Print Week articles from March 2002

Print Week archives from March 2002

As PrintWeek went to press. (Stop Press).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... As PrintWeek went to press Komori was announcing its Ipex plans, and was giving the first official look at the Project D in production at Image Data Group in Willerby. Details were subject to a press embargo, so more next week.

M-real and Myllykoski. (Stop Press).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... M-real and Myllykoski are to divide their sales and marketing activity following an increase in growth of both organisations. The division of the current sales organisation within M-real Alliance will begin this month.

Print management software. (Stop Press).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Print management software developer Printmountain is to rebrand as Mtivity. Spokesman Tom Kahrl said the new name would help communicate the message that its software was used to manage marketing activities on "a wide range of projects, not...

Silicon Systems. (Stop Press).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Silicon Systems has installed two Silicon Graphics Origin 300 servers at TFG in London. TFG's majority owner is Saatchi and Saatchi, for whom it provides production and creative services.

Woodward leaves Astron after five years. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Astron Group's operations director Kathy Woodward has left the firm after five years' service. Woodward was a high-profile figure at the Huntingdon print management/information logistics business and helped it secure two major...

Documedia buys Colourflow plants. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... ControlP subsidiary Documedia Solutions has bought the goodwill and assets of Colourflow's London operation, after the Farnborough-based design and print chain went into administrative receivership. Another four of the group's 12 sites...

Firms register Swan interest. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Several parties have expressed an interest in buying Swan Innovation, formerly Swan Packaging, according to liquidator Begbies Traynor. Former owners Bill Stillman and Karran Group have registered their interest in the Corby-based...

Galleon Keys director wins on TV show. (News).
March 1, 2002... A director at Dorking printer Galleon Keys said he was "absolutely gob-smacked and stunned" after winning [pounds sterling]500,000 on Who Wants to be a Millionaire? But Roger Walker has no plans to leave the company and said the money...

Sun Chemical Gibbon will host. (Shorts).
March 1, 2002... Sun Chemical Gibbon will host a Las Vegas-style evening for customers at Birmingham's National Motorcycle Museum during Ipex on Thursday 11 April, complete with Frank Sinatra lookalike Louis Hoover (left). The Ink Baron's Ball will also include...

The Central Arbitration Authority. (Shorts).(John Brown/Derry Printers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Central Arbitration Authority has ruled that the GPMU must be recognised at John Brown/Derry Printers in Nottingham. The firm's management withdrew union recognition three years ago and had opposed recognition on grounds that there were two...

RR Donnelley has issued. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... RR Donnelley has issued an additional [pounds sterling] ($75m) of previously registered but unsold stock. The company said the capital would be used for general corporate purposes and could also be used to repay or reduce debt.

Lowestoft-based Richardson Printing. (Shorts).(installs new printing press)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Lowestoft-based Richardson Printing has installed a Sakurai 472 EDII in a bid to attract four-colour B2 work. The new press has replaced one of the firm's two Komori Sprints. Richardson Printing partner John Richardson said: "The Sakurai allows...

Coates Screen has introduced. (Shorts).(new frame section for screen printers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Coates Screen has introduced a new frame section, which it claims can reduce handling and screen stability problems for the large-format screen printer. DM has been designed to maintain a high mesh tension without adding too much to the overall...

Northampton-based print finisher. (Shorts).(Encore buys collator)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Northampton-based print finisher Encore has taken delivery of a second [pounds sterling]100,000 18-station Bourg collator.

Thames Card Technology, based in Rayleigh. (Shorts).(installs new mailing machine, England)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Thames Card Technology, based in Rayleigh, has installed an Otto Kunnecke MAILok Integration C6000 mailing machine as part of its ongoing investment programme. The machine can handle 6,000 credit cards per hour, has the ability to track both...

Clayton Park Print Finishers. (Shorts).(buys perfect binder)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Clayton Park Print Finishers in Haslingden, Lancashire, has bought a 16-station Muller Martini Panda perfect binder, which was installed by Wakefield's Grafitec. The installation has created six jobs, taking the company's headcount to 145.

The end is in sight for Chromoworks. (News).(Polestar Chromoworks could close on March 15, 2002, Nottingham, England)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Polestar Chromoworks in Nottingham will close in two weeks on 15 March unless its workforce "accepts commercial reality." Two of the plant's four presses will move to Polestar's European operations and two will stay at UK locations still to...

P-E in Ipex platesetter launch. (News).(Purup-Eskofot Inc.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Purup-Eskofot (P-E) will use Ipex to launch a low-cost 2pp and 4pp metal platesetter. The PlateDriver QPS is a manual-loading version of P-E's fully automatic PlateDriver platesetter. A complete B2 system, including FlowDrive RIP and...

Wace deal will aid investment. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Wace Corporate Print managing director Angus Steel says two county court judgements issued against the firm, for a total of [pouns sterling]323, 149, relate to a deal it struck with the Inland Revenue (Print-Week, 22 February). Steel said...

Impact Litho. (News).
March 1, 2002... [Illustration omitted] Caption: Impact Litho in Basingstoke printed am copies of this year's The Rough Guide to The Orange British Academy Film Awards, a bespoke publication produced by Haymarket Customer Publishing on behalf of BAFTA...

Knight Organisation to seek new agencies at Ipex. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Knight Organisation chairman Michael Knight has revealed he will be actively looking for new agencies at Ipex next month. Knight said he was "very open" about the kind of firms he would like to represent, but added: "I wouldn't think it...

German union seeks big pay rise for printers. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... German printers could face erosion of their competitive advantage over UK rivals if a national union succeeds with ambitious pay demands. The ver.di public services union is asking for a 6.5% rise for 400,000 workers in the printing and...

Print Factory picks up Spectrum Flair. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Northampton's Spectrum Flair is back in operation following its acquisition by The Print Factory. Watford-based The Print Factory has acquired the firm's main building in the Round Spinney industrial park and its two Heidelberg webs (an...

10-col Speedmaster at Colibri. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Colibri Press is unveiling a new 10-colour B1 Heidelberg Speedmaster tomorrow (2 March) on the day its founder, Alfred Jeckel, celebrates his 75th birthday. Jeckel started the London print firm in 1949, when it concentrated on the jobbing...

Miniature firm offers finishing for trade users. (News).
March 1, 2002... A new West Country finisher is targeting a gap in the market for small-format and short-run trade work. Miniature Marketing was set up by Andy Down, who previously worked for Bristol-based Avalon Trade Finishers. The firm offers...

Jarrold printing. (News).
March 1, 2002... [Illustration omitted] Caption: Jarrold Printing has just Finished producing the second issue of the Financial Mail on Sunday's new monthly magazine, Money. The Norwich firm printed 200,000 copies of the January issue on its Baker Perkins...

Applied Optical Technologies has appointed. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Applied Optical Technologies has appointed Don Tomkins as director of research and development. Tomkins has 25 years' experience in the holographic industry, including specialist knowledge of OVDs, embossed foils, thin film coatings and...

MPG Books launched its new website this week. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... MPG Books launched its new website this week (www.mpg-books.com). The Bodmin book and journal printer is promoting the launch with a surf-themed direct mail campaign. Designed in-house, the site features information on the company as well as...

F1 Printing has installed a five-colour Heidelberg. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... F1 Printing has installed a five-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 74 with coater as part of a [pounds sterling]1m investment programme that also includes an upgrade of its finishing and pre-press operations. "We opted for Heidelberg because of the...

Barking College has installed a range. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Barking College has installed a range of finishing equipment supplied by Geliot Hurner Ewen (GHE) in its new 500[m.sup.2] Printing Department building. Equipment includes an Eurotecnica binder, Perfecta guillotine, GUK K49 knife and buckle...

Johnston Press has extended. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Johnston Press has extended Sun Chemical/Usher Walker's contract to supply coldset inks for a further five years. "Both sides can take advantage to develop quality improvements," said Johnston Printing Division managing director David Crow.

Taylor Bloxham awarded print finisher Paul Edge. (Shorts).
March 1, 2002... Taylor Bloxham awarded print finisher Paul Edge its Bruce Sharpless Employee of the Year award, which is voted for by staff and directors. "Paul's performance is second to none, he is always positive, and is definite team leader material," said...

British Polythene Industries' finance director. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... British Polythene Industries' finance director John Langlands has been named the Bank of Scotland's Finance Director of the Year. Langlands said the award was recognition of the firm's survival. He assisted in the firm's campaign against a...

Pitney Bowes Document Messaging Technologies. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Pitney Bowes Document Messaging Technologies has appointed Sue Douglas as service operations manager. Recently a director of Arrow Electronics, she also worked for Macro and was a flight lieutenant in the Royal Air Force. "I am pleased to be...

IP proposes 80 job losses at Inverurie. (News).(International Paper UK)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... International Paper (IP) UK is proposing 80 job cuts at Inverurie mill in Scotland to maintain its long-term competitiveness. The announcement follows shutdowns on PM3 and PM4 at Inverurie last July, which were taken to balance capacity...

Blackmore into colour coldset. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Blackmore has entered the colour coldset web arena with the acquisition of a Solna Distributor D300 five-unit press with F36 folder. Peter Smith, deputy managing director of the Shaftesbury-based printer, said: "We're bucking the trend at...

Printing barons till the Rich List. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Dr Hans Rausing, former joint owner of Tetra Pak, tops this year's Mail on Sunday Rich List Report with a [pounds sterling]6.3bn fortune. Fred Johnston of Johnston Press is at 136 with [pounds sterling]219m, while John Madejski, owner of...

Bemrose has officially launched its new identity. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... [Illustration omitted] Caption: Bemrose has officially launched its new identity as BemroseBooth, as revealed at the start of the year (PrintWeek, 4 January). "It's been extremely well received both by customers and employees," said chief...

NTO survey needs employer support. (News).(Print and Graphic Communication National Training Organisation)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The Print and Graphic Communication National Training Organisation (PGC NTO) is urging print employers to show their commitment to training by completing a survey seeking endorsement for a joint printing/photo imaging Sector Skills Council...

AOT suffers loss of euro work. (News).(Applied Optical Technologies)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Applied Optical Technologies has issued a profits warning for the year to 31 March. The security and holography group said results would be "below the lower end of current market expectations" because it did not expect to make deliveries...

EC cracks down on toxic inks. (News).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Chemicals found in printing inks are among 43 substances whose sale to the general public will be restricted under a European Commission proposal. The Commission is proposing that the substances, referred to as carcinogenic, mutagenic or...

Adobe Systems has launched photoshop 7.0. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Adobe Systems has launched Photoshop 7.0. Its RRP is [pounds sterling]450, but registered users of earlier versions can upgrade for [pounds sterling]99 on its website, www.adobe.co.uk/products/photoshop.

The new Enfocus Instant PDF. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The new Enfocus Instant PDF plug-in for Adobe InDesign will allow users to access "queues" configured with Instant PDF from within InDesign. It is available in Spring as a free separate installer to registered users, but a future release will...

WAM!NET has appointed Michael Williams as chief executive. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... WAM!NET has appointed Michael Williams as chief executive. He was previously president and general manager of the Systems and Technology Business of Lockheed Martin's Global Telecommunications organisation.

The reorganisation of ArtQuest's activities in 2001. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... The reorganisation of ArtQuest's activities in 2001, which included closing its French office, has increased its market share in graphic arts, the firm has claimed. ArtQuest must now secure [pounds sterling]500,000 (CAD$1.2m) to finance future...

Kallik has signed UP Princes, the UK supplier. (Shorts).(canned food supplier using asset management software)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Kallik has signed UP Princes, the UK supplier of canned foods, to use its brand asset management software. Images and photography can be automatically catalogued and searched for the most up-to-date version. It can also store trailers and...

Scottish firm J Thomson colour printers is installing. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Scottish firm J Thomson Colour Printers is installing its second Creo B1 thermal platesetter. The new Lotem 800 Quantum has a throughput of 25 plates per hour at 2,540dpi. This is alongside the installation of a new 12-colour Heidelberg 102...

DittoPrint in Glasgow has bought a Creo Lotem 400V. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... DittoPrint in Glasgow has bought a Creo Lotem 400V with a Brisque Impose front end from NCS Group in a [pounds sterling]170,000 deal. This is NCS' first CTP sale in Scotland.

Iles printing has installed highwater's pixelproof. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Iles Printing has installed HighWater's PixelProof proofing software. The Bristol-based firm, which runs seven Heidelberg presses producing short turnaround work, uses the software to enable it to use a RIP-once workflow. Ripped files can be...

Cambridge packaging printer firstan has increased. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Cambridge packaging printer Firstan has increased productivity by 25% after installing the Agfa Apogee workflow and fully automated Galileo thermal CTP system. It has a "travelling oven" facility for baking Agfa's Thermostar plates, which was...

Last week's screen platerite 8600 product. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Last week's Screen PlateRite 8600 Product of the Week had incorrect pricing information for Creo's Lotem Quantum 800 platesetter, which was listed as one of the alternatives. Pricing for the machine excluding RIP is [pounds sterling]226,419,...

Toray's waterless production boost. (News Pre-Press).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Toray is to increase its plate production capacity due to projections that waterless plates will make up 10% of the market for litho plates. It is investing [pounds sterling]12m in a dedicated waterless CTP plate line at its Okazaki plant...

Remote proofing on Best RIPs. (News Pre-Press).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Best is adding support for remote proofing to the next generation of its RIPs. Remoteproof creates a compressed file that consists of a PDF of the job and a JDF with the correct output settings. At Ipex the firm will launch a...

Extensis seals WAM!NET deal. (News Pre-Press).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... WAM!NET has signed a deal to incorporate Extensis' online pre-flighting system into its file transmission service. "By complementing our services with Extensis Preflight Online we enable faster turnaround while insuring the integrity of the...

Carlton Barclay will be able to output 7,000 plates a week. (News Pre-Press).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... [Illustration omitted] Caption: Carlton Barclay will be able to output 7,000 plates a week after installing a Screen PlateRite 8600 CTP system. The fully-automatic system joins a PlateRite 8000 used by Litho-Tech, the corporate print...

Colourlink places Times ad for cash. (News Digital).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Colourlink London, the large-format digital printing firm that was bought out of administrative receivership last year (Print Week, 16 November 2001), is looking for [pounds sterling]300,000 of funding as it prepares to launch its Digital...

98% drop in Presstek income. (News Digital).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Presstek vice president of sales, marketing and customer support Efrem Lieber said the last quarter of 2001 was "one of the hardest we have faced" after the firm reported a 98% fall in net income for the three months to 29 December. Net...

Ipex launch for Lyson products. (News Digital).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Lyson will launch a host of new ink-jet printers, inks and media at Ipex, including the JetPlate CTP system and the Lyson Match Proof proofing line. Other new products on view will include the Tiara Ruby (43in), Sapphire (54in) and Opal...

Oce Display Graphic Systems. (News Digital).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... [Illustration omitted] Caption: Oce Display Graphic Systems, formerly Gretag Professional Imaging, has launched its Lightjet 500XL super-wide printer at the PMA 2002 exhibition in Orlando. The printer can print up to 45[m.sup.2] an hour on...

London colour printer Em-En-Ess. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... London colour printer Em-En-Ess has installed a Morgana AutoCreaser and DocuFold to finish its digital colour output. The choice of finishing equipment was based on the AutoCreaser's ability to overcome cracking. Em-En-Ess was chosen as one of...

Delegates from over 50 BPIF member companies. (Shorts).(British Printing Industries Federation conference details)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Delegates from over 50 BPIF member companies attended the BPIF digital interest group's second meeting, hosted by Xerox at its Wokefield Park Conference Centre. The group heard presentations from Xerox European executives including Graphic Arts...

Hybrid Services has increased its range. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Hybrid Services has increased its range of durable consumables for the Mimaki range of piezo ink-jet printers, with a range of papers and materials specifically designed for outdoor use, including specialist outdoor inks. The range of inks...

Vianet.works UK has developed. (Shorts).(internet portal for Danka UK)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Vianet.works UK has developed a customer internet portal for Danka UK. The Danka portal -- www.danka.co.uk -- provides a single web interface for Danka's public internet site, as well as a customer management extranet, Danka e-Services....

Colourgen will supply. (Shorts).(Encad contract details)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Colourgen will supply all Encad NovaJet 880 and 750 printers with two years' on-site warranty free of charge in a deal worth [pounds sterling]1,400 to the end-user. Customers can also upgrade to three years' warranty at the reduced price of...

Web consulting is conducting. (Shorts).(survey details regarding printing industries)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Web Consulting is conducting a major global survey of wide-format printing, imaging and signmaking throughout 2002. The digital print consultancy said the survey would cover all techniques used for the production of signs, prints and other...

Hanway becomes an all-Canon house with an iR110. (News Digital).(Hanway Print Centre equipment data)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Hanway Print Centre has switched the majority of its digital print output to Canon equipment following the installation of an iR110. The 110ppm black-and-white cut-sheet printer was up and running at the beginning of the year, replacing a...

Expo speakers are announced for On Demand. (News Digital).(conference keynote speakers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Indigo chief executive Benny Landa and William McGlynn, Hewlett-Packard's vice president and general manager of digital printing, will be among the keynote speakers at next month's On Demand show. The duo will tackle the subject of...

CGI reshuffle and digital print spend. (News Digital).(Cunningham Graphics International )
March 1, 2002... Cunningham Graphics International (CGI), the financial research printer, is expanding its digital printing capabilities with a [pounds sterling]1.75m investment in equipment and a reorganisation of its print centres. In April, the [pounds...

Xaar will target packaging with new kit at Ipex. (News Digital).(company product details)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Xaar is focusing on the packaging and converting sector at Ipex. It will show a new greyscale print head designed for packaging, product decoration and security print. The new print head is claimed to offer near photographic quality,...

Hewlett-Packard set to acquire last Indigo shares. (News Digital).(acquisition details)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Hewlett-Packard's acquisition of Indigo has taken a step forward after Indigo products were shown on an HP stand on one of the first ever occasions at the PMA exhibition in Florida. HP has also started its [pounds sterling]441m ($629m)...

New report slates pulp & paper firms. (News Paper).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... European forest product companies can expect earnings to fall by at least 50% in 2002, according to a new report. Industry consolidation is also failing to create a balance between supply and demand, according to Paper Strategy 2002, the...

April is "responsive" says FoE. (News Paper).(Friends of the Earth meeting details)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Friends of the Earth (FoE) has had an "encouraging" meeting with representatives of Indonesian manufacturer April following its report into the paper firm's forest practices, April Fools (Print Week, 22 February). FoE forest campaigner Ed...

Sappi expects US profitability. (News Paper).(company financial strategy)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Sappi expects to bring its North American business back into profitability in the second half of the year, the group's AGM has heard. "Retail spending in the US is increasing and the economy should start to recover soon," said chairman...

James McNaughton Paper Group. (News Paper).(company product introduction and details)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
March 1, 2002... [Illustration omitted] Caption: James McNaughton Paper Group has introduced a new swatch identifying the full range of Jac self-adhesive products. The swatch provides descriptions on how adhesives and backing papers perform and differ, as...

Bunzl fine paper has been voted. (Shorts).(Kall Kwik's supplier of the year )(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Bunzl Fine Paper has been voted as Kall Kwik's supplier of the year for the fifth year in succession. National accounts director Mike Rust (left) received the award from Kall Kwik UK chairman Nigel Toplis.

Following UPM-Kymmene. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Following UPM-Kymmene's acquisition of Haindl Papier last year 2001), the two companies will combine their marketing activities under the UPM-Kymmene name at Ipex. Both companies are partners in PrintCity, but the Haindl name will now disappear...

Scheufelen premium papers has appointed. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Scheufelen Premium Papers has appointed Wendy Fidao as sales director. She will work alongside managing director Allen Langlois in developing the company's presence in the UK.

Tullis Russell, the Scottish papermaker. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Tullis Russell, the Scottish papermaker, has named Stephan Nummer as sales representative within its German sales operation. The 28-year-old will report to sales manager Norbert Spiegel and will be responsible for key accounts in Germany,...

Premier paper hopes to raise awareness. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Premier Paper hopes to raise awareness and sales of its Elements brand through a competition that offers the prize of accommodation at an Elite group hotel. To be in with a chance of winning the "Take to the Air" competition, customers must buy...

Robert Horne Group has appointed Suzie Hall. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Robert Horne Group has appointed Suzie Hall as e-marketing manager. She was product manager for graphical products in the group's marketing department for 14 months. Hall joined Robert Home straight after graduating and has now been with the...

Brigl & Bergmeister (B&B) has taken. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Brigl & Bergmeister (B&B) has taken its stake in Papirnica Vevce, the Slovenian producer of paper for labels and flexible packaging, to 80% after buying another 29%. B&B's mill in Niklasdorf, Austria, produces 60,000 tonnes of label paper,...

Shareholders representing 75% of votes. (Shorts).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... Shareholders representing 75% of votes in Holmen will propose to re-elect seven ordinary members of the Swedish paper group's board at the AGM on 20 March. Fredrik Lundberg, Carl Kempe, Hans Larsson, Arne Martensson, Bengt Pettersson, Per Welin...

Drop of 2.5% in 2001 paper and board production. (News Paper).(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
March 1, 2002... Paper and board production fell by around 2.5% last year, according to the preliminary figures for 2001 from the Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI). Production of paper and board was 88m tonnes, but the decline comes after...

M-real targets DM companies with new paper. (News Paper).(Brief Article)
March 1, 2002... M-real has launched Galerie One, a coated fine paper specifically designed to meet the demands of the direct marketing industry. Produced at M-real's Kangas mill in Finland, the new paper is the result of extensive research to minimise the...