Print Week articles from July 2003

Print Week archives from July 2003

BPIF pursues best practice solution.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... BPIF chief executive Michael Johnson said finding an alternative to the National Agreement was the federation's 'biggest challenge of all' at its AGM in London this week (1 July). Johnson revealed that the BPIF, with the co-operation of the...

Bath transfers digital to Cats.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Weeks after merging with CPI's short-run division Bookcraft, Bath Press has transferred its customers' digital print work to Swindon-based digital printer Cats Solutions. 'I'm pleased to be in the same category as Bath Press,' said Cats...

Communisis to lose 'dynamo' director Singh.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Long-standing Communisis Chorleys sales director Gurdev Singh has left the company. Singh, described as a 'sales dynamo' had been with the Leeds business for eight years. His future plans are unknown. 'He's probably the best UK sales guy...

Xeikon unveils GB sales wing.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Xeikon International is setting up a new direct sales company in the UK that will also take over MAN Roland GB's DICOpress and DICOpack activities. The new company, Xeikon Great Britain, will be headed by David Mooney who is currently...

STOP PRESS: Joint administrator of Hill & Tyler ..(offers expected)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... The joint administrator of Nottingham's Hill & Tyler, HKM's John Harlow, is expecting to receive offers for the firm by the end of this week.

STOP PRESS: Buckingham Colour Group wins award.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Buckingham Colour Group has won the award for technology at the Milton Keynes and North Bucks Chamber of Commerce annual Business Excellence Awards for its e-commerce development.

STOP PRESS: Paragon Labels buys EPL Technologies.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Paragon Labels has bought polypropylene printer, EPL Technologies. The film packaging printer will change its name to Paragon Flexible Packaging.

STOP PRESS: Heidelberg shareholder RWE reaffirms commitment.(to sell interest in Heidelberg)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Major Heidelberg shareholder RWE has reaffirmed its commitment to sell its interest in the German press manufacturer, 'but at the right price'.

STOP PRESS: St Ives Westerham Press achieves accreditation.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Kent-based St Ives Westerham Press has achieved ISO 14001 environmental accreditation.

STOP PRESS: Digital Print World exhibition.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... The organiser of the Digital Print World exhibition, IIR Exhibitions, has announced that Domino, Duplo, EFI, Printcafe and Morgana have recently committed to the show, which takes place from 25-27 November.

50 Ventura jobs go as it ceases trade.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Orpington commercial printer Ventura Complete, which trades as Ventura Works, has ceased to trade with the loss of 50 jobs. Begbies Traynor Southend branch insolvency practitioner Adam Mitchell confirmed he was dealing with the firm, which...

SPEF chooses new president.(Scottish Print Employers' Federation elects Bob Hodgson)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... The Scottish Print Employers' Federation (SPEF) has elected Bob Hodgson, the chairman and chief executive of the Ormolu Group, as its new president. Hodgson, who was formerly SPEF's vice president and chairman of its Industrial Relations...

Scitex Vision to get cash boost.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Scitex is investing a further pounds 3m (dollars 5m) in Scitex Vision to help shore up the firm's cash position and help it move into new markets. The investment is in the form of a rights issue, with Scitex taking a pro rata share. ...

The PrintWeek Awards 2003 deadline for entries is looming.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... If you want to win one of the industry's most coveted prizes at London's Le Meridien Grosvenor House on 20 October we need your entries by 11 July. These are the only industry awards that reward print quality and business performance....

SHORTS: Taylor Bloxham recruits print finishing manager.(Melvyn Ward )(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Leicester-based print company Taylor Bloxham has recruited Melvyn Ward (left) as its new print finishing manager. Ward joins Taylor Bloxham from R Griggs & Co, and will be responsible for the day-to-day organisation within the print finishing...

SHORTS: Cheverton & Laidler has been renamed.(Chevler Packaging)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Packaging specialist Cheverton & Laidler has been renamed Chevler Packaging. The Buckinghamshire firm has a new website along with a new logo. Contact: www.chevler.co.uk.

SHORTS: Q Magazine teams up with WAM!NET.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Q Magazine teamed up with WAM!NET, pre-press house Graphic Facilities and printers St Ives to produce a daily free newspaper on site at the recent Glastonbury Festival. The 64pp broadsheet Glastonbury Times, now in its fifth year of production,...

SHORTS: Bishops Printers invests in new equipment and premises.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Portsmouth commercial printer Bishops Printers has invested pounds 3m in new equipment and premises. The family-run business moved into a new 3,000 sq m factory earlier in the year and has since taken delivery of a new Autobond Compact 74T...

SHORTS: Domino appoints UK sales manager.(Chris Hayhoe )(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Domino has appointed Chris Hayhoe as UK sales manager for its commercial printing division. Hayhoe will focus on new business development and working with established customers. He joins Domino from US ink-jet manufacturer Videojet.

SHORTS: Brand Packaging installs new Rotomec 3002 (ES).(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Brand Packaging, the Salford-based flexible packaging printer and convertor has installed a new Rotomec 3002 (ES), a nine unit electronic lineshaft gravure press. The new press is in addition to its three existing gravure presses, and provides...

SHORTS: Cadence Communications invests in Heidelberg Speedmaster.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Cadence Communications has invested in a Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74-6L six-colour press with coating unit and Axis Control. The company's first purchase was financed by Close Asset Finance, and will help it exceed its predicted pounds 1m...

SHORTS: Caledonian Offset completes testing.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Caledonian Offset has completed testing of technotrans' ryco.spray dampening system and placed an order worth close to pounds 100,000. Some 28 ryco.spray bars will be fitted to a Goss Colorliner, which operates 24/7 producing the Scotsman,...

SHORTS: Limited exhibition spaces at show.(Independent Print Industries Association's Print for Business show)(Brief Article)(Calendar)
July 3, 2003... Limited exhibition spaces are still available at the Independent Print Industries Association's Print for Business show, which has now moved to a new larger venue at the Telford International Centre. It takes place from 14-15 October. Contact:...

SHORTS: Daily Mail Blue Riband Award for Excellence in Printing and Publishing.(Paul McNulty wins award)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... This year's Daily Mail Blue Riband Award for Excellence in Printing & Publishing was awarded to Paul McNulty. McNulty was one of 12 top LCP print and publishing students to receive their certificates of merit at the newspapers London HQ on...

Creo to launch new VLF platesetter early next year.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Creo is working on a new VLF platesetter, the Manta. Like Screen's PlateRite Ultima and the Luscher Dual XPose! it will be capable of imaging two 8pp plates simultaneously. Creo's worldwide public relations manager Rochelle van Halm...

Artisan's Clark parts company.(Adrian Clark )(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Artisan business development director Adrian Clark has left the company. He joined the firm at the beginning of last year in what was then a newly created role. Chairman Stuart Sankey referred queries regarding Clark's departure to...

Weaveboost in administration.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... A lack of orders has forced the management of the former Thomas Potts company Premier Metropolis to place it into administrative receivership with Hacker Young. The London-based litho company, called Weaveboost, was formed last year when...

GPMU opens door for merger move.(Graphical Paper and Media Union)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... The GPMU will now move forward with plans to merge with another union, after it staged a successful Biennial Delegate Conference in Bournemouth last week. GPMU general secretary Tony Dubbins said despite a 'few anxious moments The...

Inveresk back in black under new leadership.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Inveresk has announced that it is expecting to report operating profits of pounds 2.3m and pre-tax profits in excess of pounds 1.5m for the first six months of this year, in a massive turnaround for the Scottish papermaker. The improved...

Luscher's Dual XPose! breaks CTP plate speed mark.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Luscher has set a new record for CTP plate output. Its latest machine, the Dual XPose! 160, set a speed record of 44 8pp plates per hour and 20 16pp plates per hour. 'My sales people told me they had lost sales because the machines...

16pp Komori 38SII in at Nestoncolour.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Nestoncolour in the Wirral is about to replace one of its two Heidelberg Web 8s with a 16pp System 38SII from Komori. The new five-unit machine, which replaces a four-unit Heidelberg, arrives at the company this month and is due to be...

Celebration for Burall PlasTec.(winner of Queen's Award for Enterprise)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Burall PlasTec unveiled a raft of new kit as it officially received its Queen's Award for Enterprise from the Vice Lord-Lieutenant of Cambridgeshire last week. The Wisbech company received an Innovation Award for its development work on...

Leeds' Pressision breaks even.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Leeds-based start-up Pressision has won enough business within its first two weeks to break even, thanks to some old classmates and a Komori Lithrone 426. Founder of the five-staff firm James Taylor's first port of call in the search for...

Butler & Tanner in top role reshuffle.(executive appointments and resignations)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... A number of key management changes have taken place at West Country book and commercial print group Butler & Tanner. Peter Maunder is retiring from the position of joint managing director and will take up the role of chairman, leaving...

New Harrison Scott data arm.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Print recruitment specialist Harrison Scott has responded to the industry's need for data management personnel by launching a new division which will be based at its Chester office. Harrison Scott has around 30 staff nationally, one of whom...

Parkside shuts down Stoke op.(Parkside International closes plant)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Flexible packaging specialist Parkside International is closing its Stoke plant, which employs 140 people, as part of restructuring plans made in response to market pressures. The company has three plants in total, with the other two based...

LEGAL NOTICES.(Public Notice)
July 3, 2003... 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 Solo Print Finishers Ltd...

Polestar outwork cut to 13 suppliers.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Polestar has completed a review of its outwork suppliers and is moving on to its equipment suppliers. The group has appointed 13 main suppliers of general finishing services, sheetfed printing and envelopes, enhanced finishing and tooling...

Summit buy to boost turnover.(acquisition of Reigate Press )(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Summit Print in Epsom has bought Reigate Press in a bid to build its client base and to become a pounds 1.5m-turnover company. Reigate, which has sales of pounds 400,000, needed to invest pounds 300,000 in new machinery or look to merge,...

Siewert predicts 10% sales dip.(Reinhart Siewert's forecast for the printing industry)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... KBA president Reinhart Siewert has told the group's AGM that there is 'no sign' of an improvement in the printing industry. In his last annual meeting before he retired, Siewert repeated an earlier prediction that sales would fall 10% this...

SHORTS: Vertis Europe Croydon produces mailing.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Vertis Europe Croydon has produced 5,800 B1 mailings sent out in A2 envelopes to its client database. The mammoth mailer gave recipients the chance to win a two-night break at Rick Stein's Seafood Restaurant with pounds 150 to spend, plus two...

SHORTS: The TALL Group appoints financial controller.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... The TALL Group has appointed Angela Jones as financial controller to work in the accounts department of TALL Security Print in Runcorn. It has also named Lorraine Hennessey as customer services assistant to work on its contracts with Bank of...

SHORTS: Richmond Capital Partners grants exclusive rights.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Richmond Capital Partners, the print mergers and acquisitions adviser, has been granted exclusive rights for the UK and continental Europe to deliver the AdavantagePlus business improvement programme. It is targeted at firms with sales of...

SHORTS: Print Design & Graphics launches promotional food tray lid.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Newcastle-based Print Design & Graphics (PDG) launched a wedge-shaped promotional food tray and lid, designed for the US pizza ready-meal market, at the Chicago Food Show. The tray was sourced by PDG's North American agent, Harry Gardiner, and...

SHORTS: Entries for Consort Royal Graphic Design & Print Awards.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Entries for the 2003 Consort Royal Graphic Design & Print Awards must be received by 9 July. The awards ceremony will be hosted by Howard Smith Paper and Scheufelen in Paris on 9 October. To enter, work must have been specified and printed on...

SHORTS: Warners Midlands installs technotrans ink supply system.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Warners Midlands in Bourne has installed a centralised technotrans ink supply system to feed its five presses. The firm runs four 16pp webs - two Heidelberg M600s, a Komori System 38 and a System 40 - plus a Zirkon Supra 660 8pp miniweb.

SHORTS: Tinsley Robor Labels to introduce new quality systems.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Tinsley Robor Labels is looking to Karen Wiles to introduce new quality systems in the coming months. She has joined the Littlehampton-based firm, part of AGI Media Europe, as quality manager and hopes to develop systems to include internal...

SHORTS: Sun Chemical Gibbons develops new print production sealer.(Brief Article)(Correction Notice)
July 3, 2003... Sun Chemical Gibbon's South Normanton factory has developed a new print production sealer called Finaseal, not FastSeal (p10 shorts, PrintWeek, 19 June). Apologies.

Automated colour correction for pounds 74.(Photoshop plug-in )(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... A Photoshop plug-in providing a one-click method of colour balancing and correcting digital images without time-consuming and expensive manual editing is now available. Pictographics iCorrect is an ICC-compatible plug-in that can be used...

Heidelberg to offer PlateCam.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Heidelberg UK is supplying Troika System's dotmeter PlateCam with every metal platesetter installation. The deal currently just covers the UK, but Troika is also talking to Heidelberg's pre-press headquarters in Kiel after it was...

Fuji rolls out new VBMS range.(Valiano Business Management System)(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Fuji has rolled out a range of new versions and modules for Valiano Business Management System (VBMS), its production tracking and job management software for pre-press and design. Fujifilm ISIG, its Bedford-based software development wing...

SHORTS: Esko-Graphics extends its range of platesetters.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Esko-Graphics will extend its range of violet PlateDriver CTP platesetters with a PlateDriver HS capable of imaging violet polymer at the same speed as violet silver plates. The PlateDriver 4HS can image 46 four-up plates per hour, while the...

SHORTS: RealTimeImage adds Mac OS X support.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... RealTimeImage, the Californian remote proofing software firm has added Mac OS X support and enhanced ICC profile support to its RealTimeProof product. Users can upload ICC profiles for use at the client site to ensure remote hard copy proofs...

SHORTS: Tecno wins main prize at Golden Cylinder Awards.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Pre-press and packaging group, Tecno, has won the main prize at the Gravure Association of America's Golden Cylinder Awards. The award, for supplier innovation and cylinder manufacturing, was given for the firm's Tecnobase product. Gravure...

SHORTS: GATF publishes results of soft proofing survey.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Graphic Arts Technical Foundation (GATF), the US research body, has published the results of its 2003 soft proofing survey. The 56pp report concluded that the technology necessary has come of age for content and contract colour. Contact: 00 1...

SHORTS: Printer Wyke sees massive cut in proofing times.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Hull-based printer Wyke has seen a massive cut in proofing times thanks to the Epson 10600 it purchased from NCS Integrated Solutions. Studio manager, Steve Connor said: 'We were never prepared to trade speed for quality and are more than...

SHORTS: Imacon joins forces with Leica Camera and Kodak.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Imacon has joined forces with Leica Camera and Kodak's Imaging Sensor Solutions division to develop a new digital camera back for Leica's R8 and R9 camera series. Leica approached Imacon after the launch of its Ixpress high-end camera back.

SHORTS: Engage announces it is filing for bankruptcy in the US.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Engage has announced it is filing for bankruptcy in the US. A bid has been made for the company but it is believed this only includes the US side of the operation. The company has offices in London and Diss, Norfolk.

SHORTS: Fujifilm Graphic Systems takes CTP orders.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Fujifilm Graphic Systems has taken CTP orders from Ipswich-based Colour Plan & Design for a B2 violet Luxel Vx6000, Gilmour & Dean from Glasgow for a B1 violet Luxel Vx-9600 and London-based Purbrook & Eyres for a Luxel T-6000 B2 thermal...

SHORTS: Kodak Polychrome Graphics appoints Rob Pipe.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Kodak Polychrome Graphics has appointed Rob Pipe as director of worldwide colour proofing business. Pipe will oversee the firm's colour proofing products, including the Matchprint series.

Xaar looks to Asian markets for sustained growth.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Ink-jet technology development company Xaar has pointed to the importance of emerging markets, like China, for the continued growth of the large-format sector over the coming years. Xaar chief executive Jan Fineman said that Asia was...

Printcafe accused of misinformation.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Two US law firms have filed a class action lawsuit against Printcafe, alleging, among other things, that the company made 'false and misleading statements' in connection with its initial public offering last year. The two law firms, Cauley...

Pims moves its iGen3 press to Basildon plant.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Pims, Europe's first Xerox iGen3 user has relocated the press from its Islington headquarters to its 'digital centre of excellence' in Basildon. Following the completion of the beta testing the press was moved in May along with two of the...

Xerox secures new credit for existing loans.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Xerox has completed a pounds 2.1bn (dollars 3.6bn) recapitalisation programme to strengthen its balance sheet and provide greater financial flexibility (PrintWeek, 19 June). The credit facility consists of a pounds 425m revolving facility...

Minolta colour at Openshaw.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Openshaw is to sell the Minolta CF3102 31ppm digital colour printer. 'We've found the missing piece of the jigsaw,' said Openshaw commercial support manager Geoff Stephens. 'It complements the Oce and Xeikon range.' Stephens...

General Manager of Nipson UK appointed.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... John MacFarlane has been appointed general manager of Nipson UK. MacFarlane will be responsible for the overall management and strategic direction of Nipson in the UK as it continues to grow its business. With some 27 years of experience in the...

Acquisitions & investments pay off for Fedrigoni.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Italian paper manufacturer Fedrigoni has reported a rise in turnover for 2002 in its first full-year figures since the acquisition of Miliano Fabriano. Despite a tough trading climate, turnover for the year rose 64% to pounds 347m...

CPI backs new ACP guidelines for packaging.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) has welcomed the latest packaging recommendations produced by the Advisory Committee on Packaging (ACP). It is particularly pleased that the ACP has proposed that the Environment Agency should...

Stora Enso's PM4 is up and running.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... The world's largest newsprint machine, at Stora Enso's Langerbrugge mill in Belgium, has started production and is expected to reach full capacity in 2005. PM4 has an annual capacity of 400,000 tonnes and uses 100% recovered paper, which...

Managers take over at Welton Bibby & Baron.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Welton Bibby & Baron has been acquired in a pounds 7.8m MBO from British Polythene Industries (BPI). Financed by GE Capital, the deal will secure all 221 jobs at the 13-acre Bath site, which specialises in paper bag manufacture. Welton...

Newsprint left nursing a post-Gulf War hangover.
July 3, 2003... Demand for newsprint has weakened as the expected upturn in advertising failed to materialise, says John Davies. A European newsprint source said that the 'positive' first few months of the year had been followed by slackening of demand in...

Bezier wins Dorset print partnership.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Bezier Corporate Print in Poole is claiming a UK first after winning a public/private partnership printing contract with Dorset County Council. The five-year deal started on Tuesday (1 July). Bezier triumphed from a bidding list of 12...

Sara Lee puts MetalFX on trial.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Hibernia Foods is running tests with MetalFX for a range of Sara Lee premium frozen desserts packaging that will be launched later this year. Subject to successful testing Hibernia's packaging development manager Steve Rooke is '80%...

MacMillan takes charge at HH.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... HH Associates has promoted sales director Robert MacMillan to the role of managing director. Howard Hunt, who founded the company in the early 1990s with his wife Sharon, moves up to become chairman. MacMillan said he planned to build...

EU TENDERS.(Illustration)
July 3, 2003... 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: The importance of keeping standards high.(Editorial)
July 3, 2003... Whether Joe Public really cares about print quality or not is a conversation that I've had with quite a few different printers in recent weeks (I get the impression you're all feeling a bit unloved at the moment). It's rather tempting to...

OPINION: Digital sales strategies must be addressed.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... Low-cost digital colour print is now possible on substrates that weren't an option 10 years ago. But despite this we're still waiting for the predicted shift to this technology. What steps are needed to drive the market forward? On one...

PROFILE: Copyshophub.com planning to link UK's 4,500 copy shops.
July 3, 2003... Copyshophub.com aims to offer a digital print hub for copy shops. Rachel Barnes talks to MD Greg Smith. Working from a central hub is not a new concept, but attempting to network all of the UK's 4,500 copy shops certainly is. This is what...

WALLIS: Finally, there is good news for print education.(Brief Article)
July 3, 2003... It makes a refreshing change to write optimistically about print education, a shift brought about by attendance at the recent annual awards ceremony of the School of Printing at the Plymouth College of Art & Design. Exceptional work, completed...

OPINION: The NEXPO SuperConference heralds exciting things ahead.
July 3, 2003... The Newspaper Association of America has had its NEXPO conference. Andrew Tribute analyses what was said. The Newspaper Association of America NEXPO SuperConference in Las Vegas had some interesting developments in CTP that will apply to...

PRIDE IN PRINT: First of a new quarterly feature series.
July 3, 2003... In the first of a new quarterly feature series, PrintWeek takes a look at the best promotional print work for the film industry, ranging from magazine covers to giant building wraps. 1. Hulk Meal Deal banners Printed by Multigraphics -...

FRONT-END FOCUS: The profit in packaging is increasingly being found in pre-press and digital print, according to Des King.
July 3, 2003... In an industry where engineering skills have traditionally outweighed abilities in colour management, packaging printers might seem unlikely converts to digital technology. But that assumption ignores the effects of a lean economy. If printers...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Product of the Week - Gerber Sector.
July 3, 2003... Gerber has come up with a low-cost, easy-to-use option for spot varnishing. Karen Charlesworth investigates. Why is spot varnishing so expensive? It outweighs almost every other on-press process, including special colours, sealing and...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Me & My Machine - Heidelberg CD74-6LX.
July 3, 2003... Print Leeds didn't expect to find a UV machine to meet all its requirements. But that's what it got, says Andy Scott. When Print Leeds director Rod Fisher originally enquired about the availability of a dedicated UV machine, he wasn't aware...