Print Week articles from June 2003

Print Week archives from June 2003

PrintWeek goes to press a day ahead.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... PrintWeek is bringing forward its publication day to a Thursday with effect from next week - the next issue of the magazine will appear on 12 June. The change has been made to ensure PrintWeek retains its position as the industry's first...

Dubbins warns of imminent danger.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... GPMU general secretary Tony Dubbins has warned that a damaging split with eight branches could mark the beginning of the end for the union. The union could end up being run by administrators next year if merger proposals are rejected, and...

Howitt close to sheetfed buy?(acquisition of Garden House Press)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Howitt has taken time out from its gravure superplant plans and is believed to be close to completing the acquisition of Garden House Press. The London sheetfed printer was at number 215 in last year's PrintWeek Top 500 with sales of...

York Mailing set to buy new web.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... York Mailing is poised to expand web capacity at its Centre Web subsidiary in Northampton. The firm plans to replace one of Centre Web's two mini-webs with a new 16pp web. It is in negotiation with two manufacturers, and is likely to...

Newey in Bibby row.(factoring agreement between Newey Print and Bibby Factors suspended)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Newey Print, the Tipton-based packaging printer bought by Midlands Publishing Holdings in July last year, has had its factoring agreement suspended by Bibby Factors. PrintWeek has received a copy of the letter sent to the firm, in which...

Mason joins Emap production.(Richard Mason )(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Richard Mason has joined Emap as a production systems analyst to upgrade its in-house production. He was most recently technical development director at Wyndeham Argent, but left in February just over a year after he had joined. Mason said...

STOP PRESS: Forklift truck driver admits stealing first edition copies of Harry Potter book.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Clays forklift truck driver Donald Parfitt, who last month admitted stealing two first edition copies of the new Harry Potter book, has been handed a 180-hour community service order and must pay pounds 55 in costs.

STOP PRESS: Wyndeham Press Group's share price.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Wyndeham Press Group's share price has come close to its 52-week high of 152p this week, rising to 147.5p.

STOP PRESS: Three former Mackenzie & Storrie board members ..(form Coburg Direct)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Three former Mackenzie & Storrie board members have set up a new direct mail printer in Edinburgh. David Evans, Alan Arnot and Simone Pearson are behind Coburg Direct.

STOP PRESS: Hull-based Oriel ..(buys B1 Heidelberg CD102-6LX)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Hull-based Oriel has bought a pounds 1.5m six-colour B1 Heidelberg CD102-6LX.

STOP PRESS: Direct mail firm Mail Solutions has improved its margins, ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Direct mail firm Mail Solutions has improved its margins, according to the latest accounts of parent South Staffordshire Group, despite operating in a highly competitive market.

STOP PRESS: MAN Roland GB web sales director Norman Revill ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... MAN Roland GB web sales director Norman Revill has been given overall responsibility for the web division, covering service and spare parts too.

Changes planned for CPI UK division.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... French book group CPI has announced 'sweeping changes' at its pounds 64m UK division, which includes the short-run arm Bookcraft merging with Bath Press. Midsomer Norton-based Bookcraft employs 90 staff and around one third will transfer...

'Best of Print' coming soon.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... PrintWeek has teamed with Fujifilm Graphic Systems on a new quarterly feature, the Best of Print. The first Best of Print feature will be published at the beginning of July, and the PrintWeek team are currently compiling items for...

Wares settles into new plant.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Wares in Clevedon, Somerset, has completed the move into a new factory and is focusing on PUR binding with the idea of expanding into case binding. It started work on the pounds 4m production facility 18 months ago. 'We wanted to move from...

Benny Landa harboured an ambition for Indigo ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Benny Landa harboured an ambition for Indigo to become as big as Hewlett-Packard rather than to become a division of the IT giant, he revealed in an interview in the Israeli press this week. He also claimed that it was his influence from when...

SHORTS: Cambrian Printers in Aberystwyth will be the first UK firm to ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Cambrian Printers in Aberystwyth will be the first UK firm to install the commercial print version of the Heidelberg Digimaster 9110 with CP Bourg inline finishing unit featuring a central perf, rotate, fold and perfect bind unit.

SHORTS: International Paper has been placed first ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... International Paper has been placed first in the paper products category in Fortune magazine's 10 Most Admired Companies, from a survey of 10,000 executives in international corporations.

SHORTS: Cradley Group's publishing division ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Cradley Group's publishing division has acquired two construction titles, ARC Design and ARC Hotel & Leisure. Worcester-based Finz Publishing is 51% owned by Cradley firm Britespot Publishing Solutions.

SHORTS: Newsquest Media Group chairman Jim Brown will retire ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Newsquest Media Group chairman Jim Brown will retire on 31 July after 17 years with the firm. Chairman since 1996, he has led the regional publisher through major expansion under the ownership of Gannett.

SHORTS: Appointment at Inglis Allen.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Inglis Allen in Kirkcaldy has appointed Mike Hislop as production director. He previously occupied the same role at agency KLP Euro RSCG's Edinburgh office.

SHORTS: Xaar has released its Leopard print head ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Xaar has released its Leopard print head following beta testing at CD/DVD and plastic card printing firms. It is designed for printing UV curable inks onto plastics, cartons and labels. Visit: www.xaar.co.uk.

SHORTS: Appointment at Nicholson & Bass.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Nicholson & Bass in Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland, has appointed Hugh Montgomery as its new managing director, replacing John Nicholson, who will stay on as executive chairman.

SHORTS: NUR Macroprinters says uncertainties ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... NUR Macroprinters says uncertainties in Asia due to Sars, and in North America following the Iraq war, caused a 20% fall in sales to pounds 10.4m (dollars 17.1m) for Q1.

SHORTS: Optichrome Computer Systems (OCSL) ..(Brief Article)(Calendar)
June 6, 2003... Optichrome Computer Systems (OCSL) is holding its bi-annual UK User Group Conference on Monday (9 June) at the Sketchley Grange Country House Hotel in Hinckley, Leicestershire. Contact: 01483 740233.

SHORTS: Sunday's PrintWeek Five-Side Challenge Cup.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... It's absolutely the last chance to register for Sunday's PrintWeek Five-a-Side Challenge Cup. Contact 020 8267 4395 or e-mail info@toast events.com to secure your team's place.

SHORTS: Westland Rollers holds it official opening ceremony.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Westland Rollers, the Corby subsidiary of the German roller manufacturer, holds its official opening ceremony on Tuesday (10 June), with an open day the next day. Contact UK distributor MAN Roland GB: 020 8649 7090.

SHORTS: Quebecor World has repurchased 10m shares ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Quebecor World has repurchased 10m shares at pounds 10.83 (CDNdollars 24) for cancellation in accordance with its Substantial Issuer Bid, which was oversubscribed by 23m shares when it expired on 2 June.

SHORTS: In Q1, Thieme KPX has sold five multicolour screen presses ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... In Q1, Thieme KPX has sold five multicolour screen presses to display printers plus two special configurations. Buyers include Perfect Screen Print in Gateshead and Hansen Glass Processing in Kirkby.

KBA to shut two German plants and cut 350 jobs.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... KBA is to close assembly plants at Kusel and Berlin with the loss of 227 jobs, and will also make 120 staff redundant at its Wurzburg and Frankenthal sites. The announcement came after a period of negotiations (PrintWeek, 23 May), and was...

Printhaus says 'no' to GPMU's job shed curbs.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... The GPMU's counter proposal to reduce the number of job losses at Northampton's Printhaus has been rejected (PrintWeek, 30 May). The firm had wanted to make 50 of its 110-strong workforce redundant, but the GPMU had put forward proposals to...

Polestar wins two deals from Boots.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Boots has brought two major contracts back from the continent and awarded them to Polestar - a welcome boost for the print group which announced the closure of its AUP Aberdeen site this week, and is making redundancies at its head office. ...

Greene King in for online print orders roll-out.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Pub and hotels group Greene King is implementing Documedia Solutions' DocuMarketing online marketing and print management system across its 600 premises nationwide. The deal will allow pub and hotel managers to produce personalised...

Iceton is Jarrolds' print chair.(Gary Iceton )(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Jarrolds has appointed former Clays chairman Gary Iceton as executive chairman of its print division. Iceton has been working part-time at Jarrold Printing as a consultant since last summer. He left Clays in July 2000 after 34 years at the...

Funds from Bank of Scotland Business Banking are helping ..(Centreprint UK receives funding to move location)(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Funds from Bank of Scotland Business Banking are helping Centreprint UK with a move to a 1,200 sq m site in Kenilworth from Coventry's Hazelhead Industrial Estate. The pounds 1m included pounds 250,000 from the bank's Printing and Packaging...

BPIF to grow print check-up service.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... The BPIF is encouraging printers to benchmark their performance against that of their peers with two initiatives. The federation is extending its Human Resource and Health & Safety Healthchecks with the aim of benchmarking 900 companies in...

Inveresk's 1.3m share gambit.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Inveresk non-executive chairman Jan Bernander has sold more than 1.3m shares to the Scottish papermaker's directors in a bid to 'incentivise' them. Bernander agreed to sell the shares to chief executive Alan Walker, finance director Gordon...

Goebel picks up rival's assets.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Drent Goebel, the manufacturer of narrow web presses, has bought the assets of German competitor Giebeler from its insolvency practitioner. Giebeler has been in financial difficulties since late 2002. Drent Goebel hopes to complete the...

PGC NTO supports skills 'passport'.(Print and Graphic Communication NTO )(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... A 'European Passport' documenting the skills, experience and knowledge of print industry workers may be the short-term solution to a single European qualification. The Print and Graphic Communication NTO (PGC NTO) has been in talks with...

JCM switches name to CDMS.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... JCM Media, the Liverpool-based direct marketing company, has rebranded under the name of its sister company CDMS and will relocate this summer. The JCM name will no longer be used and the CDMS label will be applied to all direct mail and...

Elite Cameron assets on sale.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... The liquidators of Elite Cameron, the supplier of web processing equipment such as slitter/rewinders, are seeking buyers for the firm's assets. Peter Engel of Solomon Hare said he had received around 30 enquiries so far from companies...

LEGAL NOTICES.(Public Notice)
June 6, 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 Crest Flexible Packaging...

Ex-Heidelberg VP sets up CTP outfit.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... A former Heidelberg senior vice president has set up a firm dedicated to providing pre-press kit for the 2pp market. Manta Graphics is headed by former senior vice president of operations at Kiel, Manfred Tannrath. 'The 2pp market is...

Tecno completes rebranding.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Tecno Group, formerly Tecnograv, has completed its rebranding and restructuring following last year's MBO. 'Tecnograv aligned us with one sector in the industry,' said group sales and marketing director David Ettie. 'Growth is coming from...

Atelier's DPD sees client rise.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Atelier Data Services' DPD digital workflow is now being used by customers for services beyond traditional pre-press. Ascent Publishing, part of the Centaur Group, is now using Atelier's e-zines - online versions of the printed page -...

SHORTS: Lantana has released a new Adobe Acrobat ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Lantana has released a new Adobe Acrobat plug-in for variable data printing and data merging. Variform PDF Pro lets users merge content from a variety of different formats into Acrobat, the firm said. The software also allows the inclusion of...

SHORTS: Fujifilm has released two new printing plates. ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Fujifilm has released two new printing plates. The Brillia LH-PCE (Laser Heatmode Positive Compatible Europe) plate can print up to 1m copies when baked, the firm said. It also offers FM screening of 20 microns and larger. The other addition is...

SHORTS: Brentford-based Sprinters London and Lynx DPM of Oxford ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Brentford-based Sprinters London and Lynx DPM of Oxford are the latest companies to order Screen's PlateRite 4100 B2 thermal platesetters with Trueflow workflow. The PlateRite is Lynx's second platesetter, while Sprinters' investment, through...

SHORTS: St Anne's Digital Graphics in Bristol ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... St Anne's Digital Graphics in Bristol has turned to Esko-Graphics' PackEdge workstations, its BackStage digital workflow based on Windows 2000, and its step-and-repeat software to increase productivity. The firm started life as an in-house...

SHORTS: The Newcastle Chronicle & Journal ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... The Newcastle Chronicle & Journal said the quality of its digital colour proofs became 'too good' after installing an Agfa Sherpa 43 proofer. Regional operations manager Michael Brown said: 'We ended up with a result that was too bright for our...

SHORTS: Tyne Valley Continuous in Washington, Tyne & Wear, ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Tyne Valley Continuous in Washington, Tyne & Wear, has become the first continuous stationery trade printer to install a DPM 2340 polyester platesetter from AB Dick. The company also bought two pack-to-pack presses from AB Dick when it started...

SHORTS: Creo is shipping Preps 4.2 ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Creo is shipping Preps 4.2 qualified for versions 4.0 and 4.1 of its Brisque workflow. It is available as a free upgrade for all Preps 4.x users from www.creo.com.preps by clicking on Downloads.

SHORTS: Watford repro house DX ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Watford repro house DX is now trading as DX Computer to Plate after buying a Topsetter 74 thermal platesetter from Heidelberg. The firm is targeting printers that don't want to invest in CTP themselves, as well as designers.

SHORTS: Togo Software, the UK distributor ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Togo Software, the UK distributor of the DuPont CromaPro XP proofing RIP for ink-jet printers, has launched a new media range. CromaPro XP media come in gloss and semi-matt coating and incorporate a DuPont CromaPro logo on the reverse of the...

Demand for digital colour presses to rise by 234%.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Digital colour press installations are set to soar, and are proving three times more popular than DI presses. According to a US study, digital colour installations are set to rise by 234% by 2007, and DI press installations will rise by two...

DP21 gets first Scottish 6060 for digital edge.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... DP21 (Dittoprint) in Glasgow has become the first printer in Scotland to install a Xerox DocuColor 6060. It replaces a DocuColor 2060 and will double DP21's digital capacity. The firm, which also has litho and exhibition display...

Kelvinside plans to expand C3 stores.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Kelvinside is doubling the size of its digital print chain, C3 Imaging, with an investment of more than pounds 3m. It is expanding from its current seven locations to 14 this year. The group is currently fitting out a Glasgow site, and...

EFI vows to ride the acquisition trail with funds.(Electronics For Imaging )(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Electronics For Imaging (EFI) could use funds raised through an issue of debentures to return to the acquisition trail. The US firm, which hopes to tie up its purchase of Printcafe within weeks and bought Best last December, is offering...

Sodra set to rebrand entire pulp product range.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Sodra Cell is to rebrand its pulp product range in a bid to become a more customer-focused operation. The change may mean the firm moves its attention from its forestry operations. Information manager Ulf Gunnarsson said rebranding of...

Howard Smith adds shade to Consort range.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Howard Smith Paper has added to its Consort Royal range with the launch of Consort Royal blue white, available in silk and 'brilliance' finishes. The new blue-white shade has been developed to enhance the existing range of Consort Royal...

pounds 4.5m coater for Arjo's Stoneywood.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... ArjoWiggins Fine Papers' Stoneywood mill in Aberdeen is investing pounds 4.5m in a new Tandem coater that will boost coating capacity by 150% to 25,000 tonnes per year. It will start production in August and replace two existing coaters...

Fedrigoni card moves Symbol into new areas.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Fedrigoni has unveiled Symbol card, a new coated board product range designed for the production of sophisticated packaging. Symbol Card is seen by the firm as ideal for the production of premium packaging and publishing applications. ...

Carbonless market set for a reel price increase.
June 6, 2003... Price increases for reels are on the way as the carbonless market continues to suffer, writes Andy Scott. After what has been described as a tremendous slump in the carbonless reel market over the past two years, more producers are set to...

The Co-op Bank in green cheque first.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Communisis Security Products (CSP) and Tullis Russell Papermakers have found a formula to introduce recycled paper into chequebooks for The Co-operative Bank. The formula, developed by the two firms over 12 months, has allowed The...

ISIS signs card deal with BIG.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... BIG has signed a deal with print management firm ISIS Business Services to supply it with all the business cards for its clients. The firms have integrated ISIS' web-based ordering system with BIG's order processing system. Once a...

Perivan White Dove has used GF Smith's newly launched Zen paper ..(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Perivan White Dove has used GF Smith's newly launched Zen paper in the production of 1,500 72pp catalogues for this year's Leigh Art Trail. Richard Owers, marketing director of the Leigh-on-Sea printer, said the paper gave the 'perfect result'...

Artisan to print Redwood mag.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... The Artisan Press in Leicester has won a new magazine printing deal from contract publisher Redwood. Bridge is published on behalf of estate agent Douglas & Gordon and is distributed in south-west London. It averages 168pp with a print run...

EU TENDERS.(Public Notice)
June 6, 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: Book printers pay the price of special offers.(Column)
June 6, 2003... As someone with such a huge passion for books it saddens me to see two of the best-known and best-loved names in book manufacturing consigned to the history books this week. I guess this was an inevitability though. Ever since the CPI group...

OPINION: Ink-jet's future is mapped by UV know-how.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Digital ink-jet printing is experiencing rapid growth and - with technologies such as greyscale enabling near-photographic quality print on a variety of substrates - its position as a future frontrunner of our industry is guaranteed. An...

PROFILE: Xerox veteran Taylor is made for new graphic arts position.(Interview)
June 6, 2003... After 13 years at Xerox, 35 year old Peter Taylor is excited by his new challenge, as Lauretta Roberts reports. 'I'm totally immersed in graphic arts now - I love it.' In the five months since he was appointed to the newly created role of...

WALLIS: Homage to one of the greatest men in history.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Arguably one of the greatest men that has ever lived is Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) as the recent television programmes presented by Alan Yentob have demonstrated. Da Vinci was a genuine polymath with a practised skill as an artist and an...

ANALYSIS: Lastra prepares to take on the big boys.
June 6, 2003... Lastra hopes its much-prized LT-2 technology will liven up plates and boost its standing, writes Barney Cox. Lastra is fleshing out the details of how it plans to join Agfa, Fuji and Kodak Polychrome Graphics as a global player in the plate...

ANALYSIS: Knapp's small talk belies KBA's true print status.
June 6, 2003... Despite unfavourable market conditions, KBA hopes to win over customers of rival suppliers, says Andy Scott. Times are tough for press manufacturers, as announcements of job losses, production curtailment and, in some cases, plant closures...

Risky business.
June 6, 2003... Lower interest rates and higher life expectancy are having big effects on pensions, as David Ross discovers. Longer life expectancy as well as the lowest interest rates in the UK in almost 50 years should be seen unequivocally as positives....

Lightning quick.(Lightning Source's print-on-demand services)
June 6, 2003... On-demand is print's new rock'n'roll. Caroline Archer reports on the US concept's UK prospects. As digital print gains credibility, print-on-demand starts to look more like a business reality and less like an expensive pipe dream. Digital...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Product of the Week - Muller Martini Acoro A7.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 6, 2003... Despite the relatively flat market, the Acoro A7 from Muller is proving to be a success, says Karen Charlesworth. Muller Martini's Star binders were the ultimate mid-range perfect binding workhorses when they were launched in the early...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Me & My Machine - KBA 74 Karat.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 6, 2003... EC1 ordered a 74 Karat to help it reach the 'top bracket of the best printers'. Barney Cox assesses its effectiveness. EC1 is the first company in central London's digital print hotspot of Bakers Row, to buy a 74 Karat direct imaging (DI)...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Buyers' Guide - Proofers.(Buyers Guide)
June 6, 2003... Digital proofing has virtually eclipsed analogue. Darryl Danielli examines the pros and cons of both methods. Digital proofing has almost completed its march on the pre-press sector, with some suppliers' estimates putting the ratios of...

JO'S HELP LINE: Jo Francis tracks down the solutions to your technical troubles.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... BINDER BOTHER I'm having trouble sourcing parts for our SB100 Binder (1996). Heidelberg do our servicing and repairs but can't supply us with plastic chain guides. To make matters worse the parts book does not give the part a number. ...

INSITE: www.benwellsebard.co.uk.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... This is a veritable treasure trove of treats for print enthusiasts everywhere. London's Benwell Sebard shows everyone what quality printing is all about with the exquisite examples in its online gallery. Clients include the likes of...

DIARY DATES.(Calendar)
June 6, 2003... GEC 6-10 June Milan, Italy Contact www.gecmilano.com PrintWeek Five-a-Side Challenge Cup 8 June Derby Contact 01327 356135 IGAS 2003 22-28 September Tokyo, Japan Contact www.igas2003.jp PPMA Show 23-25 September...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Tried & Tested - Xerox DocuTech range.(Product/Service Evaluation)
June 6, 2003... Not just a fancy photocopier, the Xerox DocuTech still has lots to offer the market, as Darryl Danielli discovers. Launched in 1990, the Xerox DocuTech was at first seen as a souped-up photocopier. It soon began to show its true worth...

PRINT'S PAST: The punch.(Brief Article)
June 6, 2003... Between its design and printing, metal type went through many manufacturing processes. Step one was to engrave the character in reverse on the end of a piece of die-steel called a 'punch'. The punch-cutter not only had to be a good draughtsman...