Print Week articles from March 2003

Print Week archives from March 2003

Mystery German firm mulls Derby plant.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... A German printing group is believed to be considering creating 700 jobs at a catalogue printing and distribution site in a new Derby business park. The site is one of three in the UK being examined by the unnamed group, according to local...

Communisis sales up in print refocus.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Communisis has signalled a change of strategy by acknowledging that print lies at the heart of its business. As the group revealed year-end results boosted by a pounds 50.3m seven-month contribution from Centurion, it described 2002 as a...

InDesign move for Reed titles.(Reed Business Information to use Adobe InDesign software)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Another major publisher is switching from QuarkXPress to Adobe InDesign. Reed Business Information (RBI) has already run a pilot project with two weekly titles and will roll the software out group-wide over the next year. The move is...

Crest's assets spark interest.(Crest Packaging)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Crest Packaging's receivers have received 70-80 expressions of interest in buying the 500-staff company, despite the widely held belief that the industry is over supplied. GPMU national officer Owen Coop said up to 80 parties had signed...

MAN confirms pounds 2m MPG order.(MAN Roland has order from MPG Books)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... New MAN Roland Great Britain managing director Nick Charles was in Cornwall this week to confirm the first major press order of his tenure. MPG Books in Bodmin has signed a pounds 2m order for three B1 MAN Roland 700s, one four-colour and...

STOP PRESS: Polestar Colchester creates jobs.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Polestar Colchester is creating 25 jobs with the installation of a secondhand 32pp web in April. The firm will also move its bindery to a nearby site.

STOP PRESS: Colin Clapp installs Speedmaster.(direct mail printer)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Hertfordshire-based direct mail printer Colin Clapp is installing a 10-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 74 to join a six-colour B1 and a five-colour B2.

STOP PRESS: Meldram and Vernon join board.(David Meldram and Tim Vernon; Printing Industry Forum)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Sun Chemical senior vice president David Meldram and Tim Vernon, managing director of Northampton-based Avalon Print, have joined the board of the Printing Industry Forum.

STOP PRESS: Goss Colorliner 70 coming on-stream.(at Trinity Mirror's Cardiff plant)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Goss Colorliner 70 at Trinity Mirror's Cardiff plant will come on-stream before the end of this month.

STOP PRESS: GPMU continues discussions.(with Jarrold Printing )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The GPMU is continuing its 'complex' discussions with Jarrold Printing over cost-cutting proposals.

STOP PRESS: Kinko to buy ImageX.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... US quickprint chain Kinko's has agreed to buy ImageX for pounds 10.3m (dollars 16.5m). Kinko's Chris Barnes said it was 'too early to tell' how ImageX's licensing deal with Printcafe, previously held by Printchannel, would be affected.

Consumer survey dismays DM firms.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Printers are dismayed that 'junk mail' is back in the news after a MORI poll revealed that two thirds of people object to receiving it. The warning of a consumer backlash came as suppliers to the direct mail (DM) industry gathered at...

JP rules out print-related buy.(Jarvis Porter)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Jarvis Porter, the cash-rich shell of the former print and packaging group, says its pounds 1m-plus investment in organic pigment supplier European Colour is not a prelude to an acquisition. The company bought pounds 1.1m worth, or 11.98%,...

Last chance to book.
March 7, 2003... This is the last chance to book your place at the PrintWeek/Shuttleworth Strategies for Success conference on 11 March at the Institute of Directors in London. Polestar chief executive Barry Hibbert will chair the half-day event, and speakers...

Merlin forced to call in receivers.(Merlin Colour Printers )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Merlin Colour Printers in Halstead has gone into receivership with Nottingham's Cooper-Parry citing tough trading conditions. Managing director David Marrable said there would be no rebirth of the 30-staff company, but that his future lay...

SHORTS: Primarc UV reports rise.(Primarc UV Technology reports sales growth)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Primarc UV Technology has reported a 20.3% rise in sales from October to January compared with the same period the previous year.

SHORTS: Avenues 4 Print opens facility.(in Luton)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Print management company Avenues 4 Print has opened its production facility in Luton, offering coldset web printing and finishing. It is run by former Wyndeham manager Patrick Mathe. Visit: www.avenues4print.co.uk.

SHORTS: Biddles appoints.(appointed Justin Drayton as account controller and Gareth Padgett as sales executive )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Guildford-based book printer Biddles has appointed Justin Drayton as account controller and Gareth Padgett as sales executive following its partnership agreement with US digital printer IBT Global.

SHORTS: Howard Smith Paper to host seminar.
March 7, 2003... Howard Smith Paper is to host a seminar on Printing Trends on Uncoated Papers at Heidelberg's showroom in London on 1 May, and Leeds on 9 April. Contact: Martin Webster 01604 443563.

SHORTS: Olympus Labels appoints director.(appointed Peter Davies as commercial director)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Olympus Labels, the West Yorkshire-based sensitive labels specialist, has appointed Peter Davies as commercial director. During his career Davies has been managing director of Brook & Whittle and also worked for Jarvis Porter. Olympus has also...

SHORTS: Imprint Business to install Press.(Imprint Business Systems receives order from Cambridge University Press)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Imprint Business Systems has won a six-figure order to install a PrintMaster MIS at Cambridge University Press.

SHORTS: Thomas Potts approve resolution.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Thomas Potts' shareholders approved the resolution to cancel the company's listing on the Alternative Investment Market at last week's EGM. The move follows the group's exit from print manufacturing to concentrate on print management.

SHORTS: Unwin employs sales representatives.(Unwin Brothers )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Unwin Brothers has employed four new sales representatives in a bid to expand turnover. Clive Saunders, Steve Wilkin, Ridge Parsons and Trevor Stevens have all joined the Surrey-based company.

SHORTS: DP Direct installs GUK folder.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Direct mail outfit DP Direct has installed a new GUK folder at its Mitcham plant. The FA54 with spot glue and remoistenable hot melt facilities handles the firm's largest laser printed sheets.

SHORTS: British Polythene profits fall.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... British Polythene Industries has reported a 37% fall in pre-tax profits to pounds 10.2m for the year to December 2002. Sales also dipped 9.3% to pounds 350.4m. The firm is also increasing its final salary pension scheme employer contributions...

SHORTS: Heidelberg Used Equipment to move.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Heidelberg Used Equipment is to move its base from Slough to Brentford as it ceases to operate a refurbished equipment facility in the UK. Global marketing manager Christina Buchers said the company made the decision as the lease in Slough runs...

SHORTS: Mastercolour press 15th, not sixth.(Correction Notice)
March 7, 2003... Mastercolour in Tunbridge Wells would like to point out that its latest KBA press is the 15th since it started business 20 years ago, not its sixth. The addition will give it a six-strong press hall (PrintWeek, 28 February).

Former FT chief takes non-exec role at Polestar.(David Palmer CBE as an independent non-executive director)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Polestar has appointed former Financial Times group chief executive David Palmer CBE as an independent non-executive director. He joined the board from 1 March and also holds a non-executive position as chairman of Spirit FM, among other...

MAN Roland sales plunge 13% in '02.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Delayed investment decisions forced on printers by uncertain market conditions have led to double-digit decreases in orders, sales and earnings at MAN Roland in 2002. The world's second largest press manufacturer reported a 13% drop in...

Survey: colour almost triples ad awareness.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Investment in colour printing by regional newspapers has paid off after research from the Newspaper Society found that colour more than doubles the awareness of advertisements. The pounds 250,000 Conversion Study, conducted by Millward...

Linney director quits company.(Ian Nicholls leaves Linney Print )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Linney Print production director Ian Nicholls has parted company with the Mansfield-based firm after three years. Group managing director Miles Linney said Nicholls' departure was by mutual consent and believed he would now concentrate on...

Spema fails in CVA payments.(print finisher bankrupt; Company Voluntary Arrangement failed)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... London print finisher Spema has gone into liquidation after the collapse of the Company Voluntary Arrangement (CVA) it entered last September. A spokesman for Begbies Traynor said the CVA failed after the Wembley-based business couldn't...

YMP delegates told to embrace change.(Young Managing Printers )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Young Managing Printers (YMP) national training conference was told by BPIF president Peter Yates to get stuck in and embrace change. 'Go away and challenge yourselves,' he told the 62 delegates as he wrapped up the two days on managing...

CPI: energy paper lacks key details.(Confederation of Paper Industries )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) is 'mystified at the lack of detail' given by the government in its recent energy white paper, Creating a Low Carbon Economy. CPI head of environment David Gillett said: 'Although the white paper...

Wife wins dismissal damages.(from Label Converters)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Label Converters in Haverhill, Suffolk, has lost an unfair dismissal case against its former marketing manager who was sacked by her husband. Julie Muir was 'humiliated' after her husband Andrew, the firm's then general manager, was...

KBA to build Genius 52s alone.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... KBA is to take over the entire manufacture of its Genius 52 B3 waterless press from its initial joint partner and developer, Metronic. It will build the Genius alongside its Karat and Rapida 74 presses at Radebeul, near Dresden. The press...

Liability cover will hurt smaller firms.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The UK's 'compensation culture' could lead to small printers being hit by increases of up to 50% in employers' liability insurance. According to figures released by the Heath Lambert Group, premiums for employers' liability are set to rise...

Ambassador assets sold off.(Ambassador Printing )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The administrative receiver of Croydon sheetfed printer Ambassador Printing has admitted that he has sold its business and assets to a phoenix operation because it was the 'only option' open. The firm's existing management team is now...

21-staff union rule under fire.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The GPMU has accused the government of 'caving in' to the CBI and the small business lobby after the DTI's review of the Employment Relations Act 1999 retained the 21-staff lower threshold for statutory union recognition. Deputy general...

Legal Notices.(in the London Gazette)(Brief Article)
March 7, 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 Companies in Liquidation Adept Press Ltd...

Troika takes dotmeter back to the drawing board.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Troika Systems has relaunched the dotmeter it introduced at Ipex after going back to the drawing board. And it claims that the latest models, the PlateCam and LithoCam, are also the most accurate dotmeters on the market. 'Based on the...

Imacon phases out entry-level Flextight Photo.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Imacon, the Danish scanner and digital camera back manufacturer, is phasing out its entry-level Flextight Photo scanner and replacing it with the new Flextight 343. The 343 will begin shipping later this month and completes the Flextight...

IPC rolls out colour managed system.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... IPC has started a group-wide roll-out of a colour managed editorial workflow. Working with Birmingham-based colour management firm TypeMaker it has implemented it on Woman's Own, Chat, Now, What Digital Camera, Webuser and Yachting World....

Butler & Tanner invests in Creo thermal CTP kit.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Butler & Tanner, the Frome-based book specialist, has invested over pounds 320,000 in a Creo thermal platesetter and upgraded its Prinergy workflow to version 2.1 to boost capacity. The installation includes the company's second VLF...

Image specialist iPIX set for UK launch at Newstec.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... US image management software specialist iPIX will launch itself onto the UK market at Newstec. The company's technology is already being used for classified advertisements by a number of US publishers, including the Los Angeles Times, and...

The Color Co trims down to 13 outlets.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... The Color Co has completed the sale of its branches outside London, although it decided to retain its outlets in Edinburgh and Glasgow. Managing director Kevin Belcher has left the firm as a result, a move that was described as amicable by...

Domino launches new ink-jet.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Domino has launched an ink-jet print system based on drop-on-demand technology. It has applications in direct mail, labels and plastic cards. According to Domino director of commercial printing David Ellen, it offers higher quality, faster...

Heidelberg seals engine deal.(continues to supply high-volume black-and-white print engines for Canon's imageRunner digital presses )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Heidelberg will continue to supply high-volume black-and-white print engines for Canon's imageRunner digital presses after agreeing to extend their partnership. The imageRunner 110 and the new 150+, which are capable of producing 110ppm...

SHORTS: Imageco invests in printer.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Leeds-based Imageco has invested pounds 500,000 in a Durst Rho 160 ink-jet printer, which can print on substrates up to 4cm thick. Steve Johnson, director of the pounds 4.5m-turnover firm, said the Durst's versatility opened up 'a whole new...

SHORTS: Representatives confirmed speakers.(for the 2nd International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Representatives from Xerox, Hewlett-Packard, Creo, IBM and Oce are among the confirmed speakers for the 2nd International Conference on Digital Production Printing and Industrial Applications, which takes place at the Barcelona Hilton from...

SHORTS: Publishers attend BPIF symposium.
March 7, 2003... Over 50 publishers, book manufacturers and academics attended the BPIF Book Production Section's recent digital symposium at Oxford Brookes University. They heard presentations from the likes of Adobe, IBM, Xerox and Oce, while discussion...

SHORTS: Xerox UK manager presents award.(Richard Caunt presented the value added reseller of the year award)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Xerox UK business manager Richard Caunt and partner business manager Richard Pole have presented Litho Supplies' Steve Dodds with Xerox's VAR (value added reseller) of the year award after Litho Supplies achieved sales of more than pounds 4m of...

SHORTS: Linx Printing reports profit rise.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Linx Printing Technologies, the manufacturer of continuous ink-jet marking and coding systems, has reported a 2% rise in pre-tax profit to pounds 2.44m and sales up 3% to pounds 24.9m for the six months to 31 December. It made progress in the...

SHORTS: Tetenal adds new products.
March 7, 2003... Tetenal, the manufacturer of ink-jet papers, has added several new products. They include Photo Archival Matt, a 241gsm grade suitable for colour and black-and-white printing, and Photo Glossy 272gsm, which uses Tetenal's Ultra-Fine Cavity...

Axios prepares to enter paper management sector.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Axios Management, a new independent paper and print management provider, will launch this month. The central London company has been set up by former Salehurst Paper and Contract Paper business development manager Peter Georgiou. 'We...

Sodra appoints new chief at its Monsteras mill.(Sodra Cell has appointed Eva Farnstrand as manager of its Monsteras mill in Sweden)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Swedish pulp producer Sodra Cell has appointed Eva Farnstrand as manager of its Monsteras mill in Sweden. She is currently managing director of Stockholm-based printer Tidningstryckarna, which prints Swedish newspapers Svenska Dagbladet and...

Paper merchants raise stock prices.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Paper merchant Antalis is to increase its prices by 4-6% across the majority of its paper and packaging products from 31 March. The move comes a week after the merchant admitted that it would incur extra costs due to the London Congestion...

Switch of sales director at Arjo Carbonless op.(Arjo Wiggins Carbonless Paper Operations appointed Enzo Firrao as sales and marketing director)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Arjo Wiggins Carbonless Paper Operations has appointed Enzo Firrao as sales and marketing director. He joins from Yupo Europe, where he was vice president of sales and marketing. He will also serve on the company's management...

Tight margins keep board suppliers on their toes.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Although the cartonboard market is still quiet it's in a better position than 2002 despite the looming uncertainty, writes Rachel Barnes. One supplier said February was not much stronger than January, but that the UK was doing reasonably...

Art of engraving is star of a new book.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... A new book aims to revitalise interest in engraved printing and educate specifiers about the possibilities of the process. Images of Engraving has been produced by the members of the British Engraved Stationery Association (BESA), and was...

Pindar wins GLS Supplies deal.(produce catalogues for GLS Educational Supplies )(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Pindar has won a four-year contract with GLS Educational Supplies to produce its main, export and pre-school catalogues. The Scarborough-based printer will handle products ranging from 300-1,200pp and in runs varying from 1,000 to 80,000....

MetalFX hits the high street.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Loxleys has produced the first job to go on sale on the high street that uses the MetalFX metallic colour specification system. The Sheffield-based firm has produced a range of 94 greetings cards for Paper Island, which is part of...

EU Tenders.
March 7, 2003... Below is a selection of the latest public EU contracts in the printing sector. Please read the important notes at the foot of the page, as PrintWeek cannot supply any additional information or pass on your details Printing Scottish...

COMMENT: Overcapacity continues to create casualties.
March 7, 2003... The packaging sector's current problems have brought overcapacity into the public eye once again, but unfortunately the issue applies to other areas of the industry too. This week's news that a (so far) unidentified German firm could be...

OPINION: Find out what customers want before you act.
March 7, 2003... I feel incredulous when I see or hear comments about the perceived lack of professionalism and planning by sales people. Last year alone Miter Press was successful by winning new business and growing existing accounts. We believe that many...

ANALYSIS: Arjo Wiggins bioenergy plant moves pounds 5m closer to lift-off.
March 7, 2003... Renewable energy initiative leads UK's commitment to lower CO2 emissions. John Davies looks at the benefits The pounds 5m grant to help Arjo Wiggins build the UK's first combined heat and power plant (CHP) using bioenergy is a welcome...

WALLIS: Classically bound books don't beat about the bush.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Of all the products manufactured by the printing industry, I confess to a preference for a handsome book. There is nothing more satisfying than an aptly designed volume in a cosy format. Ideally with a text set neatly and compactly in a...

ANALYSIS: Packaging wilting under the pressure.
March 7, 2003... While receivership is tough to take, the rest of the sector is welcoming the breathing space. Overcapacity, unfavourable exchange rates and unequal bargaining power continue to plague the packaging sector. But, as MY Holdings chief...

Hard times.(web printing industry in the UK)
March 7, 2003... Web offset is in the doldrums, but is it a case of too many presses or not enough work? The demise of Duncan Web Offset in June 2001 was not entirely unexpected. At the time many in the web sector were expecting a casualty and in the...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Product of the Week - Tharstern SQL v2.0.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 7, 2003... With several new features and JDF and PDF on board, Tharsten's SQL MIS can truly be called mark 2. At the MIS show (Birmingham, 18-20 March), Tharstern will unveil the first major overhaul of its SQL MIS since its introduction five years...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Me & My Machine - Xerox iGen3.(Pims evaluates Xerox equipment)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 7, 2003... Superlatives abound when Pims talks of its iGen3 and the rise in its short-run colour capacity, discovers Barney Cox Xerox must have been rubbing its hands with glee when Islington-based Pims agreed to be the first UK firm to take its...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Buyers' Guide - E-commerce & online services.
March 7, 2003... More and more printers are seeing the benefits of doing business online, not just for sales but also purchasing There is no doubt that even though the dotcom bubble of the '90s has well and truly burst, an effectively managed and...

JO'S HELP LINE: Jo Francis tracks down the solutions to your technical troubles.(Letter to the Editor)
March 7, 2003... More prayers Following on from the Printer's Prayer (Help Line, 7 February) has anyone out there heard of the 'Proof-reader's Epitaph!'? I suffered so much from printers' errors, That death for me can hold no terrors, I bet...

INSITE: www.primarc.com.(Primarc UV Technology web site)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 7, 2003... Not to be confused with the low-cost high street retailer of a similar name, Primarc UV Technology is one of the leading manufacturers of ultraviolet curing lamps. UV curing is currently one of the industry's hottest topics (cue groans) and...

Diary Dates.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
March 7, 2003... Annual Livery Lecture Stationers' Hall London Contact 020 7248 2934 Strategies for Success 11 March London Contact 01753 892833 London Book Fair 16-18 March Olympia Contact...

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO: Tried & Tested - Screen DTR-1065.(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 7, 2003... Despite disadvantages in its SRA format, the DTR-1065 is still a robust and speedy unit, says Darryl Danielli Introduced in 1994, the DTR-1065 was Screen's very first four-up imagesetter. It used external drum technology with a 64 LED...

PRINT'S PAST: Credit cards.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Credit cards were the idea of Frank McNamara who found himself without a wallet and big restaurant bill to pay. To avoid the same difficulty in the future he came up with the credit card. Diners Club issued the first in 1950 when it had 200...

POST SCRIPT: Outgoing YMP chair falls fowl of over-40s prank.(Young Managing Printers' Nick Turner)(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... It's not how young you are, but how young you feel. This is certainly a view endorsed by the Young Managing Printers, who last weekend voted to abolish their unfeasibly ageist upper age limit of 40. But, comfortingly, it was also a...

POST SCRIPT: Memory Lane.
March 7, 2003... 1 YEAR AGO Pindar was awarded the seven-figure contract to be the official print provider for the Commonwealth Games... Printing of the Scotsman was disrupted after a fire at Caledonian Offset... A Nigerian man, Bais Sulaiman, was jailed...

POST SCRIPT: Who prints that then? - Roger's Profanisaurus.(Brief Article)
March 7, 2003... Ever gone on an elbow-bender, got completely banjoed, and paid the price by eating breakfast backwards? Confused? To some this may read like a typical night out - to others it's complete mumbo-jumbo. If you fall into the latter group, the...

POST SCRIPT: Profile - John Watson.(Interview)
March 7, 2003... John Watson is the chief executive of Glasgow-based John Watson & Co. He's been in print for 38 years, but for Watson it's the people who have really make it interesting. And for that reason he's keen to encourage young people in the industry -...

BPIF wins gong at Best Practice Awards.(British Printing Industries Federation)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... The BPIF has been named Trade Association of the Year 2003 for demonstrating leadership, innovation, excellence and success and providing inspiration. It also won the Membership Success award and was a runner-up in the Business of...

Clondalkin grows its profits in 2002.(UK)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Clondalkin, the normally reclusive Irish-owned print and packaging group, has mounted a charm offensive this week by revealing its results for 2002. The group announced 'record' figures just two weeks after private equity firm Candover...

Radius in print managing deal.(contract from Royal London Group, UK)(Brief Article)
March 14, 2003... Wakefield's Radius Management Services has won a two-year contract to manage the print needs of Royal London Group. Radius will use five suppliers to produce material for the Royal London and Scottish Life brands. APS in Cheshire has worked...