The 16th annual Canadian Printing Awards took place in Toronto with nearly 50 awards handed out for print innovation and industry achievement
22 Cash in on DTG printing
Three reasons for you to consider a large-format DTG printer
24 The growth factor
Wide-format printing is destined to rise with ever more applications
DEPARTMENTS
GAMUT
5 News, People, Installs
8 Calendar
NEW PRODUCTS
26 Introducing new solutions from Heidelberg, HP, Fujifilm, Battlefield Press, and Tecnau
TECH REPORT
The rise and fall of Robert Maxwell 13 22 30 24
27 A look at some of the new technologies that have entered Canada
SPOTLIGHT
30 Alec Couckuyt, president, Maracle
COLUMNS
FROM THE EDITOR
4 Nithya Caleb
A winter of discontent
INSIDER
8 Bob Dale
Pricing and cost considerations for the New Year
CHRONICLE
10 Nick Howard
A winter of discontent
In January 2022, a bounce back in the markets from a pandemic-induced recession was the general expectation. However, the Omicron variant and the Russia-Ukraine war turned economic forecasts upside down this year. Finance minister Chrystia Freeland has repeatedly warned the coming months would be brutal for Canadians.
renewed or initiated mortgages at higher interest rates. In October, average hourly wages rose 5.6 per cent on a year-over-year basis, meaning that, on average, prices rose faster than wages.
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In October 2022, the Consumer Price Index rose 6.9 per cent on a year-over-year basis.
“Our economy will slow. There will be people whose mortgage rates will rise. Businesses will no longer be booming. Our unemployment rate will no longer be at its record low. That’s going to be the case in Canada. That will be the case in the U.S. and that will be the case in economies big and small around the world,” Freeland said at a news conference earlier this fall. “There are still some difficult days ahead for Canada’s economy. To say otherwise would be misleading.”
The Bank of Canada has been steadily raising interest rates to cool down inflation. In October 2022, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 6.9 per cent on a year-over-year basis, , matching the increase in September.
Excluding food and energy, prices rose 5.3 per cent year over year in October, following a gain of 5.4 per cent in September.
Prices for food rose less in October (+10.1 per cent) compared with September (+10.3 per cent) on a year-overyear basis. Prices for meat (+5.5 per cent), fresh fruit (+8.9 per cent), and fresh vegetables (+11.0 per cent) increased at a slower pace in October compared with September, contributing to the deceleration in food prices.
Despite the slowdown in price growth, prices for food purchased from retail stores (+11.0 per cent) continued to increase at a faster rate year over year than the all-items CPI for the 11th consecutive month. Canadians paid more for dry or fresh pasta (+44.8 per cent), margarine (+40.4 per cent), lettuce (+30.2 per cent), rice and rice-based mixes (+14.7 per cent), and soup (+18.4 per cent), among other food items. Prices for some food commodities, such as dairy products (+10.6%) and eggs (+13.8%), increased year over year in October, mainly due to approved producer price increases from their respective governing boards.
In October, higher prices at the gas pump put upward pressure on the allitems CPI. Additionally, Canadians
Faster price growth for gas and mortgage interest costs were moderated by slowing price growth for food. As Avery Shenfeld of CIBC explained, “We’re going to see a detour from the path toward slower inflation, as a bump in gasoline prices pushes the headline rate higher this month, and possibly for one more month ahead. Crude oil prices aren’t really going anywhere, however, and if that continues, we’ll get a nice downward tug on inflation as we move further in 2023. To some extent, markets are a bit premature in hoping for a broader disinflation just yet because we’ll need to get into more of the slowing impacts of interest rate hikes before that really shows up, which again will be a 2023 story. Manufacturing shipments look headed for a dip in the other key release, and the Bank of Canada will be eyeing its Loan Officers survey for signs on how its tightening cycle is impacting credit markets.”
His colleague and senior economist Andrew Grantham believes Canada doesn’t need a recession to contain inflation for the following reasons. Unlike the U.S., we don’t have excess demand in Canada. Further, Canadians are more sensitive to interest rate hikes. A one per cent hike tends to reduce CPI by two per cent because of high household debt.
The red flag, though, is that most of the inflation we’re experiencing now is driven by supply chain constraints. If these conditions persist, interest rates would be high to control inflation. This could tip us into a recession.
Grantham hopes even if the Canadian economy experiences a recession, it wouldn’t be a deep one. Since Canada didn’t benefit much from the global export market recovery, it may not fall a lot during the economic downturn. Further, Canada has the potential to become a part of the solution to overcome supply chain constraints. These factors could hold us in good stead during the winter of discontent.
NITHYA CALEB Editor ncaleb@annexbusinessmedia.com
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The speed of the high-performance Kodak Magnus Q800 Platesetter has been increased once again with T-speed Plus, offering a throughput of up to 84 B1 or 8-up plates per hour (pph). The Magnus Q800 Platesetter can now output a plate every 42.9 seconds. This marks Kodak’s third speed upgrade for the Magnus Q800 in four years, with more than 40 per cent speed improvement over the former Z-Speed from 2018.
The Magnus Q800 Platesetter can also image Kodak Sonora Xtra Process Free Plates at its new top speed.
ePac Flexible Packaging purchases 50 new HP Indigo digital presses, as part of the company’s global expansion plan. This is also the largest deal ever for HP Indigo. ePac has been a principal adopter of HP Indigo digital presses since the company’s inception in 2016. Over the past six years, the company’s fleet of HP Indigo digital presses has grown enormously, overseeing large-scale investments of HP Indigo 20000 and HP Indigo 25K digital presses. The new wave of 50 HP Indigo digital presses will be distributed within 36 new and existing sites around the world.
Contact Printing and Mailing, an independent printing business in North Vancouver, has been sold and converted to Minuteman Press, North
Vancouver. Owners Bob Gibson and Dave Brown have sold the 41-year-old business to Doug Frederickson, who has been a Minuteman Press franchise owner for 28 years. Minuteman Press, North Vancouver is Frederickson’s third location. He also owns Minuteman Press in Surrey and Campbell Heights, B.C.
Hemlock Printers acquires Los Angeles-based Paper Chase Press. Founded in 1976, Paper Chase is a second generation print provider. The acquisition significantly expands Hemlock’s U.S. presence. The Paper Chase Press brand will operate as a distinct division of Hemlock. Nicole Katz, Paper Chase CEO, will join Hemlock’s leadership team as director, sales and marketing, Paper Chase Press, with oversight of all aspects of the division’s brand and e-commerce platform. Kane Austin, Paper Chase COO, will join Hemlock’s operations team as operations manager, Paper Chase Press. Austin will be responsible for customer service and all LA-based production activities.
Motion Ai, an industrial automation solution provider, opens a new, 105,000-sf facility in Eden Prairie, Minn. The new space includes regional fulfillment and sales and support centres, classrooms for employee and customer training, assembly
and fabrication shops, a proof-of-concept design area, and engineering labs for customer product and demonstration engagement. Motion Ai capabilities at this facility include conveyor and automation systems builds, robotic and machine vision solutions, expanded pneumatic and machine control solutions, machining, welding, and more.
Max Solutions acquires the Ellis Group, one of Canada’s largest family owned and operated folding carton companies. Founded more than 40 years ago, the Ellis Group currently operates three manufacturing facilities in Ontario.
Kornit Digital collaborated with furniture start-up Cozmo and London design studio Raw-Edges to digitally produce custom sofa jacket designs. Dubbed “Cheek Prints,” the collection was created with Kornit’s digital fashion and textile production solutions and designed by Raw-Edges at their London, U.K., design studio. The sofa collection was produced using Kornit’s Presto direct-to-fabric digital production system.
Printing United Alliance reveal the recipients of the 2022 Pinnacle InterTech Awards Program. The program recognizes best-in-class products created for and by the printing industry. This year’s winners are:
• Barbieri Electronic for Barbieri Spectro LFP qb textile edition;
• Canon Production Printing for Canon FLXfinish+;
• Design ‘N’ Buy for DesignO;
• Kodak for Magnus Q4800 Platesetter;
• Vivid Laminating Technologies for VeloTaper;
• W+D North America for W+D BB1000; and
• X-Rite Pantone for Mantis Video Targeting Tech.
Infigo is partnering with Tilia Labs. This partnership enables print clients to use Tilia’s Phoenix product through an Infigo storefront. Tilia Phoenix is an automated, AI-driven preproduction software for packaging, labels, commercial, and wide format. The partnership will enable print clients to order and edit their designs online through an Infigo storefront as per usual, viewing a 3D print preview of their order, including additional post-print features, such as embossing and foil stamping.
Printing United Alliance reveals the recipients for this year’s Student Scholarship Award Program. The program provides $50,000 in financial support to students attending a Printing United Alliance Educational Institution Member college or university full time for the fall 2022 semester and are pursuing a career in graphic communications, printing technology, or printing management. They must also have maintained a cumulative 3.0 grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale. Andy Huang, Jasmine Dawdy, Lorena Florea, and Manya Ganju of the Toronto Metropolitan University have earned scholarships this year.
The Kodak Magnus Q800 Platesetter now offers a throughput of 8-up plates per hour.
Motion Ai opens a new facility in Minnesota.
Kornit Digital partners with Cozmo and Raw-Edges to create and print custom sofa jacket designs.
Mitchell Press appoints Ely Ross as business solutions specialist. He will anchor Mitchell Press’s Calgary sales office. Ross brings over 20 years of hands-on technical knowledge, curiosity, and a relentless drive for problem solving. He was previously a digital production manager responsible for prepress, colour management, mail management, and facilitated custom online marketing storefronts.
Miraclon names Evan Spinosa as its new regional commercial director. In this role, he will lead the sales, service and business management teams in the United States and Canada. Based in Rochester, New York, Spinosa brings over 18 years of sales, marketing, and customer relationship experience to the role, as well as a deep understanding of Miraclon’s commercial business, having fulfilled the role of regional business manager since 2017.
Mitchell Press of Burnaby, B.C., will be home to the first Landa S10P Nanographic Printing Press in Canada.
EyeC hires Fernando Dablantes as its new sales representative for Canada. In addition to all sales activities, Dablantes’ work will focus on further developing EyeC in Canada. He is also a part of the management team for EyeC America. After completing his studies as an electromechanical engineering technician at Fanshawe College in London, Ont., Dablantes worked for several years as a technical sales representative at KOR Engineering in Oakville, Ont.
Drytac appoints Daniel Farias as technical engineer, North America. Based at Drytac’s specialist factory facility in North America, Farias’ new role is to support the business with technical sales support and product management. He will also take a lead role in all aspects of quality assurance including continual improvements, technical data sheets, external audits, and quality implementation.
Arius Technology, Richmond, B.C., installs a custom Canon Arizona flatbed printer, the first in North America. The new printer is capable of high-res printing with up to 5 mm of texture.
Flint Group Packaging appoints Terry Davis as vice-president of strategic accounts, Flexible Packaging North America. Davis will be responsible for driving the sustainable long-term growth of key flexible packaging accounts in the North American market. Davis has more than 33 years of experience in inks and coatings. He will lead the refinement and execution of Flint Group Packaging’s customer strategy while further developing executive-level relationships with strategic accounts.
SinaLite invests in a Scodix Ultra 6000 Digital Enhancement Press, the first 41-in. Scodix system to go into Canada.
December 7-8, 2022
Digital Textile Printing Conference
Durham, N.C.
December 7, 2022
DIA Christmas Luncheon & Annual General Meeting Toronto
February 27-March 2, 2023
Hunkeler Innovationdays
Lucerne, Switzerland
April 26-27, 2023
Wrap Fest
Towcester, United Kingdom
May 11-13, 2023
Graphics Canada Mississauga, Ont.
May 4-10, 2023
Interpack 2023
Dusseldorf, Germany
October 18-20, 2023
Printing United Expo Atlanta, Ga.
Dealing with inflation
Pricing and cost considerations for the new year
By Bob Dale
Athoughtful reader challenged a comment made in my May/June 2022 column,
“Paper supply: Crisis or Opportunity?” We discussed price increases, with the comment that certain cost increases cannot be passed on to customers. The reader firmly believes printers shouldn’t absorb cost increases, as it would hurt the business. However, there are costs (e.g. corrugate for cartons, ink, plates, skids, transport, etc.) that are typically not recovered when a job is invoiced. Even with a paper price escalation clause, many of these costs are not passed on.
I believe all costs must be recovered from customers, but the timing and process is different. Direct cost increases like paper can be recovered per job, but indirect expenses like rent hikes may be recovered in time.
However, it’s not practical to identify and recover the impact of a 25 per cent increase in rent from one job. If the company temporarily absorbs the cost increases, then they should plan on future recovery or offset the increase by reducing other expenses, such as staff training.
Typically, a department manager is responsible for balancing the budget, as there are ongoing changes during a fiscal year. Failure to recover costs or offset with spend reduction will result in reduced margins or profits. Repeated failure will create a loss and jeopardize the company’s financial stability.
Another method to reduce cost is to increase efficiency through improved workflow or automation. If your MIS is integrated and operating effectively, you may be able to process more orders with fewer staff and without staff burnout. Intentionally understaffing without providing your team the tools to be effective will only increase errors and turnover.
Don’t forget utilization
If your utilization has dropped to 70 per cent and is expected to stay at that level for the next year, then your budgeted hourly rate will be $143.
All costs required to run the business must be recovered through the business.
Budget estimates are based on two types of expenses. Historical costs refer to allocation of labour, overheads, utilities, equipment depreciation, maintenance, training, IT and software, misc. items, etc.These are identified in accounting records, and usually recovered through using budgeted hourly rates, (BHR). Future costs, such as paper, ink, and distribution, are as calculated, and often purchased and calculated for the specific job. BHRs are adjusted on an annual basis.
In recent times, printers were able to justify and collect paper cost increases because with the supply shortage, the paper could be used for other customers who were willing to pay. Other costs were also increasing.
New fiscal year
With a new year approaching, it is time to review the budgeted hourly rates and adjust as appropriate. However, this is not an opening to make adjustments without due considerations.You must plan to recover all costs related to the business. However, if the new rates are above market rates, you will risk losing business to competitors over time. If this is the case, then review budgets to see what discretionary costs can be reduced. Typically, the first to be reduced are training, marketing, and customer expenses. This would be a short-term corrective action because a healthy business needs to make these investments to be a successful operation.
In addition to cost, utilization impacts BHR. If your utilization has dropped from 80 to 70 per cent and is expected to stay at that level for the next year, then that will increase your BHR calculation. For example:
• $100/hour BHR cost/80 per cent = $125/hour sell rate;
• $100/hour BHR cost/70 per cent = $143/hour sell rate. The market will determine the price. Therefore, if your utilization dropped, the corrective action may not be to change the calculations, but to increase utilization through sales.
These are a few suggestions to help you plan as you move forward in 2023.
Bob Dale is co-founder of Connecting for Results, the management consulting company focused on the graphics communications industry. He can be reached at b.dale@cfrincorporated.com.
Rise and fall of Robert Maxwell
A brief history of one of the world’s most controversial press tycoons
By Nick Howard
Ian Robert Maxwell was one of the world’s most controversial and larger-than-life press tycoons. His naked body was found floating 20 mi off the coast of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands on November 5, 1991, 13 hours after his yacht’s crew lost contact with him. Was the 68-yearold pushed or simply fell overboard? No one can say, for sure.
Hell broke loose when the press discovered his demise, leading to the rapid collapse of the Maxwell Empire. The Mirror newspaper group’s employees and retirees were shocked when it was revealed Maxwell had pilfered their pension money.
There was more bad news when audits uncovered shady dealings in other parts of Maxwell’s empire, including his pledging of shares of Maxwell Communications to several big banks and promissory notes to repurchase them at higher prices.
Ownership details
Maxwell was born Ján Ludvik Hoch in 1923 to an impoverished Czechoslovak Hasidic Jewish family in the backwater town of Slatinské Doly. He owned or substantially controlled a vast array of companies, such as Pergamon Press, the Mirror Group Newspapers, New York Daily News, Berlitz language Schools, 50 per cent share in MTV-Europe, 27 per cent share of Scitex Corporation, Collier Books, Prentice Hall, Macmillan Publishers, Nimbus Records, British Printing Corporation (BPC), Oxford United Football Club, 22 per cent share of Thomas De La Rue, 49 per cent share of Donahue (Quebec paper mill), 50 per cent share of
Montreal Daily News (with Quebecor), and Hollis Bros & ESA.
1991
Maxwell was much more than a fraudster; he was a brilliant strategist who used subterfuge to manipulate the financial markets (the City) to his advantage. Possessing a charm that could coax an oyster to open its shell while slurping its neighbour, Maxwell, who learned to speak nine languages, reinvented himself to appear and sound like a London barrister, albeit with a slight, largely undefined tone that most people missed. The City was not the only one taken in by his marketing abilities. The citizens of Buckingham (near London, U.K.) twice (1964 and 1966) elected Maxwell as their Labour Party MP.
Between the wars
In 1940, Maxwell arrived in England. He didn’t know a word of English then. This didn’t prevent Maxwell from entering the British army. He quickly rose in the ranks and ended the Second World War as a decorated hero. He had the honour of receiving the Military Cross, which is “granted in recognition of an act or acts of exemplary gallantry during active.”
It was fortuitous that in 1946, Maxwell, then a captain, oversaw Berlin’s Public Relations and Infor-
mation Services Control section (PRISC). After the war ended, Germans required the Allies’ permission to put on a play or publish a newspaper or book. All these requests passed through Maxwell’s office. Meetings with Ferdinand Springer and Tönjes Lange, publisher of Der Telegraaf, and Springer-Verlag, Germany’s leading publisher of scientific books, changed Maxwell’s life. During the meeting, Springe explained his business model, which included paying low prices to scientific authors (who were only too glad to see their works published) and charging his clientele of universities and libraries fat mark-ups.
Maxwell entered a partnership with Springer. He also figured out a way to transport books out of the restricted zones in Germany. An office was set up in London to distribute technical books to colleges. Everyone in the scientific community wanted to know about Nazi-led discoveries in chemistry and rocketry. Maxwell also helped to relocate Springer’s headquarters from Berlin to the Allied-occupied city of Heidelberg.
Post-war
After decommissioning, Maxwell began trading in London. He became acquainted with an equally
Ian Robert Maxwell
Ian Robert Maxwell died on November 5, 1991.
skilled barterer in Kurt Wallersteiner. Together, they carried out risky and daring schemes. One rather amusing tale involved a sale to the newly formed communist government in Chine. The Chinese needed indigo-blue dye, but an official mistakenly added an extra “0” to the purchase order, turning a 100-ton order into 1,000 tons. The partners managed to source every pound of the dye and completed the sale. It is said that during the Korean War, Chinese soldiers were easily spotted by their American counterparts because they were wearing bright blue uniforms. Apparently, the Chinese had so much indigo-blue dye that almost everyone in China wore blue for the next 25 years.
In 1951, Maxwell changed the name of his Butterworth-Springer firm to Pergamon Press. In 1964, after a heated battle, Maxwell entered print production with a rather hostile takeover of the British Printing Corporation (BPC), Britain’s largest printer. BPC was a merger of famed printers Hazell, Watson & Viney, Sun Printers, and Purnell Group. In 1982, they would be joined by another legendary stalwart: Odhams. Shortly after, BPC became BPCC (British Printing & Communications Corporation), followed by another name change to Maxwell Communications.
Enter Milthorps
Maxwell’s takeover of Milthorp International, a used-printing machinery dealer, is a story almost lost to memory. Milthorp’s origins can be traced to 1851. It was one of the world’s largest used-printing ma-
Robert Maxwell owned the Mirror Group of newspapers in the U.K.
Bounching Czech
Harold Wilson, former British prime minister, gave Robert Maxwell the Bounching Czech moniker.
chines provider. On October 1983, BPCC agreed to purchase Milthorp for £750,000. However, BPCC’s auditors discovered Milthorp was in worse shape than anticipated and withdrew their offer, leaving the company in limbo. Receivers called in to wind up the business. Maxwell intervened and instructed Hollis, his engineering company, to buy the remnants of Milthorp.
David Hulme, the scion of the original founders of Milthorp and the driving force, was chair at the time of the takeover. Under Hulme’s stewardship, Milthorp bought and sold a complete range of machinery from gravure and web to folding carton equipment and had extensive reach around the world. Hulme was a bon vivant, larger-than-life personality who drove the business for decades. At one time, Hulme lived in a palatial estate surrounded by a moat his kids waterskied on. Hulme recounted to the author about his summons to Maxwell headquarters at Headington Hill Hall, Oxford. After staring at his shoelaces for what felt like hours, Hulme was ushered into a conference room, where Maxwell derided him for a bit and abruptly asked him to leave.
Milthorp’s acquisition would have been beneficial to BPCC, but the takeover didn’t last. Hulme and many of his colleagues quit Milthorp and started over a dozen used machinery dealerships. Many exMilthorp employees are still trading successfully today.
Last days
Robert Maxwell, considered a villain by many, and the father of nine
children, was an extraordinary man. He lost most of his family to the Holocaust. Maxwell often renounced his Jewish faith only to find it later in life.
Just before his death, Canadian print giant Quebecor bought Maxwell’s commercial printing assets. The move placed them on an even keel with the world’s largest printer, R.R. Donnelley.
Pergamon Press was sold to Elsevier, a Dutch publisher. The British conglomerate of Reach now owns the Mirror Group. The remnants of the once mighty British Printing Corporation was bundled with another old stalwart,Watmoughs, and resurfaced as Polestar, a business that managed to survive until 2016.
Meanwhile, rumours of Maxwell being connected to and receiving financial support from the U.K.’s Secret Intelligence Service were never clarified. Maxwell was also purported to be the inspiration behind the villain, Elliot Carver, in the James Bond film, Tomorrow Never Dies
There were plenty of paradoxes too in Maxwell’s life. He was a lifelong Labour supporter but was the first to crush the solid British print unions, years before Rupert Murdoch’s midnight dash to Wapping.
Maxwell’s life was never without controversy. The mysterious Lichtenstein “Trusts” made Maxwell’s finances incredibly opaque and challenging to understand. There is much more to these Trusts, or the Hoch and de Maurier legacy, as he went by all these names before settling on Maxwell. Tom Bower’s Maxwell:The Outsider, whose publication Maxwell tried hard to prevent through the courts, is a must-read.
I wish Robert Maxwell had not flown close to the sun so often. He won with a stubborn ruthlessness uncommon for a British business tycoon. Also, we can thank Maxwell for holding onto the most advanced and forward-thinking used machinery dealer the industry has ever produced: Milthorp. Maxwell’s loss was the rest of the industry’s gain.
NICK HOWARD, a partner in Howard Graphic Equipment and Howard Iron Works, is a printing historian, consultant and Certified Appraiser of capital equipment.
nick@howardgraphicequipment.com
PrintAction’s 2022 Industry Achievement winners: Brett Kisiloski, Renée Walsh and Ken Freek.
CELEBRATING CANADIAN PRINT
More than 200 people from across country attended the 16th Canadian Printing Awards in Toronto on November 10, organized by PrintAction and parent company, Annex Business Media. The gala is one of the nation’s largest celebrations of print
John A. Young Lifetime Achievement Award
Domenic Rubino, Partner, TI Group
In the 1970’s, Rubino worked in worked in sales and service at Gestetner and in sales at Intercity Papers, where he became sales manager in 1983. From 1983 to 1985, Rubino was general manager at Barber Ellis Fine Paper, then general manager at Price Daxion Industrial Supplies, and then president at Imperial Dade (Veritiv, formerly Unisource). Rubino then joined St. Joseph Printing in the 1990’s as president and led the strategic expansion into the Ottawa market as the Queens Printer/Canada Communications Group. Rubino became a partner/operator in SCL where he oversaw the merger of SCL and BGM Imaging in the late 1990’s. Rubino was also a board director at Invok Brands until 2019 and oversaw the marketing company’s expansion into both Toronto and New York. He is currently a partner at TI Group.
Community Leader of the Year
Ken
Freek, Business Improvement Specialist, Connecting for Results
Freek is the executive director, Outreach and Partner Relations, at Canadian Print Scholarships. He is associate director of OPIA as well as a member of CPIA’s Education Committee. Freek is responsible for the administration of the Canadian Print Scholarships fund and helps to attract top talent to the industry and create connections that support success. He is also a volunteer mentor in the GCM student mentorship program, Print Wisdom, where he shares his industry experience to help students bridge the gap between school and the workforce.
Emerging Leader of the Year
Brett Kisiloski, President, Print Digital
Solutions
Kisiloski recently purchased Print Digital Solutions (PDS). He is credited for PDS winning Afinia Label’s Canadian Dealer of the Year award. Kisiloski foresaw the changes in the print industry, and decided the company had to change focus. PDS went on to purchase a label equipment and sell the most Afinia label systems in Canada.
Printing Leader of the Year
Renée Walsh, President, TI Group
Walsh fell in love with graphics and print when she joined the Yearbook Committee in high school! After holding various roles in Schawk/SGK and CSW, Walsh joined TI Group as vice-president, Enterprise Sales, in 2016. She was promoted to president in December 2020. At TI, she oversees a team of 160 people. During these challenging times, Walsh successfully landed new business, including one of Canada’s largest integrated oil, gas, and convenience retail providers. In February 2020, she also helped launch a new competency in TI— visual merchandising/fabrication.
Kim Barton, sales manager, PrintAction, with Eric Wilson and Raymond Brideau of Canon Canada and Vince Tuccitto of Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems.
Mark Lillies, Christy MacCallum, Darryl Grossi, and Nuno Pereira of Printing By Innovation (PBI).
Martin Habekost of Toronto Metropolitan University hands over the Printing Leader of the Year award to Renée Walsh.
Venise Kousaie, Richard Lehmann, and Sylwia Plawinski of Canada Post.
James Donald of Ariva with Jason Foubert and Joe Carlos of Marquis Toronto.
At the gala, guests enjoyed reviewing this year’s entries.
Natalia Lumby, Kelly Kienapple and Joseph Tanel of Toronto Metropolitan University.
More than 45 awards were handed out at the 16th Canadian Printing Awards.
This year, we received over 200 entries in 47 categories. Guests had the chance to view them at the gala.
A book can spark thousand conversations. Guests were able to self-assess this year’s entries and be wowed by them.
it is a big deal: Single pass production without flipping the sheet. The Reverse Printer (RP) technology is a print production workhorse.The press also can be configured to meet the perfecting needs
Left to right: Nithya Caleb, editor, PrintAction, with Joe Banich of Heidelberg and Dave Monette of CJ Graphics.
Sheetfed
WORLD-CLASS PRINTING
A seven-person judging panel, working from a blind scoring system as well as considering factors like print process, run length, creativity, and repeatability, poured through more than 200 entries to determine the winners across 47 categories in Printing, Print Production, Environmental and Technology.
Best of Show
The Sherlock Holmes Exhibition Catalog: Hemlock Printers
Chosen from among all Print Production and Printing categories, the Best of Show Award went to Hemlock Printers, Burnaby, B.C., for the Sherlock Holmes Exhibition Catalog. The text pages were printed UV-LED four-colour process on 100 lb Mohawk Options PC White Vellum Text. The endsheets were printed UV four-colour process on both sides. The covers are unprinted linen but contain a black foil stamp on the front and spine. It has been smythe sewn and casebound with a flat back.
PRINT PRODUCTION EXCELLENCE
Publications
Winner: Oakridge Awakening Collection – MET Fine Printers
Honourable Mention: B Label_Premier Label Inc. – Lorpon Labels
Books, softcover offset
Winner: Spallacci & Sons The Moderne Book – Lowe-Martin Company Inc.
Honourable Mention: Chromatic Crisis Art Exhibition Book –Hemlock Printers
Business & Annual Reports
Winner: Royal Botanical Gardens – CJ Graphics
Calendars, sheetfed offset
Winner: Sailing Calendar 2022 –Friesens Corp.
Honourable Mention: Dig in with Mi5 – Mi5 Print & Digital
Web Flexography
Winner: Forty Creek Nanaimo Bar – Multi-Color Montreal Canada Corporation
Honourable Mention: Sandbanks
Baco Noir – Multi-Color Montreal Canada Corporation
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Packaging
(offset, rigid or digital)
Winner: Canada Post Culture Activation Box 2022 – Lowe-Martin Company Inc.
Honourable Mention: Oakley Box – CJ Graphics
Binding (stitching, perfect binding, coil, wire, case binding)
Winner: Vermont Heritage Book –Friesens Corp.
Business Cards
Winner: Marquis Cellars Business Card – Hemlock Printers
Honourable Mention: Canadian Centre – CJ Graphics
Hybrid Project, digital and offset
Winner: Cougar Promotion –CJ Graphics
Honourable Mention: DeSantis Homes–Century Book –Printing By Innovation
Honourable Mention: Richard Kehl
Art Book – Hemlock Printers
Honourable Mention: Landrover –CJ Graphics
ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENT
Most Environmentally Progressive Printing Project
Winner: The Explorers Log –Hemlock Printers
Honourable Mention: Bellwoods – Lorpon Labels
Most Environmentally Progressive Printing Company
Winner: Hemlock Printers
Stationery and Invitations
Winner: One Thousand Museum – CJ Graphics
Honourable Mention: Godolkin Invitation – CJ Graphics
Specialty Project
Winner: Stale Amsterdam and Elegraph Printmaking – Arius Technology Inc.
Honourable Mention: AWA Race Team–Race Car Liveries and Paddock Branding – C17 Media
Finishing
(foil, emboss, deboss, diecut, embellishment)
Winner: Loop Hero Encyclopedia –Friesens Corp.
Honourable Mention: Black Belt Bounty – Friesens Corp.
Specialty Effects
Winner: CJ Special Effects –CJ Graphics
Winner: PBI 2021 Holiday Card –Printing By Innovation
Honourable Mention: PBI 2022
Soundtrack Calendar – Printing By Innovation
Most Environmentally Progressive Technology Company
Winner: Canon Canada
2022 Judging Panel
Nick Howard, Howard Graphic Equipment
Martin Habekost, Toronto Metropolitan University
Matthew Serwin, Spicers
Steve Ranson, Komcan
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
Most Progressive Printing Process, digital
Winner: Canon ImagePress V1000 – Canon Canada
Most Progressive Printing Process, production inkjet
Winner: HP Brilliant Ink and HP Optimizer – HP Inc.
Most Progressive Printing Process, wide-format inkjet
Winner: Salvador Dali: Arius Elegraph and Canon Elevated Printing Collaboration – Arius Technology and Canon Canada
Honourable Mention: HP Smart Stream Elite-DT Print Server – HP Inc.
Jenny Tin, Ricoh
Aleks Lajtman, Koeing & Bauer
Brian Bako, Canon Canada
For more information about the awards program, how to apply, as well as coverage of previous winning projects and industry leaders, please visit PrintAction.com/CPA
Direct-togarment (DTG) printing is booming due to the rise in e-commerce and the popularity of personalized and customized products.
CASH IN ON DTG PRINTING
Here are the top three reasons to consider installing a large-format DTG printer
By Kitt Jones
According to MarketWatch, the global direct-to-garment (DTG) printing machine market size was USD210.1 million in 2021.1 It is forecast to expand to a readjusted size of USD696 million by 2028, yielding a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 18.7 per cent.
DTG is booming largely due to the sharp increase in internet shopping and the ongoing trends of personalization and customization, as well as corresponding advances in DTG printing technology. Companies like Shopify and Printify have made it easy for creators to set up
online stores. The internet’s reach eliminates the need to know an industry person to locate garment production companies. Nowadays, DTG is accessible and affordable, and online companies can sell oneoff custom T-shirts for as little as $20.
Manufacturers have responded with faster, easier-to-use, and more flexible DTG printer options. The newest large-format printers allow short-run, custom and high-volume production of an extensive range of products, easily meeting the challenges of a busy shop.
Some of these printers can do the work of three standard DTG printers, with flexible production requiring only one operator.
All of these factors mean there is a wide range of benefits to adding DTG print capability to your business. Here are my top three reasons for considering a large-format DTG printing system.
1) One-stop shop capability
Graphics production shops these days are often asked to provide short-run and custom apparel as part of branding packages for their clients. These projects are typically too small for a traditional screen printer to cost-effectively produce. In addition to reducing the headaches of outsourcing, print service providers appreciate the benefits of becoming a one-stop shop for their customers—it’s hard to watch a client walk away in order to get a service elsewhere.
Beyond their existing clients, there’s another market that print professionals with DTG capability can serve: Service bureaus and large clothing manufacturers who want to print their internal designs on demand. By outsourcing their on-demand printing, these companies can profitably sell their custom apparel graphics to clients and the public via web and brick-and-mortar outlets.
Today’s large-format DTG printers allow graphics professionals to provide a variety of products that help set their shop apart and improve their bottom line, while keeping existing clients happy and attracting new clients. With in-house production comes faster turnarounds and better quality control, plus reduced production costs versus screen printing or outsourcing short-run or custom jobs.
2) Moving beyond the T-shirt
Both in terms of profitability and product differentiation, the market is clearly moving beyond simple custom T-shirt production. The newest DTG printers offer users the flexibility to print on higher margin products, such as towels, backpacks, jeans, jackets, and blankets. This versatility also helps shops offer a
Large-format DTG printers allow graphics professionals to provide a variety of products that help them stand apart from competitors.
global direct-to-garment printing machine market size is expected to yield a CAGR of
more diverse product line. Recent years have brought innovations in inks, pre-treatment options, platen, and software capabilities.
When equipped with a variety of platen sizes, the newest DTG printers provide users the freedom to instantly scale up to high-volume production or produce short-runs and specialty items. Additionally, today’s printers allow a variety of fabrics including richer materials like cotton and tri-blends, which normally require a larger size platen. With flexible production printers, print service providers can also print directly on manufactured items such as tablecloths or prefabricated jerseys.
3) Easy workflow integration
Today’s DTG printers are designed to be easier than ever to use and maintain. The workflow and user interface are more intuitive, allowing successful use by anyone from novices to pros. Additionally , modern DTG printer software can integrate into almost all internal barcoding systems. It can either directly read
the barcode, which can load the file and set up the platen, or companies can set up an automated system through the software. Either method creates a more efficient workflow while minimizing operator errors.
Exploring your options
With rising demand for short-run and specialty printed apparel and fabrics, the future is bright for DTG printing. Offering simplified workflows and more powerful and versatile production, the newest DTG printing technology provides easy and innovative ways for businesses to expand their product line and satisfy clients. The ability to print on larger and thicker items gives print shop owners a range of product options to potentially increase their revenues and set themselves apart from competition.
Today’s DTG printers offer plenty of opportunity and profit potential for print professionals. Take a look at the benefits these new, powerful DTG printers and their expanded capabilities can bring to your business.
Kitt Jones is co-creation product manager at Roland DGA.
Large-format printing allows PSPs to offer clients a myriad of unique applications such as home furnishings.
THE GROWTH FACTOR
Wide-format
printing is destined to rise with ever more applications
By Sabine Slaughter
The wide- and super wide-format market has undergone its digital transition while certain analogue printing technologies, such as screen-printing, continue to complement the overall mix offered by large format print service providers (PSPs).
COVID-19 has changed a lot within the printing industry and many new applications, even a new category—social distancing signage—have evolved. The latest developments at key manufacturers, such as Canon, Epson, HP, Mimaki, Roland DG, Konica Minolta, and Agfa are all aimed at driving new
business opportunities for PSPs.
Predicted to reach a volume of USD11.2 billion by 2025 (Markets and Markets), the wide-format printing market is mature, but it has certainly not yet reached its heyday. Hand-painted signage was always a rare sight and is even more so nowadays. Developments in digital technologies, starting with the first digital wide-format printer introduced in 1999, have since accelerated and come a long way. Even so, for PSPs today there are more and more new feats to be accomplished as client-demand increases for more surprising, more individual means of communication, faster turnaround and for even more applica-
tions to be created.You could say, in this sense, inkjet has no limit.
While long print runs are still more viable overall on analogue machinery, they are not being ordered as often as in former times. The digital transition means more and more applications will become digital and this itself leads to highly specialized wide and super wide printers. Such printers can deal with traditional applications, but, more interestingly, they enable innovative PSPs to showcase their ability to cater for new and unexpected market-niche jobs, as well as viably produce short runs, personalized and customized projects—even oneoffs—that help brand owners to do things not previously possible so that their marketing efforts reach their full potential.
Sustainability
Another big growth factor in this sector is, of course, the environmental agenda. As the world tries to reduce its negative climate impact, printer manufacturers, PSPs and clients are all considering how they can contribute to the environmental imperative. The global pandemic has accelerated these client-driven requirements. Many brands are willing to pay the extra dollar to obtain a more sustainable product. This trend will continue and is likely to be reinforced by new regulations.
Wide- and super wide-format printers have been mainly developed to cater to the signage, advertising, marketing, and communications industries. However, they can also make an entrance or even a slight dent in other markets, thanks to their versatility, which enables certain (mainly short run) jobs within the commercial, packaging and label industries, as well as proofing jobs later to be carried out on analogue machinery. Some can even make forays into areas formerly covered by lithographic equipment such as solar, printed electronics, RFID, and all kinds of conductive products.
Diverse applications
For the digital printing community
Digital printing enables PSPs to viably produce short runs, personalized and customized projects.
1999
The first digital wide-format printer was introduced in 1999. The wide-format printing market is predicted to reach a volume of USD11.2 billion by 2025.
and those considering entering the large-format market, it is important to understand this market is based on a myriad of unique applications requiring specialized know-how. The list is long and varied, be it vehicle wraps, posters, art, interior or exterior signage, PoP and PoS, decor printing, directional way-finding, home furnishings, wallpapers, murals, displays, event and floor graphics, or one-off signage from a large order that must be customized to fit the exact location where it will be installed ( e.g. bus stops with specific directions, info or offers). Digital printing enables cost-effective, fast turnaround of orders while at the same time offering environmentally friendly solutions with no or next-to-no waste. Additionally, it is starting to make inroads into the industrial printing sector, and there is no sign yet that it is slowing down.
called online print services—not only for companies, advertising agencies etc., but also for the end consumer who can order individual one-off prints, such as murals, posters, wallpapers, and floor graphics.
Printers are also stretching their own boundaries within the specific area of embellishment, traditionally referred to as the finishing sector. Options include matt, gloss, haptic surface, spot colouring, digital embossing, cutting, and cross-cutting. Nowadays it is not an issue as many PSPs have embraced these abilities. Within the digital wide-format printing market and distinct from the printer’s very own abilities, inks and consumables are playing another decisive role. Should it be UV or UV LED, aqueous, latex, solvent or even pigment inks? Here the context of the application and its use will decide the ink.
USD11.2B
Social distancing signage as a new category within the wide-format sector developed rapidly during the pandemic. In many cases it meant and still means that certain jobs must be produced immediately at short lead times, quite often with regional or individual customization. Those kinds of jobs will continue to be in demand for some time as the world battles the SARS-COV-2 virus and subvariants.
Even the individual home consumer is not excluded or overlooked when it comes to digital printing applications. PSPs already offer web-based order portals—the so-
The biggest advantage of a wide or super wide digital printer lies is in its application versatility whether in terms of customization, personalization, individualization (when still viable and cost effective) and its efficiency, all together delivering a final customer impact that conventional technologies cannot achieve.
The boundaries of what digital wide- and super wide-format printing can do is being pushed constantly. The market is ripe for innovation, new applications and new machinery with associated technological enhancements in speed, colours, inks and substrates.
Sabine Slaughter is a consultant who works closely with printer manufacturers, brand owners and PSPs. This article was originally published as part of Drupa’s Essentials of Print Series.
Showcasing the latest offerings from Heidelberg, HP,
Heidelberg premieres the world’s fastest sheetfed offset press. The Speedmaster XL 106 can print 21,000 sheets per hour, up from 18,000 sph. This press is suitable for companies producing packaging in the 70 x 100 format.
Heidelberg has optimized some 200 components throughout the entire system, from feeder to delivery. For example, two servo motors now drive the feeder directly and, in the delivery, the weight of the gripper bars has been reduced and they have been adapted to the new printing speed to ensure stable and reliable operation.
HP launches the Latex 2700 printer series
At Printing United Expo, HP unveiled the new 3.2-m (126-in) wide HP Latex 2700 printer series, offering vivid colours at up to 958 sf/hr via symmetrical double printheads. It comes equipped with automatic printhead cleaning technology.
packaging solution is made entirely out of moisture-resistant paperboard and does not use glue or plastic. The holder will be offered in both four- and six-pack formats and will also allow for varying levels of branding space depending on the market’s needs. The holder was designed for hand packing.
BookReady is Tecnau’s new automatic cutsheet finishing solution for book production.
“The HP Latex 2700 family delivers increased print quality, raw speed and white ink capabilities that will amaze customers,” said Daniel Martinez, general manager, HP Large Format. All devices in the Latex 2700 series run on fourth generation HP Latex ink with UL EcoLogo certification.
Battlefield Press unveils paperboard can holder
Battlefield Press, Burlington, Ont., release a new paperboard beverage holder that was designed for brands and companies looking for alternatives to single-use plastics. This
Battlefield Press designs new paperboard beverage holder.
Tecnau launches new automatic
cutsheet finishing
Tecnau introduces BookReady, offering the converting of SRA3+ (~13 x 19 in.) sheet sizes printed in 2-up and 4-up into final size book blocks such as A4 and A5 (letter and 5.5 x 8.5 in.) ready for nearline perfect binding. BookReady changes applications on-the-fly without any manual intervention at full printing speed. The new cutsheet finishing solution may be equipped with an automatic 90-degree turning station to rotate 2-up imposed sheets from long-edge leading to short-edge leading.
Fujifilm introduces new wide format printer
The Graphic Systems Division of Fujifilm North America enters the high-end wide format hybrid market with the unveiling of the new Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED printer. The Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED handles both rigid and flexible media, all in one platform, delivering maximum speeds of up to 2,346 sf/hr. (roll-toroll) and resolution of up to 1200 x 1200 dpi.
The Speedmaster XL 106 can print 21,000 sheets per hour.
The HP Latex 2700 printers can print colours at 958 sf/hr.
The Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED printer from Fujifilm handles both rigid and flexible media.
Newcomers to Canada
Mitchell Press and SinaLite bring into the country new print technology
Mitchell Press home to the first Landa Nanographic Printing press in Canada
Mitchell Press, Burnaby, B.C., is the first in Canada to install a Landa Nanographic Printing press.
The Landa S10P Nanographic Printing Press offers reproduction of up to 96 per cent of Pantone colors, 6,500 sheets per hour speed, double-sided B1 (41 in.) format, compatibility with all off-the-shelf substrates, robust data-driven printing options, and easy integration with workflows and other upstream and downstream systems.
“Mitchell Press has always put a premium on investing in the best technology from companies that share our values and passion for continuous improvement and innovation,” said David Mitchell, director and owner of Mitchell Press. “We believe Landa technology will continue to inspire us regarding print’s capabilities, and we’re confident that our partnership will open even wider the window of possibilities for Mitchell Press.”
Mitchell’s leadership team agrees that the Landa S10P offers superior benefits on several fronts.
“The Landa press gives us digital’s adaptability as well as quality that is arguably better than offset,” said Garry Gunter, president, Mitchell Press. “Plus, its media versatility, B1 format, and cost-efficiency are especially relevant in a
time of supply chain challenges. The Landa technology aligns perfectly with our digital transformation strategy.”
Mitchell Press installs Canada’s first Landa Nanographic Printing press.
Mitchell Press is also enthusiastic about using the S10P for hybrid applications, which will allow the company to optimize its offset fleet. The company additionally looks forward to utilizing the new printing press to explore the capabilities of its advanced, data-driven Project28 division.
“The Landa digital press pushes us to re-imagine print; rather than producing 500 of one book, let’s create 500 books of one, completely personalized, with an incredibly high bar for quality. While mass customization was once a dream, today it’s a cost-effective reality,” said Scott Gray, executive vice-president, Mitchell Press.
Sharon Cohen, chief business officer at Landa Digital Printing, said, “We are proud to welcome Mitchell Press, a leading print provider for
almost a century, to the Landa family, and we thank them for the privilege of bringing significant benefits to the company and its customers.”
SinaLite invests in Canada’s first 41-in. Scodix digital enhancement press
Recently, SinaLite invested in a Scodix Ultra 6000 Digital Enhancement Press, the first 41-in. Scodix system to go into Canada. SinaLite, a trade-only printer, has stated that the productivity of the system and the consequent economies of scale are key drivers behind the decision.
“Having dipped a toe into the world of enhancement, we were looking to step up to a professional, heavyweight solution to suit the size of our business,” said Mike Meshkati, president of SinaLite, “We’re one of the largest trade-only printers in North America with work coming in from over 20,000 customers, and with offices in the USA now as well
Brian Meshkati, SinaLite vice-president, Fara Meshkati, SinaLite co-founder, Oscar Meshkati, SinaLite co-founder, and Mike Meshkati, SinaLite president.
The executive team of Mitchell Press.
as Canada. So, we need productive, cost-effective solutions such as the Scodix Ultra 6000.”
The Scodix Ultra 6000 enhances sheets up to 41 in. (B1), with excellent corner-to-corner registration, according to Mark Nixon, vice-president, global sales, Scodix.
SinaLite prints a huge variety of products from business cards, stationery, promotional products, corrugated boxes, labels, custom apparel, large format print, signage, and prototyping. Flexibility and productivity are essential to SinaLite’s business.
“The Scodix Ultra 6000 offers an incredible variety of enhancements, but most importantly, it will allow us to swap from one enhancement to another very quickly, for instance from gold foil to silver. Switching jobs in minutes
where previously we would need half an hour, or an hour is important. We know our customers want to be able to decorate our packaging products more and now we can offer that,” said Meshkati.
“The Scodix enhancement press will also work seamlessly with our 40-in. offset presses, taking sheets straight from printing into enhancement on pallets, dramatically reducing our handling, maximising economies of scale and making significant cost savings per sheet,” he added.
“SinaLite is a fantastic company. Mike is achieving ambitious growth whilst maintaining their core values of quality, service, and meeting deadlines throughout and we’re delighted Scodix will be supporting their team in continuing those traditions,” affirmed Nixon.
SinaLite has invested in a Scodix Ultra 6000, the first 41-in. Scodix system to go into Canada.
Alec Couckuyt / president / Maracle
Earlier this year, Alec Couckuyt was appointed as president of Maracle, a mid-sized, 100-year-old commercial printer in Oshawa, Ont. Besides the skilled staff, Maracle’s ability to offer single-source solutions including design, print and finishing, all under one roof, made the job an attractive proposition for Couckuyt, who has been in the printing industry for more than 30 years.
What is the state of the print industry today, in your opinion?
AC: The printing industry is an integral part of the marketing-communications landscape. Being part of this mix has rewritten the fundamentals of print and resulted in a dramatic increase of shorter run jobs and a growing demand for faster turnaround times. These changes have accelerated a technological evolution in an industry that was, for a long time, addicted to the ‘iron on the floor’. This evolution has, in turn, created a business environment that’s marked by consolidation and divergence. We see a decrease in the number of print service providers and a rise in product offerings (commercial, packaging, wide format, labels etc.) by existing companies.
What attracted you to the print industry?
AC: I was fortunate to start my career, more than three decades ago, in the graphic arts division of Agfa in Belgium. Assignments with Transcontinental, Symcor, Océ/Canon and Fujifilm only strengthened my commitment to the industry. The rapid evolution from analog to digital and the business opportunities created by this change intrigue me. I don’t think there are many industries today that have gone through such a fast evolution in a short period of time. Today, we can produce mass-print runs, print-for-one and everything in between.
How can the industry attract more young people?
AC: We need to do a better job at ‘selling’ our story. The word ‘print’ has the connotation of analog, and doesn’t portray the high-tech status, degree of digitalization or the craftmanship in the industry, which
Technology is the driving factor behind ‘print’ solidifying its position as an integral part of the communications mix.
the younger generation could more easily relate to. Canadian Print Scholarships is doing a great job at bridging that gap, and as an industry, we should work more closely with educational institutions. Our industry is an exciting high-tech one with plenty of opportunities.
In such a competitive landscape, how can printers win more sales?
100
Maracle is a 100-year-old commercial printing company.
AC: Just putting ink on paper doesn’t cut it anymore; added value is the differentiator. Choose and define what you are good at, perfect it, automate the processes as much as possible, and build partnerships with your clients to go beyond a single business transaction. Clients rely more and more on their print provider to take charge of the complete process flow from ordering and to press approvals to finishing, fulfillment and shipping.
What are some of the biggest opportunities in the print industry?
AC: Opportunities are plentiful. The key is to focus on customer needs.
Recognize their pain points and find a way to alleviate them. Also, make it easy for them to do business with you. For example, some customers might have requirements beyond commercial work and source additional print work, such as wide-format, packaging, label etc., from other vendors. Being able to offer these additional services might set the printer apart from its competitors and help getting a bigger share-of-wallet with that customer.
What do you think is the most exciting thing about print today?
AC: The tech advances in the industry (prepress, workflow, offset, toner, inkjet and finishing) are increasing operational efficiencies. Technology is the driving factor behind ‘print’ solidifying its position as an integral part of the communications mix.
Couckuyt’s responses were edited for length. For more Q&A Spotlight interviews, please visit www.printaction.com/profile.
Rapida 106 X
Commercial, labels, packaging – ultra short to long runs
The Rapida 106 X maximizes your capacity for the highest productivity for every market segment. Industry-leading technology ensures the fastest throughput for more sellable sheets on your floor – day in and day out! Print at up to 20,000 sheets per hour - even in perfecting. The ultimate in color and quality control, simultaneous makeready processes and proactive digital services are among the benefits which help you always surpass your goals.
Rapida 106 X. The new performance benchmark in industrial printing.
rapida106x.koenig-bauer.com
Acuity Prime
The new blueprint for wide format flatbed
With a track record of pioneering innovations, Fujifilm has helped thousands of sign and display printers transform their businesses. But in a world where change is constant, three years ago we decided to go back to the drawing board to define a new blueprint for UV inkjet print performance.
The result is a brand new range of Acuity printers designed and developed by Fujifilm that redefine price/performance and transform print ROI. They bring new meaning to versatility and value and reset the expectations around ease of use. And being developed by Fujifilm, they come fueled by the best UV ink on the market and a guarantee of outstanding quality and reliability.
The new range of Acuity printers designed and developed by Fujifilm.
