PRESSIdeas February 2021 issue

21 vol-21 Issue- 02 February 2021

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Vol.21 Issue 02, 2021

Heidelberg Suprasetter A106 in Ranchi....10 AIFMP condemns raw material price rise.11 Say goodbye to complexity...........................18 Never Stop Creating Memories....................20 HP Indigo 6900 for Sai Digistik......................22

A monthly Publication from PRESSIdeas Publishing Pvt. Ltd.

Inline or CI? The flexo debate........................26 Digital or Flexo Dilemma.................................30 Fastest ever Inkjet...............................................40

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Contents FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK..............................................................................................................................................................................................................5 Leading the industry in yearbook production with a completely digital workflow.................................................................................................6 WHAT ARE YEARBOOKS...................................................................................................................................................................................................................8 Enfocus releases PDF Review Module 2 ...................................................................................................................................................................................9 Ranchi’s National Printers installs Heidelberg Suprasetter A106 ................................................................................................................................. 10 AIFMP condemns price increase of printing raw material.............................................................................................................................................. 11 Ample Graphics installs the 500th machine for their first customer........................................................................................................................... 12 Commercial Printing has been the worst hit segment, Akshay Kaushal.................................................................................................................... 13 Newspaper publisher switches successfully from violet to KODAK thermal CTP and KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates.................................................................................................................................... 14 STEC installs QIPC-EAE Performance Package..................................................................................................................................................................... 15 Digital Media India 2021 Programme..................................................................................................................................................................................... 15 KI Packaging installs the 1st Landa Press of west coast, US............................................................................................................................................ 16 PRINTPACK INDIA to take place in December 2021........................................................................................................................................................... 17 Say goodbye to complexity. Say hello to PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions.......................................................................................... 18 ‘NEVER STOP Creating Memories’ campaign by Fujifilm India ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Sai Digistik installs HP Indigo 6900.......................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 Need of the hour for every Indian Printer............................................................................................................................................................................. 23 UFlex invests in second Heidelberg Intro ............................................................................................................................................................................. 24 The pandemic taught us how to adopt effective planning: Sanjay G Joshi, Printmark........................................................................................ 25

Jasmeet D. Editor & Publisher (jasmeet@pressideas.com) Vineet K G. Associate Editor (vineetkg@pressideas.com) Jasvinder S. Sub-Editor (jasvinder@pressideas.com) Jacob George Marketing and Sales (jacob@pressideas.com) M.S. Mukundan Advertising and Sales Southern and Western India (aims@pressideas.com) Graphic Designer Anil Kumar

Inline or CI? The flexo debate..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 26 Registrations for Plastvision India 2023 are open.............................................................................................................................................................. 28 Siegwerk collaborates with Idealliance ................................................................................................................................................................................. 29 The Digital or Flexo dilemma..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 30 Ramakrishna Karanth appointed CEO Siegwerk India...................................................................................................................................................... 31 Shreedhar Labels installs India’s first Baldwin Guardian PQV 100% Print Inspection system............................................................................ 32 YesGo Founder receives Entrepreneur Of The Year............................................................................................................................................................ 33 NR Instant Produce PCL installs 4 V-Shapes ALPHA packaging lines.......................................................................................................................... 34 TSC Printronix Auto ID launches Alpha 30L & 40L in India.............................................................................................................................................. 35 Reprograf-Grafikus sells first MPS flexo press to Alu-Lids................................................................................................................................................ 36 Sustainability in Packaging Asia 2021.................................................................................................................................................................................... 37

Networking/ Hardware Consultant Sukhdeep Singh USA Correspondents Tensi M., Preeti European Correspondent Rimi, Yadhu Morphine Production Thomas K Alex

Kornit partners with Matset ...................................................................................................................................................................................................... 38 Twine appoints Alon Bar-Shany as Active Chairman of the Board .............................................................................................................................. 39 ‘EFI Speed’ Single-Pass: Breakthrough productivity with EFI’s fastest-ever Inkjet solution ................................................................................ 40 PRESSIdeas February 2021 Vol. 21, Issue 02 Printed by Jacob George and published by Jasmeet Singh on behalf of PRESSIdeas Publishing Pvt Ltd. Printed in India at Hues and Colors 363, Industrial Focal Point, Phase-IX Mohali, and published at PRESSIdeas, 437-A 1st Floor, Industrial Area, Phase-2 Chandigarh-160002 (India) Every effort has been made to ensure that credits accurately comply with information supplied.

All material supplied is compiled from sources believed to be reliable or solely an opinion of the authors. PRESSIdeas is not responsible for any steps taken based on the information provided herewith.

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February 2021

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FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK Dear Readers, India’s flexible packaging, aseptic liquid packaging and polymer science giant UFlex Limited has invested in their second printing line from Heidelberg Web Carton Converting GmbH. UFlex aims to expand its Asepto plant in Sanand with their latest Heidelberg Intro printing line. It also aims to double its production capacity to 7 bn packs per annum. This investment is UFlex’s larger growth strategy in the liquid packaging space on the back of its ambition to expand its global footprints. Besides, the Heidelberg Intro Web technology brings print quality that exceeds UFlex customers’ expectations. Another key industry installation by Heidelberg is Ranchi’s National Printers installing Heidelberg Suprasetter A106. Apart from the Suprasetter equipment the deal covered Prinect Production manager workflow & Saphira consumables supply for a period of 3 years. “The latest investment fits into our expansion plans and perfectly complements a recent shift into our 10,000 Sq. Feet premises. The upgrades support our move into digitization and automation of print production,” says, Krishna Kant Kedia of National Printers.

Sai Digistik has installed an HP Indigo 6900 Digital Press. With the latest investment, the Sonepat based company looks to upgrade its premium offerings for small and medium business customers. Shreedhar Labels has installed India’s first Baldwin Guardian PQV 100% Print Inspection system. TSC Printronix Auto ID has launched Alpha 30L & 40L in India. The advanced mobile printers bring intelligent label printing capabilities to enterprise professionals.

“During the lockdown, the biggest challenge for the companies was to remain afloat with virtually no cash flow, cancelled projects and so on,” says Akshay Kaushal, Executive Director – Sales, PrOvin Technos. Commercial Printing has been the worst hit segment, he says while sharing his experience during the recent COVID-19 times, lockdown and post lock down. Apart from demand crunch and business loss, the industry has faced huge price increase in various print ingredients – paper, chemicals, plates, consumables and inks etc. Expressing deep concern, the apex body of printers, All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP) has condemned the sharp increase in the prices of raw material especially paper, plates and chemical etc. This unprecedented steep escalation of price of Paper by the paper mills is the major hurdle while consuming industries are not willing to pass on the cost making their business unviable. Prof. Kamal Mohan Chopra, President AIFMP says, “The printing industry is facing a crisis as prices of raw material have shot up by 30-35 per cent in paper prices. All other input cost such as manpower, laminating film, freight and other overheads have also witnessed a huge increase of 60-70 per cent in last few years.”

If you want to solve the dilemma of Digital or Flexo, you have to read the article about Aniflo, the game changer technology to restore profitability.

And, if you want to be a part of the ‘Flexo Debate’ about Inline or CI, you have to read the piece where Paolo Grasso explains it all while replying to Nick Coombes’ queries.

Find the latest updates on technological upgrades, installations, new launches, tie-ups, events and more along with our regulars in the February issue of PRESSIdeas.

- Jasvinder Singh, Sub-editor

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February 2021

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Leading the industry in yearbook production with a completely digital workflow Balfour and Meccanotecnica experience the third round of investment with new digital print finishing solutions for the production of yearbooks.

Balfour, formerly known as Taylor Publishing Company, was founded in 1939 by Herbert, Edgar, and Bill Taylor. Their vision to simplify the book creation process through innovation and technology has allowed the company to not just keep pace with the industry but set it.

Meccanotecnica has been supplying book finishing machines to Balfour since 1976. Now with the latest generation of digital print finishing solutions with Universe and the integrated line for spine nipping and end-sheet tipping, they experiencing the third wave of investments in digital and it has been nothing but a success.

Key Notes :

While the company entered the industry during the era of photoengraving and copper plates, today Balfour’s 325,000 square-foot, state-of-the-art production facility is equipped with the latest printing and bookbinding technology. Most importantly, Balfour continues to employ the skilled and experienced personnel necessary to produce highquality, hard- and soft-bound books efficiently.

Balfour is one of only a few US printing/binding operations with significant cover making capabilities.

They offer numerous casebound (hardcover) production options, including cloth-based or printed.

With the use of foils, inks, embossing, die-cutting, and laminating, the company offers thousands of options for book cover customization. In addition to case-bound cover capabilities, Balfour produces printed covers for softcover books that can be bound in a variety of ways including saddle stitch, perfect binding, thread-sewing and more.

Mr. Gary Thompson, V.P. of Operations at Balfour.

Balfour operates one of the largest Komori sheet-fed offset pressrooms in North America. They regularly produce print runs of 300 to 10,000 copies or more, but also have several digital printing machines dedicated for shorter print runs.

Balfour was the first company in the US to implement online publishing, produce all-color yearbooks, and move to a completely digital workflow. “We lead the industry in yearbook software technology, offering the most robust set of technology and educational tools for our customers to manage their yearbook creation

> Balfour operates one of the largest Komori sheet-fed offset pressrooms in North America. > Regularly produce print runs of 300 to 10,000 copies or more with several digital printing machines dedicated for shorter print runs as well. > Balfour was the first company in the US to implement online publishing, produce all-colour yearbooks, and move to a completely digital workflow.

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From the left Mr. Terry Allen (Bindery manager), Mrs. Beverly Edwards (Sewing lead) and Mr. Gary Thompson (V.P. of Operations).

pressideas/ commercial printing

journey”, says Mr. Gary Thompson, V.P. of Operations at Balfour.

All publishing production is done in Dallas.

However, Balfour’s parent company, American Achievement Corporation, has facilities across North America for the production of its achievement products such as caps and gowns, graduation announcements, letter jackets, school photography, and class jewelry.

“Meccanotecnica has been supplying book finishing machines to Balfour since 1976, starting with the first automatic tippers in

WHAT ARE YEARBOOKS Yearbooks, or annuals, are a type of book published annually by an educational institution to document, highlight and commemorate students as well as activities carried out during the school year. These are books that favor images and photographs which show students, activities, and events in which they were involved.

the late ’70s. It was followed by automatic book sewing machines in the ’80s. The second wave of investments came in 2004 with new automatic book sewers and their automatic loading systems plus stackers, to the first book sewing machine for digital printing in the US, the Kristec, and now with the latest generation of digital print finishing solutions with Universe™ and the integrated line for spine nipping and end-sheet tipping.

Today we are experiencing the third wave of investments in digital and it has been nothing but a success.”, continues Mr. Gary Thompson.

CHALLENGE “Over the years, Balfour has progressively increased its digital printing capacity, consequently, we had also to step up our print finishing capability”.

SOLUTION “We were already successfully using a Kristec and a Universe book sewer. The new generation of Universe together with the integrated spine nipping press and endsheet tipper proved to be the solution able to meet our needs. The versatility of use, the reliability, and the levels of performance it can

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achieve (500 sheets/minute as a constant feed speed, Ed.) were decisive in the choice”. - Mr. Gary Thompson

RESULTS “We have just installed our second Universe™ line, increasing our efficiency, and reducing cost”, says Mr. Gary Thompson.

“We thread-sew all of our case-bound yearbooks for quality reasons. We believe it is the strongest form of production enabling the books to last for decades, holding up for milestone celebrations like 5, 10, 20-year reunions. When we pull a book off the shelf, it will still be in good shape due to threadsewing and hardcover production.”

KEY FIGURES Balfour produces millions of books of which about 85% are thread-sewn and hard covered. They service thousands of schools in the K-12 and College market.

“Digital finishing is very cost-effective for us.

By printing digitally, we have faster turn time and less waste. Digital printing has no loss of time for drying as in offset (8 hours), so we gain that time back and can begin sewing immediately after printing. We are also able to tip the end sheets inline without a separate operation, this is very efficient,” concludes Mr. Gary Thompson.

FOCUS ON THE PROCESS After sewing, the integrated spine-nipping press automatically presses the book blocks reducing the thickness of the spine build-up.

This improves the quality and efficiency of downstream processes.

The end-sheet tipper is also integrated and connected in line with the nipping press, significantly enhancing the efficiency of the book block preparation for hardcover application. The module automatically glues the end-sheets to the first and last page of the book block by using cold glue.

pressideas/ commercial printing

Enfocus releases PDF Review Module 2 The online PDF proofing solution gets a major upgrade.

Enfocus, provider of PDF quality control, advanced PDF editing and workflow automation solutions for the graphic arts industry has announced the release of PDF Review Module 2. The Enfocus PDF Review Module version 2 is a major upgrade. This Switch module provides a fully automated online PDF proofing solution. Enfocus online proofing software removes manual touches from creating, sending, and receiving PDF proofs. It allows production teams to concentrate on getting jobs to press by speeding up the proofing cycle and provides a much better service to customers.

“I’m enthusiastic about the impact that the new features will have. There are many customer requests put into this version and I’m truly proud of what we were able to accomplish with PDF Review Module 2.

There has been an uptick in the industry need for automated online PDF proofing and we have certainly met that need. There has been overwhelming feedback and excitement from customers and partners regarding this major update.” - Andrew Bailes-Collins, Senior Product Manager, Enfocus The PDF Review Module 2 upgrade addresses many customer requests for features. First and foremost is the ability to

proof multiple PDF files as a single multi-part job. There are also key new features in the way proofs are viewed. Reader spread view is added, as well as the ability to rotate the proof to check rotated content. Displaying of the PitStop Server preflight report is possible.

The report is layered over the proof to clearly indicate which elements have issues.

Support has been added for representing multiple brands in the proofing interface.

Switch users can set a preference to keep a copy of approved files for a defined period.

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Multiple PDF files in a single link – A single email with a single link works with multiple PDF files to be approved, instead of sending one email per PDF. This means multiple files can be handled as a group, instead of independently, which makes a more user-friendly experience.

Support for Multiple brands – Multiple brands can now be used within the PDF Review module interface, automatically.

Reader spreads – Allows two pages to be displayed as reader spreads. This means the alignment of objects on the two pages can be accurately viewed and checked Display the Preflight Report - Enables the customer to easily see issues with the PDF, the customer is shown the elements or areas that could cause issues. Customers view the actual production PDF, with preflight data layered over it.

Keep approved files for a defined time

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– Files can be viewed later, after they have been approved or rejected using the original link. This means proofs can be rechecked and reviewed in the event of a dispute.

Option to rotate view – Enables the approval view to be rotated to easily check content.

Speed up the approval process – Unnecessary file transfer time and bandwidth usage is eliminated.

Support for password-protected PDFs – Provides an extra level of security for customers worried about data protection and confidentiality.

Email encryption and authentication – More compatibility with email servers, making administration easier.

February 2021

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Ranchi’s National Printers installs Heidelberg Suprasetter A106 Apart from the Suprasetter equipment the deal covered with Prinect Production manager workflow & Saphira consumables supply for period of 3 years.

National Printers, based in Ranchi, Jharkhand, have invested in a Heidelberg Suprasetter A106 thermal CtP with Prinect workflow, once again demonstrating their strong preference for the Heidelberg brand.

“In our nearly three-decade printing experience, Heidelberg is a name we trust in terms of technology and world-class innovation with a leading edge in all the segments it competes in,” asserted Krishna Kant Kedia, Founder - National Printers.

“The latest investment fits into our expansion plans and perfectly complements a recent shift into our 10,000 Sq. Feet premises. The upgrades support our move into digitization and automation of print production.” – Krishna Kant Kedia, National Printers

Key Notes : > Suprasetter A106 complements National Printers’ line up of Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102, SM 74 and SM 102 presses.

Catering to commercial, packaging and book printing, National Printers undertakes government print projects as well. Founded in 1991 by Krishna Kant Kedia in state of Jharkhand, the print company expanded by partnering with Ashok Agarwal, in Ranchi. Today, the print facility has a footprint of 200,000 Sq. feet across 3 facilities, equipped with Heidelberg Speedmaster CD 102, Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74, and Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 102 press equipment.

“Besides, Heidelberg provides CIP4 connectivity with the press, offering a digitized workflow that improves quality of productivity and reduces make-readies significantly. Saphira plates, Heidelberg Suprasetter, and Prinect workflow synchronize in line press

connectivity to boost efficiency and performance,” adds Kedia.

Built upon Heidelberg’s proprietary laser technology, the Heidelberg Suprasetter A106 is designed to deliver excellent imaging quality and uninterrupted production, thanks to the Intelligent Diode System (IDS). Developed and patented by Heidelberg, the IDS eliminate production losses, even if one or more diodes fail. The internal punching system ensures reliable production with maximum register accuracy, reducing make-ready times and minimizing wastage, particularly for repeat jobs. An extensive cooling system makes sure the plate setting process is not influenced by external room temperature.

Kedia and Ashok Agarwal, head the operations at National Printers and cater to customers from all segments, such as commercial, books, packaging, and government works.

Indukalpa Saikia, sales manager –eastern region, Heidelberg India, said, “ National Printers, is our long time customer, Apart from the Suprasetter equipment the deal covered with Prinect Production manager workflow & Saphira consumables supply for period of 3 years, which rounds up our offerings from pre-press and press.”

> Heidelberg provides CIP4 connectivity with the press, offering a digitized workflow that improves quality of productivity and reduces make-readies significantly. > Saphira plates, Heidelberg Suprasetter, and Prinect workflow synchronize in line press connectivity to boost efficiency and performance.

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February 2021

Mr. Krishna Kant Kedia with the brand new Heidelberg Suprasetter A 106 Equipment

pressideas/ commercial printing

The Prinect Production manager is Heidelberg’s proprietary pre-press workflow software which enhances productivity and navigate pre-press automation challenges.

The Advanced Preflight tools and PDF Toolbox check the artwork for errors, while signa station, the imposition tool, prints the layout of the book to be printed and positions the artwork on press sheets to speed up printing and reduces paper waste.

After layout, the Pro-man also transfers ink presetting data from CtP plate-setter to the

press. RGB to CMYK color conversion can be done by using appropriate color profiles, while Trapping can be applied if necessary.

“The software minimizes human intervention and cuts make-ready time by accelerating pre-press and ink-setting operations.

Heidelberg offers Production manager software on a subscription-based model, departing radically from tradition. The pay-asyou-go model makes it easy on the budget,” adds Indukalpa Saikia.

“The latest investment fits into our expansion plans and perfectly complements a recent shift into our 10,000 Sq. Feet premises. The upgrades support our move into digitization and automation of print production. As we scale new heights of growth in packaging, we are ready to fully explore the potential of our infrastructure and investments,” concludes Kedia.

AIFMP condemns price increase of printing raw material Printers facing raw material cost shock – sharp increase in the prices of paper, plates and chemical etc.

Apart from Covid related challenges, the printing industry is facing the twin blow of continuous price hikes in a paper, plates, chemicals, ink and other raw material and substantial rise in our input cost. All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP) condemn the sharp increase in the prices of raw material especially paper, plates and chemical etc. This unprecedented steep escalation of price of Paper by the paper mills is the major hurdle while consuming industries are not willing to pass on the cost making their business unviable.

Printing is considered to be the biggest invention of mankind till date, because it is considered to be the foundation stone of modern civilization. Presently India, with 250,000 printing companies is leading the world. All India Federation of Master Printers (AIFMP) is the apex body of Indian Printers (www.aifmp.org). Printing and packaging industry is an intermediary industry, dependent on industries, government and educational institutes.

Prof. Kamal Mohan Chopra, President AIFMP said, more than 85% of Indian printing entrepreneurs are micro or tiny units thus are not able to sustain the major jerks like this. After the lockdown due to pandemic which created a havoc, now the things have started improving, but the printers are facing loss of business due to the unprecedented hike in the prices of raw materials such as paper, plates and ink. He further said, the printing industry is facing a crisis as prices of raw material have shot up by 30-35 per cent threatening to turn the business unviable. He further added that, in addition to the increase

in paper prices, all other input cost such as manpower, laminating film, freight and other overheads have also witnessed a huge increase of 60-70 per cent in last few years.

Prof. Chopra further said that in accordance with the Essential Commodities Act, 1955 (No 10 of 1955), 2 (a) (vii) paper, including newsprint, paperboard – and straw board comes under ‘Essential Commodities.’

We feel this law is not being implemented properly. We wish that government should intervene, to oversee its strict implementation. It will help in improving the quality and the rationalisation of rates. If there is no check in this regard, the printers will be compelled to increase their cost, which will start a vicious cycle of increase in prices all over and affect the industry and the economy of the country.

Mr. G N Visvakumar, Hon General Secretary of AIFMP said, it is seen that over the past about five/six months the Paper Mills in the country have exponentially increased their prices. This sudden and unnatural spiralling increase in price of basic raw material “Paper& Board” has caught the printing

industry unaware. The quantum and frequent increases in prices has knocked the wind out of our sails leaving the printing and packaging industry of India on the brink of collapse. He further added that the survival of the industry would be at stake, it may not be practical for us to supply the material without an increase of at least 20 per cent. Already Printers are suffering a lotas they are not able to run the unit in full capacity due to covid, this increase in the raw material prices will ruin the industry if no attention is given by the government immediately.

Mr. Visvakumar added that Printing is an intermediary industry and most of the printers are operating in micro sector and also bound to abide by the contracts and tenders signed with private and various government agencies. Printers are stuck between manufacturers who increase the prices of raw material without any consideration and customers who are not willing to pay the additional costs demanded by the printers, due to the increase of raw material. This will seriously impact the Publishing and Packaging Industry.

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pressideas/ commercial printing

Ample Graphics installs the 500th machine for their first customer The first customer is also the 500th customer of Ample Graphics. Directors Rajeev Jagga and Sachin Kala speak about the recent milestone and more about the company.

Ample Graphics achieved another milestone of installing 500th machine in its successful journey that started just over five and a half years ago. What makes the 500th installation so special is that the buyer of Ample Graphics’s very first machine also bought their 500th machine.

The latest launch by Ample Graphics is a high-speed flute laminator at an economic price point. The first installation was done at Ahmedabad. The company provides a whole range of Automatic Lamination machines, Rigid Box Making solutions and Corrugation machines.

Ample Graphics is a brainchild of Rajeev Jagga and Sachin Kala, who joined hands in July 2015 to start their business of providing value-for-money capital equipment solutions to the Offset packaging Industry. Rajeev Jagga has over 25 years of experience of dealing in printing industry consumable products and is a well know name from the industry, especially in the Offset segment.

Sachin Kala, a printing technologist, started his career in production with a packaging unit in Jaipur at the turn of the century.

Later he moved to marketing, initially with consumables and then with capital equipment. Later he ventured into his own business that we know as Ample Graphics.

“We believe that corrugation Industries have lot of scope of future expansion. Customer are replacing old machine with newer more energy efficient high-speed machines with better automation,” observes Sachin Kala. “We have recently associated with an industry veteran us who have more than 2025 years’ experience in this industry. Now we can offer technical assistance to customer for upgrading their existing old plants,” adds Rajeev.

“In these almost five and half years, the company has achieved the success of being amongst the top equipment suppliers from China to our target market with over 500 installations from 108 customers,” says Rajeev Jagga. These customers are across all the northern, western, and southern states.

What makes Ample Graphics and their solutions unique is the service that comes with them. “Service keeps us above competitive solutions. Since the launch, our focus has been service. That has been our key strength as well as the winning factor till now. And, we believe, going forward also it will be the differentiator,” asserts Rajeev.

The service is backed by a strong team of about ten Service Engineers who cater installations as well as after sales service.

Besides, there is a dedicated staff for

customer care. Rajeev and Sachin are the Directors. Rajeev handles Commercial, Logistic and Office back-end Operations while Sachin Kala takes care of Sales and After Sales Service.

Boasting a strong customer relationship, the company attributes at least 70% of its total sales to existing customers and their references. Apart from that they also have Sales Business Partners in Ahmedabad, Vapi, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Hyderabad. Prior to the current pandemic situation, exhibitions also had been playing a crucial role in product promotion and customer relationship.

Additionally, Ample Graphics leverages live factory environments of its trusted customers should some customer needs a demonstration of their machine. “I believe, demo centres cannot mimic live environment.

Though they are a good platform for showcasing technology but a functioning live production unit cannot be really replicated in a demo centre. We instead prefer to show demo live in real factory environment of one of our trusted clients,” reveals Rajeev.

The key brands that Ample Graphics represents are Tiancen/ Huawei – Automatic Dry Lamination; Lishunyuan – Rigid Box Making Machine; Aoer- Automatic Die Cutting Machine; HRB – Corrugation Machineries; and Huawei – High Speed Servo Driven Flute Laminator.

Speaking on the recent pandemic conditions and its impact on the industry, he says, “Having large labour force is now being construed as a risk. Therefore, adoption of automation is being seriously considered in the industry. So going forward, we feel things will be better for machine suppliers like us. Everyone is just waiting for the travel restrictions to be removed on travel to and from China. We expect a large number of customers who are sitting on the fence to take the plunge.”

“At the same time we fear that many Chinese companies will increase their India focus so

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the competition is going to become tougher,” he adds.

With the ‘new normal’ being considered the future for some time, Ample Graphics adapted to the new conditions by focusing on pandemic machine and provided full support to those people who wanted to support Indians/ Indian government for producing Masks etc.

Ample Graphics, with significant support from their existing customers are at par of last financial year business. “During this financial we are at par of last financial year business.

Though we have not been able to achieve growth, but it is our biggest achievement to retain our entire man power team during the Corona crises,” emphasizes Sachin.

Ample Graphics’ growth strategy will be to increase their Sales and After Sales service

network. Considering their customers as their biggest strength, Rajeev and Sachin aim to add to their existing growth rates this year.

“Our focus is on packaging and automation.

We believe that our customers who have their presence in this segment have already seen normalized operations. Now the goal for us is to recover and add to the 2019 growth rates.

We hope to achieve that momentum and even exceed that in 2021,” concludes Rajeev.

Commercial Printing has been the worst hit segment, Akshay Kaushal Executive Director – Sales, PrOvin Technos Pvt Ltd, shares his experience during the recent COVID-19 times, lockdown and post lock down in a talk with PRESSIdeas.

“During the lockdown, the biggest challenge for the companies was to remain afloat with virtually no cash flow, cancelled projects and so on,” says Akshay Kaushal, Executive Director – Sales, PrOvin Technos. One of the many of its fallbacks being consumption getting limited to only essential items, companies had to reorganise and reallocate their funds judiciously. “The definition of judiciously has been taken to a whole new level now,” quips Akshay. “This pandemic has enlightened our senses in ways which otherwise would not have been possible to look upon in normal course. Apart from this, remote working became a new normal and recovery has been very slow to start with.

With the exception of Packaging and Labels which saw positive signs almost through the whole period, other things are now steadily picking up. It seems the resumption of normal business operations might get delayed to next 12-18 months instead of the expected 6-12 months,” he adds.

“During the lockdown, all the activities in the supply chain related to essential items were operational. However, resource and raw material scarcity was a big challenge to face for many companies operational during the lockdown. Logistics was another hurdle.

Post Lockdown, the situation has eased up and things are now getting back to normal working,” he continues. Speaking about challenges he adds that there are logistics problems still present internationally – multifold increase in transportation cost, cargo unavailability are the areas of major concern.

According to Akshay, Commercial Printing has been the worst hit segment. Though the packaging and labelling industry has done

pretty well, changing product and customer preferences created a drive for more hygiene oriented packaging and single use product packaging. Moreover, the increase in demand through e-commerce sites has led to an increase in the demand for corrugated and folding carton packaging. Short run Flexible packaging has seen increased demand. The most common example is the rise in food and beverage delivery services which requires such disposable packaging solutions. “As far as label industry is concerned, they play an important part in the product packaging and with the outbreak of this pandemic. The demand for hygiene related product labels, pharma labels, e-commerce and essential items has picked up handsomely,” states Akshay.

With postponement of key investment and installation decisions, the impact has been huge. “The year 2019 itself was a year of uncertainty for many which our GDP also reflected. It was pretty bad in terms of new installations taking place throughout and with 2020, it has been a record all time low. With such an unprecedented situation at everyone’s doorstep, customers and

solution providers had to support each other in one way or the other to minimise the effect as much as possible. From the solution providers’ point of view, we have tried to extend our maximum support to our customers as was possible with special support schemes in place to help minimise customer expenses, remote and on the field service support throughout to keep them up and running. Our customers have responded in the same way to us and have been extremely accommodating and chipped in with timely payments. With the positive relationship between the respective solution providers, customers and their customers henceforth and the commitment to help each other to bounce back has influenced the industry in a positive way to climb back to normal. Worst has gone past and now from here it will only be an upward climb,” concludes Akshay on this positive note.

PrOvin is the distributor for MHI-PPM Heatset web offset presses, RMGT range of sheet-fed offset presses, Miyakoshi range of Narrow web presses, Lithec Inline colour control system and UV Energy smart UV Systems in India and Nepal.

February 2021

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Newspaper publisher switches successfully from violet to KODAK thermal CTP and KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates give Dewezet a clear efficiency advantage in prepress and newspaper printing.

Faced with dwindling circulations and commercial constraints, newspaper printers are searching for ways to make their processes more efficient and more economical. Deister- und Weserzeitung (Dewezet) of Hamelin (Lower Saxony, Germany) is no exception. Every night, the company’s printing center produces around 60,000 newspaper copies. They are printed on a Geoman newspaper web press along with some 300,000 weekend freesheets, various newspaper pre-prints and a series of more minor publications. Dewezet needs about 600 plates per day in single format (321 x 512 mm) for the nightly production of daily newspapers. And if the days, too, are filled with lengthy production runs, that volume increases to more than 1000 plates per day. All in all, plate consumption adds up to something like 260,000 per year – equivalent to over 40,000 square meters.

Paradigm shift – from violet to thermal & process free with Kodak Having used violet CTP exposure for fifteen years to make violet plates with wet chemistry processing, the company changed course at the end of 2018. Dewezet decided in favour of a newspaper CTP solution from Kodak involving thermal imaging of KODAK SONORA Process Free Plates. The partnership with Kodak had already begun a few years previously when Dewezet switched to the KODAK LIBRA VP Digital Plate for violet CTP. “Both of our violet platesetters would have kept going reliably for another ten years, but we wanted to eliminate the plate processing step – naturally without any reduction in

print quality,” explains Carsten Wilkesmann, Operations Manager, who has been at Dewezet since 2001. “It seemed as if our two plate processors were responsible for 80 percent of the manual work in our platemaking department and they were a permanent source of potential problems. If anything went wrong, the chances were that the plate processors would be the culprit. We were forced to spend far too much time on maintenance, repairs and cleaning. Added to that, the leaner process with SONORA Plates simultaneously paves the way for future cost savings.”

Wilkesmann admits that his people were rather skeptical at first regarding the ‘develop-on-press’ principle. “However, in day-to-day use, our printers were pleasantly surprised – on the one hand, by the speed at which the plates run clean as well as by the fountain solution control and on the other, by the fact that there is absolutely no contamination of this solution. We can produce using less fountain solution and the whole process is now more stable,” he reports. “What’s more, a direct comparison showed that the SONORA Plate gave us a better-quality printed image than the old violet plate. Newspaper printing quality is an important aspect for Dewezet, as reflected by the company’s successful membership of the WAN-IFRA International Newspaper Color Quality Club for the past several years and its admission to the exclusive Elite Star Club.

The more efficient and more sustainable way to press-ready plates In addition to the TRENDSETTER NEWS Platesetter with a Single Cassette Unit (SCU), Dewezet also installed a KODAK GENERATION NEWS Platesetter. After being imaged on the CTP systems, the SONORA Plates are supplied by a conveyor belt to the plate punch in the control center of the newspaper press. In other words, the printers receive the plates automatically, directly at their place of work.

The end of conventional plate processing not

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only resulted in a much smaller footprint for the CTP equipment; the carbon footprint of the platemaking process was also reduced.

And there are almost 6000 liters per year less of used chemicals to dispose of. And that’s not all: process free eliminates process variability because there is no gradual depletion of chemistry to contend with.

SONORA XTRA Process Free Plate brings welcome improvements As one of only a few newspaper printers worldwide, Dewezet was invited to test Kodak’s newest generation of process free plates, the SONORA XTRA Plate, from an early stage, so that its entire production could be migrated from the SONORA X to the new type in summer 2020. Out of the numerous advantages of the new SONORA XTRA Process Free Plate, two are particularly relevant for Dewezet, as Carsten Wilkesmann confirms: “Apart from their increased robustness and enhanced scratch resistance, the main benefit for us lies in the dramatically improved contrast of the plate coating. The plate punches we employ no longer have to be equipped with special, and very expensive, register cameras to enhance the image contrast. And the optimized contrast makes it easier for our printers to carry out a visual inspection of the plates and sort them prior to positioning them on the plate cylinder.”

Both on the standard 45 g/m2 newsprint and on the matte 60 g/m2 LWC paper that is occasionally chosen, the newspaper printer achieves consistently high print quality. Since Dewezet’s longest run length is 100,000 impressions, the SONORA XTRA Plate is easily within its limits, being capable of four times that figure for newspaper offset.

“We wouldn’t hesitate to do it again,” Wilkesmann comments recalling the transition to Kodak CTP and process free technology. “It’s a much simpler process that means far less stress and fewer problems, especially when it comes to prepress. The SONORA Plates work perfectly in production.

The upshot is that our people are free to concentrate on more important things during the production process.”

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STEC installs QIPC-EAE Performance Package STEC ready for additional jobs with Performance Package from QIPC-EAE. The Roman printshop of Società Tipografico Editrice Capitolina (STEC) is preparing for the extra orders it has received. The Performance Package from Q.I. Press Controls – Engineering Automation Electronics (QIPCEAE) will ensure that the Goss Uniliner press, which will be in extra demand, will perform according to the standards that apply in the printing industry today.

At the moment, the STEC printshop in Rome is expanding its production. “We are very proud to have earned the trust of new partners who rely on us for their production,” says STEC Director Alberto Vescovi. Alberto Vescovi saw the perfect motivation to invest in his printing facility again: “We want to make sure that we can deliver a printed product of the highest quality as efficiently as possible. We have had good experiences working with QIPC-EAE in our print shop in Monza and know what their systems can do for a press. That’s why we came to them to upgrade this press in Rome”.

The Goss Uniliner in Rome consists of 7 towers and a folder its now fully upgraded with a Performance Package from QIPCEAE. The Performance Package consists of 14 mRC-3D cameras of QIPC for colour register and again 14 mRC-3D cameras for controlling cut-off and sidelay register.

It also includes hardware and software upgrades by means of a new interface and a retrofit of the EAE INFO system. STEC thus takes full advantage of the fact that

EAE falls under a holding company with QIPC. “The Performance Package provides our customers with synergy benefits,” says QIPC’s Area Sales Manager Harold Drinhuyzen. “Not only do they benefit from attractive conditions, but they also have the advantage of a single point of contact for both companies”.

The new hardware and software on the Goss Uniliner will make the press work more efficiently, with less waste and with an end product that is more consistent and of higher quality. Agent GMDE played an important role in finding the right solution for both STEC and QIPC-EAE. “Thanks to GMDE, we have found the product package that fits exactly what we need now,” says Alberto Vescovi.

“We have good relationships with both QIPCEAE and GDME. Given the extra production and the cooperation with these partners, we look to the future with great confidence”.

Digital Media India 2021 Programme Five key lessons in digital transformation.

Edward Roussel, Chief Innovation Officer, Dow Jones & The Wall Street Journal, USA, will be joining the Digital Media India 2021 programme. He will deliver the keynote on ‘Five key lessons in digital transformation and how to pivot to be a digital-friendly news organisation’. Mr. Roussel will share the secret sauce behind developing new business opportunities and building media products.

Do not miss the opportunity to listen to inspiring case studies in news publishing from the USA, Europe, Africa and India.

WAN-IFRA members get complimentary registration.

The conference timing will be 10 am - 12 pm and 3 pm - 5pm on all the three days.

Register at: https://wanifraevents.eventsair. com/digital-media-india2021/registration/Site/ Register

February 2021

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KI Packaging installs the 1st Landa Press of west coast, US “When we were looking to expand our operation, Landa and its S10 was the perfect solution because its scalability and upward compatibility will help us meet customer demand for years to come.” - Mike Tsai, CEO of K1 Packaging Group.

K1’s customers, comprised of exclusive luxury, health and beauty, pharmaceutical, and electronics brands; will have access to multiple advanced features including limitless version and personalization capabilities, as well as counterfeit prevention and product authenticity verification.

Key Notes : > The Landa Digital Printing Press at K1 Packaging Group uses the unique Nanotechnology to conquer colour, speed, and substrate limits. > 6,500 sheets per hour, and five times the throughput of any other digital press on the market. > K1 Packaging Group, equipped with the Landa S10, is a good example of a package printer ready to support the next wave of expansion, says Edu Meytal, VP - Global Business, Landa Digital Printing.

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K1 Packaging Group, provider of custom packaging solutions for consumer products, has proudly expanded its production services with the recent installation of a Landa S10 Nanographic Printing Press. The Landa S10 – featuring Landa’s exclusive application of nanotechnology for digital printing – uses Nanographic Printing process to overcome colour, speed, and substrate barriers. K1’s Landa S10 is the first Landa digital press to be installed on the west coast of the U.S. The Landa S10’s advanced, powerful digital processing platform supports real time quality control and a highly efficient, streamlined workflow that minimizes waste. These components put the Landa S10 in easy compliance with K1’s sustainability initiatives and environmental certifications.

In addition to unprecedented quality and speed – 6,500 sheets per hour, and five times the throughput of any other digital press on the market – K1’s customers, comprised of exclusive luxury, health and beauty, pharmaceutical, and electronics brands; will have access to multiple advanced features including limitless version and personalization capabilities, as well as counterfeit prevention and product authenticity verification.

“As an industry leader in technology and innovation, Landa Digital Printing has made an incredible

contribution to the package printing sector with the Nanographic press. Landa’s advanced implementation of nanotechnology for printing and powerful digital processing is boosting efficiency significantly,” says Mike Tsai, CEO of K1 Packaging Group. “When we were looking to expand our operation, Landa and its S10 was the perfect solution because its scalability and upward compatibility will help us meet customer demand for years to come.”

Edu Meytal, Vice President for Global Business at Landa Digital Printing, says that package printing’s soaring worldwide growth (expected to reach USD $440.6 billion in 2024, up from USD $350.6 billion in 20191) comes as the segment undergoes

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substantial change. To comply with new regulatory actions as well as to satisfy their own customers, brand owners are passing new requirements on to their packaging partners. “This is where true partnerships with customers can make a huge difference,” Meytal says. “K1’s brand owner customers proactively discuss their long-term plans so that K1 can provide input and be prepared.”

Meytal goes on to say that the packaging printers, best positioned to serve the expanded market, will satisfy brands’

requirements with a variety of offerings, including short runs with variable and personalized options, anti-counterfeiting solutions, finishing options, and sustainability.

As such, he says that K1 Packaging Group, equipped with the Landa S10, is a good example of a package printer ready to support this next wave of expansion.

“K1’s technical, artistic, environmental and business acumen is strong. You have to give them credit for doing their homework and executing meaningful initiatives,” Meytal says.

Offering fully integrated services from start to finish, the California-based K1 Packaging Group conceptualizes, designs, prototypes, validates, and manufactures – providing custom packaging solutions for consumer products for over three-decades. Its sister companies include Everest Formulations, providing turnkey solutions for contract packaging of nutraceutical products and dietary supplements, along with Denali Innovations, a designer and manufacturer of premium custom packaging for the regulated medical and recreational cannabis industry.

PRINTPACK INDIA to take place in December 2021 15th PRINTPACK INDIA – is now slated to be held from December 20-24, 2021.

The 15th edition of PRINTPACK INDIA exhibition, which got postponed due to COVID-19 outbreak, has been announced to take place in December this year from 20-24.

It was earlier scheduled to be organised at India Expo Centre, Greater Noida from February 03-08, 2021. Due to COVID-19 and successive lockdowns, IPAMA had consulted key stakeholders and institutions regarding the feasibility of holding the Exhibition on the scheduled dates. Keeping in view various factors like health and safety of people, the dates were earlier postponed.

On 3rd February 2021, in its Virtual 116th Governing Council Meeting, IPAMA, in consultation with officials of India Expo Centre and Exhibitors, proposed fixation of new dates for the exhibition. The Governing Council had approved the following revised/ new dates for the 15th Edition of PRINTPACK INDIA Exhibition: -

(i) Setting up period: 17-19 December 2021 (ii) Exhibition period: 20-24 December 2021 (iii) Dismantling period: 25th December 2021.

The remaining terms and conditions for participation in PRINTPACK INDIA Exhibition will remain the same. The revised dates for Early Bird Discount and other benefits which are to be allowed by the Association, will be

finalised shortly. However, considering the Corona impact on the market and to support the Industry, IPAMA has decided to further lower the exhibition charges in comparison to earlier Editions. Apart from reduction in tariff for space, the exhibitors have offered membership discount, early bird discount as well as members’ motivational discount for the upcoming show.

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Say goodbye to complexity. Say hello to PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions.

To compete in the evolving print market, printing companies must grab every opportunity for automation, efficiency, and end-to-end operational transparency. That is what PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions bring to the market.

Printing as an industry has a broad history of technology innovation, but it also has a history of complex manual processes and production bottlenecks. Selling the job is only the beginning of a long series of steps that touch every part of both the business and production infrastructures. The touchpoints begin with capturing job specifications to ensure that the substrates, inks, and other raw materials are available. The steps encompassed by resource planning continue to grow in importance while the pace of change in the available software tools is faster than ever.

PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions brings the power of Microsoft Dynamics to PRINERGY On Demand by linking the full suite of Dynamics 365 business solutions to the PRINERGY On Demand platform making it more efficient to run the business.

Key Notes : > Powerful automation can be efficient, provide the data that improves cost management, and be cloud-based. > For twenty years, PRINERGY users have been at the forefront of building automated workflows. > The KODAK PRINERGY On Demand platform was the first step in developing a cloudbased ecosystem designed to help printers not only run production efficiently but also run the business efficiently.

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KODAK PRINERGY Workflow customers use these processes every day to bring work onboard, prepare it for print, and ship it to their customers. In parallel, they need to capture more data to ensure that all work is invoiced, manage change orders, and ensure the cost of goods sold doesn’t outpace what they can charge. The good news is that for twenty years, PRINERGY users have been at the forefront of building automated workflows that give them an efficiency edge. Rules-based automation, paired with the on-going development of planning, press management, and data exchange capabilities keeps PRINERGY relevant in the highly competitive workflow market.

Kodak knows that growing any print business is hard work. It takes strategy, planning, and a drive for every ounce of efficiency. That is why in 2019, Kodak brought the PRINERGY platform to the cloud. The

KODAK PRINERGY On Demand platform was the first step in developing a cloud-based ecosystem designed to help printers not only run production efficiently but also run the business efficiently.

PRINERGY On Demand is built on the robust Microsoft Azure infrastructure. It is proof that powerful automation can be efficient, provide the data that improves cost management, and be cloud-based.

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Just as the KODAK PRINERGY Workflow platform has been built on years of helping printers define workflows that optimize print production using Rules-based Automation (RBA) and powerful planning tools. The new KODAK PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions expand the ecosystem with a set of integrated partnerships that will make the business of printing more efficient. The proven track records of Microsoft Dynamics for business management, PrintVis for Print MIS, and Vpress for Web-to-Print, paired with PRINERGY On Demand, brings to market the first smart, cloud-enabled, print manufacturing environment that eliminates the gap between the business and the execution of print.

Many printers already use the popular Microsoft Dynamics Business Central applications to develop analytics, manage customer relationship data, and manage their supply chains. PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions brings the power of Microsoft Dynamics to PRINERGY On Demand by linking the full suite of Dynamics 365 business solutions to the PRINERGY On Demand platform making it more efficient to run the business.

Already a part of the Microsoft Dynamics platform, PrintVis is the new PRINERGY On Demand partner for the complete suite of ERP and MIS functions. Even if you have some of these functions in place, it will be worth reviewing how the twenty years of PrintVis experience in diverse print environments brings innovation to the platform. With PrintVis, you have a complete view of the shop floor for smarter planning and scheduling. The estimating and quoting functions use data from the inventory function for the most accurate job costing.

The job ticketing function ensures that every job is logged and tracked from onboarding to delivery and links the process back to the business systems to ensure accurate invoicing.

the platform. Industry experts agree that onboarding the job is a common bottleneck, and web-to-print solutions should be in every shop to streamline the process. Leveraging their almost 20 years of implementing scalable solutions, the VpressCoreprint platform enables integration with a worldclass web-to-print suite. Vpress also brings an easy e-commerce solution to PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions customers.

Not just a storefront, but the supporting pieces that include a library of variable data print templates, all with complete integration and visibility to business and production.

Printers with islands of automation know the time and effort it takes to work with multiple vendors and integrators. PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions can leverage that investment to bring a deeper level of integration to your processes at whatever pace you need. For printers with mostly manual processes, there may be a temptation to create your own solution, but those who have built islands of automation know the disruption that working with multiple vendors requires. The most cost effective and time-saving path to automation is to

work with a highly disciplined Kodak workflow team. They can build a plan that automates the available tools to meet your business needs, adding analytics and visibility to the current and full workflow need. No need to manage schedules from multiple vendors or to be the arbiter when disputes arise. The Kodak team streamlines the engagement, manages the complexity, and keeps your team informed every step of the way.

The business of printing is in the process of a seismic change. To compete in the evolving print market, printing companies must grab every opportunity for automation, efficiency, and end-to-end operational transparency.

That is what PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions bring to the market.

No matter where you are on your workflow journey, Kodak brings you the first accessible and affordable platform as a Service built to grow your business. Say goodbye to complexity. Say hello to PRINERGY On Demand Business Solutions.

- By Todd Bigger, President, Software, Service and Support, Kodak.

PRINERGY partner Vpress brings the onboarding and client-facing solution to

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‘NEVER STOP Creating Memories’ campaign by Fujifilm India Fujifilm India aims to build a culture of preserving memories through its all new campaign.

In today’s ever-changing world, people tend to overlook the daily mundane life and it passes by in jiffy. Through this campaign, Fujifilm tends to spread the message of being lost in the moment yet capturing that memory to preserve it for the stories that make us humans.

Key Notes : > Fujifilm India enriches the experience of shared moments with its ‘NEVER STOP Creating Memories’ campaign. > The campaign focuses on creating brand awareness for Fujifilm’s best-in-class imaging products. > Conceptualized by Cheil India, the new film titled, ‘Never Stop creating memories’ highlights the joy of making memories.

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Fujifilm India Private zimited, a pioneer in imaging technologies, today announced the launch of its Imaging brand campaign for its globally proclaimed corporate branding campaign “NEVER STOP” in India. The campaign focuses on creating brand awareness for its best-in-class imaging products along with shedding light on the importance of creating shared memories that can be printed and preserved in our book of memoirs forever.

Conceptualized by Cheil India, the new film titled, ‘Never Stop creating memories’ highlights the joy of making memories amidst the hustle-bustle of everyday life. The campaign, through its engaging emotions tries to spread the message of being in the moment, capturing that memory and creating shared experiences of culture, tribe and belongingness.

With this campaign Fujifilm wants to delve deep into the everlasting motif of how photography washes away the dust of everyday life. In today’s everchanging world, people tend to overlook the daily mundane life and it passes by in jiffy. Through this campaign, Fujifilm tends to spread the message of being lost in the moment yet capturing that memory to preserve it for the stories that make us humans.

Storyboard: The film is a reflection of how the brand mirrors its values and convictions with the concept of

Never Stop creating memories. The video begins with a young couple on an adventurous trip in the streets of a city. While exploring the destination through their touristy eyes, the two enter a colorful market, where they get separated amidst the crowd. In search of each other, the couple embarks on a parallel journey where they end up exploring the same corner of the city, but with different cameras and perspective. While looking out for each other, they capture moments of everyday life with Fujifilm’s cutting edge cameras. The man, with his X-T4 shoots a rich shot of a beautiful wedding, black and white portraits, motion pictures and more. The woman, with her Instax Mini Liplay camera clicks the culture along with the cheerful moments between the people of the city. On her journey to capture some candid moments, she takes snaps of some delicious pastries in a beautiful bakery, lively friends and a drummer creating magical beats amongst various other things. Touched by the drummer’s musical abilities, she gives him his picture, taken from the instax mini Liplay as a keepsake of that memory. While roaming around the streets, the man comes across the drummer and realizes that the woman is around because he sees the instax instant picture clipped onto the drum. In the end the two unite and reminisce about the moments they captured and the memories they created. Throughout the video, the film encourages to capture that perfect shot and inspires to ‘Never Stop’.

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Commenting on the launch, Mr. Haruto Iwata, Managing Director, Fujifilm India Pvt Ltd. said, “For our “NEVER STOP” corporate branding campaigns, innovation and creativity has always been part of Fujifilm’s thought process and it reflects in our campaigns. As a brand, we deeply resonate with the motto of ‘Never Stop’ because we have constantly been showcasing our unwavering commitment of introducing innovative products and services to the Indian market across sectors. The idea behind this initiative was to break the usual clutter of mundane daily lives and cherish and grasp the moments in between. Through this campaign, we want to inspire people to grab their Fujifilm camera and showcase not only their creative expression but also preserve memories that lasts forever.”

Adding more about the campaign, Mr. Tribhuwan Joshi, Lead, Brand Communication, PR & CSR Fujifilm India said, “At Fujifilm India, our endeavor has always been to encourage the expression of photography, culture and shared experiences. With this campaign, we want to inspire the youth of our country to create memories and seize the moment with our cutting-edge imaging devices. The digital campaign will be actively promoted on our social media platforms and aired on OTT platforms as a part of 360-degree integrated marketing approach.”

The digital film, conceptualized and created in collaboration with Cheil India will be premiered across key digital media platforms and leading OTT platform-Zee5. Along with this, the brand would also be promoting the ‘Never Stop’ campaign across all of its digital mediums aggressively along with Print and Outdoor Advertisements.

Jaibeer Ahmad, Sr. Vice President of Cheil India adds, “In line with Fujifilm’s global brand campaign - Never Stop, we wanted to highlight the brand’s imaging expertise ranging from all-rounder digital cameras to quirky instant cameras. With this interesting concept of ‘Never Stop’, we were capturing the day-to-day moments that we tend to

neglect. Fujifilm cameras enable one to seize those magical moments. Through the campaign, we intend to showcase brand’s legacy and commitment of introducing innovative products that one can use to create memories thereby building a strong connect with the audience.”

Fujifilm established in 1934 has believed in Innovation and creation of new values through leading edge and proprietary technologies. FUJIFILM India as a firm believer in innovation continues to work hard to provide the Indian consumer the best products and services.

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Sai Digistik installs HP Indigo 6900 Sai Digistik Labels of Sonepat, Haryana, scales its Digital Printing business with the new HP Indigo Digital Press.

HP Indigo 6900 Digital press is a unique solution that supports any narrowformat label, flexible packaging, sleeve, IML, wrap-around labels or folding cartons job, with easy and quick changeovers. It supports 12 to 450 micron materials, including standard substrates with in-line priming.

Key Notes : > Sai Digistik Labels has been looking to upgrade its premium offerings for small and medium business customers. > HP Indigo 6900 enables Sai Digistik to offer innovative printing solutions for Self-adhesive labels, Shrink sleeve labels, Pouches and IML to clients. > The HP Indigo 6900, with its highly versatile printing capabilities, with zero carbon emissions, was just the answer the Sonepat printer was looking for.

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HP Indigo 6900 Digital Press is the preferred solution to meet growing digital printing needs of printers and customers alike. Adding another chapter to HP Indigo’s success story, an ultra-modern HP Indigo 6900 Digital Press has recently been installed at Sai Digistik Labels in Sonepat, Haryana. A leading player in the Print & Packaging industry, Sai Digistik Labels has been looking to upgrade its premium offerings for small and medium business customers. The HP Indigo 6900 installation helps Sai Digistik deliver print work to its customers at a shorter turnaround time.

The HP Indigo Digital Press delivers high productivity, wide versatility, and intelligent colour automation which enables Sai Digistik to offer innovative printing solutions for Self-adhesive labels, Shrink sleeve labels, Pouches and IML to clients. The improved flexibility and reduced turnaround time results in significant saving on power, media wastage, inventory, labor and helps cater to dynamic changes in orders received, without compromising on quality.

Speaking on the installation, Harish Gupta, Managing Director, Sai Digistik Labels said, “Every customer wants premium quality labels, even at low costs and volume. During the pandemic, we decided to utilize the downtime to not only invest in upgrading our capabilities in a sustainable manner by reducing our carbon footprint, while being able to effectively print on any surface so that recycled and biodegradable products can be used, The HP Indigo 6900, with its highly versatile printing capabilities, with zero carbon emissions, was just the answer we were looking for!

HP has helped make Sai Digistik not only a variable data printing wizard by improving our efficiency of scales but has also aided us in becoming an even more sustainable choice for our customers. Today we are generating good faith in the market by enabling our customers’ businesses to fulfil their deliveries faster to gather customer loyalty.”

Speaking on the new business association, A Appadurai, Country Manager, HP Indigo, HP India said, “HP is always committed to bring innovative solutions and we are devoted to provide best technology in market to meet the production needs of our customers. Giving them the benefits of speed, customization, personalization and ensuring that the budgets of their clients aren’t overrun. While the pandemic shoved us all behind closed doors, demand has had to be met at varying scales, to the remotest of places and often with volatile and fluctuating ETAs. We are excited to partner with Sai Digistik Labels with the latest HP Indigo 6900 Digital Press. With its capability for printing variety of labels, packaging applications, high productivity with accurate colour management we are creating a winwin situation for our customer, as well as their clients and brands.”

The HP Indigo 6900 Digital Press delivers high productivity for customers by printing at up to 40 meters per minute in full colour. The HP PrintOS delivers highly customizable solutions for printers with the capability to coordinate print operations from anywhere globally. In addition, HP Indigo 6900 Digital press is a unique solution that supports any narrow-format label, flexible packaging, sleeve, IML, wrap-around labels or folding cartons job, with easy and quick changeovers. It supports 12 to 450 micron materials, including standard substrates with in-line priming. The digital press also offers high resolution printing using HP Indigo ElectroInk with minute ink particles, delivers crisp line work, attractive images and smooth vignettes with a very thin ink layer that gives uniform gloss between the ink and substrate.

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Need of the hour for every Indian Printer Pentaforce - expanding the convergence ratio of existing services with an emphasis on performance, sustainability and the creation of new revenue streams for printers.

As a printing press owner, do now know exactly what is happening at your presses LIVE while you are not around at your unit?

Does productivity of your press, on-a-daily basis, bother you?

Does operator performance monitoring, an issue with you?

Well, if your answer is ‘yes’ to any of the above questions, you have a solution now.

CountWONDER, a product developed by Pentaforce Software Solutions, captures real-time data and helps you serve customers by providing insights into the ongoing production on your shop floor for efficient production management. In fact, it is the next step in the development of Pentaforce’s product portfolio, expanding the convergence ratio of existing services with an emphasis on performance, sustainability and the creation of new revenue streams for printers.

This next generation IoT technology builds intelligence on your shop floor, helping you use production data to make strategic business decisions that optimize workflow and production capabilities. Speaking to PRESSIdeas, Mr.Madan Singh of Pentaforce Printing Software says, “The COUNTWonder Wireless Production Monitoring System is an IoT device, when retrofitted on any production machine, automatically captures precise and up-to-the-minute production data directly from machines and provide you Output Counts, Machine Status, Breakdowns and Waiting Periods, Speed of Production, Machine Stoppages and much more.”

CountWONDER Pro, a product underdevelopment from the Pentaforce, helps you keep your printing machines escape breakdowns, as it warns you in advance about the mechanical failures much before it actually happens. It keeps checking your machine’s health using Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques and advise you in advance any possibilities of an eminent breakdown.

“The interesting part,” says Madan, “is the Enhanced accuracy of production data with real-time WiFi connectivity which means

all events happening on the machine is captured and minimized (overruns and underruns), you get instant availability of job status, extensive reporting and reason codes enabling punctual and economical decisions right there on your smart phone (or desktop/ laptop).”

The product involves a hardware installation on the machine to be monitored and then the Automated data collection through the customized software eliminates human intervention thus making it error free and the reports generated from the data collected in the form of visual charts depict the productive/non-productive downtimes. It increases competitiveness and productivity resulting in improved overall visibility and control of production environment enabling you to make profitable decisions. The data can be reviewed on all remote smart devices enabling the user to identify and address any circumstances or issues.

For the information our readers, Pentaforce Software Solutions has been in the industry for over two decades now providing it with a fully integrated ERP solution for estimating of printing and packaging jobs which includes PrintFASTQ - a very powerful yet simple tool for Print estimators to make estimates of leaflets, booklets, magazines, calendars, diaries, folding cartons, corrugated boxes, flexo labels, generates client quotations, Print MIS, sales order management, job dockets, job sheets/job cards, Print STOCK, - Stock management, Print Scheduler - print production scheduling,and Print Workflow - Workflow with production capture and monitoring. Print Wonder powered by PrintDMS, provides - Document management to retrieve all your physical documents like orders placed by clients, amendments to orders, correspondence with clients, pressready files (Adobe Photoshop,

Adobe In-design, CorelDraw, PDF or any other formats) thus enhancing and optimizing the performance of your press with cuttingedge Print WONDER ERP, a complete ERP solution, printing ERP and packaging ERP for printing and packaging industry.

“Make-in-India has always been in our soul and so the entire range of software like PrintFASTQ, PrintMIS, Print SCHEDULAR, Print WORKFLOW, Print STOCK and PrintDMS are products well accepted by the industry and with our new offering of CountWONDER, it has added a jewel to our crown - all for the printers of our country,” says Madan.

Pentaforce has CountWONDER already installed in leading presses like Webtech Label Pvt Ltd. ( A Huhtamaki-PPL Group Company) for the last over an year with 23 CountWONDER units. “Temple Packaging had asked for 4 CountWONDER units for trial last December 2020, and after successful trial and evaluation, now have placed an order for two of their units, one at DAMAN and other at HYDERABAD, of which delivery is in progress” beams Madan.

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UFlex invests in second Heidelberg Intro Heidelberg Intro printing line to expand UFlex’s Asepto plant in Sanand.

India’s flexible packaging, aseptic liquid packaging and polymer science giant UFlex Limited has invested in their second printing line from Heidelberg Web Carton Converting GmbH. With this investment, UFlex aims to double its production capacity from 3.5 bn packs per annum to 7 bn packs per annum.

This investment is part of its larger growth strategy in the liquid packaging space on the back of its ambition to expand its global footprints. Investing in the Heidelberg Intro Web printing technology is thus the first among many steps toward achieving its production capacity.

“Not only are the expectations for the machine, but also the seamless after-sales service factors makes Heidelberg Intro an ideal system to give a push to our growth plans.” Ashwani Kumar Sharma, President & CEO, Aseptic Liquid Packaging, UFlex

UFlex, established in 1985 and after becoming extremely successful in flexible packaging, it was time to diversify with offerings within the packaging business and Aseptic Liquid Packaging emerged as an obvious choice for the scope of innovation in the segment. The decision was taken and the Greenfield plant in Sanand with 85,000 sqm packaging area and a current printing capacity to produce 3.5 billion packs p.a. was commissioned. Now, the company aims at doubling the production capacity with the second printing line in the plant. Asepto plant, within a few years, has become a subject of interest in the Indian subcontinent. Therefore, it was necessary and a definite requirement to increase the existing capacity.

When the factory was completed, the investment

Ashwani Kumar Sharma, President & CEO, Aseptic Liquid Packaging, UFlex Ltd.

was only in the latest technology and state-of-the-art machinery. One of the key-suppliers is Heidelberg Web Carton Converting, which delivered an Intro web-flexo printing press. The high-class machine prints 7 colours at a web-width of 1320 mm with a speed of 500 MPM for all packaging materials of Asepto products. The highest quality and reliability of the machine combined with the best performance

Key Notes : > Indian packaging printer aims to grow significantly with investment in Heidelberg Intro Web technology. > High-performance Web fed solution to deal with the growing demand for UFlex’s Asepto, aseptic beverage packaging. > Print quality of Heidelberg Intro exceeds customer expectations of UFlex.

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Asepto’s 200 ml Aseptic Liquid Packaging printed on the Heidelberg Intro.

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parameters are proven facts of Heidelberg Intro. Therefore, Intro was the first choice for the second machine as well! The new custom-built Heidelberg Intro will be installed in 2021 and will double Asepto’s printing capacity.

Mr. Ashwani Kumar Sharma, President & CEO, Aseptic Liquid Packaging, UFlex shares, “Asepto is on a significant growth path. Heidelberg’s Intro Web-Printing-Press machine is the perfect fit to meet all our, and our customer’s requirements. Not only are the expectations for the machine, but also the seamless after-sales service factors makes Heidelberg Intro an ideal system to give a push to our growth plans. The partnership shared by the two market leaders over the years has created a win-win situation for both of us. Once the commissioning of the project is complete, we will be looking at global expansion. Asepto Sanand will certainly act as a benchmark.”

Based in Weiden, Germany, Heidelberg Web

First Heidelberg Intro web flexo press at Asepto´s plant in Sanand/India with a throughput of 500 m/min.

Carton Converting GmbH (HWCC) is the webfed flexo press division of Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg). Providing integrated Inline Webfed solutions, HWCC complements Heidelberg‘s market leading position in the world of packaging. Utilizing the most powerful Sales- and Service

network in the industry and overseeing the biggest installed base in the market, HWCC provides the longest experience and broadest application know-how to enable packaging printers not only to cope with new challenges, but also to exceed customer expectations.

The pandemic taught us how to adopt effective planning: Sanjay G Joshi, Printmark The COVID-19 period and consequent lockdown and demand and supply disruptions along with changing consumption trends and investment patterns has vastly affected the world, with the printing industry being no exception. Speaking about his experience, Sanjay G Joshi, Printmark, comments, “We saw the entire Print Industry being restructured with re-planning processes and man power.”

He however didn’t see much impact of postponement of investment decisions as he adds, “The Printing Industry changed towards being more profession with implementation of standardization of processes, giving corporate touch to operations and utilising 100% of staff & machinery efficiently. The pandemic, in a way, taught us how to adopt effective planning to overcome difficult times.”

According to Sanjay, the pandemic immensely affected the industry especially the commercial printing. He observed many adverse changes in the Industry. The commercial print industry suffered because of labour problem; many jobs got turned into

short run jobs from previously being long run jobs. With the surge in the demand for label and packaging materials, jobs themselves got shifted towards food packaging mono cartons and labels. Another key change he observed was the move towards automation, chiefly because of unavailability of labour.

“Majority of printers in Karnataka work with staff that are not professionally trained but are engaged in technical jobs. It is difficult to get technical people who are capable of understanding the technology in a short time,” he asserts.

Sanjay further thinks that the gap of about 6 months for the regular print jobs to restart after the pandemic induced shift in demand is a huge gap, especially for the service industry like printing. “We considered ourselves as partner, rather than vendors, to our customers. The printing industry adopted automation and process streamlining to achieve quality and less wastage along with addressing the labour shortage issues,” he explains.

“We focused on changing market requirements and initiated complete survey

for printing and packaging demands of the food industry to move forward,” he says.

He closely followed new demands and adapted his business to the changes to continue serving his customers. “As the market requirements increased for labels and packaging due to the growth of packaged food industry and pharma, we adopted new methods and changes in our business accordingly,” says Sanjay who now looks forward to the conditions returning to normal.

“I see things will come back to normal as schools and colleges restart. The Young generation will start coming out and business will be more challenging,” he concludes.

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Inline or CI? The flexo debate At a time when the global pandemic is wreaking havoc with public health and fundamentally changing consumer behaviour in the retail trade, Nick Coombes speaks exclusively with Paolo Grasso, Head of Sales for the Label Business Unit at OMET Srl, and asks what is driving the market, and how this innovative Italian manufacturer is responding.

Nick Coombes (NC): Inline or CI is not a new discussion – can you set the flexo scene as you see it today?

Paolo Grasso(PG): The industry has spent years debating which is the best way to go, and while there is no simple answer, the considerations haven’t changed much because it depends on what you are trying to achieve as to which is the preferred technology. They both use the flexo printing technique, but that’s very much where the similarity ends in real terms.

NC: Is it more about application than technique?

“We have supplied customers with hybrid presses that combine offset/flexo/gravure print units, all inline narrow web, and using a mix of solvent and UV or EB curing systems. This blend of technology allows converters to achieve unbeatable quality at the lowest possible cost.” – Paolo Grasso

Key Notes : > The industry has spent years debating which is the best way to go – Inline or CI > They both use the flexo printing technique, but that’s very much where the similarity ends in real terms. > We need to look behind the scenes and see how the two processes have developed to where they are today.

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PG: Yes, because the two different ways of using the flexo process largely dictate the end product.

So, before we delve into the subject more deeply we need to establish who does what, and why. We need to look behind the scenes and see how the two processes have developed to where they are today.

NC: How do you see the current situation with CI? PG: In my opinion, its growth in recent years has been partially stimulated by the decline in run lengths of products that traditionally have been printed on rotogravure presses, which are not best suited to short run work. Quality-wise, solvent based CI flexo is just a sufficient match for solvent based gravure, but the investment and running costs are significantly lower if you consider pre-press, storage, set-up and so on. A CI flexo press also has a smaller footprint and is easier to operate and maintain. The competing technologies serve principally the same market, namely primary flexible packaging for the food and beverage sector and continue to do so in high

volumes on web widths of typically 1.3m or more. But the trend is shorter runs on narrower presses, with manufacturers downsizing towards 850mm or even down to 670mm web widths.

NC: How does that compare with the inline flexo process?

PG: Essentially the inline process has developed from the narrow web technology that began life in the mid 1900s as a means of producing self-adhesive or pressure-sensitive labels. Over the past decade or so this sector has enjoyed a high rate of growth as demand for smaller single-pack portions and more product differentiation has increased. This is a market that is highly accustomed to the use of UV inks and lacquers, with the latest trend towards LED/UV curing on grounds of greater efficiency and lower operating costs.

NC: Where has this growth come from in narrow web?

PG: Labels have grown in size, form, and application. For instance, the beer industry that was once dominated by glue applied labels printed sheet fed offset, has recently turned to a self-adhesive filmic no-label look that enhances the appearance and therefore the perceived quality of the product.

It also allows for a longer lifecycle of the brand on the bottle. Other areas of significant growth include the use of unsupported film for shrink sleeves and in-mould labels that typically use PVC, PETG, and OPP substrates. If you imagine the size of a shrink sleeve with its 360-degree decoration and compare it with a traditional label, you will see why demand has grown for inline presses with wider web widths. In this market sector 430mm (17”) is normal, but 530mm (21”) and 670mm (26”) are both growing in popularity.

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NC: Was the market quick to pick up on this trend?

PG: Yes, especially in Asia. The sleeve has a larger surface area that allows for better and more eye-catching graphics and more space for information too. It effectively changed whole sectors of the market and gave brand owners the opportunity to differentiate their products from those of their competitors.

What is interesting is that in Asia, rotogravure is still the preferred print process for shrink sleeves, but in the rest of the world narrow web inline flexo with UV is the acknowledged process.

NC: Are we reaching a crossover point between CI and inline?

PG: We have a situation where overall volumes are going up, but so are the number of SKUs, which effectively means shorter runs but of a greater variety of jobs. In the case of shrink sleeve and in-mould labels, this can be easily accommodated on both types of press, which is why you see inline going wider and CI becoming narrower. I’d say the crossover point is 670mm – 850mm (26” – 33”) – you can tell this by the number of inline and CI manufacturers who have developed new technology in those format sizes. It’s the point where quick and easy make-ready facilitates the handling of shorter runs at a commercially viable cost.

NC: So, a converter could choose either process to compete in the market?

PG: Not exactly, because it will depend of the type of work you are looking to produce, and the market sectors you are supplying.

The inline approach is based on LED/UV while the CI method is still mostly solventbased, and this shows up in the print quality

of the packaging. LED/UV is much closer to gravure in quality, while solvent-based is cheaper to produce. If you look at the food packaging industry as an example, there is currently no appetite for LED/UV in primary packaging, and this is where the inline manufacturers are fighting their toughest battles. Some progress has been made with low-migration inks and lacquers, but it is still far from being an industrial process. This is where CI is strong and, in all honesty, is likely to remain the reference technology for the foreseeable future. The only change might be a greater uptake of EB curing, but I can see this happening only if the investment and running costs fall significantly.

NC: Are there any other considerations when deciding whether to choose inline or CI?

printing company acquired a smaller one that had four of our Omet LED flexo lines in operation running specialised short run work.

The jobs were 90% related to direct-food primary packaging, where the absence of odour taint is critical. The parent company operates exclusively with solvent-based rotogravure presses supplying the same brand owners. The only difference is run lengths – the Omet lines are economical down to 1200 linear metres, using typically 300kg of laminated film and as low as 100kg for special orders. There is no way these could be produced as economically on a CI press.

NC: In summary, what are the key factors when choosing between the two technologies?

PG: Quality, and time to market are in my

PG: Apart from the previously mentioned quality considerations, the main issue is volume. Most modern CI presses run at 450m/min or faster on web widths of 1.3m or wider, so are set up for high volumes – the inline process has come from a self-adhesive label background where 200m/min is seriously quick on web widths of typically 430mm – there is a vast difference. CI converters measure production in tonnes, inline measures in pieces which are then converted to linear metres. A short run on a CI press might be considered as 1 tonne, whereas on an inline press 300kg would be more normal, but these figures will vary from country to country and with different applications it’s not one size fits all.

NC: Do you have any examples of converters using a mix of technology in practice?

opinion the deciding factors. How good does it need to be, and how fast can you deliver it? These are the issues facing everyone in package printing in today’s economic climate. Brand owners want the best for the cheapest and have it soonest – it’s not an easy problem for converters to solve. But what is becoming increasingly apparent is the need for flexible production capacity and a business model that is agile enough to react quickly to changes in market demand.

And this makes a very strong case for inline.

Shorter runs, more SKUs, faster delivery, and more added value are all factors that the narrow web sector has successfully addressed in recent years, so the knowhow and technology is well established. Where CI still scores is in larger volumes and primary food packaging where the very best print quality is not essential. Each has its place in the market.

PG: Yes – we have a very interesting case study in our home market of Italy. A large

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NC: Moving on from CI versus inline flexo, how do you see digital print affecting this market sector?

PG: Demand for digital print is growing fast and there are many good exponents of this already well-established in the global market, but cost is still an overriding factor here, and until that changes, I see digital as a complementary rather than a replacement technology. As no single technology can be considered to be the best in every field, Omet has different approaches so it can offer the widest range of solutions.

NC: Can you explain that point in more detail?

PG: First of all, we offer UV/LED flexo in the narrow web sector as I’ve already mentioned.

But our platform design allows us to adapt to supplying a variety of hybrid print solutions in different configurations. For example, we have supplied customers with hybrid presses that combine offset/flexo/gravure print units, all inline narrow web, and using a mix of solvent and UV or EB curing systems.

This blend of technology allows converters to achieve unbeatable quality at the lowest possible cost. For instance, offset prepress costs are negligible, which allows converters to literally throw away the plates of a job that does not get reprinted because the product was not a sales success. In addition, offset quality and resolution cannot be matched

by flexo and can only be compared with rotogravure.

the cost efficiency of flexo plates with inline converting.

NC: What does a hybrid line offer to converters?

NC: So, what’s a typical use of this hybrid technology?

PG: I’ll give you an example – to minimise

PG: Well, for example, if a converter needs

the cost of laying an overall white while maintaining proper densities, we integrate a rotogravure station on the press line.

Solvent white ink is very inexpensive while the coverage is the best you can get, and the change over time is reduced to just one unit on the entire press. For complete food compatibility we print wet-on-wet offset and then use an EB oven to cure all colours, varnish and additional effects in one single shot. EB curing does not require photo initiators at all so there is zero risk of migration and contamination.

to do a trial print run for a brand owner’s test marketing campaign, he can economically print the job entirely digitally but with a flexo plate for the white base colour. This offers big savings on the cost of printing a digital white, while still allowing a print run of 100 images all different from each other! You have to decide what it is that you need to do before you determine the configuration of any hybrid press, and as brand owners and converters look for greater differentiation, it’s those with the greatest imagination that will benefit most.

NC: What other hybrids are commercially attractive?

NC: How do you see the market shaping up in the years ahead?

PG: Well, I’m not a fortune teller, but my feeling

PG: You asked about digital earlier, and a very similar concept of hybrid printing processes is the flexo/digital combination that optimises cost without sacrificing quality. Since 2017 we have cooperated on a reciprocal exclusivity basis with Durst to integrate their RSC print engines into a machine we call the Omet XJET. This press is targeted at the pressure sensitive label market as well as shrink sleeves with its 1200 x 1200dpi inkjet with 2pico-litre drops, and

is that digital will definitely take a larger share of the market over the next five years. This doesn’t mean that existing print methods will disappear. On the contrary, they will co-exist and complement each other. Hybridisation will become a common term in our industry, and basically what Omet is doing today will become the new standard. It’s really picking the best from a basket of technologies and creating new configurations that perfectly match the customers’ needs and desires.

Registrations for Plastvision India 2023 are open Plastivision India is the largest plastic industry event held in India. The event provides the

AIPMAS’

ARVIND MEHTA TECHNOLOGY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP CENTRE MUMBAI

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perfect platform for plastic industry players like manufacturers, dealers, buyers, and end-users. It is well-appreciated for helping participants stay updated with the latest technological trends. Visitors can participate in numerous live product launches, seminars, conferences, and consultation sessions.

They also get a chance to network with overseas delegates and industry influencers.

Plastivision India is organized by All India Plastic Manufacturer’s Association (AIPMA), the largest non-profit apex body working towards the welfare of the plastic industry.

The event has a glorious history that dates back to 1992. It is the only trading fair exhibition from the plastic industry, which is approved by UFI (the leading Paris-based exhibition authority).

The 11th edition of Plastivision India will be held from 16th - 20th January 2020 at Bombay Exhibition Centre, Goregaon, Mumbai. It is expected to have a footfall of 2,50,000+ business visitors from more than 25 countries.

The managing committee of the AIPMA has unanimously elected core management team led by Dr.Raju Desai to kick start and give coherent beginning to the upcoming 12th edition of Plastvision India 2023 which will be held from 09 to 13 Feb 2023 at Mumbai, India. “We are sure under the inspired leadership of Dr.Raju Desai, our flagship even Plastvision India shall continue to motivate cross industry sections to reap networking benefits by their valued participation in our forth coming event,” says Chandrakant Turakhia, President, AIPMA.

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Siegwerk collaborates with Idealliance - to offer G7 Certification to Printing Converters and Brands in India; G7 increases consistency and efficiency in print quality.

Siegwerk, one of the leading global suppliers of printing inks for packaging applications and labels, headquartered in Germany, announced that it has partnered with Idealliance to offer G7 Certification for the printing community globally –including India.

Idealliance is a transformational industry association providing global standardization, training, and certification programs for the printing and packaging supply chain. Their specifications, G7, BrandQ, GRACoL and many more, have transformed the industry by creating a state-of-the-art architecture for production workflows. Aimed at bringing uniform standardization and best practices, Siegwerk is the global partner of Idealliance under a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) entered between the organizations to offer this renowned programme in India.

Under this agreement, Siegwerk G7 Experts can submit G7 Master Qualifications for its customers in India.

“Brand owners care about print quality more than ever before and are asking print partners to utilize standards to achieve visual brand continuity across entire global packaging supply chains,” said Mike Grady, Vice President of Global Partnerships at Idealliance. “G7 Experts and the team at Siegwerk India play a critical role helping print suppliers simplify workflow processes, save time and meet the needs of global print quality programs through G7 Master Qualification.”

Siegwerk’s Process Management & Consulting goal is to increase transparency, improve productivity and contribute to the development of customers. Together with customers, Siegwerk analyzes and optimizes their production process, determines potential savings and train staff. Siegwerk supports for color and ink management as well as the set-up, print and finishing processes.

This collaboration is part of Siegwerk’s wider global colour management strategy called “COLORWERK” led

by Dr. Kiran Deshpande, Global Senior Expert Color Management.

COLORWERK covers comprehensive color management across the packaging value chain. Siegwerk will offer two sets of G7® Certification programmes targeting individuals and manufacturing plants in India.

The certification applies to all the ink series from Siegwerk’s business units including Flexible Packaging, SheetFed and NarrowWeb. Speaking on this collaboration, Ashish Pradhan, President Asia, Siegwerk said, “This appointment by Idealliance reinforces Siegwerk’s expertise and capabilities in the printing industry to provide cost efficient implementation of G7 methodology and G7 Master certification in India. Siegwerk will provide ongoing support for G7 to realize the tangible benefits and cost savings for the long term as we work across multiple presses, plants, and locations. We ensure color quality monitoring and continuous improvement for the printing converters who are looking for adopting global best practices to setup uniform standards in printing”.

and packaging supply chain.

Siegwerk, a sixth-generation familyowned company, is one of the leading international manufacturers of printing inks and individual solutions for packaging, labels, and catalogues. With more than 190 years of experience, the company has solid expertise in and knowledge of many printing procedures. Siegwerk employs some 5,000 people worldwide in more than 30 country organizations and is headquartered in Siegburg near Cologne.

Idealliance is a transformational industry association for print and packaging, working with brand owners, content and media creators, agencies, designers, material suppliers, OEMs, technology developers, and service providers around the world. It serves the graphic communication industry by creating superior industry training and certification programs, developing professional standards and specifications, and redefining workflows for the entire print

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The Digital or Flexo dilemma Aniflo, the game changer technology to restore profitability.

Many studies have been published explaining the benefits of each technology for narrow web printing.

We fully agree with their results that conclude to similar figures: Digital printing is more efficient than flexo on short run, and the break-even point is roughly between 1200 m and 3000 m.

By avoiding the cost of plates, digital printing technology, such as dry toner, liquid toner or inkjet, are reducing the fixed costs per job, making them suitable for short run. Many assumptions have to be taken into account to do the maths properly: investment costs, number of jobs per shift/day/year, labour costs, substrate costs, ink costs and volume, tooling costs, waste, make ready time, production speed… All press manufacturers are synthesizing it with the Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) that includes all these costs, allowing the comparison between the different printing technology.

Get the best of different technologies with Aniflo – high speed, low cost flexo productivity and low waste, fast make-ready digital flexibility; reduce break-even point on short run and competitiveness on long run length jobs.

Key Notes : > Aniflo printing technology – designed and manufactured in France by CODIMAG > Combines offset quality, flexo productivity and digital flexibility. > Labels and packaging markets are becoming more and more competitive.

Change the game and choose innovation.

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Let’s say that the jobs you are printing are like this chart (similar to real production jobs from various countries on our machines): 25% of the jobs below 400 m, 7% above 8 000 m. - jobs above 10 000m are not displayed in the charts but taken into account in figures. The average run length here is 2500m (comparable to recent publication by FINAT). If you look at figures differently, the same distribution is telling you that 2% of the labels in quantity are printed on short run below 400 m, and 29% on long run above 8 000 m.

And guess what, converters are not selling linear meters, but labels!

What if these publications were considering Aniflo technology?

Same approach, same assumptions, same figures, but not the same conclusion!

The financial model we are using in computing market prices and costs evocated above, optimizes each technology. Our results show that break-even point between digital and flexo is roughly at 1400m.

Of course, the more flexo plates you need, the higher the break-even point will be. Every job is different, every market is different, but figures are figures, and our conclusion won’t change even if this breakeven would be at 1000 or 3000 m, so we have kept conservative assumptions.

In fact, the big picture has to be observed not on one job, but on all jobs. Every converter is facing various run length, depending on size of labels, quantity, different SKU’s. And the same job can be printed once for very small quantity, sometimes for larger quantities.

If you can get the best of the different technologies like flexo productivity with high production speed and low consumables costs, and digital flexibility with very low waste and make ready time, then, you would be able to reduce the break-even point compared to

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digital on short run length (300-500m), and you will still be competitive against flexo on longer run (8 000-12 000 m). This is where Aniflo helps you.

Aniflo is an inking system, combining offset quality, flexo productivity and digital flexibility.

It features an offset unit, with cheap offset plates and a simple anilox delivery system that brings a uniform ink amount across the web. With the lowest operational costs, Aniflo is the most economical choice for short, medium (and even long) runs on any commonly used substrate – filmic, paper, carton... Because it is intermittent and inking consistency is stable, fewer consumables are needed. Make ready time is dramatically reduced, making Aniflo very efficient even for very short run. The high-definition capability and superior stability means Aniflo can print in Extended Gamut Printing, like digital machine, without the inconvenience of high ink costs, click charges or planned obsolescence.

Now, let’s apply this technology and its performance on all your jobs:

the global savings, we can take the example of a converter already equipped with both flexo and digital solution.

By printing the jobs on Aniflo that are suitable for this technology (a conservative approach would be 400 m to 8 000 m), this converter would lower its TCO by 33%.

Jobs above 10 000m are not displayed in the charts but taken into account in figures.

Aniflo is here the most cost-efficient technology for 73% of the jobs, and 72% of the output (quantity of labels printed).

No surprise then, new Aniflo owners decide to invest in the second Aniflo press on average after just one year and 9 months of the installation of their first Aniflo machine!

At Codimag, we are convinced that Aniflo will meet the jobs you have to print, and all the new markets that converters can conquer.

Furthermore, with offset quality, versatility, and ability to print on any substrate!

Restore profitability with Aniflo!

- Written by Benoit Demol, CEO at CODIMAG

By getting the most cost-efficient technology for your jobs, you are saving money and restoring your margins. To have an idea of

Ramakrishna Karanth appointed CEO Siegwerk India Ramakrishna brings with him 28 years of industrial experience and extensive packaging industry knowledge.

Printing inks supplier for packaging applications and labels, Siegwerk India has announced the appointment of Mr. Ramakrishna Karanth as its new CEO. This announcement comes soon after Mr.

Ashish Pradhan was named President Asia, Siegwerk.

Ramakrishna’s experience spans over 30 years, starting with a Short Service Commissioned tenure of 6 years with the Indian Air Force in Surface to Air Missiles division and a total industrial experience of 28 years. He has held several leadership positions with packaging companies both in and outside India. Apart from handling responsibilities in Maintenance, Projects, Operations, and General Management in Huhtamaki PPL over a tenure of 15 years, he has headed P&L responsibility in Rotopack UAE and the India BU of Weener Plastics, Netherlands. His last assignment was with Kimoha Entrepreneurs FZCO as Chief Operating Officer, based out of Dubai, where he was responsible for the profitability of business units in UAE and Saudi Arabia.

Mr.Ashish Pradhan said, “We are confident that Siegwerk India will benefit immensely under the leadership of Ramakrishna. His extensive packaging industry knowledge and experience will help Siegwerk India achieve greater success”.

“I am excited to join the Siegwerk India team and look forward to contributing towards the continued success and growth of Siegwerk in India. The Indian Packaging segment is seeing an evolving, great growth story and my efforts will be to work with the Siegwerk team to participate in this growth, with a focused approach on sustainability and environment-friendly solutions” said Mr.Ramakrishna Karanth.

Welcoming Mr. Ramakrishna Karanth,

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Shreedhar Labels installs India’s first Baldwin Guardian PQV 100% Print Inspection system Shreedhar Labels eliminates print defects with the Baldwin Vision Systems’ technology which provides complete print quality verification from prepress through production, reporting and archiving.

Ahmedabad based Shreedhar Labels has achieved a “zero rejection” level of print quality, after installing India’s first Guardian PQV 100% Print Inspection technology from Baldwin Vision Systems. Shreedhar Labels is one of India’s premier labeling specialists, with more than three decades of experience as an ISO-certified printing company providing advanced,customized solutions for the clients.

“After installation of the Guardian PQV technology, we are able to guarantee our performance and our customers are very happy with the print quality. We now have zero rejection of printed substrate from our customers. Our operators are using the system for every job, and say it is very userfriendly. The tiniest font size variations are detected, and no defective product is sent to our customers.”

While this is the first installation of the technology in India, the Guardian PQV has years of proven performance in the Americas and Europe. PQV is a feature-rich inline defect detection system that enables printers to find and remove defects quickly, and monitor their processes to prevent defects from occurring in the first place. The system provides complete print quality verification from prepress through production, reporting, and archiving for perfect runs.

As to why Shreedhar Labels chose Baldwin Vision Systems over other options, Mr. Shah comments: “The Baldwin Vision Systems brand is well known for quality. They provide local support and excellent service here in Ahmedabad. The process of installing the PQV system went very smoothly, and we now are realizing higher speeds, better print quality, and our operation is more productive.”

“The system is designed to perform without fail to the most rigorous inspection requirements, with almost any substrate, and for all printing applications including converting, label, packaging, sheet and web,” says Mr. Amit Desai, Regional Sales Manager for Baldwin Vision Systems.

“Its state-of-the-art camera systems can be mounted on one or both sides of the substrate to perform 100% inspection for print quality, variable data, and even the most challenging security print features. When properly equipped, a Guardian PQV system can inspect for missing decimal points and broken characters on font sizes down to 4pt. text typically, or even smaller in special circumstances.”

After the proven performance at Shreedhar Labels, acceptance of Guardian PQV in the India print market is already growing. India’s second PQV installation is now underway at printing giant Pragati Graphics Pvt. Ltd.

Guardian PQV 100% Print Inspection eliminates every defect with a more efficient, accurate, data-connected inspection workflow.

The Vision Systems business unit of Baldwin Technology Company, Inc. is the world’s leading innovator of advanced color and inspection technology for the printing industry. Baldwin Vision Systems sells its automated control systems in more than 100 countries, and maintains a worldwide network of sales and service operations.

Mr. Bhavya Shah, director of Shreedhar Labels, notes that his company’s processes have been greatly improved since the installation of the Guardian PQV. “Before installing the system,” said Mr. Shah, “we were not getting optimal productivity. Many defects were going out. In particular, font size changes were not detected before the printed product was shipped to our customers.

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Mr. Bhavya Shah (left) and Mr. Manish Patel (right) of Shreedhar Labels with Mr. Amit Desai of Baldwin Vision Systems, and the Guardian PQV 100% Inspection system installed on their Re brand rewinder.

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YesGo Founder receives Entrepreneur Of The Year Mr. Nizam Appas, Founder and CEO, YesGo has been awarded Entrepreneur Of The Year Award – 2020-2021 for his innovative venture My Print Career employment portal.

Mr. Nizam Aappas Founder and CEO – YesGo, My Print Career and SGO, has been awarded Entrepreneur Of The Year Award 2020-2021 by Indian Achievers Forum & Achievers’ World on 2nd February 2021. Mr. Nizam Appas got awarded for his innovative venture My Print Career – India’s first employment portal catering to the needs of job seekers and employers in the global Print and Packaging industry.

Speaking on this latest honour, Mr. Nizam Appas said, “It’s really a great feeling when your endeavour receives such honour and recognition. My Print Career is an inherent need for the Print and Packaging Industry which provides an industry specific man power portal to help candidates and employers get connected to their right choices. Since its inception, it has received appreciations from the industry worldwide.”

He further added, “Right employee is pertinent to keep constant flow of productivity and growth in an organization and getting right workforce is indeed a tough task for any organization. My Print Career is an attempt to help companies get their right team through a seamless hiring process and enhance their long-term productivity. Awards & Honours motivate us and drive more positivity to our enthusiasm to continue constantly with our best and innovative endeavours further.”

My Print Career provides services in the arena of premedia, prepress, press, post press, quality, purchase, sales, research marketing, business development, new product development, packaging development, supply chain, production and other top managements in the industry. It aims to connect aspirants & employers from print & packaging community on a single

platform to help them reach and get best choices for themselves.

An audacious entrepreneur, Mr. Nizam Appas is a Gold Medalist in Printing Technology and possesses 20+ years of global exposure, experience and expertise in Premedia, Prepress, Printing and Packaging Industry.

Previous accolades include recognition as a Bell Weather in the industry for his innovative ventures – YesGo & My Print Career. He has also been felicitated with Most Fabulous Leaders in Packaging Awards by National Congress & Awards for Sustainable Exports & Packaging, Leadership Game Changer Awards by MSME CCI, Most Influential Leaders In Packaging Awards by Asia Logistic and Supply Chain Congress & Awards. He has been honoured at Anna University Chennai, IPT Chennai and Arasan Ganesan Polytechnic College Sivakasi.

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NR Instant Produce PCL installs 4 V-Shapes ALPHA packaging lines Four V-Shapes ALPHA lines enable the company to manufacture non-food products for domestic and international distribution and to differentiate itself in the global marketplace.

V-Shapes, an innovative supplier of vertically integrated products and services for convenient, hygienic and sustainable singledose packaging, has reported that Thailandbased NR Instant Produce PCL has installed four V-Shapes ALPHA packaging lines.

NR Instant manufacturers of sustainability produced ethnic, plant-based and functional foods. The new installation will support manufacture of its non-food consumer products for domestic and international distribution, including its Sustainable Development Brand (SDB) clean shots hand sanitizer as well as co-packing of third-party products.

The company, which was founded in 1991 has manufacturing facilities in Nakhon Pathom and Ratchaburi provinces in Thailand and plans to invest in plant-based manufacturing plants in the UK and United States. Now it will be having a total of five V-Shapes manufacturing lines for the production of sanitization products for sale in Canada, the United States and the Middle East.

NR Instant Produce PCL is building a global platform focused on producing the future of food, building state-of-the-art facilities in key geographies around the world to enable the production of food that will support a world of 10 billion people by 2050.

“We decided to partner with V-Shapes in December 2019,” said NR Instant Produce PCL CEO Dan Pathomvanich. “We saw it as a super-cool solution that has provided us with a packaging solution that is very different and unique from what everyone else is offering.”

NR Instant Produce PCL is another example also of V-Shapes’ ability to adapt to pandemic conditions by providing virtual installation support using smart glasses.

Pathomvanich added, “The experience of virtual/online commissioning is perfect to help a company and not commit any error during the installation while keeping everyone safe.” In addition, with V-Shapes lines in place, NR Instant Produce PCL was able to

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assist with pandemic mitigation by providing 10 million of its SDB clean shot hand sanitizer sachets, produced with V-Shapes technology, for use in the Southeast Asian region. “Prior to implementing V-Shapes,” Pathomvanich said, “we would have been unable to provide this critical service.”

Pathomvanich notes that existing customers are excited to implement V-Shapes technology in the Southeast Asian region, and the availability of this unique packaging approach is also generating new business for the company. “We are very happy with the configurations we have in place today,” he concludes, “but we are also looking forward to continued innovation from V-Shapes, including in-line printing, that will make us more productive and enable us to provide faster cycle times and more variations in the products we provide to our customers.Another reason we chose V-Shapes is their consistent work towards a circular economy and the continuous development of sustainable materials with a 360-degree approach to using compostable, biodegradable, and/or recyclable materials, laminates and substrates.”

Pathomvanich also notes that V-Shapes brings a high level of quality and state-ofthe-art technology to the market, including the fact that there are a number of patents in place on the process, as well as the unique single-dose packaging it enables. These were also contributing factors to choosing to partner with V-Shapes.

Founded in 2018, V-Shapes manufactures, sells and services innovative vertically integrated systems for single-dose packaging that minimize waste, shorten time to market, offer a more sustainable packaging solution and are a unique and safe means for consumers to dispense single-unit measures of liquid and powdered products. The company partners with packaging converters/fillers around the globe to offer these unique services to brands in a wide range of industries, from food and cosmetics to hand sanitizer and industrial products that are efficiently served up in single-unit doses, producing packaging on demand in small or large quantities.

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TSC Printronix Auto ID launches Alpha 30L & 40L in India The advanced mobile printers bring intelligent label printing capabilities to enterprise professionals.

Barcode label printing solutions provider, TSC Printronix Auto ID has launched its new Alpha-30L and Alpha-40L mobile printers, expanding the mobile printer line-up offering advanced productivity and management feature for a premium mobile printing experience.

Built for high performance and durability, the new mobile barcode label printers are user-friendly, heavy-duty, and drop-resistant.

The rugged printers are suitable for on-thego printing in demanding environments.

The Alpha-30L and Alpha-40L are IP54 rated without the aid of a protective case for dust and water resistance, reducing added weight and bulk for operational comfort.

Both models have been rigorously tested to withstand a 1.0-meter tumble and 1.8-meter drop. Protective cases are available for even further durability to withstand 2.5-meter drop.

With their rugged design, the new mobile printers meet military-grade standards for drop and vehicle vibration. Ideal for on-thego enterprise professionals, the Alpha-30L and Alpha-40L support printing applications for direct store delivery (DSD), manufacturing and retail end-users.

One of the most important features of the newly launched products is their compatibility with SOTI Connect, an innovative IoT management solution. TSC Printronix Auto ID has been working in partnership with SOTI, a world leader in mobile and IoT device management, to bring Enterprise Mobility Management to barcode label printers.

These are the first mobile printers released by TSC with SOTI Connect remote management capabilities. The new mobile printers with SOTI Connect usher in unprecedented levels of productivity for efficient mobile printing and greater visibility into real-time data on the health and performance of the devices.

battery management system. The smart batteries within the mobile printer can report the state of battery capacity, charge and history of charge cycles. These details can be reported and managed from any remote access point using SOTI Connect, as well as TSC very own remote management tool TSC Console. Paired together, these two management systems allow users to respond quickly and keep the operations running smoothly and ensure little to no downtime.

“These mobile printers are two of the iconic mobile printers we have ever launched. They have more features, more communication abilities, and more integration tools then we have offered before,” added Lundeen.

Seamless and reliable wireless connection is crucial for mobile devices. With the Applecertified MFi Bluetooth 5.0 connection and 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi fast roaming features, the Alpha-30L and Alpha-40L not only provide reliable and seamless

communication with users’ devices, they also securely print labels wherever they are needed.

The Alpha-30L and Alpha-40L perform very well seamlessly moving from one access point to another. For many printer companies, this is the most difficult function for any mobile printer to accomplish.

The new mobile printers are also equipped with NFC tap-to-pair for easy connectivity, so users can securely print labels wherever they need them. The user can simply touch the mobile printer to another NFC equipped device, and the two will automatically pair.

TSC Printronix Auto ID, manufacturer of innovative thermal printing solutions, is comprised of two-industry-leading brands, TSC and Printronix Auto ID with over 65 years of combined industry experience, strong local sales engineering support, continuous investment in new product development and is capable of quickly adapting solutions to meet the needs of customers of all scale and size.

“We’re very excited about these printers helping to round out our total mobile printer family. As the sixth and seventh models in our portfolio, we now have more printers to fit more mobile printing solutions than ever before,” quoted David Lundeen, VP of Marketing at TSC Printronix Auto ID. The new mobile printers feature a smart

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Reprograf-Grafikus sells first MPS flexo press to Alu-Lids The sale by Poland representative of MPS will enable Alu-Lids to boost their aluminium lid production.

Alu-Lids, one of the leading providers of aluminium lids for Poland’s leading cosmetic companies, has purchased a fully automated MPS EFA 430 flexo press to increase production, turnaround time, and quality control. Also purchased was the MPS Performance Program to ensure long-term efficiencies and productivity from their press and operators.

Together with MPS’ new representative Reprograf-Grafikus in Poland, MPS Regional Sales Director Anton Zhukov presented Alu-Lids the features of the EFA 430 flexo press that could elevate their production such as special aluminium packaging, very stable register and second pass printing for finishing effects, in addition to benefits of the MPS Performance Program. Due to travel restrictions from the Covid-19 pandemic, AluLids confirmed the sale over the telephone.

“We are a one-stop service,” said Dawid Kamiński, Alu-Lids CEO. “To guarantee shorter lead times, faster delivery and better quality control, a high-end printing press was essential. The MPS flexo press was the best choice as an addition to our production plant to increase capacity.”

In addition to the best possible technical solution, Alu-Lids was looking to partner with a service-focused supplier to provide guidance throughout the project – before and after press installation.

Improvement of printing production with ongoing support “By owning an MPS press with their Performance Program, the control, monitoring, management, and improvement of printing production is in our hands, with ongoing support from MPS,” added Kamiński. “With the MPS patented technologies, we will experience higher productivity and efficiency with less commissioning and reduced risks. We are excited about installing our new MPS press and the benefits it will bring to our production!”

Anton Zhukov:“With 25 years’ experience in the label printing industry, MPS truly

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understands our customers’ needs and what they are facing. We bring tremendous value with the MPS Performance Program by ensuring our customers are supported before and after equipment installation.

The MPS Performance Program transforms our customer’s press into a printer’s equivalent of a Formula One (F1) Mission Control room, providing exact details to improve the overall print operation. All of this leads to higher productivity and profit.”

MPS EFA for full automation The MPS EFA is a top quality, fully automated multi-substrate flexo press, especially designed for label production and flexible packaging printing on various substrates.

Providing the ultimate in flexibility and

automation, the EFA enables operators to maximize press performance, thanks to its high level of automation, connectivity and ease of operation.

“It is not always easy to improve the supply chain, especially with consistent print quality and on-time delivery,” said Tomasz Naglik, Reprograf-Grafikus Product Manager. “MPS flexo presses meet these criteria. Each MPS press can print with consistent quality on all repeat and similar jobs, and can produce larger quantities of labels in a shorter period, while running at extremely high speeds.

This helps the customer run more jobs and increase revenue. We sincerely hope that, just like Alu-Lids, other prospects will also see and take advantage of value propositions offered by MPS” concludes Naglik.

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Sustainability in Packaging Asia 2021 Sustainability in Packaging Asia 2021 conference coming to Singapore this 7-9 June.

Sustainability in Packaging Asia 2021 conference will take place in Singapore this 7-9 June. The conference will feature a forward-thinking programme designed to educate, inform, and keep you up-to-date with the latest developments taking place within the sustainable packaging value chain.

This year’s event will provide firsthand insights into innovations in new and recycled materials, regulatory and policy developments in Asian regions and how the value chain work together to overcome obstacles and challenges following the pandemic.

For the 2021 edition, industry experts who have confirmed to join include Veolia, HAVI, LUSH, SABIC, UPM Raflatac, WestRock, CJ CheilJedang, Amcor Flexibles, Committee of Green Circular and Inclusive Development, Food Industry Asia, The Coca-Cola Company, Johnson & Johnson, Simplot Australia, Colgate-Palmolive, Ellen MacArthur Foundation, Smithers and more.

Sustainability – Asia Pacific, Amcor Flexibles AFAP. This Year’s Featured Sessions Include...

• End Users Progress on Sustainability in Packaging • Regulatory Landscape and Initiatives for Circular Packaging • Circular Economy and Recycling Consideration in Packaging • New Technologies & Innovations Facilitating Higher Recycling Rates • Converting Innovation and Best Practice • Novel Materials and Material Innovations • Working Together to Overcome The Challenges Following COVID-19 Pandemic

The organizers have offered Super Early Bird rates. Further, in the event of registered participant unable to travel or not preferring to online participation, there are three options available: • Receive access to a streamed/online event format for you and a colleague • Move your ticket to any other Smithers conference or the 2022 event • Request a full ticket refund (or partial refund for the difference in ticket price)

Newly Confirmed Advisory Board Include: Samantha Thian – Sustainability Manager, APAC, HAVI Global Solutions; Mert Sasoglu – Associate Director, Research and Development, Johnson & Johnson; Ian Hayes – Packaging Development Manager, Simplot Australia; Richard Smith – Director

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signage printing

Kornit partners with Matset - expands digital textile production-on-demand capabilities in Turkey with Matset partnership.

Digital textile printing technology expert Kornit Digital, broadening its market presence, has announced its partnership with Matset (Turkey).

With over 45 years of experience, Matset has a long-standing reputation as being a pioneer of innovation in the printing industry. After the first meeting, Kornit and Matset were quick to recognize how their partnership would effectively accelerate the development of the Kornit brand and solutions in the Turkish market. The deal will see Matset sell

“Kornit offers the largest digital textile portfolio available on the market today, combined with outstanding quality and the widest color gamut.

This is exactly what we do too, and we believe we can use our experience to grow Kornit Digital’s market share in Turkey.”

Doğu Pabuççuoğlu, GM, Matset

Key Notes : > Matset has a longstanding reputation as being a pioneer of innovation in the printing industry. > Partnership to effectively accelerate the development of the Kornit brand and solutions in the Turkish market. > The deal will see Matset sell and deliver after-sales support for all Kornit textile solutions, including both direct-togarment and direct-tofabric product lines.

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and deliver after-sales support for all Kornit textile solutions, including both direct-to-garment and directto-fabric product lines, particularly for t-shirts, active wear, denim, fashion, beachwear, home textiles, and fabrics.

well-known and engaged distribution network, we will provide customers with a strong sales and support service.”

Doğu Pabuççuoğlu, General Manager at Matset, explains the collaboration combines the digital leading vision of Matset with the market awareness and quality of Kornit’s products: “With Kornit’s production systems, we have made an important addition to our product portfolio. We were able to quickly build a roadmap and are sure the market share will increase very rapidly in the near future.

With Kornit’s reliable and creative solutions and our

He continues: “In the changing world we are living in, sectors are being transformed. Printing operations are adding different lines of business. At Matset, we offer the best choice of technology not only for the textile arena but also for the entire printing chain.

Customers are looking for different solutions to help them develop their own businesses. Kornit offers the largest digital textile portfolio available on the market today, combined with outstanding quality and

pressideas/ signage

the widest color gamut. This is exactly what we do too, and we believe we can use our experience to grow Kornit Digital’s market share in Turkey.”

Mr. Pabuççuoğlu concludes: “Our goal is to increase the installed base and have satisfied customers. We aim to achieve that with our market knowledge, experienced service team and responsive supply chain capabilities.”

Omer Kulka, CMO at Kornit Digital, states: “We are pleased to welcome another partner to our growing network. Matset joins our network of expert digital production operations that have developed a reputation for distributing high-quality solutions supported by a knowledgeable team and responsive service. We are delighted to continue growing our reach in enabling manufacturers to make their businesses more agile, more responsive to the market, more sustainable, and ultimately more prosperous.”

advertising. Its head office is in İstanbul, there are two sales offices in Ankara and İzmir and a manufacturing Plant in Çorlu.

Kornit Digital develops, manufactures and markets industrial digital printing technologies for the garment, apparel and textile industries. The company delivers complete solutions, including digital printing systems, inks, consumables, software and after-sales support. Its technology enables innovative business models based on webto-print, on-demand and mass customization concepts. Founded in 2003, Kornit Digital is a

global company, headquartered in Israel with offices in the USA, Europe and Asia Pacific, and serves customers in more than 100 countries worldwide.

Established in 1974, Matset supplies printing solutions to business partners in a variety of sectors from printing to publishing and

Twine appoints Alon Bar-Shany as Active Chairman of the Board Alon has rich experience of 16 years as GM of HP-Indigo and before that indigo’s CFO. Since joining in 1995, was involved in a 10X growth of the company.

Twine Solutions has recently announced that it has appointed Mr. Alon Bar-Shany as Active Chairman of the Board. Alon was the General Manager of HP-Indigo for last 16 years. Prior to the General Manager role Alon served as indigo’s CFO and since joining in 1995 was involved in a 10X growth of the company.

Alon Bar-Shany says, “Twine has all the ingredients to become another Indigo in the textile industry based on a unique technology and the rapidly changing industry needs and potential for digital disruption. I am especially excited at the ability to help the company scale by helping its customers to grow and at the sustainability impact Twine brings to the market.”

Alon Moshe, Twine CEO and Co-Founder says, “I am pleased and honoured to welcome Alon to our Board of Directors and Chairman. There are incredible similarities to the digital printing industry transformation

and with Alon’s insights of more than 30 years across so many disciplines. He will help propel Twine forward. The pandemic has only fueled and accelerated the market’s needs towards the ‘sell then manufacture’ paradigm enabled through Twine; Speed and sustainability are pertinent keys, and we intend to keep delivering on the promise of our revolutionary technology.”

About Twine Solutions Twine was established in 2015 by twin brothers, Alon and Erez Moshe, both veterans in the digital print industry, and is headquartered in Israel.

Twine’s technology is the first of its kind, by digitally dyeing raw or off-the-shelf white polyester thread in any colour and length needed, for immediate use in sewing, knitting or embroidery. Twine’s process is sustainable

with its waterless process, while reducing huge amounts of thread waste. Twine can help brands meet their targets by becoming more efficient, produce just in time and meet their sustainability goals. With Twine digital thread dyeing technology, small quantities and personalization become cost-effective.

Since the first product was launched in June 2019 at ITMA, Barcelona, systems have been installed across Europe and Asia. Global expansion will continue in 2021.

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signage printing

‘EFI Speed’ Single-Pass: Breakthrough productivity with EFI’s fastest-ever Inkjet solution The new solution is not only EFI’s fastest ever Inkjet solution for Display Graphics, but it also brings up to 3-4x faster productivity to shuttle-based printing.

“Single-pass technology, done right, has the potential to change every print vertical it touches and give our customers unprecedented new opportunities. As the leader in advanced UV LED digital production solutions, we are excited to bring the very important efficiencies and throughput advantages of EFI’s proven single-pass technology to the display graphics market.” Ken Hanulec

High-volume sign and graphics businesses can achieve a new, higher level of productivity with the first single-pass inkjet printer from Electronics For Imaging (EFI), dedicated to display graphics. The new EFI single-pass for display graphics UV LED inkjet printer, part of EFI’s super-high-speed series of devices, leverages the proven capabilities of the market leading EFI Nozomi C18000 Plus printer for direct-to-board corrugated packaging production.

With this new 63-inch wide single-pass solution, users can reach truly breakthrough speeds, running through skids of synthetic media and paper-based materials at speeds up to 1,000 sheets or boards per hour. A future upgrade for the printer will also allow for conversion to roll-to-roll production.

“When EFI announced EFI Nozomi single-pass technology at drupa 2016, the company was surprised at the level of interest expressed in this printer by display graphics customers, and we have been able to respond to demand with the most productive solution dedicated to that market,” said Ken Hanulec, vice president of worldwide corporate marketing, EFI. “Single-pass technology, done right, has the potential to change every print vertical it touches and give our customers unprecedented new opportunities. As the leader in advanced UV LED digital production solutions, we are excited to bring the very important efficiencies and throughput advantages of EFI’s proven single-pass technology to the display graphics market.”

Key Notes : > The new EFI singlepass for display graphics UV LED inkjet printer > Part of EFI’s superhigh-speed series of devices, leverages the proven capabilities of the EFI Nozomi C18000 Plus. > With this new 63-inch wide single-pass solution, users can reach truly breakthrough speeds up to 1,000 sheets or boards per hour.

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Operating at speeds that are up to three to four times faster than the most productive shuttle-based/ multi-pass printers, the EFI single-pass for display graphics printer delivers high-end output on a wide

range of media in quantities other digital solutions cannot match, giving customers a lower total cost of ownership, and higher profit potential, for highvolume demand.

Driving the analogue to digital transformation This breakthrough printer can give users the lowest cost per square foot in the market, while also giving them the greatest application range and extreme efficiency. Users can handle even challenging burst capacity demands with the printer’s remarkable throughput. Plus, the 7-colour printer delivers a wide colour gamut with six colours: CMYK with optional orange and violet inks, plus white.

The printer’s on-board quality inspection system checks for colour uniformity, as well as for nozzle out and other defects to further ensure optimum print quality.

All of these factors make EFI’s single-pass for display graphics printer the digital competitor on a cost basis to many analogue print applications. Display graphics producers can bring digital print’s versatility advantages, such as seamless versioning and design change capabilities, to long-run work.

As a very high volume digital printer, this new singlepass solution delivers the benefits of digital to new quantity levels that some print providers traditionally approached with analog methods. Users can eliminate the significant waste associated with analog screens and production make-readies, bringing a significant environmental advantage to digital display graphics printing.

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Efficiency and uptime with EFI Fiery server and Professional Services The EFI Fiery digital front end (DFE), used to drive the printer, provides outstanding print and colour quality with a scalable blade-server architecture with HyperRIP performance, Adobe PDF Print Engine, and variable data support. The DFE also features Smart Ink Estimator – an advanced solution that accurately analyzes image data for more-precise estimates of ink costs.

Fiery Edge, EFI’s next-generation profiling technology, is included as well, delivering even better out-of-the-box colour and quality enhancements.

deliver faster, effective service. New remote solutions include innovative data and intelligence offerings centered around EFI IQ cloud platform applications that help users glean greater management insights about their production operations to further improve productivity, efficiency and profitability.

solutions – including the VUTEk h5 UV LED hybrid flatbed/roll-to-roll printer with threequarter automation and the new EFI VUTEk XT hybrid – that comprise EFI’s super-highspeed portfolio of advanced, high-volume display graphics products designed to drive the analog-to-digital transformation in printing.

The new single-pass printer is one of three

Scheduled to be available later this year, the printer is designed for robust productivity and high uptime, thanks to its proven, award-winning single-pass platform and an enhanced program of professional services from EFI. The professional services program also provides extensive remote support to

Events Calendar Printing South China 2021

Screen Print India

Labelexpo India

Date: 04 MAR -21 to 06 MAR - 21 Venue: China Import and Export Fair Guangzhou, China

Date: 18 MAR -21 to 20 MAR - 21 Venue: Bombay Exhibition Centre Goregaon(E), Mumbai, India

Date: 16 NOV -21 to 19 NOV-21 Venue: India Expo Centre, Greater Noida, Delhi NCR, India

Media Expo Mumbai

Virtual.drupa 2021

Date: 04 MAR -21 to 06 MAR - 21 Venue: Bombay Convention & Exhibition Centre Mumbai, India

Date: 20 APR -21 to 23 APR - 21 Venue: digital event (online)

Fespa Global Print Expo

China Print 2021

Date: 09 MAR -21 to 12 MAR - 21 Venue: Amsterdam, Netherlands

Date: 23 JUN -21 to 27 JUN-21 Venue: New China International Exhibition Center, Beijing, China

Readers are required to confirm the dates of the exhibition from the organizers. This is a reader service provided by PRESSIdeas and the company cannot be held responsible for any error or omission.

If your event is not listed in the above list, kindly write to us at info@pressideas.com with subject as event and we shall gladly be including the same as above.

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