Print Week articles from June 2006

Print Week archives from June 2006

Howitt profits up, but Croydon. arm slips into administration.(Direct Marketing Services)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Howitt has placed its loss-making Croydon arm into administration, but has reported strong results elsewhere in the group. The Nottingham-based group acquired the former Vertis-owned Olwen Direct Marketing Services last October with the...

Eyes on Lasting Impressions.(advertisements)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Administrators for Lasting Impressions have been contacted by several 'interested parties' to buy the firm as a going concern. According to Menzies Corporate Restructuring, Lasting Impressions attracted 'plenty of feedback' following...

CPI's Fulmar buy unconditional.(European book group CPI)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... CPI's offer for Fulmar, which valued the UK print group at pounds 33m, has been declared 'unconditional'. CPI has received valid acceptances for over 98% of Fulmar's shares, and expects to de-list the company by the end of June. Fulmar...

Benson Box snaps up Print Design & Graphics.(Benson Box acquires Print Design & Graphics)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Benson Box has made its second acquisition of the year buying Newcastle-based Print Design & Graphics (PDG) for an undisclosed sum. The move lifts the packaging firm's turnover to around pounds 55m and follows the company's purchase of...

Stop Press.(KBA acquisitions with LTG Print Systems )(sales and earnings of Daily Mail and General Trust )(Gerresheimer Group acquisitions with Shuangfeng Group )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... KBA subsidiary Bauer+Kunzi near Stuttgart is to buy metal decorating specialist LTG Print Systems and its supplier LTG-Mailander in a deal in the 'lower two-digit million Euro range'... Daily Mail and General Trust has posted half-year...

Wyndeham announces major board reshuffle.(Wyndeham Press Group )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Wyndeham Press Group has announced a board reshuffle, with five directors resigning and Bryan Bedson switching from executive director to non-executive director of the company. Despite having no role in day-to-day board meetings, ex-chief...

Vertex wins parent firm's tender.(Vertex Data Science wins contract with United Utilities Water)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Vertex Data Science has won a pounds 20m-plus contract to provide printing services for its parent company United Utilities Water (UUW). According to the terms of the contract notice, entitled 'Bill Production and Despatch, Document...

Cats to reveal new London site.(Cats Solutions)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Cats Solutions is to officially unveil its London hub later this month and is pressing ahead with a similar operation in Manchester. The new London site at Broken Wharf, near Blackfriars, is already trading for business and is currently...

PCF wins award.
June 1, 2006... PCF, the south Wales-based print manager, has won 'Best Print- and Facilities-Management Company' from the Independent Print Industries Association. PCF managing director Tom Rigby said his firm recently relocated from Chepstow and has over...

Dorset County Council switches on a Heidelberg Printmaster.
June 1, 2006... Dorset County Council has hit the switch on a Heidelberg Printmaster QM 46, which has replaced an old single-colour TOK. 'We like the semi-automatic plate changing and ease of use,' said in-plant manager Mike Bennett. 'The extra colour...

Death of Ken Morris.(Ken Morris, founder of Kensyl Graphic Equipment has died)(Obituary)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Ken Morris, founder of Kensyl Graphic Equipment in Slough, has died of a stroke aged 53. He worked in the industry for 36 years and served his apprenticeship at Heidelberg, where he worked for 18 years. Ken took early retirement 15 months ago...

Avery Dennison Graphics Division Europe launches a guide.(Handy Guide product introduction)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Avery Dennison Graphics Division Europe has launched a Handy Guide to give printers and signmakers more confidence on reflective films. It advises on applications for the company's range of films such as vehicle graphics. Product manager Ole...

MetalFX Technology calls for entrants.(awards)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... MetalFX Technology is calling for entrants to a new annual award programme, called the MetalFX printer or agency of the year. Winners will be awarded a logo to use on promotions and websites, and the deadline for entries is 1 July. Entry form...

Unwin Brothers wins printer of the year award.
June 1, 2006... Unwin Brothers, a subsidiary of MPG, has won a printer of the year award from the Directory Publishers Association. The company, based in Woking, Surrey, prints directories for firms like Romeike. It was also shortlisted for the printed...

Alderson Brothers Print Group invited students.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Alderson Brothers Print Group threw open its doors, last week to A-level students studying publishing and journalism. Pupils from Brooklands College, Weybridge, looked at sheetfed and digital kit at the base in West Molesey in Surrey. Managing...

Charterhouse reaches UK's top five following purchase of IPS.(Charterhouse purchases Intelligent Print Solutions)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Charterhouse has purchased Intelligent Print Solutions (IPS) for an undisclosed sum, in a move it claims will place it in the UK's top five print management companies. Charterhouse managing director Mike Newman said: 'We now have a...

Bosses say print best for mags.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Over nine-tenths of business executives believe printed magazines have a bright future, and three quarters get riled by, or ignore, online ads. A Royal Mail survey revealed overwhelming support for printed magazines in the business arena,...

21 colour set to invest in new digital press.(21 Colour secures a deal with Xerox on the table and plans to invest in new digital press)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... 21 Colour is preparing to invest up to pounds 400,000 on a new digital press as it looks to increase its presence in the direct mail sector. Managing director Trevor Price said a final decision had yet to be made but a deal with Xerox was...

Security boosts De La Rue profit.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Demand for hi-tech anti-forgery features in the production of banknotes has helped boost profits at the world's largest privately owned currency printer, De La Rue. Such added-value services helped lift pre-tax profits from pounds 40.6m to...

NAO reports failings of Small Business Service.(National Audit Office)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The National Audit Office (NAO) has criticised the government for failing to monitor the impact its Small Business Service (SBS) is having on enterprise in the UK. NAO released a report last Wednesday stating that the pounds 2.6bn plus...

Entwistle orders two HP 5000s.(Entwistle Group orders two five-colour HP Indigo 5000 presses)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Digital repro and print company Entwistle Group has ordered two five-colour HP Indigo 5000 presses. The kit will be installed into the firm's Manchester bureau and has been bought to further bolster its digital offering. The 5000s will run...

Sweet music.(NME, the world-famous music weekly product information)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... NME, the world-famous music weekly, is rolling out its first newspaper-format publication under the NME name for nearly 20 years. The 24pp Festival Times gives the run-down on this year's biggest rock and pop festivals and includes 20 must-see...

In brief: Prosperis enlists Sir Jimmy Savile.
June 1, 2006... Prosperis financial services has enlisted Sir Jimmy Savile to help it raise pounds 20,000 for Cavendish Cancer Support centre. Prosperis hopes to raise the money by creating a snake of pounds 1 coins, stretching 400m around Sheffield's...

In brief: Appointment at DTI.
June 1, 2006... Digital Technology International (DTI) has appointed former Archant Publishing employee Alan Tagg as an application specialist. Tagg, who worked for Independent News and Media, will be involved in the installation and configuration of DTI's...

In brief: Protaprint wins an award.
June 1, 2006... Prontaprint, York, has won a 'New Franchise of the Year 2006' award, following impressive six-month sales figures and the purchase of an HP Indigo 3050 digital press - the first within the Prontaprint and Kall Kwik network. The franchise was...

In brief: Medica replaces press.
June 1, 2006... Medica packaging has replaced two GTOs, a two-colour and a four-colour, with a Speedmaster SM74-5E. The press, scheduled for installation in June, will join a SM74-4 and three Komori presses. In July, the company will replace its Polar 78 with...

In brief: Fespa Digital Printing Europe a success.
June 1, 2006... The inaugural Fespa Digital Printing Europe, which took place from 16-18 May at the RAI in Amsterdam, was a 'huge success', according to the organisers. The exhibition was attended by 9,317 individual visitors, from 103 countries.

In brief: etrinsic signs partnership agreement with Europackaging.
June 1, 2006... Print management firm etrinsic has signed a partnership agreement with Europackaging, which includes a relocation to Europackaging's extensive warehouse facility in Yardley, Birmingham. As part of the deal, etrinsic will offer full print...

In brief: Milestone Seminars launches four new seminars.
June 1, 2006... Milestone Seminars is launching four new seminars in June, aimed at CEOs, marketing professionals and business development directors. Modules will focus on print, winning business, branding and customer service. Further details are available...

In brief: Polestar Sheffield wins award.
June 1, 2006... Polestar Sheffield has been awarded a Gold Achievement Award by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) at its annual Occupational Health & Safety Awards. The company previously won a health and safety award in October 2005,...

Bids invited for free paper slot.(News International won the contract from Transport for London )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Network Rail has invited publishers to tender for a free newspaper to be distributed at 10 London railway stations. In March, Transport for London (TfL) invited tenders for a free paper at London Underground stations to rival Associated...

Scotland to mark first 500 years of printing.(celebrations of printing industry )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A programme of events and workshops has been announced for 2008 to celebrate 500 years of printing in Scotland since the country's first book emerged from an Edinburgh printing shop in 1508. Details of the Scottish Year of the Printed Word...

Customer care in big demand.(special events)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... PrintYorkshire, Vision in Print and the BPIF are staging two workshops on customer service, due to increasing interest in the subject. The events will be held on 13 June in London and on 14 June in Wakefield. They will be hosted by...

Reader reaction: Is print a tougher market than it was 12 months ago?(market research)
June 1, 2006... COMMERCIAL PRINTER: DANIEL ESSON, finance partner, Esson Print 'Yes. It is very competitive, but that makes you disciplined and pro-active as a firm. The industry revolves around turnaround schedules, volumes and unit costs. Margins are...

Type Museum to close due to funding crisis.(Museums)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... A trove of print kit, fonts and memorabilia, billed as a 'world showcase', is under threat after the closure of London's Type Museum was announced last week. Trustees of the museum, in Stockwell, said lack of funding had forced the closure...

St Ives produces 4m Fifa sticker albums.(2006 Fifa World Cup themed sticker album)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... St Ives has completed a major contract to produce 4m copies of an official 2006 Fifa World Cup sticker album. The album, published by Panini, is part of a promotional giveaway that began at the end of April for Sunday newspaper News of the...

L&S purchases Komori S528.(L&S Litho, Glasgow, installs new press)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... L&S Litho has increased its capacity with a five-colour Komori S528, the fifth Komori to be installed at the Glasgow-based firm. In addition to the new press, the company has upgraded its existing machines so that they can be linked to a...

Legal notices.
June 1, 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 APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATORS Corporate Design...

Label Makers boosts its flexo plate capabilities.(DuPont platemaking machinery installed)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Bradford-based The Label Makers has installed a raft of DuPont platemaking machinery to 'keep pace' with its new flexo presses. Until now, the firm had to buy in flexo plates for complex label printing jobs, but the installations of an MPS...

Ultragraph bumps up output with new CTP.(installs Heidelberg platesetter)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Ultragraph has invested pounds 170,000 in a Heidelberg platesetter to boost output and meet a need for 2,000 plates a month. The B2 Suprasetter 74, with single-cassette loader, went into the firm's 34-staff base in Ormskirk, Lancashire....

Rise in Artwork Systems' profit.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Artwork Systems has recorded solid results after a busy start to the financial year. The pre-press software company posted a 9% rise in first half profits, to pounds 4.36m (EUR6.37m), and took pounds 308,000 worth of orders at the...

In brief: Sansui Software launches an AutoTag tool.
June 1, 2006... Sansui Software has launched an AutoTag tool allowing non-experts to edit artwork from a standard browser. The AutoTag option is for Sansui's PublishNow! package and automates processing of InDesign files to produce XML tagged versions. Visit:...

In brief: Extensis offers software modules.
June 1, 2006... Extensis will now offer QuarkXPress 7 XTensions software modules for all its front-end products, following an agreement with Quark. According to the firm, this 'provides the world's most advanced font-activation and deactivation for QuarkXPress...

In brief: Bitstream unveils a next-generation package.(product introduction)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Bitstream, the US software firm, has unveiled a next-generation package for variable data, web-to-print and cross-media publishing. Pageflex brings together all existing Pageflex capabilities into one modular tool. It adds 'robust scalability...

In brief: DTP Tools updates.
June 1, 2006... DTP Tools has updated five of its InDesign plug-ins and QuarkXPress XTensions. The plug-ins include Layer Groups, History, X-ray, Tetris and Text Count XTensions. Visit: www.dtptools.com/downloads.asp.

In brief: Global Graphics offers next-generation initiatives.(product introduction of digital printers)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Global Graphics is offering next-generation initiatives on XPS technology for digital printer and copier makers, and commercial print workflows. XPS is the new print and document format for the upcoming Windows Vista. According to the firm,...

In brief: HP launches software.
June 1, 2006... HP has launched Indigo Commercial Job Estimator software for managing job costs, for digital and conventional presses. The package compares and contrasts the cost and the timescale of digital and offset printing. For further information visit:...

Developers ramp up leading image personalisation tools.(DirectSmile, XMPie and DirecType, have announced developments and upgrades to their ranges)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Three developers of image personalisation and variable data software, DirectSmile, XMPie and DirecType, have announced developments and upgrades to their ranges. DirectSmile has linked up with Press-sense to allow integration between the...

Kodak brings in new director.(new appointment of Kenneth Swanson)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Kodak has appointed Kenneth Swanson as its new director of business development for the graphic communications group. His task will be to open up business opportunities through new technology and product ideas. Swanson will report to...

Blue snaps up Indigo from Digital People.(Blue Printing Company buying an HP Indigo 3050 press)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The Blue Printing Company has made its first step into digital print, buying an HP Indigo 3050 press. Hackney-based Blue spent pounds 325,000 on the seven-colour digital press from HP channel partner The Digital People. It comes with HP...

Super-Wide Digital installs UK's first Seiko II 100S Colorpainter.(installation of ColorPainter)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Super-Wide Digital has installed the first Seiko II 100S ColorPainter in the UK, to cope with increasing demand for smaller format display work. Traditionally a 3m-plus signage printer, its three Opal Tiara printers had recently started...

Olympic Cutting Formes scoops business grant.(cutting and creasing dies for the packaging industry)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Olympic Cutting Formes has won a grant to sharpen up its business and fine-tune a patent for an exhibition panel system. The Nottingham firm, which makes cutting and creasing dies for the packaging industry, is using the money for PR and...

First UK install for Brausse 1050SE.(installation of IMG Brausse 1050SE die-cutter)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... The London Fancy Box Company has installed the UK's first IMG Brausse 1050SE die-cutter. The Dover firm spent around pounds 170,000 (EUR255,000) on the kit, which runs at 7,500 sheets an hour. 'It is comparable to Bobst, which is...

Pelican brings in Bolero binder.(Pelican Print Finishing aims to impress magazine and commercial clients)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Pelican Print Finishing aims to impress magazine and commercial clients with its new Muller Martini binding machine. The 8,000cph Bolero replaces a 10-year-old Trendbinder, said group managing director Andrew Jones. 'We needed a more...

Appointment at Beardow Adams.
June 1, 2006... Beardow Adams has appointed Trevor Gallivan to a newly created position, product specialist for bookbinding. Gallivan has over 20 years' experience supporting bookbinders. He has previously worked with Croda Adhesives and Sovereign Speciality...

TNT Post renews contract.(contracts)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... TNT Post has had its contract renewed with the Greater London Authority to distribute free newspaper The Londoner. The year-long contract is worth pounds 1.2m and this will be the third-year running that TNT has managed the door-drop...

Reflections Print Lamination invests in two new vans.
June 1, 2006... Reflections Print Lamination has invested in two new Mitsubishi Fuso Canter vans. The Deptford-based company purchased the vehicles to transport palletised print between its own three satellite plants as well as those of its clients.

Mailwrights Group installs a continuous folder.
June 1, 2006... Mailwrights Group has installed a Multimaster CAS 52-A continuous folder at its automated mail centre in Nottingham. The purchase, from GBR Systems Corporation, follows the Groups recent acquisition of all ID Mailing's plants after the firm...

Tangent Communicaitons installs two new machines.(Tangent Communications has installed two new machines)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Tangent Communications has installed two new machines, supplied by Encore Machinery: a Pit Stop digital creaser and perforator and an MB CAS 38 computer-controlled folder. Fred Davies (pictured), finishing manager at Tangent said: 'We had a...

Award for Encapsulating Company.
June 1, 2006... The Encapsulating Company has been handed the BA award for Print Finishing Solutions at London Business Today's Business Achievement Awards Programme. The win coincided with the company's 21st year in business.

Correction.(Correction notice)
June 1, 2006... Basingstoke-based Printwise's installation of a Duplo System 5000 was not part of a pounds 2m investment as reported last week (PrintWeek, 25 May). The firm, has installed the bookletmaker, Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 52 and moved to new 200m2...

Euro firms at centre of Uruguayan mill fracas.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Spanish and Finnish paper companies have been sucked into an escalating crisis in South America over plans to build two pounds 1bn (dollars 1.8bn) paper mills in Uruguay. Argentina has raised fierce objections to the mills on the grounds...

Finns fail to attract paper interest.(UPM production management)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... UPM is in discussions over the sale of its Voikkaa paper mill site in Finland, but has yet to receive an offer from a company that will continue paper production. A number of firms are involved in talks about taking over the site,...

M-real profit hit in second quarter.(sales and earnings of M-real )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... M-real has taken a pounds 17m (EUR24m) hit after racking up huge costs from kit upgrades and the recent Finnish paper mill strikes. Investment and upkeep shutdowns will weaken second-quarter results by nearly pounds 14m, said the firm,...

In brief: PaperCo produces free World Cup schedule posters.(marketing of PaperCo)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... PaperCo has produced free World Cup schedule posters on its new own-brand durable synthetic paper, XL Synthetic. The A1, full-colour posters come in two designs; one for English and one for Scottish fans. The clay-coated polypropylene resins...

In brief: James McNaughton Group calls for entries.
June 1, 2006... The James McNaughton Group is calling for entries to its annual Review awards for design and print. This year the awards will be held in Marbella, Spain. The competition is open to any company that produced a job during 2006 on McNaughton stock...

In brief: Fedrigoni achieves certification.
June 1, 2006... Fedrigoni has achieved Occupational Health and Safety Assessment System (OHSAS) 18001 certification. The standard is compatible with ISO 9001 and 14001 and recognises that the paper firm has the required environmental and occupational health...

In brief: Appointment at Food and Agriculture Organisation.
June 1, 2006... Director-general of Metsahallitus, Jan Heino, has been appointed assistant director-general of the Forestry Department of the United Nations' Food and Agriculture Organisation.

In brief: Lorentzen & Wettre publishes a handbook.
June 1, 2006... Lorentzen & Wettre has published a handbook on quality control and other processes in the pulp and paper industry. The L&W Handbook 06-07 includes articles on making the production of paper more efficient and profitable. For more information...

In brief: Antalis produces a new brochure.(product introduction of Idem brochure)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Antalis has produced a new Idem brochure. It contains details of the full Idem range stocked by Antalis, including reels, sheets, pre-collated sets and also Idem Digital, which has recently been extended. The brochure also outlines the process...

In brief: Stora Enso announces plans.(construction plans of Stora Enso )(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Stora Enso has announced plans to build a third corrugated packaging plant in Russia. The plant will employ 175 workers and is expected to produce 150m m2 of corrugated board annually. The firm expects the plant to cost pounds 37m (EUR54m) to...

Contract update.(Polestar Chantry has won a contract )
June 1, 2006... Polestar Chantry has won a contract to produce a one-off Match of the Day-branded magazine for the World Cup. The 132pp special, aptly named World Cup 2006, went on sale last week ahead of the kick-off on 9 June. Priced pounds 3.95 and...

Client audit: The Insert Print House.
June 1, 2006... Since its launch in January 2003, The Insert House has grown into a pounds 10m-turnover business. Last year, it launched a specialist print management arm, The Insert Print House, which handles around 600m inserts a year. The Insert Print...

Editorial: Failing firms' pain may be the industry's gain.(Editorial)(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Last week we ran four stories on firms that had either called in the administrators or closed their doors for the last time. This week has also begun badly, with Howitt Croydon placed in administration. So is print going through a particularly...

Comment: Print events are my link to history.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... In the column of 27 April I indicated that a Cambridge bookseller jocularly suspected that the international travels I undertook had something to do with the secret services and that the professed connection with pre-press business was a decoy...

Comment: Technically speaking - The future of the packaging industry may lie in printed electronic tagging.(Organic Light Emitting Diodes- techonology)(Techonology of Radio Frequency Identification tagging- usage)
June 1, 2006... A term that is increasingly being heard at the moment is printed electronics. It is also a subject that a number of commentators are indicating may be the future, or even saviour, of the print industry. For something that may be so significant...

Profile: Target Direct Print - Open and honest approach puts print manager on the fast track for success.
June 1, 2006... Innovation and experienced staff are driving development forward at Target Direct Print, writes Simon Nias. The print industry is under fire. The rise of printing in low-cost economies, e-auctions and the increasing cost of raw materials...

Once upon a time in Japan.(Hachiro Hori, president of Japanese firm Taiyo Seiki )(Company overview)
June 1, 2006... Having navigated the rough seas of a tumultuous past, the tides have turned and Horizon's founder is setting course for further success, writes Noli Dinkovski. 'Mysterious are the ways of heaven', as the old Chinese saying goes. In other...

Better Business: Print plcs - Lacking public appeal.
June 1, 2006... While the number of print plcs continues to dwindle, private equity may be the remedy to industry overcapacity, writes David Ross. Peter, Paul and Mary once sung: 'Where have all the flowers gone?' In a similar vein, the print industry is...

Technology Report: Direct imaging - Where do you stand on the DI debate?
June 1, 2006... Dead on its feet, or alive and kicking? Direct imaging has divided opinion at both ends of the print spectrum. Karen Charlesworth considers both sides. It's 15 years since direct imaging (DI) technology was introduced, when US manufacturer...

Product Portfolio: Product of the week - Xerox DocuColor 5000.(Xerox launches a high-res model in its mid-volume slot)
June 1, 2006... While it tops off a hat-trick of kit with the 5000 moniker, this printer is in a league of its own, writes Simon Eccles. When Xerox launched its DocuColor 2000 series of sheetfed digital colour production printers, they revolutionised the...

Product portfolio: Me & my - Sakurai 566 SI.(Sakurai Graphics Systems installs the 566 SI)
June 1, 2006... Riverprint managing director Simon Granville-Jones has increased turnover and output after installing the 566 SI, reports Jez Abbott. Why did you choose the press? We wanted more efficiency and decided a five-colour machine would be a good...

Product portfolio: Tried & tested - Muller Martini Tigra.(Brief article)
June 1, 2006... Designed to bring higher levels of automation to perfect book binding, the Tigra is doing a roaring trade on the secondhand market, writes Tess Raine. Muller Martini (MM) has always been a bit of an animal in the small perfect binding...

Product portfolio: Buyers' guide - Colour digital & DI presses.
June 1, 2006... While digital remains on an upward trajectory, DI is on increasingly shaky ground. But what's the future for the rival technologies, asks Tess Raine. Potential customers are now more clued-up about digital technology than ever before, and...