Printing World articles from September 2005

Printing World archives from September 2005

Muller Martini bags #15m Prinovis deal.
September 1, 2005... Muller Martini has won the massive #15m contract to kit out the finishing hall at the Prinovis gravure superplant in Liverpool. The deal was crucial for Muller Martini to counter rival Ferag's earlier catch at Polestar's Sheffield...

Fulmar energy move.
September 1, 2005... Paperback and brochure specialist Fulmar has added a variable air compressor to its Croydon plant in a bid to beat the energy crisis. Fulmar chief executive Mike Taylor said the company has just installed a #50,000 compressor that provides...

Plate rise looks unlikely.
September 1, 2005... UK plate prices are unlikely to rise following Kodak's decision to reduce plate manufacturing. Industry insiders said the company's decision to close the former Creo plate plant in Middleway, West Virginia, would have a negligible effect...

Printpack axe hovers.
September 1, 2005... Flexible packaging converter Printpack is set to axe 35 jobs at its Bridge Hall Mills near Bury. Printpack Europe is reorganising work patterns to reduce the number of shifts from four to three. New equipment includes upgraded slitters,...

IN BRIEF: Wace Swindon taking on three Heidelberg buckle folders.
September 1, 2005... Wace Swindon, the perfecting arm of The Print Factory, is taking on three Heidelberg buckle folders and a CutStar unit after investing a 12- colour and two ten-colour SM102s. The company is targeting a 60% increase in turnover to #20m in the...

IN BRIEF: Doveton Press moves into short run digital print.
September 1, 2005... Trade litho printer Doveton Press, Bristol, has moved into the short run digital print and personalisation market by investing in a Kodak NexPress 2100 colour printer. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Simlex installing Speedmaster press.
September 1, 2005... Wolverhampton's Simlex Group is installing a Speedmaster B2 CD five- colour press. They will follow this with a Printmaster 74-2 press, a Stahl folder with palletised feed, and Image Control spectrophotometry in a programme of investment worth...

IN BRIEF: Digital Print World.
September 1, 2005... Digital Print World, held between September 18-20, is promising to showcase the widest range of digital presses at any UK exhibition. New products include Graphic Arts Equipment's MGi Meteor multicolour digital press, Konica Minolta's new PR...

IN BRIEF: Duplo International unveiling.
September 1, 2005... Duplo International will use 2005's Digital Print World o unveil its MKF 35 Modular Knife Folder, which can be used on materials up to 3mm thick and is capable of running at 17,000 folds per hour. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: New Cambridge Printers facility.
September 1, 2005... Oce has installed a VarioPrint 2100 and CPS 800 colour machine at a new digital facility for Cambridge Printers. The site in Mercers Row is being opened on September 5 by president of the National Energy Foundation Dr Mary Archer. ...

Wyndeham Prepress is the pick for Pop.
September 1, 2005... Emap East has awarded Wyndeham Prepress the contract for Pop, its bi- annual fashion and photography magazine. Wyndeham Graphics now handles the colour reproduction for the advertising and editorial pages of the 300 plus page publication....

CPI in #300m mbo boost for book battle.
September 1, 2005... CPI, the book printing group that includes Bath Press, Cox and Wyman and Mackays, is set to step up its fight against St Ives' Clays in the UK monochrome book market. Electra Partners and CVC Capital provided over #300m for a management...

Up to 70 jobs on the line at Bemrose after catalogue exit.
September 1, 2005... Around 70 jobs are set to be lost at security printer Bemrose Booth following its decision to abandon catalogue printing. Before the end of the year Bemrose Booth Derby will stop its Timson T32 press and most of its binding equipment, the...

IN BRIEF: Tetra Pak Spanish Sales.
September 1, 2005... Tetra Pak sold 136 packaging units per capita in Spain, according to the latest accounts for its Spanish business. Sales were up 6.4% to #340m, due to both increased sales to 5.9 billion units and a restructuring of the company. Copyright:...

IN BRIEF: Ditto 4 to open up new markets.
September 1, 2005... Hull digital print and design company Ditto 4 has installed a Canon W8400 to open up new markets in wide format. The 44in-wide printer is running alongside a recently installed Xerox 2552 and Konica 8050. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Publishing Expo 2006.
September 1, 2005... Publishing Expo 2006 has been launched to provide an exhibition for the magazine, directory, newsletter and brochure market. The event will be held at Olympia in London on April 26-27 and will feature seminars and workshops. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: Drupa 2008 website now online.
September 1, 2005... The Drupa 2008 website is now online at www.drupa.de. A spokesman said: `Our focus was on moulding the new design around an intelligent, well conceived menu as well as a clear structure for the full range of offerings.' Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: Inkware appointment.
September 1, 2005... Vutek company Inkware has appointed Stephen Emery Oem sales and marketing manager responsible for worldwide business relations. Mr Emery has had more than 20 years in digital print, most recently with the American Ink Jet Corporation. ...

IN BRIEF: Domino launches scribing lasers.
September 1, 2005... Domino has launched the S200W and S200WB scribing lasers for higher quality coding applications. The systems give a wider mark field for larger codes and is targeted at the PET beverage sector. Both use Domino's blue laser technology, which...

IN BRIEF: Polimoon credit facility.
September 1, 2005... Norwegian plastics manufacturer Polimoon, which recently acquired Grabor Plastics in the UK, has agreed a #40m two-year credit facility to fund more acquisitions within its packaging and components operations to further grow within what it...

IN BRIEF: Filtron profits.
September 1, 2005... Plastics and fibres maker Filtron, which demerged from Bunzl in June, reported a 8.7% rise in first-half profits to #26.3m. The company's Payne operation produces laminates for security passes. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Printer Trento Silver Jubilee.
September 1, 2005... Italian print company Printer Trento in South Tyrol is celebrating its Silver Jubilee. Trento produces illustrated books with 98% of its work for export. More recently it became an atlas, map and catalogue printer. Copyright: CMP...

Posties set to rival print managers.
September 1, 2005... Print management companies are set to face increasing competition in the direct mail sector from postal firms. TNT Mail is working more closely with sister mailing company Cendris to provide an end-to-end service. Cendris is rebranding as...

SMP goes for Rapida 162a.
September 1, 2005... The SMP Group, the south London point-of-sale and large format printer has chosen a KBA Rapida 162a as its first large format litho press for some years. It will be installed at Woolwich after it has been refurbished at KBA's Radebeul factory....

Big billboards break the law.
September 1, 2005... Printers may unwittingly be aiding illegal advertising practices, with big name firms including Tesco, McDonald's and KFC standing accused. A report by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) highlighted the major retailers as...

PiP post rises concern.
September 1, 2005... Printers have expressed fear that their costs may rise from August 2006 when the Royal Mail's size based pricing, or Pricing in Proportion (PiP) comes into effect. Postcomm cleared the PiP proposals last week, sparking concerns that higher...

Price war fears mount in local authority sector.
September 1, 2005... Printers competing for local authority work fear a price war will break out in the sector. Under the Freedom of Information Act, tender prices for local authority work can become available after the tender closes. One printer, who does not...

PIN printers fight back against fraud.
September 1, 2005... Banks and PIN number printer manufacturers are fighting back after security experts said criminals can crack PIN number mailouts with powerful lamps or good eyesight. PIN number mailouts are laser printed on a thin piece of plastic using a...

It's all Psychological.
September 1, 2005... Polestar Chantry has won the contracts to print two new major magazines. It will print Hachette Filipacchi's Psychologies, an English version of the magazine already popular in France, Italy and Spain. The initial print run is 300,00 and...

IN BRIEF: Sussex Police Authority newspaper.
September 1, 2005... Sussex Police Authority wants a company to design, print and produce a 700,000 circulation annual publication and a 15,000 circulation monthly force newspaper for three years. Contact Linda Bowtle, County Hall, St Anne's Crescent, Lewes on...

IN BRIEF: Three litho and two web printers wanted.
September 1, 2005... Queen Mary College, University of London, wants three litho and two web printers for three years to produce prospectuses, brochures, leaflets, posters and other material. Successful candidates will have to provide quotes on a project by project...

IN BRIEF: Dublin City Council looking for print company.
September 1, 2005... Dublin City Council is looking for a company to print and supply branded stationery. For more details contact Dublin City Council, Corporate Services Department, 16/19 Wellington Quay on +00 353 222 5150. Deadline October 14, 2005. ...

IN BRIEF: Graphic Ad contract.
September 1, 2005... Leeds company Graphic Ad has won an estimated #250,000 contract to print material for the Rail Safety and Standards Board to educate people about the dangers of railway crime. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

IN BRIEF: Caerphilly Borough County Council awards 11 contracts.
September 1, 2005... Caerphilly Borough County Council has awarded 11 contracts to fulfil print jobs worth #200,000 in total for the council's graphic design studio. The lucky 11 are GPA Advertising & Marketing, Horizon Digital Media, Meridian Design, Pink Panther...

IN BRIEF: Staffordshire City Council marketing strategy.
September 1, 2005... Staffordshire City Council's development services department wants a company to develop and deliver the area's three-year marketing strategy to spur on local business. Contact Roger Bradshaw, PO Box 11, County Buildings on 01785 277235....

IN BRIEF: University of Birmingham chooses seven printers.
September 1, 2005... The University of Birmingham has chosen seven printers to produce 115,000 undergraduate prospectuses, 55,000 postgraduate prospectuses and 125,000 of the university's Birmingham Magazine. The lucky seven are Drapkin, Folium Group, Goodman...

Williams Lea mulls China operation.
September 1, 2005... Williams Lea is considering opening an operation in China that would drive print volumes in the UK. Senior market sources said that the company, which buys up to #150m of print in the UK each year, is looking to provide translation of...

TUC pinpoints concrete risk.
September 1, 2005... Concrete floors give print staff lower back pain, swollen legs and feet, and circulatory problems that can lead to varicose veins and strokes, according to new research from the Trades Union Congress (TUC). Over half of workers surveyed in...

Saxon hits out at EA.
September 1, 2005... Saxon Recycling has hit out against the Environment Agency after being forced to resort to emergency procedures for waste registrations. The company said the agency's lack of information to the business sector and unorganised approach could...

Miles of smiles.
September 1, 2005... HP has won the Guinness World Record for the largest photo exhibition ever after capturing, printing and displaying photographs of the nations' smiles. The photos were printed on a Designjet 130nr, a six-colour graphics printer for design,...

COMMENT: Is it the right time to sell up?
September 1, 2005... Hot on the heels of last week's #77m refinancing of Bezier comes the sale by CPI of its UK bookprinting division. For a stunning sum of just over #300m, CPI has sold Mackays, Cox & Wyman, Bath Press and its other European book printers to...

Letter: DIY approach can cost you money.(Letter to the Editor)
September 1, 2005... As a sales engineer I'm often approached by printing companies who want me to help them `fix' precision motion systems that have been built inhouse. Such companies have often scoured the motion control industry for an off the shelf solution to...

IN BRIEF: Rexam sights trained on acquisitions.
September 1, 2005... Rexam has its sights trained on acquisitions in the plastic packaging sector to diversify away from its can business. The company, which reported a drop in first-half profits after the sale of its British glass business in May, said any...

IN BRIEF: UPM to spend #27m.
September 1, 2005... UPM is to spend #27m upgrading its Kaipola mill in Finland to cater for greater demand for wider reel sizes. The site will also benefit from a biofuel crusher that will take biofuel volume to more than 70% by 2006. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: Kodak plans.
September 1, 2005... Kodak has revealed plans to consolidate photographic paper manufacture for North America at plants in Harrow and Windsor, Colorado. The move, which is part of the company's strategy to shift to digital technologies, affects 900 jobs at plants...

IN BRIEF: Pearson tipped.
September 1, 2005... Pearson, owner of the Financial Times and Penguin Books, has been tipped as the front runner in the race to snap up Granada Learning, the education publishing arm of ITV, which is being sold at auction for an estimated #80m. Copyright: CMP...

IN BRIEF: MacKenzie establishes 20% stake in Highbury House.
September 1, 2005... Kelvin MacKenzie, former editor of the Sun, has established a 20% stake in troubled publisher Highbury House. Mr MacKenzie is rumoured to be looking to secure a seat on the board of the company that has been downsized following the sale of 38...

IN BRIEF: WH Smith strategy.
September 1, 2005... Stationery and book retailer WH Smith said its strategy to improve margins and cut costs would generate profits in line with expectations despite `challenging' trading conditions in a statement last week. Copyright: CMP Information Ltd.

SCA axes 3,600 jobs in efficiency drive.(packaging)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Packaging giant SCA has axed 3,600 workers as part of a restructuring programme to cut costs and reduce capacity. The Swedish company will shed 20 production units aiming to save #113m from the measures, which will cost #256m and involve...

Profits fall at Mayr Melnhof.(Mayr Melnhof Packaging)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Intensifying price competition and falling demand pushed down profits at packaging company Mayr Melnhof in the first six months. Earnings at the Austrian firm fell 6% to #33.6m from #35.6m as weaker consumer spending confidence in its core...

WPP gives ads a lift.
September 1, 2005... The outlook for business levels in the advertising and direct mail sector was brightened last week by the world's second largest advertising agency turning in a sharp rise in profits and predicting that conditions would remain buoyant for the...

Adobe assent.
September 1, 2005... Shareholders have given their unanimous backing to Adobe's proposed acquisition of electronic content software supplier Macromedia. At separate stockholder meetings held last Thursday, approximately 99.0% of Adobe voters and 99.8% of...

CVC bid for Flint gets OK.
September 1, 2005... The European Commission last week paved the way for the creation of the world's second-largest printing ink company after approving private equity firm CVC's bid for Flint Ink. The former family-run Flint Ink business will be integrated...

Robinson feels the squeeze in first half.(sales and earnings)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Weak retail demand combined with high energy and raw material costs squeezed profits at Robinson in the first half. The niche packaging supplier reported a fall in earnings from #647,000 in the same period last year to #358,000 amid...

Appointment of liquidators.
September 1, 2005... * Robor Cartons Ltd Manufacturer of printed cartons. Liquidators: TJE Dolder and NR Hood, Begbies Traynor (South) LLP, 32 Cornhill, London EC3V 3BT * PAD Suppliers Ltd Manufacturers of corrugated paper. Liquidator: T Papanicola, Bond...

Appointment of administrators.
September 1, 2005... * Dencol (UK) Ltd Printing. Administrator: A Andronikou and L Hornan, UHY Hacker Young, St Alphage House, 2 Fore Street, London EC2Y 5DH * Capital (Gloucester) Ltd Printing. Administrator: AT Clay, Andrew Michaels & Co Ltd, Concept House,...

Meetings of creditors.
September 1, 2005... * MA Litho Ltd at 18 Sapcote Trading Centre, Dudden Hill Lane, London NW10 2DH on September 8 at 2.00pm * Hamilton Litho Plates Ltd at The Marino Suite, Croydon Park Hotel, Altyre Road, Croydon CR9 5AA on September 9 at 11.00am *...

Notices to creditors.
September 1, 2005... * Storyshield Ltd (t/a Shield Litho) Creditors to send claims to RC Keys of Hurst Morrison Thomson, 5 Fairmile, Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire RG9 2JR by November 18 * Bookchase (UK) Ltd Creditors to send claims to TJE Dolder, Begbies...

Final Meetings.
September 1, 2005... * Dunia Publications at Prospect House, 2 Athenaeum Road, London N20 9YU on September 21 at 10.30am for members and at 10.45am for creditors * Pollyprint & Graphic Design Ltd at 86-88 South Ealing Road, Ealing, London W5 4QB on September...

Heidelberg cylinder manual fills the gap.
September 1, 2005... I don't think it matters how many Heidelberg cylinders there are in the UK, suffice to say there are a lot and almost all of them are putting in sterling service, cutting and creasing or more selectively as foiling and embossing machines. ...

Q&A How colour management systems work.
September 1, 2005... The X-Rite Colour Guide and Glossary Serialisation: Part 12 Earlier in this series we examined how to achieve desktop colour consistency in two steps - device calibration and device characterisation. Now we will look at device colour space...

Production CV: Ian Wilcock.
September 1, 2005... Biography Ian Wilcock, Heidelberg UK What position do you hold at the moment? At the moment I work as process improvement manager. However, from September 1 (today) I will be in the position of service development manager. ...

The way it worked: small beginnings.
September 1, 2005... This newsagent's shop is the birthplace of one of the UK's most respected printing and publishing organisations in the UK. It is still a family concern and its directors are now third-generation members of the founder's family. I am sure the...

Why buy: Vertus Fluid Mask.
September 1, 2005... Why should you buy the Vertus masking tool when every copy of Photoshop includes Extract? By Rod Hayes For as long as there has been photography, there has been a need to cut subjects out of their background, either to isolate and...

MAKING A DIFFERENCE: Ancient and modern.
September 1, 2005... Ancient House Press has been trading for more than 160 years but it is one of the most modern and efficient printing plants in the UK By Rod Hayes There is something warm and reassuring about the name Ancient House Press. It has been...

NEWS ANALYSIS - INKJET: Inkjet under offer.
September 1, 2005... Hewlett Packard has just bought Scitex Vision, but this isn't the only acquisition in the wide format arena By Nessan Cleary Two weeks ago Hewlett Packard bought Scitex Vision, a specialist in super wide format inkjet printers. Gary...

Deals in the news.
September 1, 2005... Fujifilm kickstarted the current round of acquisitions with the announcement in January that it would buy Sericol from an investment group led by Saratoga Partners, for an undisclosed sum. The group was renamed Fujifilm Sericol, but continues...

RAW MATERIALS - OPINION: Quality street.
September 1, 2005... Agfa will not compromise on quality, chief executive Laurence Roberts tells Rod Hayes Raw material prices are being driven up by increased demand from the expanding Chinese and Indian economies. How is this affecting plates and processing...

WORKFLOW: Living in the real world.
September 1, 2005... Anybody choosing a prepress workflow now should be thinking about JDF and how to connect all their systems together, but how does this theory stand up in the real world? By Nessan Cleary Anybody setting up a printing factory has the...

MIS makes it easy to add JDF.
September 1, 2005... Printers are increasingly interested in the idea of linking their prepress workflow with other parts of their system. In most cases this is driven by the need to allow customers to submit jobs and to view proofs online, and this is beginning to...

Much more interesting than trainspotting.
September 1, 2005... To many printers workflow is just a little less interesting than trainspotting. But if you feel like that and printing is an important part of your life, then you are perhaps missing a trick. Most digitally driven devices will come with a...

ColorProof sets the standard.(GMG Weihing)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... ColorProof from GMG claims to be the first proofing solution certified for use with the Epson Stylus Pro 4800 by Fogra. The graphic arts research organisation gave its seal of approval after a series of tests to analyse colour accuracy and...

E-commerce leads Weald to Optimus 2020.
September 1, 2005... Weald Print Solutions has boosted its e-commerce credentials by investing in a management information system from Optimus and is on the acquisition trail to sustain its rapid expansion. The Storrington, West Sussex, company is going live...

Eclipse cuts costs by half.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Copitrak Systems and eCopy have devised a system that the partners claim cuts the cost of document accounting by 50%. The software, called Eclipse Embedded for eCopy ShareScan OP, integrates eCopy's document imaging and distribution with...

Turning Point Technologies helps Anness put its photographs online.
September 1, 2005... Anness Publishing, the largest independent book publisher in the UK, has invested in Turning Point Technologies' Union to create the Practical Pictures online photo library. Launching in November, the new website will be a commercial online...

Tullis aim is Trucard Recycled for greetings card printers.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Tullis Russell has boosted its paper and board grades with the addition of a second recycled brand. Initially available in 280gsm, Trucard Recycled is an extension of and made to the same premium specification as the Scottish independent...

HSPG adds high bulk Greencoat Matt.(Howard Smith Paper)(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Howard Smith Paper has added Greencoat Matt to its Greencoat environmentally friendly papers and board. Greencoat Matt is a high bulk, matt coated sheet made from 70% recycled fibre and 30% TCF virgin fibre. The paper's high bulk gives it...

Defra endorses PEFC and SFI.
September 1, 2005... Two further forest certification schemes, the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification Schemes (PEFC) and the North American Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI), now meet UK government contract requirements for legal and...

Volvo uses Polyart to drive campaign.
September 1, 2005... In its latest marketing campaign, Volvo, the inventor of the three- point seat belt used today, is showcasing its design using Polyart from Robert Horne. A large, solid casing containing a seat belt holding promotional literature is...

IN BRIEF: Braythorn develops litho-printed ring-pull pack.
September 1, 2005... Braythorn, the Birmingham packaging specialist, has developed a litho- printed ring-pull pack for L'Oreal's Men Expert mini weekend range. Braythorn specialises in cardboard tubes, transparent containers and polythene envelopes printed inhouse,...

IN BRIEF: Styropack to close plant.
September 1, 2005... Styropack UK is to close its protective packaging plant in County Durham at the end of September, following the closure of several large manufacturers in the region including Samsung, LG Microwaves and LG Philips Displays. The company has seven...

IN BRIEF: MeadWestvaco award.
September 1, 2005... Packaging board giant MeadWestvaco has won an Innovation Award from the Grocery Manufacturers of America for a study in which it established freezer goods rendered unsaleable from damaged packaging was the result in large measure by the wrong...

IN BRIEF: Sherwood extends DigiVu chemistry.(Brief Article)
September 1, 2005... Sherwood Technology has extended its DigiVu chemistry to visible brand security protection. DigiVu is applied to metallic substrates and is activated by a laser to form a hologram-type image through laminate packaging, allowing the branding to...

IN BRIEF: #30,000 design studio.
September 1, 2005... A #30,000 design studio has been opened at contract packager Assembly & Packaging Services, Blyth. APS operations director Paul Reveley said the investment was necessary to keep up with customer demand to provide a great range of services. ...