Is your persistence a positive? How to avoid talking yourself out of a sale through blind persistence 12 14 6 9
The 13th annual Canadian Printing Awards took place last fall, recognizing print excellence and industry achievement
14 World-class printing
Details on the Best of Show and Gold, Silver and Bronze award winners
20 Community connections
Exploring Eva’s Print Shop, a commercial printer and social enterprise that trains youth experiencing homelessness
22 Inkjet opportunities
Experts weigh in on sheetcut production inkjet advancements and opportunities
DEPARTMENTS
GAMUT
5 News, People, Installs, Globe, Dots, Calendar
TECHNOLOGY REPORT
24 Short-run finishing opportunities continue to emerge as demand for variable data print and quickturnaround capabilities increase
NEW PRODUCTS
25 New offerings from Aleyant, Durst, EFI, CGS-ORIS, MacDermid, Memjet, MGI, Mutoh, Rochester Software Associates, Summa, Sun Chemical, swissQprint, Techkon, X-Rite and Xeikon
SPOTLIGHT
30 Emily Wong, Associate Analyst, Consumer & Digital Marketing, Penguin Random House Canada
COLUMNS
FROM THE EDITOR
4 Alyssa Dalton New year opportunities
SALES
10 Dave Fellman
New year opportunities
“We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in,” Arianna Huffington, co-founder and former editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post, writes in her book, Thrive: The third metric to redefining success and creating a life of well-being, wisdom, and wonder.
With the start of every new year comes the opportunity to assess how your business has performed the last 12 months. It’s a time for reflection and analysis, goal setting and future planning.
Small- and medium-sized businesses spend about 23 percent of their workdays manually inputting data, taking away time that could be spent on more productive projects, according to Salesforce’s 2017 Small & Medium Business Trends Report.
As entrepreneur, investor, author and speaker Gary Vaynerchuk says: “You have to understand your own personal DNA. Don’t do things because I do them or Steve Jobs or Mark Cuban tried it.You need to know your personal brand and stay true to it.”
What are your priorities for 2019? Is this the year your business will invest in new equipment assets to expand your product capabilities and offerings? Or maybe you and your team have decided to focus on operational efficiencies in an effort to minimize makeready times, costs and waste. 2019 might also serve as the year to refocus your company culture.
“If you try to implement tools and techniques before setting your priorities, you’ll do it wrong,” recommends Bulletproof 360 founder Dave Asprey, in his book, Game changers: What leaders, innovators and mavericks do to win at life
At the top of most organizations’ new year resolutions – in spite of sector and mandate – is the constant goal of ensuring the customer remains at the heart of the brand experience.
“Whether via service interactions, product quality or overall brand, experience has become the deciding factor that determines whether or not a customer will do business with a company. In order to capitalize, small businesses and startups looking to grow must build a culture that cares about the customer. And to really succeed, there can be no fake-ittill-you-make-it. Customer experience has to be a part of your company’s DNA,” Peri McDonald, Regional Vice President of Customer Success at Salesforce writes in the article, How to make customer success the heart of your small business
Caring for and ensuring the happiness of one’s own employees, she notes, comprise the pivotal first step in the pursuit of satisfied customers — a directive that is truly relevant to organizations of any size.
“Why? Because an employee’s experience directly affects a customer’s experience. When employees are happy and actualized – and this is especially important for smaller businesses with smaller
teams – it compounds their desire to help others. Besides, a ‘culture of caring’ shows no limits: You cannot legitimately care about customers if you don’t care about the people serving them,” she explains.
As author and motivational speaker Zig Ziglar simply puts it: “If people like you, they’ll listen to you, but if they trust you, they’ll do business with you.”
This year PrintAction will once again push our offerings to best serve this creative and dynamic community. Our mandate is to be your invaluable industry resource, and we strive to achieve this by refining some of our existing initiatives, while testing out a few new ideas as well.
On June 13, the fourth annual PrintForum returns to The International Centre in Mississauga, Ont., with engaging educational sessions and a robust tradeshow. Designed to help printing companies build their business, the event provides attendees with the opportunity to explore new technology trends and revenue streams, learn from thought-leadership panel discussions, and see demonstrations of new products and solutions on exhibit. We want you to leave inspired and armed with knowledge.
As well, our annual Canadian Printing Awards opens its call for submissions this summer. Though 14 years in the running, things are never stagnant with the nation-wide program — we continue to finesse the application process to help make it easier for you to submit your entries, and work to deliver a gala experience that tops the previous year’s. (Check out our 2018 gala highlights, starting page 12.)
And as always, we work to keep you informed on the latest news with timely and authentic editorial. This is where I need you, dear reader, to help. You are the expert, entrenched in the everyday happenings of the print world. Reach out and tell me what I should know about. Do you have a suggestion on what PrintAction should cover? Perhaps you are looking to learn more about a certain press technology, or have a story to share. Better yet, invite me to your facility and share your latest successes with me. Let me help tell your story.
Consider tech startup investor and entrepreneur Tim Ferriss’ bold advice for this new year: “It isn’t enough to think outside the box. Thinking is passive. Get used to acting outside the box.”
From all of us at PrintAction, we wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous 2019.
PrintAction is printed by Annex Printing on Creator Gloss 80lb text and Creator Silk 70lb text available from Spicers Canada.
ISSN 1481 9287 Mail Agreement No. 40065710
“Symbolizing our innate need for optimism and joyful pursuits, Living Coral embodies our desire for playful expression,” Pantone says.
After 43 years of service, Ricter Web Printing of Brantford, Ont., closed its operations on December 21. Established in 1975, Ricter Web Printing was founded as a local newspaper with in-house printing, and over the years, its printing business grew and eventually replaced the publishing. Primarily a coldset web printer, the company also maintained a design department, a 5-colour sheetfed press, a bindery department and a dedicated shipping company, CST Logistics. According to the 2017 Brantford industrial directory, the facility had about 100 employees.
Software provider XMPie has donated its PersonalEffect TransMedia solution to Ryerson University’s School of Graphic Communications Management, a Toronto, Ont., graphic communications school with 640 full-time students and 30 full- and part-time faculty and staff. An all-in-one solution for creating and launching personalized campaigns, XMPie PersonalEffect TransMedia will help support the curriculum being taught in the GCM 362 Web and Cross Media course, the university explains. As well, it will help students learn about omni-channel campaigns and the value of integrating print and digital media to meet the evolving needs of the industry.
Rayacom, an Edmonton, Alberta-based full-service print, design and marketing solutions company, recently acquired Wilson Business Solutions of Hamilton, Ont., a commercial printing company that specializes in graphic design, digital and offset printing
and his team will now represent the company and support its customers in Canada. With more than 25 years of experience in the packaging industry, Thorne and his team have developed expertise in automation within the corrugated and graphic industries, the Sun Automation explains.
Pantone has announced Pantone 16-1546 Living Coral, an “animating and life-affirming” shade of orange with a golden undertone, as the Pantone Color of the Year 2019. Living Coral, the company says, represents the “fusion of modern life and is a nurturing colour that appears in natural surroundings and at the same time, displays a lively presence within social media.”
ReTac Smooth 150 concurrently. With installation services provided by Sekanskin Media, the project required 10 hours of printing and 10 hours of installation.
Global provider of pressure sensitive labeling solutions UPM Raflatac has expanded its RafCycle recycling solution to Canada and the U.S., explaining that regional printers, converters and brands can now give new life to their self-adhesive label waste that would otherwise be landfilled. UPM Raflatac collects the paper and PET liner waste from its RafCycle partners and recycles it into new materials.
and finishing. In late November Wilson Business Solutions Inc. officially opened its doors as the renamed Rayacom Hamilton, delivering graphic design services, colour copies, faxing, digital printing, offset printing and laminating and more.
On January 14 Canada Post increased its postage rates. The postage rate for domestic lettermail items weighing 30 grams or less when purchased in a booklet, coil or pane is now $0.90, up from $0.85, while the price of a single domestic stamp was increased to $1.05, up from $1.00. Meanwhile the cost of sending letters to the United States is increasing between seven and 20 cents, and overseas mail will now cost an additional 15 to 20 cents. The new postage rates are the first cost increase for lettermail since March 2014.
Sun Automation Group has announced Mikah Thorne, President of Canadian Corrugated Solutions,
Supremex has acquired exclusive rights to manufacture Conformer packaging products in Canada. The company operates 12 facilities across seven provinces in Canada and three facilities in the United States, employing approximately 830 people. Conformer Products is a New York-based company that has developed patented packaging that requires no assembly and no void fill. The news follows the company’s announcement in December to cut 41 employees at its Canadian envelope manufacturing facilities – approximately 8 percent of its Canadian envelope workforce – as part of a plan to reduce operating expenses.
An immersive installation promoting superhero blockbuster Aquaman at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto, Ont., in December was turned around in five days, led by Global Printing Enterprises using specialist graphics media from Drytac. Global Printing Enterprises created the 250-foot movie poster with an HP 3000 Latex printer running two rolls of Drytac
In a continuing move to better serve customers throughout the province of Alberta, Burke Group acquired Calgary-based Topline Printing and Printcor in late 2018. The Edmonton-based company explains the two acquisitions will yield additional customer benefits in terms of efficiencies, accessibility and turnaround times.
On December 21, Belmont Press of Markham, Ont., completed its acquisition of Hi-Lite Laminations of Mississauga, Ont. Doubling its lamination capacity from two high-speed laminators to four, the machines are now up and running in Belmont’s 50,000-square-foot plant. “Lamination is growing, not shrinking and is one of the only value-added processes that is doing so,” says Jamie Schaeffer of Belmont Press.
for
Global Printing Enterprises is a large-format print specialist that supplies work
various events and brand promotions.
The new rates are the first cost increase for lettermail since 2014.
The RafCycle program boasts more than 120 partners worldwide.
Andrew Oransky has been appointed Roland DGA’s new CEO. Oransky has served as president, responsible for day-to-day operations, at the Irvine, Calif., company since 2016. In his expanded role as CEO, he will assume overall responsibility for company strategy and performance and will report directly to the board of directors at parent company Roland DG. Roland DGA Corp. serves North and South America as the marketing, sales and distribution arm for Roland DG Corp.
INSTALLS
Print Digital Solutions (PDS) has sold and installed a Duplo 616 Pro slitter/ cutter/creaser along with a Multigraf CP375 Duo creasing and perforating solution to
Resolute Forest Products has promoted Remi Lalonde to Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, succeeding Jo-Ann Longworth who is retiring after a distinguished career, including seven years as Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer at Resolute. Lalonde had been serving as Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development since May 2018. Previously, he was General Manager of Resolute’s pulp and paper mill in Thunder Bay, Ont. He holds bachelor’s degrees in law and civil engineering from the University of Ottawa.
Uhlmann Packaging Systems has named Chris Gilmor Regional Sales Manager for Eastern Canada, where he will oversee and direct all healthcare packaging market commercial activity in the provinces of Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and Newfoundland and Labrador. Gilmor has over 17 years of technical sales and business development experience in the healthcare packaging market, with over 10 years in the healthcare packaging machinery space. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering and applied chemistry from the University of Toronto.
Zund America has appointed Dan Ryan CEO for Zünd’s Milwaukee-based North American operations. With more than 20 years of varied management experience with Harley-Davidson, John Deere and other Midwest companies, Ryan is “uniquely qualified,” the company explains, to help drive Zund America. Ryan’s primary focus will be to create a long-term vision for the company, with efficient business practices, continuous process improvements, and strategies for sustainable growth.
Joey Marshall of Parker Pad & Printing passed away on January 17, 2019. She is described by Janis Parker of Parker Pad & Printing as “the consummate sales representative who always went the extra mile.” Having worked in the Toronto print industry her entire career, she was most recently with Parker Pad for eight years.
MPS Systems North America has promoted Michael Weyermann to VP Sales & Marketing after the company’s president left at the end of his one-year term. Starting his career with MPS in 2015, he has “grown into a very capable and reliable partner for MPS while growing the brand name in the North American market,” explains the company.
Haystacks Media Production in Halifax, N.S. Both products will help increase production and perfect the finished product.
Quebec printing company Précigrafik has added a new RMGT 7 series LED-UV 5-colour offset press, which it says will enable it to better penetrate the growing packaging market. The press was purchased through KBR Graphics.
Langley, B.C., label printer converter Label Resources says it has seen a 40-percent growth in new sales and production since implementing its new Domino N610i 7-colour digital UV inkjet label press a month ago. The firm purchased the N610i when it moved into its new facility last summer.
Print well. Print fast. Why choose between quality and quick turnarounds when you can have both?
Allen Press adds H&B ExcelCoat ZR30 coater
Allen Press has purchased an ExcelCoat ZR30, manufactured by Harris & Bruno International, allowing the Kansas firm to expand its in-house specialty coating capabilities.
Installed in August 2018, the coater produces digital sized sheet print jobs with different coating technologies and applies aqueous soft touch coating to digitally printed projects. With recent purchases such as two digital presses, a die-cutter and foil stamper, and a saddle stitcher, Allen Press says it is working to position itself as a modern and innovative printing company.
Allen Press specializes in print production, scholarly publishing services, marketing and direct mail services.
“We decided on H&B because they have the absolute best coaters in our industry, with the newest technology,” said Allen Press CEO Randy Radosevich. “We want to offer superior full-service printing to our customers and the ExcelCoat ZR30 provides that premium level coating you can’t get at most print shops. Our customers will love the coating effects the ExcelCoat ZR30 can deliver and the quality difference will be very noticeable.”
How will Avanti Slingshot Print MIS help your print shop succeed?
Within the first three months of going live with Avanti Slingshot, we had saved as much as eight hours/day just in order input, tracking, and managerial tasks.“
Armando Pena, COO of Printing and Marketing Group, Inc.
Xeikon installs Wall Decoration Suite at German print house
E-commerce company for personalized wall designs K&L Wall Art produces home accessories at its 1,500-square-metre facility in Berlin, Germany, exclusively using digital technology. Last May, the company added Xeikon’s wallpaper system, the Wall Decoration Suite, to its production portfolio, including a Xeikon 8500 single-pass digital duplex printer.
The decision to purchase the Xeikon solution was driven primarily by K&L Wall Art’s expansion beyond personalized wallpaper for consumers to include a B2B customer base. Large companies, interior designers and shipyards not only request individual items, but often order larger quantities of up to 3,000 pieces, the company explains.
“We needed to act, since we were no longer able to meet the demand for digitally printed wallpaper with our previous latex printers whilst remaining competitive. If you take a good look at the market, only Xeikon remains as a reliable and experienced supplier of digital wallpaper solutions,”Alexander Kunze, Managing Director at K&L Wall Art, says.
The Xeikon wallpaper system offers a complete solution that includes all upstream and downstream units. All configurations of Xeikon’s Wall Decoration Suite include a jumbo unwinder and a specially developed wallpaper rewinder with cutter and remover, allowing for the production of a fully finished wallpaper roll in a single operation.
Kunze says he is now able to print five times faster with the new machine than with two or three latex printers, boosting the company’s ability to meet the growing demand for digital wallpaper.
Emsur opts for Enprom eRR30 Dual
Indigo 6900
R.R. Donnelley & Sons has installed two new HP Indigo 6900 presses in Visalia, Calif., and Wilson, N.C., to boost its digital asset capabilities for label production.
Spanish flexible packaging multinational Emsur has installed an Enprom eRR30 Dual doctoring machine in its plant in Madrid, allowing for both the validation of sleeve material as well as the inspection of reels for the flexible packaging sector.
The Enprom eRR30 Dual is one of the latest innovations from the company designed to help meet the needs of label and flexible packaging manufacturers, it says. The double function of the eRR30 Dual enables two different processes: Sleeve – verification of the correct sealing of the sleeve tube, using the balloon air validation system with electronic detection; and flexible packaging – inspection, control and doctor the reels up to 400-mm width, repairing the reels that may be defective from the printers/cutters or splices at register.
The manufacturer explains the machine can be complemented with different options, such as longitudinal cutting, a display screen, a stroboscope camera, a 100-percent printing inspection system, and possibly incorporating control software including 4.0 technologies.
The Berlin-based print services provider says print quality and output speed are pivotal for its business success.
DOTS
Celebrating a book publishing milestone
A community of pioneering humanitarians say they have printed the world’s first 3D-printed book.
To celebrate the 100th anniversary of Albert Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, Genius 100, a global community of purpose-driven leaders focusing on solutions to major issues, embarked on a publishing milestone — collecting the visions of the 100 leading innovators, artists, scientists and influencers in the world’s first 3D-printed book — Genius: 100 Visions of the Future
Conceptualized through a partnership with Canadian Friends of Hebrew University (CFHU) and British-Israeli industrial designer, artist and architect Ron Arad, the milestone project aims to honour Einstein’s innovative spirit. The 100 visionaries featured in the 3D-printed book were carefully selected and include a number of notable Canadians, such as former commander of the International Space Station Colonel Chris Hadfield, renowned environmentalist and scientist Dr. David Suzuki, children’s rights activists Craig and Marc Kielburger, 2017 recipient of The Global Teacher Prize winner Maggie MacDonnell, and Justice Rosalie Silberman Abella.
Genius: 100 Visions of the Future will be printed and bound layer-by-layer through the laser-printing process. The total production run of 300 books will be created one by one, with each copy taking more than seven days to complete. The initial prototype, unveiled in September 2017 in Montreal, Que., was printed in zero gravity at the International Space Station in collaboration with NASA, the Japanese Space Agency and the European Space Agency.
Visionaries will receive their own copy, with additional copies allocated to Genius 100 Founders
“Spearheaded by Ron Arad and CFHU President and CEO Rami Kleinmann, The Genius 100 team set out to do what seemed like the impossible: Produce a book that pushed technological boundaries while sharing the wisdom of 100 diverse and dynamic thought-leaders from around the globe,” Julie Toskan Casale, Head of Business Development at Genius 100, said. “To see this project come to life through the first ever 3D-printed book is an incredibly proud moment for the Genius 100 community, an unprecedented initiative that truly speaks to our goal of inspiring creative minds across the globe.”
CALENDAR
February 21-23, 2019 Asia Print Expo Bitec, Bangkok
April 9-11, 2019 InPrint USA 2019 Louisville, Ky.
April 11-13, 2019
Graphics Canada
The International Centre, Mississauga, Ont.
April 24-25, 2019 AICC Canada Trade Show and Conference Toronto, Ont.
May 28-30, 2019 Packaging Première Milan, Italy
May 30, 2019 Gala Gutenberg Montreal, Que.
June 13, 2019
PrintForum 2019
The International Centre, Mississauga, Ont.
October 3-5, 2019 Print 19 Chicago, Ill.
October 23-25, 2019 Printing United 2019 Dallas, Texas
November 7, 2019 Canadian Printing Awards Palais Royale, Toronto, Ont.
November 25-28, 2019 Shanghai World of Packaging Shanghai, China
June 16-26, 2020 drupa 2020 Düsseldorf, Germany
Is your persistence a positive?
How to avoid talking yourself out of a sale through blind persistence
By David M. Fellman
This is the last instalment in my series on The top 5 ways to talk yourself out of a sale
We have covered too much talk/too little listen, too many features/too little benefits, pitching versus storytelling, and making it all about price. Today, the topic is persistence, which is generally considered to be a positive attribute for a print salesperson. Sadly, I’ve seen too many salespeople talk themselves out of a sale through blind persistence, which I define as ongoing contact that adds nothing to a relationship. On the other hand, I have seen many salespeople succeed through creative persistence. This is an important difference. You do not want to be the pushy salesperson who calls and e-mails to the point where your message is deleted the very second you are identified — you need to be the salesperson who engages through creativity and differentiation.
Selling yourself
As you surely know, it’s difficult to get prospects to even return your calls and/or emails, but why is that? I think it’s mostly because you don’t give them very good reasons to respond. In fact, I think most salespeople are focusing on the wrong goal at this stage of the process. I frequently get e-mails from salespeople who focus on why I should buy from them. The real question in my mind, at this stage, is why should I even respond to their messages? Think of it this way — you have to get me to engage and communicate with you before you can expect me to buy from you so do not, as we say, put your cart before your horse. Instead of e-mails and phone messages that tout your company’s equipment or capabilities, consider something like this: “If I were you, I would be wondering if there is anything that makes this salesperson different from all the others who call on me. Here is how I would answer that question. I have 15 years of experience, and I think it’s fair to say I know just about everything that can go wrong with a print project. With me watching over your projects, you get to benefit from
everything I have learned, and all the mistakes I made when I was a rookie many years ago. If that would be of value to you, we should at least talk.”
This may not be your message, especially if you are short on experience, but part of the point I want to make is that this is a differentiating strategy. It is not the same “please call me because I can save you money on your printing” strategy most salespeople seem to favour.
You need to be the salesperson who engages through creativity and differentiation.
By the way, if you are short on experience, try this: “I think you should call me back because I have been working in printing sales for six months. That may not sound like something to be bragging about, but here is what I think it might mean to you. At this stage of my career, I have a very keen knowledge of how hard I must work to earn and keep someone’s business. If you do not think your current print salesperson is working that hard for you, we should at least talk.”
Creativity persistence
On a recent sales call with one of my clients, a prospect introduced me to the term drip marketing.
“We know we have a long sales cycle,” she said, “and we know it typically builds slowly, from recognition to mild interest to real interest. We have developed the strategy of telling just a little bit of our story with each communication. That way, we have something fresh to say every time, and we find this works a lot better than shooting off all our big guns at the first opportunity.”
In printing, we have a long sales cycle too, and I think drip marketing allows for an opportunity to be different. What if you design a program consisting of eight touchpoints over a 12-week period? Start with the overall story you want to tell and break it down into eight parts. For example, you could deliver three of these touches through e-mail, two by direct mail and three by phone. I would actually start this program with a call at an odd hour, in hopes of getting voicemail so I could leave a message: “My name is Dave Fellman. I am a printing salesperson and I would like to be your printer. I’d like to tell you a few things about myself and my company, but I don’t want to do it all in one sitting. Please keep an eye out for a series of communications from me. Hopefully I will convince you a little bit at a time that I am worth considering.”
Bottom line: Persistence is important but blind persistence will likely do you more harm than good. Creative persistence though, is a much different story.
DAVE FELLMAN is the president of David Fellman & Associates, a graphic arts industry consulting firm based in Raleigh, N.C., USA. He is a popular speaker who has delivered keynotes and seminars at industry events across the United States, Canada, England, Ireland and Australia. He is the author of “Sell More Printing” and “Listen To The Dinosaur.” Visit his website at www.davefellman.com.
CALLING ALL PRINTERS
A MUST-ATTEND CONFERENCE FOR ALL PRINT PROFESSIONALS LOOKING TO BUILD THEIR BUSINESS
WHY YOU SHOULD ATTEND:
• Explore new technology trends and revenue streams
• Participate in engaging panel discussions
• Hear inspiring keynotes from print leaders
• See demos of new technologies and solutions
• Engage in valuable networking opportunities
Silver sponsor Founding sponsor
CANADIAN PRINT POWER
More than 210 people from across the country attended the 13th annual Canadian Printing Awards on November 8, organized by PrintAction and parent company Annex Business Media, in what has become the country’s largest national celebration of print.
John A. Young Lifetime Achievement Award
Jacques Grégoire, President of TC Transcontinental Printing, TC Transcontinental Inc.
With close to 40 years of experience in the print world, 31 of which have been with TC Transcontinental, Grégoire has held various management positions at the company, including President of Interglobe Printing, Vice President of the Book Group, and Senior Vice President of the Magazine, Book and Catalogue Group, until he took on his current role in 2014. His in-depth knowledge of the industry and his wide-ranging experience in the company has made him a key player in many significant transactions completed by TC Transcontinental, namely the acquisition of Quad/Graphics Canada Inc.
Community Leader of the Year
Jonathan Gault, Manager of Eva’s Print Shop
A graduate of York University, Gault has over 15 years of experience working in print production, media and publishing, and has been Manager of Eva’s Print Shop since 2016. Based in downtown Toronto, Eva’s Print Shop is a commercial printer and social enterprise that trains and employs young people experiencing and at risk of homelessness. Operated by Eva’s Initiatives For HomelessYouth, Eva’s Print Shop works to help young people build lifelong skills and journey into brighter futures.
Canadian Printing Awards recipients from across the country celebrate their achievements at Toronto’s Palais Royale.
Emerging Leader of the Year
Chris Pereira, President of C17media
Engaging on his passion for marketing, Pereira launched C17media in 2010 and has led the Richmond Hill, Ont., commercial printer as President ever since. By understanding that the visual communications landscape is ever evolving, C17media has built a solid foundation focused on client relationships and innovative solutions. Pereira truly believes in giving back to the community and has aligned C17media as a partner for change.
Printing Leader of the Year
Juan Lau, Founder and CEO of ICON Digital Productions
In 1995, Lau and his partners, Peter Evans and Peter Yeung, launched ICON Digital Productions, an early pioneer in digital large-format signage and graphics. Since its inception, ICON has become a multi-faceted industry leader in the visual communications industry offering a broad range of services, including large-format display graphics, digital signage, commercial printing and video content production, among others.
Ryerson GCM volunteers Jeremy Page, Adele St-Pierre, Alvira Estepa and Allison Mackenzie.
Carla Johanns of Simpson Print, Rob Tucci of Friesens, and Maureen McElhinney of CBN Commercial Solutions.
Martin Lépine of Impression Paragraph, Jay Mandarino of C.J. Graphics, and Glenn Houston of Groupe PDI.
Michael Casey of The Lowe-Martin Group.
Joel Rudolph and Tom Rudolph of Farnell Packaging receive two gold awards for flexible packaging.
Stephen Longmire of PrintAction and Patrick Choquet of Gravure Choquet.
Janine Stone of Simpson Print looks through some of this year’s submissions.
Annex Business Media President and CEO Mike Fredericks takes the podium.
Slava Apel of Amazing Print Tech, Jim Stalford of Canon Canada, and Brad Ranson of Komcan/Komori.
Farzad Akbari of Symcor Inc.
Chris Pereira receives his Emerging Leader Award from Todd Cober of Cober Solutions.
Richard Kouwenhoven of Hemlock, Terri-Lyn Pyrchalla and Nancy Sobhy of Veritiv, and Mike Winteringham of Metropolitan Fine Printers.
PHOTOS BY TOM WANG
WORLD-CLASS PRINTING
A 10-person independent judging panel, working from a blind scoring system, poured through more than 230 submissions to determine Gold, Silver and Bronze awards across 35 Print Design and Printing categories, as well as the Best of Show winner. Recipients of the Environmental and Technology categories were determined by PrintAction and third-party industry experts based on more extensive submissions.
Best of Show
Vancouver One by Metropolitan Fine Printers
Chosen from all Print Design and Printing category entries, the 2018 Best of Show Award went to Metropolitan Fine Printers of Vancouver, B.C., for its specialty project, Vancouver One. The book was produced on a 41-inch Manroland 700 press and features a foil cover produced with PBS Gun Metal and Infinity Rose Gold.
Print Design Excellence
Publications
Gold: Sharpozz Book by Mitchell Press Ltd.
Silver: SBC Resort Guide 2018 Annual by C.J. Graphics
Bronze: SBC Skateboard Volume 19, Issue 1, by C.J. Graphics
Print Excellence
Self Promotion, printing company
Gold: 2018 Gift Journal – Think Big by Friesens Corp.
Gold: 2018 by Simpson Print
Silver: Baby It’s Cold Outside by Advocate Printing & Publishing
Silver: All About Color by CBN
Commercial Solutions
Bronze: Friesens UV Ideabook by Friesens Corp.
Packaging
Gold: Galderma – Welcome to Restylane Skinbooster Box Set by C.J. Graphics
Silver: Canadian Club Premium
Original 1858 Carton by C.J. Graphics
Bronze: Johnnie Walker Red Label Carton by C.J. Graphics
Self Promotion, printing industry supplier
Gold: Let’s Rock by Gravure Choquet
Silver: Wistful Wanderings & Co.
Promotional Book by Canon Canada Inc.
Bronze: Xerox Colour Reignited Carton by C.J. Graphics
Marketing collateral
Gold: The Butterfly Book by Metropolitan Fine Printers
Silver: Press Kit – Konica Minolta by Impression Paragraph Inc.
Bronze: Mitchell Press Design Team
Perpetual Calendar by Mitchell Press Ltd.
Brochures & Booklets, offset
Gold: Coromandel Properties
Corporate Brochure by Hemlock Printers
Silver: Wynwood Brochure by Hemlock Printers
Bronze: Chelsea Brochure by Hemlock Printers
Miscellaneous
Gold: Saul Leiter, The Ballad of Soames Bantry by C.J. Graphics
Silver: Fiocca Book by C.J. Graphics
Bronze: Genius: 100 Visions of the Future by C.J. Graphics
Brochures & Booklets, digital
Gold: Disney Pitch by CBN Commercial Solutions
Silver: CX30 by Hemlock Printers
Silver: Value Project Book by Hemlock Printers
Bronze: Polygon Homes by Mitchell Press Ltd.
Bronze: Publication & Myths by Mitchell Press Ltd.
A record 114 awards were presented across five program sections: Industry Achievement, Print Design, Printing, Environmental and Technology.
Books, hardcover offset
Gold: Saul Leiter, The Ballad of Soames Bantry by C.J. Graphics
Silver: Musée d’art contemporain de Montréal by Groupe PDI
Bronze: Facebook Artists in Residence Book by Hemlock Printers
Business & Annual Reports
Gold: Haskayne 50th Anniversary by CBN Commercial Solutions
Silver: Tricon 2017 Annual Report by Moveable Inc.
Bronze: YVR 2017 Sustainability Report by Hemlock Printers
2018 Judging Panel
Brian Bako, Canon Canada
Martin Habekost, Ryerson University
Nick Howard, Howard Graphic Equipment
Al Kershaw, The Print Wizard
Aleks Lajtman, Koenig & Bauer
Books, softcover offset
Gold: Cirque du Soleil – Crystal, Souvenir Program by Groupe PDI
Silver: Oakridge Flipbook PUR book by Metropolitan Fine Printers
Bronze: Mirroring China’s Past by Friesens Corp.
Bronze: Culture Center – Regina Assumpta volume by Impression
Paragraph Inc.
Bronze: Liebherr Image Brochure by Simpson Print
Flyers & Leaflets
Gold: Les Trésors de la Visitation promo flyer by Impression Paragraph Inc.
Silver: Evermaven, People + Planet + Profit Brochure by C.J. Graphics
Bronze: Mackenzie Investments, Investors Guide by C.J. Graphics
Calendars
Gold: FOIL FX calendars by Gravure Choquet
Silver: 2018 by Simpson Print
Bronze: Lyden 2018 Calendar by Hemlock Printers
Catalogues
Gold: Hermes, Toronto Brochure by C.J. Graphics
Silver: Steven Heinemann Culture and Nature Catalogue by C.J. Graphics
Bronze: Holt Renfrew Fall 2018 by St. Joseph Communications
Jason Lisi, Ryerson University
Marc Raad, Significans Automation
Brad Ranson, Komcan/Komori
Sean Springett, Manroland Sheetfed North America
Emily Wong, Penguin Random House Canada
Books, digital
Gold: Bosa Book Key Cover by Metropolitan Fine Printers
Silver: CP FactBook by CBN Commercial Solutions
Bronze: Ark Land by Webcom, a division of Marquis Book Printing
Bronze: Directing the Story by Webcom, a division of Marquis Book Printing
Variable Data Printing
Gold: Value Project Book by Hemlock Printers
Silver: Personalized X-Mas Direct Mailer by Groupe PDI
Bronze: PyeongChang Certificates by C.J. Graphics
Web Offset
Gold: Mountain Life by Mitchell Press Ltd.
Silver: Stormtech by Mitchell Press Ltd.
Bronze: Canadian Rail Tours by Mitchell Press Ltd.
Magazines
Gold: 000 – Issue 003 by Hemlock Printers
Silver: Shift – RM Sotheby’s Magazine
Summer 2018 by The Aylmer Express Graphics Group
Silver: S Style VOLUME Magazine F/W 2017 by St. Joseph Communications
Bronze: Cervelo – Intervals Fall 2017 by The Aylmer Express Graphics Group
Bronze: Greybrook Magazine by C.J. Graphics
Labels, digital
Gold: nktr ICE by Jet Label & Packaging
Silver: Evil Spirits Vodka by Jet Label & Packaging
Bronze: SS Gourmet Antipasto by Jet Label & Packaging
Labels, flexography/ gravure
Gold: Crown Royal Let’s Celebrate by C.J. Graphics
Silver: Stillhead Distillery by Glenmore Custom Print + Packaging
Bronze: Crown Royal Tailgate Ready by C.J. Graphics
Flexible Packaging
Gold: Compliments 1.5lb Potatoes, 3 item family by Farnell Packaging
Gold: W.F. Tompkins & Sons LTD.
BBQ Wood Pellet Packaging by Farnell Packaging
Rigid Packaging
Gold: U.S. Mint American Liberty by Gravure Choquet
Silver: BUKU Sake Box by Glenmore
Custom Print + Packaging
Bronze: Canadian Club Premium
Original 1858 Carton by C.J. Graphics
Finishing
Gold: The Butterfly Effect by Pacific Bindery Services
Silver: 2018 Gift Journal – Think Big by Friesens Corp.
Silver: Orpailleur Ice Wine by Gravure Choquet
Bronze: Wynwood Green, Anthem Properties by Pacific Bindery Services
Specialty Project
Gold: Tall Tales, Long Lenses by Friesens Corp.
Silver: The Butterfly Book by Metropolitan Fine Printers
Bronze: The Lion King – 20 Years
Deluxe Edition by Friesens Corp.
Environmental Achievement
Most Environmentally
Progressive Printing Project
Gold: Facebook Artists in Residence
Book by Hemlock Printers
Silver: Montecristo Magazine by Metropolitan Fine Printers
Bronze: Virtu Collection folder by Veritiv
Most Environmentally Progressive Packaging Project
Gold: Starbucks Coffee Passport Campaign Box by C.J. Graphics
Technology Innovation
Most Progressive Printing Process, digital
Gold: Xerox Iridesse Production Press by Xerox Corp.
Silver: HP Electroink Fluorescent Yellow, Green and Orange by HP Inc.
Bronze: HP ColorUP! New Extended Gamut Solution by HP Inc.
Business Cards
Gold: FMAV Business Cards by C.J. Graphics
Silver: MDG by Gravure Choquet
Bronze: Colour Time Business Cards by Colour Time Printing + Digital
Imaging
Bronze: Moveable Business Cards by Moveable Inc.
Specialty
Effects
Gold: Saul Leiter, The Ballad of Soames Bantry by C.J. Graphics
Silver: Press Kit – Konica Minolta by Impression Paragraph Inc.
Bronze: Denalt Label by Groupe PDI
Stationery & Invitations
Gold: Cohen-Herrendorf – Rambold
Wedding Invitation by Colour Time Printing + Digital Imaging
Silver: A Night of Miracles Invitation by Hemlock Printers
Bronze: Highcon Engage VIP Event Invitation by C.J. Graphics
For more information about the awards program, how to apply, as well as coverage of past winning projects and industry leaders, please visit CanadianPrintingAwards.com
Most Progressive Printing Process, production inkjet
Gold: Océ VarioPrint i200 by Canon Canada Inc.
Most Environmentally Progressive Technology Company
Gold: HP Canada
Most Environmentally Progressive Printing Company
Gold: The Lowe-Martin Group
Silver: Hemlock Printers
Bronze: Symcor Inc.
Most Progressive Printing Process, wide format
Gold: Jeti Tauro H3300 UV LED
Hybrid Inkjet Printer by Agfa Inc.
Gold: Océ Arizona High Flow Vacuum by Canon Canada Inc.
Most Progressive Printing Process, software or IT
Gold: ePrintDesigner by Amazing Print Tech
Silver: Océ TouchStone by Canon Canada Inc.
Silver: EFI Corrugated Packaging
Suite version 6 by Electronics For Imaging
Bronze: Komori KP-Connect by Komori/Komcan Inc
COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS
Exploring Eva’s Print Shop, a commercial printer and social enterprise that prepares youth experiencing homelessness for employment in the print and graphics sector
By Alyssa Dalton
Nestled in downtown Toronto, Ont., Eva’s Phoenix – one of three locations operated by Eva’s Initiatives For Homeless Youth –provides transitional housing for 50 youth, aged 16 to 24 years, for up to a full year. It also houses Eva’s Print Shop, a commercial printer and social enterprise that provides print and graphic arts training and life skills to youth experiencing and at risk of homelessness.
gram runs four times a year, with spots for up to eight trainees – aged 16 to 29 years – in each session. Along with the required 27.5 hours of print skills training per week, the cohorts also receive job readiness training such as workplace expectations and effective communication skills, and are paired with a job coach for on-going support as they take up work placements.
Eva’s Print Shop is a full-service digital printer with wide-format and bindery capabilities. All profit is reinvested into supporting shelter, food and other needs for homeless youth at Eva’s Initiatives.
Over a 7-week paid employment training course, the students – often referred to as cohorts – learn digital printing, bindery, large-format printing, prepress and design fundamentals using Adobe Creative Suite, designing items such as business cards, logos, booklets and greeting cards, all to be produced on-site in the fully digital print shop. With a Xerox Versant, a Xerox E95 black-and-white machine and two Konica AccurioPresses, the nearly 7,000-square-f00t shop doubles as a training lab for the cohorts and a commercial printer for local clients, with all profit redirected into supporting Eva’s Initiatives. The print shop also features a full bindery, complete with a creaser, a booklet machine, a cutter and a Morgana folder, as well as a growing wide-format department with Mutoh and Summa machines.
Now in its 18th year, the Graphic Communication and Print Training pro-
“Our print shop program is very unique. Since my time working in the sector, I’ve never seen a similar program. It really resonates with our youth,” Jonathan John, Manager of Training & Employment, Eva’s Initiatives for Homeless Youth, says. “For a lot of our youth, their lives have changed because of the workforce they’ve gotten into. Often times they end up pursuing higher education in the field or set up their own business. The impact it has on their lives is tremendous.”
Beginning this February, the print shop will pilot a new program that reimburses employers that take on the jobready graduates for up to 13 weeks of paid subsidized work placement, equalling just under $6,000 in wage subsidies.
“Print is one of the few industries where you can start with a ‘foot in the door opportunity’ and it can turn into anything,” Jonathan Gault, Manager of Eva’s Print Shop, says. “There are countless examples of individuals who started as operators and went on to become managers or run their own shop. While not everyone will have that same career arc, [these placements] can lead a young person to step into print.”
Symcor of Mississauga, Ont., has been providing annual bursaries to Eva’s Print Shop since 2015, and in 2018 renewed its commitment for another three years.
“Some of our most significant social and environmental accomplishments have come from our employee-led initiatives, engaging their fellow colleagues and family in support of their communities and beyond,” Jeannie White, Senior Manager, People & Culture, Human Resources, Symcor, says.
“The skills [I’ve learnt] have allowed me to add some more sparkle to my resume, create amazing designs for my own
brands and others, and have opened new doors to opportunities I probably wouldn’t have been able to access [otherwise],” says 26-year-old Brooke Write. Since graduating last August, Write has been designing and selling notebooks, cards and other items, and plans to pursue a career in graphic design. “I’ve always loved design and after [taking the course], my passion just tripled.”
John explains some of the youth who enter into the program initially have no interest in the industry, but come to test out the options as part of their case plan. “It always leaves me with a good feeling when someone comes through the door and is apprehensive at the start, but ends up finishing the full program and working in the print sector. It ends up sparking an interest in someone who would have never thought of pursuing a career in this field.”
“Before starting the program, I didn’t have the slightest idea as to how big, and how necessary, the print industry is. After learning so much...it was like looking at the world in a whole new way,” Joey Huff, a March 2018 program graduate, says. “My favourite part was the process. That transition from a blank-white screen to holding a product in your hands that you’re proud of, that you created, is one of the best feelings I’ve ever felt.”
WAYS TO GET INVOLVED WITH EVA’S PRINT SHOP
Sign up to be a print shop employer. When a position opens in your organization, notify Eva’s Phoenix and you’ll be connected with candidates or recent graduates to consider.
Take on cohorts for a placement, giving them hands-on training experience.
Invite the group for open houses, tours and site visits at your facility.
Eva’s Print Shop estimates more than 70 percent of its program cohorts gain full-time work after graduation.
“It’s always been a mandate of the print shop to develop a community around the industry,” Gault says. “There’s been a considerable amount of legacy, dedication and hard work that has gone into developing the print shop and the training program. It’s an essential part of Eva’s Phoenix.”
INKJET OPPORTUNITIES
PrintAction consulted a number of print experts for their thoughts on sheetcut production inkjet press advancements, challenges and why commercial printers should invest
Production inkjet is the future — bottom line. It is the perfect marriage of the short run/variable benefits of traditional (toner) digital with offset quality and run lengths. Uptime is paramount in any manufacturing setting, and inkjet provides uptimes previously unheard of in the digital space.
The Komori Impremia IS29 truly capitalizes on that ‘marriage,’ combining the uptime, in a B2 format, with perfecting capability and instant LED-UV curing.
The crossover with lithography is high, and the complete substrate freedom will allow any commercial printer to satisfy a very broad range of needs for their clients.
It is important to note our B1 offering, the
The Komori Impremia IS29 features a UV inkjet architecture to print on a range of stocks, making it suitable for commercial printing and packaging applications.
Impremia NS40, will be commercially available in 2020, and will offer that same flexibility, uptime, reliability and quality at even faster speeds on up to 29.5 x 41inch sheets.
Andrew Gunn, Director of Production Marketing North America Operations, Xerox Corp.
Several key challenges still exist for production inkjet — first, media compatibility comes to mind. If you look out into the toner world, there are literally thousands of media available. Inkjet, while it has made strides over the past several years, still has a long way to go to be on par. Second, finishing. Inkjet vendors are creating speedier configurations every year. Once you deviate from a roll-to-roll solution in the 20-inch space, there might be further investigation needed on the most productive finishing solution available. There is no one inkjet solution to handle every type of print application. You need to understand a system’s key applications and the particular requirements. If average jobs are statements on one stock, booklets and direct mail on other stocks, the Xerox Brenva HD would be ideal. If much of a printer’s work is statement or manuals, mainly letter-sized applications with only a few types of paper, look at the Xerox Rialto 900. For printing catalogues or high-end direct mail, the Xerox Trivor 2400. It all comes down to understanding your needs and selecting a solution that addresses what you need today, and allowing for future expansion and growth.
Norm Bussolaro, Senior Director of Marketing, Konica Minolta Business Solutions (Canada)
Digital inkjet offers ease of personalization, the ability to print on thick stocks, reliable feed capability, automated frontback and colour registration, and more. Konica Minolta’s flagship inkjet printer, the AccurioJet KM-1, offers various advantages, including the ability to print on a wide range of uncoated, coated and textured paper; capabilities for 6-up printing (B2+); specially-formulated UV ink which eliminates the need for drying and curing; and printing without the need for special stocks or pre-treatment. Still, inkjet struggles to gain widespread acceptance from the industry. Traditional lithographic printing methods have cemented a reputation for consistent quality, and many are hesitant to make an investment in something new, while others are making the jump to or supplementing their capabilities with inkjet and, as short-run and variable data printing’s popularity continues to grow, the business case for this will become stronger and stronger
Ed Pierce, Product Marketing Manager, Fujifilm North America, Graphic Systems Division
There are two key reasons why printers should invest in inkjet today: 1. Run lengths have decreased to the point that many jobs (can be upwards of 60 percent of overall jobs but only 20 percent of overall impressions) simply are not suited for offset and certainly not profitable for the commercial printer; and 2. Not to get left behind. Commercial printers don’t want to find themselves in a position where they are not able to offer what others that have invested in inkjet technology can. Scrambling to dig out of being so far behind can prove almost impossible. Fujifilm’s J Press is often referred to as better than offset. Featuring the Fujifilm Dimatix Samba printheads along with Fujifilm’s recently released ColorPath SYNC Brand Color Optimizer, Fujifilm has announced its third generation of the J Press — an even more productive device running at 3,600 static or variable sheets per hour and a new maximum sheet size of 23 x 26.5 inches.
With the demand for inkjet pages expected to grow, Xerox has increased the output capacity for the Brenva HD by more than 50 percent, as well as introduced expanded stock choices and roll-feed capabilities.
Philip Hampson, Sr. Director, PPS Sales, Canon Professional Printing Solutions Group (PPSG)
Fujifilm last November introduced the third generation J Press 750S, generating 3,600 B2 sheets per hour, for both static and variable jobs.
The flexibility, control and cost-effectiveness of inkjet have always appealed to the graphic arts market. However, limits such as print quality, media choices, and ability to print on coated stock have deterred the realization of inkjet’s full potential. With the new wave of high-speed presses producing quality results on untreated coated offset stocks, commercial printers are recognizing inkjet as a relevant and cost-effective production tool. The changing dynamics in marketing communications have created a demand for shortened runs, personalization/customization, and diversification in print offerings. Commercial printers thriving in this space are no longer just curious about inkjet but searching out vendors to help position their business for growth. Leveraging core technologies honed in the transaction and direct marketing segments, Canon has produced an award-winning graphics portfolio. This technology is backed by a specialized Canadian team dedicated to transitioning commercial printers to production digital inkjet. Herein lies the last challenge for commercial printers — their willingness to adapt their aging analogue workflow toward a modern digital inkjet workflow.
Those making the investment have quickly come to value the agility and time- and labour-savings inherent to inkjet and are seeing their businesses poised for growth.
Tim Wakefield, President, Insource Corp.
Today, production print shops and inplants alike are investing in inkjet so they can reduce the cost of printing in colour, enhance black print, and grow their revenue streams with added-value applications like variable data envelope printing, personalization and high-volume transactional printing. Insource distributes RISO inkjet technology. The top-end printer, the ComColor GD9630 Series, is well-suited for all commercial printers looking to complement their current toner fleet with the flexibility to shift jobs to lower-cost inkjet and draw new customers looking to convert monochrome work to affordable colour print. The ComColor GD9639 prints at speeds up to 160 ppm and prices out at one-tenth of the cost of other production inkjets that print at comparable speeds, making it an affordable option to any printer looking to take advantage of colour inkjet without making a large capital investment.
Responses have been edited and condensed for length.
Short-run finishing
Short-run finishing opportunities continue to emerge as demand for quick-turnaround capabilities and variable data print increase
Rollem Insignia X3
Rollem recently launched its latest Insignia die-cutter model, designed to die-cut materials up to 30 pt. thickness. Suitable for ID cards, gift cards, school IDs and memberships, the ISX3 is designed for flexible sheet sizes of 24 x 24 inches, enabling the ability to feed sheets either portrait or landscape. It performs various functions such as die-cutting, kiss-cutting, embossing, creasing and perforating in a single pass. It is also suitable for digital printers offering customized products including craft boxes, labels, retail hang tags and more.
Intec ColorFlare CF350, CF750
Intec Printing Solutions has introduced the ColorFlare CF350 and CF750 as part of the ColorFlare range of lamination and foiling equipment. Unveiled at The Print Show UK and Print 18, the CF350 and CF750 are expected to begin shipping this January. The ColorFlares are compact dual laminator and foil flaring solutions designed to offer commercial printers, marketers and designers in-house decorative effects. Primarily designed for short-run, on-demand digital applications as well as lamination for traditional litho output, the company explains the models can open up new opportunities for the production of greetings cards, vouchers, security print, packaging, book jackets and labels. The CF350 offers the flexibility of laminating and
foiling, and boasts softer feed rollers for foiling trickier items such as envelopes without any detrimental effects from the pressure required to achieve a foil finish.
Highcon consumables
Highcon in October 2018 introduced a new range of consumables for its digital cutting and creasing machines: DART Premium and DART Economy consumables. The consumables, it says, have been developed to suit paper, folding carton and corrugated boards. The Highcon DART technology, implemented in the DART resin, DART foils and DART counter, aims to open up a range of digital potential to the previously analogue process. The digitally driven rule shape (geometry – cross-section) and dimensions (height versus width) can now be automatically adapted, and if necessary by grain direction, depending on the application or substrate thickness, Highcon explains. Also, since there is no die-cutting form and the two processes of cutting and creasing are separated on the Highcon machines, there is no restriction to cutting or etching on a crease, it adds. DART Premium Consumables boast reusable foil that can be reused three to five times, rapid writing of rules (~10 minutes for the first job), a substrate gamut – paper or folding carton up to 600μ and corrugated up to 3mm (Euclid IIIC only), and savings of up to 80 percent in consumables cost.
New Xanté En/Press configurations
Xanté has announced two new configurations for its En/Press Multimedia Digital Press. Customers can choose extended paper
handling with either two additional adjustable input trays or a single additional high-capacity letter/A4 tray. Both configurations can be used along with the Enterprise High Speed Feed System. Customers who choose the additional two adjustable trays get the convenience of five total input source choices, including the Enterprise High Speed Feed System, on the En/Press. Three of the four input trays are adjustable up to 12.6 x 18 inches, bringing its total cut-sheet capacity to 2,200 sheets. Having multiple trays, each with a capacity of up to 550 sheets, means fewer interruptions to change paper stocks or sizes, Xanté says. The company explains choosing the single large capacity input tray configuration gives customers an additional 2,000 sheets of letter/A4 media capacity in addition to the standard 550-sheet letter/A4 tray and the 550-sheet adjustable tray included with the En/Press.
MCT VersaTech2
MCT Digital in July 2018 released a mid-level flatbed cutter solution for package prototyping and shortto medium-run production. The VersaTech2 system comes in 1.6-metre, 2.5-metre or 3.2-metre flatbed or full conveying versions, including full cutting lengths up to 6.4 metres. The new offering can be configured as flatbed cutters without automation for prototyping, or with the addition of board feeding, conveying and offloading capabilities to be used as a short-run packaging solution. The solutions
Last November Xanté Corporation announced Sydney Stone as its exclusive distributor for the Canadian market.
run at a speed of up to 78 inches per second. Included in the flatbed system are a knife, creasing tools and a full cutting mat underlayment. MCT explains the system can also be fitted with an extended conveyor to improve offloading capabilities, and are capable of incorporating MCT’s laser solution.
Esko Kongsberg C66
Esko in November 2017 launched the Kongsberg C66, a finishing table designed for short-run production of corrugated applications. Esko explains its combination of size, speed and precision on heavy-duty rigid materials, like corrugated cartons, make it a viable alternative to conventional die-cutting equipment for shortrun corrugated production of packaging and POP displays. The Kongsberg C66 can run at 100 metres per minute and handle either manual multi-zone production of large 2.2 x 3.2-metre sheets or single-zone production of large 2.5 x 4.8-metre corrugated sheets. The Kongsberg C66 is also capable of processing other materials required in the protective packaging environment, including foam cushioning materials.
Duplo DDC-810 Spot UV
In April 2017, Duplo launched its DDC-810 Digital Spot UV Coater, which utilizes inkjet technology and gives images depth and raised textures with a gloss varnish – described by the company as elevated spot UV embellishment. It features a CCD camera recognition system ensuring image-to-image registration and PC Controller software. Designed for short-run applications, the DDC810 can process up to 21 sheets per minute (A3) and paper weights from 157 to 450 gsm (coated paper). Anthony Gandara, project manager at Duplo USA, says the DDC-810 is for printers who want to “add elevated spot UV embellishment to their products.”
The Esko Kongsberg C66 finishing table can run at 100 metres per minute.
New swissQprint roll-to-roll printer
This May swissQprint will present a new dedicated roll-to-roll printer at FESPA in Munich, Germany. Technical specifications for the new product will be kept under wraps until the grand reveal at the tradeshow. The UV roll-to-roll printer will be called Karibu, the company says, and will complement the existing flatbed range.
Sun Chemical SunLit Publish inks
After introducing SunLit Publish in a number of European countries, Sun Chemical is now extending the availability of its sheetfed offset process inks to printers throughout the rest of Europe and the world. Formulated for high-speed printing and high mechanical resistance on a variety of paper stocks, SunLit Publish is designed to improve both bindery handling and productivity, and reduce turnaround time, Sun Chemical explains. For commercial and publication print work, such as business reports, art catalogues, 4-colour books and brochures, SunLit Publish aims to deliver balanced colour reproduction and high print gloss, especially on matte or semi-matte paper that doesn’t require a water-based or oil-based coating. Sun Chemical explains
SunLit Publish is compliant with ISO 2846-1 (colour and transparency standards) and helps to achieve ISO 12647-2 (Process Standard Offset) standard tolerances.
Mutoh DH-21 dye-sub ink
Mutoh America describes its new DH-21 dye-sublimation ink as a high-load performance ink designed to achieve high-density colours with less ink consumption. Compatible with ValueJets 1948WX, 1638WX, 1938WX and 1624WX printers, the ink boasts a range of features including: high transferability, consistent colours under various lighting conditions, versatility in media usage, and the ability to print on a wide range of media thicknesses. Customers can choose between four CMYK colours in 1000-ml or 1-litre bags.
Mutoh DH-21 dye-sublimation inks aim to deliver
New swissQprint Karibu roll-to-roll printer will be unveiled at FESPA 2019.
latest digital front end (DFE) technology, EFI Fiery FS350 Pro software, will give graphic arts professionals more power, productivity and versatility in digital printing. The new Fiery offering, which EFI debuted at its annual Connect Users conference in January, will be available starting this quarter. New DFEs based on EFI Fiery FS350 Pro software, the company explains, will drive digital printers and presses from manufacturers of sheetfed, high-speed continuous feed, B1 folding carton, and corrugated digital production systems, including both toner and inkjet technologies. EFI says Canon will be the first to launch a new DFE featuring Fiery FS350 Pro in the near future. The new release boasts: Enhanced image control with Fiery JobMaster software; support for Adobe APPE 4.4; more efficient system maintenance; CMYK+ support; and new Fiery make-ready features.
MGI integrates Memjet DuraLink tech into new AlphaJET B1
MGI Digital Technology, a French manufacturer of digital printing presses and finishing solutions, has integrated Memjet’s DuraLink printing technology into its new AlphaJET B1 inkjet printing and embellishment press, making it the first 40-plus-inch sheetfed press to integrate the DuraLink inkjet printheads, ink and modules, it says. According to the companies, this is also the first 5-colour digital printing system to offer decorative special effects such as 2D/3D UV dimensional textures and variable embossed foil. They say the AlphaJET consolidates the functionality of traditionally separate, disconnected operational workflows such as primer coating, printing and embellishment and converting them into a single, combined Industrial Print Factory for complete job management. The AlphaJET utilizes the new Memjet DuraLink ink, modules and printheads for CMYK colour impressions with 1,600 dpi
resolution. The white and clear varnish inks use UV inkjet technology, boasting “best-of-breed convergence” of digital-printing methods. This array of high-speed ink deposition processes allows the AlphaJET to both print and embellish corrugated flute board, paper, plastic and synthetic substrates at 1,800 B1 sheets per hour.
Techkon ChromaQA 4.0
Techkon describes the new ChromaQA version 4.0 as an advanced colour quality solution designed to reduce the number of remakes by working to detect colour problems early in the production process. Version 4.0 introduces a new, optional software module, the Automation Agent, that allows a printer’s existing MIS/prepress system to interface directly with the ChromaQA Cloud Server for automated job creation workflow. Accessed via a software API or input “hot folder,” MIS systems can send colour and job information directly to ChromaQA for jobs to be automatically created and sent to the job queue, thus eliminating the need for customer service or prepress staff to input this data into ChromaQA, Techkon says.
CGS-ORIS adds Barbieri
CGS-ORIS will begin selling Barbieri North America colour management measuring devices, including the Spectro LFP qb spectrophotometer, to complement its colour management software solutions. Barbieri explains the fully automatic Spectro LFP qb will help open possibilities to measure reflection and transmission media using different measurement apertures. According to ORIS, users of Barbieri measurement technology will be able to expect a wider range of spectrophotometry choices, process control for accurate colour reproduction; and flexibility in colour management, with a range of substrate measurement capabilities.
MacDermid Alkemi
MacDermid Graphics Solutions in
The press will offer decorative special effects such as variable
foil.
embossed
January announced a new direction for its line of screen printing solutions, which until now have been sold under the Autotype and CPS brands. The company announced it will be unifying both brands under a new name, Alkemi, and revealed a new logo, tagline and website, a move it says will better position itself to become a leader of screen films, emulsions and screen preparation chemicals. “The new brand identity reflects MacDermid’s long history of producing the highest quality products in the market, designed to produce reliable, consistent, quality prints, enabling printers to exceed their customers’ needs and achieve the best possible results,” the company explains.
X-Rite eXact Auto-Scan
X-Rite describes its new eXact Auto-Scan as a versatile scanning solution that combines the portability of a handheld spectrophotometer with the speed of an automated scanning system to help offset print environments cut their makeready time by more than 30 percent. With the goal of minimizing human error, the eXact Auto-Scan integrates with closed-loop and third-party solutions such as Rutherford Graphics and Digital Information; supports G7, PSO, ISO, SCTV, and Japan Color; provides access to the latest Pantone libraries and PantoneLIVE standards; and delivers fully automated capabilities with readings under 15 seconds. The system is also designed to enhance spot colour handling with the creation and management of standards and colour libraries on each device, X-Rite explains. It also provides immediate reporting of colour data through Bluetooth technology, allowing the user to make prompt adjustments to the press run. Part of the recently expanded eXact family, the eXact Auto-Scan can be offered as a stand-alone system or an add-on for existing eXact Standard or Advanced customers.
Aleyant tFLOW version 10
Aleyant is offering version 10 of Aleyant tFLOW, a digital workflow automation and customer service solution for commercial, large-for-
The eXact Auto-Scan was on display at Color19 Conference in San Diego.
mat, label and specialty graphics businesses. The latest update boasts a number of enhancements designed to make individual users more productive and improve team communication. A key enhancement in tFLOW version 10, Aleyant says, is that it can now run on the Linux operating system, meaning tFLOW can now be configured for larger virtual machines with scalable and dynamic flexibility, which is especially important in high-volume environments. In addition, tFLOW version 10 includes: Unified messaging – a centralized messaging centre where users can read and post comments on any job or order, all from the same window; automated archiving – tFLOW will automatically move all unused files to archival drives; and personal upload links – each user is given a personal upload link during account creation that can be used to upload artwork to tFLOW when file submission occurs prior to order and job creation in the MIS or ERP system.
Summa F3232, F3220
Cutting plotter manufacturer Summa is introducing two new sizes of its finishing flatbed systems: the F3232 and F3220. Leveraging the technology of the Summa F Series, the new flatbeds are expected to be ready for shipment by April. Both new flatbed cutters cover a working width of 3.2 metres for printing large rolls of textiles, Summa says. As well, both models are suitable for cutting board sizes of 3 x 2 metres. Additionally, the F3232 with its working area of 3.2 x 3.2 metres has the inclusive feature, Summa’s Tandem Mode, designed to increase productivity of the customer’s workflow by using the front zones and rear zones alternately. The Tandem Mode will be most beneficial when processing board sizes of 1.5 x 3 metres, the company explains. “Together with the recent launch of a more powerful HT RM, both the F3232 and F3220 are the ideal workhorses to serve the textile market in the processing of all sorts of mesh fabrics, flags and banners,” says Geert Pierloot, Summa Product Development Manager.
2. SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY — Die crease without a die, then fold and even glue all on the same machine, up to 30 pt.
3. INTEGRATED MODULAR UNITS — Combined in-line finishing: crease, fold, glue, tipping, envelope inserting, ink jetting (Duplex), clip seal (3 sides), mail prep.
4. SAVE ON POSTAGE COSTS
—As a Certified Canada Post Direct Marketing Specialist, we get contract pricing reductions.
5. RETURN MAIL PRODUCTS — Customized “Return Mailers” created in-line with “U” or “BOX-shape” remoistenable glue, time perfed applications and envelope formation.
6. MINI-BOOKLETS — Saddle-stitch and trim 2-up booklets in-line to the size of a business card. No need to trim off-line, or do 2 passes.
7. HIGH SPEED EQUIPMENT — High speed Tipping, Folding, Saddle-stitching and soft folding ensuring on time delivery.
Solutions for the Printing Industry
Durst Tau 330 RSC E UV
The Durst Tau 330 RSC E UV inkjet single-pass press aims to deliver affordable digital production.
Xeikon Walldeco Discovery
Durst, a manufacturer of digital printing and production technologies, has introduced the Tau 330 RSC E UV inkjet single-pass press for small and medium converters in the mid-tier market. The new press model is field upgradable to the full Durst Tau RSC high-speed press at full eight colours and 78 linear metres/min, the company explains. Durst notes a production capacity of 1020 m²/hour is achievable with a printing speed of 52 linear metres/ min at full colour including white, while high pigmented inks are designed to reduce ink consumption by up to 20 percent per square metre. Available in 330-mm and 244-mm print widths, the new Tau 330 RSC E UV offers options for four colours or four colours with white in full-speed mode. Its native resolution of 1,200 x 1,200 dpi combined with its smallest drop size of 2 picolitres delivers photo-like quality, according to the company. All options from the Tau 330 RSC can be fitted to the new E UV model, which include the chill roller, variable data printing or external jumbo winders. The new Tau 330 RSC E UV runs at 52 linear metres/ min and can have up to eight colour stations (CMYK-W-OVG); prepress Durst Workflow Label software is also offered.
The Xeikon Walldeco Discovery Solution made its debut at Heimtextil 2019 in early January in Frankfurt, Germany. The entrylevel solution, the company says, is positioned to support operations taking their first steps in wall decoration applications. Designed for short-run wall decoration production, the solution will deliver 1200 dpi at speeds up to 300 m²/hour, says Xeikon, explaining that the central element is the 4-colour Xeikon 3050 entry-level industrial production press. As well, it is scalable up to a capacity of 900 m²/hour when producing with the Xeikon CX500. After printing, the web varnishing module provides the option for inline varnishing of the wallpaper, and at the end of the line, the wallpaper medium rewinder outputs the finished rolls ready for further logistics.
RSA V10.3 WebCRD
The latest version of the Rochester Software Associates (RSA) WebCRD web-to-print software includes: Drag-and-drop file uploads for faster ordering; document preflight alerts that detect and alert about common file issues; and a download feature that tracks digital services and items using the WebCRD catalogue.
LEADING TORONTO PRINT MANAGEMENT FIRM HAS AN OPENING FOR A PRINT ESTIMATOR.
The ideal applicant will have experience estimating for all print solutions, particularly corrugate displays. Understanding of print disciplines i.e. Sheet Fed Lithography, Digital Large and Small Format, Flexo, Web, Die-cutting, bindery preferred. Experience with corrugate displays required. Must be detail-oriented, able to prioritize, meet changing deadlines, communicates effectively – verbally and electronically with coworkers and clients.
Requirements: Must have 5-7 years printing estimating experience. Must have ability to create imposition for Sheet Fed Lithography Must have excellent communication skills. Must have excellent organizational skills, High school Graduate, required Post-Secondary Education/ Training with print estimating. Required computer skills – Microsoft Excel and Word, Understanding using an FTP, Adobe Creative Suite skills an asset.
Position includes: Competitive Salary, Benefits, Profit Sharing and RRSP contribution.
Please send your resume confidentially to: Godin Productions Ltd. therese@godinproductions.com
LEADING TORONTO PRINT MANAGEMENT FIRM HAS AN OPENING FOR A PRINT PROJECT MANAGER.
The ideal applicant will have experience for all print solutions. Understanding of print disciplines i.e. Sheet Fed Lithography, Digital Large and Small Format, Flexo, Web, Die-cutting, bindery preferred. Experience with corrugate displays required. Must be detail-oriented, able to prioritize, meet changing deadlines, communicate effectively – verbally and electronically with coworkers and clients.
Requirements: Must have 5-7 years print experience. Must have excellent communication skills. Must have excellent organizational skills, required Post-Secondary Education/Training with print. Required computer skills – Microsoft Excel and Word, Able to use an FTP, Google Drive, Adobe Acrobat and Adobe Creative Suite skills an asset.
Position Includes: Competitive Salary, Benefits, Profit Sharing and RRSP contribution.
Please send your resume confidentially to: Godin Productions Ltd. therese@godinproductions.com
PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
Production Assistant required for fastpaced digital printing environment. Exciting opportunity to join a digital leader as a Production Assistant.
Parker Pad & Printing is looking for someone that has experience and/or willing to train/learn in a fast paced digital printing environment. The role involves working with the Production Manager to process new orders from clients, create production dockets, order supplies, as well as working on various tasks on the production floor.
The successful candidate will be motivated to learn and excel in a fastpaced environment, be a self-starter that can work independently and have computer experience with Microsoft Office. Related experience is preferred. Email resume to: mark.wegener@parkerpad.com Website: www.parkerpad.com
AFTERNOON PRINT CSR
Rayment & Collins is a marketing communications firm established in 1989. Our professional services include design, brand management, direct marketing, page composition, interactive & online
applications, data driven solutions, litho and variable printing.
We are seeking an Afternoon Print Production Co-ordinator to join our growing team.
The successful applicant will: Be responsible for interaction with multiple clients and managing day-to-day workflow. Have logical problem solving skills and be creative in troubleshooting. Be capable of working in a team environment to meet client deadlines. Have a very keen eye for detail and strong quality control skills.
Requirements: Offset and digital print production experience. Mac proficient with preflighting skills. Thorough understanding of most recent versions of Adobe Creative Suite, Acrobat and FTP software with knowledge of Filemaker Pro an asset. Strong communication skills. Self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple projects with tight deadlines. Possess a thorough understanding of pre-media and print. Knowledge of bindery processes. Knowledge of estimating as asset.
Only those qualified for this position should apply. Email resume to: hr@raymentcollins.com Website: www.raymentcollins.com
Sakurai: 1, 2 or 4 colours and any size (newer model)
Polar: any size/older or newer models (66/72/76/78/82/90/92/107/115)
Horizon-BQ: 220/240/260/440/460
Emily Wong / Associate Analyst, Consumer & Digital Marketing / Penguin Random House Canada
An integral component of the Canadian Printing Awards is the dedication, expertise and keen eye of the esteemed judging panel. PrintAction spoke with Emily Wong, Associate Analyst, Consumer & Digital Marketing at Penguin Random House Canada and judge for the past six years, for her thoughts on the relevancy of print in an increasingly digital world.
PA: Why do you continue to support the Canadian Printing Awards?
EW: I have participated on the judging panel since 2013. To be surrounded by some of the print industry’s finest quality of work and to work alongside many leaders who bring many years of experience and expertise is a huge honour. As the only female member on the Canadian Printing Awards judging panel for the last six years, I feel empowered to represent and support this program by contributing a different perspective on the team.
PA: How would you describe the quality and calibre of Canadian print?
EW: When I look back at the entries over the years, the advancements in technology is evident by the high quality of execution across categories. The print quality between offset and digital has become more and more comparable. From magazines to packaging, there are fewer printing flaws as presses integrate with technology, such as artificial intelligence. Companies are competing not only on experience, but against technology. It is exciting to see how companies continue to emerge as leaders of innovation and showcase the talent and technology behind each submission.
PA: What excites you most about print?
EW: The tangible experience! Although print has become a traditional medium, I am so thrilled to see the creative opportunities and capabilities it will have as we continue to think outside of the box. Whether it is variable data printing to enhanced personalization or the ability to 3D print stem cells, the innovations and technology rooted from this industry will continue to impact so many others.
PA: How does print fit into a digital future?
EW: Although the future has moved toward a digital landscape and technology continues to advance, the print industry will become more integrated with devices and digital media. Augmented reality and intelligent packaging are two topics that have been explored for many years in print, and this is only beginning to touch the tip of the iceberg in today’s society. I’m excited to see the many more ways print and digital will integrate in the future.
PA: Why do you think print continues to be relevant?
79%
Statistics Canada’s 2017 Survey of Innovation and Business Strategy found that innovation was implemented by nearly 80 percent of Canadian enterprises between 2015 to 2017, with innovation being defined as the introduction of new or improved products and operational methods.
EW: Print will always be relevant. Regardless of how digital media continues to integrate into our daily lives, print will never be fully replaced. From a marketing perspective, print and digital media are integrated. People are constantly interacting on their phones and through social media, being exposed to hundreds of digital ads daily and our attention span can only retain so much. When people interact with print media, they are engaging and processing the content on a deeper, emotional level. To be the most effective, marketers will need to integrate both media to enhance the awareness and engagement generated by their campaigns.
PA: How has your perception of print and the graphic communications industry changed since taking the Ryerson GCM program?
EW: I have such an appreciation for the foundational skills that the GCM program has instilled on me. My perception has not changed — it has only further strengthened my belief that graphic communications continues to be relevant. The trends we learned in class were so ahead of the time
in comparison to other industries. It excites me to see how students are being prepared to become leaders to make an impact for the future.
I currently work at Penguin Random House Canada, which is the Canadian division of the largest trade book publisher in the world. Every day I am surrounded by so many passionate people who are working towards making a positive impact in our world through books. It feels amazing to be part of a movement that helps to put physical books into the hands of readers.
My background in graphic communications technology and marketing theory has been invaluable to me at this company. The program taught me not only the in-depth history and hands-on experience, but how to be able to work in an agile work environment and adapt to change, which is a constant in this industry. I can only see myself continuing to pursue a career where my skills and experience in graphic communications can be applied.
Interested in becoming a member of the Canadian Printing Awards judging panel? Contact the editor at adalton@annexbusinessmedia.com.
100% PCW RECYCLED PAPERS
Let virtu be a standard of good
Veritiv is proud to offer our 100% PCW recycled paper virtu collection. We have partnered with Arjowiggins Graphic, a leading manufacturer of recycled papers. We share a commitment to provide cutting-edge sustainable coated and uncoated recycled papers that provide consistent high quality and excellent performance.
When your end-product needs to meet a high standard of sustainability, trust the virtu collection to deliver the best results.
Cocoon® Silk
A true coated recycled paper manufactured using a totally chlorine free process and certified as FSC® 100% PCW recycled. Meets the same performance standards as non-recycled paper, along with excellent runnability, printability and whiteness.
Cocoon® Uncoated
A top quality, 100% PCW recycled, offset opaque paper with excellent whiteness. Offering an ultra smooth surface, consistent finish and excellent printability along with the best opacity.
Unlike anything currently available, the Acuity Ultra produces almost photographic quality at unprecedented speeds of up to 236 sq. m per hour, ideal for high-end interior graphics. And with a new low film weight and high-density UV ink, running costs are impressively low. Capable of printing on up to three 160 cm rolls simultaneously, as well as graphics up to 500cm wide, the Acuity Ultra is set to become the new super wide standard.
