Print Week articles from December 2006

Print Week archives from December 2006

Chesapeake under pressure as unrest spreads to Nottingham.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Amicus has vowed to press ahead with strike action at Chesapeake's Newcastle and Bradford sites as a third dispute in Nottingham emerges. But as PrintWeek went to press, the packaging giant said it had not received any notification of...

Diamond talks will continue.(Diamond Envelope Corp.)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Diamond Envelopes management is still locked in talks with unions in its dispute over shift patterns at its 104-staff Aberdeen plant, but has said that the factory is 'running as per normal'. Managing director Simon Usher admitted talks...

SP Group chief exec Ward joins St Ives board.(St Ives Group)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Simon Ward's relentless rise at St Ives continued this week with his appointment to the pounds 400m group's board of directors. Ward, who is already chief executive of the print group's large-format and point-of-sale division SP Group, was...

Stop press.
December 7, 2006... The Mail Preference Service has had a huge increase in people opting out of direct mail after a highly publicised leaflet campaign on how to avoid DM was delivered to homes by postman Roger Annies Ifra has published a 36pp special report...

Brown cuts inspections and rules for business.(Gordon Brown)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Gordon Brown's plans to cut the burden of regulations on UK businesses will boost smaller firms, industry figures have claimed. Speaking at the CBI annual conference last week, the Chancellor of the Exchequer unveiled a risk-based approach...

K2 hires staff to head rising sales.(K2 Group)(appointment of Ann McLaughlin, Simon Verdon and Kate Linsley)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... K2 Group, the communications and transactional firm, is on a recruiting drive to handle a 25% increase in sales. The firm, based in Manchester, recruited a sales director, group project manager and business development manager to steer the...

Chapman installs long perfector.(GW Chapman & Sons)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... GW Chapman & Sons is shooting for a pounds 5m turnover after upping its capacity with a new 10-colour Heidelberg perfector. The 34-staff firm in West Drayton, Middlesex, will use the pounds 1.6m Speedmaster CD 74 to take on 'the lower end...

In brief: Hydro-Dynamic Products launches new kit.
December 7, 2006... Hydro-Dynamic Products has launched a range of replacement inking, dampening, pan and metering rolls to 'withstand ever-increasing demands of modern presses'. Sales director Roger Markin said that the kit came with bearings and internal...

In brief: Amicus wins union recognition.
December 7, 2006... Amicus has won union recognition from the publishing titan Macmillan's Swansea distribution warehouse. Around 140 staff at the warehouse will benefit following an 18-month campaign to gain recognition. 'This was not easy as management initially...

In brief: News International awards contract to BEK Systems.
December 7, 2006... News International has awarded a contract, as part of its pounds 600m overhaul, to BEK Systems. The firm will install ink-supply, press-accessory and cooling systems at NI's plants in Glasgow, Enfield and Liverpool.

In brief: Pinders appoints new operations manager.
December 7, 2006... Pinders has made Kevin White its new operations manager. He joins the Sheffield digital firm from Worksop litho printer Ratcliffe & Roper, where he worked for 21 years. White reports to joint managing director David Whiteway, who is...

In brief: The Print Shop renames itself.
December 7, 2006... The Print Shop has renamed itself Printmedia and relaunched its website following a kit spend. The digital firm, launched by Laurent Helene in 1994, bought a Karat 46 Plus DI press in the summer and added two Epson large-format digital printers...

In brief: Litho Supplies launches sales website.(LSestore.co.uk)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Litho Supplies is aiming to corner a larger part of the IT market after launching a sales website. LSestore.co.uk will offer next-day delivery of more than 25,000 items of IT kit and consumables from 125 firms, as well as technical info, said...

In brief: PrintWeek Top 500 2006 - Corrections.(Correction notice)
December 7, 2006... Potts Printers' turnover was incorrectly listed in our publication last week. Its sales to 31 December 2005 were in fact pounds 6.32m, which would have placed it 312th in the rankings. Belmont Press' sales were estimated, but the correct figure...

Capital orders another Rapida 205 for new site in world first.(Capital Print & Display)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... East London large-format and point-of-sale specialist Capital Print & Display has become the world's first firm to order two KBA Rapida 205 presses. David Gill, managing director at the Stratford-based printer, signed for the company's...

Prinovis to print two new Sky magazines.(Sky Television PLC)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Gravure giant Prinovis has scored again after securing launches for two customer magazines from satellite broadcaster Sky. In what is estimated to be a pounds 20m investment, the broadcasting giant has already launched a dedicated magazine...

Pressing on.(Press Gazette)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Press Gazette, the journalists' weekly magazine, is to hit the presses again after missing an issue when the publication fell into administration last week. The title, which is printed by Wyndeham Grange and was previously owned by a consortium...

Kingsley buy to increase output.(Kingsley Print & Design contracts)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Kingsley Print & Design has ordered a pounds 944,000 Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 74-5L press to boost productivity by a third. Managing director John Vaughan said the 15,000sph press, which has a coater, pre-press interface and...

UPM to invest pounds 60m in biomass power plant.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... UK paper manufacturing has received a fillip after UPM revealed that it would spend almost pounds 60m to build a new biomass power plant at its Caledonian mill. The combined heat and power (CHP) plant at the 360-staff mill in Irvine,...

BPIF: final bid for 2007 data.(British Printing Industries Federation)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... The BPIF is making a final appeal for participants in its latest annual salary and manpower surveys. Data collection for the federation's 2007 reports is currently underway and participation is not restricted to BPIF members. The deadline...

TSO prints 2nd book on Brits.(The Stationery Office's Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... The Stationery Office (TSO) is to print a follow-up to its bestselling book on what it takes to be a model British citizen with a second edition. Life in the United Kingdom: A Journey to Citizenship counts 164pp and includes updated...

Amazon digital deal to take books to new era.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Online bookselling giant Amazon has placed itself at the forefront of the on-demand digital book printing revolution after closing a massive deal with HP. A raft of HP Indigo printers will be installed at Amazon's US fulfilment centres to...

Xerox develops erasable paper.(development of experimental technology)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Scientists at Xerox's Research Centre of Canada (XRCC) have invented a means of creating temporary printed documents whose images last for just one day. The firm claims the technology, developed as part of Xerox's investment in sustainable...

Reader reaction: What makes a good print entrepreneur?
December 7, 2006... LABEL PRINTER - HUGO GELL, DIRECTOR, MERCIAN LABELS 'If you want to be a good print entrepreneur, choose your market carefully and then service it better than anyone else. Maximise productivity, cut costs wherever possible, and avoid waste....

Buxton becomes KBA's biggest perfector user.(Buxton Press)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Derbyshire-based Buxton Press has become the world's biggest user of KBA perfectors after installing its seventh KBA long perfecting sheetfed press. The magazine and catalogue specialist has invested in a fifth B1 KBA Rapida 105 eight-unit...

Williams Lea CEO saves Scarlets rugby team.(Tim Griffiths )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Williams Lea chief executive Tim Griffiths has stepped in to secure struggling Welsh rugby club Llanelli Scarlets' short-term survival. He has offered what the Magners League club described as 'a substantial sum' that will ensure the club...

Flint ups cost of packaging inks.(Flint Group ink prices)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Ink's current round of price increases has continued with news from Flint Group that it is to raise the prices of its packaging inks in Europe. Flint Group said that the increasing cost of raw materials had forced it to make the increase...

Legal Notices.
December 7, 2006... 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 Eden Print Ltd RO:...

Paragon revamps Agfa arsenal across UK sites.(Paragon Group (United Kingdom))(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Paragon Group UK is understood to have invested at least pounds 230,000 on Agfa pre-press equipment and gone partly chemistry-free in an upgrade of its main UK manufacturing facilities' CTP systems. The direct mail, transactional and print...

SR installs Heidelberg workflow.(SR Communications)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... SR Communications, the south-east London direct mail firm, is aiming to link its digital and litho pre-press after overhauling its ageing Delta workflow. The pounds 14m-turnover firm has installed Heidelberg's Prinect PrintReady 3.0...

Kall Kwik updates with Quark 7.(QuarkXPress 7)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Kall Kwik has upgraded to QuarkXPress 7 across its nationwide network, in a bid to crack the corporate design-and-print services market. National creative director Richard Baker said: 'In order to continue to succeed and grow the business,...

In brief: Global Graphics Software relocates to larger premises.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Global Graphics Software has relocated to larger premises near Cambridge, as it looks to take on new business opportunities. Director of administration Neil Wylie said: 'In addition to supporting our current graphic arts and commercial print...

In brief: Imprint Business Systems updates eXpert system.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Imprint Business Systems, in Chelmsford, Essex, has updated its eXpert estimating system with the addition of a simple software tool. The MIS developer claimed that this amendment will enable anyone to produce a comprehensive estimate...

In brief: Gradual Software releases update.(Switch 06 product updation)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Gradual Software has released a fifth update for its Switch 06 product line. Gradual's Switch range, which includes LightSwitch, FullSwitch and PowerSwitch, aims to allow publishers to increase the level of automation in their production...

In brief: AIT announces pre-Christmas driver launch.(Applied Image Technology)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Third-party RIP developer Applied Image Technology (AIT) has announced a pre-Christmas driver launch. AIT claims that the new drivers, which have been developed for its Shiraz V 6.4 RIP software, cover every large-format solvent and aqueous...

In brief: Printwright intalls Screen PlateRite 8800II.(purchasing a machinery)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Printwright, the specialist book and catalogue printer, in Ipswich, Surrey, has boosted its plate production with the installation of a Screen PlateRite 8800II. The family-owned company, which employs 36 staff and has a turnover of pounds 2.5m,...

FSP trials home packs across UK.(First Sellers Pack )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... First Sellers Pack (FSP) has started to roll out home information packs (HIP) on a trial basis across the country. The company, based in Fareham, Hampshire, placed the world's biggest order for Kodak NexPress digital presses this summer...

GBM enters ultra-wide market with first Luscher JetPrint 3530.(GBM Group PLC's Luscher JetPrint 3530 )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Manchester-based GBM Group has become the first UK firm to run the Luscher JetPrint 3530 UV flatbed digital printer. The kit prints signs, backdrops and exhibition panels up to 3.5m wide, over 3m deep and on to rigid and-non rigid material...

MediaCo installs third three-metre Vutek.(digital press installation)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Manchester-based MediaCo is aiming to cement its position in the super-wide sector after buying its third three-metre wide Vutek 3360. The 50-staff super-large format specialist, which is behind some of the UK's largest advertising...

Pro-Active ups Norpak line as it plans growth.(Pro-Active Business Information )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Mailing house Pro-Active Business Information has booted up its second new Norpak polyprocessing line, as part of an expansion worth around pounds 500,000. The firm, based in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, bought the Norpak 10000 series kit as...

TDP introduces VAT-free post.(Target Direct Prints)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... DM house Target Direct Print has launched a postal service that, it said, would save marketers money on VAT through efficient handling. Customers can choose delivery dates two days after collection using Fastrack - saving up to 5% on most...

A Bobst or two.(Bobst Group)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Bobst Group has notched up one of its biggest ever deals - a pounds 6m order from a monster joint-venture company based in the United Arab Emirates. Three primary and four secondary Atlas slitter rewinders were bought by JBF-RAK LLC, along with...

In brief: Summerhall buys new Polar guillotine.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Summerhall has bought a new Polar 137XT guillotine. The Edinburgh print, fulfilment and distribution firm replaces two older guillotines next month, said managing director George Pryde (pictured), who saw the kit at Drupa. Materials handling...

In brief: AdPhos-Eltosch launches new drying system.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... AdPhos-Eltosch has launched a new drying system, which, it claimed, would help commercial printers and direct mail houses increase production speeds and cut operating costs. The German-based drying-kit maker said RadAir, which is for...

In brief: Principal Colour installs Perfecta guillotine.(machinery installation)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Principal Colour has said it aims to reduce bottlenecks and speed up bindery throughput after installing a Perfecta 115 TVC guillotine with paper management technology. The Kent-based B1 printer used to produce 2m postcards a month with an...

In brief: Appointment at Mail Handling International.
December 7, 2006... Mail Handling International has recruited Neil Anslow to streamline operations. Anslow joined from Constellation Europe and works with group operations director Gary Barnett. Chief executive Paul Brown said: 'Neil will strengthen operations, as...

In brief: Duplo soups up colour finisher.(Duplo International Ltd.)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Duplo International has souped up its DC-645 colour finisher by launching a PFM-01 perforation module that lets users produce a wider range of work. The module runs perforation at the same time as other finishing operations. The DC-645 for...

In brief: GMA changes its name.(Muller Martini Mailroom Systems)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... GMA, the US-based post-press newspaper specialist, has changed its name to Muller Martini Mailroom Systems to tee up more closely with its Swiss-based parent firm. 'It makes sense to adopt their name, integrity and values,' said Gary Hughes,...

Robert Horne commits to carbon reduction.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Robert Horne is aiming to reduce its carbon footprint by a quarter after rolling out The Delivery Co, an operation that aims to reduce the cost and environmental impact of its deliveries. The Delivery Co, which has been launched with...

Antalis to move finance arm to HQ.(headquarters)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Antalis is to relocate its Basingstoke-based finance department to its headquarters in Leicestershire by September 2007. IT and sales teams will remain at the merchant's Basingstoke office, which will be used to provide more room for sales...

News groups switch from 45gsm.(lighter newsprint grades )(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Newspaper publishers are making a major switch to lighter newsprint grades in an effort to save costs. Johnston Press, Trinity Mirror, Newsquest and other newspaper groups are understood to have dropped using the standard 45gsm newsprint...

In brief: Freelife Vellum used for annual report.(Fedrigoni UK)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Fedrigoni UK's Freelife Vellum has been used for Regeneration East Midlands' first annual report, for 2005/6. Regeneration East Midlands was established two years ago and influences regeneration in rural and urban environments. Freelife Vellum...

In brief: Sappi unveils range of promotions.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Sappi has unveiled a range of promotions and changes to its South African management team. Sappi forest products finance director Jan Labuschagne has been appointed as the division's new chief executive following the retirement of Andre...

In brief: UPM will present upgraded range of office papers.
December 7, 2006... UPM will present an upgraded and expanded range of office papers, including office paper brand Yes, at Paperworld in Frankfurt on 24-28 January 2007. The company has also revealed plans to spend pounds 25m (EUR38m) to modernise mechanical pulp...

In brief: Charity Ball raises pounds 2,700.(Solihull Children's Special Needs Association)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... The Birmingham Paper Trade Social Society's annual Charity Ball in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, has raised pounds 2,700 for the Solihull Children's Special Needs Association. The dinner was held on 27 October and was attended by national and...

In brief: Exotic Paper plans expansion of dung-based business.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Exotic Paper in Somerset, the company behind Ellie Poo paper, is planning expansion of its dung-based business after buying a 'poo planter' manufacturer. Thuthuka in Northampton sells elephant, rhino and safari poo planters at pounds 4.95 each,...

In brief: James McNaughton Group goes heavyweight.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... The James McNaughton Group has gone heavyweight after adding a hefty 400gsm weight to its Graphic Art and Silk ranges. Graphic Art and Graphic Silk are high-white, high-quality gloss and silk paper and boards. James McNaughton marketing...

Contract update.
December 7, 2006... Telegraph Media Group has published its first biannual Food and Drink magazine, which was included with The Daily Telegraph newspaper on Saturday 25 November. Docklands-based printer West Ferry, which is jointly owned by The Telegraph...

Client Audit: Boden.(company profile)(Company overview)
December 7, 2006... Boden is one of the fastest growing mail-order companies in the UK and was launched in 1991. Fifteen years later, the company has more than 500 staff and boasts a turnover in excess of pounds 100m. Claire Gibbon, head of design and...

Editorial: Start getting personal or you'll be left behind.(forecast of digital printing )(Editorial)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Print's doom-and-gloomers, beware - there are firms in the print industry that are doing very well. Many of them have one thing in common: they've put their faith in personalised print. Take a look at Real Digital, the Croydon direct mail...

Comment: Fabric weaving to Monotype print.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Recently I visited the Magnificent Music Machines Museum at St Keyne in the Looe Valley of Cornwall. It was a nostalgic experience. On display were theatre organs and various music machines designed originally for entertainment in cafes,...

Comment: Technically Speaking - Far-reaching distribution and in-depth market knowledge keep Esko on top.(Company overview)
December 7, 2006... In these days of doom and gloom for the printing industry, it is not often one comes across a company for which everything is going right, and every element in its strategy is performing well. One firm where this is happening is Esko, which...

Analysis: Profile - Real digital - Direct mail start-up proves how being personal pays off with pounds 18m sales aim.(Real Digital International)(Company overview)
December 7, 2006... Splashing out on personalisation kit is how Real Digital intends to surpass its DM rivals, writes Philip Chadwick. The room where the server is kept at Real Digital International in Croydon is built like Fort Knox. According to the...

News Analysis: Counterfeiting - Sophisticated fakes, a worldwide battle.
December 7, 2006... From east London to North Korea, counterfeiting threatens world economies, says Josh Brooks. If last week's news that a gang of east London banknote forgers had been sent to prison for a total of 41 years proved anything, it was this:...

League Table: Direct mail - Mailings get more personal.
December 7, 2006... Marketers are adding another string to their bows with targeted campaigns. Noli Dinkovski finds out how to make sure your direct mail hits the bullseye every time. 'Separating the wheat from the chaff' is no doubt an expression that comes...

Product Portfolio: Product of the week - Renz Autopunch 360.(Product/service evaluation)
December 7, 2006... Considered to be the solution to tricky stocks and sticky stacks, its secret is a belt-drive system that knocks books into place, says Karen Charlesworth. Punching can be either a sticky process or a slippery one - and very occasionally it...

Product Portfolio: Me & My ... Muller Martini AvantiPlus.(dialogue with Stu Wilkes )(Interview)
December 7, 2006... With the new log stacker in full swing, its operator Stu Wilkes says orders at Telford-based Precision Colour Printing are sure to stack up just as fast. What is it? It's a log stacker that comes with a touchscreen control and is JDF...

Product Portfolio: Tried & Tested - 46 Karat.(Product/service evaluation)
December 7, 2006... Presstek has remained loyal to a technology thought by some to be fading. Investing in secondhand DI kit may help prove its worth, says Lisa Berwin. Presstek has always been a staunch supporter of DI over the years, and it backed up its...

Product Portfolio: Buyers' Guide - Digital presses II.(Buyers guide)
December 7, 2006... Monochrome presses are getting quicker and their image quality better. Lisa Berwin considers the variety of stocks and security features on offer. It has been a busy year for monochrome digital, with a raft of new, speedier presses...

Product Portfolio: Philip's Help Line - Novelty loo roll & supplier change.
December 7, 2006... Philip Chadwick tracks down the solutions to your technical troubles. Q: We have an American client that is looking for an alternative to its current print supplier. At minimum, it would be looking for a partner that is able to provide a...

Product Portfolio: Diary.(Calendar)
December 7, 2006... DECEMBER Carols for Printers Date: 12 December Venue: St Brides Church, London Contact: heena.bulsara@bpif.org.uk Advanced sales management skills Date: 14 December Venue: BPIF business centre, Birmingham Contact:...

Product Portfolio: Technical Tutorial - Perfect binding.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Perfect binding is an ideal solution for books with more than 64pp, when saddlestitching begins to look ugly, or when trying to give a product an upmarket look. It has clear advantages in that it can have print on its spine to identify a...

EU Tenders.
December 7, 2006... Please read the important notes below as PrintWeek cannot supply any additional information or pass on your details. These tenders are abridged. It is essential that you obtain a full copy of the tender before contacting any of the...

Post Script: OTM staff go bananas at fruity 5km fun run.(fund raiser for World Cancer Research Fund)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... When we heard that staff at digital print and fulfilment firm OTM had been involved in a fun run called Beat the Banana, we couldn't help but sit up and take notice. The run was for the World Cancer Research Fund and was part of Fruity...

Post Script: Memory Lane.(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... 1 YEAR AGO: Howitt announced the end of production at its Bardon facility after negotiations to secure a lease on the site broke down... Printing.com chief executive Tony Rafferty landed a pounds 1.78m pre-Christmas bonus... The Print Factory...

Post Script: Print's Past - Edward Johnston.(lettering arts)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... It was 100 years ago when Edward Johnston published his Writing & Illuminating & Lettering, which is the seminal manual for anyone studying the lettering arts. But Johnston is best known for his London Transport typeface. The earliest...

Post Script: Q&A - Mary Buck.(M Partners)(Interview)(Brief article)
December 7, 2006... Mary Buck is GUK customer service manager at M Partners. Aged 35, she's been married to Stuart for 13 years and has two children, Lily, nine, and Charlie, five. She is a proud season ticket holder at Norwich City FC and when she's not singing...

Banks take control of Polestar in pounds 557m debt-for-equity deal.
December 14, 2006... Polestar Group's financial stability has been secured in an pounds 814m refinancing deal that has prompted speculation about the firm's future. The deal, which is reported to have cost the company's debt and equity investors almost pounds...

M-real's Kent mill to close.(M-real Corp.)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... M-real has confirmed that production at its Sittingbourne mill will cease by 31 January 2007, resulting in the loss of 350 jobs. Following the consultation process undertaken with Amicus and staff since 23 October a redundancy payment and...

Stop Press.(brief)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... Book publisher Bloomsbury has issued a shock profits warning due to lower than expected Christmas sales. In a statement, it said that full-year pre-tax profits could be as low as pounds 5m... Packaging manufacturer DS Smith has posted...

AGI plans Birmingham closure by next spring.(AGI Media Europe)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... AGI Media Europe has revealed plans to close its Birmingham media packaging plant under proposals to move the group's manufacturing closer to clients in continental Europe. The plant, which employs around 130 people, is due to enter a...

UK book industry getting greener.
December 14, 2006... Greenpeace has said the book industry is making 'great strides' in making books greener and has highlighted titles that are printed on environmentally friendly paper. Three years after the start of the Greenpeace Book Campaign, it said 40%...

Southernprint wins back car title.(acquisition)(Brief article)
December 14, 2006... Web-offset printer Southernprint is to resume printing Exchange & Mart (E&M) after a seven-year gap, and has also snapped up Viz magazine. Both magazines will be printed at Southernprint's Upton plant in Poole, Dorset, from January. ...

Palladian Press in Essex wins award.
December 14, 2006... Palladian Press in Essex has won the Growing Business of the Year award at the Colchester Business Awards. Managing director Paul Douglas said: 'Palladian is all about customer service and we believe that has been the single most important...