Print Week articles from May 2004

Print Week archives from May 2004

Industry pays tribute as Holland retires.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Colleagues, clients and rivals past and present bid farewell to Polestar group development director David Holland at his retirement party last week. Holland, 56, has taken early retirement after a 40-year print career that involved senior...

UK tops list as HQ for printing plant.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The UK is favourite to be the headquarters for a new printing plant, as German giants Axel Springer, Gruner+Jahr and Arvato announced talks to merge and spin-off their printing operations. 'We are in negotiations to form a joint venture...

Rutland shows degree of debt for Openshaw.(Rutland Trust PLC)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Openshaw has report-ed unaudited results that show a net bank debt of pounds 20.7m. The results for the year ending 31 December 2003 were revealed in the latest figures published by investment fund management company The Rutland Trust. ...

Ferguson departs from Astron.(Sam Ferguson)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Sam Ferguson has left Astron just after he completed the sale of Edotech to the print management and BPO giant. He was chief executive of Astron's Document Solutions division, which combined Edotech with Astron Print & Mail. Astron...

Stop Press: Newsquest Media Group has launched Newsquest Specialist Media.(Newsquest Specialist Media)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Newsquest Media Group has launched Newsquest Specialist Media. The new division is made up of Newsquest Financial Media, Orpheus Publications and Newsquest Magazines.

Stop Press: Paper merchant Deutsche Papier has been fined ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Paper merchant Deutsche Papier has been fined pounds 5.1m (EUR7.6m) by German competition authority BKA for an 'alleged violation of anti-trust rules' in Germany.

Stop Press: Death of Bob Lewis, K2 Group.(Obituary)
May 6, 2004... Bob Lewis, technical services manager with K2 Group, has died. He had been with the firm since 1997. His funeral will take place on Friday (7 May) in Dunham Massey Crematorium. Donations to the National Kidney Research Fund.

Stop Press: An association has been established ..(Speciality Paper Manufacturers Association )(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... An association has been established to promote paper for flexible packaging, labelling and self-adhesive materials. The Speciality Paper Manufacturers' Association will represent manufacturers of one-sided coated and calendered papers. ...

Heidelberg takes wraps off new B1.(Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Heidelberg is to launch the most new products ever at this year's Drupa, and has completed the disposal of its digital division to Kodak prior to the show, although it added no more detail on the disposal of its web division to Goss. 'I've...

GPMU bans 'guilty' secretary.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The former branch secretary of the GPMU's Kent office has been found guilty on 23 counts of breaking management rules. Danny Milgate faced 25 charges, but was cleared of two. He has been banned from office for two years. The GPMU and the...

NFPA job goes to Wyndeham.(National Family Planning Association (NFPA) Baby Book)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Newly renamed Redactive Media Group has handed the printing contract for its National Family Planning Association (NFPA) Baby Book to the Wyndeham Group. The independent contract publisher, formerly Centurion Publishing Group, has made the...

Shorts: Leicester carton finisher Marpak ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Leicester carton finisher Marpak is moving into trade finishing in commercial print after buying a new Bobst die-cutter. Operator Bill Dewick fires up the SP Evoline 102-E for CD sleeves and folders.

Shorts: Printer Stephen Handy has notched up an NVQ ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Printer Stephen Handy has notched up an NVQ in printing thanks to a training scheme launched by his firm, Newcastle's Statex Colour Print.

Shorts: Leeds-based Multimount has launched ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Leeds-based Multimount has launched a mount for displays called the Bottom. Managing director Peter Rose said the acrylic and MDF stand solved the 'age-old dilemma of how to support free-standing short-term displays, fabric panels and...

Shorts: Pulse Roll Label Products has launched ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Pulse Roll Label Products has launched its new UV-curable screen white ink, called MeshTec. The liquid can be used in all makes of rotary-screen machines and for fast-running flatbed presses.

Shorts: Dover's Powell Print has bought Waterlow's ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Dover's Powell Print has bought Waterlow's personalised Christmas cards division from stationer and office supplies firm OyezStraker. Brian Powell, chairman of Powell Print, said that he expected to increase his company's card production from...

Shorts: CAP Ventures is to overview the dynamics ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... CAP Ventures is to overview the dynamics in digital print, emerging trends and innovation at Drupa on 8 May. Frank Romano from the Rochester Institute of Technology will talk at the event.

Shorts: International Cooperation for the ..(International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) Organisation)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... International Cooperation for the Integration of Processes in Prepress, Press and Postpress (CIP4) Organisation has had 32 firms join it in the first four months of 2004, including Presstek and Pitney Bowes.

Shorts: Pira is running a managing print training event ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Pira is running a managing print training event in Leatherhead covering new technology, MIS and commerce. It runs from 5 to 8 July and costs from pounds 450. Contact: issyc@pira.co.uk, tel: 01372 802164.

Shorts: Appointment at George Waterston.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Security printer George Waterston has appointed Andy Stuart as its head of sales. Stuart joins the company from Scotforms and brings 18 years of experience to the 252-year-old firm.

Shorts: Xaar chairman Arie Rosenfeld told the firm's AGM ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Xaar chairman Arie Rosenfeld told the firm's AGM last week that trading in 2004's first quarter 'continued to build on the strong turnaround to profitability and cash generation of the second half of 2003'.

Shorts: LPS Bridgewater in Somerset has commissioned ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... LPS Bridgewater in Somerset has commissioned the first of two eight-colour Nilpeter FB-3300 presses for milk labels.

Shorts: RK Print Coat Instruments has improved its Paste Ink Proofer ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... RK Print Coat Instruments has improved its Paste Ink Proofer, the PIP, for ink makers and printers. It has new electronically engraved inking rollers.

Shorts: European Outsourcing Association is holding an inaugural conference ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... European Outsourcing Association is holding an inaugural conference on the challenges of pan-European supply and outsourcing. Outsourcing in Amsterdam from 9 to 10 June costs from pounds 700. Contact: 020 7608 0541.

Haymarket B2B titles to use Icon's APS workflow.(Haymarket Publishing)(Newspaper Awards)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Haymarket Publishing has decided to roll out a remote pre-press workflow across its business-to-business titles following successful trials on PrintWeek. It is one of several pre-press initiatives taken by the publisher, which is also in...

Image Factory aims to double size in 2 years.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Newly appointed managing director of Image Factory Jeff Heyes has mapped out a bullish strategy for the Chippenham-based print firm. Heyes, previously with Polestar, has said that he expects the business to double in size as he looks to...

Newbury News in pounds 5.5m Goss deal.(Newbury Weekly News)(Goss Graphic Systems Inc.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The Newbury Weekly News is to invest pounds 5.5m in a new full-colour Goss tower press and an online inserting system. Newbury has signed a contract with Goss for a Universal 70 double circumference tower, which will give 96 colour pages in...

Marshall quits his high profile role at Cradley.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Cradley has announced the resignation of commercial director Roger Marshall, who has left the West Midlands-based print group to pursue other interests. Group managing director Chris Jordan declined to be drawn further on the reasons...

Waterless interest to take off, says LS.(Waterless Printing Association Conference)(Litho Supplies PLC)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Litho Supplies, in association with Japanese plate manufacturer Toray, is hosting what it hopes will be the largest gathering of waterless printers in the world at Drupa. The Waterless Printing Association Conference takes place on 12 May...

Polestar Petty orders 4 Ferag Unidrum stitchers.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Polestar Petty is set to double its output with four new seven-station Ferag Unidrum 3-420 gatherer-stitcher systems. Delivery of the first 30,000cph line began last week, with the other three to arrive at four-week intervals. Each line...

Eclipse Colour adds Lotem to pre-press line.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Eclipse Colour Print is boosting its pre-press set up as it prepares for the arrival of its first web press at the end of this month. The Kettering-based company has ordered a second platesetter, a Creo Lotem 800 Quantum, which will be...

Bezier on lookout for new premises.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Wakefield printer bezier is consulting staff on options to move following recent growth in the business. The 293-employee firm has sent a questionnaire to its employees asking for their opinions on a series of alternative sites to the...

Pro-Buy set up to advise SMEs on cost cutting.(Small and medium sized companies)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Printers could benefit with cost savings on printing equipment, gas and electricity, according to cost management firm ERA. The company has set up a purchasing division Pro-Buy and will aim to show small to medium-sized enterprises areas...

Drupa launch for Duplo, HP's PDC colour finisher.(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Production Digital Colour (PDC) Finisher)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Duplo Corporation and Hewlett-Packard (HP) will unveil their Production Digital Colour (PDC) Finisher at Drupa. The nearline product will be available to the market in September this year and is based on industry standard JDF. Prices for...

Vision in Print set to focus on practical guidelines.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Vision in Print aims to in-form and inspire at its ann-ual conference this summer. The event will feature case studies from print companies, as well as two sessions from manufacturing companies in other sectors that have implemented, and...

Multigraphics' Vutek boost to digital offering.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Multigraphics is adding to its large-format digital offering with a new 5m-wide Vutek. The Halifax-based banner and point-of-sale specialist already runs a 2m-wide Vutek alongside its large-format screen printing kit. The company was...

Pounds 13m merger sees rise of HenDi Group.(Hendy Banks Communications)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Hendy Banks Communications and Direct Image Systems & Communications have merged to create the HenDi Group, a pounds 13m turnover commercial print company. Marketing and development director Janek Szlen-kier said the merger was a logical...

Manufacturers deliver weak Q1 paper figures.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Paper demand is increasing but profitability remains weak amid signs that market conditions are slowly im-proving, according to paper manufacturers' 2004 first-quarter results. M-real chief executive Jouko Jaakkola said he remained...

Capital moving to new pounds 10m facility.(Capital Print Finishing Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Capital Print is 'in the throes' of moving to a pounds 10m, 12,500 sq m print facility in Stratford, East London. The site will be fully operational by the end of June, when all staff from the firm's three London sites will be brought under...

DPC takes over Pascall Print.(Direct Printing Company)(Pascall Print & Design)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Northampton firm The Direct Printing Company (DPC) has bought Pascall Print & Design. The acquisition, for an undisclosed fee, boosts its litho capability, which it said had become 'stagnant' after the growth of its digital print...

Winner of the Pride of Britain Award 2004.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Colin Osborne, lithographer and proofer for Charterhouse for 25 years, has won the Pride of Britain Award 2004 for co-founding the Orchid Cancer Appeal in 1996. He was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1994 and fought the disease through a...

Rogers sets up used Muller op.(Gary Rogers)(Muller Martini UK)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The former manager of Muller Martini UK's bookbinding systems Gary Rogers has set up a company to run as UK agent for Dutch firm EGS. Futuregrafic will operate the UK operations of a used machinery dealership with Muller Martini equipment....

Legal Notices.
May 6, 2004... 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 Printex Sales Ltd RO:...

Ferag and Kolbus in binder venture.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Swiss manufacturers Ferag and Kolbus are set to unveil a major joint venture in high-quality perfect binding. The product, to be revealed at Drupa, will incorporate the Ferag Rollstream feeder and the latest Kolbus perfect binder. ...

Irish papers win print honours.(Newspaper Awards)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Two Irish newspapers have been jointly named Newspaper Printer of the Year, at the 2004 Newspaper Awards. The Irish Times and the Irish Independent shared the accolades, while Yorkshire Post Newspapers were commended in the category. ...

Clinical unveils batch counter.(Clinical Print Finishers)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Clinical Print Finishers is to launch a batch counter with the capacity to count up to 1m leaflets at Drupa. The programmable Clini-Counter, which costs from pounds 1,200, will be on display at the Herzog + Heymann stall at the show. ...

AB Dick Vector to feature at Drupa.(Vector TX52 (processless platesetter))(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... AB Dick pulled out all the stops to get its revolutionary processless platesetter to Drupa, which will cost less than pounds 50,000 including RIP. The Vector TX52 uses an internal drum architecture, which is 30% cheaper to make than...

Presstek New Tech sales soar.( New Technology division )(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Presstek's New Technology division has recorded a leap in sales of more than 50% following the announcement of its first quarter results. The company's president and chief executive Edward Marino said that it had delivered a 'solid...

Glunz & Jensen debuts iCTP.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Danish plate processor supplier Glunz & Jensen (G&J) has unveiled the first ink-jet CTP (iCTP) system without chemical processing. The PlateWriter 4200 targets small- and medium-format printers and will be exhibited at Drupa. Prices...

Shorts: Leicester printer Streamline has installed ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Leicester printer Streamline has installed Heidelberg's PrintReady workflow system. The firm has switched from the Prinergy system and is the first step towards fully integrated production and management operations.

Shorts: PrintReady is the pre-press workflow element ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... PrintReady is the pre-press workflow element in Heidelberg's Prinect range of production, colour control and management. Richard Dalby, Streamline director, said: 'Having PrintReady gives us seamless pre-press workflow transfer.'

Shorts: Plate manufacturer IBF has launch ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Plate manufacturer IBF has launch its thermal processless CTP plate to the market in 2005. The product will be unveiled at Drupa. The Brazilian company also revealed that a new photopolymer violet plate - the Million 3V - is 'almost ready' and...

Shorts: AdsML is to release its 2.0 version ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... AdsML is to release its 2.0 version in October 2004. The company said that it would provide the advertising industry with a 'vehicle for advertisers to exchange electronic business documents with newspapers'.

Shorts: Extensis Europe has said it has experienced ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Extensis Europe has said it has experienced a 'significant' rise in sales of both Suitcase and Portfolio server products throughout Europe in the first quarter. Volume license and server sales in the UK have trebled while in countries including...

Shorts: Gudrun Baunach will take over as marketing ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Gudrun Baunach will take over as marketing communications manager of Creo EMEA. She was previously Creo marketing manager with responsibility for Germany, Austria and Switzerland. She will take over from Katja Mader, who will be temporarily...

Shorts: Digital Technology International (DTI) ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Digital Technology International (DTI) is to exhibit at Adobe Live for the first time. The event takes place at Olympia from 26-27 May and DTI will be showcasing its Apple and Adobe InDesign based technologies for magazines and advertising...

Shorts: Markzware has released its Pict Attributes XT ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Markzware has released its Pict Attributes XT for QuarkXPress 6. The product is able to remember the attributes of a picture box and restores the picture's scale, offset, rotation, skew, runaround and flip. It can also be used to substitute...

Shorts: Berkshire based pre-press firm Meridian Colour Repro ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Berkshire based pre-press firm Meridian Colour Repro has completed the installation of a Heidelberg Topsetter 74 and RIP along with an IGP Thermaline 90 plate processor. The company also has two Heidelberg Signastations and is likely to change...

Shorts: Esko-Graphics is to provide ..(educational presentations)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Esko-Graphics is to provide a full schedule of educational presentations on its stand at Drupa. It will include product demonstrations as well as Adobe Systems' introduction of its Creative Suite and the integration with Esko-Graphics DeskPack...

New products set Nur on track for 2004 growth.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Nur has put its financial woes behind it and is on track for strong growth in 2004 based on new products. The Israeli wide-format printer manufacturer outlined its expectation for the year as it announced its first quarter 2004 figures. ...

KBA and Israeli company laud Litho 3D Karat.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... KBA and HumanEyes have teamed up to bring 3D print 'into the mainstream' with the launch of a new software package at Drupa. Litho 3D Karat, developed jointly by HumanEyes Technologies and KBA, uses off-the-shelf digital cameras to create...

Xerox pops digital 'milestone' cork.(Xerox UK)
May 6, 2004... Xerox has reached two major milestones in digital colour printing with the installation of 10,000 DocuColor 2000 series machines worldwide, of which 1,000 - one out of every 10 - are in the UK. 'For a little island off the coast of Europe...

Prism signs up to Heidelberg's Prinect system.(Prism Group (London, England))(Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Prism Europe has become the first third-party MIS supplier to integrate its products into Heidelberg's Prinect integrated workflow. Prism Win software will be shown as the MIS component of a JDF-enabled Prinect workflow by Heidelberg in...

Moorgate Paper in bid for pounds 3m space.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Moorgate Paper is looking to expand its operations and consolidate two of its warehouses. Following the sale of the freehold of its Hertfordshire site it will merge that operation with its warehouse in Bow and its Shoreditch sales office...

Paper Pricewatch: Magazine papers, May 2004.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Demand in the publication paper market remains reasonably healthy, but prices remain unchanged, writes Andy Scott. Producers such as UPM are reporting that paper deliveries in the magazine paper market for the first three months have risen...

Shorts: MoDo Merchants has spent the last 18 months ..(Mo och Domsjo AB)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... MoDo Merchants has spent the last 18 months re-designing its samples packaging, which includes swatch boxes, folders and swatches for all major product lines. 'We want to create a corporate image which can be identified by our customers and...

Shorts: Portuguese manufacturer Portucel Soporcel Group ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Portuguese manufacturer Portucel Soporcel Group has given a new name and signature to its Inaset brand, Inaset Sublime Paper. The new identity for the offset paper range will be launched to the UK market later this month.

Shorts: Appointment at James McNaughton Group.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... John Pakulski has joined the James McNaughton Group to develop its established envelope sales. Pakulski has a wealth of experience in the envelope trade, having previously worked for In-a-flap and Envelope Sales. McNaughton has also produced a...

Shorts: Appointment at Antalis Midlands.(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Mike Cole has become the latest addition to the Antalis Midlands sales team. Cole spent the last 16 years at Laird Paper, and has taken on the role of field sales person. Cole will cover the areas of Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and...

Shorts: The Robert Horne Group has become exclusive distributor ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The Robert Horne Group has become exclusive distributor of the HP Indigo printing papers range. Working with Robert Horne to research the market, HP Indigo developed its own range of media. The new portfolio consists of the following finishes;...

Shorts: The Curtis Classic premium business stationery ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... The Curtis Classic premium business stationery and text & cover range is now available nationwide from Premier Paper, giving the merchant group access to the Curtis brands for the first time. Premier will stock the following brands for next-day...

Shorts: UPM is to increase the uses of recovered paper ..(UPM-Kymmene Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... UPM is to increase the uses of recovered paper at its Kaipola mill in Finland, as part of a pounds 12m (EUR18m) investment. Its de-inking capacity will increase to 210,000 tonnes per annum, and its share of recycled fibre will exceed 50% in...

Shorts: Tribute to Brian Seymour, Curtis Fine Papers UK.(Brief Article)(Obituary)
May 6, 2004... Many customers and colleagues paid to tribute to Curtis Fine Papers UK sales director Brian Seymour at a service of thanksgiving and celebration of his life at St Brides Church in Fleet Street on 31 March. Seymour died from cancer aged 55 in...

Proximity sets up production tie-in.(Proximity London)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Marketing agency Proximity London has linked up with print, mailing and personalisation specialist Orchestra to set up its own production division. Proximity Works has been established in a bid to make better use of capacity and deliver...

Bezier wins First Choice deal.(Bezier Group)(First Choice Canadian Communications Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Bezier has won a three-year contract to handle First Choice's in-store print. The deal means that bezier will produce point-of-sale (POS) material, retail marketing literature and in-store promotional material for all of the holiday firm's...

Pindar signs to deal with Moss.(Pindar Systems Inc.)(Moss Plastic Parts)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Pindar has won a contract to produce multiple language versions of Moss Plastic Parts' catalogue and web publishing for its customer base. The deal incorporates Pindar's content management services. The system is designed for...

Newcastle-based firm Print Design & Graphics (PDG) ..(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Newcastle-based firm Print Design & Graphics (PDG) has printed the packaging for Farmgate Foods' new Beef and Vegetable filled Yorkshire Pudding ready meal product. The firm worked alongside other North East companies Ward Phillipson and Philip...

EU Tenders.
May 6, 2004... Please read the important notes at the foot of the page, as PrintWeek cannot supply any additional information or pass on your details. The tenders below are abridged. It is essential that you obtain a full copy of the tender before contacting...

Comment: Looking forward to having Drupa on my plate.(printing industry trade shows)
May 6, 2004... Despite predictions that no one would store up any surprises for this year's Drupa the last few days counting down to today as you read this, the first day of the show, produced a flurry of announcements. One area that I wasn't expecting...

Opinion: Give JDF a chance and the rewards will come.(Job Definition Format )
May 6, 2004... Frank Romano appears to believe that anything that doesn't deliver results this week has no value and should not be pursued. He's right that it may be some time before everybody is in a position to take maximum advantage of the benefits of...

Wallis: Printers with odd names and words with odd spellings.(orthography)(Brief Article)
May 6, 2004... Few would disagree that orthography of the English language is littered with anomaly, eccentricity, and illogicality. Newcomers to the language are obliged to commit numerous inscrutable spellings to memory because of the absence of any...

Profile: Moorgate paper - How a bright future beckons for a merchant with a vision.
May 6, 2004... A shoestring budget did not deter Neville Simpson from starting a successful paper merchant, writes Andy Scott. It's nice to be treated like a customer by the mills as they try to build relationships with smaller merchants,' says Neville...

Analysis: Anticipating an interesting road ahead.(for printing industry)
May 6, 2004... Prior to Pira's Future of Print 2 launch at Drupa, Mike Hancock gives his views on the next 10 years for print. Since Pira published its groundbreaking report The Future of Print in 2000, it is tempting to conclude that printing technology...

Climate of fear.(Packaging industry)
May 6, 2004... Packaging suppliers opt for silence as alleged bullying by big supermarkets goes unchecked. When Tesco recently announced record results that showed it was producing profits of pounds 55 per second, the sheer scale of its financial power...