Print Week articles from October 2008

Print Week archives from October 2008

Pindar to sell Cooper Clegg.(Pindar Graphics London selling its subsidiary Cooper Clegg)
October 3, 2008... Pindar has put its magazine printing arm, Cooper Clegg, up for sale, citing unsustainable pricing and rising costs for its decision to exit the magazine market. 'Printers are not getting the return they need in the sector and (if this...

Wyndeham urges calm as investor collapses.(Wyndeham Press Group)(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Wyndeham Press was this week forced to calm speculation about its status following the collapse of one of its Icelandic shareholders. Stodir, an Icelandic company formally known as FL Group and controlled by retail entrepreneur Jon...

De La Rue - an apology.(Correction notice)
October 3, 2008... In last week's edition, we published in this magazine a trail referring to our website which stated 'SFO investigates De La Rue Dispute in Kenya leads to fraud investigation'. We accept that the Serious Fraud Office has not said (and we...

Sappi set to buy M-real coated paper business.
October 3, 2008... Paper manufacturer Sappi has agreed to acquire M-real's coated graphic paper business for EUR750m (pounds 596m) in a deal expected to complete early next year. Sappi has said it is to purchase M-real's coated graphic paper mills Kirkniemi...

Edelmann ups Chesapeake stake.(Edelmann Graphics)(Chesapeake and Hudson Inc.)(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Speculation over a possible takeover bid for packaging giant Chesapeake is mounting following the move by Edelmann Group to increase its stake in the company. The German carton manufacturer now owns 13.4% of the business and said the...

DMGT to consult staff over closure.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Daily Mail publisher DMGT has entered into a staff consultation over the proposed closure of one of its Harmsworth Printing operations. It is currently unclear if all 58 staff at the site in Grimsby would lose their jobs in the event of its...

In Brief: Agfa to present its latest developments.
October 3, 2008... Agfa will present its latest developments in chemistry-free CTP, wide-format print and workflow technology at Donington Park from 14-15 October. Agfa will demonstrate its four- and six-up Acento thermal platesetter at the event, as well as...

In Brief: Canon gears up for Total Print! Expo.
October 3, 2008... Canon is gearing up for this month's Total Print! Expo, where it will hand UK first appearances to a number of its products, including the Canon ImagePress C1+ with clear toner, the 60ppm ImagePress C6000VP digital colour press and the...

In Brief: KBA hosts golf competition.
October 3, 2008... KBA has hosted a golf competition for its customers. The kit manufacturer hosted more than 40 entrants at the Menzies Welcombe course in Stratford-upon-Avon. The overall winner was Turner Print Group's Ashley Thompson. Christian Knapp, KBA...

In Brief: Epson announces appointment of director of sales.
October 3, 2008... Epson has announced the appointment of Tim Anderson as director of sales and the promotion of Kerry Reid to head of marketing, director designate. Anderson will be working closely with Epson's channel partners to deliver a sales strategy. Reid...

In Brief: Safety Net welcomes Davenham Group into consortium.
October 3, 2008... ICSM's Safety Net credit-checking service has welcomed Davenham Group into its consortium. The asset-based finance company will provide a pounds 2m fund, as well as advice. Tim Morris, Davenham's asset finance division director, said: 'We are...

In Brief: Sappi announces winners.
October 3, 2008... Sappi has announced the winners of its Ideas that Matter 2008 programme. The winning entries were 'Be a sport', part of the Get Kid's Going! campaign to provide disabled children with specialised sports wheelchairs, and 'Show Me', a campaign...

In Brief: Indigo founder becomes award winner.
October 3, 2008... Indigo founder Benny Landa has become the first winner of Ipex 2010 organiser IIR Exhibitions' Champions in Print awards. The award honours Landa for his 'remarkable contribution to the graphic arts industry', exemplified by his work on the...

Industry heavyweights gather for packed Stationers' debate.(Communisis chief executive Steve Vaughan)
October 3, 2008... Communisis chief executive Steve Vaughan, has urged print managers to stop chasing revenue, a practice he described simply as 'vanity'. Speaking to a packed house at Stationers' Hall on Monday, Vaughan stressed the importance of technology...

Barclays cash injection benefits Formpro MM.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Barclays Ventures, the private equity arm of the high street bank, has made its first step into the print industry, with a seven-figure investment in Bristol-based mailing house Formpro MM. According to Barclays Ventures' director of...

Heronsgate saved from possible closure by CVA.(company voluntary arrangement)(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Creditors of ailing Essex printer Heronsgate have approved its company voluntary arrangement (CVA), saving it from probable liquidation. A CVA is an agreement whereby a company offers its creditors a reduced debt repayment package in order...

Archant's Fry to head Johnston.
October 3, 2008... Newspaper publisher Johnston Press has confirmed that Archant chief executive John Fry will replace Tim Bowdler. Bowdler, the outgoing chief executive had announced last year that he would be stepping down in 2009. Fry, who has been...

Proskills diploma 'will raise profile of PrintIT!'.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Proskills has said it is confident that print will feature in the newly launched 14-19 diploma scheme. The 14-19 diploma, a work-orientated qualification, is already underway at a small number of schools and colleges. By September 2009...

NAPM promises to take action against 'dubious' pre-packs.(National Association of Paper Merchants)
October 3, 2008... The National Association of Paper Merchants (NAPM) has said it is prepared to take legal action against 'dubious' pre-pack deals as the industry tightens its policies after being hit by the increasing number of print company insolvencies. ...

Adare secures multi-million pound Whitbread print management deal.(Adare Printing Group PLC)(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Adare has signed a multi-million pound print management deal with hotelier and restaurateur Whitbread just weeks after securing contracts with the RNIB and the City of Edinburgh Council. Under the terms of the deal, the Huddersfield-based...

Sun extends its sheetfed range.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Sun Chemical has extended its presence in the sheetfed offset market with the launch of Sun Chemical Diamond, a range of four-colour process inks designed for commercial and packaging printing. The ink giant said the range, which was...

KBA reports 'slump' but UK MD remains upbeat.
October 3, 2008... Press manufacturer KBA has reported a 'slump' in sheetfed sales and warned it will not make a profit this year, but the UK managing director remains optimistic about the company's prospects. The shock announcement, which was made in a...

Oce furthers Mutoh links.
October 3, 2008... Oce has built upon its strategic alliance with large-format manufacturer Mutoh after bolstering its kit range with a raft of new printers. The company, which sells a number of Mutoh large-format inkjet machines under the Oce CS9000 Series...

Reader Reaction - Would you consider teaming up to buy a print business?
October 3, 2008... After Abbotts was bought by a group of directors, we ask for your views on joint-venture buys. COMMERCIAL PRINTER - Mark Snee, managing director, Technoprint 'In principal, it sounds like a good idea. Group buyouts have never really...

Legal notices.
October 3, 2008... 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.gazettes-online.co.uk APPOINTMENT OF ADMINISTRATORS Borcombe SP Ltd...

McCormick moves into full colour with B2 buy.(John McCormick & Co installing B2 five-colour Komori Spica 29)(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Commercial printer John McCormick & Co has made a move into the full-colour sheetfed market with the installation of a B2 five-colour Komori Spica 29. The press was acquired for an undisclosed sum and, according to the company, the...

Callprint invests in Ryobi 755 press.
October 3, 2008... Callprint Birmingham has made its first foray into the B2 sector after investing in a Ryobi 755 press. The printer, which is part of the 23 outlet Callprint Group, took delivery of the B2 machine last month, a format it said 'opens doors'....

Pushing the envelope.
October 3, 2008... Actor Sir Ben Kingsley was among a group of Britain's top actors, writers and sportspeople who designed an envelope to be auctioned on Ebay to raise funds for the National Literacy Trust (NLT). The Pitney Bowes-led 'Pushing the Envelope'...

West Ferry pensions liability transferred to Norwich Union.
October 3, 2008... The trustees of West Ferry Printers' pension scheme have transferred the liabilities of the scheme to Norwich Union in a 'pensioner buy-in' deal. All 1,300 defined benefit members will remain in the scheme and will continue to receive...

BPIF finds print looking ahead.
October 3, 2008... Printers' faith in the market is at its lowest level for more than two years, but prices are increasing and the industry is looking to the future with confidence, according to the latest BPIF Directions survey. The research also found...

St Ives sells underperforming Dutch CD arm Uden to MBO team for pounds 2.1m.
October 3, 2008... St Ives has sold its Netherlands-based multimedia business Uden to an MBO team following a fall in profitability caused by the rise in music downloads. The group received EUR2.8m (pounds 2.1m) for the Dutch operation, which logged a...

Colourgen suffers dip in revenue to pounds 11.8m.(Financial report)(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Colourgen managing director Jeff Biggs has cited a 'tightening of credit' as the overriding factor for a 5% dip in revenues to pounds 11.8m. The large-format kit distributor, which includes Epson's Stylus Pro range in its portfolio,...

Adobe unveils CS4 and brands it firm's 'biggest release to date' ..
October 3, 2008... Adobe landed another blow in its ongoing battle for pre-media primacy over rival software developer Quark last week when it launched Creative Suite 4 (CS4). Quark had seized the upper hand when it launched version eight of its eponymous...

Earthtone finds launch partner.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Earthtone, the UK-based software developer, has revealed that the US print franchise owner ICED will be the initial launch partner for its eponymous web-to-print system. ICED, which is the parent company of Kwik Kopy Printing, Kwik Kopy...

Quark stokes up rivalry with raft of upgrades to support QXP8.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Quark has announced a raft of forthcoming product releases, coinciding with this month's launch of rival software developer Adobe's Creative Suite 4 (CS4). Following Adobe's announcement last week that it will begin shipping CS4 this...

Gandinnovations in RIP link-up with ErgoSoft.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Grand-format digital press manufacturer Gandinnovations has worked alongside ErgoSoft to develop a new RIP, GandiSoft, specifically for its Jeti range of printers. GandiSoft, which is based on ErgoSoft's two leading products and will...

Photobox links with Facebook.
October 3, 2008... Digital photo website Photobox has launched Super Photos, a new application that allows users of Facebook to print photos they upload to the social networking site. The service, developed with Nudge Social Media, also allows users of the...

ADP beats rivals to first iGen4 installation in UK.
October 3, 2008... Advantage Digital Print (ADP) has said it will bring transpromo to smaller businesses after the installation of the UK's first Xerox iGen4, just a week after its official European debut. The four-man printer, which bought the digital...

Noritsu unveils minilab printer.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Noritsu has unveiled the D502, its new minilab printer designed for photo retailers producing photobooks, calendars and greetings cards. The machine, which was showcased at Photokina last month, is being aimed at print shops and greetings...

HP cements one-stop shop aim for large-format with Scitex launch.
October 3, 2008... HP has unveiled what it claims is the world's first 3.2m UV roll-to-roll machine designed specifically for the outdoor signage market. The Scitex XP2300, launched at trade show Viscom Europe last week, offers a top print speed of 233m2 per...

Inca launches Spyder V after successful trial.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Inca Digital has launched an upgraded version of its Spyder large-format digital flatbed printer, the Spyder V, following a successful beta trial at Valley Printers. The printer, which is available in four- and six-colour versions, is...

Dsicmm installs Encore 38 folder.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Direct mail firm Dsicmm has installed an MB CAS 38 fol-der from Encore Machinery at its Peterborough plant. The new folder can run at speeds up to 25,000sph and comes with an accumulator unit and Axode bar code reading camera to boost...

Caslon to unveil latest Zip card-cutter at TPE.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Finishing equipment manufacturer Caslon will unveil its latest card-cutting development at next month's Total Print! Expo. Caslon's upgraded Zip 21 is now capable of producing 24 85x55mm cards in a single pass, three more than its previous...

TJ International returns to large-format with MBO folding machine.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Book printer TJ International has completed its return to large-format production with its investment in a second MBO folder. The Padstow-based company, which moved from large-format to B1 several years ago, announced its in-tention to...

GAE extends HQ for Murodigital.
October 3, 2008... Finishing kit distributor Graphic Arts Equipment (GAE) has extended its Perivale, west London, headquarters to accommodate new partner Murodigital. Murodigital's range of finishing equipment for smaller sites and offices was unveiled at an...

Mercury boss buys D&M after Ford's departure.
October 3, 2008... Trade finisher D&M Print Finishers has been bought following former director Maurice Ford's decision to retire from the industry. The Leeds-based company has been acquired by Mike Grayson, who owns local print company Mercury Print and...

Future of Mondi's Holcombe mill in doubt as energy costs go up.(Mondi Textil GmbH)(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... Mondi has proposed the closure of its Holcombe mill in Bury, Lancashire, potentially putting 90 jobs at risk. The mill produces 105,000 tonnes of recycled containerboard annually and has two paper machines. Carl Cole, managing director...

Prices to rise at Arjowiggins.
October 3, 2008... Paper manufacturer Arjowiggins has said it will increase the price of its Idem carbonless reels and sheets during the fourth quarter. Customers have been informed about the increase for the carbonless products, which will affect product...

Arctic Paper shuts one mill, but ups total capacity with mill acquisition.
October 3, 2008... Arctic Paper has said it will consolidate its European paper supply with the acquisition of Swedish fine paper manufacturer Grycksbo Paper and the closure of its Hafrestroms mill. Most of Arctic Paper's production at the 330-staffed...

UPM: paper prices need to reflect rising costs.
October 3, 2008... UPM has said there is still a need to increase paper prices in order for market prices to reflect the increase in raw material and energy costs. At a meeting last week, UPM's newly appointed UK general manager Will Oldham said the paper...

Contract update.(TPF Group appointed print management supplier of Merlin Entertainments Group's (MEG))(MEG acquiring the Tussauds Group)(Crossprint contract to print magazineof The Sixty Mile Publishing Company)
October 3, 2008... TPF Group has been confirmed as Merlin Entertainments Group's (MEG) pan-European print management supplier. MEG acquired the Tussauds Group last year, with whom TPF had worked for two years. Since the deal, TPF has been given a much wider...

Client Audit - M and M Direct.
October 3, 2008... M and M Direct is a sportswear catalogue that features brand apparel for men, women and children. The Herefordshire-based company has been trading for 20 years and mails out up to 15 different versions of its catalogue per year, totalling...

Editorial: Silver lining for paper industry, but not print.(management of financial crises on paper industry)(Editorial)
October 3, 2008... If you think it's tough in the print industry at the moment, take a look at the paper sector. This year alone, by my reckoning, going on for half a dozen UK paper mills either have been closed or face proposed closure, with Mondi's...

Comment: Printer's devil - Mags, paper and overseas sales.
October 3, 2008... Magazines in the spotlight Please be aware that this week was Magazine Week 2008, which has been organised by the PPA. I'm a big fan of magazines, so it was encouraging to read in the PPA's fact file that consumer expenditure on the medium...

Comment: Technically speaking.(usage and evaluation of workflow software)
October 3, 2008... To maintain a competitive edge, printers need to make workflow work for them. Workflow has become a very generic word for the printing industry, covering a wide range of services. The term has been around for years and for most people, it...

Profile: Thames print room.(Company overview)
October 3, 2008... Digital printer pins future ambitions on short-run versatility and partners. Responsiveness to the changing market conditions is key to TPR's success, discovers Helen Morris. Responding quickly to market conditions has been at the core of...

Analysis: BPIF survey shows optimism for future.(Survey)
October 3, 2008... The Directions survey finds printers expect trading conditions to improve, says William Mitting. An old Italian saying from the pre-Renaissance era assures us that 'the gloom of the world is but a shadow and behind it, within our reach, is...

League Table: Book Printers - Is this the future?
October 3, 2008... The rise of rival technologies and a challenging market represent a real threat to books. But many printers are adapting to the modern world and thriving. Philip Chadwick finds out how. From the outside looking in, book printing is facing a...

Product Portfolio: Product of the week - Presstek Compass 4000.(Product/service evaluation)
October 3, 2008... Presstek is looking to expand its chemistry-free client base by opening up its plate technology to work with other brands, finds Karen Charlesworth. After 13 years as a commercially available technology, CTP has become one of the most...

Product Portfolio: Me & my ... KAS Mailmaster 465HS.(Product/service evaluation)
October 3, 2008... Karen Jacobs, team leader of post imaging at medical insurance company WPA, says she is particularly impressed with the 465HS's security features. - What does the machine do? The KAS Mailmaster 465HS inserts into DL, C5 and over-sized...

Product Portfolio: Tried & tested - Inca Spyder 320.(Product/service evaluation)
October 3, 2008... The 320 range has expanded since its introduction, adding more colours, finer resolution and a low-cost option, discovers Nosmot Gbadamosi. Although its team first came together in 1998 to produce a prototype flatbed machine, Inca Digital...

Product Portfolio: Buyers' Guide - Coated board.(Product/service evaluation)
October 3, 2008... In such a specialist market, it can be tricky to know what substrate is best suited for your packaging needs, says Nosmot Gbadamosi. It goes without saying that packaging is a valuable tool for a brand; it is the most direct way of...

Product Portfolio: Joanne's help line - Guarded questions and jigsaw puzzles.(Product/service evaluation)
October 3, 2008... Joanne Gardner tracks down the solutions to your technical troubles. Q: Can you help me locate a jigsaw printer for a promotional product. It is to have our company logo printed on it and needs to have around 300 pieces, so quite small....

Product Portfolio: Diary.(Calendar)
October 3, 2008... OCTOBER Total Print! Expo Date: 14-16 October Venue: Earls Court 2 Contact: www.totalprintexpo.com PrintWeek Awards 2008 Date: 20 October Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, London Price: pounds 220 Contact:...

Product Portfolio: Technical tutorial - Sheetfed Inks for Packaging.(Product/service evaluation)
October 3, 2008... Food packaging is currently of particular interest with new developments in ink formulation and changes to European Legislation. The main legislation for sheetfed packaging is EC No 1935/2004 concerning materials and objects intended to...

Post Script: Hammering it home with a metal cover.
October 3, 2008... Metal Hammer magazine is celebrating the release of Death Magnetic, the new album from rock legends Metallica, by making its cover out of, you've guessed it, metal. The magazine is no stranger to offbeat giveaways. In 2006, it marked the...

Post Script: Memory Lane.
October 3, 2008... ONE YEAR AGO - Multigraphics joined a host of printers in criticising Alistair Darling's plans for tax changes... Wace confirmed the closure of its Swindon base... HH Associates won PM contracts with Barclays Capital and Barclays Wealth......

Post Script: Print's Past - The Pen Room.(Brief article)
October 3, 2008... The Pen Room is a lovely museum in Birmingham. For more than a century, Birmingham was the centre of the world pen trade employing thousands of people. With its unique blend of ingenuity and industrial expertise, Birmingham was at the forefront...

Post Script: Q&A - Claire Ashby.
October 3, 2008... Claire Ashby is technical sales and support manager for Heidelberg UK. She is 34 years old and engaged to a fellow print industry worker The print power couple also have a six-year-old daughter, Abby, who we're told 'says the funniest things',...

Polestar in price spat as Future rejigs mag deals.(Polestar)(Future Publishing Ltd.)
October 10, 2008... Three of the UK's largest web offset printers have become embroiled in a bitter war of words following Future Publishing's decision to move a clutch of its titles to Polestar and William Gibbons. As a result of Future's tender,...

Wyndeham bank is nationalised.
October 10, 2008... A 'reorganisation of assets' was underway at Wyndeham Press Group's main bank, Landsbanki, as PrintWeek went to press this week, following its nationalisation. News of the collapse came just a week after Wyndeham chief executive Paul...

Last chance for Awards tickets.
October 10, 2008... Time is running out to book your place at the industry's night of nights, the PrintWeek Awards 2008. Only a few places remain for the 20 October ceremony at the Grosvenor House. To ensure you don't miss out, contact organiser David Felice...

DM industry welcomes Royal Mail discounts.
October 10, 2008... The direct mail industry has welcomed Royal Mail's latest initiative to offer discounts to environmentally friendly wholesale customers. Last week, the postal service announced new measures under which businesses can qualify for discounts...

Mail Solutions site damaged in fire.
October 10, 2008... A major fire has ravaged Mail Solutions' mailing division in Telford, Shropshire. According to the Shropshire Fire and Rescue service, around 90% of its 3,500m2 site was involved in the fire, which required more than 40 firefighters to...

TPH directors sell up to colleagues.(Brief article)
October 10, 2008... Crewe-based B2 and B3 printer The Print House (TPH) has said it is planning to streamline its business after two of the company's directors sold their stake. Derek Springthorpe and Martyn Winstanley have left the company, selling up to...

DSTi Output awarded accreditation.(Brief article)
October 10, 2008... DSTi Output has been awarded its fourth ISO accreditation as it becomes one of the first companies to be awarded with the new 18001 standard for health and safety. The accreditation joins its existing 9001, 14001 and 27001 certifications. Tim...

Finalist select for EST Fleet Heroes Awards.
October 10, 2008... James McNaughton has been selected as a finalist in the Energy Savings Trust's (EST) Fleet Heroes Awards 2008 for its fleet-management strategy. Launched in partnership with The Guardian, The Observer and Fleet News, the third annual Fleet Hero...

Fujifilm to launch TQC product at Total Print! Expo.
October 10, 2008... Fujifilm has said it will give its new Toner Quality Control (TQC) product its UK launch at Total Print! Expo this month. The software, specifically designed to optimise toner use on the Xerox DocuColor, reduces the amount of toner used and...

Newsprinters claim.
October 10, 2008... Newsprinters, the newspaper manufacturing subsidiary of News International, has claimed that it's 216pp edition of the Glasgow Solicitors Property Centre Guide (GSPC) is 'the highest tabloid pagination ever printed straight in the UK'. It was...

Masterpiece wins awards.
October 10, 2008... Masterpiece, the London-based creative repro agency, has been awarded Catalogue Print and Production Supplier of the Year 2008 at the ECMOD awards. 'This award is important to us because it represents a true and direct reflection of how...

Mayor and mayoress visit Buxton Press.
October 10, 2008... Buxton Press has been visited by the mayor and mayoress of High Peak, Derbyshire, for a tour of its factory. The visit was in recognition of the company's FSC and PEFC accreditation and its contribution to the local business community. The...

Redlin Print becomes FSC accredited.
October 10, 2008... Redlin Print has become FSC accredited. The Essex-based printer said the certification was a response to customer requirements. Managing director Derek Faint said: 'We are now able to offer our broad customer base an additional product, which...

Dsicmm completes investment in pounds 10m Dagenham supersite.
October 10, 2008... Marketing giant Dsicmm has continued its rapid expansion with a pounds 10m site investment and another acquisition as it consolidates its business at two sites. The London-based company has completed the investment in its 17,000m2 Dagenham...

J&G and CSG combine in 'perfect marriage'.
October 10, 2008... Print industry waste management specialist J&G Environmental has called its acquisition by Cleansing Service Group (CSG) a 'perfect marriage'. The deal, which forms a pounds 65m-turnover waste disposal giant, will see J&G continue to trade...