Print Week articles from September 2005

Print Week archives from September 2005

Print plays down threat of PIN hackers.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Print firms producing PIN numbers have played down the risks of fraud associated with simple techniques uncovered by academics to read the numbers without breaching security features. BBC News reported last week that researchers at the...

Bovard leads MBO of book group CPI.(Timothy Bovard)
September 1, 2005... Book group CPI has been acquired in an MBO, led by its co-founder Timothy Bovard, and is planning an expansion of both its geographic reach and service offering. The France-based group, parent of Bath Press, Cox & Wyman, Mackays of Chatham...

Printpack jobs to go after pounds 1m kit investment.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Nearly 40 staff are set to lose their jobs at Printpack Europe after a pounds 1m spend on kit to streamline production and a change in shift patterns. The snack food and soft drink packaging and labels firm, which boasts Coca-Cola as a...

Mag sector 'discouraged' by OFT talks.(Office of Fair Trading)(magazines)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A cross-industry group of publishers, wholesalers and retailers was left feeling 'discouraged' following a meeting with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) last week about the future legality of magazine distribution arrangements. An imminent...

Stop Press: City AM to be launched in London business districts.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Business freesheet City AM will be launched in London's business districts within a few weeks. The 24pp colour tabloid will have an initial distribution of 60,000.

Stop Press: De La Rue bids to print Kenyan banknotes.(money printing)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... De La Rue is one of three European firms bidding to print and supply Kenyan banknotes. The winning tender will start work in January 2007.

Stop Press: More print firms use funding from banks than any other sector.
September 1, 2005... Cattles Invoice Finance has found that more print firms use funding from banks compared to businesses in any other sector. Almost half used the form of funding compared to a national average of 33%.

Stop Press: Xsys acquisition approved by EU.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The acquisition of Flint Ink by Xsys has been approved by the European Union and US authorities. An investigation found the deal would not 'impede' competition. Plans for integrating the companies are under way, with more announcements expected...

MM lands Prinovis Liverpool kit deal.(Muller Martini)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Muller Martini is to build its 'most versatile' UK finishing set-up after scooping the order for the new 50,000m2 Prinovis gravure plant in Liverpool. The Swiss firm is to supply a raft of stitchers, inserters, stackers, conveyors and reel...

Max saved from vandals' fire.(Max Design and Print Company )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Max Design and Print Company had a narrow escape over the bank holiday weekend after 'mindless vandals' tried to burn its offices down at 3am on Saturday morning. The York-based printer - formerly known as Maxiprint - has avoided...

Annodata buys Lobster Group.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Annodata Group has bought print firm Lobster Group out of administration for an undisclosed sum. Daniel Smith and Martin Ellis, of Grant Thornton UK LLP, were appointed joint administrators of the Hemel Hempstead-based firm on 27 July. ...

Shorts: Hi-fli Banners & Flags celebrates fifth birthday.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Hi-fli Banners & Flags is celebrating its fifth birthday. General manager Rory Blackwood (centre) said the firm in Kirriemuir, Angus, and Chelmsford, Essex, increased turnover by nearly a third in one year due to work for FIFA and Greenpeace.

Shorts: Coltec Parker buys Roland press.(printing machinery)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Coltec Parker has bought a five-colour Roland R305LV press with coating unit for tricky direct mail packs. The firm in Keighley, Yorkshire, has moved to 24-hour, six-day-a-week production for leaflets and stitched brochures.

Shorts: David Dunbavand toughs it out.(Prism Europe )(racers )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... David Dunbavand has toughed out swimming, cycling and running in the Michelob Ultra London triathlon. The general manager of Prism Europe came 70th out of 300 racers in his heat.

Shorts: Fineline launches iWay Prime.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Fineline Printing and Stationery in Ruthin, Denbighshire, has launched its iWay Prime print management and production tool to trim costs and boost efficiency. The package from Press-Sense included the MiWay branding and personalisation tool...

Shorts: Wilden introduces product novelties.(packaging)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Packaging firm Wilden is introducing 'product novelties' of its BeautyPack system. An airless Prestige dispenser and the all-in-one Combi dispenser for hair care, go on show from 12-14 September at Cosmeeting trade show in Paris.

Shorts: Vutek shows off flatbed printer.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Vutek is showing off its Fespa-launched PressVu UV-curing flatbed printer at November's Viscom in Milan. The 3.2m-wide 320/400 kit, selling from pounds 170,000, 'drives productivity through the roof' producing up to 14 2mx3m sheets an hour....

Shorts: Rexam makes Robbie group finance director.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Rexam has made David Robbie group finance director. He replaces Graham Chipchase, who became group director of plastic packaging in July. Robbie joins from Royal P&O Nedlloyd where he was chief financial officer and reports to chairman Rolf...

Shorts: BlueOcean hopes book will prove gripping reading.(BlueOcean Advisory Group )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Publishing consultant BlueOcean Advisory Group hopes the story of a struggling third-generation print firm will prove gripping reading. Sea Change, A Story of Graphics and Communications in the 21st Century by Larry Letteney 'captures the...

Shorts: Kay Premium unveils A4 gatefold colour card.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Kay Premium Marking Films has unveiled an A4 gatefold colour card to show off its range of cast vinyl and calendered films like K40000 and 50000. Contact: 0870 121 1285.

Shorts: Gradual Software launches CaslonFlow 5.5.(printing software)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Gradual Software is launching CaslonFlow 5.5 at Chicago's Print 05. The package, which 'glues together' third-party applications and smoothes out file transfer between remote sites, costs pounds 1,400.

BemroseBooth jobs to go in Derby restructuring.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... BemroseBooth is to shed around 70 jobs as it reorganises its Information Products division at Derby. The company will cease operating the majority of its binding equipment and its Timpson T32 press. A consultation period has started and...

New group PAB to investigate print standard.(Printing Across Borders )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... An informal initiative set up to pursue the development of a unified international quality standard for print is set to meet twice this month. Formed this spring, Printing Across Borders (PAB) will hold meetings at Print 05 in Chicago and...

DWP beats target on recycled paper.(Department for Work and Pensions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has become the first Whitehall department to beat the Government's targets for using recycled paper on a large scale. The department's entire pounds 19m annual print spend, which includes the...

Quebecor sets pounds 100m spend for new plants.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Quebecor has revealed massive spending plans for its Canadian media operations, including two new print plants and an innovative rejig of its editorial set-up. The firm is to invest around pounds 100m (CAdollars 220m) in two newspaper...

HP makes happy faces.(social marketing)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... There is nothing more beautiful than a happy face, and HP proved it over the long weekend with a record-breaking exhibition that raised almost pounds 10,000 for National Children's Homes. A massive 34,401 photographs of the nation's smiles...

US unions hit out at Schawk.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Unions in the US have vented their anger at packaging pre-press giant Schawk claiming it has shown 'anti-worker actions' toward its international workforce. Delegates gathered at the Union Network International (UNI) congress in Chicago...

Greenpeace lauds Egmont Press' fully FSC book.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Greenpeace has praised UK publisher Egmont Press for publishing its first book printed on paper certified by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Kensuke's Kingdom - written by Michael Morpugo, and due out in September - will be the first...

Z-Card shrugs off rumours of redundancies.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Z-Card has dismissed a local newspaper report which claimed that that staff at its Runcorn production plant have been made redundant following the news it would transfer production to Scorpio Print Finishers. The decision to shift the...

Gap unveils wash upgrade for 102s.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... A firm of press engineers has launched a blanket wash upgrade that can save printers hours in press down time every day. ECT, developed by Gap Solutions, replaces the two separate blanket wash tubes on Heidelberg Speedmaster SM102s and...

Polestar kicks off printing of Telegraph title.(Telegraph Saturday )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Polestar Sheffield has begun production of the Telegraph Saturday supplement. Work began on the TV listings and main magazine over the weekend on one of its Cerutti gravure presses. The print run was undisclosed. 'We are all highly...

Wyndeham takes pre-press deal for Emap's Pop.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Wyndeham Graphics' London branch has picked up the pre-press contract for Pop, Emap's high-end fashion and photography title. The pre-press specialist, based in Kent and London, has handled colour reproduction for the latest issue of the...

DM firm's used W&D envelope kit to cut costs.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Telford-based Mail Solutions has enhanced its blank-fed envelope manufacturing operation and installed a secondhand W&D Classic machine. It bought the machine for just over pounds 300,000 from Hugh Imlay, an Aberdeen-based manufacturer...

Onepost to locate low-price carriers.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Postal Choices has launched its Onepost service, which it claimed can save mailers up to 10% on postal costs. The firm analyses client mailing files and suggests the best postal deals from a database of suppliers using software it has...

New Intelicoat Magic range in line for Viscom.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Dutch substrate manufacturer Intelicoat is to launch two new Magic products for water-based ink-jet printers at Viscom 2005. Magic DMPSV-G, a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating, and Poly-Pro, a glossy polypropylene, will be showcased at...

TV company courts participants in unions series.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... TV production company Ricochet is looking for companies that are interested in participating in a TV series investigating the role of trade unions in the modern workplace. The firm, behind Channel 4 shows Risking It All and Supernanny,...

Software firm joins with X-Rite in distribution deal.
September 1, 2005... Software distributor Computers Unlimited is to link up with X-Rite to sell three colour management products. The products are Monaco EZcolor, Pulse and Monaco OPTIXXR. According to X-Rite UK managing director Geoff Balfour, the link-up will...

Haslam shifts to closed-loop colour system.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Haslam Printers has spent pounds 500,000 to introduce closed-loop colour control and advanced cutting and handling. The company has installed a Polar 92X, replacing a 21-year-old 92EM, and a stack lift. The spend also included Heidelberg's...

Premier scores HP paper supply deal.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Premier Paper has taken over from Robert Horne to stock and distribute paper for Hewlett-Packard's Indigo digital presses. The deal currently covers three ranges for HP: Premium Gloss, Premium Matt and Premium Uncoated. 'The situation...

Recycler warns of Gov't green law info failure.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Government's handling of new waste-disposal rules could land printers on the wrong side of the law, warns Saxon Recycling. 'It has done nothing to educate the industry,' said Saxon Recycling managing director Mick Adams. 'When asked,...

Apex opens new HQ and boosts its demo facilities.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Apex Digital Graphics is holding an 'open week' to christen its new base. The 2,300m2 headquarters - over twice the size of its previous base - is half a mile from the the 58-staff firm's old showroom in Hemel Hempstead and will house the...

SMP consolidates by merging bases.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SMP Group is gearing up to bring its 120 staff under one roof and is using the recent purchase of a KBA press as a possible stepping stone for an even bigger spend. The firm aims to move its 2,000m2 factory in West Norwood next year into...

Doveton expands digital print.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Doveton Press has expanded its digital print offering by adding the personalisation option to the NexPress 2100 colour press it installed this year. The Bristol-based firm plumped for the standard Nextreme DL100 software and has begun to...

Primopost invests in Schiavi.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Primopost has spent pounds 750,000 on Schiavi kit to help the firm grow its business by a quarter this year. The packaging films supplier, based in Buxton, Derbyshire, recently installed an eight-colour Sigma gearless flexo press and an...

Legal Notices.
September 1, 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 or call 0870 600 3322 WINDING UP PETITIONS...

AdLizard delivers customer control.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Pre-press automation has nudged closer to the advertiser with the UK launch of AdLizard, an online package allowing advertisers to create their own print-ready display ads. The template-based software is aimed at newspapers and permits...

Adobe takeover bid approved.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Adobe and Macromedia shareholders have voted 'yes' to a long-awaited takeover that will form an imaging powerhouse. The sale is due to take place in the autumn subject to receiving the nod from regulators. Around 99% of outstanding...

Artwork rises in third quarter.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Belgian software firm Artwork Systems has reported a 17% rise in third-quarter profit and promised a raft of new products at print shows this autumn. Pre-tax profit for the three months to 30 June rose from pounds 3.0m (EUR4.4m) in 2004 to...

Shorts: Positive Focus to supply FirstProof.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Distributor Positive Focus is to supply FirstProof, the virtual dot soft-proofing package from Hamillroad Software. The firm in Shepperton, Middlesex will target the system for Macs and PCs at firms in the UK and Ireland. FirstProof allows...

Shorts: Heidelberg joins Ghent PDF Workgroup.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Heidelberg has joined Belgium-based Ghent PDF Workgroup to push PDF and PDF/X as a standard global format. The group looks at firming up guidelines and best practice initiatives and was formed in 2002. Members include suppliers across Europe...

Shorts: Troika Systems rolls out FlexoCam.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Troika Systems is rolling out its FlexoCam quality-control tool for flexo plates with aims to distribute 20 units a month. A free 'remote analyser', designed to demonstrate the software, checks images taken by camera at remote locations to ease...

Shorts: OneVision launches version 2.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... OneVision has launched version 2 of Asura Enterprise, its web-based package for online data reception and quality control for data files. The firm said it offers a more user-friendly connection between desktops and pre-press rooms and...

Shorts: GMG wins Fogra certification.
September 1, 2005... German proofing equipment developer GMG has won Fogra certification for its ColorProof o4 digital proofing software when used in conjunction with Epson Stylus Pro 4800 and 4000 printers. The firm won the accreditation using GMG ProofPaper...

Shorts: Schawk buys six copies of software.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Schawk Europe has bought six copies of Group Logic's MassTransit file-transfer software in a pounds 50,000 deal that will allow it to shift files between its five UK sites, and customers in Spain and Belgium better. NCS Integrated Solutions in...

Shorts: Appointment at Gradual Software.
September 1, 2005... Gradual Software has made Elli Cloots director of professional services. The former director of software support at Enfocus Software will handle strategic projects, technical support and customer care and will report to chief operating officer...

Shorts: XChange International launches Crackerjack 5.1.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... XChange International has launched Crackerjack 5.1 adding easy-to-use imposition, digital stripping and image adjustment to the plug-in for Adobe Acrobat. Also new are tools to convert RGB and CMYK to spot colour, verify Enfocus-certified PDFs,...

Shorts: Luscher Flexo sells laser engraver.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Luscher Flexo has sold the world's first 3m-wide FlexPose!direct laser engraver. The flexo-sleeve kit, the widest ever produced by a UK equipment manufacturer, was installed at Carey Color in Cleveland, Ohio, in June.

EFI faces new court battle after recent settlement.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... EFI has settled a lawsuit with Printcafe shareholders and is fighting another suit that has been launched against its newly acquired Vutek division. The company is awaiting the final settlement on the Printcafe dispute that was, according...

Info-Tec to sell AIT's Shiraz RIP with Canon kit.(Applied Image Technology)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Canon supplier Info-Tec Distribution has signed an exclusive deal with Kent-based Applied Imaging Technology to sell the Shiraz RIP for Canon's large-format printers. 'The combination of Canon's large-format printers with their quality and...

Danwood and GAE share show stand.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Danwood is to make its Digital Print World (DPW) debut by sharing stand space with finishing partner Graphic Arts Equipment (GAE). The firm will be demonstrating kit including the HP Indigo 1050 colour press and a Ricoh DDP monochrome...

Conference to focus on billing and DM tie-up.
September 1, 2005... Document management is the subject of next month's Xplor conference. The document technology association will look at managing the convergence of transactional and graphic printing at its annual conference. The 'Document Lifecycle'...

Ikon unveils CPP 500 printer with Fiery technology.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... US-based office document management printing firm Ikon is launching its CPP 500 printer with an EFI Fiery front end. The S300 version 2 colour server targets the high-demand colour or black-and-white market. But the version, which will be...

City Print picks up Palamides stacker, MBO folder.
September 1, 2005... City Print has invested pounds 164,000 (EUR240,000) and notched up two post-press firsts. The Cork-based firm has installed Ireland's first Palamides Delta 500 inline two-up product handling machine and this week is installing the UK and...

Spartanics die cutter can deal with magnets.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Spartanics is boasting a first with a 'Magnet Upgrade' to its auto-loading system for the M-500 decorated-material die-cutting machine. According to the firm, the kit combination forms the 'world's first and only automatic feeding system...

W3 fits Graphicure UV curing system.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... W3 has installed a Baldwin Graphicure GC9 'Quickstart' UV curing system, the first in the world on a B1 press. 'It's a very straightforward system, but very effective. It's just like having IR on the press, so we can make ready 20 or 30...

Duplo to show knife-folder at Sept open day.(Duplo International Ltd.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Duplo International's open house at Gloucestershire County Cricket Club will be the first national public showing of its MKF-35 knife-folder. The folder fits on the DCM 45/75 creaser and perforator, which are also showing at the event on...

Wace takes delivery of Heidelberg finishing kit.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Wace has continued its pounds 5m Heidelberg kit spend by beefing up its finishing capabilities with three new folders and a used stitcher. 'The three new Stahlfolder TH82s will output three times the work of the three older models they...

Smith Anderson to cut paper output.
September 1, 2005... Smith Anderson has joined the growing trend to take production capacity out of the market after announcing that it will close a paper machine at its Fettykil facility in Leslie, Fife. Around 70 workers at the mill will be made redundant as...

UPM earmarks pounds 27m for mill.(UPM-Kymmene UK)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... UPM has revealed a pounds 27m (EUR40m) investment to improve its Kaipola mill in Finland and has finally ended a long-running strike at a Canadian plant. The spend will aim to modernize the plant to cope with the growing demand for...

Paper Pricewatch: Woodfree, September 2005.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Growing demand for woodfree grades and rising energy prices mean that the mooted price rises are becoming increasingly likely, finds Darryl Danielli. Rising energy costs are the key driver of the price rises. Some UK manufacturers are...

Shorts: Kalamazoo launches new paper.(Kalamazoo Stamping and Die Inc.)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Kalamazoo has launched a new paper designed to stamp out documentation fraud. Copyvoid Security Paper uses an embedded light-sensitive image which is invisible to the eye to protect sensitive documents which should not be reproduced. When a...

Shorts: HSP unveils Greencoat Matt.(Howard Smith Paper)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Howard Smith Paper (HSP) has unveiled Greencoat Matt, the latest addition to its Greencoat range of eco-friendly papers. The paper is manufactured from 30% TCF virgin fibre and 70% recycled fibre at the Toscolano mill in Italy (pictured). HSP...

Shorts: CPI welcomes government acceptance.(Confederation of Paper Industries)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) has welcomed the government's acceptance of two new forest certification schemes. Defra recently announced that the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) and the North American...

Shorts: M-real brings fun of paper making to Sittingbourne.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... M-real has brought the fun of paper making to the people of Sittingbourne, with a stand at the town's summer festival, the Sittingbourne Spectacular. The paper manufacturer demonstrated how to make paper by hand to visitors at the show, which...

Shorts: Ebb Paper reveals winners of prize draw.(EVC Graphic Design & Print )(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Ebb Paper has revealed the winners of its July prize draw. The firm gives away a number of 14in TV/DVD packages each month. July winners included EVC Graphic Design & Print in Reading, Technart in Southampton, Colophon & Lavengro Print in...

Shorts: James McNaughton Group adds new category to awards.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... James McNaughton Group has added a new category to its Review 05 Awards following the launch of its new Take 2 Silk grade. The launch of the paper, which features 75% recycled content, has led to the creation of a 13th category entitled 'Use of...

Shorts: Independent Paper unearths new star tipster.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Independent Paper has unearthed a new star tipster at its first-ever race night. Guest Gary Davidson of General Printers in Wellingborough (pictured second left) picked five out of six winners at a recent event at the Oadby racecourse in...

Weald targets the small print buyer.(Weald Print Solutions)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Weald Print Solutions is targeting a niche print management market and plans to expand through acquisition. The pounds 1.2m-turnover B3 printer has a print management service that targets companies with a print spend of up to pounds...

Geoff Neil creates VW mailing.(Geoff Neal Litho)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Geoff Neil Litho has produced a sensual combination of plastic, metallic and velvety textures for a mailing that likens the new VW Polo to a diamond. The 120,000 eight-page packs include a letter and prize-draw coupons for jewels worth...

SMP delivers Lost campaign.(Channel 4 Television Co)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... SMP has produced all of the posters and billboards for Channel 4's big-budget advertising campaign for hit plane crash survival drama Lost. The south-east London-based large-format printer produced a total of 1,201 48-sheet posters and 341...

EU Tenders.(Public Notice)
September 1, 2005... 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: Printers just keep upping their performance.(Column)
September 1, 2005... Honestly I don't know how you do it. Having just waded through several outstanding entries for the Business Performance categories of this year's PrintWeek Awards, the vast and varied skills you need and the high and awkward hurdles you have to...

Opinion: Looking at legislation and lobbying lethargy.(Engineering and Machinery Alliance)(Brief Article)(Column)
September 1, 2005... New legislation is often met with groans of despair from the UK business owners who have to bear the implementation costs. It's not possible to wave a magic wand and make onerous legislation disappear, but it is possible to have your say before...

Wallis: Rebranded words are still jargon by any other name.
September 1, 2005... Once upon a time Percy the Printer awoke early in the morning. He was looking forward that day to a visit from Alan Wizard, a management consultant. Percy had felt the need of advice for a long time and had been impressed by Wizard who used...