Screen platesetter and Trueflow workflow.

Shorts: Northampton firm Brooklyn Print ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Northampton firm Brooklyn Print has taken delivery of a Printmaster QM46 press and Polysetter polyester platesetter from Heidelberg.

Shorts: Ryegold has moved into a new office and showroom ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Ryegold has moved into a new office and showroom in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire. The facility allows the company to offer demonstrations of the Petratto range of folding and gluing equipment.

Shorts: East Grinstead company Printmark ..(Speedmaster SM 52-2)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... East Grinstead company Printmark has taken delivery of a Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52-2 two-colour press. The firm handles general jobbing work, primarily stationery for local businesses.

Shorts: Bezier's Wakefield site has retained ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Bezier's Wakefield site has retained its ISO9001-2000 status. Improvement and quality facilitator Peter Newbould (pictured) said: 'This is an incredibly difficult award to gain and particularly to retain. Businesses need to not only meet...

Shorts: Cambridgeshire-based The Burall Company ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Cambridgeshire-based The Burall Company has restructured its business with its specialist divisions merged into a single operation. Burrall Plastec and Buralls of Wisbech will link up to form Burrall Limited while horticultural division Burall...

Shorts: Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) has launched its scalable storage system ExaStore. An announcement on the first European ExaStore client is due before Drupa.

Shorts: The latest generation Perfecta TVC guillotine ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The latest generation Perfecta TVC guillotine has been installed at Broadstairs-based commercial print firm Lanes by Graphic Arts Equipment. 'The pile lilt is helping to increase throughput by 50%,' said joint director Wayne Yorath with fellow...

Shorts: Work related upper limb disorders in the printing industry ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Work related upper limb disorders in the printing industry are to be the focus of a new two-year Health and Safety Executive initiative starting this month. It will target workers engaged in pre-print activities, operators of machines and those...

Ex-Argos chief takes up post at Media Square.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Steve Haithwaite, the former Argos Retail Group director of publications and new media, has joined Media Square as chief executive of its retail marketing division. Haithwaite resigned from his Argos role at the beginning of the year, and...

Vertis checks DM effect with Dutch partner.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Vertis has teamed up with a Dutch software company to offer a service to quiz customers on their experiences of DM campaigns. Its London-based Marketing Technology division has implemented Tevreden's Evaluation product, which can create,...

MY Cartons to call time on Tring plant.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Packaging group MY Cartons is to close Tring, its smallest operation in the UK in a bid to reduce overheads. MY Holdings chief executive John Monks said that it was part of the group's strategy to 'redeploy its capacity in the UK'. The...

Senator takes extra space in direct mail bid.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Senator Print Finishers has added to its plant capacity as it looks to increase its presence in the direct mail sector. The Leicester-based company has taken its total space to 3,000 sq m with the addition of 1,100 sq m. It follows the...

NAPM basic training course.(National Association of Paper Merchants )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The National Association of Paper Merchants (NAPM) has established a training scheme for staff new to paper merchanting. The Introductory Certificate course consists of five two-day residential modules to be held at Arden House, part of...

Appointment at AssetSkills.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Print Education Forum (PEF) chief executive Richard Beamish bowed out of the industry this week. He begins his new role as chief executive of AssetSkills, a Sector Skills Council for the property and facilities management sector, today (1...

PrintCity brands to get Drupa message across.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... PrintCity at Drupa will focus on 'the printer and their customer' and it has created three new brands to convey its message. 'Nasty Beast' is a cosmetics and perfume brand for which a range of packaging and promotional items will be...

AccessPlus in three-year BMI hospitals deal.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... AccessPlus has won a pounds 4.5m contract with BMI Healthcare. The three-year deal covers all print requirements for BMI's 47 private hospitals in the UK, and is expected to cut its print bill by 15%. AccessPlus, the print management...

KBA lifts lid on its new Rapida lines.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... KBA previewed some of its Drupa sheetfed launches at a special customer open house event last week, where it also revealed the world's first B1 press without sidelays. The feeder on the new generation Rapida 105 features a single wide...

Paper industry calls for united forest scheme.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Paper manufacturers and merchants have called for the battle between certification schemes to end, and for one set of standards to be a common objective. The responses came in reply to WWF's claim that the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)...

Express backs out of Telegraph talks.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Express Newspapers will hold talks with whoever ends up owning the Telegraph about its continued printing at West Ferry. The announcement follows Express Newspapers owner Richard Desmond pulling out of the bidding. A spokesman for...

Creo and Sichuan in plate plan.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Creo has linked up with one of the largest plate manufacturers in China as part of its global plate plans. The partnership with Sichuan Printing Apparatus means that the Chengdu company will manufacture and sell the jointly developed...

Hunt to get first UK Conquest.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Direct mail specialist Howard Hunt Group is installing the UK's first EMC Conquest inserting system at its Dartford plant. The deal, worth pounds 100,000, was handled by EMC's UK distributor Continua, which is part of Xerox. 'This was...

Legal Notices.(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... This information is extracted from the print- and publishing-related notices that appear in the London Gazette. Further information is available from its website at: www.london-gazette.co.uk WINDING UP PETITIONS Square Back Binders Ltd...

Reproflex sets up full Creo workflow.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Reproflex 3 has become the first firm in the world to take an end-to-end flexo pre-press set-up from Creo. The Northumberland firm has installed web portal Synapse Insite, Prinergy PowerPack workflow and a ThermoFlex flexo plate-setter. ...

Parker installs Esko Spark XT.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... TW Parker has become one of the first print and packaging companies in the UK to install Esko-Graphics Spark XT CDI flexo platesetter. The investment formed part of a pounds 400,000 expansion for the Liverpool-based firm, in a bid to...

Varn to show CTP line at Drupa.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Pressroom chemicals manufacturer Varn is launching a raft of new products at Drupa, targeting CTP users. The company, owned by Day International, will unveil a range including a fountain solution and washes formulated to be 'kind' to CTP...

Shorts: Bridlington-based repro house Corniche ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Bridlington-based repro house Corniche has bought Esko-Graphics' CDI Spark XT flexo platesetter with Optics 25 and a FlexRIP dual channel RIP. The firm already had Esko-Graphics' digital workflow BackStage. Earlier this year Corniche expanded...

Shorts: Appointment at Fresh Median Group.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Fresh Media Group has appointed David Mitchell as group sales director following his return to the UK after a year abroad. He was previously sales manager at Turning Point Technologies.

Shorts: Imacon has introduced the Flextight 949 scanner..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Imacon has introduced the Flextight 949 scanner, which is twice as fast as its 848 and has improved image quality due to a brighter lamp. It has an optical resolution of 8,000dpi and 16-bit colour.

Shorts: X-Rite is to launch colour management solution ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... X-Rite is to launch colour management solution Slingshot at Drupa in May. It claims that the product reduces the time and difficulty associated with measuring ICC colour management test forms. Slingshot's key features include fast X-Y scanning...

Shorts: Creo is expanding its range of Integris proofers ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Creo is expanding its range of Integris proofers. The expansion includes a duplexing option for Integris 8pp devices and the addition of a 2pp desktop model that uses Epson's Stylus Pro 4000 printer.

Shorts: Software developer Apago is to introduce ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Software developer Apago is to introduce a series of new and updated products with JDF support at Drupa. The range includes the Piktor v4.0 and PDF Enhancer v3.0.

Shorts: CGS Publishing Technologies International ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... CGS Publishing Technologies International will unveil its ORIS Global Proofing for producing consistent proofs at multiple locations at Drupa. It will also show a new soft proofing technology.

Shorts: Markzware has donated 100 licences ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Markzware has donated 100 licences of its FlightCheck Professional software to Leicester College. The college's National Printing Skills Centre will use this and other Markzware software to train students in pre-flighting.

Shorts: Swindon-based firm Highworth Press ..(Screen PlateRite Micra B3-format metal platesetter )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Swindon-based firm Highworth Press has bought a Screen PlateRite Micra B3-format metal platesetter from Apex Digital Graphics of Hemel Hempstead. It is Highworth Press's second platesetter from Apex having bought a manual metal machine three...

Shorts: Agfa.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Agfa has appointed Nigel Stratton as project manager for Delano in the UK. 'Nigel has the best possible qualifications and experience to lead our marketing and sales of such a key product,' said Agfa UK Graphics Systems director Laurence...

Luscher launches huge digi flatbed.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Luscher has launched the biggest flatbed digital printer yet, capable of printing a massive 3.5x3m area. Previously, the biggest digital flatbed machines had only been able to handle 2.2x 3.2m sheets. Productivity is 100 sq m per hour...

FE Burman managing director Michael Burman saw his new 74 Karat ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... FE Burman managing director Michael Burman saw his new 74 Karat 'in progress' when he visited KBA's Radebeul factory last week, as part of the pre-Drupa event attended by more than 100 UK printers. The press, Burman's second Karat, is set to be...

Digital to reach pounds 27bn by 2007.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Global spending on digital colour print will reach pounds 27bn (dollars 50bn) by 2007, according to research and consultancy firm IT Strategies. This was based on business and consumer spend, which in 2002 was at pounds 16bn worldwide. Of...

Shorts: Edotech has been given a special achievement award ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Edotech has been given a special achievement award for Excellence in Printhead Performance by Kodak Versamark after it achieved 12,000 hours of use, equivalent to over 50,000 miles of print from a head at its Milton Keynes site. Site manager...

Shorts: Cumbria-based Cypher has bought a Grand Sherpa Universal ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Cumbria-based Cypher has bought a Grand Sherpa Universal large-format ink-jet display printer, a first for the north of England. At 87in wide the Grand Sherpa Universal is the largest Agfa sells, and is equipped with Onyx PosterShop Agfa...

Shorts: Paper manufacturer Fedrigoni is to hold a free seminar ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Paper manufacturer Fedrigoni is to hold a free seminar on digital printing and paper to print buyers, designers and printers. The seminar will be held on 21 April at Fedrigoni's head office at Brampton Grange, Northampton. Speakers will include...

Shorts: AB Dick has sold its first KBA 46 Karat DI press ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... AB Dick has sold its first KBA 46 Karat DI press since the two firms signed a deal last year to C&H Prototype. The Teddington-based printer originally began life as a pre-press bureau, before seeing its future in short-run fast turnaround...

Shorts: ArtSystems has become a distributor for Canon's ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... ArtSystems has become a distributor for Canon's range of large-format ink-jet printers. As part of the deal the two companies have launched a joint initiative, the first part of which is a series of training programmes for Canon sales...

Shorts: The Mini-Zip compact business card cutter ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Mini-Zip compact business card cutter Caslon launched in the UK at last year's Digital Print World show is now shipping. The desktop machine can cut 100 cards in three minutes.

Shorts: The School of Oriental and African Studies ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The School of Oriental and African Studies has invested in a Duplo DSF-2000 sheetfeeder and DC-545 HCEX slitter, creaser and trimmer, enabling it to finish 98% of its digital print work in-house.

Paper 4 Print picks up last Y&F office.(York & Ford Paper )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... York & Ford Paper is no more following Merseyside merchant Paper 4 Print's purchase of the Manchester branch and the closure of the Leicester office. Paper 4 Print acquired the Manchester office, saving 16 jobs. Clive Weir managing...

Paper Pricewatch: Woodfree, April 2004.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Most coated woodfree producers have announced price increases, while demand for uncoated remains weak, writes Andy Scott. The likes of Sappi, Burgo and M-real have announced price increases with effect from this month, following the failure...

Shorts: UPM Rafsec is to double the Radio Frequency Identification ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... UPM Rafsec is to double the Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag and label production capacity of its plant in Jyvaskyla, Finland. The extra capacity will conclude in August this year and will cost UPM pounds 1m (EUR1.5m).

Shorts: Klippan has bought the energy plant ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Klippan has bought the energy plant and Molndal Mill from Vattenfall. The plant consists of a gas turbine for electricity production, a steam generator for process and operation of a steam turbine.

Shorts: Leicester-based carton and graphic board merchant ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Leicester-based carton and graphic board merchant Warren Board has introduced Everest True White to the market. The brand is a 'whiter, more economic alternative' to cast-coated and similarly produced SBS carton boards. International Paper...

Shorts: Tullis Russell and Premier Paper ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Tullis Russell and Premier Paper hosted a forum at the former's Glenrothes mill attended by representatives from paper, print and creative business. The event was held to discuss the changing demands for uncoated products.

Shorts: Neusiedler has launched a spring promotion ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Neusiedler has launched a spring promotion giving customers the opportunity to buy four reams of Color Copy Take 5 and get one ream free.

Shorts: Aylesford Newsprint's Recycling Atlas ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Aylesford Newsprint's Recycling Atlas has won praise from environment minister Elliot Morely who described it as 'a valuable tool for local authorities'. The Atlas, launched in central London last week, contains maps and data aimed at recycling...

Shorts: The Paperun Group of Companies ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... The Paperun Group of Companies has moved to new offices in New Barnet, Hertfordshire. Telephone and fax numbers remain unchanged. 'We needed modern offices to cope with our planned expansion over the next two years,' said Paperun managing...

Shorts: M-real held its annual general meeting ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... M-real held its annual general meeting and approved the company's financial statements for 2003 and granted 'discharge from liability' to its board of directors.

Shorts: ECH Will, part of the Korber PaperLink Group ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... ECH Will, part of the Korber PaperLink Group will unveil a new sheeter at its Open House in Hamburg at the beginning of May. The new FS Pro folio-size sheeter for the mid-range segment will be presented to industry professionals for the first...

Shorts: Appointments at Elliott Baxter.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Elliott Baxter has made two appointments to its sales team in Farnborough. Lauren McMichael has been promoted to manager and Dan Trussler has been promoted to assistant manager.

Shorts: ICI Imagedata has launched its range of Permanent Papers ..(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... ICI Imagedata has launched its range of Permanent Papers at Paperworld. The range of coated polysester films is designed to 'combine an attractive print finish with durable, robust tear-proof performance'.

Shorts: M-real is giving its deinking sludge ..(Fibrecrafts)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... M-real is giving its deinking sludge, produced by its New Thames Mill's Recycled Fibre plant, to Fibrecrafts. The firm provides raw material for papermaking and craft to school children and artists.

IPC titles first with new Pagers labels.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... IPC Media was the first publisher to snap up Polestar's new self-adhesive label product Pagers, designed for promotional and advertising campaigns. Procter & Gamble brands Pringles and Olay were the first to use the product in campaigns...

S&G wins Nutrition contract.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Health Squared Publishing has launched a magazine targeting healthcare professionals. Nutrition Review is printed by Merthyr Tydfil-based short-run magazine specialist Stephens & George with a print run of 10,000. The title was produced on...

New Jarrold wins BBC title deal.(New Jarrold Printing )(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... New Jarrold Printing has clinched the contract to produce the new BBC magazine Easy Decorating. The title will have a print run of 120,000 and goes on sale for an eight-week period from today (1 April). If successful, further monthly...

EU Tenders.(Calendar)
April 1, 2004... Please read the important notes at the foot of the page, as PrintWeek cannot supply any additional information or pass on your details. The tenders below are abridged. It is essential that you obtain a full copy of the tender before contacting...

Comment: Think big if you want to catch their attention.('Big Books' on printing launched by the Print Education Forum (PEF))
April 1, 2004... Nine out of 10. That was the score the children of the Star Primary School in Canning Town, London gave the 'Big Books' on printing launched by the Print Education Forum (PEF) last week. The collection of five books is designed to promote...

Opinion: Ready for the mass roll out of online proofing.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Having seen the online proofing market kick off back in 1998, the industry is ready for the mass adoption of this customer service conduit that has brought so much value to those who have used it over the past five years. We have numerous...

Profile: Mike Gee - From the fledgling toy trade to achieving the paper grade.
April 1, 2004... MD Mike Gee is determined to keep Denmaur independent while serving the needs of the whole sector. Denmaur Papers began life with capital of just pounds 500, and developed from originally selling toys and garden furniture, with paper as an...

Wallis: Not as much fun since the crafty old days of yore.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2004... Ian Blowers, a veteran of the printing industry with campaign credits from Linotype, ICG, Fujifilm, and latterly Esko-Graphics, was the subject of the Profile column in PrintWeek of 11 March 2004. He remarked, in response to a question, that...

Analysis: Big Books encourage the kids into print.
April 1, 2004... Inspiring interest in print is the aim of the PEF's new Big Books series for children. Lauretta Roberts reports. The latest push to attract new talent to print is taking the 'catch 'em young' approach. With the support of the DTI (in the...

Analysis: Repro Houses' skills will determine their survival.
April 1, 2004... While cost savings are bringing work in-house, publishers still value the services offered by a third party. 'There's a really positive future to repro in a different way,' says Tony Austin board member of Wyndeham and as managing director...