Print Week articles from April 2010

Print Week archives from April 2010

Mailcom's claimed 'restructure' revealed as pounds 1m pre-pack sale.
April 30, 2010... Mailcom, the direct mail business that closed its Tyne and Wear site this month as part of a 'restructure', actually placed the entire company into administration before it was bought back in a pre-pack sale for pounds 1m. According to the...

Communisis to close three 16-page presses.
April 30, 2010... Communisis is in consultation over 23 redundancies at its Leeds print and direct mailing facility. The communications company is to mothball three of its 16-page web presses as part of a move away from 'commoditised' print. A 30-day...

Sessions in admin after price rises hit margins.(William Sessions)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Label printer William Sessions, which traded as Sessions of York, may be on the verge of closure after it went into administration on 21 April. Sheffield-based P&A Partnerships has been appointed and is understood to be seeking buyers for...

BDP closes with 21 staff redundant.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... BDP (UK), the commercial printer that was allegedly involved in a massive DVD counterfeiting operating, has gone into administration following 'the loss of a major customer'. Administrators Neil Dingley and Mustafa Abdulali, of Moore...

Lateral registers a pre-tax profit.(Financial report)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Marketing specialist Lateral Group has recorded a pounds 119,000 pre-tax profit in its first full-year results. However, finance director Rick Taylor said that a pounds 2.2m goodwill charge would be negated through changes to financial...

AGI picks up award.(International Safety Award 2009 )(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... AGI, the packaging producer, has picked up The British Safety Council's International Safety Award 2009 for its special packaging plant in Slough. The company scooped the award for the 'outstanding safety procedures and working practices' in...

Ian Douse appointed by BCQ Group.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... BCQ Group has appointed Ian Douse to the role of wide-format and digital display solutions manager. Having previously held roles at Oscar Group and Harvest Studios, Douse has been charged with expanding the group's wide-format service. ...

Proskills calls for entrants.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Proskills is calling for entrants to its fourth annual awards, which recognise the achievements made through quality training across the process and manufacturing sector. This year, the awards have been expanded to acknowledge vocational...

Communisis welcomed Victor Watson to inspect HP T300.
April 30, 2010... Communisis recently welcomed Print Yorkshire president Victor Watson to its Leeds-based site to inspect its pounds 3m HP T300 Color Inkjet Web Press. Watson, former chairman of John Waddington, was joined by Print Yorkshire's Robert...

Neschen has launched a repositionable ..(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Neschen has launched a repositionable digitally printable vinyl, which uses dots of adhesive to eliminate bubbles and creases during application to make repositioning easier. Solvoprint Easy Dot 100 is available in matte and gloss finishes...

Liberty Services becomes Carbon Smart certified.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Liberty Services has become Carbon Smart certified and aims to reduce its carbon footprint by 15% in three years. The Croydon-based commercial printer became certified with the standard in recognition of its proactive stance to reduce its...

j F Print strengthens sales team.
April 30, 2010... J F Print has strengthened its sales team after appointing Mike Rogers as sales manager. Rogers will be tasked with generating new business in the south of England and will report to sales director Keith Johnson. 'The industry has been crying...

Printers rubbish R3 claims that IPs saved around 2m jobs in UK.
April 30, 2010... Printers have reacted angrily to insolvency service trade body R3's report into the value of the insolvency industry. The report, commissioned by R3, featured headline figures stating that around 2m jobs and 5,851 businesses had been 'saved'...

KBA unveils C16 press to target 16-page market.
April 30, 2010... German press manufacturer KBA has launched a new web press, the C16, in order to fill what it claims is a gap in the 16-page market. KBA said that while previous focus for press manufacturers has been on larger, up to 96-page presses, the...

Charity Print Runs.
April 30, 2010... BBC Magazines paper manager Steve Wehrle received the Merit Award at last week's St George's Day charity lunch. Wehrle has completed every London Marathon since it began in 1981, raising thousands of pounds for charity. He received his award...

Stralfors wins mailing deal.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Print and communications services provider Stralfors has won a mailing contract for a new research project into mobile phone use. Orpington, Kent-based Stralfors will produce and distribute invitations to a randomly selected group of mobile...

Nipson SAS sold to ADT's Dufeil and sales director.
April 30, 2010... Nipson UK's France-based parent company Nipson SAS has been sold to a buy-in management buy-out (BIMBO) team led by French print industry veteran Loic Dufeil. Dufeil, who is a director at software company ADT, has bought a 51% stake from...

PrintCity backs up Manroland.(PrintCity Alliance )(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... The PrintCity Alliance has said it supports Manroland's decision to go to Ipex 2010 without any equipment or presses. The press giant announced last month that it would concentrate on applications for its kit at the event, rather than...

Reader Reaction: What hybrid piece of kit would you like to see invented?
April 30, 2010... After Heidelberg's CX 102 and Komori's Enthrone, we ask what you'd like merged to create new kit. DIGITAL PRINTER - PAUL MANNING, ACCOUNT DIRECTOR, PRINTFLOW 'I would like to see a printing press that is grown from the earth in the shape...

Legal Notices.(Public notice)
April 30, 2010... This information is extracted from the printand publishing-related notices that appear in the London Gazette. Further Information is available from its website at www.gazettes-online.co.uk. WINDING UP PETITIONS The Riverside Print Finishing...

Bobst reveals a kit-free 'virtual' Ipex strategy.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Bobst has become the second high-profile exhibitor to announce it will not be bringing machinery to Ipex, following Manroland's decision to focus on applications. Instead, the finishing kit manufacturer Bobst has announced three 'distinct...

Creo works on POS for Moss.
April 30, 2010... Creo Retail Marketing has produced the in-store point-of-sale and window displays for menswear chain Moss's Spring/Summer 2010 collection across the group's 150-plus stores. The bespoke materials included vinyl lettering, window decals,...

MPC adds capacity with Heidelberg SM 74 buy.
April 30, 2010... The Magazine Printing Company (MPC) has responded to a need for greater capacity by investing in an eight-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74 press. The installation of its third eight-colour Heidelberg machine will allow the Enfield, north...

Ipex: Manroland GB and RedTie link up to take W2P to 'the masses'.
April 30, 2010... Manroland GB and web-to-print (W2P) specialist RedTie have formed a strategic partnership that both hope will result in the roll out of W2P to the 'printing masses'. The deal will be officially unveiled at Ipex next month, but RedTie has...

Ipex: Kama in world-first honeycomb plate demo on ProCut 74 at Ipex.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Finishing kit manufacturer Kama will unveil a world first for its ProCut 74 die-cutter at this year's Ipex. The machine will be on Kama's stand with a honeycomb plate system, which allows the machine to produce holograms. Also on the...

Ipex: Online diary for Ipex seminars.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Visitors to Ipex can now benefit from an online diary that provides an overview of the free educational sessions taking place during the show. Users of Ipex+ can find and prepare for the sessions they intend to visit by exploring the show...

Pre-media: Euro RSCG opts for Vio Adgate.
April 30, 2010... Global ad agency Euro RSCG has automated its print ad delivery by using Vio Worldwide's latest workflow tool, Adgate. Adgate removes the need to re-key internal job ticket information into Vio's Adsend web-based delivery system for PDF press...

Pre-media: Wifac subsidiary appoints Sizer as business consultant to grow firm.
April 30, 2010... Wifac Group subsidiary GPS has appointed print industry veteran Derek Sizer as a consultant to help develop its business in the UK and Ireland. Sizer, who recently left his role as managing director of Pakready, said he hoped to establish a...

Pre-media: EFI demonstrates latest version of its Pace MIS.
April 30, 2010... EFI has previewed new features for its Pace MIS, including wide-format specific tools and applications for Apple's iPhone and iPad, at its annual user conference Connect, held in Las Vegas. 'With the forthcoming Version 23, Pace builds on the...

Pre-media: Ivor set to take Cognitu to Ipex.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Ivor Solution is set to launch Cognitu - a flexible, featurerich, web-to-print application - at next month's Ipex. The London-based software developer, which has more than 12 years' web-to-print experience, intends to use Ipex as its...

Pre-media: Agfa announces Amigo TS plate launch for Ipex.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Agfa Graphics has added another new-launch to its Ipex pre-press line-up, in the form of its next-generation ThermoFuse chemistry-free plate, Amigo TS. Described as an environmentally friendly successor to the Amigo, the Amigo TS features...

Digital: Konica Minolta plans to launch flagship Bizhub C8000 at Ipex.
April 30, 2010... Digital press manufacturer Konica Minolta will launch a new flagship model for its Bizhub Press range at next month's Ipex, the C8000 high-speed colour digital press. The digital press, which can output up to 80 colour prints a minute, will...

Digital: Xaar turnover stays on track.
April 30, 2010... Xaar has said turnover was 'in line with expectations' for the first quarter of 2010, following growth in demand for its Platform 3 (P3) products and increased stability in its Platform 1 (P1) sales. The inkjet print head manufacturer said...

Digital: Oasis Printing staff 'rejuvenated' by installation of Presstek 34DI.
April 30, 2010... Oasis Printing has 'rejuvenated its business' after installing a Presstek 34DI press, an investment that managing director Michael Morris claimed has improved profit margins at the company. The Hammersmith, West London-based business opted...

Digital: M-Press Tiger can now handle variable data.
April 30, 2010... Agfa has added variable data handling to its top-of-the-range wide-format digital press, the M-Press Tiger, via its Apogee Vibe module. 'With variable-data printing for the M-Press Tiger, users can now offer new app-lications to a broader...

Post-press: MB folder install for Mainstream.
April 30, 2010... Trade mailing house Mainstream Direct has continued its spending spree with a pounds 25,000 MB folder from Encore Machinery. The MB Multimaster CAS 38 is capable of 60 different folds and runs at speeds of up to 26,000 sheets per hour. The...

Post-press: Herbert Walker claims Diana install saves 100k.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Commercial printer Herbert Walker has said it will save pounds 100,000 a year in outsourcing costs after investing in a Diana Pro folder-gluer from Heidelberg. The investment, which follows a Speedmaster XL 105 purchase last year, has enabled...

Post-press: Mediaport buys raft of new kit.
April 30, 2010... Litho and digital printer Mediaport has invested in a raft of new finishing kit. Chesham-based Mediaport has bought a Kasfold Sprint 3000 bookletmaker from Ashgate Automation to add to the earlier installation of a Ricoh Pro C900 press. ...

Post-press: The Printroom makes guillotine purchase to reduce running costs.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Commercial printer The Printroom has bought a Perfecta 115 guillotine from Intelligent Finishing Solutions (IFS). According to the Merseyside-based company's production director Dave Mann, the machine was chosen because its servo-driven...

Post-press: Royal Approval.
April 30, 2010... Finishing kit manufacturer Watkiss Automation has been awarded the prestigious Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade category. Watkiss previously won the award in 1994. -------------------- Did you find this article...

Paper: APP blasts 'abuse' after subsidy investigation launched by EU.
April 30, 2010... Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) has denied allegations that it receives subsidies from the Chinese government, after the European Commission launched an investigation into the claims. Stuart Andrews, APP Europe's spokesman, described the...

Paper: Arctic extends Munken range.
April 30, 2010... Paper manufacturer Arctic Paper has added three products to its Munken Design Range, including what it claims is the market's 'roughest' paper. The new products within the Munken Design Range are Munken Polar Rough, Munken Lynx Rough and...

Paper: Antalis attains PAS 2020 and says the standard is crucial to DM future.(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... Antalis has said it is the first paper merchant to be certified to the PAS 2020 environmental standard for the direct mail industry. The paper merchant said the standard provided a number of benefits, including proof of environmental...

Paper: All Above Board.
April 30, 2010... Robert Horne has launched the Graphic and Carton Board Guide, which contains the Northampton-based paper merchant's full range of board grades. Some 14 brands are listed and split into categories and the guide also includes a new product that is...

Editorial: It's budget over brains for clients of phoenixes erenixes.(Editorial)
April 30, 2010... Over the past few months, there have been a number of interesting debates in the printweek.com forums over the thorny issue of phoenix companies. However, the majority of the opinions seem to be from other print companies, who, with the best...

Comment: Grapho set-up sends shockwaves.
April 30, 2010... New web printer shock When it comes to handing out prizes for unlikely headlines of the year, then 'new web printer formed' has to be in contention for the top spot. Initial reactions to the Grapho Media news were varied. The team has...

Comment: Talking business - Ipex offers a critical link to innovation and developments in the industry.(Viewpoint essay)
April 30, 2010... I have had some comments following my February article on the reasons to go to Ipex. Predominantly people believe the show is unfocussed and less effective than the more targeted shows such as Fespa. Yes, these shows can be expensive to put...

Profile: Lateral Group - Unlocking the true value of print with intelligent digital communications.
April 30, 2010... Strong relationships and non-print experience are fuelling growth and innovation, writes Adam Hooker. Marketing services provider Lateral Group has enjoyed several years of sustained growth, which was topped off this week when it announced...

Ipex Preview: Environment - Green makes for lean businesses.
April 30, 2010... Despite the recession, print companies have continued to implement environmental measures and will be looking to go further by scouting eco options at Ipex, discovers Philip Chadwick. The pressure has been on the print industry to be green...

Product Portfolio: Product of the week - Presstek 75DI.(Product/service evaluation)
April 30, 2010... Taking on an increasingly crowded B2 market may seem risky, but Phillip Chadwick finds that this press can offer the savings to make an impact. Since it was founded, Presstek's strategy has been built on making it easier to operate a printing...

Product Portfolio: Me & My ... KAS Crease Matic Auto50.(London Borough of Newham)(Interview)
April 30, 2010... Stephen Maylon, print services manager at the London Borough of Newham, has cut costs with a new creaser, finds Philip Chadwick. - Why did you make the purchase? The council recently upgraded one printer to a Canon C6000 colour machine for...

Product Portfolio: Tried & Tested - Setmaster collator.(Product/service evaluation)
April 30, 2010... Despite its tempestuous history and a move to India and back, the Setmaster collator has continued to pile on features, writes Nosmot Gbadamosi. The Setmaster series of collators has had a turbulent history. Launched in 1975 by UK-based...

Product Portfolio: Buyers' guide - Sheetfed presses A2 and above.(Product/service evaluation)
April 30, 2010... The B2 sector has remained popular throughout the recession and is set to attract a lot of attention at Ipex as a result, writes Nosmot Gbadamosi. Before the recession, the B2 market had grown by around 8%. While the economic downturn has...

Product Portfolio: Jo's Help Line - Megasetter gives a minor headache.(Product/service evaluation)
April 30, 2010... Jo Francis tracks down the solutions to your technical troubles. Q: I am looking for a reliable supplier of secondhand 16-up CTF (computer-to-film) for the packaging industry. It may be a Barco Megasetter or Escher-Grad Cobalt. Installation...

Product Portfolio: Diary.(Brief article)(Calendar)
April 30, 2010... MAY IPEX 2010 Date: 18-25 May Location: NEC, Birmingham More info: www.ipex.org PRINTIT! AWARDS Date: 22 May Location: Ipex, NEC, Birmingham More info: www.printit.org.uk JUNE PULPAPER 2010 Date: 1-3 June Location: Helsinki, Finland More info:...

Product Portfolio: Technical Tutorial - Enhanced capital allowance energy scheme.(Product/service evaluation)
April 30, 2010... The Enhanced Capital Allowance (ECA) energy scheme encourages businesses of all shapes and sizes to invest in energy-saving technologies. In essence, the ECA scheme enables your business to claim 100% first-year tax relief on investments in...

Post Script: Q&A - David Jackson.(Your Print Solution)(Interview)(Brief article)
April 30, 2010... David Jackson is a director at Your Print Solution. Married with three children, David is a fan of QPR, Luther Vandross and Girls Aloud, though not strictly in that order. His ambition is for his company to become a leader in its field. Just...

Post Script: Baxters scrums down with Kay for charity.
April 30, 2010... Hinckley-based Baxters has done its bit to raise the profile of the England and Tigers rugby star Ben Kay's testimonial year. The direct mail and stationery printer is producing testimonial brochures for the world cup-winner, who recently...

Post Script: Print's past - Touring maps.
April 30, 2010... 'Craftsmanship is the thing that matters most of all in that most wonderful of all industries: printing.' So said the printer G W Jones to members of the British Typographers Guild in 1937. His words are still true today. Now that the...

Post Script: Memory Lane.
April 30, 2010... ONE YEAR AGO: X1 aimed to double its turnover to pounds 3.2m after acquiring local printer Jackson Print... Screenprint Plus called in the administrators... Alderson POS was ready for launch after a pounds 6m spend... FIVE YEARS AGO: W H...

Piggott Black Bear buyer Celinco defaults on terms of purchase.
April 23, 2010... Celinco has failed to make any payments for Piggott Black Bear (Cambridge), which it bought out of administration last September. According to the administrator's report dated 29 March, Celinco has not paid either the pounds 95,000 purchase...

Heidelberg to reveal latest B1 press at Ipex.
April 23, 2010... Heidelberg is to use Ipex as the worldwide springboard for a new B1 press, the 16,500 sheets-per-hour Speedmaster CX 102. 'We've taken everything that is great about the CD 102, ink train, sheet travel etc, but in order to make it a new...

Government's Time to Train branded 'PR stunt'.
April 23, 2010... The government's Time to Train legislation, which gives employees the right to demand time off for training, has been branded a 'PR stunt'. The legal right, which was included in the Apprenticeships, Skills, Children and Learning Act, allows...

HP launches maiden 3D printers.
April 23, 2010... HP has launched its first 3D printers, which form part of the Designjet range and are aimed at the mechanical computer aided design, education and medical markets. The new Designjet 3D range consists of the 3D printer and the Color 3D...

Few pay rises in print says Unite.
April 23, 2010... Unite has said that 74% of print workers took a pay freeze in 2009, while a further 16% were given a pay cut. The union polled more than 1,100 FOCs, all of which were covered by the wage agreement with the BPIF, as part of its Printing Sector...

Beacon Press appointed as digital print partner.
April 23, 2010... Beacon Press, the Pureprint subsidiary, has been appointed as the digital print partner for the University for the Creative Arts (UCA) Through the agreement, Beacon Press is printing and fulfilling a range of personalised prospectuses for...

Pizza Hut implements St Ives' campaign management system.
April 23, 2010... Pizza Hut has implemented St Ives' campaign management system DNA for its restaurant marketing collateral, saving time and money and enabling store-by-store personalisation. Supplied via St Ives' point-of-sale (POS) division SP Group, Pizza Hut...

On:Demand Print Services spends pounds 500,000.
April 23, 2010... On:Demand Print Services has spent pounds 500,000 on a move into B2 printing after customer demand for the service. The Northampton-based business has bought a Screen PlateRite 2055Vi-S platesetter from Apex Digital Graphics, and a secondhand...

Appointments at Agfa.(Roger Sherratt and Peter Armitage )(Brief article)
April 23, 2010... Agfa has decided on a direct sales strategy for its recently acquired Jeti range of wide-format printers in the UK. It has appointed Peter Armitage who will cover sales in the northern region, while Roger Sherratt will handle sales in the...

Romax awarded pounds 300,000 contract.(Brief article)
April 23, 2010... Romax, the mailing house, has said that implementation of a raft of equipment over the past couple of years has helped it secure its first transpromo contract win. The central London-based company has been awarded a three-year pounds 300,000...

Ricoh UK officially completes integration of Infotec and Ikon business and brands.
April 23, 2010... Ricoh UK has officially completed the integration of both the Infotec and Ikon businesses and brands into the parent company, a process that began in January 2007. David Mills, chief executive of Ricoh UK, said; 'The completion of this...

IPC and printer Alderson Print Group produce an exclusive pop-up print ad for Kleenex.
April 23, 2010... IPC and printer Alderson Print Group have produced an exclusive pop-up print ad for tissue brand Kleenex that will appear in the May issues of some of the publisher's flagship women's titles. The insert, which will appear in several magazines,...

Ex-Graphoprint staff establish 'first web start-up in a decade'.(Company overview)
April 23, 2010... Former Graphoprint staff have formed a commercial web print company, which it claimed was the first web start-up in a decade. The new company, Grapho Media, is an independent commercial web printer and will focus on commercial and...

Last family member at Keenes leaves business.(Brief article)
April 23, 2010... Keenes managing director Jeff Keene has left the London-based pre-media business and is currently on gardening leave. A spokesman for Keenes, which was acquired by Australian pre-press group Wellcom for pounds 4.2m in September 2007,...

Travel chaos keeps LBF visitor numbers down.(Brief article)
April 23, 2010... Attendance at this week's London Book Fair was badly affected by the volcanic ash travel hiatus, with some exhibitors absent altogether and visitor numbers down by as much as a third. Gopsons Papers, International Print-o-Pac of India, De...

Polestar adopts AGV transport.
April 23, 2010... Polestar is automating the transport of all its work-in-progress and finished materials at its Sheffield factory, following the purchase of 10 automated guided vehicles (AGVs). The company will use the unmanned machines, each of which is...

Fresh volcanic ash cloud sparks fears over Ipex.(Brief article)
April 23, 2010... Ipex organiser IIR Exhibitions has stressed that next month's Ipex will go ahead as planned despite the severe air traffic disruption caused by the volcanic activity in Iceland. Although some flights had resumed as PrintWeek went to press on...

Ticketmedia in rail firms deal.(Brief article)
April 23, 2010... Ticketmedia has sealed the contract to print seat reservation cards for First Rail Holdings in a deal worth pounds 150,000 per year. The Hove-based company will provide tickets for a range of rail franchises that include First Great Western,...

Reader Reaction: Will HMRC's new rules for Time to Pay make a difference?
April 23, 2010... We ask if tougher conditions under which companies are eligible for tax deferral will work. - Commercial printer Mark Snee, managing director, Technoprint 'On the face of it, yes, the new rules will ensure that potentially insolvent...

Legal Notices.
April 23, 2010... This information is extracted from the printand publishing-related notices that appear in the London Gazette. Further Information is available from its website at www.gazettes-online.co.uk. WINDING UP PETITIONS The Riverside Print Finishing...

Lucid predicts growth after GI investment.(Brief article)
April 23, 2010... Direct mail firm GI Solutions Group has invested in fledgling DM specialist Lucid, a deal which the smaller firm said would allow it to realise its growth plans. Lucid said that the investment also marked the formalisation of a strategic...

Park gives print class to Hospice.
April 23, 2010... Park Communications has given young adults from the Richard House Children's Hospice in Beckton a masterclass in the art of printing at its London premises. The hospice's Young Adult Group of 16-25 year-olds were given an Introduction to...

Personal touch.(Brief article)
April 23, 2010... Duplo has kicked off its Ipex preparations by personally inviting the country's biggest printers to see its Alpha Saddlestitcher Proceedings began on Monday (19 April) by Duplo UK managing director Tony Lock handing an invite to MBA's head of...

Komori to give latest B2 option worldwide debut at Ipex 2010.
April 23, 2010... Komori will use Ipex as the worldwide launchpad for a new B2 press, which sits between its existing Spica and Lithrone S29 ranges. The Enthrone 29, so-called because the 13,000sph press is viewed as 'an entry-level Lithrone', will be one of...