June Issue of Print Innovation Asia

Print INNOVATION

Asia

2022 ASIAN

PRINT AWARDS

Magazine

Serving Printing, Packaging and Publishing Industries across Asia Pacific since 1985 Issue 6 2022

Gromex Media installs leading-edge 5-metre EFI VUTEk 5r+ in Malaysia full article on page 10

FREE ENTRY FORM DEADLINE 5PM September 3rd 2020 The annual Asian Print Awards was founded to recognise outstanding achievement in the print and packaging industries across Asia.

With more than half the world’s population represented in this fast growing area, communication in the form of printed matter links Asia’s diverse cultures. It is imperative that such print achievements do not go unrecognised, especially among the population base that Asia enjoys.

The Awards are judged on a wholly quality-oriented set of criteria to ensure that fair play is enacted at all times.

The Independent Judging Panel comprises highly qualified personnel from within Asia and around the world. The independent judging panel has no knowledge of the actual entrants details. ALL ENTRIES ARE NUMBER-CODED. Entries must be commercially produced work.

The Asian Print Awards is the only regional print quality competition of its kind in Asia. Supported by leading industry-supply companies, any progressive quality print house should enter and prove that they are the best - by winning the Gold, Silver or Bronze award. Proving pride in quality awareness is what customers love to see. It’s not just empty words, you can prove it.

Categories 1-8 : Offset Printing Only

20. Digital Labels

1. Calendars – any format

21 Digital - Outdoor Billboard

2. Sheetfed Magazines

Categories 22-26 : Specialty Categories

3. Book printing – less than 4 colours

22. Multi–Piece Productions and Campaigns Any substrate or print process: Multi–piece Production must be 3 or more items such as folder, leaflets, ring binders, inserts, envelopes including their contents.

Campaigns must be 3 or more items with a consistent theme produced during the year by the same printer for the same client.

4. Book printing – 4 or more colours 5. Limited Editions & Artwork Reproductions (under 1000 print run) 6. Web Offset – Coated stock 70gsm and above 7. Web Offset –LWC (light weight coated) 65gsm or less 8. Offset Packaging products

Categories 9 - 21 : Digital Printing Only 9. Book Printing 10. Calendars 11. Personalised photo books – any format.

12. Posters 13. Showcards & Point-of-Sale material 14. Digital Magazines 15. Gold, Silver and Special colours

23. Embellishment Any substrate – any combination - for example: embossing – diecutting – foil stamping –laminating coating.

24. Innovation / Specialty Printing The entry must exhibit any innovative and/ special application of machinery, process, substrate or finishing.

A short description must be provided for the judges, detailing reasons for entry into this category.

25. Company Self Promotion Any item printed to promote a product or company involved in the graphic arts industry. Self promotion cannot be entered into any other Category.

26. Judges Special Award (A job that catches all the Judges’ attention)

Send your entries to: 9 Wildwood Place, Mulgrave,3170 Victoria, Australia

16. Restaurant Menus 17. Limited Editions & Artwork reproductions (under 500 print run) 18. Digital Proofing (must supply the digital proof and the prinnted product) 19. Digital Packaging

INNOVATION PRINT AWARDS The Thai Printing Association

FREE ENTRY FORM ASIAN PRINT AWARDS 2020

Deadline for Entries Submission: 3rd September 2022, 5pm Remember to submit 2 copies of each job! Why? - Just in case one is damaged.

2022 ASIAN

PRINT AWARDS

SECTION A (This will not be shown to judges). Please fill the form in capital letters.

Entered by (company name): ______________________________________________________________________________________ Contact Person: ________________________________________________ Email______________________________________________ Address: ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Telephone: __________________________________

Country________________________________

Category entered __________________________ Title of entry (ie: " Paul's Ice Cream" ): ____________________________________________________________ Printed by (Printers name): ________________________________________________________________________________________ Client name: ________________________________________________________ Designer Pre Press House: ___________________________________________________________________________________________ Brand of Printing Machine used: _____________________________________________________________________________________ Stock supplied by (Merchant’s name): ______________________________________________________________________________ Ink used to produce the entry

:

____________________________________________________________________________

By signing here you accept the rules and conditions of the Asian Print Awards

Signature over printed name_____________________________ Name_____________________________________________________

SECTION B Production information to be shown to judges

( tape this securely to the back of your entries)

Category entered (Same as above): __________ Entry number (Administrative use only] ____________

Title of entry (ie: " Paul's Ice Cream" )__________________________________________Print method: _______________________

Number of ink colours (4-6-8 etc) ________

Any Embellishment (foil stamping etc) __________________________________

Quantity produced (Print run copies): ___________ Other technical details (finishing processes etc) ________________________

The Awards Dinner will be held in October on the 20th in Bangkok 7 ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

17th Asian Print Awards 2022 Entries MUST arrive by 3rd September 2022 at 5pm Send all entries to APAM Pte Ltd

9 Wildwood Place, Mulgrave, 3170,Victoria, Australia Contact (+61422869728)

email:Paul@printinnovationasia.com Additional entry forms can be downloaded online at www.printinnovationasia.com All entries are non-returnable unless a prepaid self addressed courier pack can be provided

The 2020 Asian Print Awards Checklist!

1. Have you submitted your best work to be judged?

2. Have you checked the work to make sure its 1st class?

3. Check it one more time!

4. Are their 2 copies of each entry ?

5. Is it packed correctly for shipment with 2 copies of each entry ?

6. Have you left enough time for shipment 3rd September 2022 is the Deadline 7. Check the address you have written - it should be Asian Print Awards Pte Ltd 9 Wildwood Place Mulgrave, 3170 Victoria - Australia Contact (+61422869728)

Good luck and may the regions BEST Printing Companies WIN!

Asian PrintAwards 2022 th

PACKAGING EXCELLENCE AWARDS: 2022

2022

_018 022 Contents Page Asian Print Awards Entry Form 6

Making a Sustainable Impact

10

Gromex Media installs leading-edge 5-metre EFI

VUTEk 5r+ in Malaysia 14

How to differentiate with digital print creativity

16

The bottom line is: Suitable software helps to save money & streamlines your production

20

FUJIFILM Business Innovation Asia Pacific Award from Keypoint Intelligence

22

Chinese packaging printer selects Manroland's latest technology

24

EFI launches Nozomi 14000 LED in Asia Pacific with new sales partner BJC Thailand

28

Vijayshri Packaging transforms their production

32

Nam Viet invests in BOBST to improve

36

Published by Asian Print Awards Management Pte Ltd 65 Chulia Street #46-23 OCBC Centre 049513 Singapore Print Innovation Asia Labels and Packaging Innovation Asia Asian Print Awards Packageing Excellence Awards Label and Packaging Conferences Publisher Paul Callaghan paul@printinnovationasia.com Editorial

How the EF next generation puts printers

Editor

Kirk Group rides packaging reshoring wave

42

Are Robotic Technologies Ushering in a Job-pocalypse?

Sha Jumari sha@printinnovationasia.com Packaging Sales Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com

Enhancing Supply Chain Resilience - How digital printing optimizes the packaging supply chain Highest-ranking apps on Google store have either black, red or white Icons

52

Asia Magazine

Elizabeth Liew elizabeth@printinnovationasia.com

38

50

Print INNOVATION

flexo operation into Pole Position

46

Issue 6 - 22

Indusrty news from the region & around the world

2022 ASIAN PRINT AWARDS

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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Making a Sustainab It’s no secret that winning the hearts of today’s consumers requires more than a great product. Increasingly, it’s also about the packaging.

Every day, hundreds of thousands of products compete for attention at stores or are delivered to homes. The packaging creates the first impression and the first experience – of the product, the brand and the values it stands for.

The corrugated packaging market is growing fast. According to Smithers, over 160.5 million tonnes of corrugated packaging was produced in 2020, and it predicts corrugated packaging consumption will grow an average of 3.8% - 4% by 2025.

In this new market reality, brands need a new strategy. Facing high demand, they need to deliver products in a flash to retail outlets and online customers, and provide exceptional unboxing experiences, all with minimal carbon footprint.

Digital printing of corrugated packaging can help with all three – fast delivery, unboxing and sustainability.

By allowing a flexible supply chain and enabling high-impact graphics and personalized packaging, digital printing on corrugated enables fast delivery and great unboxing. It can also significantly improve packaging sustainability.

Sustainability by the numbers Recent reports show the shift from plastic to paper-based packaging is supported by consumer beliefs and action. In a 2020 survey for the Paper and Packaging Board, 33% of consumers said they avoid using plastics if they can. Another survey, by McKinsey, found that almost 75% of consumers are now willing to pay more for sustainable packaging.

Digital printing can help with efforts to make packaging plastic-free. Fefcopublished research showed 21% of plastic packaging for produce e-commerce packaging and other applications can be easily replaced by corrugated cardboard.

Sustainability throughout the packaging life cycle HP’s commitment to making a sustainable impact and positive, lasting change for the planet, dovetails perfectly with the heightened focus on sustainability.

HP views the life cycle of a sustainable package through four stages: from packaging raw materials, through printing and conversion, to consumption of the packaged products and lastly, to the packaging disposal processes.

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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ble Impact Eighth Generation’s limited-edition blankets were shipped in recyclable, digitally printed corrugated boxes

HP PageWide technology supports sustainability goals with HP PageWide true water-based inks that contain no hazardous air pollutants, supporting a safe and comfortable work environment. They are designed to meet worldwide regulatory requirements, such as UL ECOLOGO, USDA FDA, Swiss Ordinance and Nestlé guidelines, and to address a broad range of health and environmental considerations.

printheads, reducing the water used in press cleanup.

Digitally printed packaging allows print-on-demand in small quantities, reducing obsolescence, waste and warehousing. It also eliminates the need for harsh chemicals for cliché plate creation – another way to help the environment.

“Our customers require sustainable solutions, leading us to choose a waterbased solution that meets our recycling requirements. HP digital presses operating alongside analog presses enable seamless recycling of materials to our recycling stream.” said Luca Simoncini, of Ghelfi Ondulati, owner of the HP PageWide T1190 Press.

HP’s printing process itself is designed with sustainability in mind, with environmental benefits such as an automatic clean up procedure for the

Brands are increasingly demanding their boxes meet sustainability standards for end-of-life processes.

Boxes printed with HP PageWide inks can be recycled in standard processes and composted as they are certified to PTS for recyclability and Din Certco for compostability*.

Converters and brands are thinking green Converters who have invested in an HP PageWide corrugated press are already seeing sustainability benefits. Australia’s Italiya Graphics, which purchased the HP PageWide C500 Corrugated Press to expand its corrugated packaging and digital printing offering while maintaining its core-value of ‘Printing with Conscience’.

“Our clients have been asking for more environmentally friendly processes for some time now and we needed to answer that call and leapfrog the traditional suppliers,” explained Paras Italiya, General Manager, at Italiya Graphics.

“We love disrupting the market. Being a water-based, single-pass press, the C500 is the perfect press to ensure that our clients’ work is 100% recyclable

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

8 and compostable, while meeting and exceeding their quality requirements,” continued Vimal Italiya, Managing Director.

In Seattle, Eighth Generation is using sustainable packaging to help tell its core brand values story. The company, owned by the Snoqualmie Indian Tribe, works to spotlight Native artists by producing Native-designed products.

To launch its limited-edition Gold Label Throw Blankets, Eighth Generation worked with custom box maker Fantastapack sustainable, custom boxes that match the blankets’ quality and beauty and the company’s brand values.

It also wanted the flexibility to start with a small order and add more later.

Justin Stacey, VP of Ecommerce Solutions at Fantastapack said: “Digital print allows you to print what you want, when you want. This helps reduce overruns and obsolescence, which reduces physical waste. No machine setup or print plates reduces labor and material waste. And the HP PageWide C500’s true water-based inks, some of the safest in the market, reduce environmental impact on the whole planet.”

HP’s Sustainable Impact commitment HP serves the digitally printed corrugated packaging and display market with its HP PageWide Press portfolio. With its HP Thermal Inkjet technology, true water-based inks, and full packaging lifecycle approach to

sustainability, HP allows converters to say ‘yes!’ to more jobs and more brand demands.

It is opening new opportunities for brands to take advantage of sophisticated, high-quality color graphics for product marketing and supply chain cost efficiencies, while supporting their sustainability values.

*HP C500 Press inks – CV150 - Tested by DIN CERTCO for composting in accordance with EN 13432 ASTM 6400 and NF T51-800:2015.

CV150 tested November 2020, A30 tested December 2020 https://www.smithers.com/resources/2020/ sept/corrugated-packaging-to-top-$200-billionby-2025 Isobar, November 2020 Attitude and Usage Tracking, Paper and Packaging Board. https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/paperforest-products-and-packaging/our-insights/ sustainability-in-packaging-inside-the-minds-ofglobal-consumers GvM – B2B market research focused on marketing

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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Gromex Media installs le EFI VUTEk 5r+ in Malay The Malaysian company elevates digital printing capabilities with the new superwide-format roll-to-roll printer.

Digital printing specialists Gromex Media Sdn. Bhd. has installed their first EFI™ VUTEk 5r+ roll-to-roll LED printer in Malaysia. The new 5-metre superwide-format printer replaced the company’s previous EFI acquisition, the VUTEk GS5000r printer.

Founded in 1999 in Alor Setar, Kedah, Gromex Media had its start with a 1.2-metre digital printer. In 2013, the company expanded to Kuala Lumpur to cater to the needs of digital printing in the Klang Valley. It was there that it invested in the EFI VUTEk GS5000r roll-to-roll printer before upgrading to the VUTEk 5r+ UV LED printer. “Our focus this time was to grow our wide format digital UV printing solutions.

After evaluation and reviewing the machine performance, parts and after sales services, we decided to purchase the EFI VUTEk 5r+,” said GH Lim, Head of Sales & Marketing, Gromex Media.

During the pandemic, when other print service providers tended to be more conservative with their investments, Gromex Media decided to invest in new print technology. “Purchasing the printer during the pandemic was a challenge, but it was also the best time.

It was crucial to make the conversion during this period before the next business wave comes in after the pandemic,” said Lim. “To be at the forefront of the print industry, we are constantly upgrading our printers to leverage new and better technology. Printing technology is always evolving, and this leads to better operating efficiency with faster production speeds and lower ink consumption. This efficiency translates to better margins in the long run, and

we believe the decision on purchasing the VUTEk 5r+ was a good call,” Lim continued.

Standing out with high-speed 5-metre capabilities and unique options The VUTEk 5r+ roll-to-roll LED inkjet printer offers resolutions up to 1,200 dpi and is equipped with EFI’s sevenpicolitre UltraDrop™ Technology to deliver high-definition image quality and exceptional smoothness in shadows, gradients, and transitions.

The printer is able to deliver superb text quality in both standard and higher quality modes.

The newly installed device will enable Gromex Media to print high-quality 5-metre-wide images quickly with speeds up to 487 square metres per hour, while giving users a range of options for faster throughput and automated productivity. “This is one of the fastest printers in its class, which puts us at the forefront of the industry in Malaysia and other regions,” said Lim. “The EFI VUTEk 5r+ impressed us first with its speed, especially compared to the previous machine. Secondly, it

was the high image print quality as well as the colour vibrancy of the graphics produced. We chose the seven-colour with white configuration, which provided a wider range of applications

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

leading-edge 5-metre ysia

for us. We are excited about this new printer as the VUTEk 5r+ is delivering an overall quality improvement with faster production time and a lower total cost of ownership,” Lim continued, due to lower media wastage, ink and power consumption.

EFI also provides a range of versatile, value-added roll-to-roll options.

Gromex Media opted for productivityenhancing options, including automatic double-sided backlit and block-out printing. The printer comes with a pair of cameras and a special sensor that together with the unique software algorithm which enables printing on both sides of opaque block out and semi-transparent backlit media, resulting in excellent registration

between sides. “We use the new 5r+ mostly for 5-metre backlit printing, as well as for multi-roll printing on selfadhesive vinyl. The VUTEk 5r+ can support three 1.6-metre rolls printing at the same time, so this is very efficient for us,” Lim added.

“We also liked the X-cutters and Y-slitters for inline finishing, which helps us save a lot of time. The mediahandling accessories facilitate easier media loading to help complete more jobs per shift,” Lim continued.

3M MCS Warranty “One of the key decision-making factors for investing in the EFI VUTEk 5r+ printer was that it will enable us to provide the 3M™ MCS™ Warranty to our customers. We are now one of the

very few companies in the region that can provide the 3M MCS Warranty,” said Lim. The 3M MCS Warranty is widely recognized as the industry’s most comprehensive finished graphics warranty, providing protection for the intended life of each graphic, including fading, cracking, peeling, blistering, discolouration and many other aspects of graphic performance. The weathering technology and rigorous testing of ink and printer combinations that 3M stands behind with this warranty assures end users that their images will perform as expected for the life of the graphic.

“The purchase of the VUTEk 5r+ has helped to further strengthen the company’s position as one of the top digital printing companies in

11

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

12 Left - Kelvin Mun with Mr Lim on the Right with the new machine.

“We’ve built a close relationship with Gromex Media through AVS Solutions over the years, and they have continued to trust and invest in EFI solutions.

With the investment, Gromex Media is breaking new ground in pioneering the expansion of 5-metre superwideformat printing in Malaysia. We are proud to be a part of that. This is a testament to our innovative vision for the industry and the collaborative nature of the work that we do here at EFI,” said Rodd Harrison, VicePresident, for Asia Pacific Sales, EFI.

the industry, specialising in UV-wide format printing. With the 3M MCS Warranty, we are able to provide the most comprehensive graphic warranty in the industry,” Lim continued.

Trusted Reliability with EFI & AVS Solutions Gromex Media purchased the EFI VUTEk 5r+ roll-to-roll printer from AVS Solutions, EFI’s distributor partner in Malaysia and Singapore since 2008. “Another compelling reason why we choose to purchase the EFI VUTEk 5r+ was knowing that we have access to a strong support and service infrastructure from both AVS Solutions and EFI. We have built a level of trust and confidence and the support from the team at AVS and EFI had been incredible thus far. Both AVS Solutions and EFI are very dependable partners of choice,” said Lim. “With the new investment in the VUTEk 5r+, we spoke about how we can actually make Gromex Media more competitive in this era and position them for their next steps in business growth. That was one of the key reasons why they decided to move ahead with the new investment during this time,” said Kelvin Mun, Managing Director, AVS Solutions.

“During our sales discovery session and after analysing Gromex’s business needs, we discussed how it was

important for Gromex to invest in the latest LED print technology now. With better technology, the printing quality improves, and ink consumption is also reduced. The investment will help them with ink savings and to future proof their business in the long run,” Mun continued.

“EFI continues to prioritise building upon long term partnerships and work closely with our partners to support our end users. At the end of the day, the customer’s success is our success,” said Bernard Sun, Senior Business Development Manager, ASEAN and Taiwan, EFI. “We are happy to partner with Gromex Media and we are confident that the EFI VUTEk 5r+ printer will deliver the high productivity, incredible quality and efficiency to propel them as the leader in wide-format digital print in Malaysia and the region.”

What’s Next for Gromex Media?

Gromex Media has a staff of 30, consisting of administration, design, quality control, production and installation teams. “As an ISO 9100 Company, we provide total solutions to our clients. With our range of machinery, including cutters, lamination and seaming solutions, we provide a full spectrum of solutions to our clients from multi-layer printing solutions and install methods to warranty programs and more. Our clients are wide ranging from various industries, such as oil and gas, railway, aviation, fleet graphics, fashion, and giant signage with long term applications,” said Lim. “We aim to cater to the needs of both the medium and high-end market and provide our customers with premium quality UV printing that is also cost-effective. In the long run, we are considering purchasing the EFI VUTEk h3 hybrid printer and the EFI Pro 32r+ roll-to-roll printer to add to our fleet. We look forward to continuing this long-term working partnership with both AVS Solutions and EFI,” Lim concluded.

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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Your capabilities never looked better The EFI™ VUTEk® Q3r and Q5r superwide roll-to-roll inkjet printers make you look your best. Because they provide the highest image quality at the highest rated speed.

You get a complete print to finished graphic workflow – from RIP to final product – on the same platform. Your new capabilities can encompass automatic in-line quality inspection, inline slitting and cutting, Roll & Tape, and more.

Let’s build your brilliant future. Together.

Scan to learn how to add colourful capabilities.

© 2022 ELECTRONICS FOR IMAGING, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | WWW.EFI.COM

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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How to differentiate with digital print creativity Philip Dodd, Managing Director of UK Print Service Provider Healeys, renowned for its passion for inspirational print and commitment to continuous evolution.

The digital world is crowded and we aim to help our clients differentiate by offering them an array of possibilities.

We work closely with design agencies to provide them with smart, creative, and memorable print that captures attention and drives action.

We strive to deliver pieces of work that are well thought out, beautifully designed and incorporate some embellishment.

This physical print gives the content an extended life span – a longevity that digital communication doesn’t have.

High quality communication is still very much valued.

Our sales team is expert in explaining the power that print has and helps clients explore the opportunities it offers. The team listens to the requirements and expectations and presents solutions that will generate the desired response. It helps clients improve their understanding of what processes to use and how they can be applied to deliver the right message in the most impactful way.

Among the possibilities we have been having more conversations around are what the gold, silver, neon and white toners for our Ricoh Pro™ C7200x digital colour sheetfed press can enable.

I have been particularly impressed with

the results we have achieved by laying down white first and neon, gold or silver on top. We have been producing our own mailers to showcase the results.

Educating agencies is an important for us too. We have been explaining how they can improve their return on marketing investment and generate higher response rates. The toners can produce some wonderful effects that prompt action. Designers can produce something incredibly creative, in budget, and on demand.

Further differentiation is being explored with the use of some very interesting substrates. They deliver greater tactility that engages the senses and reinforces quality. They help get the piece of print noticed.

Following the pandemic people are being incredibly careful. Some have not printed since. But we are seeing more work returning as the power of print is becoming increasingly recognised. The year is going well so far and I am happy with how it is expected to continue.

Next year I think we will be able to add up to 10% to 12% on our turnover.

Some of that growth may come from short run packaging which is a new service we are considering adding. As part of that we are investigating how

our Pro C7200X, and its toners, can help us enhance those jobs.

Alongside our growth plans and commitment to innovation in print we are also focused on improving our sustainable operation. We are working towards a 42% reduction in carbon emissions by 2030 as part of the Science Based Target Initiative. That is something we think we can achieve with investment in electric cars and by changing our energy contract to renewables.

We will then look at our suppliers and their approach to reducing carbon emissions. That is why working with companies that are also concentrating efforts on reducing their emissions is a key consideration and will become increasingly important for our relationships in the future. We will also continue to offset our carbon use with the World Land Trust. It is even something I also do in my personal life.

It costs as little as £1.50 per week.

Ultimately, we are looking at ways we can help our clients see all the possibilities that print offers while operating in the most sustainable and responsible way we can. Having the support of likeminded partners and suppliers like Ricoh is essential to that.

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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Connect to Grow Unleash your printing potential Connect to Grow. That is your key to stay ahead in a demanding market. By connecting with MPSConnect, you ensure the best in reliability and productivity from your printing press. You will increase competitive advantages and maximize profits.

With MPSConnect we see recurring annual cost savings

To improve productivity and profitability,

of €50,000 - €100,000 and even

it’s critical to increase the understanding

more thanks to a more efficient

of your overall label print operation. With

workflow, time management and

MPSConnect, you get real-time insights in the

waste reduction.

operator activities. You dive into the printing press and see exactly what’s happening.

mps-printing.com/connect-to-grow

mps-printing.com

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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The bottom line is: Suitable money & streamlines your p CGS Oris has been around for a very long time here in the Asia/Pacigic region. We talked to Bernd Rückert – CEO and Christoph Thommessen – Managing Director – Global Sales about what they were asked by business during the COVID era and where they are heading after business gets back to normal.

Q. Now that the Print World is coming out of the global lockdowns, what are people asking you for in terms of technology to help their business grow.

A. Some important topics are flexibility and efficiency – and, of course, wanting to achieve both at the same time. That means on the one hand, to print smaller quantities – as the demand is increasing – whilst staying profitably and offering top results at good prices. And on the other hand, flexibility implies to achieve very high quality despite having a smaller amount of printing devices.

In both cases the use of suitable software solutions helps. For example with PRESS MATCHER you achieve the best print result you can get and save as much ink as possible. This strengthens the competitiveness as lower prices can be offered and leads to decreasing costs, example, for warehouses.

Especially, if you print with more than four color the print processes and results can be enormously optimized as a software like X GAMUT allows to print a lot of different jobs with an expanded fixed ink set without time-

Haptic Proofmade made with CGS technology

wasting wash-up and cleaning times during the different runs.

The bottom line is: Suitable software helps to save money, streamlines and speeds up production processes and optimizes results at the same time – all these are important factors for our customers, also in regard to process automation and sustainability.

Q. What is your outlook for the Commercial Offset Industry versus the Digital Print Industry (Commercial Print)

Haptic

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

e software helps to save production

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A. The digital print industry is growing. Printing quantities are getting smaller, and customers are asking for customized products. It is a very interesting sector, but also offers a lot of challenges as there are some substrates which cannot be printed like it was done in Offset printing. Fixed ink palettes and CxF data will help to face these challenges and achieve accurate color and, of course, color consistency on different production substrates.

Q . Many are saying that soon digital packaging will have a firm foothold in the way packaging is produced. Do you think this is correct and if so, where will it take market share from (Flexo - Offset packaging etc) ?, and how will CGS Oris play a role in this moving forward.

c Proofmade made with CGS technology

Left - Bernd Rückert – CEO and Christoph Thommessen – Managing Director – Global Sales A. In Offset / carton boxes, there is a huge influence from the digital vendors as HP Indigo, FujiFilm or KM. They are getting more and more popular.

Also, in the label business there are digital machinery from Screen, Durst or Domino easy to find… We already

delivered into these areas’ products like X GAMUT (for perfect Spot color transformation to the fixed ink set of this machines) or Flex Pack (doing prototyping in the typical production process).

We guess it will take some time for digital to cover the flexible area as the water based ink for the food Packaging is still an issue… But there are already some solutions available which can influence this market.

Our advantage is that we can serve both systems conventional or better say traditional and digital.

Q. Looking back over the last 10 years, how has your company changed and what can we be looking for as we move into the future from CGS A. The last ten years have been very exciting as there has been a huge change in the printing industry and the transition is still going on as we all know. On the one hand, we see some much different printing methods and devices and on the other, additional branches are interested in color and its precise reproduction.

Today, we do not “just” sell software,

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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we act more and more than color consultants and support companies in optimizing entire processes. CGS ORIS is much more dynamic as it was in the past. Our solutions are very modular and can be easily integrated or added to existing infrastructures.

Another plus is, that we are able to customize our solutions to serve niches and develop the best possible tool for our customers. As a result, they get the individual piece they need to bring their results and processes to the next level.

For example, in Asia, we have some interesting projects running and have the great opportunity to support printing companies in managing color topics through the entire supply chain.

Digital brand color communication and CxF data play an important role here.

In the USA, for example, we see the industrial printing sector growing and help companies which did not have a lot of touch points with printing and color in the past to go the first steps and use their resources in the best way.

These projects have also very holistic approaches and are very exciting for us as it is a different application area of proofing and color management solution, and the results are amazing.

how they make use of our software solutions. We owe this also to our team in Asia with great technicians who educate our customers very well and provide great service and support.

Q. Looking at Asia, is their much difference in getting your product message across as compared to say Europe or Australia. Is colour software for Print/Packaging fully understood here in our region or is it an afterthought.

Q . In closing what are the main areas that companies make mistakes in when looking for solutions such as yours, what advise can you give them to help their business progress into the future.

A. We often experienced that printers in Asia are very open-minded to try new paths. In China it feels sometimes like a “burning glass” in printing industry as a lot of new developments come together and are tested to reach the aim to work very efficiently and to optimize processes and results to save money and offer better prices.

A. This is hard to say because it is a very heterogenic field, and it is even getting wider. As we said before, new application areas arise and new goals and needs are added. Often the initial situations the companies are in cannot be compared. But, maybe, one learning could be to get in touch earlier with a color experts like CGS ORIS, it could save you a lot of pain and business disruption, all that will head to your bottom line!.

Some of the first X GAMUT users are located in China and we gained a lot of great experiences during these projects with awesome color experts who have a huge knowledge. It is fantastic to see,

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www.cgs-oris.com

Quality improvement Environmental resistance Faster drying Eco friendly

Ink Saving is so much more than just reducing costs: It helps optimizing the entire production process. How?

Learn more

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

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FUJIFILM Business Innovation Asia Pacific Award from Keypoint Intelligence Revoria Press™ PC1120 Awarded for Outstanding HighVolume CMYK+ Production Device

FUJIFILM Business Innovation Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. won the Buyers Lab (BLI) 2022 PRO Award from Keypoint Intelligence for Outstanding High-Volume CMYK+ Production Device, thanks to the Revoria PressTM PC1120's specialty colours, mixed-media handling capabilities, efficient production workflow and an achievement of the highest 5 Star rating in colour gamut. Sales has started in the Asia Pacific region since its launch in July 2021.

With a high print speed of 120 pages per minute over a wide range of media types and paper weight as well as 2,400 dpi true/real output resolution, this production press was designed to maximise users' business potential through infinite colour possibilities, out-of-the-box productivity, and limitless capabilities. Its single pass, six colour engine, offers unparalleled levels of CMYK+ expressions with an expanded gamut of colours and enhanced vibrancy.

Workflow is also made seamless with AI technologies -- removing the hassle of pre-production enhancements such as 10-bit gradation correction, and enabling smoother skin tones and

colour vibrancy together with the Pink toner. The Revoria PressTM PC1120 harnesses the transformational power of revolutionary productivity and performance to unlock the true value of CMYK+ printing.

According to Keypoint Intelligence, the winning highlights of the Revoria PressTM PC1120 are the six colour stations with before-and-after CMYK capabilities that allow for wider range of inline creative options than other production devices on the market. The wide media handling capabilities of the production press ensures no slowdown on mixed-media workflows, resulting in more work to be handled inline as a single job submission.

Furthermore, the device offers the largest CMYK colour gamut seen to date, which coupled with the range of specialty colours creates a very large colour palette. Last but not least, the Revoria Flow PC11's customisable intuitive platform enables efficient management of the device and excellent remote management capabilities, making the device a truly outstanding production press.

"With print service providers (PSPs) looking to provide a wider range of output options to clients, whose aim is to ensure their printed pieces stand out from the crowd, the Fujifilm Revoria PressTM PC1120 really shines," said David Sweetnam, Keypoint Intelligence's Director of EMEA/Asia Research & Lab Services. "The extra imaging stations before and after the standard CMYK units, along with the diverse range of toner options, make the device stand out amongst others in this digital arena."

"We are delighted to receive the recognition given to the Revoria PressTM PC1120. The award has established its position as one of the best digital production colour presses in the market for productivity, flexibility and workflow," shared Scott Mackie, General Manager, Graphic Communication Services Business, FUJIFILM Business Innovation Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd. "This recognition has ratified our mission and commitment to never stop innovating to deliver customer value and create greater customers' opportunity in the region.

We are excited to show more of what we can do in the future."

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The Fujifilm Revoria Press PC1120 with Fujifilm Revoria Flow PC11 Print Server has claimed the

Buyers Lab (BLI) 2022 PRO Award for Outstanding High-Volume CMYK+ Production Device Thanks to its…

Six colour stations with before and after CMYK capabilities, providing a wider range of inline creative options than competitors

Customisable and intuitive platform,

enabling efficient remote device management

CMYK colour gamut (largest to date) and range of specialty colours, creating an extensive colour palette

Outstanding mixed-media mi workflow performance, resulting in more work being handled inline as a single job

For more information please visit: https://www.fujifilm.com/fbglobal/eng/company/news/release/2022/2531

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Chinese packaging printer selects Manroland's latest technology Located in Zhangmutou, Dongguan, Guangdong Province, Xingda Printing Co., Ltd., established in 1997, is a medium-size packaging printer specializing in packaging for toys, clothes, medicines and electronics.

Xingda Printing Co., Ltd. installs a new ROLAND 706 LV Evolution

the whole print run and drastic savings in waste.

Xingda Printing offers a one-stop service including design, production, printing and processing. With more than two decades’ experience in the packaging printing industry, it upholds a business philosophy of 'integrity and customer-first' providing high quality packaging products with short lead times, with their fully automated production.

With increasingly fierce competition in the domestic packaging printing market and to meet today's challenges for top quality products and services, Xingda Printing collaborated with Manroland Sheetfed and invest in the ROLAND 700 Evolution.

Commenting on their new investment Mr. Qiu Weijian, owner of Xingda Printing, is delighted with the efficiency and stability of the press, its many configurations and color consistency, all imperative for packaging printing.

With three different ink distributions at the push of a button, TripleFlow offers high color consistency during

Following the installation of the ROLAND 706 LV Evolution, Mr. Qiu firmly believes that better print quality will strengthen his business further "fully automated production is a must for our customers" Mr. Qiu concluded.

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EFI launches Nozomi 14000 new sales partner BJC Tha Berli Jucker Public Company Limited (BJC Thailand) appointed as EFI sales partner in Thailand for Nozomi solutions.

EFI has unveiled the new Nozomi 14000 LED press to Asia Pacific at a VIP customer event, held at BJC’s facility in Bangkok, Thailand. Coorganised with their recently appointed sales partner, Berli Jucker Public Company Limited (BJC Thailand), EFI presented the new Nozomi 14000 LED press in May 2022.

The VIP event served as an introduction for BJC Thailand as EFI’s newly-appointed sales partner for the region, highlighting the importance of Asia Pacific. With the partnership, BJC Thailand will bring EFI’s Nozomi solutions to Thailand.

Established in 1882, BJC has been a major trading company that is amongst the first to be listed on Thailand’s stock exchange. Over the years, the company has diversified its operations in manufacturing, packaging and distribution.

“As one of the leading trading companies in Thailand, we are excited and proud to begin this partnership with EFI, and to now be able to provide our customers with cutting-edge digital packaging solutions. The EFI Nozomi printers will pave the way to digitising the packaging printing industry in Thailand, and BJC looks forward to be a part of the digital transformation,” said BJC’s Graphics Business VicePresident, Paiboon Chutimapongrut.

“BJC Thailand is one of the biggest distributors of graphic arts materials in Thailand. They have strong relationships with major packaging players in the industry and we are excited to have them as our sales partner. Together with BJC, we are confident that we can help our customers grow their business and ensure that our Nozomi packaging

solutions maximise their profitability and revenue,” said Rodd Harrison, Vice-President, for Asia Pacific Sales, EFI. The event featured a product demonstration of the new EFI Nozomi 14000 LED to prospective customers, while providing insights into the digital trends and opportunities in corrugated packaging.

The EFI Nozomi 14000 LED press is the company’s latest addition to digital solutions for the corrugated market. The new ultra-high-speed inkjet solution leverages Nozomi single-pass UV LED inkjet technology with improvements and is said to bring enhanced productivity, reliability, value, and flexibility to the industrial packaging segment.

“The event went very well with major packaging companies in Thailand, which were in attendance. There was a lot of interest in digital and it was a very interactive and engaging session.

The event was a good opportunity to share with them what we’re doing, why we’re here and how we’re trying to change the industry,” said Richard Cotterill, EFI’s Global Sales Director for Packaging.

“We talked about the market paradigms and how they have been evolving.

We also discussed the change of the market landscape in the last two years.

How it was before COVID, to what it is now, is totally different. While it certainly brought more challenges for our customers, there has been more opportunities as well,” Cotterill continued. “Everybody here at this event recognised that digitisation is something that is important to their

business, not just in print, but it is the way to achieve industry standards in the corrugated packaging market.”

EFI Nozomi 14000 LED: The Perfect Fit for Asia Pacific The EFI Nozomi 14000 LED is a direct-to-board digital press that prints at faster speeds up to 100 linear metres per minute. The 14000 joins EFI’s flagship press on the Nozomi platform, the C18000 Plus, which is a 1.8-metrewide single-pass inkjet corrugated printer.

At a width of 1.4 metres, the EFI Nozomi 14000 LED is equipped with new productivity modes to offer remarkable throughput while meeting

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0 LED in Asia Pacific with ailand

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corrugated packaging manufacturers’ needs for more compact production lines.

"The biggest advantage of the Nozomi 14000 is the smaller footprint. It’s a more compact machine, providing our customers with the ideal format size for their needs. They can produce eight to 10 million square metres a year at quite an attractive capital cost,” Cotterill explained. “We looked at the typical size that fits the workflow and we found that the 1.4 metre is the perfect fit, as it fits a lot of die-cutting flatbed or rotary machines as well. It's a common format in the packaging industry,” said Cotterill.

“In addition, our customers want to get more machines into the factories that they have. Real estate is expensive, so our customers want to get more in the same space. Having a much more compact machine allows them to do that,” he added.

The EFI Nozomi 14000 LED boasts a robust design for heavy industrial use.

It offers high reliability, productivity, and uptimes. Packaging converters also get the versatility to print nearly all board flute types, with enhancements to automatically reject damaged boards without stopping print production.

“The solution has a bundle stacker option, which is a much smaller

Photo Left to Right: Mr. Sek Ektrakul Product Manager/Graphic Systems Division, BJC, Mr. Bernard Sun Senior Manager, Business Development, Packaging & Display Graphics, ASEAN & Taiwan, EFI, Mr. Rodd Harrison VicePresident, Asia-Pacific Sales, EFI, Mr. Paiboon Chutimapongrut, Vice President /Graphic Systems Division, BJC, Mr. Richard Cotterill Global Sales Director, Packaging, EFI, Mr. Suphawat Sriratanarat Assistant Product Manager/Graphic Systems Division footprint. It really does make the machine more compact, and it gives you the opportunity to then integrate robots, which a lot of our customers are looking at because the other thing that

they need to do is reduce manpower and labour,” Cotterill continued.

While Cotterill expects the take-up of the Nozomi 14000 to be more attractive

EFI Nozomi 14000 LED

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in Asia Pacific, the C18000 Plus will still be relevant to the region.

“A customer producing predominantly displays, would be more likely to go for the C18000 Plus because the format sizes of the displays fit better on it.

Or a customer that wanted to run two boards with a size of 900 millimetres on each board, then they can get very good productivity on the Nozomi C18000 Plus. There is definitely a space for both platforms here in Asia,” said Cotterill.

Digital Print in Thailand “When you look at the installations in Thailand currently, there are a number of lower quality machines that are replacing some very short-run flexo work. However, the high-quality, highend work, has not really been touched very much by digital. This is where the EFI Nozomi will fit,” said Harrison.

“The Nozomi platforms will give customers the opportunity to get all the benefits of digital in the offset lamination market. It is that real highquality, high-graphic market where we think our customers can get the most benefit from the Nozomi,” said Harrison.

“In the whole of Southeast Asia, we’re seeing manufacturing becoming very buoyant in Southeast Asia with a number of macro-economic factors.

We are most certainly seeing major manufacturing companies and brands moving into Southeast Asia,” Cotterill added.

Data from the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) indicated that the Thai economy is recovering post-COVID, expecting to grow 3.03.5% in 2022.

“Many big brands are investing in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam with their factories, and of course, they need packaging to go with that,” said Cotterill.

E-Commerce Pushed Growth for Digital Digital print in packaging is expected to grow from USD 22.57 Billion in 2022 to USD 47.91 Billion by 2030 at a CAGR of 9.43%, according to research from Market Data Centre. The pandemic highlighted opportunities that will continue to drive the digital adoption growth, one of which is in e-commerce.

The advent calendar was produced as a box to hold 24 cans, where a coated B-flute board was used to provide protection, completed with a high-quality print finish and 100% recyclability. For the calendar box construction, internal dividers were used for the cans to sit in, in addition to a speedy tear cutting rule to give a clean and precise opening experience.

Similarly, our Australia-based customer, the Opal Group partnered with one of De Bortoli Wines advent calendar

“E-commerce has grown. Some might even say there was 10 years’ worth of movement in the one year during COVID. Digital print gives you the opportunity to provide the level of personalisation that people want in e-commerce,” said Cotterill.

We have seen a growing demand with brands working closely with our customers using ‘’mass versioning’’ capabilities, which digital printing can offer, to produce creative personalised festive season packaging for their end consumers.

For example, UK-based corrugated converter, Durham Box, used the Nozomi C18000 to produce a Christmas advent calendar for their customer, Edinburgh Beer Box. Every beer box was personalised for different types of beer, instead of having a generic gift pack. The calendar, which included vibrant colours and black and white areas, was subject to a one-pass layering effect by the Nozomi, giving the visual effect of a spot.

EFI Nozomi C18000 Plus

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27 its customers, De Bortoli Wines to print an advent calendar for wines. A range of different designs were created for the advent calendar using a combination of 16 specific Pantone colours and 12 different graphic objects in the form of Christmas “decorations,” to deliver thousands of individualised boxes!

Each box has a unique mix of colours and decorations appearing in different areas on the packaging to ensure that no two boxes are the same.

“The campaigns were very successful, which highlighted the power of personalisation. The benefits of digitally printed packaging include shorter run lengths and minimal set up costs and importantly, it gives the brand owners an opportunity to create individuality for their brands,” Cotterill continued. ‘’The increased use of social media channels for brand promotion is also driving the growth of digital printing in packaging. For example, we are

seeing an increasingly popular trend of leveraging social media influencers to create exciting unboxing experiences to express the brand story. Brands are now able to use creative and innovative digital packaging to attract and influence the end consumer’s buying decision,” said Cotterill.

Increased Awareness in Sustainability and Circular Economy The Nozomi platforms address an increasingly important focus on environmental awareness, not just in output, but across the entire production line. The EFI Nozomi 14000 LED press is designed for greater sustainability in corrugated production. An even broader spectrum of packaging businesses, from independent box plants and start-ups to integrated paper companies, can leverage on the Nozomi to be a durable, reliable, sustainable and efficient digital alternative to analogue corrugated production.

“Everything that's printed with Nozomi is recyclable, so the pulpability means that you have true circularity with corrugated. The recycling rates are very high, which is important because there's less virgin paper that can come into the supply chain,” said Cotterill.

Based on data from Fogra, EFI Nozomi technology is leading the corrugated market in digital print energy efficiency.

The Nozomi 14000 LED delivers energy-efficient productivity, with virtually no volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions and up to 35% lower energy consumption than flexo printing. The press also significantly reduces ink and board waste compared with flexo and litho-lamination. In addition, the press does not require

water for cleaning unlike analogue printing methods, reducing costs and environmental footprint.

“Since it's a non-contact printing process, you can use thinner papers and still get the box strength that you are getting now. With flexo or laminating, you're crushing or weakening the flutes, so you have to use a thicker paper.

Digital is non-contact which means being able to use thinner papers, hence have lower paper costs. When you're transporting products, there is less weight so you can get more in a lorry, with less CO2. The Nozomi is again, a very green proposition,” said Cotterill.

“The awareness levels for sustainability in Southeast Asia have increased significantly. Major brands and retail chains are focusing on greener solutions and are driving environmental awareness through the supply chains as an integral part of their business,” said Harrison.

“It's not just the brands that are driving it, a lot of the customers are constantly looking at ways to be more efficient and effective. They are trying to find ways to reduce costs, not in terms of increasing capacity, but where they could save energies,” said Bernard Sun, Senior Business Development Manager, Packaging, ASEAN & Taiwan, EFI. “By introducing and bringing in technologies like the EFI Nozomi and LED presses, we're introducing a much more effective solution that is cost-saving, energy-saving, and reduces wastage,” said Sun. “We see that with a lot of customers as well. We walk into many of our customer’s production facilities, and they have the solar panels installed everywhere, so everyone's cautious of that.”

Fresh off its worldwide debut, EFI further announced that UK packaging company, Caps Cases, has installed the first Nozomi 14000 LED. “There are already five Nozomi 14000 LED presses sold globally. The second Nozomi is being delivered to the US as we speak. We definitely expect to place multiple units of the Nozomi 14000 in the region, so watch this space!”

Cotterill concluded.

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Vijayshri Packaging tran Vijayshri Packaging Ltd. is a fully integrated packaging company providing paperboard packaging solutions to a very demanding market.

They specialize in offering the complete solutions which includes folding cartons and their corrugated outers. In addition, the folding cartons include many upgrades such as windows, liners, and litho-laminations.

Their attention to quality has allowed them to successfully partner with customers in the food processing, fastmoving consumer goods production, pharmaceuticals manufacturing, and white goods industries. To meet the demands of their growing business, even amidst the Covid pandemic, Vijayshri installed a new six-color Lithrone G40 with coater UV offset press.

Strategically positioned in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, in central India, Vijayshri has built a world-class package printing factory with comprehensive integrated printing solutions. In 2021, Vijayshri achieved the milestone of 30 years in the industry. Today the company is one of the leaders in the Indian package printing industry, setting the benchmark for consistency in the market. Flawless work has been a significant part of its journey.

Strategic investments: upgrades and modernization Technology has been a very crucial part of the Vijayshri story. Their biggest advancement was taken when

the company decided to expand its operations and construct a new, worldclass 25,000 square meter printing factory on a 43,000 square meter site.

Operating from this facility, Vijayshri now provides comprehensive printing and packaging solutions, covering everything from design concept to delivery logistics, while maintaining strict quality control throughout every stage.

The company has also invested in automation and modernization of its postpress systems through investments in a new corrugator, new flute laminators, two new die-cutters, and a new folder-gluer. Investing in the complete solution from press through postpress has given Vijayshri a very competitive edge.

Director's perspective Ayush Jain, Director of Vijayshri Packaging, speaks at length about the many features and benefits of the new Komori press and its impact on their business: "We have unfailingly invested in automation and modernization of its printing equipment. When we bought our first thermal CTP in 2005, we learned the meaning of consistency, reliability, and quality. Over the years we have improved our standards and always invested in reliable technology.

The key to our growth is our ability to choose the right equipment at the right time.

"The investment in the new Lithrone G40 is an important upgrade from conventional presses -- achieved in partnership with Komori. With increased capacity of 1,800 metric tons (36 million cartons) per month, the company is delivering a world-class experience to its customers. The plan to strategically invest in modernization and cutting-edge technology began

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nsforms their production

Ayush Jain, Director (left); Pritesh Jain (Ayush’s uncle) (top); Prakher Jain (Pritesh’s son) with a visit to Komori's Tsukuba Plant in Japan even before the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"Our new Lithrone G40 is by far the biggest technological shift in the packaging arena in central India.

Upscaling is a constant process, and now with Komori we have the tools and techniques to deliver on time without any compromise in quality.

Our investment in this press certainly contributes to the modernization of the factory and creates new markets and opportunities.

Increased productivity and reduced paper waste "Reduced press downtime and faster makereadies are the key reasons we upgraded our technology. We are very happy with the performance of our Lithrone G40. We have seen a significant improvement in productivity as compared to our other machines.

For the same jobs and inputs, we have seen a productivity jump of almost 45 percent. Another advantage we have discovered is the very significant reduction of start-up waste.

We now use up to 80 percent less paper for makeready thanks to KHSAI, which has features such as Smart Sequence. Finally, the performance of the entire job is constantly monitored by the PDC-SX system that actively

sends color density and registration feedback to the press. The Lithrone G40 is our solution for enhancing productivity and delivering absolutely predictable quality.

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30 From left: Rajendra Jain (Managing Director) and Pritesh Jain, Director, display the first print produced on the new six-color Lithrone G40 with coater

High-speed operation "The Lithrone G40 has a maximum operating speed of 16,500 sheets per hour, which increases our output capacity. With the presets for the feeder and delivery, we don't have to rely on manual settings. We just provide the sheet size and thickness, and all the settings are done automatically -- from feeder through to side lay, printing units, and delivery joggers. Even when the machine is running at full speed, the quality of printing is not adversely affected, which was a problem with our conventional presses.

Quick job changeovers and fast makereadies with KHS-AI "KHS-AI technology incorporates a self-learning function and automatically sets repeat jobs. This enables very efficient paper changeover, which is crucial for work that includes many short-run orders for a variety of different products. Due to the automated processes, job changeovers are very fast. KHS-AI stores all the information of previous jobs, making the operator's job very easy. For repeat jobs, the ink settings have already been saved. Compared to conventional presses, our makereadies have become very quick.

The skeleton cylinder ensures there are no scratches or smearing on the sheets.

And with the new Lithrone G40, we can reproduce 90 to 95 percent of the special colors on repeat jobs. The paper cost in packaging is considerable. KHS-

AI minimizes paper waste, reducing costs significantly.

PDC-SX for automatic color control and registration "PDC-SX automatically checks color, front/back register, and image positioning on the paper and provides feedback to the press if any deviations are found. This system supports multiple jobs with differing printing conditions and ensures smooth operation.

The color bar measurement function in PDC-SX reduces any color variation, which had to be done manually on conventional presses. In the past, we had to use 30 to 40 sheets for fine registration, but with the new Lithrone

G40 we achieve the desired registration in just 10 sheets. Because of this, we get early job approvals, reducing the job run time and increasing the production efficiency of the press.

Automatic blanket washing "Automatic functions such as blanket washing, roller cleaning, plate changing, and density control are tremendously effective in reducing the workload on the operators. The PQC operation console is very user-friendly and comes with graphics that are easy to understand.

Productivity, ease of use, and reduced paper consumption -- the Lithrone G40 has it all," says Ayush Jain, Director of Vijayshri Packaging.

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Nam Viet invests in BOBST to improve flexo operation The Vietnamese printing specialist has chosen to change its business strategy and initiate a new partnership with BOBST. The installation of the MASTER M5X press is already helping to ensure higher, more reliable print quality, faster turnaround, and lower waste, as Nam Viet leverages the distinct advantages of BOBST inline flexo technology.

Nam Viet Barcode Service Trading Production Corporation (Nam Viet) was founded in 2008 as a supplier of barcode printing materials for the industrial and non-industrial sectors.

Over the years, the company has sought out continuous innovation and, in the process, created a strong reputation for high-quality products and excellent service.

Today, Nam Viet occupies a modern manufacturing plant covering 4000 sqm, in Ho Chi Minh City, where more than 100 staff are employed in the production of labels, decals, stamps and seals in rolls or sheets for brand owners and other customers in the pharmaceutical, health care, cosmetics, agricultural, chemicals, home care, cleaning, electronics and food sectors.

A branch in Cambodia, Navica Trading Thermal Transfer Ribbon Company Limited, was successfully established in 2013 to exploit potential new markets and for distribution purposes.

The company is highly experienced in flexo printing, but the Nam Viet team was finding it difficult to maintain fast and reliable production with their existing equipment.

Looking to eliminate problems with poor registration, excessive waste in setup and slow printing speeds, the management team, which is headed up by General Director Mr Tran Hoai Nhan, started to investigate the market.

The BOBST MASTER M5 with its promise of exceptionally high levels of automation and digitalization soon attracted their attention. During a visit to Labelexpo Thailand, they were able to see the machine in action. This confirmed their initial impression and soon the decision to invest in an M5X model inline flexo press was made.

“Even before we had the live demo at the exhibition, we had very high hopes that the MASTER M5 would be the solution to our challenges,” said Mr Nhan. “During the Labelexpo show, we were able to ascertain that this was very likely to be the case, and now that the machine is up and running, we have the final proof.”

Automation is the answer to staffing issues Machine reliability and ease of use are essential demands of any flexo press in label production today, as many printers struggle to find enough skilled staff to run the machines. At the same time, brand owners are demanding faster delivery, reduced waste and lower costs, while print quality must be high and repeatability must be guaranteed.

By automating many functions and thereby making machines very operator-friendly, BOBST delivers printing technology that enable their customers to cope with these conflicting requirements. The MASTER M5X

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Learn more

New solution for direct-to-substrate proofing on uncoated packaging media - now available for FLEX PACK!

www.cgs-oris.com

Print Innovation Asia Issue 6 2022

34 (From left to right): Mr. Tran Hoai Nhan (director of Nam Viet) - Mr. Nguyen Quang Sang (production manager of Nam Viet)

inline flexo press is a brilliant example of how a fixed configuration can provide the quality, robustness and cost-effectiveness needed to fully exploit the market potential and deliver exceptional print results. It runs at speeds of up to 200 m/min printing on unlimited substrates, including selfadhesives (paper, PET, BOPP, PVC), unsupported film (PVC, BOPP, PET, and PA), alu-foil, lami-tubes, and light cartonboard, giving Nam Viet great flexibility and new opportunities to expand their offering.

In addition, automatic pre-register setting and ARC print-to-cylinder register control are included on the M5X for outstanding print quality.

These innovations offer a high level of convenience for operators which translates into faster changeovers and therefore less press idle time, as well as creating lower waste in setup.

“We wanted to increase product quality with accurate colors and registration for all our customers, and at the same time reduce waste for better sustainability and higher profitability,” said Mr Nhan. “Our biggest challenge has been the team of workers and the lack of operator efficiency; and we knew that automation would be the answer to many of these problems. Our priority was to reduce downtime and maximize productivity on the machine and the BOBST machine gives us that.”

Nguyen Van Minh, who as Sales Manager for Bobst Vietnam is working

with the customer, commented, “The MASTER M5X is quite simply the perfect machine for Nam Viet. Not only does it automate many functions as standard, making it much simpler to operate, but it is also future-proofed by the fact that BOBST DigiFlexo automation and oneECG fixed gamut printing can be added later on for even higher productivity and profitability.”

Investing for future growth For any manufacturer, the decision to start a relationship with a different supplier and invest in new technology is momentous, but Mr Nhanhas no doubt that they picked the ideal partner. He said, “BOBST has certainly been the right choice for our current situation, both in terms of the technology and the after-sales service. The press has not disappointed and the reassurance that BOBST has a local technical team gives us peace of mind – it very much contributed to the final decision.”

He concluded, “As an important part of our future strategy, the BOBST

MASTER M5X will contribute to stabilizing the quality of our products, as well as the overall production plan.

Moreover, it will bring real confidence for our customers when they visit and work with us.”

Frédérick Couton, Technology Sales Manager, Narrow Web, Bobst Southeast Asia Pacific, commented, “It is always very satisfying to help a leading printing company tackle any problems in production and to the witness positive results. With the MASTER M5X on their production floor, Nam Viet can now proceed with their ambitious plans as they enjoy all the benefits that this innovative BOBST technology brings to the table.”

(From left to right) Mr Nguyen Quang Sang (production manager of Nam Viet) - Mr Nguyen Van Minh (Sales manager, BVN) - Mr Frederick Couton (Technology Sales Manager, Narrow web, South East Asia Pacific) - Mr Tran Hoai Nhan (director of Nam Viet)

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How the EF next gene into Pole Position For 25 years, MPS has constantly advanced their presses with innovative technologies in response to customer feedback, market demand, and industry developments.

In response to changing needs and market developments in the industry, in 2021 MPS embraced a new corporate vision and brand identity with ‘Connect to Grow’ as its new brand promise.

The cornerstone of Connect to Grow is looking beyond the machine through intensive cooperation with customers to address all aspects involving their MPS presses, to help them achieve the best performance and maximum return.

Based on the successful foundation of six previous EF platform generations, including MPS innovations such as Crisp.Dot Technology, Non-stop Print Change, and the Ultraflex Rail System, MPS recently unveiled its seventh generation EF machine. This next generation EF flexo platform provides technology enhancements and new features in connectivity, for even better press performance and output.

“By going beyond the machine in product innovation, MPS continually improves the printing process and operator experience,” said Atze Bosma, CEO of MPS Systems. “It’s in our DNA.” Taking pole position with MPSConnect New and improved features of the EF plus the collection and analysis of performance data through MPSConnect and Performance Programs drive a successful formula for profit.

MPSConnect provides ongoing performance monitoring of the printing press through sensor technology combined with the Internet of Things, for real-time data collection and valuable 24x7 fact-based insights.

From this collected data, MPS experts help customers make continuous

performance improvements in waste, speed, and uptime to increase their competitive advantages and maximize their profits.

Greek narrow web printer Forlabels has two EF flexo presses that are fully connected using MPSConnect to retrieve and analyze data. As part of their Performance Program with MPS, they receive monthly reports and indepth advice about their entire printing process.

Forlabels CEO and sales director Avgerinos Chatzichrysos said: “We are convinced these steps in performance improvement are making our company even more successful. We already see better results in our printing quality and delivery times, and with a lower cost price per 1000 labels, Forlabels is even more competitive in the market.”

Another MPS customer, Bizerba UK, considered all the industries leading manufacturers before deciding the MPS EF was the press that ticked all the boxes. The ability to add innovative expandable features such as the MPSConnect feature was another major plus. “We are looking forward to adopting MPSConnect in the near future, the benefits of the programme will allow us to further enhance and improve our performance and output,” said Morag Ash, Head of Labels at Bizerba UK. Benefits of MPSConnect in a nutshell are: Real-time performance insights of presses for relevant KPI's.

Information about maintenance and service.

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eration puts printers Benchmark information against industry leaders.

Identified bottlenecks, errors, and inefficiencies in the operator process.

Trend reports on your main KPI’s over time Operator level insights, comparisons and trends Connectivity will transform label print production “Having a state-of-the-art printing press in your production is great. However, this press alone doesn’t make you win the race. To be even more successful in the future, connectivity is key,” added Bosma.

With MPSConnect, printers can measure all press activities and human interference of the operator with hundreds of sensors. This information includes speed, power, events, alarm messaging, humidity, temperature, accurate changeover time, web tension of the infeed and outfeed, exact set-up times, waste and more. Algorithms and software converts this real-time data into an array of reports and charts. This data and the reports give a clear vision of exactly how the printing press is performing.

Operational & management dashboards, as well as user management/ personalized performance are also new features of the EF next generation press.

The operational dashboard provides the operator easy access to information such as press performance, manuals, and videos about best practices.

The management dashboard provides focused information such as press performance trends, analytics, and benchmarking. With the user management/personalized performance feature, operators can be logged in individually, and access default settings can be set and stored according to print management.

“Through our MPSConnect connectivity platform we provide customers with the information and tools required to follow best practices and use their machines in the most efficient, standardized, and simple fashion. Sustainable labelling solutions is especially important in this challenging market with recent global supply chain issues of reduced raw material availability and staggering cost increases,” concluded Bosma.

Recurring and increasing annual cost savings of €50.000 - €100.000, thanks to more efficient workflow, time management and waste reduction.

Start now with MPSConnect To stay competitive in the industry, it’s important for every label printer to get insights into press activities to identify opportunities for production improvements—and the time to start is now.

With your MPS press and MPSConnect, we put you in Pole Position.

With connectivity through MPSConnect you gain: Increased machine capacity by 10-20%.

Reduced waste by 3-5%.

These benefits are typical performance improvements MPSConnect customers realize. As a result, your net capacity will increase to run more customer jobs, lead times will be shorter, and you will maximize and maintain healthy profits.

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Kirk Group rides pack reshoring wave “We approach a new packaging technology today in exactly the same way we have for 50 years. If it looks useful, we investigate it, and if it stands up to scrutiny, we integrate it, validate it, and take it to the market.”

John Kapiniaris, General Manager of Australia’s Kirk Group, the largest provider of graphic arts services and image carriers in Australia and New Zealand, is providing context for the group’s latest technology acquisition — KODAK FLEXCEL NX Central Software, the new automated plate layout technology from Miraclon, which he says has “transformed our plate utilization efficiency.”

FLEXCEL NX Central Software enables the integration of multiple advanced plate surface patterning features - including those delivered within FLEXCEL NX Print Suite for PureFlexo™ Printing - into one automated plate layout, and increases consistency and reduces errors by minimizing operator touchpoints. It also improves productivity by enabling multiple users on the network to

remotely view or manage the plate layout process.

Early adoption of technology is a Kirk trademark — “Innovation is in our DNA,” says John — and a major reason for its success over the 50 years since Graeme Kirk founded the business in 1972, initially to provide artwork services and gravure cylinder engraving. The company moved into flexo in the 1980s and 1990s and today has four manufacturing sites in Australia and New Zealand — Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Auckland — and, since 2020, a presence in Mumbai, India.

Fast movers “We aim to always be first to market,” says John, before explaining how rolling out a new technology involves working closely with “a trusted

network of suppliers and customers to really field test a solution.” The company’s adoption of FLEXCEL NX Technology in 2010 is a good example of this combination of technological curiosity and close collaboration, as John recalls. “It was one of our trusted customers that alerted Graeme to a groundbreaking new technology. He immediately investigated, liked what he saw and bought a FLEXCEL NX System.

Following the new technology install, we worked with a major brand and our trusted print partner to qualify the technology across their product range, evaluating it on multiple SKUs with really complex designs — multiple colors, fine text, and so on. At the end of the qualification process we knew, and so did the brand owner and printer, that we had something genuinely new and exciting to take to the market.”

Reshoring boosts local demand FLEXCEL NX Central Software is Kirk’s third recent investment in Miraclon technology, following the November installation of a KODAK FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution and investing in the FLEXCEL NX Print Suite for Flexible Packaging to access PureFlexo™ Printing Technology before that. They are all in line with the company’s policy of systems- and technology-driven innovation.

John Kapiniaris (r) and Robert Selvaggio

The solutions add enhanced capabilities to Kirk’s offering — more efficient plate utilization, sustainable plate processing, and on press efficiency — which are vital to the company’s response to what John Kapiniaris describes as “resurgence in local demand in the

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kaging

wake of the pandemic, as many brands bring packaging production home from overseas.”

“The pandemic caught a lot of brands off guard,” he continues. “For the best part of two decades the trend has been to ‘offshore’ packaging on cost grounds.

That’s understandable if the supply chain is stable, but the disruption in 2020 forced brands to reconsider the strategy. Do they stay offshore and risk interruption in supply, or re-partner with local suppliers? Judging on the increased volumes we’re handling, the answer is to come home! We’re seeing work returning that left ten years ago, and over the last 12 months there’s been a flurry of investment in new flexo presses among our customers.”

This returning business enhances what was already a positive outlook for Kirk’s flexo prepress services, demand for which has grown strongly over the last decade, reflecting flexo’s steady advance at the expense of gravure. Says John: “Flexo gives brands the agility and flexibility they need in marketing campaigns, and since the advent of FLEXCEL NX Technology, the levels

of quality and consistency to match gravure and litho.”

Automation controls costs Welcome as the reshoring of packaging production is, Kirk is conscious that the reason it went overseas in the first place — cost — remains an important factor in brand owners’ calculations.

“Automating processes wherever possible is central to our strategy,” says John, citing as an example the ‘Flite’ print management system Kirk launched in 2019.

“Flite automates all the steps from final artwork to delivered plates, removing manual touchpoints and connecting all stakeholders in a transparent production environment. We build a customized workflow for each customer, based on an in-depth understanding of their business requirements, volumes, color strategy and printer space. It takes away all the daily ‘noise’ — the phone calls, emails, status requests, and so on, and creates a highly dynamic environment, working in real-time.”

FLEXCEL NX Central Software is the latest string added to Kirk’s bow.

Developed by Miraclon specifically to support customers in their drive for efficiency, waste reduction and labor savings, the software is tailored to the FLEXCEL NX System and enables the automation of all plate production, including the automatic application of multiple advanced plate surface patterning features.

John Kapiniaris says FLEXCEL NX Central Software has increased plate utilization by upwards of 5% — delivering more saleable plates and resulting in greater sustainable operations.”

Dynamic plate layout “the biggest benefit” He adds, however, that the biggest benefit from the platform is “the ability to maintain a dynamic plate layout right up until the last minute, which is a real game-changer in the Just-InTime packaging business. FLEXCEL NX Central Software essentially allows us to hold a live ‘bucket’ of jobs until we’re ready to process the plates.

Effectively, it gives us an extra six hours in which we can accept last-minute jobs, that are automatically added to

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the plate layouts, maximizing the plate utilization, and that’s a big boost to capacity and efficiency.”

FLEXCEL NX Central Software is also improving Kirk’s plate delivery infrastructure. Says John: “Before, we operated a centralized system with one department preparing plate layouts before sending them out to each site.

Now sites have their own ‘bucket’ into which we deliver files, which are automatically laid out and output when required.

It’s a local, more dynamic approach that lets us turn plates around faster.”

He adds that, in an unexpected bonus, FLEXCEL NX Central Software is opening up a new market for Kirk among narrow web label printers.

“Turnaround times in the sector are near-instant, and competition is fierce. Keeping plate layouts fluid, and with utilization more predictable, it allows our business to become highly competitive in this market.

High expectations Kirk also has high expectations of the FLEXCEL NX Ultra water-based processing solution that is currently being rolled out to customers seeking more sustainable plate solutions.

Solvent-free and VOC-free, the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution features the patented Miraclon-developed KODAK Ultra Clean Technology, and is the first aqueous solution that produces consistent, high-performing plates in a high-volume, lowmaintenance environment.

“When we saw the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution in action, it was another example of one of those ‘lightbulb moments’ you get from Miraclon,” says John. “We’ve been exploring waterwash processing for a while because it supports the importance of sustainable manufacturing for many brands.

This included acquiring a business a few years ago that was active in the space with different technology, so we’ve gained a good understanding of the issues. However, the FLEXCEL NX Ultra Solution gives our customers the quality and consistency associated with FLEXCEL NX Technology, and that’s an attractive combination. It’s another case of Miraclon being that one step ahead of the market.”

He cites PureFlexo Printing as another example of the manner in which Miraclon incrementally advances flexo’s capabilities. Kirk invested in the solution in 2021, initially working with the Miraclon R&D team to address a specific customer issue, but also saw improvements with consistency, reducing the frequency of adjusting the color profiles. Says John: “PureFlexo Printing quickly became our default solution for all flexible packaging customers, who are achieving quality and consistency levels that have amazed and excited brand clients.”

The use of PureFlexo Printing has improved the predictability of the print on press, with less unwanted ink spread and the associated defects traditionally accepted as part of flexo printing.

This has allowed our team to focus on bringing additional capabilities and value to our brand and printer clients and spend less time addressing traditional flexo challenges.”

Trusted partners They didn’t know it at the time, but the customer that suggested Graeme Kirk look at FLEXCEL NX Technology in 2010 was setting in motion a remarkably close collaboration between Kirk and Miraclon that continues to the present day. For John Kapiniaris it’s a “truly open two-way partnership from which we’ve both gained beneficial outcomes. It’s based on trust — we appreciate that Miraclon trusts us to be involved in alpha- and beta-testing new developments and values our feedback.

And the trust goes the other way — we welcome Miraclon dealing directly with our customers if it will help us all arrive at the right solution.”

Healthier discussions Perhaps the greatest compliment he pays Miraclon is his take on how FLEXCEL NX Technology and its successive iterations has, in his words, “enabled healthier discussions around the return on investment of the job.

Before, it was all about who had the cheapest plate, but the arrival of FLEXCEL NX Technology changed that, not least because the advances it represents encouraged other players in the flexo process to up their game.

That changed the discussion to the overall cost of a job — how factors like color strategy, plate patterns, aniloxes, press conditions, operators’ capabilities all contribute to the total output and the impact of the packaging on the shelf. That thinking has transformed the industry.”

https://www.miraclon.com

Ben Prout_Group Technical Manager and colour management extraordinaire

DIGITAL PRINTING SOLUTIONS LIKE NO OTHER Ready for the next turn.

Just like you.

As truly direct and dedicated printing technology specialists, we believe you should deal with your challenges in your very own way. That is why we offer a wider range of digital technologies for a wide range of applications. From wine labels to wall decoration; from toner to inkjet – how can we help you to make your business ready for the next turn? www.xeikon.com

Direct. Dedicated. Digital.

Xeikon_CorporateAdv_210x297_EN.indd 1

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By James McKew, Regional President APAC, Universal Robots

Are Robotic Technologies Ushering in a Job-pocalypse?

In the past years, businesses were battered by the COVID-19 pandemic while the economy was significantly hit.

Countries around the world have witnessed huge implications caused by the pandemic, including sudden labour shortages, supply chain challenges and default work from home arrangements resulting in absenteeism of human resources. While the modern workflows were designed with productivity in mind, the lack of preparedness for an unforeseen pandemic and economic crisis has caught multiple sectors off guard.

Fast forward to today, despite signs of economic recovery, challenges involving labour shortages remain. Employees have begun to re-evaluate their working lives, resulting in many turning away from roles that are dull and dangerous.

According to the 2021 APAC Workforce Insights Report, the top challenges reshaping the workforce include the lack of local talents, high attrition rate and retention of talents.

Businesses look for alternative solutions to solve manpower shortages. Many fast-tracked initiatives and fuelled the incorporation of automation to maintain business continuity. According to the PwC's Global Crisis Survey

2021, 95 per cent of businesses globally have prioritised transformation in the top three areas; mainly operation, IT infrastructure and technology. This creates another concern, employees are threatened by the rapid adoption of emerging technologies, fearing that they will be out of step with progress without the latest skills.

Cobots are friends not foes With employees' fear of being replaced by technologies, and the constant labour shortage, manufacturers are caught between a rock and a hard place. They are navigating between the space of either investing in automation or hiring talents to increase production output.

However, unlike the prejudices from

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people, automation or specifically, robots may not be ushering a job-pocalyse after all. Cobots step in to tackle the repetitive, heavy and unpleasant tasks, much like a useful and highly productive tool for human workers. The increased output and revenue of the company may create more job opportunities, with better career advancement prospects for human workers.

Employees with little to no robotics or programming experiences can easily operate a cobot. The deployment of cobots relieves human workers to work on high-value tasks, provides upskilling opportunities as employees shift from working on dull and dirty tasks to programming cobots and monitoring their performance, carving out new skills and career advancement opportunities for them.

Cobots have become a solution for manufacturers that require a costeffective and space-saving solution to curb manpower shortages and retention challenges.

Addressing labour shortages with cobots Craft And Technik Industries (CATI), an automotive component manufacturer in India deployed a UR (Universal Robots)

cobot to solve manpower challenges and decrease the number of product rejects at its plant. Considering that tasks were completed manually, customer rejections due to faulty components were common before the implementation of UR cobot. Additionally, CATI was facing challenges searching for manual labour.

After installing a UR cobot, which loaded and unloaded a vertical CNC machine and performed automatic inspections, CATI had witnessed an increased efficiency and increased production volume of 15 to 20 per cent with no defects or customer rejections.

Another company that addressed labour shortages by installing UR cobots in its production line was PLC Industries.

The Singapore-based service provider in precision engineering was faced with

a shortage of skilled labour, coupled with rising material costs. With the deployment of two UR10 cobots, the company have boosted production output by 40 per cent and further increased product variety.

In response to global disruption, the manufacturing industry has changed.

Manufacturers are planning ahead, finding ways to take their perceived disadvantages and turn them into advantages. They are working smarter and making modest automation investments with cobots to address labour shortages and retain employees at the same time. Future manufacturers will be embracing cobots as the perfect companion for both employees and employers, shifting into a new work environment.

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Enhancing Supply Ch

How digital printing optimizes t The pandemic might seem to be receding, but border and port closures, knock-on shipping bottlenecks, raw material shortages and other disruptions to the global supply chain are far from over.

Climate change-related extreme weather, new market trends and emerging regulations all add complexity and uncertainty. It’s no wonder that supply chains are struggling to keep up with demand on any given day.

According to the UN’s latest Review of Maritime Transport , shipping schedules are running at less than 40% reliability, down from 75% in the first months of the pandemic. On average, ships are docking 6-7 days late. That might not sound like much, but the impact on production schedules can snowball when supplies come from multiple sources.

With global shortages in a wide range of raw materials and the long lines of

container ships waiting to enter ports, such as the 109-ship pileup outside the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, CA in January this year , it’s almost impossible to know from one day to the next what goods will arrive and when.

In this environment, brands and packaging converters, like all manufacturers, need more versatility and resilience in every aspect of their supply chain, from sourcing of raw materials to delivery of final packaged goods to consumers. Supply chain executives need to be able to plan with more flexibility and shorter timelines.

At the same time, they must evolve from the linear supply chain that was the norm before the great ecommerce

boom to a multi-channel model combining online sales and delivery with multiple brick-and-mortar retail scenarios like warehouse stores, chain stores and boutiques.

The value of digital printing The use of digital printing for more jobs, including higher production volumes, is in sync with manufacturers’ need to improve performance and become more agile and responsive to market changes. Transitioning more packaging jobs to digital printing allows converters to offer brands agile solutions to optimize supply chains and to help unclog the pipes.

Digital printing improves supply chain efficiency by enabling faster time to

With conventional printing, hefty expenses beyond the direct cost of printing can have significant implications for the supply chain. Most of them can be avoided or dramatically reduced with digital printing.

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the packaging supply chain

market, from design to shipment.

Because makeready and setup requirements are minimal, and press changeovers are quick, production turnaround with digital can be just days, instead of weeks. It also eliminates the costs and raw materials associated with traditional printing of corrugated packaging.

Printing closer to customers Post-pandemic, near-sourcing is a vital strategy in ensuring resilient, flexible and agile supply chains. Due to hefty and increasing shipping costs, which reflect the current record-high fuel prices, and long queues at ports, outsourcing packaging manufacturing to Asia or other far-away locales is becoming less and less justifiable.

With HP digital packaging solutions, brands and converters can bypass such

issues. HP presses provide reliable worldwide press coverage with the same high-quality print and color consistency regardless of printing location. Printing worldwide campaigns in multiple locations close to customers reduces warehousing and distribution costs.

Additionally, using digital print enables brands to optimize their supply chain process. Instead of planning months in advance, strategies can be more flexible to meet inventory and market demand.

As well as the supply chain benefits, digitally printed packaging gives brands the power to engage and communicate directly with their consumers. This key advantage can be used to highlight anything from a brand’s philanthropic positioning to upselling products, and more.

Printing responsibly The global drive toward sustainability places additional stresses on the supply chain. Brands are under increasing regulations relating to every aspect of the final product, including the packaging, all the way to end of life (recycling and disposal). A recent survey found that 29 out of 30 countries surveyed are considering or have implemented sustainable-packaging regulations . At the same time, consumers are increasingly aware of the role packaging plays in how their buying decisions impact the environment. The same survey noted that most consumers are very concerned about packaging and are willing to pay a premium for sustainable packaging.

In general, digital printing improves the sustainability of packaging by allowing print-on-demand in any quantity

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needed, reducing obsolescence, waste and warehousing. HP digital corrugated solutions offer additional eco-benefits.

The HP PageWide true water-based inks, containing no hazardous air pollutants, are designed to meet worldwide regulatory requirements, such as UL ECOLOGO, USA FDA, Swiss Ordinance and Nestlé guidelines, and support packaging recyclability and compostability.

Additionally, HP’s printing process itself is designed with sustainability in mind, with environmental benefits such as an automatic clean up procedure for the printheads, reducing the water used in press cleanup.

Optimizing packaging costs A close look at the true costs of packaging production highlights stark differences between analog and digital printing. Many of those aspects have direct implications for the supply chain – notably rush orders, obsolescence, printing plates, inventory holding, aged stock, and re-packaging.

Some digital presses, such as HP PageWide corrugated presses, enable use of lightweight papers, saving

costs and leading to lower materialsand transportation-related carbon emissions. HP digital corrugated presses can print on lower-grade paper, without compromising on print quality, enabling savings for both converters and brands.

Brands thrive with digital printing Cosmetics giant Estee Lauder has been using HP digitally printed packaging through Milano based converter Ghelfi Ondulati to improve their supply chain flexibility and support their sustainability goals, with great success.

Digital print enabled Estee Lauder to cost-effectively trial new e-commerce packaging designs in select markets in lower quantities and in multiple versions. Digital also helped them to be more flexible during the pandemic as project requirements and timelines shifted.

Additionally, the ability to produce short-to-long runs digitally and deliver orders quickly supports Estee Lauder’s ability to match box production to demand, helping to reduce inventory and waste, while engaging directly with their consumers for upsell.

“At Estee Lauder, we are trying to find every day new ways to improve our supply chains,” said Andrea Santangelo, Corporate E-Commerce Manager for The Estée Lauder Companies Inc. “Thanks to digital printing we need less inventory, we reduce waste, and we stay in line with our goals for sustainability.”

Conclusion Like all manufacturers, packaging converters need flexible and streamlined operations, which demands the same of their supply chains. Digital printing can help by providing the flexibility to adjust quickly to changes in demand, shortages of materials, trade flow blockages and other disruptions.

Additionally, digital packaging can help with meeting supply chain sustainability goals by reducing waste and transportation. In particular, HP digital solutions for corrugated packaging enable use of lighter-weight and lowergrade paper and to print direct-toboard, empowering converters and brands with more options for supply chain flexibility and cost reductions.

https://unctad.org/webflyer/review-maritimetransport-2021 https://www.wsj.com/articles/containership-backup-at-southern-california-ports-isreceding-11644523945 https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/paperforest-products-and-packaging/our-insights/ sustainability-in-packaging-global-regulatorydevelopment-across-30-countries

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Highest-ranking apps on either black, red or white “White was the most commonly used colour in prominent shopping app icons as of February 2022,” reports MoneyTransfers CEO Jonathan Merry. Icons of the most popular shopping applications employed white for about 43% of their design.

Each of the researched categories has its dominant tone. According to MoneyTransfers, black was the most common colour for gaming apps, while red was popular for food and drink applications.

The most popular apps of 2022, based on downloads, spending, and active users According to Data.ai, consumers spent $33 billion on mobile apps in the first quarter of 2022, the biggest ever amount. In just two years, that’s risen by 40%, although the pandemic-related surge in mobile growth is diminishing.

It’s essential to keep in mind that this includes money spent on online products and subscriptions to digital

services. However, it does not include the $33 billion in mobile spending on retail items and deliverable outcomes.

In the first quarter of this year, the most popular mobile apps were from renowned publishers with a few surprises thrown in. In the quarter’s titanic war, Instagram emerged victorious over TikTok. People and organizations concerned about censorship on other platforms continue to use Telegram. It played a role as the primary platform for their private group and individual conversations.

Zoom, meanwhile, was clinging to part of its work-from-home epidemic vibe.

Global app downloads in Q1 2022 The top app downloads were Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, WhatsApp, Snapchat, Telegram, Shopee, Facebook Messenger, Spotify, and Zoom Cloud Meetings.

TikTok triumphs in customer spending.

People can now purchase in-app badges and presents to show their appreciation for their favourite TikTok creators. It has been a tremendous success.

Dating apps like Tinder and streaming video apps, including Japan’s Piccoma, and webtoons app, make up six of the top 10 apps by cost.

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Top global apps by consumer spending in Q1 2022 TikTok, YouTube, Tinder, Disney+, HBO Max, Tencent Video, Google One, Piccomai, QiYi, and QQ Music were the top apps by consumer spending.

Facebook still has the most monthly active users globally, with TikTok, Amazon, Twitter, and others in second and third place.

Top global apps based on monthly active users, Q1 2022 Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Facebook Messenger, TikTok, Amazon, Telegram, Twitter, Spotify, and Netflix

were the top apps on monthly active users.

Market data singles out Snapchat and Shoppee as two of the most influential apps. Snapchat’s teen-targeted social media app has appeared to stagnate in recent years.

However, brand partnerships with Coke, Amazon, Under Armour, and investments in augmented reality for innovative face swaps have given Snapchat a boost. Those helped move it up the global download charts from seventh to fifth.

While Shoppee’s income and user numbers have been growing, the Singapore-based online retailer’s market share has steadily decreased. Something else worth noting is how many humans seem to value good health.

Data.ai reports that medical apps are expanding at 23 percent every quarter, while health and fitness apps are growing at roughly 20 percent per quarter. It’s no surprise that Calm is one of the most popular apps for meditation and sleep.

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52 Corporate Press Support, spearheaded Quad’s press research and is especially keen about the Landa S10P’s double delivery because it can handle short run fill-ins that would otherwise be produced on one of Quad’s sheetfed presses. “This is what a premier marketing experience is all about,” Calmes says. “With the double delivery on the S10P, we can get short runs done quickly, without concern for quality or consistency.”

Landa S10P Nanographic Printing Press Advances Quad’s Innovative In-Store Solutions Landa Digital Printing™, which liberates printers from barriers inherent to traditional digital and conventional analog printing; and Quad, a global marketing experience company, announced today that Quad is adding the Landa S10P Nanographic Printing® Press to its In-Store Solutions production lineup.

The Landa S10P, equipped with a powerful digital front end, introduces a new standard in printing speed, format, efficiency and data-driven digital applications; expanding the digital capabilities for B1-format printing and offering unlimited variable print options at very fast speeds and at the highest quality available.

The S10P supports Quad’s unique “through the line” offering for marketers – from strategy and creative through production, execution, and analytics for marketing that is more efficient and effective. Today, with people living, working and learning from anywhere, marketing that is delivered at the right amplitude for customer response and engagement is essential. Key to Quad’s multidimensional marketing approach is removing friction in the marketing process, clearing the way for deeper and better customer engagement across channels.

One very effective retail marketing strategy is to utilize two strong application segments – in-store and

personalized customer engagement – both of which mandate supreme print quality that only the Landa press can provide.

“Quad clients are enthusiastic about what’s coming their way with the S10P,” says Tim Ohnmacht, president of In-Store Solutions at Quad. “The S10P will support timesensitive, in-store production with the highest caliber imagery, in the most compressed cycle times we’ve ever offered. Two-sided signs, measuring up to 41 inches, in all their remarkable brand colors, will print and ship faster than ever. Brands will be able to respond and execute on market changes with higher – much higher – frequency.”

Ohnmacht and his team are also enthusiastic about the ability to drive personalization at the individual store level. At 6,500 sheets per hour, every image on a sheet, and every sheet, in any run length, can be variable.

“Quad has a relentless focus on innovation and client success,” Ohnmacht adds. “Being able to deliver these solutions to our clients keeps us right where we are most comfortable – on the leading edge of solving for our clients’ marketing challenges.”

The seven-color perfecting Landa S10P prints 96% of Pantone colors and is the fastest B1/41” digital printing press on the market. The S10P’s feature profile fulfills the needs of printers who want to capitalize on their existing investments in traditional offset while expanding into the next generation of digital printing.

Dave Calmes, Quad manager of

“Print leaders stay ahead of the curve by incorporating cutting-edge solutions that affect real change,” says Landa Digital Printing’s chief executive officer, Gil Oron.

“By investing in the S10P, Quad substantiates Nanography’s role in breaking barriers inherent in traditional digital and offset printing.

Landa is proud to have Quad as a strategic partner and looks forward to supporting Quad and its clients with our revolutionary technology.

We continue our commitment to developing state of the art Nanographic solutions to benefit Quad, as well as the entire market, as time goes on.” . drupa 2024 is well on track Since February companies have been able to register for drupa 2024 and a very positive trend is now already emerging. Renowned global players and newcomers across the entire print and packaging value chain from a total of 32 countries are already on board.

Drupa 2024 is gaining momentum and there is every indication that it will again underline its position as the No. 1 event for Printing Technologies.

Under the motto “we create the future” drupa will serve as a global meeting point presenting the visions of the print and packaging industries.

This edition will specifically focus on the mega trends sustainability and digitalisation as well as their influence on processes, products, sustainable business models and the future of the industry.

“Current registration levels, exhibitor feedback on impressive stand concepts, scheduled product launches and live demos of machinery all build suspense among the global community and are the reason for

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SPEED UP YOUR PROCESSES with optical systems for UV curing and drying

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our great optimism,” delights Sabine Geldermann, Project Director of Print Technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, who adds: “The industry has again proven its pivotal relevance with its broad-based applications on so many vertical markets – especially in times of crisis.”

KURZ to act as Platinum Partner for drupa 2024 After already acting as a Platinum Partner for virtual.drupa KURZ, a worldwide market leader in thinfilm technologies, unequivocally demonstrates its strong commitment returning as an exclusive partner of drupa 2024. “drupa is the most relevant trade fair for the graphic industry,” explains Walter Kurz, board member of LEONHARD KURZ Stiftung & Co. KG. “All decision-makers, innovators, but also providers and processors of progressive technologies come together here, present their solutions and marvel at new trends – no market player can or wants to miss this date.

We are already looking forward to presenting our innovative solutions in 2024 – first and foremost with a focus on sustainability.”

For interested firms drupa offers its exclusive “Platinum Exhibitor” packages (which are already sold out), alongside its “Golden Exhibitor” and “Silver Exhibitor” packages in limited numbers. For further information go to www.drupa.de Full steam ahead Although there are just under two years to go until the start of the trade fair, planning is already in full swing. Operative planning of global marketing initiatives, special forums and networking events has already got off to a dynamic start. Likewise, the partners operating the touchpoints and the Special Forum drupa next age (dna) – the innovative technology driver to connect industry newcomers, young talents, explorative start-ups and well-established enterprises – have already submitted their conceptual ideas and involvement of exhibitor partners.

Young Talents @ drupa “Promoting young talent and the ‘next generation of print’ is especially dear to our hearts just as it is to our partners and customers,” explains Sabine Geldermann. “Against this background we will design a fascinating paper artwork for drupa

2024 together with the Academy for Fashion & Design from Düsseldorf; in cooperation with other universities such as Stuttgart Media University as well as vocational training colleges such as FHBK Dortmund we will move the importance and fascination of this industry with its highly attractive job profiles to the foreground.”

The next drupa will be held from 28 May to 7 June 2024 at Düsseldorf Exhibition Centre. Exhibitors can register online by late October 2022 via www.drupa.de.

Other events from the Global Portfolio for Print Technologies 2022 will see several other international trade fairs being held as part of the global portfolio of drupa 2022: Indoprint in Jakarta (31 August – 3 September), PackPrintPlas Philippines in Manila (6 – 8 October), All in Print in Shanghai (11 – 15 October) as well as PackPrint International and Corrutec Asia in Bangkok (19 – 22 October). For more information on these trade fairs visit https://www.drupa.de/de/drupa_ global

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