Printing World articles from July 2005

Printing World archives from July 2005

JM closure ends era.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The UK's last volume decal printer for ceramics closed this week with the loss of 70 jobs. It dragged its major paper supplier down too. Johnson Matthey produced transfers and related printing at Fenton, one of several sites in and around...

Loans regs to hit print.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Printers could find it increasingly difficult to get loans for equipment under new rules. Last week the House of Lords ruled that banks no longer have first call on the money recovered from failed businesses. As a result banks could look...

Charge peril.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Printing businesses in and around the congestion charge zone say the latest price hike is another step towards the end of business in the city centre. Charges rose this week from #5 to #7 for fleet vehicles and #8 for cars. Printing firms say...

Clegg nets global first.(services)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... In what Emap claims is a global publishing first, the August issue of its men's monthly FHM has been printed in three different formats by printers Cooper Clegg. The magazine will be available in giant and compact as well as the regular monthly...

Seven stars scoop funds.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The BPIF and the Printers' Charitable Corporation have awarded #17,500 in grants to seven of the industry's brightest talents. The BPIF Educational Scholarships are worth #2,500 each. The winners were: * Sales manager David Dews, 23,...

Purnell looks bleak.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Polestar destroyed hopes of a management buyout for Purnell this week after refusing to part with some of its contracts. On Wednesday a junior management team, headed by Ted Hawke, Purnell's production supervisor, tried to negotiate with...

Garnett Dickinson premises.(relocates printing operations.)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Rotherham magazine and catalogue printer Garnett Dickinson has acquired two Gammerler SV500 log stackers and automatic palletisers. The #1m order comes on the back of the #20m investment programme announced in April to relocate the printing...

Future of MoD print site in doubt.(Ministry of Defence)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The future of the Ministry of Defence's print site in Keynsham, Bristol, is in doubt as part of a review of the MoD's supply chain. The site at Ashmead Lane employs about 40 people and carries out internal print and repro work. A decision on...

CTD replaces perfector.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... CTD Printers has replaced its 16-year-old six-colour B1 perfector with a Speedmaster SM102 ten-colour long perfector, beefing up production by 30%. Supporting the press the company has installed a ST100 six-station saddlestitcher with cover...

Red Ink ctp system.(Red Ink, Ipswich, has installed a Prosetter 52 visible light ctp system.)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Red Ink, Ipswich, has installed a Prosetter 52 visible light ctp system, estimating it will save 40 hours a week in imposition and file sorting. Red Ink was previously using polyester plates for its two- colour AB Dick presses and metal plates...

Picon appointment.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The council of Picon, the association of suppliers to the printing industry, has appointed Roy Caslon as its new chairman. Mr Caslon, chairman of machinery and supplies company Caslon, Hertfordshire, has been a member of the Picon council since...

Rosehill Press order.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Rosehill Press, the Rotherham fulfilment house, ordered an Oliver two- colour 58cm perfector, thanks to having a press originally destined for the US coming available. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Redpas Digital Cut and Print launch.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Redpas Digital Cut and Print has launched in Pembrokeshire. Managing director Ramjam Funkyboogaloo-Smythe [yes, it's his name] said the company installed a Zund 215C uv inkjet printer and four laser printers from Lexmark and Toshiba. ...

Govt calls on Pitney to battle Anthrax mail.(Pitney Bowes Management Services)
July 7, 2005... The UK government is set to beef up defences against postal anthrax attacks by adopting state of the art secure mailrooms from Pitney Bowes. A spokesman for Pitney Bowes, the mail management giant, said this week that UK government agencies...

Triple talks.(TripleArc - Reorganization and restructuring)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Print management company TripleArc is in consultation with workers over a number of job cuts as part of a restructuring programme. Chief executive Jason Cromack said the cuts are part of a planned consolidation programme following the...

Locals force NI rethink.(News International)
July 7, 2005... News International has changed its plans for works in Waltham Cross following action by local protestors, as reported in Printing World last week. These include reducing the height of the plant from 260 to 252 metres, reducing the length by 24...

Go greener with Printing World.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... As G8 leaders meet in Gleneagles to discuss climate change, Printing World is delighted to announce the launch of a conference targeted at ways the UK printing industry needs to tackle environmental issues. The one-day event will be held...

Bumper issue of Cycle Sport magazine.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Polestar's Chantry magazine plant has printed a bumper 204pp issue of IPC's Cycle Sport magazine as well as a 168pp supplement for this month's Tour de France. The magazines were among the first to be finished on the first of five new Muller...

Astron site struck by lightning.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Astron's Huntingdon site was struck by lightning in last week's storms that killed a local schoolboy. The company's telephones were affected and Astron was bedding in a new system this week. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Tender for inhouse publication.(Immigration and Nationality Directorate.)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The Immigration and Nationality Directorate has issued a tender for production of its inhouse staff publication Focus. The chosen contractor will source a printer for the 18,000 monthly run. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

York print franchise new premises.(Printing.com@colourbox)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... York print franchise Printing.com@colourbox has bolstered its presence in the city with the opening of new premises. A #35,000 dazzling pink and blue makeover to a former grocery store has given the firm an on- street presence in the city...

Alcoa to cut a further 6,500 jobs worldwide.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Alcoa, the US metals giant, is to cut a further 6,500 jobs worldwide, or about 5% of its workforce, in the continuing restructuring of the company. Most of the cuts will be made in its automotive operations. The company's packaging interests in...

Finn machines crank up but UK not out of fire.(Finnish Paperworkers' Union)
July 7, 2005... Finnish papermachines are up and running for the first time in seven weeks but it could be a month before UK printers and publishers heave a sigh of relief. David Smith of Garnett Dickinson said: "It could mean another month of...

Pronta owner Adare for sale.(printing industry)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Prontaprint owner Adare has been put up for sale by its private equity backers, according to market sources. A rival printing firm has been tipped as a likely buyer for the ticket to invoicing and photocopying print group. A price tag of...

Anton goes Eco.clean for ISO.(printing industry)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Anton Group has purchased a Technotrans Eco.clean filtration system to help it gain ISO 140001 accreditation. Managing director John Knight said the system estimates that it will save #40,000 annually in pressroom chemistry. "We hope to be...

DCP Systems news.(printing machinery)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... DCP Systems has sold the first two Agfa Grand Sherpa Universal AM wide format printers after the launch of the devices at Fespa. DCP has also revealed it will be embarking on a wide format digital print tour in September. Copyright: CMP...

Latest paper is stress-free.(Independent Paper PLC)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Independent Paper claims its latest paper is stress-free. Its rigidity and bulk ensures it always runs well while the whiteness of the paper plus the superior ink lift means the printed image looks better. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Enhanced version of Proteus software.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... EFI has announced the availability of an enhanced version of its Proteus publishing software. Proteus Version 4.7 will come with the ability to export to Adobe InDesign on Macintosh OS X and Windows 2000 and XP. Copyright: CMP Information...

Short Run Press becomes first customer.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Short Run Press in Exeter has become the first customer of the Konica Minolta Bizhub PRO 1050 production print system. The device has a maximum throughput of 105 prints per minute and can generate average monthly volumes of 300,000 to 500,000...

Kodak's colour management technology and tools integrated.(Eastman Kodak Co.)(Artwork Systems Group N.V.)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Kodak's colour management technology and tools have been integrated with Artwork Systems' Nexus workflow. Kodak claims their colour management tools make it easy to achieve control in creating predictable, accurate and quality colour throughout...

Podi seeking entries.
July 7, 2005... Podi is seeking entries for its Best Practices in Digital Print report award. Entries will be included in what is the Sixth Annual Best Practice Report, which highlights the latest digital print case studies and best practice principles. ...

Xaar to sell solvent ink in China.(computer peripherals)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Inkjet manufacturer Xaar has joined forces with the Beijing Saven Times Digital Technology Company to sell C Series solvent ink for XJ128 printheads in China. The agreement gives Chinese distributors and end users access to a Xaar endorsed ink,...

Plant This Tree campaign.(Torraspapel)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... As part of the `Plant This Tree' campaign Torraspapel, part of the Lecta Group, is planting trees to help repopulate the Atlantic Coast Rainforest. In collaboration with Fundacion Natura, the company will plant 10,000 trees in the upper basin...

Pitney poised to mount FastPac attack.(office equipment)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Pitney Bowes is set to launch a high speed tabletop inserting system to attack the mid to large size businesses and mailing centres. The new FastPac DI900/DI950 Series has been designed for mailers who run a wide variety of jobs, such as...

Aficio five arrives.(Ricoh UK)(printing machinery)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Ricoh UK has beefed up its colour MFP product range with five new products. The Aficio 3224, 3232, 3228, 3235 and 3245 colour photocopy-printer devices are aimed at smaller businesses which cannot afford more complex devices. The new...

Heron creditors still in limbo.(Heron Press Limited are still in negotiations with administrators.)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Frustrated creditors of fallen Heron Press Limited are still in negotiations with administrators over the price and location of their privately funded creditors' meeting. According to Brian Breslin, PaperCo's credit manager, creditors are...

Fast reader.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Red Bulletin is the read of choice in Formula One. Since the Monaco Grand Prix, a lorry fully equipped with a Heidelberg DI press and a Theissen & Bonnitz collator has trundled across Europe arriving in time at each of the racing venues to...

RAY launch.(Recycling Action Yorkshire)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Regional development agency Yorkshire Forward has launched Recycling Action Yorkshire (RAY). RAY is a not for profit organisation established to stimulate collection, processing, manufacturing and procurement of recycling materials within...

Kodak expands senior management team.(Photographic industry)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Kodak has expanded its senior management team following the takeover of Creo. Roger Lines (above) has been appointed vice president of service and Olov Andersson as human resources director for the graphic solutions and services unit with...

Research could help preserve Gutenberg Bibles.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Research in the UK could help preserve Gutenberg Bibles, the first books produced using moveable type. University College, London has identified the pigments used in the illustrations 600 years ago from scraps found in the binding, among them...

Alcan to cut 100 jobs.(aluminum industry)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Alcan, the can and metals manufacturer, is to cut 100 jobs by restructuring two mills in France. The sites have been up for sale since last November, but have failed to attract a buyer. Alcan, which will close one mill and cut 30 jobs at...

Costs and capacity eat into profits, says BPIF.(British Printing Industries Federation)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The twin threat of rising costs and overcapacity scuppered any opportunity for profit for UK printers in the last quarter. The BPIF's Directions quarterly trends survey found that between March and May a balance of 44 companies reported...

Northcliffe jobs at risk.(newspaper publishing)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... About 200 printing jobs are on the line at Northcliffe Newspapers, which plans to close four print sites in a #20m efficiency drive. The two-year programme will look at policies, processes and structures across all areas of the business....

Floating your boat.
July 7, 2005... Sporting heroes were out in force to support the Quicksilver world water speed record bid at a Upex sponsored fundraising dinner held at the East Midlands Conference Centre on Monday, July 4. From left to right: Duncan McKenzie (ex-Leeds...

Digital arm snowballs.(Snows Business Forms)(printing)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Snows Business Forms has expanded its digital division with a #400,000 order for a Xeikon 5000. The Hampshire printer installed the webfed machine on Monday. It will take responsibility for the lion's share of production from the firm's...

University entrants.(University of Greenwich )(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The University of Greenwich has named seven suppliers it will use over the next three years to meet its printing needs. Alan P Carnell, Chapel Press, Blackheath Photoset, Multiplex Medway, St. Ives Financial, Carrera Litho, Patersons...

Point of reference.(secondhand press market)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Print companies are being offered a point of reference for the secondhand press market by Used Machinery Direct - part of MAN Roland GB. Stribb's Guide will eventually include details and pricing of all makes of equipment. `Printers are often...

Biegelaar seeks to improve its business.(QuadTech's Autotron 2200 Gravure Register Guidance Systems)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Dutch gravure printers Biegelaar has sought to improve its business with the purchase of one of QuadTech's Autotron 2200 Gravure Register Guidance Systems. General manager J Geitenbeek said the Autotron 2200 was a tried and tested technology...

CPI appointment.(Confederation of Paper Industries)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... David Steele, managing director at International Paper (UK), has been elected as chairman of The Confederation of Paper Industries' (CPI) Papermaking Sector Body. He succeeds Don Coates, chief executive of St Regis Paper. Mr Steele joined the...

Forscot website.(forest products)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Forscot, the Scottish company planning to build and operate a #1bn integrated forest products operation in Invergordon in the north-east of Scotland, has launched a website at www.forscot.com. The website explains the background of the project...

Ancient House Printing Group appointments.(Paul Sadler and Trevor Claydon)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Ancient House Printing Group has announced two new appointments. Paul Sadler, previously managing the installation of the firm's new Komori 38S press, becomes operations director and Trevor Claydon, formerly in business development, becomes...

Howard Smith Paper launches range of stroage boxes.(Paper industry)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Howard Smith Paper has launched a range of storage boxes for letterheads, compliment slips and business cards. Cobox, which has a frosted appearance, is made from recycled plastic. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

BPIF pruning aids pension pledge.(British Printing Industries Federation )
July 7, 2005... The BPIF has filled its pensions black hole after making a record surplus. The #132,000 surplus, the biggest for a decade, will be used to fund investments in services and events and to finance the pension fund deficit. At its AGM...

Montgomery's charge.(Montgomery Litho Group )(printing industry)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Thomas Montgomery has added yet another business to his Montgomery Litho Group team by taking over the inplant operated by Norwich Union in Perth for an undisclosed sum. The plant, originally set up by General Accident and continued by its...

Technoprint sees light.(printing industry)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Printers at Technoprint, Leeds, saw the light after ending a decade long legal battle. Last Wednesday (June 29) the company reached settlement in the High Court in Manchester with neighbouring firm Kalon Ltd. The companies had been in...

Xerox makes the news with Reuters.(Reuters Group PLC)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Xerox has secured a multimillion pound print outsourcing deal with news agency Reuters. The five-year managed service contract was agreed last Thursday morning. Head of Xerox Global Services John Hopwood said: "We're delighted to have won...

Tindle Newspaper Group profits.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Tindle Newspaper Group has announced pre-tax profits of more than #8m which represents its most successful year ever, up 25% on last year. The number of titles in the group has risen from 130 to more than 200 in the past year through launches...

Fort Dearborn sells last of its overseas operations.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Fort Dearborn has sold off the last of its overseas operations after its UK prepress and print division was bought by its former owner Albert Dass. Fort Dearborn bought the UK firm in 1999 and will continue to have a working relationship with...

Gate7 award.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Gateshead's Gate7 has been awarded the Queen's Award for Enterprise. Pictured above is Nigel Sherlock OBE presenting the award to Keith Wickham, md Gate 7. Set up in 2000, the company specialises in supplying crane, tractor, digger and...

Cambridge University Press news.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Cambridge University Press (CUP) has completed the printing, packaging and distribution of Georgia's first government backed national university entrance examinations. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Scottish printers' body to serve non-members.(Scottish Print Employers Federation)(Scottish Newspaper Publishers Association)
July 7, 2005... Printers in Scotland will, for the first time, be able to buy consultancy services from the Scottish Print Employers Federation even if they are not members. A review of the body also recommended that the SPEF stay put in central Edinburgh in...

Danwood adds to its virtues with Paragon acquisition.(Danwood Group Ltd.)(Paragon Systems)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The Danwood Group, the UK office supplier, has expanded its empire by acquiring Scottish equipment distributor Paragon Systems in a multimillion pound contract. The group said the acquisition is part of a plan to develop the business to...

Abbey peps up prepress with Screen.(AbbeyPrint)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... AbbeyPrint, Spalding, has made a full upgrade to its prepress studio, including the installation of a Screen 4300 to drive its environmental initiative. AbbeyPrint opted for thermal ctp with a view to moving to processless in the near...

COMMENT: Proof of the piece is in the print.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The Daily Telegraph at the weekend worked itself up into a right strop over how it sleuthed out the forged letters that formed the basis of the story behind Martin Allen's `Himmler's Secret War' An authentic typewriter from the early 1940s...

Letter: Recognition is due to Schneider.(Letter to the Editor)
July 7, 2005... The feature `Battle for recognition' (Printing World, June 23 2005) leaves the impression that I developed plateless printing (using the spray polymer concept) and Dr Schneider simply copied the ideas. Nothing can be further from the truth....

Letter: Baffled by bemusement.(Letter to the Editor)
July 7, 2005... I have to say I was baffled by the fact that Agfa and Fuji are `baffled' by ctp sales survey results just published by Vantage Strategic Marketing, which shows that thermal outsells violet ctp (as reported in your news story `Ctp survey bemuses...

News Corporation consideration.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation is considering auctioning off the Times Educational Supplement and other specialist titles, including the Times Literary Supplement and Nursery World, in a bid to raise #250m. Proceeds from the sale are...

Stora Enso loan.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Stora Enso has secured a E200m loan with European Investment Bank to finance the construction of a new paper machine at its Kvarnsveden Mill in Sweden. The machine is expected to begin production at the end of the year, taking Kvarnsveden's...

Exchange and Mart put on the market.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Classified motoring title Exchange & Mart has been put on the market by United Business Media. The publisher is expected to net #100m from the sale, with a number of parties already having notified their interest. Copyright: CMP...

Inward investment table.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The South East topped England's inward investment table last year. The North West came a close second as the most popular destination for overseas investment capital, where a total of 92 new projects, including the Prinovis gravure superplant...

Continental to acquire plans by Xtra Print Holding.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The European Commission is this week reviewing plans by German rubber giant Continental to acquire control of printing blanket manufacturer and supplier Xtra Print Holding. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

International Greetings profits.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Overseas investment helped International Greetings improve turnover and profits in the last year. Revenues were up 13% to #143.7m with the company's European operations benefiting from the inclusion of Dutch subsidiary Hoomark. Pre-tax profits...

Independent News and Media news.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Independent News & Media expects group advertising revenues to show high single digit growth in the first six months of the year. The Dublin firm, which is preparing to launch the first national tabloid in South Africa, also forecast a...

Manufacturing fall could prompt rate cut.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... UK manufacturing contracted further last month prompting speculation that interest rates could be cut this week, a month earlier than predicted. The monthly purchasing manager's index issued by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and...

Trinity Mirror advertising dip could signal slowdown.(Trinity Mirror Newspapers)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Advertising dropped in the first six months of the year at Trinity Mirror sparking fears of a slowdown in the sector. In conditions it described as "challenging", the company said advertising revenues fell 0.4% year-on-year. Lower...

Heidelberg forecasts sales lift.(Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Heidelberg has raised its full-year expectations after seeing an upturn in sales and prices. Chief financial officer Herbert Meyer said revenues in the 12 months to March would be up 5% rather than the 3% the company predicted earlier in...

New Harry Potter stimulates sales at Bloomsbury.(Bloomsbury Publishing PLC)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... Harry Potter's latest instalment is expected to spearhead a strong second half at Bloomsbury. The company began its biggest consumer campaign for the Half Blood Prince on July 4 ahead of the novel's release on July 16. Build up to the...

DS Smith warns of negative impact of rising fuel costs.(DS Smith Packaging)(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... DS Smith gave further warning of damaging increases in energy costs last week as it revealed a 17% increase in profits. The packaging company said fuel costs would be at least 14% higher this year at a cost of around #83m. The extra costs...

Compulsory winding up.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... The following cases are due to be heard at Bristol District Registry, The Guildhall, Small Street, Bristol * T&E Print Finishing Ltd Unit 2, 19 Athletic Street, Burnley, Lancashire BB10 4LP on July 20 at 10.00am. Petition by Revenue and...

Appointment of liquidators.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... * Charterhouse Press Ltd Printers. Liquidators: KS Holmes and MRM Wild, Baker Tilly, 1st Floor, 5 Old Bailey, London EC4M 7AF * Bladeford Ltd Printers. Liquidators: PR Bacon and CD Faulds, 1640 Parkway, Solent Business Park, Whiteley,...

Final meetings.(Brief Article)
July 7, 2005... * Exco Envelopes Ltd at Trinity House, Heather Park Drive, Wembley, Middlesex HA0 1SU on August 15 at 10.00am for members and at 10.30am for creditors * Repro Technology (Europe) Ltd at HKM LLP, 73-75 Aston Road North, Waterlinks,...

CAMPAIGN - VALUE OF PRINT: Keep the customer satisfied.(Stibo Graphic)
July 7, 2005... Building trusting partnerships is the best way to retain customers By Uffe Hansen, sales and marketing director, Stibo Graphic Organisations are constantly confronted by the increasing demands of their customers. In a recent survey...

Cooper Clegg converts to DayGraphica 5000.
July 7, 2005... Printing World would welcome some product performance input from its readers. For example, it is difficult when a printing blanket is launched to follow up whether the hype matches the performance. The hype is similar sometimes to that...

Q&A X-Rite Colour Guide and Glossary.
July 7, 2005... Part ten of the guide looks at measurement applications in the graphic arts workflow How are spectrophotometers, colorimeters and densitometers used in the graphic arts production workflow? A precise colour measurement program can...