Printing World articles from May 2003

Printing World archives from May 2003

Industry forum decides on Gray.(Richard Gray joins Vision in Print, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Richard Gray is joining Vision in Print as its chief executive and will be presented to the inaugural conference in London this week. Mr Gray is presently a consultant with Pira, but his experience before that includes spells running...

Vantage at a disadvantage.(Scitex Digital Printing rethinks Versamark Vantage presses )(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Scitex Digital Printing has been compelled to rethink its latest press, new European managing director Karl Cerny has said. Speaking in London last week, Mr Cerny said that SDP had only sold ten Versamark Vantage presses in Europe in a...

Polestar to close Aberdeen.(30 jobs to be lost from printing operation, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Polestar is to close its AUP Aberdeen STM printing operation, with the loss of about 30 jobs. "It came as a big shock to our members and the Scottish branch is in touch with senior management about the possibility of turning it around,"...

Agfa deal extended.(Northcliffe signs 4-year deal for plates and consumables, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Northcliffe has retained a commitment to Agfa, signing a four year deal for plates and consumables ensuring it 90% of the newspaper group's business until 2006. The value of the deal is `multi million pounds' according to Agfa which says it is...

Standard is lowered.(Aiza buys Standard Group, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Administrators from Hacker Young have sold print management operation The Standard Group to Aiza, having been appointed on March 26. The speedy deal was possible because of a blue chip client list, according to joint administrator Andrew...

Ormolu Group looks for southern printer.(UK)
May 5, 2003... Not content with having amalgamated Pillans & Wilson and Waddies into a single integrated operation, the indefatigable Bob Hodgson is now on the trail of yet another acquisition for his Ormolu Group. "What I'm interested in buying is a B1...

Perivan steps up.(appointments, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Perivan White Dove has made further steps to join the premier league of UK sheetfed printers like CTD and Westerham by bringing on board staff once associated with those rivals. It has recruited Mark Shields who has worked at CTD Capita for...

Rolling strategy.(Westland Rollers replacing German workers with UK staff at Corby plant)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Westland Rollers is beginning to replace German workers with UK staff at its Corby factory as MAN Roland UK increases sales with a strategy of encouraging printers to replace rollers on a regular cycle. Westland's rollers include a rubber...

New CD for Alpha Colour.(Speedmaster CD74-5L)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Alpha Colour Printers is installing a Speedmaster CD74-5L five-colour with coater to replace a 12-year-old Komori press. The press is equipped with PresetLink CIP4 connectivity, AccessControl spectrophotometry and Technotrans ink line cartridge...

Charitable trust.(Cystic Fibrosis Trust hires Intygra PPL)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... The Cystic Fibrosis Trust, which commissions in excess of #0.5m of printed materials annually, has appointed Intygra PPL to manage the production and delivery of all of its printed marketing materials. Having identified opportunities to reduce...

No standing.(Research on varicose veins and swollen ankes)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Research from Activa Compression Hosiery has revealed workers who stand for long periods are 40% more likely to get varicose veins and 50% more likely to get swollen ankles and legs than deskbound employees. The graduated compression of hosiery...

Alito looks to Scitex.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Masterspeed Press, the commercial arm of Alito Color group, is branching out into digital direct mail with the purchase of two Digit 6240 systems from Scitex Digital Printing. At the same time Alito will move its Masterspeed operation from...

Industry offered strip of quality.(John Charnock, St Ives group technical director, will be making his self-developed quality control strip available through the Digital Ad Lab)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... John Charnock, St Ives group technical director, will be making his self-developed quality control strip available through the Digital Ad Lab, he told its meeting last week. Once finalised, the file will be downloadable from the DAL web...

Safeway concerns.(Packaging companies, already operating on tight margins, are concerned that a potential Safeways merger with another UK supermarket chain would mean more pressure on the industry.)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Packaging companies, already operating on tight margins, are concerned that a potential Safeways merger with another UK supermarket chain would mean more pressure on the industry. Mike Griffiths, national officer at GPMU, says members'...

Polestar gets into BBC Action.(Polestar has won the contract to print Action Hero, the BBC's latest children's magazine.)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Polestar has won the contract to print Action Hero, the BBC's latest children's magazine. The 32pp monthly which has an initial print run of 110,000 will appear on retailers' shelves on May 8. It will be printed using ctp at Polestar's...

Bielloni appoints.(Polygraphica Equipment as agent)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Polygraphica Equipment has been appointed agents for Bielloni Castello, the Italian manufacturer of printing and converting equipment. Polygraphica will offer the full equipment including flexo presses up to ten colours, laminators and slitter...

London's support.(Asupport service for London's 16,000 manufacturers)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... The DTI has launched a support service for London's 16,000 manufacturers who generate #12bn each year. The London Manufacturing Advisory Service will offer free and subsidised services to help companies maintain and grow productivity and sales...

Konica on the move.(Konica Business machines (UK))(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Konica Business machines (UK) is moving to new purpose built 20,000sq ft. headquarters in Basildon, Essex. Customers will be able to see Konica document systems used in real business applications by head office staff rather than in dedicated...

First heatset Dicoweb user delivers verdict.(The pilot customer of MAN Roland's heatset Dicoweb has given a progress report)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... The pilot customer of MAN Roland's heatset Dicoweb has given a progress report, stating that although testing is behind schedule the quality of print is better than expected. Swiss publisher Stampfli Holding, Bern, began installation of the...

Delta considers flexo.(Delta Packaging of Belfast)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Delta Packaging has bought its tenth Heidelberg press. The Speedmaster CD102-6 has a running speed of 15,000 sph and can coat with infrared and uv finishes. Chairman Terry Cross says that the #1.5m press would keep the Belfast company at...

TKS reaches record speed with ColorTop.(A world record newspaper press speed with its shaftless ColorTop. )(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... The Japanese newspaper press manufacturer TKS says it achieved - and maintained - a world record newspaper press speed with its shaftless ColorTop. The Nagano production centre of the Shinano Mainichi newspaper ran at 96,000cph having...

Gun control.(PDQ York has fitted five Easy.fill ink guns to its latest five-colour Komori Lithrone press. )(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... PDQ York has fitted five Easy.fill ink guns to its latest five-colour Komori Lithrone press. Easy.fill is a compressor controlled system using 2kg ink cartridges. `This type of cartridge system reduces waste and is a lot cleaner on the press,'...

Marilyn shines.(A unique pearlescent effect to the sleeve of a set of Marilyn Monroe movies)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... A technical collaboration between decorative print finisher Celloglas and Clarifoil, a specialist producer of acetate film for print lamination, has given a unique pearlescent effect to the sleeve of a set of Marilyn Monroe movies. Produced by...

X-Rite's Webinars.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... X-Rite, global provider of precision measurement devices, systems and processes that measure colour, light and shape, are launching hour long `Webinars' to introduce colour management and give information on X- Rite products. The `Webinars'...

Production focus earns Mitsubishi support.(Mitsubishi Lithographic Presses)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Mitsubishi vindicated its decision to stage a mini exhibition close to Northprint and Heidelberg's open house when almost 200 visitors came to the Leeds showroom for the two-day event. Roy Jenkinson, MLP sales and technical director, says:...

Ditone Labels scores first.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Ditone Labels has installed a Gallus RCS 330 at its Cambridgeshire factory as part of a #2m investment programme. Ditone already uses two Gallus presses but it says the RCS 300 is the world's most advanced narrow web press and the first to be...

Pennington name is resurrected.(The prestigious Hyway Pennington name is to live on in part after three former staff from the now defunct business decided to start Pennington Fine Colour in the same Surrey Quays estate. )(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... The prestigious Hyway Pennington name is to live on in part after three former staff from the now defunct business decided to start Pennington Fine Colour in the same Surrey Quays estate. Former production manager Peter Ryan along with...

Fine Colour ups capacity.(Fine Colour Packaging, the Nottingham printer and carton manufacturer)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Fine Colour Packaging, the Nottingham printer and carton manufacturer, has installed a Screen thermal B1 PlateRite 8000 ctp system ahead of the arrival of a major new press. The new ctp system is the company's first and means an end to...

Making a proper exhibition.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... It would be hard not to know that both Northprint and Newstec are both almost upon us. They are long established exhibitions that the industry has enjoyed, as much for the social side as for the business benefits. Both aspects will be in...

Letter: Major fault is in ink feed design.(letter to the editor)(Brief Article)(Letter to the Editor)
May 5, 2003... In your recent article on Dotprint "Up to standards" you wrote: "It is commonly held that offset litho is an inherently unstable process," and "The printing press today is as controllable as it is going to be." Even though you write very...

Letter: Competitor Caslon gets overlooked.(Letter to the Editor)
May 5, 2003... I read your article about the Openshaw group in which you state that "Faust has no real rival" with interest. I am sure this is an oversight on your part as Caslon Limited are very much more than "a rival" to Faust. Caslon Limited are in...

Letter: Lean introduction for `Joe Bloke'.(Letter to the Editor)
May 5, 2003... Congratulations on the quality management/lean manufacturing focus in last week's Printing World. Hopefully this week's clutch of articles might have an influence on the thought processes of the average "Joe Bloke' printer up and down the...

Haynes aims higher.(profit forecast)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Haynes Publishing Group, which publishes and prints the eponymous motor manuals, has said it expects to exceed profit expectations in the year to May 31, although `the final month of the trading year is yet to come, and it is an important...

Access sought.(Access Plus approached by buyer, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Access Plus, the maker of retail interiors and point-of-sale material, has admitted that it has been approached by a potential buyer, although `negotiations are at an early stage'. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Buhrmann in the post.(selling DocVision to Cendris (Netherlands))(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Buhrmann, the paper group that owns Robert Horne and Howard Smith in the UK, is selling off its mailroom, printing and archives management arm DocVision to Cendris, part of the Dutch post office TPG. Buhrmann suffered a 22% fall in profits in...

Bond is back.(Xerox contemplates bond issue)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Xerox is considering extending its credit facility by a further $1bn with a bond issue, according to media reports. Observers say that now the company has broken back into annual profit it will be looked on more kindly by the markets. ...

Howard Hunt jumps to #40m.(UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Howard Hunt City, the commercial and direct mail printer in Dartford, has been ranked among the UK's 100 fastest growing companies for the second year in a row. The company has won a place on the Independent on Sunday's top 100 list,...

FT yet to enjoy ad recovery.(Pearson's profits may not meet expectations, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... In the same week as it relaunched its flagship Financial Times newspaper (with Jarrold Printing in Norwich printing the revived Saturday magazine once more), Pearson has had to warn that the war on Iraq has meant that advertising revenues have...

KPG demands 16% less film.(Eastman Kodak and Agfa sales)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Copyright: CMP Information Ltd. Eastman Kodak's sales to Kodak Polychrome Graphics, the graphic arts supplier in which it has a 50% stake, fell 16% in the first quarter because of lower film sales, new figures from Eastman Kodak show. ...

David S Smith on target.(UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... David S Smith is on course to meet financial targets for 2002/03 and will be substantially ahead of results for 2001/02, the company has announced in a trading up-date. However, this comes against a background of weak demand and improvement is...

UPM and Stora's sales down by four per cent.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... On the back of a 4% sales fall at paper giant UPM-Kymenne in the first quarter (See Paper on page 16), Stora Enso has reported a very similar fall in the first quarter, down 4% to E3.0991bn year-on-year. Operating profits were down from...

Venture capital money down says Bank of England.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Venture capital trusts will only raise about #40m in 2001-02, a tenth of what they raised in 2000-01, according to a new report, Finance for Small Firms by the Bank of England. The report also found that less formal venture capital through...

Compulsory winding up.(Public Notice)
May 5, 2003... The following case is due to be heard at Liverpool District Registry, Queen Elizabeth II Law Courts, Derby Square, Liverpool * Paverprint (Northants) Ltd 38 Lowick Court, Moulton, Northampton, on May 12 at 10am. Petition by Customs and...

Appointment of liquidators.(Public Notice)
May 5, 2003... * Streamline Offset Ltd Printing. Liquidators: RWJ Long, Richard Long & Co, Castlegate House, 36 Castle Street, Hertford, Hertfordshire SG14 1HH and ME Cook, Moore Stephens, 3-5 Rickmansworth Road, Watford WD18 0GX * Ranson Graphics Ltd...

Meetings of creditors.(Public Notice)
May 5, 2003... * Plus One Print Ltd at The Oakland Hotel, 2-6 Reeves Way, South Woodham Ferrers, Chelmsford, Essex CM3 5XF on May 7 at 11.30am * Gordian Print Ltd at Citygate, St James' Boulevard, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4JD on May 14 * Bailes Fast...

Notices to creditors.(Public Notice)
May 5, 2003... * Goric Press Ltd Creditors to send claims to S Wilson, 1 Oxford Court, Bishopsgate, Manchester M2 3WR by May 19 * DSM Multimedia Ltd Creditors to send claims to D Moore, Begbies Traynor, No 1 Old Hall Street, Liverpool, L3 by May 23 *...

Notices to creditors.(Public Notice)
May 5, 2003... * Phoenix Print (Devon) Ltd Creditors to send claims to JA O'Sullivan, 1 Barnfield Crescent, Exeter EX1 1QY by June 30 * Aagentum Ltd Creditors to send claims to D Rolph, 3-5 Rickmansworth Road, Watford, Hertfordshire WD18 0GX by May 21 ...

Open doors in Hemel.
May 5, 2003... ECRM dealer Marlowe Graphics Services is opening the doors of its Hemel Hempstead showroom to allow visitors access to the latest workflow, Rip, imagesetting and platesetting technology. Star of the event will be the new Mako4 violet diode...

Publication spins in.(new digital technology trade journal, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Printing World correspondent Laurel Brunner has started a publication dedicated to the intricacies of digital technology. Called Spindrift, the sample first issue is available as a PDF. For further details contact Ms Brunner on...

Digital goes to law.(Stat Plus and BIG team up to sell stationery)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... The BIG online stationery supplier has teamed up with Stat Plus, one of the biggest suppliers of office stationery to the legal profession. Orders for business cards placed on the Stat Plus website will be directed to BIG for production, saving...

Collective contact.
May 5, 2003... Contact details for colour management specialist The Colour Collective are 49, Miranda Drive, Warwick CV34 6FE. 01926 316447. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

Headley hatches plans to lead in prepress.(UK)
May 5, 2003... Headleys, Ashford, is preparing for the arrival of its second Luscher Xpose 160 platesetter, as the company moves to a full ctp output. Roger Pitt, managing director, says that 99% of jobs are already fully digital, but even so the company...

Fuji's technical unit.(training/support unit to be set up for its Valiano software applications, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Fujifilm ISIG is setting up a training and support unit for its Valiano management and business software application. Valiano VBMS is designed to track and record time spent on separate functions in a prepress workflow, using this data to...

Digital Academy teams up with Bartons for training.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... The Digital Academy has joined forces with the print industry specialists Bartons to enhance training services available to the print industry. This new service, which has been given the name `Pro-Digital', has identified specialised...

Stora staff.(appointments, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Sten Holmberg has been appointed Stora's senior vice president, strategy and investment, paper product area. He will be based at the company's London office. Mr Holmberg, 55, is currently senior vice president, finance, IT, legal affairs and...

Forklift feat.
May 5, 2003... Dixon & Roe's David Greaves, Dave Lockley and Clive Maynard made driving forklift trucks seem a simple task when they gained 100% in the operator exams. Not to be outdone warehouse manager Steve Footman picked up just nine penalty points in a...

In the club.
May 5, 2003... Highlighting the benefits for Arjo Wiggins' Club Range of coated papers is the aim of its latest brochure based on a sporting theme. The range consists of five distinct, two-sided coated papers, which are woodfree, chlorine-free, acid-free,...

Nexfor job cuts.(US)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Around 325 jobs cuts are to be made over the next 12 months by Nexfor Fraser Papers. The US operation announced the move after suffering `severe pressure to maintain competitiveness during what has been and continues to be a very difficult...

Nationwide Paper Traders most profitable.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... The UK paper industry is becoming increasingly expensive to operate in according to the business ratio report from the Prospect Shop. It found that while paper merchants showed a healthy compound sales growth rate of 8% for the three-year...

UPM-Kymmene profits hit.(1st quarter 2003, Finland)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Following warnings earlier in the year that profits would suffer the effects of the uncertain geopolitical outlook and poor demand, UPM Kymmene has unveiled a 38% drop in operating profit. Excluding non-recurring items, operating profit was...

IP returns to profit.(International Paper's 1st-quarter 2003 earnings, US)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Just weeks after announcing a three-year strategy to improve profitability International Paper has unveiled reported first-quarter 2003 net earnings of $44m ($0.09 per share). This compares with a net loss of $1,110m ($2.31 per share) in the...

Sodra offers training opportunities.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Sodra was overwhelmed by the response it received when it advertised for trainees. Over 1,250 applications flooded in for just ten vacancies. "The response far exceeds our expectations. Now we shall move on in the selection process and...

Plimsoll prophet.(Around 33% of UK newspape industry close to financial failure)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... A third of the UK newspaper industry is on the brink of failure, according to the latest survey of the industry by Plimsoll Publishing. Its report on the top 1,000 companies shows 335 are rated in financial danger with balance sheets straining...

Archant rides high.(financial data, 2002, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Recovery in the second half helped Archant, the privately owned media group that owns the Ham & High and Eastern Daily Press, boost profit 5.8% last year to #27.7m on turnover up 1.6% at #146m. Chief executive John Fry said advertising in the...

Lab technician.(Goss opens electronics training laboratoryo, Illinois)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... An electronics training laboratory has been opened by Goss at its international headquarters in Illinois. More than 1,000 newspaper personnel have been trained on control systems since the course began in the early 1980s. The centre has press...

UK first as Constant C installed at Newsquest.(Baldwin Technology to install blanket cleaning and spray bar equipment, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Baldwin Technology is to make the first UK installation of its Constant C spray bar technology at Newsquest's planned new press at Oxford. The company has won the contract to supply blanket cleaning and spray bar equipment for the 96-page...

New press for mid-size.(Tech-Energy develops new flexo press, US)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... A new flexo press for small and mid-sized newspapers could be on the market later this year. It will be marketed by MacDermind Printing, part of Napp Systems, but is the brainchild of press rebuild specialist Tech-Energy of Texas. The...

Atex Media Command forms consultancy division.(AMC Consulting, Latimer, UK)(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... Atex Media Command has created a new consultancy division, AMC Consulting, which the company says will not necessarily be dedicated to sales efforts. The new division will be based at the European headquarters in Latimer, Bucks, and headed...

34-year-old Colormatic retired for Regioman.(Brief Article)
May 5, 2003... A dilitho press has gone offline after 34 years, replaced with a MAN Roland four-by-one shaftless press. Printing on a modified letterpress machine without blankets was an early entry method for many newspapers into offset and was more...

Committed to print.(BASF printing ink supplier strategy, UK)
May 5, 2003... BASF has not been fulfilling its potential as a major ink supplier in the UK. By improving communication and service, commercial director Tony Kington aims to tackle the problem By Gareth Ward BASF as a leading ink supplier has not...

Enough is enough.(Editorial)
May 5, 2003... Complying with regulations is already costing British industry a fortune, but the impact of `Reach', a proposed new system for the testing and registration of chemicals, threatens to be crippling By Paul Machin, chairman of Picon Environmental...

NORTHPRINT PREVIEW: Tea time in Yorkshire.
May 5, 2003... For more than two decades Northprint has provided a successful formula for trade shows, but it could be time to look at other ways of bringing printers and suppliers together By Rod Hayes The Yorkshire moors, Betty's Tea Room, Turkish...

NORTHPRINT TOP 10: Your starter for 10.
May 5, 2003... They might not necessarily be the best or even the latest developments in their field, but here is my list of the ten products I really want to see at Northprint 2003 By Rod Hayes My editor Gareth Ward has extracted a fearsome...

NORTHPRINT PREPRESS: On a plate.(UK)
May 5, 2003... Platesetters have rapidly become a must-have for all types of printer and all types of ctp will be on display By Gareth Ward Two new platesetters will catch the eye at the show, particularly as that from Screen is the first platesetter...

NORTHPRINT PRESSES: Making an impression.(UK)
May 5, 2003... There may be a multitude of software and solutions, guillotines and gizmos on show, but what really draws in the crowds are the presses By Gareth Ward Whatever else is happening at Northprint, the big draw will still be the printing...

NORTHPRINT FINISHING: Flooded with finishing.(UK)
May 5, 2003... For a long time prepress has been targeted for investment, but manufacturers are setting up for Northprint anticipating that the time may now be right to redirect funds into finishing By Jim Larkin Following prepress being the focus of...

NORTHPRINT MIDRANGE: Survival techniques.(UK)
May 5, 2003... Statistics indicate that many printers will go to the wall in the next five years. If mid-size printers are prepared to take on new technologies and offer their customers value-added services they will increase their chances of survival By...

NORTHPRINT TRADESHOWS: Laying out the welcome mat.(UK)
May 5, 2003... Exhibitors have a positive attitude towards trade shows, suggesting the decline in attendance at recent trade fairs is no cause for pessimism By Rod Hayes Printer suppliers and manufacturers this year were not prepared to support two...

Guide from Duplo.
May 5, 2003... Duplo is introducing a Digital Guide, intended as a reference tool for small to mid sized printers. It covers the entire ground of finishing digital print. To demonstrate it will be finishing copies of the guide on its stand using its System...

CRM from DDS.
May 5, 2003... DDS is introducing Acura-CRM, the latest application to join the Accura suite of prepress applications. Accura CRM is a contact database that integrates with Microsoft Outlook, which can run as part of an Accura installation or as a standalone...

Applause takes to UK stage.
May 5, 2003... The world's first commercial no process plate will be in action for the first time at Northprint. This is the Presstek Applause plate which has the ability to go straight from platesetter to press without even a wash to remove debris as...

Esko-Graphics pairs violet with Lastra plate.
May 5, 2003... Esko-Graphics is a first time exhibitor at Northprint, because at the time of the last Harrogate exhibition it existed as separate companies, Barco Graphics and Purup-Eskofot. It plans to show new products and to announce that Offset...

Vacuumatic picks faults.
May 5, 2003... Vacuumatic, a specialist in batching and vision systems, will launch a high speed defect marking system called RTIS II. The device applies self-adhesive tags to a moving web, identifying features such as mill joins, splices, start and finish or...

Better view from GTI.
May 5, 2003... GTI Graphic Technology has two viewing system launches lined up for Northprint. The first is the D50, a space saving device that allows viewing in cramped space, and the second is a large format vertical print viewing system capable of imaging...