Print Week articles from January 2005

Print Week archives from January 2005

Ink manufacturers continue price hikes.(printing news)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Printers could soon be feeling the pinch following announcements by ink manufacturers of price increases for the New Year. Sun Chemical has revealed that the prices of sheetfed inks and coatings have risen by 4-8% across Europe as of 1...

TripleArc acquires HFS in pounds 8.6m deal.(printing news)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... TripleArc has expanded into data management and direct mail fulfilment with the acquisition of Stream Direct Communications and its subsidiary StreamGWC. The AIM-listed print management group completed the buyout of Stream's parent HFS...

API to sell wing as it switches strategy focus.(converted products division )(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Packaging group API is to sell its converted products division as it shifts its strategy towards the foil and laminate sectors. The company will sell the division for over pounds 12m, with approval of the sale subject to an extraordinary...

Map reveals cost of McNaughton deal.(Map Merchants, James McNaughton Paper Group Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Map Merchants is making 55 redundancies as part of its merger of Modo Merchants with James McNaughton resulting in a one-off cost of pounds 4.2m (EUR6m). The firm gave no indication of where the redundancies would be, but James McNaughton...

Stop Press: SR Communications produces mailings for appeal.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... SR Communications has produced 200,000 mailings for the Red Cross and Red Crescent's appeal for the Asian Tsunami disaster. The east London firm worked over the Christmas break to print, enclose and mail packs.

Stop Press: Bath Press prints Tesco guide for Sunday Times.(healthy eating book)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Bath Press has printed an 80pp sample of Tesco's healthy eating book The Gi Guide for The Sunday Times. The supplement will run in this weekend's paper, 9 January. The book is available in Tesco stores this month and is published by Virgin...

Stop Press: Former national sales manager buys Prontaprint centres.(Colin Greaves)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Former Prontaprint national sales manager Colin Greaves has bought Prontaprint's centres in Northampton and Milton Keynes after initially helping both sites during administration. Its clients include Barclaycard and Asda.

Stop Press: Danaher's bid to buy Linx declared unconditional.(Linx Printing Technologies PLC)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Danaher Corporation's pounds 89m bid to buy Linx Printing Technologies was declared unconditional as of 3pm on 3 January.

Director Powell to leave Close Print.(Mary Powell, Close Print Finance)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Close Print Finance has been rocked by a second high-profile departure with the news that director Mary Powell has resigned after 12 years with the company. Powell handed in her notice just before Christmas and there was immediately...

Quebecor wins Metro weekly.(Quebecor World Inc., Metro Plus)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Quebecor World has won a New Year fillip with the launch of London recruitment weekly Metro Plus. The free magazine, a supplement to Associated Newspapers' successful morning freesheet Metro, will launch on Monday with a print run of...

Battle to save Parkside jobs.(Parkside Flexibles)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Administrators for Parkside Flexibles are 'hopeful' of saving the 200 jobs at the Normanton plant. The flexible packaging firm and its non-trading parent, Parkside International, went into administration with PricewaterhouseCoopers in...

Shorts: David Murphy of Howard Smith Paper Company had died.(Obituary)(Brief Article)(Obituary)
January 6, 2005... David Murphy, financial director of Howard Smith Paper Company has died after a short illness aged 55. Malcolm Lane, chief executive of HSPG said: 'We will miss David in the business and personally.'

Shorts: BAPC increases its membership.(British Association for Print & Communication)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... British Association for Print & Communication (BAPC) has increased its membership for the eighth year running. The industry body said use of its services had never been higher, with members taking advantage of the free legal advisory service,...

Shorts: Tapflo launches new drum mixer.(Pneumix)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Tapflo is launching a new drum mixer. The system, called Pneumix, is designed for industries that handle paint, ink, solvents, alcohols or chemicals from drums and containers. For further information go to www.tapflopumps.co.uk.

Shorts: RK supplies Toyochem with third FlexiProof 100.(RK Print Coat Instruments,)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... UK sample preparation and coating system specialist RK Print Coat Instruments has supplied Toyochem with a third FlexiProof 100, its flexo simulation proofing system. Tom Kerchiss, RK's managing director says: 'Singapore has a thriving...

Shorts: Kall Kwik invests in equipment from Apex Digital.(Apex Digital Graphics)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Kall Kwik, Glasgow has invested in equipment from Apex Digital Graphics. The investment in Esko-Graphics DPX computer-to-plate equipment and a two-colour Ryobi 522HE press means that Kall Kwik can respond faster to customer demands and cut its...

Shorts: Compacked appoints sales director.(Andy Ward )(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Cambridgeshire-based Compacked has appointed Andy Ward as sales director. He previously worked for specialist packaging manufacturer Burall PlasTec.

Shorts: Black Cat Graphics awarded Investors in People.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Bristol-based digital design bureau Black Cat Graphics has been awarded Investors in People. Paul Goff, managing director said: 'We have invested pounds 100,000 in new technology this year alone - you have to match that investment with...

Shorts: Breckland Print wins silver award.(National Green Apple Environment Awards)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Attleborough-based Breckland Print won the silver award at the National Green Apple Environment Awards for its successful implementation of a carbon management strategy. Sales director Julie Armstrong (right) received the award from Carole...

Shorts: Jefferson Smurfit to sell its speciality paper business.( Munksjo Specialty )(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Jefferson Smurfit Group is to sell its Munksjo Specialty paper business to the EQT III Fund for approximately pounds 320m (EUR450). The Munksjo assets being sold comprise pulp, decor paper, and specialty paper businesses. The assets have...

Shorts: Printing largely absent from New Year's Honours List.
January 6, 2005... Printing was largely absent from the 2005 New Year's Honours List, with two editors the only industry-related awardees. Newark Advertiser's editor-in-chief and managing director Roger Parlby received an MBE for services to the newspaper...

John Dollin first to get hands on Heidelberg XL 105.(John Dollin Printing Services, Speedmaster)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... John Dollin Printing Services is set to become the first UK firm to take delivery of Heidelberg's next generation B1 press, the 18,000 sheets per hour Speedmaster XL 105. The Hampshire-based company will receive the XL 105-4LX four-colour...

Five-year plan to archive local news complete.(newspapers)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... A five-year, pounds 7.3m project to scan all local British newspapers produced between 1700 and 1950 onto almost indestructible microfilm has been completed. Newsplan 2000, supported by a pounds 5m Lottery donation, has scanned more than...

Polestar to handle IPC women's mag.(IPC Media Ltd.)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Polestar has expanded its contract with IPC Media with a 3.5m run for new women's weekly launch Pick Me Up, in what will be the UK's biggest-ever magazine sampling campaign. The huge initial run of the 60pp magazine, printed at Varnicoat,...

MPG buys Agfa kit to eliminate repro log jams.(MPG Books, Agfa pre-press kit.)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... MPG Books has bought a host of Agfa pre-press kit in a pounds 600,000 investment at its site in Bodmin, Cornwall. The firm's pre-press revamp includes two Xcalibur 45 platesetters and two Sherpamatic 43 and a 24 ink-jet proofers, all...

Leach Colour invests in new site in Huddersfield.(printing industry)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Leach Colour has invested pounds 2m in a new 3,000m2 site in Huddersfield as part of plans to expand in the large-format sector. 'We are currently in a building that is unsuitable for developing the business and we need extra space for...

EC looks into gravure merger.(European Commission)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... The European Commission has launched a full investigation into the proposed gravure mega merger by Bertelsmann, Gruner + Jahr and Axel Springer. Initial investigation by the Commission found that the proposed transaction might...

Appointments herald expansion at Tag Worldwide.(David Russell)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Tag Worldwide plans to expand further following the appointment of Electronic Solutions managing director David Russell. Russell joined the repro house this week as commercial director of the software division, working alongside group...

WLT, Crusader form Yorkshire package tie-up.(Advanced Dynamics)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Two Yorkshire-based packaging firms have merged in a bid to create a 'comprehensive' supplier. WLT and Crusader Europe will now be known as Advanced Dynamics and will operate from Bradford. The two companies had worked together for the...

Singh joins Howitt as strategy chief.(Gurdev Singh)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Howitt has boosted its senior team with the appointment of Gurdev Singh as strategic development director. Singh will join the main board of the Sutton-in-Ashfield direct response specialist in March. He is currently on gardening leave...

TJ International installs Solprint for move to JDF.(Job Definition Format, Solprint MIS )(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... TJ International has completed its pressroom move to JDF with the installation of i-teba's Solprint MIS on all four Heidelberg Speedmaster presses. The Padstow-based firm, PrintWeek's 2004 Printing Company of the Year, is now running its...

Inca reports surge in profits.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Inca Digital Printers has more than trebled its profits in 2003/4, and increased turnover by almost pounds 3m. The ink-jet flatbed specialist posted a turnover for the financial year of pounds 14.2m, compared to pounds 11.3m the previous...

Kolbus finally pulls the plug on legend.(printing news)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Kolbus has finally pulled the plug on a 37-year-old legend. The Kolbus DA 36 family of casemakers has gone out of production with the 208th and final DAS coming out of the factory. The original double-headed casemaker, the DA 36, was...

Bezier prints PoS material for Boots.(Point of Sale )(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Bezier has produced a raft of in-store Point of Sale (PoS) material for retail giant Boots. The company won the Boots contract in September last year and has created PoS for all 1,400 of its UK stores. All of bezier's divisions were...

Clowes plans pounds 2.5m kit refit.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Suffolk book printer Clowes is planning to invest up to pounds 2.5m in finishing and pressroom kit in 2005, according to managing director Ian Foyster. The Beccles firm, which completed its move to a new factory in August last year, plans...

MetalFX's DAD hits right note.(design agency drive, MFX Design Kits)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Printers involved in MetalFX's design agency drive (DAD) scheme have been pleased with the response they've received. Launched in November with an insert in Design Week that listed participating printers it was followed up with printers...

Legal Notices.(Public Notice)
January 6, 2005... 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 ORDERS Decorum Print Solutions Ltd...

Big Display is first to pick up Oce's Arizona 600.(printers)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Big Display has become the first UK company to invest in an Oce Arizona 600 wide-format printer. The Newcastle-based company is using the kit to produce banners, site boards and interior canvases. According to Big Display managing director...

Print Yorkshire schedules two eco seminars.(printing industry, environmental management.)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Print Yorkshire is to promote the business case for better environmental management at two free seminars this month. The organisation, a partnership between the BPIF and regional development agency Yorkshire Forward, is also offering pounds...

EFI's Spiers plans MIS offensive in UK.(Management information systems)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... EFI's new European MIS chief Bob Spiers is keen to get himself and the firm out in front of UK printers. Formerly managing director of rival MIS firm Optichrome, Spiers joined the firm as European sales director for commercial print systems...

Spot on wraps up B2 finishing revamp.(printing presses)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... High Wycombe printer Spot On has completed a pounds 250,000 overhaul of its finishing department to bring B2 post-press in-house. The commercial printer has installed an Autobond Compact 74T laminator, a Muller Martini Presto stitching...

Optimus posts sales surge for Financials tool.(Optimus Financials software)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Optimus has reported an upturn in sales of its accounting software during the last six weeks of 2004. The Woking-based MIS supplier took 12 orders for the Optimus Financials software, a part of version 18 of the Optimus 2020 MIS suite...

Comment: Flying start hints at busy year for UK print.(united kingdom)(Editorial)
January 6, 2005... Well we said 2005 would be an interesting year for print and as I write, on the first working day of the New Year, things have already got off to a fascinating start. While it's not wholly surprising that Mark Scanlon has sold HFS Projects...

Opinion: Investment essential despite tough times.(Printing industry)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Much has been made recently of the investment the industry has made in new equipment. Indeed, the pounds 1bn spend on capital equipment, highlighted in PrintWeek, 25 November 2004, indicates that the top companies are still investing to ensure...

The Ross Outlook: Chancellor errs on the side of optimism re growth prospects.( Pre-Budget Report )
January 6, 2005... Tax rises and spending cuts are looking more likely for 2005 as growth falls short of estimates. The Pre-Budget Report is the Chancellor's second most important economic set piece of the year after the Budget Statement. In early December,...

Wallis: 550 print years since the great Gutenberg Bible.(printint industry)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... For the eighth time running I have reached the column that contemplates printing anniversaries falling due for the year in prospect, though fewer events than usual will call for celebration in 2005. 50 years ago, in 1955, two notable...

New Year's resolutions.(printing industry)
January 6, 2005... Our kingpins of print are looking forward to an industrious 2005 softened somewhat by lengthy vacations and relaxing pursuits. PAUL BATES - Esko-Graphics Business: I plan to strengthen our reputation in the packaging arena and bring...

Product Portfolio: Product of the Week - Zund UVjet 250 Combi.(B&P Lightbrigade Group Limited)
January 6, 2005... Zund's 250 with cutter raises the bar for high res packaging and PoS work. Simon Eccles takes a closer look. Flatbed printers are the hottest topic in wide-format digital printing. They are finally allowing ink-jets to deliver on their...

Product Portfolio: Me & My Machine - Xerox iWay.(Xerox UK)
January 6, 2005... iWay's web-based workflow has helped Kirklees keep in touch with staff while cutting costs, discovers Simon Creasey. Cost and time savings were at the forefront of Oliver Renshaw's mind when he began the search for a workflow package with...

Product Portfolio: Buyers' Guide - Guillotines & materials handling equipment.(industry news)(Buyers Guide)
January 6, 2005... Fully automated guillotines have taken the market by storm, boosting ease of use and productivity along the way, discovers Anna Whitehouse. With the growth in digital and print-on-demand, paper that is cut to size is more widespread than...

Jo's Help Line: Jo Francis tracks down the solutions to your technical troubles.(publishing)
January 6, 2005... MOUSE MATTING I need to source 350,000 mousemats for Com-puterActive magazine. Do you know of any good suppliers? Joanne Hurst VNU Business Publications London Try Mikki's Mouse Mats 0800 731 0301 www.mikkis.com; In House...

Insite: www.benwellsebard.co.uk.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Benwell Sebard smacks of old school tradition. Its elegant homepage provides everything the landed gentry through to us common folk could wish for. From good quality embossing and foil blocking to printing, Benwell can wipe the corporate...

Diary Dates.(printing industry)(Brief Article)(Illustration)
January 6, 2005... Paperworld 26-30 January 2005 Frankfurter Messegelande Frankfurt Germany Contact www.paperworld. messefrankfurt.com The International Direct Marketing Fair 22-24 February 2005 Earl's Court London Contact www.idmf.co.uk or...

Product Portfolio: Tried & Tested - Ryobi 520.
January 6, 2005... The 520's various upgrades and speed improvements have kept it on the hit list for 16 years. Launched at Ipex 1988, the 520 was Ryobi's attempt to challenge the dominance of Heidelberg in the B3 commercial colour market. And with more than...

Print's Past: Watford as a printing centre.(Hertfordshire)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Watford is the largest town in Hertfordshire, and from the mid-15th century when the county produced its first printed book, to the late 20th century when Robert Maxwell's newspaper empire came to the region, printing has been Hertfordshire's...

Post Script: A snappy little stocking filler.(Indigo Omnius)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Post Script hopes that you got everything you wanted for Christmas, although it was probably more likely that you got the usual assortment of underwear and useless gadgets. But on Christmas Day someone got something rather special - all for...

Post Script: Daft titles that made us titter.(job titles)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... What's in a job title? Well, quite a lot if you like to impress people at parties by telling them you're a director, editor or even taxidermist. It's a good way of breaking the ice. But there may be a few raised eyebrows if you say that...

Post Script: Who prints that then? - The Printer's Devil.(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... 'He was the ugliest, most evil-looking man I had ever seen. He glared at me from the poster, his outline glistening as the ink dried, making him seem more alive and threatening. I held him out at arm's length to stop him creasing.' So...

Post Script: Memory Lane.(printing news)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... 1 year ago Agfa made a surprise re-entry into the digital market after buying ink-jet press developer Dotrix... Wyndeham streamlined its management at Heron and Impact to 'more closely align' the two companies... BemroseBooth was snapped...

Post Script: PPS.(Post Post Script)(Brief Article)
January 6, 2005... Gary Whelan of Oce, had a misspent youth by the sounds of it - playing video games like Pong since the early '70s. But now his addiction has paid off. Whelan is currently the Galaxian world champion. He scored a total of 390,290 points, which...

Post Script: Profile - Christian Mould.(printing news)(Interview)
January 6, 2005... Christian Mould is managing director, finance director, chief engineer and Friday afternoon fork lift truck driver at Leyprint. Is there a job he doesn't do? He's spent the last 35 years in the family business and is married with three grown up...

Openshaw moves into receivership.
January 13, 2005... Ultrachem has swooped in to buy Bousfield following parent Openshaw Group's move into administrative receivership. Ultrachem picked up the pressroom chemical business on Tuesday afternoon. A spokesman said: 'Ultrachem has purchased the...

Walker sets up as consultant.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Following the planned sale of Poligrafia, Alex Walker, who was appointed to turn the business around, has left the Polish print firm and set up a consultancy. 'The business is now very profitable and moving forward... so now it's time for...

Crozier strikes deal to buy BAS.(BAS Printers)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... BAS Printers has been bought out of administration after a deal was concluded with administrator Middleton Partners. The Wiltshire-based fine art printer was put into administration on 23 December with eight jobs being lost after a...

Multigraphics brings big names on board.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Large-format specialist Multigraphics has made two high-profile appointments and is in the throes of a pounds 1m move to its new factory in Bradford. The firm began the move over the Christmas period, and the 4,500m2 factory will be up and...

Stop Press: Appointment at Roto Smeets.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Alex Scott has been promoted to managing director of the UK sales arm of Dutch printer Roto Smeets, replacing Dave Ewington who is to retire.

Stop Press: New Crane sold.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... TV chef Delia Smith and her husband have sold New Crane, the publisher of Sainsbury's magazine, to Seven Publishing for pounds 14m. The deal was backed by Guardian Media Group, which owns 35% of Seven, and Caledonia Investments.

Stop Press: Janus Technologies seals a deal.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Janus Technologies in Manchester has sealed an exclusive UK and Ireland deal to sell Idab Wamac mailroom kit. Idab will continue to provide spares and technical support.

Stop Press: Domino Printing acquires remaining firm Sator Laser.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Domino Printing has acquired the remaining 49% of German laser marking firm Sator Laser for pounds 8.5m (EUR12.1m) through its German subsidiary Domino Holdings Deutschland.

Stop Press: Kodak NexPress reports increase.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Kodak NexPress has reported an 81% year-on-year increase in pages on its 2100 digital press during 2004. Free daily email news direct to your desktop, register at www.printweek.com.

Amicus, BPIF fight cowboy agencies.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Amicus and the BPIF are in discussions to stamp out illegal 'gangmaster' employment in the print industry. A report in The Guardian newspaper has highlighted a culture of using migrant casual workers that seems to be spinning out of...

Splash opens branch in North.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... New media pre-press company Splash of London is to launch a Newcastle branch of its business. The firm, a sister company of DocuMedia, is to move into the north of England market to offer prices better suited to customers in the region....

Carlisle printers hit by floods.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Printers in Carlisle are assessing the damage caused by last weekend's floods, the worst to hit the city since the 1820s. The factories of least two city centre commercial printers, Border Offset and BK Screen Print, were flooded, while...

Shorts: Appointment at MAN Roland GB.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... MAN Roland GB has promoted David Dale to the position of national sales manager for sheetfed presses. Dale will have national responsibility for development and sales performance targets. 'I am passionate to get across to prospective customers...

Shorts: British Short Run Label Association offers free membership.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... British Short Run Label Association is offering free membership to UK companies with an interest in short-run label printing. Members are able to participate in debates on topical issues, offer mutually beneficial technical and commercial...

Shorts: More Training names Student of the Year.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Staffordshire-based More Training has named Dane Bates Student of the Year. The award, sponsored by HG Kippax & Sons, is made for outstanding prowess in the practical study of screen printing. Bates is currently 18 months into an NVQ Level 3...

Shorts: Daru Graphic moves to new premises.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Harmondsworth-based Daru Graphic is moving to new premises in Staines. The firm will move from its current premises and take delivery of a Printmaster PM52-5 five-colour press. Managing director David Lewis said: 'This will be our third new...

Shorts: Keith Craney of PrintMongers to retire.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Keith Craney of PrintMongers will retire on Friday 14 January. Craney, who established PrintMongers in 1989, will continue with his current ongoing assignments until they are completed. He will now devote more of his time to his hobbies of...

Shorts: David Horner Associates invest in a Serifast.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Essex-based David Horner Associates has invested in a Serifast single-colour screen print machine from Siasprint UK. The recent purchase of the reconditioned Serifast opens up the business to companies who required larger format printing....

Shorts: Pira International holds a two-day conference.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Pira International will be holding a two-day conference on 8-9 March. The conference, to be held at the Hilton Edinburgh Grosvenor Hotel, will cover the effectiveness of point of sales displays. For further information, contact Jenny Fehrenbach...

Shorts: Colourgen announces availability of FloorWindow Next Generation.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Colourgen has announced the immediate availability of the new FloorWindo Next Generation. The Windo poster displays can advertise messages on unused floor and counter surfaces. Marketing manager Melanie Enser said: 'The FloorWindo products are...

Creo calls on shareholders to back its nominees.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... Creo has moved the battle for control of its board a step further in the run-up to the meeting to decide its fate. Its board has written to shareholders recommending they vote in favour of Creo's director nominees at next month's annual and...

NEBS rebrands as Qubic Print following MBO.(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... NEBS Business Stationery and Standard Forms has been renamed Qubic Print Direct after a management buy-out led by managing director Phil Boulton. The MBO team, who have worked together for six years, completed the deal for the Chester...

Clark takes helm at Polestar plant.(Stephen Clark)(appointments)(Brief Article)
January 13, 2005... You heard it here first - Stephen Clark will be the new boss at Polestar's Sheffield gravure superplant. PrintWeek tipped Clark for the role last November and can now confirm that he has resigned from his post as managing director of...