Print Week articles from September 2003

Print Week archives from September 2003

Edotech wins pounds 150m deal with Barclays.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Edotech has signed a new outsourcing contract with Barclays Group worth up to pounds 150m up until 2010. Under the arrangement Edotech will expand its provision of personalised, colour print and electronic billing and presentment. The...

British Gas to lure customers online.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... British Gas is offering customers up to pounds 10 to switch from printed bills to online billing. The firm is aiming to get 1m people using the service by 2005 and expects massive savings from the switch. It estimates that by the end...

Polestar keeps exclusive deal with Quantum.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Polestar Group has renewed its sole-supplier contract with publisher Quantum Business Media for a further three years. Initially formalised in October 2001, the contract covers 12 business-to-business titles including Media Week, Press...

Howitt consolidates.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Howitt has made eight redundancies at its Hucknall sheetfed plant due to its relocation to its Sutton-in-Ashfield headquarters. The plant runs two Heidelberg Speedmaster 102s and specialist finishing kit. The existing kit will be...

St Ives hopes to avoid industrial action over web wage demands.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... St Ives hopes to avoid industrial action in its web division by reaching a 'sensible agreement' with employees. Workers at Plymouth's bindery had refused to work weekend overtime, delaying some titles, and Andover staff have been balloted...

STOP PRESS: Westernprint to enter period of administration.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Westernprint hopes to enter a six-week period of administration, to formalise its financial structure, prior to bringing an investor on board.

STOP PRESS: KPG to sponsor Individual Award.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Kodak Polychrome Graphics (KPG) will sponsor the Individual Award, part of the National Training & Development Awards, at the BPIF's Excellence Awards on 15 September.

STOP PRESS: RSM Robson Rhodes assessing values.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... RSM Robson Rhodes is assessing the value of the assets of Hertfordshire's Steans Printers, which was placed into administration on 26 August.

STOP PRESS: Administrative receivers of Hill & Tyler hope to sell.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Administrative receivers of Nottingham's Hill & Tyler hope to sell the business by the end of next week.

STOP PRESS: Linx Printing Technologies pre-tax profits rise.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Linx Printing Technologies' pre-tax profits rose 10% to pounds 5.4m for the year to 30 June 2003. Sales were pounds 50.8m, up 4% on 2002. China was still the firm's largest market, with sales up 15% on the year.

STOP PRESS: Two parties in 'final discussions' with administrators.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Two parties are in 'final discussions' with administrators to buy the assets of UK board producer Papermarc Group. One of the interested parties is made up of existing management from within the company.

Communisis sees profits fall by 14%.
September 4, 2003... Communisis' sales increased by almost 21% to pounds 150.4m in the first half, but pre-tax profits fell by 14% to pounds 5.4m. The group said the sales growth in the six months to 30 June was fuelled by print management wing Centurion and...

Bezier files lenticular patent.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Bezier has filed a patent for a technique that it claims could make large-format lenticular printing up to 240% cheaper than its nearest competitor. The method uses large-format digital printers to produce anything from one-off displays to...

Waste policing faces criticism.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Online packaging recovery note trading company, Environment Exchange, has said that government is expecting too much from agencies that police waste rules. Managing director Angus Macpherson said groups like the Environment Agency would...

Niels Zegers sets up specialist agency.(Boris)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Former Z-Card Europe territory general manager Niels Zegers has set-up Boris, a specialist agency producing off-the-shelf retainable concertina media products, such as mailing cards, 'cuff guides' and brochures. Boris founder and managing...

SHORTS: BPMG Print buys a MAN Roland press.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... BPMG Print in Aylesbury has bought a MAN Roland R705 five-colour B1 press to replace its six-colour Roland Rekord. Director Ian Budd said the first pull from the press was better than the best print from some other manufacturers' machines.

SHORTS: Apex Digital Graphics announces death of engineer.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Apex Digital Graphics has announced the death of one of its most popular engineers, Robin Lynch, who died on 22 August, aged 53. He is survived by his wife Yvie.

SHORTS: Steven Fella is to leave Selective Printing Machinery.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Steven Fella has announced his decision to leave Bradford-based Selective Printing Machinery and hand over full control to new managing director David Bell.

SHORTS: Friedheim International appoints Ian Miller.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Friedheim International has appointed Ian Miller, formerly of Geliot Hurner Ewen, as bindery sales specialist for Kent, Sussex, Surrey and Berkshire.

SHORTS: GAE awarded UK agency to sell range of drilling machines.(Graphic Arts Equipment ()(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Graphic Arts Equipment (GAE) has been awarded the UK agency to sell the Durselen-Corta range of drilling machines. GAE also sells Perfecta, Horizon, Shinohara and Polly Offset equipment.

SHORTS: Speakers at this year's IoP Annual Lecture.(Institute of Printing )(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... British yachtswoman Emma Richards and Pindar chairman Andrew Pindar will speak at this year's Institute of Printing (IoP) Annual Lecture, which will be held on 13 October at Stationers' Hall. For tickets contact Angela Winter on 01892 538118.

SHORTS: Kent Messenger Group installs Online Trimmer.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Maidstone's Kent Messenger Group has installed a pounds 275,000 Ferag SNT-U Online Trimmer to trim its three property supplements and What's On leisure guide.

SHORTS: Stylographics picks up Queen's Award.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Watford's Stylographics was awarded its Queen's Award for Enterprise by The Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire, Simon Bowes-Lyons, yesterday (3 September). Stylographics managing director Simon Olley picked up the award.

SHORTS: Smith & Ouzman awarded quality standard.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Eastbourne-based security specialist Smith & Ouzman has been awarded the ISO9001:2000 quality standard after just three months.

SHORTS: Graeme Wilson joins Waterstons Mackenzie Storrie.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Graeme Wilson has joined Waterstons Mackenzie Storrie in Edinburgh. The new production manager came from print and office supplies firm John McCormick & Co.

SHORTS: Allied Graphics and Walter Nash hold exhibition.(Calendar)
September 4, 2003... Allied Graphics and Walter Nash are holding a finishing exhibition in Northern Ireland. The Complete Finishing Exhibition will be at the Park Avenue Hotel in Belfast on 16-17 September. Contact: Simon Blair 028 9081 7416.

SHORTS: MAN Roland releases its sheet inspection system.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... MAN Roland has released its Eagle Eye sheet inspection system for the 700 B1-format press. Eagle Eye can spot impurities in sheet stock, scratches, creases, folds, bent corners and changes in colour.

SHORTS: Dorset Laminating installs Autobond Compact laminator.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Dorchester's Dorset Laminating has installed an Autobond Compact 102T laminator to handle B1 landscape work. The firm also has an Autobond 76 laminator.

SHORTS: The Saints' Stadium to stage Mailroom Innovations Show.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... The Saints' Stadium in Northampton will stage the last Mailroom Innovations Show of the year on 5-6 November. Contact: Geoff Ward 020 8502 8444.

Polestar agrees to Environmental Assessment.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Polestar has committed to having 23 of its sites assessed under the Environmental Assessment Scheme, which was launched by the BPIF and PPA last year (PrintWeek, 10 May 2002). Eight of the group's largest sites are to be assessed by the...

NTO mourning the passing of Lynas, aged 61.(Print and Graphic Communication National Training Organisation )(Brief Article)(Obituary)
September 4, 2003... The Print and Graphic Communication National Training Organisation (PGC NTO) has announced the death of Peter Lynas. Lynas, who was PGC NTO senior project officer, suffered a heart attack on 29 August, aged 61. 'Unlike some, he had a...

IIR buys Northprint & Flexo from Reed.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... IIR, the organiser of Ipex, Newstec and Digital Print World has bought the Northprint and Flexo shows from organiser Reed Exhibitions. It paid an undisclosed sum for the two shows, which formed a small part of Reed's 400-plus exhibitions...

European first with Autosport and Applecart.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Autosport has signed up as the first European title to use ActiveMagazine software to create an online version of the printed magazine. Overseas subscribers, in particular those in the US, will be able to access the magazine's content...

Infiniti unveils new kit at Viscom.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Infiniti Europe has launched a range of large-format digital production printers sharing the specifications and print heads used by Nur, Scitex Vision and Vutek machines at a fraction of the cost. The one-month-old firm, based in Antwerp,...

Print chief gets five-year ban.(Michael Robin Clarke of The Printing Connection)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... A director of Harrogate-based publisher The Printing Connection has been given a five-year ban from holding company directorships after the firm failed, owing nearly pounds 500,000. Michael Robin Clarke who was director of The Printing...

Caldwells to close with 160 jobs lost.(Klippan will close mill operation in Scotland)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Klippan intends to close its Caldwells mill operation in Scotland, with the loss of 160 jobs, less than a year after it acquired the inventory and customer list from Inveresk in a pounds 2m-plus deal (PrintWeek, 1 November 2002). Klippan...

Report criticises US CEOs' pay.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... US print industry chief executives were among those whose companies laid off the most staff, had the most underfunded pensions and largest tax breaks in 2001, according to the findings of a new report. The report, Executive Excess 2003:...

Polestar Petty's new press.(Illustration)
September 4, 2003... Work on Polestar Petty's new press hall and bindery is somewhat more advanced than at Howitt's Equator plant. The picture of the firm's Leeds site (below) shows no grazing ponies, just full-on construction work. It is set for completion in...

More jobs to go at Trinity Mirror.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Mirror Colour Print in Oldham will lose 16 production jobs as part of Trinity Mirror's plans to increase profitability. GPMU national officer Chris Harding said that discussions were on-going. - Industrial action by GPMU members at...

Delta orders first UK Roland 900 XXL.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Delta Display has ordered the UK's first MAN Roland 900 XXL sheetfed press, which will be installed next summer. The London-based company will use the five-colour R905-8v press, with UV drying, for posters and billboards for blue-chip...

Dataform secures pounds 25m deal.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Dataform Business Support Services has won pounds 25m of print work from insurance group Aegon UK. The five-year deal will see the Newcastle-based print management firm supply pounds 5m of brochures and letterheads annually. 'We handle...

Chair for Rexam's Borjesson.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Rexam chief executive Rolf Borjesson is to become non-executive chairman after Jeremy Lancaster retires next year. The packaging group revealed the changes to its board as it announced a return to the black with pre-tax profits of pounds...

LEGAL NOTICES.(Directory)
September 4, 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. WINDING-UP PETITIONS Chequer Press Ltd RO:...

Tesco packaging repro under review.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Tesco is overhauling its roster for millions of pounds worth of repro for its product packaging. It has been divided between existing suppliers, while some work has gone to a new firm on its books. The supermarket is understood to have...

Vio to exhibit JDF at Seybold.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Vio has revealed it will be one of the firms involved in the first live demonstration of a multi-vendor JDF workflow at Seybold San Francisco later this month. Among other firms taking part in the show are EFI, Apago and Markzware. ...

Heidelberg first with Satin FM.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Heidelberg has launched the first FM screening software that works with MetaDimension. Satin Screening is a second-generation FM screen Heidelberg has licensed from Global Graphics. It uses the same core algorithm as Creo's Staccato, which...

SHORTS: Callas Software launches Process/xpress.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Callas Software has launched Process/xpress a software package that automates the production of PDF/X files from QuarkXPress. The automated software can also create PDF/X files from standard PDFs. It has been selected as one of the 'HotPicks'...

SHORTS: PDC Copyprint purchases new platesetter and press.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... PDC Copyprint (Solihull) has marked its move to a new Solihull factory with the purchase of a new Esko-Graphics DPX 5080 platesetter and Ryobi 3302HA press. The equipment was supplied by distributor Apex Digital Graphics.

SHORTS: NPL invests in a Screen PlateRite 4100 platesetter.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... NPL has invested in a Screen PlateRite 4100 platesetter with Trueflow 2.1 workflow software from Service Offset Supplies. The Bookham-based fine arts and wildlife print specialist aims to improve its market share with the investment.

SHORTS: True Colours and Arrowhead Printing to form The Image Bureau.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Alton-based design and marketing agency True Colours and Arrowhead Printing are to bring their pre-press operations together under one roof to form The Image Bureau, a jointly owned pre-press facility. The new operation is set to take delivery...

SHORTS: Mortons Print successfully completes trial.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Mortons Print of Horncastle has successfully completed a three-month trial of Fujifilm's LP-DZ developer and LP-DRZ replenisher for its CTP plates, which will see two of the independent newspaper publisher's CTP lines converted to the new...

SHORTS: Creo UK appoints sales executive.(Paul Duffin)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Creo UK has appointed Paul Duffin as sales executive in its direct sales team. Duffin (left, with sales director Mark Nixon) will be responsible for south London and south-east England reporting to Chris Scully UK regions sales manager. Duffin...

SHORTS: TFG installs two proofers at Central London base.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... TFG has installed two DuPont Cromalin Digital AQ4 GE proofers at its Central London base. The company chose the DuPont Cromalin AQ4 as it is the preferred proof to press match for magazine publishers.

SHORTS: Presstek shareholders are suing the firm.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Presstek shareholders are suing the firm, former chief executive Bob Hallman and chief financial Neil Rossen. The class action suit claims the firm inadequately described arbitration with Heidelberg and challenges the timing of disclosure of...

SHORTS: AGT-Seven expands its support for Adobe InDesign software.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... AGT-Seven, a business unit of Applied Graphics Technologies, has expanded its support for Adobe InDesign software. The graphics services provider has moved its internal publishing projects to InDesign, and is integrating InDesign into its...

HP expands range in deal with Konica.(Hewlett-Packard)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Hewlett-Packard is expanding its range of printers to include higher-volume colour and black-and-white machines suitable for inplants and print-for-pay. It has signed a deal with Konica, which will see it launch a range of machines based...

Xplor reveals autumn seminar.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Xplor has announced details of its 2003 autumn conference, which will take a critical look at the whole document chain, rather than focusing on just one aspect of electronic communication. Experts in the document path, including Brann...

Scitex Vision launches XLjet+.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Scitex Vision will launch the next generation of its XLjet wide-format digital press range at today's VISCOM exhibition in Dusseldorf. The XLjet+ is available in three printing widths - 5m, 3.2m and 2.2m. Features include Scitex...

SHORTS: Oce (UK) appoints two service directors.(Alan Ballard and Archie Devlin)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Oce (UK) has appointed two service directors, following the retirement of Jim Duffy. Alan Ballard (pictured left), who joined Oce in 1991, becomes Digital Document Systems service director. Archie Devlin, who joined the then Ozalid Group in...

SHORTS: Performance of Duplo's digital print division on target.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... The performance of Duplo International's digital print division is on target with over pounds 2m of service and equipment sales since it was formed last October. The division's first customer was quickprint group PPL, which signed a three-year...

SHORTS: Konica Corporation more than doubles production of toner.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Konica Corporation, parent of Konica Business Machines (UK), has more than doubled production of polymerised toner with a second plant in Japan. The company already had a plant in Japan producing 2,000 tonnes a year of polymerised toner, but...

SHORTS: Inca Digital Printers appoints project manager.( Brian Rafferty )(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Inca Digital Printers has appointed Brian Rafferty as project manager to head one of its research and development teams at its Cambridge manufacturing site. Rafferty formerly worked at scientific equipment manufacturer Leica Microsystems, after...

SHORTS: Ink Technologies releases solvent-based ink set.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Cheadle-based Ink Technologies has released a low-cost solvent-based ink set for a range of Epson head wide-format ink-jet printers. The IGFX-EPS inks are available in 250ml to 25 litre containers and can be used with the converted Roland Hi-Fi...

SHORTS: NovaJet StarterKit available for Encad Pro 736 and 750 printers.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Lyson's NovaJet StarterKit is now available for the Encad Pro 736 and 750 printers. The NovaJet StarterKit consists of 500ml chip-free cartridges in Lyson's Standard, Light Proof or Signage ink ranges. Lyson UK marketing manager Simon Guest...

SHORTS: Heidelberg to offer 'intelligent address' service.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Heidelberg is set to offer Schober's 'intelligent address' service to help customers using variable data to become 'media service providers'. Heidelberg digital print customers can have either their own, or their customers' address databases...

Stora to cut 700 jobs in cost-saving programme.(Stora Enso)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Stora Enso will cut 700 jobs, or 12% of the workforce, from its North American works by mid-2005 to reduce costs by pounds 41m (dollars 65m). The scheme is part of an extension of the Finnish-Swedish producer's profit enhancement programme...

Hunter named in list of Scot's 100 top women.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Curtis Fine Papers sales and marketing director Janey Hunter has been placed 10th in a list of the 100 most influential women in Scottish Business for 2003. Hunter was singled out for her role in the multi-million-pound management buyout...

Q2 losses for top seven paper firms.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... The combined net earnings of seven of Europe's largest forest and paper firms 2003 fell by 59% in Q2 on the same period last year. According to PricewaterhouseCoopers' (PwC) Quarterly Net Earnings Summary for the period ending 30 June 2003,...

Aylesford gets DEFRA awarded in CHP success.(Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs acknowleges energy policy)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Aylesford Newsprint, based in Kent, has attained the DEFRA classification of good-quality combined heat and power (CHP) operator, resulting in no Climate Change Levy charge being applied to energy supplied by its CHP plant. According to...

Improvements begin for woodfree paper markets.
September 4, 2003... The woodfree market is starting to improve but downtime continues and no imminent price increases are forecast, writes Andy Scott. A leading paper buyer said the improvement in the last quarter was in line with traditional seasonal changes....

EU TENDERS.(Illustration)
September 4, 2003... 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...

PrintJob signs up SNP for online jobs.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... The Scottish National Party (SNP) has teamed up with Dundee printer FairPrint Design and Print and online procurement technology specialist PrintJob to launch a buying service for its regional constituencies. The new service, SNPprint.com,...

Quebecor extends Bauer deal.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Quebecor World's UK operation in Corby could benefit from a major contract renewal signed by its parent in North America. The group has renewed its deal with Bauer Publishing, primarily for US magazines including Woman's World, Twist and...

CDS handling print site for DEL.(Corporate Document Services)(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Corporate Document Services (CDS) in Belfast has won a three-year, pounds 100,000 deal to supply the Department of Employment & Learning (DEL) in Northern Ireland with an online print ordering service. The service, called CDS e-print, is...

Johnston in pounds 40m print investment.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Johnston Press' upgraded print division has contributed to a growth in turnover and profit and has been earmarked for additional pounds 40m investment. Chief executive Tim Bowdler said the regional newspaper publisher planned to build a...

Alden and Bath win OU deals.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... The Open University in Milton Keynes has awarded contracts for short-run academic books to Oxford's Alden Group and CPI Bath. Both companies will supply single- and two-colour crown quarto and demy quarto section sewn books. The three-year...

Goodman to merge with Baylis.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... John Goodman is to merge operations with Ebenezer Baylis, the company it bought from Great Universal Stores in November 2001. The new company, Goodman Baylis, will be based at Ebenezer Baylis' Worcester site, just off the M5. Most of John...

COMMENT: Love them or hate them, you really should go.(Editorial)
September 4, 2003... I note with great interest the news that Ipex organiser IIR has acquired the Northprint and Flexo shows from Reed this week. And I'm rather hoping this deal will bring some much-needed stability to the shaky print show situation. Call me...

OPINION: Reed's glory days over, it's IIR's time to shine.
September 4, 2003... It's taken 10 years for Reed Exhibitions to go from show business to no business in the printing industry. That may sound a long time, but not when you consider the decline from what they once had to what they've now ultimately relinquished....

ANALYSIS: Expectations exceeded, we're in for cautious calm waters.
September 4, 2003... With economic results and forecasts tentatively positive, David Ross looks at what the future holds for printing. Now that we've returned from our holidays, it's back to the grind and the run-up to Christmas. It is also the time when many...

WALLIS: Firm foundations have been laid for tomorrow's printer.(Brief Article)
September 4, 2003... Conversation among printers nowadays tends eventually to gravitate towards consideration of future technology. Such a preoccupation entitles us to extract from the words of Evelyn Waugh: 'Only when one has lost all curiosity about the future...

OPINION: The end of 'the old' is not approaching.
September 4, 2003... Traditional print is not on its way out, but is suffering along with the global econ-omy, writes George Clarke. If you walk past Hyde Park's Speakers' Corner on a Sunday morning you will hear some fantastic statements emanating from the...

POINT OF SERVICE: With the importance of service growing rapidly, Gordon Carson looks at what the contracts should provide.
September 4, 2003... In the days of 24/7 service and deadlines, the emphasis on delivering goods on time cannot be understated as the damage done by producing one late job can be horrendous. While consumers are becoming more and more demanding, it is important that...

DIGITAL DILEMMA: Repro houses are feeling the heat in the crowded digital sector, but a few have kept the faith.
September 4, 2003... Over the past decade, hundreds of struggling repro houses have managed to re-invent themselves by buying a digital press. Many of them have succeeded, but recently there have been signs that the tide of opinion is starting to turn, with more...