Print Week articles from March 2005

Print Week archives from March 2005

Production Co to take first Indigo 5000.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Sheffield's The Production Company has been revealed as the first UK user of HP Indigo's 5000 digital press. It has been testing the machine for the past six months with digital print manager Jon Bailey providing feedback to HP. The...

Print Factory buys major Wace stake.(Wace Group PLC)
March 3, 2005... In the latest stage of the rollercoaster ride that is Wace, The Print Factory has bought a majority stake in the commercial printer for an undisclosed sum. 'The Print Factory has acquired a 70% interest in Wace and myself and Richard...

Cancer claims life of Ditchling legend Pepler.(Ditchling Press)(Lawrence Pepler)
March 3, 2005... Lawrence Pepler, chairman of Ditchling Press, has lost his two-year battle with cancer. 'He will be sorely missed by us all here, myself, Richard, Alec and Derek,' said managing director Geoff Dagwell. Pepler, who had been with the...

Craftsmen to reprint lost Rubens plates.(Sir Peter Paul Rubens)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... An historical set of copper plate engravings based on designs drawn by Sir Peter Paul Rubens are being reprinted thanks to a tie-up between two craft printers. The plates were discovered in a chest at Stonyhurst College in Lancashire. ...

Stop Press: NexPress EMEA vice president sought.(appointment of Reinhold Frech)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... NexPress EMEA vice president and general manager Paul Willems has left the firm. While a replacement is sought his role is being split by business development manager Will Mansfield and director of professional services and business development...

Stop Press: Creo receives permission.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Creo has received permission from the Canadian authorities to hold its special meeting to allow shareholders to vote on whether or not to accept Kodak's offer to buy the firm.

Stop Press: Wyndeham restructuring.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Wyndeham could cease printing at Keyne Print, its B2 sheetfed business, under restructuring plans that involve changing its focus to project/print management with manufacturing to be carried out elsewhere in the group. See printweek.com.

Stop Press: Hubert Burda Media launch new title.
March 3, 2005... Hubert Burda Media's new UK arm is to launch a weekly showbiz and celebrity title. Full House will be printed in Germany and hits the shops next Tuesday (8 March).

Roland shrugs off sheetfed rumours.(MAN Roland)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... MAN Group has denied reports in the German press that it is to close two sheetfed press factories, with the loss of 700 jobs. A report last Sunday in the German newspaper Die Welt am Sonntag claimed that the engineering giant's loss-making...

Associated tech guru to leave.(Associated Newspapers)(Allan Marshall )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Associated Newspapers technology guru Allan Marshall is to leave the press group this July to return to his native Australia. Marshall, managing director of Associated Mediabase and group technology director for Associated Newspapers,...

Oce on the acquisition trail.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Oce chief executive Rokus van Iperen has said that Oce will be acquiring companies in the US and Europe. He was speaking at Oce's annual open house for customers in Munich, which showcased a range of its services and unveiled a raft of new...

Shorts: Appointment at IIR Exhibitions.(Gordon Kirk )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... IIR Exhibitions has appointed Gordon Kirk as event manager for Northprint 2005. 'IIR has a reputation for organising top quality, market-leading events such as Ipex and Digital Print World and I am delighted to work with such a great team on...

Shorts: Appointment at Kall Kwik UK.(Dominic Mellor )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Kall Kwik UK has appointed Dominic Mellor as marketing executive. 'What has impressed me about Kall Kwik is their track record and commitment to supporting their clients and providing them with solutions that add value to their business. I am...

Shorts: Esson Print sponsorship.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Esson Print is once again sponsoring Ryan Lewis in the F3 British International Series in 2005. Lewis won the scholarship last year and takes on the national class this year, with competition from Bruno Senna. The series will be televised on...

Shorts: Appointment at Biddles.(William Mills )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Norfolk-based Biddles has appointed William Mills as its non-executive chairman. 'With more than 25 years' experience of senior level management within the private and quoted sectors William will be an extremely valuable addition to the team,'...

Shorts: Appointment at Pims Print.(Nik Hussey )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Pims Print has appointed Nik Hussey as the sales director of Crewkerne, Poole and Cirencester. Hussey, who came from Martins Printing Group firm Unwins said: 'I am very much looking forward to this new challenge. Pims is a respected player in...

Shorts: Livesay adds to press hall.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Shrewsbury-based Livesey has added a Heidelberg Speedmaster SM52-5 to its press hall. The five-colour 52cm press was purchased from used machinery supplier DPM. 'Having installed a B2 six-colour press, we were looking to further expand on our...

Shorts: Gareth Roberts to be speaker at Birmingham show.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Gareth Roberts, managing director of Portsmouth-based Bishops Printers will be a speaker at the Pira MIS 2005 show in Birmingham. The show is held from 8 to 10 March and Roberts, a long-standing customer of Optimus, will speak about the...

Shorts: Goulds wins contract.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Goulds, the printed tissue manufacturer, has been awarded the contract to produce branded kitchen towels and cosmetic tissues for this year's Comic Relief. 'Winning this contract is testament to the creativity of Goulds' in-house design team,'...

2004 figures reveal tough time for Cooper Clegg.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Evidence of the hyper-competitive conditions in the web offset market is apparent in Cooper Clegg's latest results. The Tewkesbury printer recently filed its accounts for the year ended 31 March 2004. Sales were effectively static at just...

DIP to visit Ipex as part of four-year print tour.(Drupa Innovation Parc)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Drupa Innovation Parc (DIP) is to feature at next year's Ipex in Birmingham as part of a four-year world tour of print shows. The show, which allows small and start-up firms to display their products to a wide audience, will start at...

PETF report shows bosses lack skills.(Print Education and Training Forum)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Printers must improve their business management skills if they are to survive long-term and improve profit margins, according to research released this week. The Print Education & Training Forum (PETF)'s Skills Survey 2005 has shown that...

Coltec first for MAN's used kit supply service.(Coltec Parker)(MAN Roland GB)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Coltec Parker has bought a five-colour R300 press from MAN Roland GB's Used Machinery Direct, marking the first sale for the initiative launched last December. 'I couldn't afford new,' said managing director Gareth Moore. 'And I wouldn't...

Nemc seals Parkdale buyout.(North East Mailing Centre)(Parkdale Press )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... The North East Mailing Centre (nemc) has acquired Gateshead printing firm Parkdale Press in a pounds 500,000 deal. Nemc chief executive Howard Matthews said the direct mail house had been looking to grow, either organically or through...

New installation for Kay Jay Print.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Kay Jay Print has become the first UK printer to install the DPX 4 B2-format polyester platesetter from Esko-Graphics. 'Our previous experience with the DPX system meant that we knew the quality of plates that we could produce,' said Kay Jay...

Mixed picture for Polestar's results.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Polestar has released its headline results for what was a 'challenging' 2004, although it still managed to push up EBITDA and gross margins. In the year to 30 September 2004 sales on continuing operations slipped 2.24% to pounds 365.3m,...

MIS boosts Clarkeprint orders.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Clarkeprint has completed the latest stage of its implementation of a Prism Enterprise 32 MIS, which it hopes will bring in more than pounds 1m of new business. The Birmingham-based printer chose Enterprise 32 for a number of factors,...

Komori to show B2 perfectors.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Komori is to focus on B2 perfecting with the UK debut of its SPICA 429P four-colour perfector and 10-colour Lithrone L1028P long perfector at its open house next week. The Drupa-launched SPICA, which caused huge interest at the show, has...

Shorts: S Barber & Co trades in printer.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... S Barber & Co is trading in its two-colour GTO for a Heidelberg Printmaster QM 46-2. The Liverpool-based commercial printer aims to take advantage of quicker makereadies and greater automation.

Shorts: News installation for Trafford Press Group.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... The Trafford Press Group has installed a Komori Lithrone 528C at its Doncaster plant as part of a pounds 750,000 investment which also includes a CTP system. The Lithrone 528C will enable the firm to expand its carton printing services. 'It's...

Shorts: Arrowhive Equipment announcement.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Arrowhive Equipment has announced the UK debut of the RWM-100, a hoist-based mechanical roll turner developed by Schlumpf of Missouri, USA. The roll turner is designed to assist operators in lifting and turning rolls weighing up to 45kg.

Shorts: The Label Makers picks up award.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... PrintWeek Label Printer of the Year The Label Makers has picked up an Excellence in Achievement award at the Tag and Label Manufacturers Institute Awards for the third year running.

Shorts: Fuji Xerox partnership with Japan Research Institute.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Fuji Xerox has partnered with Japan Research Institute subsidiary JAIS to provide full-colour personalised credit card statements on-demand on 24 Xerox iGen3 digital presses. The partnership includes the development of a new printing centre in...

Shorts: Appointment at ESP Technologies Group.(Nigel Baker )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... ESP Technologies Group has appointed Nigel Baker to the position of sales director, to spearhead sales to the corporate sign and graphics market. Baker has 16 years' industry experience and was previously with Oce.

Shorts: Gidue develops new press.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Italian press manufacturer Gidue has developed the servo driven X-combat press for automatic reel-to-reel production of packaging materials. The press is based on the design of its flower concept print head and E-Combat press.

Shorts: HG Kippax & Sons offers discounts.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... HG Kippax & Sons is offering visitors to UK Screenprint who have a pre-1996 Kippax semi-automatic machine exceptional discounts in part-exchange for its new UV screen printers. The discounts apply to its KPX 2000T semi-automatic, automatic and...

Shorts: B&H Colour Change sells sensitive inks.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... B&H Colour Change is selling a comprehensive range of temperature sensitive inks to printers as part of its service offering. The firm has 20 years experience in temperature sensitive printing and has seen a dramatic increase in the use of...

Shorts: GSM Graphic Arts makes investment.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... GSM Graphic Arts has made a pounds 35,000 investment in new machinery for domed labelling at its North Yorkshire factory. The investment will enable the business to produce a wide range of domed labels in different shapes and sizes.

Colourhouse wins book day bonanza.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... The Colourhouse has printed around 13m pounds 1 book tokens and 8m postcards as part of its contract for World Book Day 2005. The mammoth print job was handled by the award-winning south-east London-based B1 printer for the first time this...

Yorkshire Web fits colour kit.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Yorkshire Web, the print site of The Barnsley Chronicle, is to increase colour pagination by half in an investment worth around pounds 1m. The South Yorkshire print site has signed a deal with Surrey-based Techprint Services to install two...

George W Bush visit to Germany.
March 3, 2005... George W Bush rounded off his visit to Mainz in Germany last Wednesday with an inspection of the world's oldest printed bible. The US President visited the city's Gutenberg Museum with his wife Laura (second from left) and Germany's first...

Spectra tie-up with Phoseon.(Phoseon Technology)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Ink-jet print head developer Spectra has entered a development agreement with optical technology firm Phoseon Technology. The two US firms will work together on incorporating Phoseon's solid state UV curing technology into ink-jet products...

Walmsley retirement draws eclectic speaker mix.(Mike Walmsley )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... An eclectic mix of speakers gathered to honour Pole-star's Mike Walmsley at his retirement party last week. Walmsley has worked at the group for seven years, and was appointed to the main board when Barry Hibbert took over as chief...

UPM to introduce standards project.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... UPM is implementing a chain of custody scheme that covers all forest certification schemes, permitting all certified fibre in its products to be identified. Environmental forestry affairs spokesman Matti Ylanne said it would increase the...

West Ferry out in front in race for London Line.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... West Ferry looks likely to print the Capital's first 'alternative' weekly newspaper when it launches at the end of the month. The London Line is aimed at 20-35 year olds and will launch on 31 March with a weekly run of 33,600. ...

PDG unveils its tray wing after kit investment.(Print Design and Graphics)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Print Design & Graphics (PDG) has launched a tray services division after a pounds 100,000 investment in a tray-moulding machine. The kit, made bespoke by American firm Gralex, has been installed in the finishing department of the Tyneside...

Bloomsbury using FSC for Potter run.(Forest Stewardship Council)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... The next Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, will become the first UK fiction book to be produced on Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified paper. Bloomsbury Publishing, UK publisher of JK Rowling's books,...

BPI results show profits drop.(British Polythene Industries PLC)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... British Polythene Industries (BPI) has posted its preliminary results for the year ended December 2004, with difficult market conditions and rising raw material prices taking their toll on the packaging group. Chairman Cameron Mc-Latchie...

Tall in Your Move, e.surv deal.(Tall Group)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Security print specialist The Tall Group has sealed a 'significant volume' contract to provide secure printed products for estate agents Your Move and chartered surveyors e.surv. The contract, which is on-going, will see the print group...

Legal Notices.
March 3, 2005... 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 Lithographics Ltd RO:...

E-G may shelve its Espresso venture.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Esko-Graphics has delayed the commercial launch of its computer to conventional plate platesetter Espresso, and could drop the product altogether. The B2 machine, which was due to cost pounds 65,000, was supposed to become available to the...

Burman rejuvenates its board.(appointments at FE Burman Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... South London digital house FE Burman is planning for the future after appointing three long-standing employees to the board. Head of IT and project management Andy Psarianos, production manager Ade Onabanjo and head of scanning Paul Regan,...

Fuji unveils new proofing pack.(Fujifilm Graphic Systems ColorManager Proof-Report)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Fujifilm Graphic Systems has launched a new low-cost standalone colour proofing package aimed at photographers, designers and printers. ColorManager Proof-Report, launched with a pounds 2,070 price-tag, checks colours and prints labels...

Shorts: Esko-Graphics has signed up to sponsor ..(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Esko-Graphics has signed up to sponsor this year's Pira Point-of-Purchase Conference in Edinburgh. The event, which focuses on point of sale and display graphics, will take place at the Hilton Grosvenor Hotel in the Scottish capital next...

Shorts: Leeds-based pre-press supplier The Fastek Group ..(appointment of Michael Stephenson)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Leeds-based pre-press supplier The Fastek Group has expanded its sales team with the recruitment of Michael Stephenson. Stephenson (pictured), who has joined from Openshaw International, will work alongside sales director Dave Bowery to head up...

Shorts: Silicon Systems of Wokingham is to hold ..(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Silicon Systems of Wokingham is to hold two day-long seminars on the benefits of PDF workflows. The seminars, to be held in London and Leicestershire, will look at emerging PDF technologies, including Silicon Systems' PDF Accelerator. The first...

Shorts: Sansui Software launched a new online ..(PublishNow!)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Sansui Software launched a new online version of its PublishNow! publishing software at last week's International Direct Marketing Fair at Earls Court. PublishNow! AMP is aimed at retailers and marketers and features improved automation to...

Shorts: The AdsML Consortium has elected officers ..(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... The AdsML Consortium has elected officers for the 2005-6 working year and decided details of its technical working group's schedule for the year. The officers for the advertising production standards body are chair Harald Lofflker, Ifra...

Shorts: HighWater has sealed a deal for US firm ..(International Graphic Systems to distribute its Python CTP )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... HighWater has sealed a deal for US firm International Graphic Systems (IGS) to distribute its Python CTP in the US and South America. The agreement was made at the Graphics of the Americas exhibition in Miami at the beginning of February. Peter...

Shorts: Artwork Systems has blamed the weak dollar ..(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Artwork Systems has blamed the weak dollar for a slight fall in profits in its first-quarter results. In the three months to 31 December 2004, the Belgian software firm posted profits of pounds 1.96m (EUR2.84m), down 1.91% on last year's...

Shorts: Appointment at McGurk Studios.(Ian Newton )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... McGurk Studios in Hull has appointed Ian Newton to the role of financial controller. He will work with group financial director Steve Marginson to align accounting practices across the McGurk Group.

Vutek adds white ink option to PressVu UV 200.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Vutek has launched its PressVu UV 200/600 W+, a 600dpi four-colour plus white printer in response to customer demands. The 200/600 W+ is Vutek's latest addition to its family of UV-curing flatbed printers, and is capable of printing on a...

Paragon's MIS revamp ups its internet orders.(Paragon Group UK )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Paragon Group UK has enhanced its MIS and as a result its contract customers are placing over 700 orders a day over the internet. The firm wrote an upgrade for its Optimus 2020 MIS to allow clients to order either online or via their own...

Canon targets No 1 position in digital.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Canon plans to be the world's number one supplier of digital printers, and is bidding to knock Xerox off the top spot in production devices. Canon UK managing director Lars-Erik Kennbert revealed the firm's plans at the opening of its...

Danwood wins deal to exhibit EFI's software.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Danwood has firmed up its software offering for Northprint with a deal to sell EFI's Oneflow workflow and Digital Storefront job submission and procurement software. The deal is another boost for Danwood, whose stand at the Harrogate show...

Danka, Ricoh link in high-speed push.(Ricoh Printing Systems )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Danka has linked up with Ricoh Printing Systems to push into the high-speed transactional mail and data centre markets. The reseller has added Ricoh's DDP 184 printer to its range of digital presses. The duplex printer produces 184ppm and...

Top speakers at Marketing Innovations Forum.(Jo Lloyd of Lloyd James Group and DSi business development director Fraser Church )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Personalised digital print and direct mail production experts Jo Lloyd of Lloyd James Group and DSi business development director Fraser Church will be sharing their expertise on digital print applications at the Caslon Marketing Innovations...

Intimis digital DM chief takes role at Tequila.(Matt Mills)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Matt Mills has departed from direct mail technology firm Intimis and joined Tequila\London. He joins the agency as managing partner of its digital operations. Mills' role as director at Intimis, part of DM agency Proctor & Stevenson, has...

Bridge picks SDV customising tool.(DirecType)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Bridge Communications has become the first UK firm to install image personalisation software DirecType. The move follows the company's installation of a NexPress 2100 digital press at its plant in Maldon, Essex. DirecType is produced by...

Oce to develop document tool for Consortium.(document management system )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Oce has extended its contract with Trowbridge-based local government printer The Consortium. The Dutch digital print firm is to create a document management system (DMS) for the company, which was formerly the print procurement arm of...

Muir moves to automate with Kolbus KM 470.(J Muir Bookbinders )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... J Muir Bookbinders has installed a Kolbus perfect binder and automated a process that had previously taken days by hand. The firm, based in Blackheath, south-east London, upgraded one of its perfect binding lines with a Kol-bus KM 470...

ADM opts for in-house envelope mailing.(Advanced Direct Mail)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Advanced Direct Mail (ADM) has brought envelope mailing in-house as the first part of a move to double its turnover to pounds 3m. 'It is all part of a three-year growth plan that we have, which is being driven by adding additional...

Folio increases its mailing with Stahl.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Trade finisher Folio has boosted its mailing capabilities as part of a spend that could top pounds 750,000 in 2005. 'As well as the mailers we've got further investment plans to enter new areas,' said managing director Andy Bird. 'But it...

Duplo chooses Northprint for debut of range.(Duplo International Ltd.)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Duplo International will use Northprint to showcase a number of products for the first time in the UK. The firm will debut its SCC (Slit Cut and Crease) system for bookletmaking, which is aimed at digital print operations. The line will be...

Feuiltault prices to decrease.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Prices on Feuiltault Machinery hopper loaders could drop by as much as 10% following a shake-up in the sales structure at the Canadian company. Feuiltault Machinery chief executive officer John MacKay has 'terminated' its business...

UK die-maker Tomlinson launches a brochure.(Soar Valley Press )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... UK die-maker Tomlinson has launched a brochure to highlight the design benefits of foiling and embossing. The brochure, which was produced by Soar Valley Press using Tomlinson dies, shows how designers can incorporate foils into their designs...

Horne: FSC credit at 'critical mass'.(Robert Horne)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Printers in the report and accounts market that have achieved, or are in the process of gaining, FSC chain of custody accreditation have reached a pivotal point according to merchant Robert Horne. Environmental manager Tim Barker said:...

F-BI sets up forests platform.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... European Forest organisations have shown dedication to the future of industry and a sustainable Europe with the launch of the Forest Technology Platform. 'Turning ideas into sustainable solutions, competitive products and innovation...

Paper Pricewatch: Cartonboard, March 2005.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... The cartonboard market has settled down following the price increases that kicked in at the start of the year, writes Philip Chadwick. Stability is now the watch-word and the likelihood is that there won't be any changes in this quarter....

Shorts: Sodra Cell has reorganised the management ..(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Sodra Cell has reorganised the management at its French sales company. Current sales director, Patrick Archer, has been appointed president. Archer succeeds Francois Bierre who now has increased duties for fine and printing paper following a...

Shorts: Appointment at Elliott Baxter.(Neil Hurst )(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Elliott Baxter has appointed Neil Hurst as its new 'outside' salesman for the rapidly expanding Birmingham branch.

Shorts: Antalis launches a product selector guide.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Antalis has launched a product selector guide for its range of carton board products. The guide is broken into sections containing an overview of each board's characteristics, range charts and product availability by substance, process...

Shorts: SCA's nomination committee ..(Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget S.C.A.)(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... SCA's nomination committee has proposed the re-election of current board members and the appointment of Sverker Martin-Lof as board chairman.

Shorts: Independent Paper has signed up seven young musicians ..(Brief Article)
March 3, 2005... Independent Paper has signed up seven young musicians to appear as models in a brochure for its flagship Amadeus range. The photos highlight the use of print finishes on the blue riband grade and gave the students useful images for their...