Printing World articles from July 2001

Printing World archives from July 2001

East Kilbride struck by job cull.(Thomson Litho and Polestar announce 100 job cuts)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... East Kilbride was hit by a double blow last week, with Thomson Litho and the town's Polestar works announcing 1o0 job cuts between them, while the GPMU is threatening to ballot the remaining 170 staff at Polestar on strike action. About 56...

Data laws defined.(American National Standards Institute's Committee for Graphical Arts Technology)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... The American National Standards Institute accredited Committee for Graphic Arts Technologies Standards (CGATS) has defined an open, variable data exchange standard, making it easier to create, proof and print variable data jobs. CGATS.20...

Dotcom stays tight-lipped about site.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Troubled print dotcom Printmountain has announced that its creditors have approved a company voluntary arrangement that could save it from liquidation. However, as Printing World went to press, the Printmountain website was out of service,...

Danka deal poised.(Plans to sell facilities management arm to Pitney Bowls)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Danka Business Systems was to hold an egm to approve the $290m sale of its facilities management arm DSI to Pitney Bowes as Printing World went to press, with shareholders in favour of the resolution. The UK Secretary of State for Trade &...

Optyca's Komori.(Optyca Printing buys new press)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Optyca Printing in Tonbridge has bought a five-colour Komori Lithrone 528 to cater for spot colour and varnishing demand. The company is concentrating on the creation of a prepress department. The new press will feature a CIP3 link to the B2...

ESpeed limited.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Hopes of a technology deal between PaperExchange's US operations and technology provider ESpeed have collapsed after a month of talks (Printing World, June 4). According to PaperExchange, German paper trading company HIT International...

Unions highlight euro concerns.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Unions across Europe are demanding the European Central Bank take steps to prevent thousands of banknote printers being left high and dry once the euro is introduced. Delegates from across Europe met last Friday in Brussels to discuss the...

Rival bid fails.(Rival Envelope Company receivers to sell machinery)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Receivers have failed in their bid to save The Rival Envelope Company and are now trying to sell the machinery alone, with the loss of the remaining 73 jobs. The equipment consists of two Smith machines for producing bespoke envelopes,...

E-book drive.(Chevrillon Philippe Industrie)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Chevrillon Philippe Industrie, the French print group that owns Bath Press, Mackays of Chatham and Cox & Wyman, is diversifying into e- books. A new division called ECPI, can potentially output any book printed by CPI in e-book format. The...

The BESA joins.(British Engraved Stationery Association joins the BPIF)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... The British Engraved Stationery Association has joined the BPIF after its 60 members voted unanimously to become a special interest group with the federation. BESA's members include manufacturers of engraved stationery and their suppliers. The...

Clydebank Bobst.(Foil Ribbon & Impact Printing Group buys press for Clydebamnk works)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Foil Ribbon & Impact Printing Group has bought its second Bobst BMA SP102 Foil Master press in six months. The press will be installed at the company's Clydebank works and start production in July. The purchase takes the group's investment in...

Heidelberg for Brown's.(Brown's CTP invests in Heidelberg printing equipment)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Brown's CTP in Manchester has invested #1m in Heidelberg equipment. The company has already bought a Speedmaster CP2000 SM74-5L five-colour press with coating unit, a Trendsetter 3230 ctp system with Delta workflow, a Polar 92E guillotine and a...

Big in the high street.(John E Wright launches a print package based on Hewlett Packard technology)(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
July 2, 2001... Cad supplier John E Wright is bringing large format print services to the high street with the launch of a print package based on Hewlett Packard technology. The DesignJet Advantage Pack includes a 42 in wide HO DesignJet 5000 PS, free...

Agfa assures graphic arts commitment.(New CEO Ludo Verhoeven reinforces commitment)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Agfa's new chief executive officer Ludo Verhoeven reinforced the company's commitment to the graphic arts market last week, following the failure to sell off its consumables division. The collapse of the sale to Schroeder Ventures led to...

Heron Print reaps ctp rewards.(Upgrades its Agfa PDF-based workflow system)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 2, 2001... Web offset printer ET Heron is upgrading its Agfa PDF-based workflow system as part of a #10m spend in new ctp and press capacity over the last year. The recent installation of Agfa's Galileo VXT violet fully automatic platesetter can now...

Bindery bonus for Thomson.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Scotland's largest sheetfed colour printer, J Thomson Colour Printers, has installed its first Muller Martini bindery equipment. The Glasgow firm recently installed a #200,000 six-station Bravo S stitcher with a 1529 cover feeder and...

Ward weighs in.(Places order for web offset press)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Business forms manufacturer Ward Knowles has made the largest investment in new kit in the company's history. The Accrington firm has placed a #1m order with A4GM of Peterborough for a German-made Automation web offset press. The reel to...

Mobile murals.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Safeway has transformed the trailers on its delivery fleet into mobile murals with the help of Fenn Signs & Graphics, Stoke on Trent. The self- adhesive graphics were printed on an Arizona inkjet printer on MPI-A film from Avery Dennison....

Potter's packaging.(Print & Design Graphics will print packaging for Harry Potter merchandise)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Tyneside packaging printer Print & Design Graphics has won an order from Kerry Foods to print the packaging for a range of Harry Potter merchandise. PDG printed 60,000 cartons on its new six-colour Komori press, using 500 micron folding...

Happy Halcyon.(Receives safety award)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Halcyon Business Solutions of Huddersfield has received its third consecutive safety award from the British Safety Council for its below average accident rates. Len Ives, Halcyon quality assurance manager, says: "We are continually looking at...

Bank chases Smiths.(JP Morgan seeks to acquire WH Smith's distribution division)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... JP Morgan Partners, the private equity arm of JP Morgan Chase, is looking like the leader in the race to buy WH Smith's distribution division (Printing World, June 18). WH Smith is continuing with the sale despite concerns from Associated...

Taking the paper tiger by the tail.(Robert Horne will stop selling Asia Pulp & Paper products)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Robert Horne is to stop selling Asia Pulp & Paper products after a damning Friends of the Earth report accused APP logging of causing the destruction of virgin Indonesian rainforests. On top of this, a report in The Guardian identified one...

Troubled Trinity.(Publisher may consolidate print sites)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 2, 2001... Trinity Mirror's latest promise of unspecified "cost reduction measures" will only fuel speculation that it could consolidate its print sites. In February, a leaked memo from within the company showed that sites at Cardiff, Birmingham and...

Littlewoods' losses ease.(British department store chain)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 2, 2001... Littlewoods has revealed improved financial results but there are still ominous signs emerging about the strength of catalogue-based retailing. After a first half loss of #15.6m, the company recovered in the second half of the year with a...

Central ordering.(New service announced by Bousfield)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Inks, coating and consumables specialist Bousfield has introduced a central sales order operation in a bid to provide an improved service to printers. Customers wishing to place an order can call a central sales processing team at Bousfield's...

The View for Canon.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Canon UK marked its 25th anniversary by opening a stylishly designed new showroom in London called The View. The 442sq m building can display the company's full range of equipment and it also includes conference rooms, demonstration areas and a...

More for Newsquest.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Newsquest's takeover of the Dimbleby Newspaper Group has been given the green light by competition minister Melanie Johnson. It was felt the eight Dimbleby titles, all in the London area, do not have high enough circulations to give Newsquest...

Labels printer loses six year patent battle.(David J Instance vs Denny Bros.)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Ashford labels printer David J Instance has lost its bid for an appeal against a High Court decision to revoke three leaflet label patents, in a legal wrangle that has dragged on for more than six years. David J Instance and Denny Bros have...

Denny Bros site consolidation.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Denny Bros is today (Monday) set to move into its new headquarters' building on Suffolk Business Park at Bury St Edmunds, an investment of around #5m. In addition to providing substantial extra production area, the new building will enable...

Colourwise Komori.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Following its purchase of printer KCO Lithographic in March, prepress company Colourwise of Burgess Hill, Sussex, has installed a five-colour Komori Lithrone. "The five units give us an edge," says general manager Philip Randell. "Being...

Arup appoints Service Point.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Arup, the design and engineering consultancy, has awarded office supplies specialist Service Point a five-year contract to look after its print and repro requirements on site at its Solihull factory. Service Point has supplied and will...

Long life billboards.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... The new billboards for Audi's A2 aluminium car have been printed and bonded directly on to aluminium sheets. This new technique was developed by Cardiff print group Gardners in partnership with international metals group Corus at its...

Collabria sell off.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Ailing US print software provider Collabria has sold its Version 3.0 Software and customer base to Printable Technologies, San Diego. Printable intends to make the transfer as seamless as possible for the customers, and is taking on Collabria...

3i moves on VNU.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... The educational publisher VNU is about to be bought for g220m by venture capital group 3i, according to reports last week. VNU's consumer titles are also up for sale, although Hearst has denied rumours that it is a likely buyer. 3i has already...

Des res sought.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Richard Desmond, the owner of The Express, is looking for a new home for the national newspaper after announcing that the rent on the property at Ludgate House is too high. He has asked estate agents to find a #60m purchase in central London...

Bucking the trend.(Weyerhaeuser predicts higher profits)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... US paper company Weyerhaeuser has bucked the industry trend with a trading statement predicting higher than expected second-quarter profits. The company says that earnings will be between 70 and 75 cents per share, not the 56 cents analysts...

WPP up 4% so far.
July 2, 2001... Advertising giant WPP has bucked the poor forecast by Zenith Media (see story below), after reporting a 4% increase in turnover in the first five months of this year. Following gloomy news from rival UK company Cordiant Communications and...

Johnston looks to buoyant times.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Regional newspaper publisher Johnston Press will take a #5m hit as a result of its closure of Southern Web, in Burgess Hill, and the development of its new printing centre. But the investment in the site at Portsmouth is progressing on...

Scoot cuts 285 jobs.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Scoot, the online business directory, has cut 285 jobs and parted company with chief executive Robert Bonnier, heightening the chances that its Loot printed paper might be sold off. Scoot says it has "insufficient working capital for the...

Split call to Novar.(Novar under pressure to sell parts of the company)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Novar, the security printing and building supplies group formerly known as Caradon, is under new pressure to split itself up after warning of "a significant fall" in profits this month. Novar has been under pressure from the UK Active Value...

Print `to miss worst of ad fall'.(UK advertising expenditures)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 2, 2001... UK advertising expenditure is due to drop this year but print will escape the worst of the decline, according to a report produced by sector specialist Zenith Media. While advertising expenditure grew by 10% in 2000, it is expected to drop...

Quebecor buys again.(Quebecor World to acquire Retailing Print Corp.)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... As rival RR Donnelley continues to close factories, Quebecor World is buying an US east cost print group and installing a new Goss C700E press at its works in Merced, California. Quebecor is buying Retailing Print Corporation's gravure...

Age timebomb faces directors.(turnover of newspaper directors in the UK)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 2, 2001... More than 15% of UK directors in the newspaper sector changed jobs last year, according to a new report by Plimsoll Publishing. But the average director has been in the job for more than six years, is 50 years old and earns more than #67,000 a...

Times' Enterprise.(Buys advertising system software from Atex Media Solutions)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... As part of its strategic investment in new technology, The Irish Times has purchased a full suite of Enterprise advertising system software from Atex Media Solutions. The Enterprise solution will integrate all advertising sales and management...

Building bridges.(Service Point teams with Cadweb)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Leading UK digital repro, document management and design provider Service Point, has teamed up with Cadweb to link its ReproNet online print ordering and distribution service with Cadweb's electronic project management system. Architects and...

Renaissance at FE Burman.(Buys CreoScitex Renaissance II copydot scanner)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... London prepress company FE Burman has invested in the UK's second CreoScitex Renaissance II copydot scanner. The installation followed increased demand from the magazine industry for a fully digitised workflow incorporating analogue film. ...

Wam!Net axe falls in Europe.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Wam!Net's UK customers are being reassured that the latest round of job cuts at the managed file transfer operation will not impact on the service they receive. The company has cut 130 jobs worldwide with 50 in Europe as a prelude to...

Online proof operation.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... St Ives Graphic Media in Bradford is the latest company to sign up to RealTimeImage's online proofing service called RealTime Proof.com. The system, based on an application service provider model, allows companies access to remote proofing over...

Yupo from HSP.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Howard Smith Paper, Northampton, will distribute Yupo's synthetic papers in the UK and offer technical and product support. According to Howard Smith Paper, the new distribution channel will benefit the trade by providing them with direct...

Digital weights.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Papyrus now offers a new Mizar Gloss board to meet the demand for weights compatible with digital printing. The 270gsm white board (pictured), manufactured by Burgo, is available in 320mm and 500mm reels for Xeikon web machines. Copyright:...

EU told to get with it.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... The European forest-based industries have called for the European Commission to improve competitiveness, claiming that the EU's White Paper on renewable sources of energy could impact the availability of wood and material costs. Swedish...

Blowing the digital horn.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Robert Horne Group is attempting to make the choice of papers and inks for digital print easier for customers with a new digital print support initiative under the name M-Tronics. Following evaluation of the digital print market, Robert...

Curtis wins Fife laurel.(Business in the Community award at the Fife Business Awards)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Curtis Fine Papers' commitment to the students of Duncan of Jordanstone College and a #2.4m investment on an effluent treatment plant to recycle clean water have reaped awards. The paper company has received the Business in the Community...

Thousands face loss of jobs at IP in the US.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
July 2, 2001... International Paper, the world's largest papermaker, is planning to eliminate 3,000 US jobs over the next year through a streamlining of the company's staff support functions in a bid to cut costs. The reductions represent 10% of the...

Xaar looks East.(Inkjet developer opens sales office in Hong Kong)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Xaar, the Cambridge inkjet developer, is gunning for the Asian market by opening a sales office in Hong Kong. Five staff will initially work at the facility, which is in the prestigious Cosco Tower. The investment follows similar expansion into...

Hong Kong Gallus.(Avery Dennison installs Gallus presses)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Avery Dennison has now installed 75 Gallus presses worldwide, following the installation of an EM 260 flexo press at the company's Worldwide Ticketing Services works in Hong Kong. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Nexpo show loses its power of attraction.(US newspaper sector)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Visitor numbers were well down for Nexpo, the US newspaper sector's annual jamboree, continuing a trend noted by printing shows world wide this year. It has caused commentators to wonder whether it ought to become a biannual event. It was...

3,000 newspaper jobs go.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... The US newspaper business is moving further into a state of turmoil as another 3,000 jobs are being axed. The news comes on top of the 500- plus cuts made in North America a month ago (Printing World, June 4). Knight Ridder has announced...

French distribution angst.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... The UK newspaper and magazine distribution network may be in a state of uncertainty as a new owner is sought for WH Smith's distribution business, but that is nothing compared to the situation in France. The communist-led union...

Agfa ctp for Poles.(computer-to-plate system installed at Passauer Neue Presse)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Agfa has installed its first ctp system for newspapers in Poland at Passauer Neue Presse, part of Polskapresse Lodz. The system comprises the Agfa Polaris 100E platesetter, an online processor and a slip-sheet removal system. Workflow...

The A-Z of Yellow Pages.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... The giant factory at Flaxby Moor near York is a monument to Yellow Pages' faith in the future By Jim Larkin One of the most popular phrases with which printers start a conversation is "If I had #1m to spend around this place..." before...

Aladdin's cave of crime.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... In April, Anthony Grimes was sentenced to seven years in prison for masterminding a counterfeiting operation. Printing World found out how he did it A master forger pocketed at least #500,000 for producing high quality bank notes for...

Technical helpline.(from Coates Lorilleux)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... A 24-hour online technical helpdesk has been launched by Coates Lorilleux at www.coateslorilleux. com/thd. Visitors to the site will find a guide to product applications with information on more than 100 inks for flexo, gravure, sheetfed and...

Keeping a check.(TecScan Electronics introduces online barcode validation system)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... TecScan Electronics (01443 821552) has introduced a new online barcode validation and inspection system which complements the Atlantis Scanmaster series. The new system enables the printer to meet critical inspection requirements for fixed or...

Sato shows range.(Sato UK label printers and labeling systems)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... New label printers and labelling systems will be demonstrated by Sato UK at the Processing & Packaging Manufacturers' Association show at London's ExCel Centre from September 25-27. Weighing 3kg and measuring 165x198x230mm, are the CT 400...

Fujifilm cost savings.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Fujifilm hopes the availability of its new developer and replenisher will bring cost savings and flexibility to users of its competitors' thermal plate processors. The company claims its Brillia LH-PI plates can be developed through KPG's...

Wordflow for packaging.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Barco Graphics will demonstrate its modular, open workflow for the packaging and label sector at LabelExpo in Brussels, September 26-29. The company is focusing on workflow management, and also covering structural design, packaging...

British Printer: Take the French line.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... I do not think I am alone in believing that the industry is awash with new ideas and trial projects to implement fast-developing technologies. It is as if no-one is even bothering to take time to catch their breath. But like all fast...

British Printer: Conditions set for waterless.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... In the second part of exploring the waterless printing of newspapers, research shows that laboratory conditions need to be duplicated on the shopfloor By Rod Hayes There are three main elements involved when trying to print waterless - the...

British Printer: What Sun Chemical says.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Project Shark is an on-going undertaking within Sun Chemical, to produce novel environmentally friendly waterless paste inks for all types of web and sheetfed printing. Two new products resulting from this technology have been...

British Printer: Enter Prolatus.
July 2, 2001... Yet another US Internet offering has hit the airwaves. This one, though, has an innovative software solution to many a printer's problem By Gareth Ward Not all dotcom ventures are dead or dying. Despite the carnage among the almost 200...

Braithwaite - Appointments.(Bob Parton named area sales manager)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Braithwaite, the Midlands bookbinder and print finisher, has welcomed back Bob Parton, its former bindery manager to a new job - that of area sales manager. Mr Barton, 58, held his previous job from 1992-1996 and says: "I know it sounds corny,...

Simpsongroup - Appointment.(Asif Choudry named national sales manager)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Washington printer the Simpsongroup, has hired Asif Choudry as its national sales manager. He joins the Tyne & Wear company from Alphagraphics where he was business development manager. Mr Choudry's brief includes: formulating and implementing...

Calex - Appointment.(Michael Devine named engineering director)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Custom-built controls company Calex Electronics has a new engineering director in Michael Devine who has been promoted from chief engineer. Dr Devine joined the Leighton Buzzard firm in 1998 and since then has designed several sophisticated...

Avery Dennison - Appointment.(Okke Koo named general manager of Fasson Roll Europe)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... A ten year senior management track record - described by the company as "glowing" - has had its reward for Okke Koo. He moves up at Avery Dennison Fasson Roll Europe to become vice president and general manager of the division and will work at...

Indigo - Appointments.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... One of the key figures in launching Indigo presses, the company's vice chairman Roger Mattalon, has retired. He joined the Israeli manufacturer in 1994 as president of its European operations before becoming president of its worldwide sales and...

Agfa-Gevaert - Appointments.(Ludo Verhoeven named CEO)(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Ludo Verhoeven has been appointed as chief executive of Agfa-Gevaert while Pol Bamelis has joined the board of directors. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

THE CV.(Brief Article)
July 2, 2001... Sidney McIntosh, Research chemist at Sun Chemical How long have you been with Sun Chemical? I joined the company in October 1992 after graduating from Kent University. What qualifications do you have? In addition to a degree...

Citizen arrests Vio's decline.(Vio Worldwide Ltd.)(International Pages)(Brief Article)
July 9, 2001... Vio has been rescued at the 11th hour by Citizen, a consortium headed by former Trinity Mirror executives which has provided enough finance to see the company start up again in the key UK, US and French markets. Miranda Clegg retains her...

Lack of support from SPEF.(Scottish Print Employers' Federation )(International Pages)(Brief Article)
July 9, 2001... The Scottish Print Employers' Federation has broken ranks with the BPIF and GPMU and decided it will not support the idea of statutory training levies. The executive board said last week that administering the levy in Scotland would be...

Canon link with ICL.(Fujitsu-ICL Systems Inc.)(International Pages)(Brief Article)
July 9, 2001... Canon has joined forces with European IT solutions company ICL in a bid to increase its IT solutions expertise and UK corporate business portfolio. The partnership names Canon as an approved supplier of high volume digital colour and black and...

Oasis sighted.(Forms UK)(International Pages)(Brief Article)
July 9, 2001... An IBM SS400 computer and sophisticated software are at the heart of Forms UK's new print buying system which the Solihull company claims is a major advance over traditional methods. Obtain a Source in Seconds (Oasis) uses more than 250,000...

Free to colleges.(Centurfax CCDotMeters)(Brief Article)
July 9, 2001... The UK's printing colleges are being made an offer they cannot refuse - a number of free Centurfax CCDotMeters. Already one of the eight items of traded-in kit available has been donated to West Herts College, Watford, by Ripware, in...

Johnston scoops eight regional newspapers.(Johnston Press PLC, Trinity Mirror deal)(International Pages)(Brief Article)
July 9, 2001... Johnston Press, one of the UK's leading regional newspaper groups, has paid #16.1m in cash for eight free weekly newspaper titles from Trinity Mirror. The disposal is subject to the approval of Patricia Hewitt, Secretary of State for Trade &...