Irish Printer Issue 3 2025 by Ashville Media Group

W&G BAIRD 2024 Irish Print Awards at the takes top honours

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04 News

A look at what’s happening in the print industry

08 Acquisition

Northside Graphics has acquired Belfast-based Media Design and Print

10 Future of Print

Three apprentices were recognised at this year’s Print Awards for their knowledge and skills

11 Careers

Karl Rice is balancing a role at Anglo Printers with a burgeoning career in Taekwon-Do

12 FESPA

A range of new products were launched at this year’s FESPA

16 Interview

Prima Production Solutions is supplying the Irish market with Fujiﬁlm’s Revoria range

32 Careers

At Dollard’s Print House, Joe O’Callaghan learned lessons that would stand to him in his career

ED’S LETTER

Welcome to issue 3 of Irish Printer for 2024.

After more than 20 years at Xerox, Norman McNellis decided it was time to go it alone and set about establishing Prima Production Solutions. The new venture came about after a conversation with Fujifilm’s Mark Lawn at drupa. Since that chat, Fujifilm has entered a partnership with Prima that will see the new company supply the Revoria range of Print-On-Demand (POD) products and solutions to print firms across the island of Ireland. Although a relatively new operation, Prima has already secured a number of contracts with Irish printers for products from the Revoria range. The aim, says Norman, is for Prima to hold a number one market share position within the next five years. To read more about Prima’s partnership with Fujifilm, turn to page 16.

The future of the industry is in safe hands if the recipients of the “Future of Print” award are anything to go by. Three apprentices from the Print Technician Programme were recognised for their knowledge and skills at this year’s Irish Print Awards. Cian O’Brien at Colourman Ireland, Anto Kurian at Anglo Printers and Oisin Downer at Westside Press received the ‘Future of Print’ award, sponsored by Canon Ireland who also contributed a bursary towards their course enrolment fees. At this year’s event, W&G Baird took home the Print of the Year award for its work on Anthology Xmas 2024. Commenting on the project, judges praised it for its excellent printing, high-quality materials, stunning imagery, vibrant colours and outstanding design. Other winners on the night included 3D Printing Ireland Ltd who took gold in the “Best use of Print” and “3D Printer of the Year” categories, Watershed Group who won the Flexographic Label Print of the Year award and Walsh Print & Graphics who took home the award for Small Printer of the Year - Connacht/Ulster/Munster. Congratulations to all our winners at this year’s event!

Editor: Denise Maguire

Email: editor@irishprinter.ie

Creative Director: Jane Matthews

Designer: Lenny Rooney

Production: Nicole Ennis

Contact: Irish Printer, Ashville Media Group, Unit 55, Park West Road, Park West, Dublin 12, D12 X9F

Tel: (01) 432 2200

Web: www.irishprinter.ie

Printed by: McGowans Print

Printed on: HP Indigo 10000 using Novatech paper supplied by Antalis.

All rights reserved. Every care has been taken to ensure that the information contained in this magazine is accurate. The publishers cannot, however, accept responsibility for errors or omissions. Reproduction by any means in whole or in part without the permission of the publisher is prohibited. © Ashville Media Group 2025. All discounts, promotions and competitions contained in this magazine are run independently of Irish Printer. The promoter/advertiser is responsible for honouring the prize. ISSN 0790-2026

As always, we’d love to hear from you. If you have any thoughts on this issue, please drop us a line at editor@irishprinter.ie. Enjoy!

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PACKAGING

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UPDATES

SPOTLIGHT ON…

NEWS

SOYANG EUROPE

Soyang Europe has launched ST-225 Nero Blackback, a 100% warp-knitted polyester fabric with a black back. The new product offers complete opacity and eliminates light transmission, allowing for striking graphics at a competitive price. It supports both UV ink and dye-sublimation printing methods, including direct and paper transfer. Soyang Europe says the product also ensures hassle-free folding, storage and transportation and is suitable for indoor applications including backdrops, pop-ups, exhibitions, event graphics and display systems. ST-225 is certified to EN13501-1 standards, with widths available up to 3.2m and 5m and standard lengths of 50m and 100m. Soyang also carries the Global Recycling Standard, a voluntary product standard developed by Textile Exchange that verifies products’ recycled content and ensures responsible social, environmental and chemical practices throughout the supply chain.

Key Features

» 100% wrap-knitted polyester

» UV, direct and transfer dye sublimation printable

» EN 130501-1 certified

» Up to 5m widths

» Up to 100m lengths

» Excellent performance in di erent temperature conditions

» Easily sewn

ANGLO PRINTERS

Anglo Printers has opened its second industrial unit, adjacent to the print firm’s current 30,000 sq ft facility in Drogheda. The new unit has added another 4,000 sq ft to Anglo’s storage capacity and provides more parking for customers and sta .

The new unit will also:

Our new facility will also empower us to take on the largest printed packaging and commercial print orders with ease

» Increase the firm’s pallet storage capacity

» Improve internal job and production workflow

» Increase floor space to allow for new investment

» Provide greater ease of access for RM stock and cutting dies

“Our new facility will also empower us to take on the largest printed packaging and commercial print orders

Antalis unveils The Big Book of Packaging

Padraic Kierans, Managing Director

with ease. We’d like to thank local contractors Karl Strong Construction, Graham Hughes of Outsource, Eddie Phelan of VCL, Noel Kierans Electrical & Security, Colin Healy Painters and Damien Adair Flooring,” said Managing Director, Padraic Kierans.

Antalis Packaging has published the first edition of ‘The Big Book of Packaging’, a publication showcasing the latest advancements in packaging materials, machinery and sustainable solutions. Designed to support businesses across the UK and Ireland, the book features insights from its team of specialists and explores how Antalis helps businesses navigate the challenges of modern logistics through free audits and by utilising cutting-edge solutions such as its Smart Packaging Centre (SPC).

Chris Liddell, Antalis Packaging Director – UK, said: “E ective packaging isn’t just about material costs – it’s about minimising damage, optimising cost per pack and enhancing the customer experience from unboxing to disposal. This book demonstrates the knowledge that Antalis Packaging has and the strategies we use to help our customers and businesses balance cost management with sustainability and e iciency.”

Anglo opens new facility

Ballyprint takes to the skies

Aaron Klewchuk at Ballyprint is raising money for Northern Ireland Hospice in memory of Johnny Haywood. On July 11th, a courageous group of 13 staff members from Ballyprint, Impro Printing and Perfect Day Print will be taking to the skies for a charity tandem skydive at 15,000 ft to honour the memory of Johnny, a well-known figure in the print industry. Johnny began his career as a printer at Nicholson & Bass before joining Heidelberg as a field service engineer, a role he dedicated himself to for 20 years. The Northern Ireland Hospice is an organisation that does incredible work in providing compassionate care to people facing life-limiting illnesses

MIMAKI

Mimaki launches JV200-160 Roll-to-Roll Printer

Mimaki Europe has introduced the JV200-160, its new roll-to-roll printer developed for eﬃcient production of high-quality signage. The new press uses eco-solvent inks and includes features that, says Mimaki, ensure the printer delivers reliable, productive operation and excellent print quality. Other highlights include an ink saving function, which reduces ink costs while maintaining natural colours. An automatic media adjustment function (DAS; Dot Adjustment System) allows for easy and accurate pre-print adjustment, while incorporating Mimaki’s Printer Information Cloud Technology (PICT) also optimises ink eﬃciency and maintenance.

and oﬀering support to families when they need it most. “If anyone else from the print industry would like to join us for a charity skydive and raise funds for this amazing charity, please give me a shout,” says Aaron.

To lend your support, go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/skydiveimpro-ballyprint?utm_medium=FR&utm_source=CL

School of Wrap set to educate and innovate

The Sign Show will take place for the first time in September, colocated with The Print Show in Hall 3 of the NEC in Birmingham. The event will play host to the first-ever School of Wrap, a special feature covering everything from vehicle wrapping to architectural wraps. While the full timetable will be revealed closer to the event, visitors can look forward to live demonstrations from wrapping specialists, Q&A sessions with industry experts, as well as the opportunity to try out wrapping vehicles and furniture.

HYBRID SOFTWARE

Hybrid Software, together with its industry partners, recently hosted the ﬁrst Fusion Packaging Summit in Amsterdam. The event brought together 180 attendees from 23 countries, along with 14 sponsor partners, for four days of innovation, collaboration and major announcements. A highlight of the event was the unveiling of a new standard to extend the CF2 ﬁle format for folding carton packaging. CF2 is an industry standard for exchanging structural design data between CAD systems and prepress software, but it doesn’t contain certain features needed for automated packaging production. Jointly developed by Hybrid Software and Arden Software and supported by partners Zünd, Kongsberg and EngView Systems, the extended CF2 format will contain folding angles for crease lines and folding order for 3D viewing, while retaining backward compatibility for software that cannot support the new extended CF2 features. Future extensions to embed substrate information, grain direction and other features are planned.

The event brought together 180 attendees from 23 countries, along with 14 sponsors, for four days

Girls Who Print powers up FESPA 2025

“Girls Who Print Europe” was o icially launched at this year’s FESPA. “We’re incredibly grateful to FESPA for supporting Girls Who Print and giving us a global platform to expand our mission,” said Executive Director, Deborah Corn. “Launching Girls Who Print Europe at FESPA 2025 is a major milestone and we’re proud to align with the FESPA Foundation and its Print For Good initiative. Together, we’re working to empower people and create lasting, positive change for the industry.”

Hybrid Software holds inaugural Fusion Packaging Summit

NORTHSIDE GRAPHICS continues its expansion trajectory with the acquisition of Media Design and Print

GOING FOR GROWTH

NORTHSIDE GRAPHICS

Northside Graphics currently o ers the widest range of printed products within Northern Ireland

has announced the acquisition of Media Design and Print, in a move that will see its turnover exceed €13 million and employee numbers grow to over 80. The acquisition follows a major investment by London based Bestport Private Equity in 2024, which the Belfast print ﬁrm said would accelerate its UK and Ireland growth through a combination of organic growth and strategic acquisitions. In the ﬁrst of these strategic acquisitions, Media Design and Print and its 10 employees will move from its base on Belfast’s Newtownards Road to join Northside at its Dargan Crescent headquarters in the city.

Northside Graphics Managing Director

Richard Campbell said that the acquisition would further strengthen the ﬁrm’s market-leading position.

“Northside Graphics currently oﬀers the widest range of printed products within Northern Ireland and this will be further enhanced by several bespoke products oﬀered by Media Design and Print, bringing us a unique competitive advantage. As a highly respected business within the print industry in Northern Ireland, Media Design and Print also brings a huge

amount of experience and a loyal customer base to the Northside business.

“Having recorded exceptional growth and success in recent years, we have every conﬁdence that this acquisition will support our continued growth trajectory in the coming years.”

Media Design and Print was established by the Beckinsale family in 2007 and stemmed from Media Marketing, which was founded by the family in 1987.

Michael Beckinsale, Partner at the firm, said: “Our acquisition by Northside Graphics is testament to our reputation for excellence in the printing sector, thanks to our outstanding staff and the support of our loyal customer base over the past 38 years. We see great synergies between our business and Northside – both in terms of our product offering and our combined expertise in the digital print industry and the online arena, in which Northside operates so widely across the UK and Ireland.”

Northside Graphics operates two ‘Upload and Print’ websites in Ireland – DigitalPrinting.ie and TradeDigitalPrint.ie. The ﬁrm took home ‘Customer Service Team of the Year’ at the Irish Print Awards in 2024.

Pictured (l to r): Richard Campbell, Michael Beckinsale, Harold Beckinsale Senior and Harold Beckinsale Junior

Three print apprentices were recognised for their knowledge and skill at the 2024 Irish Print Awards

THREE PRINT APPRENTICES -

Cian O’Brien at Colourman Ireland, Anto Kurian at Anglo Printers and Oisin Downer at Westside Press – were honoured with the “Future of Print” award at the 2024 Irish Print Awards. Alongside their day job, the three apprentices are currently enrolled in the Print Media Technician Programme and were nominated by their tutors for the award.

of

The FUTURE PRINT

Originally from India, Anto Kurian has worked as a graphic designer at Anglo Printers for the past year. Commitment to his role and the quality of work he’s producing were cited as reasons for his nomination. “Anto has displayed a strong commitment to his role, to learning and to this course,” commented one of the course facilitators.

Producing consistently good, high quality work is what drives Oisin. “I think I was put forward for the award due to the knowledge I have around print and the quality of my work. I work in digital and initially, I think I had this idea that it just required pressing a button but it’s nowhere near as simple as that. There are so many complex elements involved.” It was always Oisin’s plan to work in print. “Once I ﬁnished the Leaving Cert, I was straight into Westside Press the following Monday to start my apprenticeship. From a very young age, it was always my intention to go into print. Once I got into secondary school, summer holidays were spent in the business. From the start, I loved it.”

About 26 years ago Oisin’s father, Dermot Downer, did his print apprenticeship at Bolton Street alongside Jason O’Brien of Portman Graphics. Jason is Cian’s dad. “They’re delighted that we’re both doing the

Once I got into secondary school, summer holidays were spent in the business. From the start, I loved it Oisin Downer

print apprenticeship and following in their footsteps.” What’s it like working with your dad? “It’s great! Deﬁnitely not as bad as you’d think!”

Oisin’s ambition is to keep printing for as long as he can. “I’ve never had the thought of, oh crap, I have to go to work now. I genuinely love my job and I love printing.” For Anto, working at Anglo is giving him an opportunity to advance his career in print. “I’m really enjoying it. I’m learning so much and I’m working with some really great printers. I’m excited for the future.”

Anto Kurian with Padraic Kierans, Managing Director, Anglo Printers

Cian O’Brien

Oisin Downer

Competing at the European Championships was amazing, but it’s just the start!

Battle

KARL RICE is balancing a role at Anglo Printers with a burgeoning career in Taekwon-Do

IN APRIL

, Anglo Printer’s Karl Rice competed in the 2025 European Taekwon-Do Championships in Sarajevo. This was the 25 year old’s first campaign with Team Ireland and his first time stepping up to a national level. “It’s such a big thing to represent your country and although I didn’t bring home a medal, the experience was amazing. I’ve been training since I was 7 years of age so to be able to say I competed as part of Team Ireland is such an achievement,” says Karl.

To qualify for the Sarajevo event Karl, who’s originally from Slane, competed at the Irish Taekwon-Do Association National Championships in University Limerick last year, finishing second and securing his place. He’s no stranger to competitions, having also participated in the Dutch Open, Munster Open and Dublin Open championships earlier this year.

At the European Championships, Karl competed in three different events – 3rd Dan Patterns, Team Patterns and Mixed Pre-Arranged Sparring. Dedication and commitment have gotten him to where he is now. “Being part of Team Ireland and competing on an international stage has taken a huge amount of training. I generally take one day off a week – the rest is spent either in the gym or at North Star Taekwon-Do Club. I’m also a prepress graphic designer at Anglo Printers and I’m lucky that my manager is so understanding about my training.”

As Taekwondo is seen as a minority sport, the Irish team don’t receive funding from Sports Ireland. Athletes competing in Sarajevo paid for their own flights, accommodation, meals and travel. “I’d like to give a massive thanks to my local sponsors for this campaign who made this journey possible – Anglo Printers, Inside Out Slane, MTM Engineering, Boyles of Slane, The Village Inn and Slane Credit Union.”

Karl has three Black Belts and is on track to obtain a fourth. “That’s another big goal, along with competing in more competitions and reaching the next level. Competing at the European Championships was amazing, but it was just the start!”

Ready

Being part of Team Ireland and competing on an international stage has taken a huge amount of training

FESPA

The theme of FESPA 2025 – Where Visionaries Meet – proved apt, with exhibitors describing the expo as a huge success. Here, we take a look at some of the new products launched at the event

PLOCKMATIC GROUP

- ColorCut LCF500 Pro system

WHERE

Plockmatic Group launched its newest roll-toroll label cutter and ﬁnisher at FESPA, a system that offers printers an all-in-one solution for volume roll-to-roll label production. It includes the ability to contour kiss-cut labels and apply laminates when required using integrated lamination capabilities. The LCF500 offers instant job retrieval by reading printed page marks and QR codes and incorporates an autotracking technology that continually measures roll position and deviation. It can also half-cut (kiss-cut) and halfcut perforate roll-based label media covering all popular sizes from 150mm width, through 210/215mm widths, up to a maximum web width of 320mm. To help reduce wastage, it can use two-marks per frame and the cutter will read the following two-marks on the top of the next frame, ensuring precision with minimal waste.

AGFA - Onset Panthera FB3216

Agfa’s Onset Panthera FB3216 flatbed press is ideal for high-volume print jobs and can adapt seamlessly to the demands of both graphics and packaging applications. It can reach up to 1,514 m²/h (16,297 ft²/h) or 296 beds per hour, while its heavy-duty construction ensures nonstop operation. The Panthera’s advanced LED curing system is its secret weapon. A staged curing approach – two LED units at the front, one at the rear – ensures strong adhesion, a wider color gamut and a high-gloss finish. Existing onset printers can be upgraded with this functionality. Automation options such as manual, ¾ automation (laytable + unload robot) and autoloader + unload robot lets the press adapt to the user’s workflow. Its robust platform handles media from delicate 200 g/m² coated paper up to 46mm thick board, along with sizes up to 3.22 x 1.6m.

FUJIFILM - HS3000 and Acuity Triton with AQUAFUZE ink technology

MEET

Fujifilm announced the commercial launch of the HS3000 single pass solution at FESPA, along with the Acuity Triton with AQUAFUZE ink technology. The HS3000 has been developed by Fujifilm and Barberan and features a slightly smaller footprint and speed than its sister product, the HS6000. It also represents a lower investment cost, opening up the possibilities of single pass inkjet to a broader audience. With both machines, Fujifilm says print companies will experience a new generation of single pass print technology, taking quality and speed to a whole new level. Fujifilm also introduced its new ink technology, AQUAFUZE, at the expo. It produces thin-film, low-pile prints with sharp detail and a smooth, scratch-resistant finish – eliminating the need for a top coat. The prints are highly durable and suitable for both indoor and outdoor applications.

Mimaki Europe - UJV300DTF-75

The new Mimaki UJV300DTF-75 printer made its debut at FESPA. Mimaki Europe says the press leverages Mimaki’s UV printing expertise to deliver a reliable solution for object decoration, enabling high-quality, durable prints on surfaces that were previously unsuitable for direct UV printing. The company also launched the JV200-160 and Tx330-1800 at the expo. An easy-to-use roll-to-roll printer, the JV200-160 uses eco-solvent inks and offers reliable signage production with excellent print quality. Created for the textile and apparel markets, the Tx3301800 is equipped with a dual ink set capability to easily switch between textile pigment inks and dye sublimation inks for a more diverse range of applications in one machine. The company also showcased the new Mimaki ELH and ELS inks which have been formulated to be free of SVHC*1 and CMR*2, therefore reducing the impact on human health and the environment.

1. SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) - Substances of particular concern that may have a signiﬁcant impact on human health or the environment, as deﬁned by the European REACH regulation Acronyms for carcinogenic, mutagenic and reproductive

2. toxicants

Redmond Signs has upgraded its production capabilities with the installation of a Mutoh 1462UF flatbed UV printer, supplied by National Business Machines. The investment in a new and larger Mutoh flatbed printer is a significant step for Redmond Signs and allows the firm to increase the size and range of solutions it can offer.

The company was formed in 1982 by Liam Redmond and since that time, has grown from a small workshop in Dublin to one of Ireland’s leading sign companies. Relocating to Parkwest in 2005 allowed Redmond Signs to accommodate the expanding business and give it the space to invest in new equipment to drive further growth.

A Mutoh XpertJet ﬂatbed UV printer is delivering greater production capabilities to Redmond Signs

Productivity BOOST BOOST

handling complex projects, particularly in specialist areas like braille and tactile signage.”

“We have a proud history of providing highquality signage solutions to a wide range of clients,” says Alan Redmond, Managing Director at Redmond Signs. “We work with companies of all shapes and sizes, including major organisations and multinationals such as Fujiﬁlm, Google, Dell, VHI and ESB. We have built a strong reputation for craftsmanship, reliability and expertise in

We have a proud history of providing high-quality signage solutions to a wide range of clients

He continues: “For the past three years, we have been using a smaller Mutoh ValueJet 426UF ﬂatbed printer for producing signs with braille and tactile lettering. This is a great little printer and it has served us really well, particularly by helping us achieve work in new areas. However, as the business has grown, the printer’s size was restricting the scale of the work we could produce. It was time for an upgrade!”

A strategic investment

The decision to invest in the Mutoh XpertJet 1462UF was driven by a speciﬁc project and a broader need for increased capacity. “The key trigger was winning a wayﬁnding signage tender for a large hospital. This project required us to produce a high volume of larger signs quickly, which drove the need to upgrade to a larger and more powerful printer,” explains Alan.

Having prior experience with Mutoh flatbed printers proved to be a significant advantage. “Having already worked with a Mutoh flatbed printer, we were confident in the brand’s reliability and output quality. The XpertJet 1462UF, with its larger print bed and increased speed, was ideal for our burning need for increased capacity, quality and scalability.”

David Magliozzi, Sales Consultant, Wide Format, NBM Group: Lawrence Hebron, Area Sales Manager UK & Ireland, Mutoh Europe: Aidan Deegan, Production Solutions Director, NBM Group: Alan Redmond, Managing Director, Redmond Signs

INTERVIEW

16 POD PARTNERS

Through a partnership with Fujiﬁlm, PRIMA PRODUCTION SOLUTIONS is supplying the Irish market with POD products from the Revoria range

Earlier this year, Fujifilm announced a new partnership in Ireland with Prima Production Solutions. Prima is the brainchild of ex-Xerox industry veteran Norman McNellis, who set up the business after a conversation with Mark Lawn, Head of POD Solutions at Fujifilm EMEA. “I bumped into Mark at drupa. He took me around the Fujifilm stand and talked about their ambitious plans including the launch of two game changing presses – the new SC285 and the EC2100 five colour presses. I remember asking him about his plans for Ireland and he said they hadn’t really pushed into the Irish market to the extent they would have liked. That started a conversation around the possibilities of doing something together and really, it went from there.” The next few months were spent putting together a comprehensive business plan and formulating a strategic partnership that would see Prima supplying the Revoria range of Print-On-Demand (POD) products and solutions to print firms in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

At Prima, our mission is to empower print firms with the best production print technology, exceptional service and innovative solutions

Prima Production Solutions is Fujifilm’s first and only “Ultimate” partner in Ireland in the company’s new Thriive partner programme. “Ultimate” is the highest accreditation awarded by the company and is based on a partner’s potential and ability to scale. Alongside selling and supplying the Revoria range, Prima is also directly servicing and maintaining the equipment through a 24/7 help desk. “Our Irish customers have access to engineers that will try and fix any issues remotely. If they can’t, we will dispatch an engineer who will have full knowledge of

the incident. So customers are beneﬁtting from that world-renowned expertise from Fujiﬁlm which is available to them 24/7.”

Prima has already secured several contracts with Irish printers for products from the Revoria range. The Revoria Press EC2100 5 colour press, which replaced the EC1100, allows the customer to utilise speciality toners as a fifth colour, together with CMYK. These speciality toners can be printed as an overlay to CMYK and can be easily and quickly replaced by the user. It’s a press that incorporates a range of advanced technologies, says Norman, and one that elevates print jobs and opens up new markets for print firms. Also supplied by Prima is the SC285, another mid-range press featuring five colours. Its ability to achieve excellent image quality on tricky textured paper makes it stand out from the crowd, says Norman. “They’re both excellent, high quality presses that enhance the already impressive portfolio, including the renowned flagship PC1120 6 colour press. At Prima, our mission is to empower print firms with the best production print technology, exceptional service and innovative solutions. Customers are also benefitting from our local expertise. I’m really excited to be bringing these products to the Irish market.”

Ultimately, I think the partnership will allow us to drive innovation in Ireland’s digital print market

Norman’s career in print began when he left university. His cousin owned a print business in Belfast and with no firm plans for what to do after college, he decided to give printing a go. Within four years, Norman was a director of the firm. “I ended up staying there for the best part of a decade. It was a great learning path for me because in a small print business, you get experience in sales, accounting, purchasing, cashflow and most importantly, you get a real grounding in what it takes to run a business.”

In 2000, Norman heard through a friend that Xerox was establishing a concessionaire business in Belfast and was looking for someone to ﬁll a production sales role. He ended up being the ﬁrst production salesperson on the UK side of the business.

“Up until that point, Xerox had only sold production directly. Over the next few years, I think we ended up with around 40 production accounts, the vast majority of which were new business.” In 2006, Norman took on a colour specialist role at Xerox Ireland before moving up to production business manager and then director.

Leaving Xerox Ireland and setting up on his own was a risk, but a calculated one. “I think the risk is mitigated by the fact that this is very much a partnership. I’m going to market with a world leader in print; having that kind of support and expertise behind us is invaluable. We also share the same values, which are rooted in customer service.

Ultimately, I think the partnership will allow us to drive innovation in Ireland’s digital print market.”

For the rest of 2025 and beyond, the aim is to stabilise and grow the business. “The grand plan is to have a number one market share position within ﬁve years. I think we’re on the right path to achieve that.”

Pictured (l to r): Gary Ryan, Business Development Manager, Fujifilm Ireland; Norman McNellis, Founder and Managing Director, Prima Production Solutions; Kyran O’Kelly, General Manager, Fujifilm Ireland

The Irish Printing Federation are the Organisation set up to support the Irish Print Industry.

What you get as a Member:

TRAINING SERVICES AT REDUCED RATES MEMBER PROMOTION AT NATIONAL LEVEL

TRAINING SERVICES AT REDUCED RATES MEMBER PROMOTION AT NATIONAL LEVEL INDUSTRIAL SERVICES REPRESENTATION LOBBYING

EVENTS FOR NETWORKING WE PROVIDE GROUP DISCOUNTS

✓ €50 ASSOCIATE MEMBERS

✓ €100 FOR COMPANIES WITH LESS THAN 50 EMPLOYEES

✓ €250 FOR LARGER COMPANIES

✓ €100 FOR COMPANIES WITH LESS THAN 50 EMPLOYEES

Irish Printing Federation, C/O Trimfold Envelopes, Duggan Industrial Estate

Athboy Road, Trim, Co. Meath | Tel: 086 – 202 7588

Irish Printing Federation, C/O Trimfold Envelopes, Duggan Industrial Estate

Athboy Road, Trim, Co. Meath | Tel: 086 – 202 7588

Email: info@ irishprintingfederation.ie | www.irishprintingfederation.ie

The industry’s finest gathered at Clontarf Castle Hotel in April for the Irish Print Awards. It was, for so many, an unforgettable evening and like every year, gave print firms an opportunity to network, meet up with old friends and celebrate their achievements. MC Alan Shortt did his best to keep a particularly rambunctious audience entertained and after the last award of the night was presented to W&G Baird, guests took to the floor to dance the night away to Blue Romantics until the early hours.

The Irish Print Awards were established to shine a spotlight on the talent, creativity and innovation that deﬁne this industry. Each year, we honour the ﬁrms that embody these traits and push the boundaries of

A massive congratulations to this year’s winners and ﬁnalists! Your dedication and passion keep the print industry thriving and we are proud to celebrate your achievements.

See you all next year!

IRISH PRINT AWARDS

Diarmuid Dawson

Chairman of the Judging Panel and Managing Director of Innovative Print Solutions

Judging Panel

David Mahon

Managing Director

Evad IT Solutions Ltd

Danielle Townsend Founder BOUNCE

Darren Finn

Managing Director

Flexographic Plate Plan

Michael Grimes

Business Development

Canon Professional Print

2024 IPA WINNERS

3D Printer of the Year

Gold: 3D Printing Ireland Ltd.

Best Use of Print

Gold: 3D Printing Ireland Ltd.

Silver: Impro Printing

Bronze: Artinmotion

Book Printer of the Year

Gold: KPS Packaging

Silver: W&G Baird

Bronze: Walsh Colour Print

Customer Service Team of the Year

Gold: Digital Printing Ireland

Digital Label Printer of the Year

Gold: Label Tech Ltd.

Silver: Multi-Color Labels Ireland Ltd.

Bronze: Quality Print

Graphic Design & Print

Collaboration Award

Sponsored by Canon

Gold: Print Media Services

Silver: Plus Print Ltd.

Bronze: P+D

Innovation & Print Technology of the Year

Sponsored by Canon

Cian O’Brien

Colourman Ireland Ltd.

Anto Kurian

Anglo Printers Ltd.

Oisin Downer

Westside Press

Bronze: Boxpak Ltd.

Print Graduate of the Year

Gold: Muirne Clarke

Print Media Apprentice

Gold: Charlie Neills

Printed Wrap of the Year

Gold: P+D

Silver: Crosbie Brothers Ltd.

Bronze: Horizon Digital Print

Report & Accounts Printer of the Year

Gold: iSupply Ltd.

Silver: Anglo Printers Ltd.

Bronze: Print Media Services

Rising Star Award

W&G BAIRD ANTHOLOGY XMAS 2024

W&G Baird was the deserving recipient of the 2024 award for Print of the Year. This was an entry that truly distinguished itself from the others, said judges. They were impressed by its excellent printing, high-quality materials, stunning imagery, vibrant colours and outstanding design. “You can tell you’re buying quality,” remarked one of the judges.

Small Printer of the Year

Connacht/Ulster/Munster

Gold: Walsh Print & Graphics

Silver: Ballyprint

Textile Printer of the Year

Gold: P+D

Bronze: Harvest Moon Print and Design Ltd.

Small Printer of the Year

Leinster/Dublin

Gold: Print Media Services

Silver: Daftbug Branding Co.

Bronze: Impact Signs

Sustainability Printer of the Year

Gold: The Factory

Silver: Horizon Digital Print

Bronze: iSupply Ltd.

IRISH PRINT AWARDS

BEST USE OF PRINT

3D PRINTING IRELAND LTD

Procon Modular: 3D Printed Architectural Model

Judges commented on the product’s excellent finish, great showcase of foil printing and lovely varnish finish. The entry displayed multiple elaborate finishes that made it stand out from the crowd.

3D PRINTER OF THE YEAR

3D PRINTING IRELAND LTD

Procon Modular: 3D Printed Architectural Model

This was, commented the judges, an amazing submission. One judge stated, “this is as complex as it gets.”

SUSTAINABILITY

PRINTER OF THE YEAR

THE FACTORY

Modular Cube Display

“A great sustainable product” commented the judges, adding that this is a product that can be constantly reused. “If you think of the criteria around implementing sustainable practices… this is a ﬁrm that’s actually doing it.”

TEXTILE PRINTER OF THE YEAR P+D

Dundrum Town Centre, The Dining District

An extremely complex project, judges loved how the “black is black”, something that’s difﬁcult to achieve for back-lit printing.

INNOVATION

AND PRINT TECHNOLOGY OF THE YEAR

IRISH PRINT AWARDS

DIGITAL PRINTER OF THE YEAR

LARGE

FORMAT DIGITAL PRINTER OF THE YEAR

Sponsored by Canon

PRINT MEDIA SERVICES

Detail XX

Judges loved the simplicity and clean look of this entry, adding it’s a print that “draws the viewer in.”

IRISH PRINT AWARDS

FOOD AND DRINK PACKAGING OF THE YEAR

MCGOWANS PRINT

Roe & Co. Gift Boxes

Judges praised this entry for its complexity. So many elements went into creating such a high-end product.

LITHO PACKAGING PRINTER OF THE YEAR

KPS PACKAGING

Pawpear – Stationary Set Packaging

Judges were drawn to this entry thanks to its simple, clean look and beautiful colour range.

SMALL PRINTER OF THE YEARCONNACHT/ ULSTER/ MUNSTER WALSH PRINT & GRAPHICS

Carbery Mail Merge

Excellent print quality and a clean look earned this entry top honours.

DIGITAL PACKAGING PRINTER OF THE YEAR

MCGOWANS PRINT

Roe & Co. Gift Boxes

Described by judges as “the best of the best”, this entry earned McGowans three awards at the 2024 Print Awards.

PRINT FINISHING AWARD

GPS COLOUR GRAPHICS LTD

GPS Colour Graphics 2025 Calendar

Judges commented on how this entry was “well ﬁnished and well made”. It perfectly demonstrated what this print ﬁrm is capable of.

SMALL PRINTER OF THE YEARCONNACHT/ ULSTER/ MUNSTER

WALSH PRINT & GRAPHICS

Carbery Mail Merge

Excellent print quality and a clean look earned this entry the gold award.

IRISH PRINT AWARDS

SMALL PRINTER OF THE YEARLEINSTER/ DUBLIN PRINT MEDIA SERVICES

National Gallery AIB Portrait Prize

Judges were impressed with the print quality and overall craftsmanship of this entry.

MAGAZINE, BROCHURE AND SUPPLEMENT PRINTER OF THE YEAR

W&G BAIRD

Anthology Xmas 2024

Judges loved this entry, commenting on its great printing, high quality, amazing imagery, beautiful colours and design.

SIGNAGE PRINTER OF THE YEAR HACKETTS

Cahercalla Nursing Home

An excellent entry and a worthy winner for its ﬁnish, colours and attention to detail.

SHEETFED COLOUR OFFSET PRINTER OF THE YEAR

PRINT MEDIA SERVICES

IADT Strategic Plan 2024 – 2028

Excellent use of imagery combined with an outstanding ﬁnish made this entry a worthy winner.

BOOK PRINTER OF THE YEAR

KPS PACKAGING

Fieldman Revisited

A beautifully illustrated book, judges were taken aback by this entry. “It stands out on its own,” one judge stated.

WOMEN LEADING IN PRINT

ELAINE HAMILL, BALLYPRINT

IRISH PRINT AWARDS

PRINT GRADUATE OF THE YEAR

MUIRNE CLARKE

RISING STAR AWARD

Sponsored by Canon

CIAN O’BRIEN

- Colourman Ireland Ltd.

ANTO KURIAN

- Anglo Printers Ltd.

OISIN DOWNER

- Westside Press

At Dollard’s Printing House, JOE O’CALLAGHAN learned invaluable lessons that would stand to him throughout his career

Where it all STARTED

MY JOURNEY in the print industry began at Dollard’s Printing House, located on Wellington Quay – a building that now houses a restaurant. At that time, I had no connections in printing, which meant I had to wait 18 months before I was finally accepted as an apprentice. I started my career as an apprentice lithographic printer, committing to a five-year apprentice programme that included three months of block release training each year at Bolton Street College of Technology.

In the early years of my apprenticeship, I was restricted to performing basic tasks and it wasn’t until my third year that I was entrusted to print a job independently. Beyond the technical skills of printing, I learned invaluable life lessons; I realised that, as a young person, I didn’t have all the answers and I understood the importance of treating others

with respect. During my apprenticeship, I also had the opportunity to work on a variety of print jobs, including the Sweepstakes tickets which was a significant print job at the time.

I spent six years with Dollard’s, including one year after completing my apprenticeship, before moving on to Smurfit (now Smurfit Westrock). Many apprentices tended to leave their initial companies after their training because they were often still viewed as apprentices rather than fully-fledged professionals. However, my time at Dollard’s equipped me with essential tools and skills that allowed me to have a long career in print. Looking back, I realise how fortunate I was to be part of such an original company.

I realised that, as a young person, I didn’t have all the answers and I understood the importance of treating others with respect