Image Reports August September 2020

Actively investigating and supporting the wide-format print sector

ISSUE 4 • VOLUME 28 • AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2020

ANTALIS’ FUTURE FOCUS: Building A Sustainable Future Together

Cybersecurity Are your printers letting the baddies in?

Talking Point Analyst Colin McMahon explains what we should be doing in this “great pause”.

Virtual realities Exploring the new normal for shows and showrooms

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Editorial

INSIDE INTELLIGENCE Editor: Lesley Simpson lesley.simpson@imagereportsmag.co.uk

Keypoint Intelligence research analyst Colin McMahon puts it well I think when he calls the current situation the “great pause�,

Production / Design: Alex Gold

a kind of breathing space where we all need to reassess where

Publisher: Wayne Darroch wayned@sjpbusinessmedia.com

we’re at, where we want to get to, and how we plan to get there.

No doubt the pause will be too long for many, and not long

Advertising Manager: Carl Archer carl.archer@imagereportsmag.co.uk Tel: 07723 079928

HQRXJK IRU RWKHUV EXW LQ WKLV LVVXH ZH WU\ WR FRYHU RĎƒ VRPH NH\ considerations as everyone tries to adjust to the ‘new normal’ whatever that turns out to be in the months ahead.

SJP Business Media, 2nd Floor, 123 Cannon Street, London, EC4N 5AU www.imagereportsmag.co.uk

If you turn to the Talking Point interview you’ll get McMahon’s take on how he believes print businesses need to be thinking. Not all

For circulation enquiries contact: SJP Business Media Email: subscriptions@imagereportsmag.co.uk

of what he has to say makes for comfortable reading, but it does make for serious contemplation of issues that may not previously

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have been at the forefront of your mind. Cybersecurity, for instance - a topic that’s explored in one of the What To Watch features.

To purchase a subscription please visit www.imagereportsmag.co.uk/subscribe – UK £54, overseas £84

Other timely topics covered this issue include - sadly - making redundancies, but there’s also uplifting content, honest! For

Printed in Great Britain.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted by any means without the Publisher’s permission.

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a start, we look at how you can get money back from the Government for the R&D you’re doing, we bring you up to speed RQ ðQLVKLQJ NLW GHYHORSPHQWV IRU PRUH DSSOLFDWLRQV ùH[LELOLW\ DQG PD[LPXP HτFLHQF\ DQG KRZ WR UHDFK QHZ FXVWRPHUV ZLWK QHZ marketing strategies‌ There’s plenty to be thinking about, so I’ll leave you to it. But, one last thing - a massive thank you to all who have taken part this summer in our second Widthwise survey. The Covid-19 lockdown came just as I was starting to analyse the data from the original poll, so that scuppered that. With the new data I’ll bring you the 2020 Widthwise Report very soon‌providing another steer through these turbulent times.

From Top: Lesley Simpson Alex Gold Wayne Darroch Carl Archer

Editor LESLEY SIMPSON LESLEY.SIMPSON@IMAGEREPORTSMAG.CO.UK TEL: 01932 707173

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Contents

CONTENTS AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2020

REGULARS: 6 News Keeping you abreast of all the latest news in relation to digital wide-format print.

22

8 Cover Story Advertorial Antalis looks to a sustainable future.

22 Think Bigger Gallery showing off the creativity and complexity of largeformat inkjet print.

24 Forum Digging below the surface with Industry Mole; Out and About - events diary; Legal Eagle; Over to You with Chaz Dobson director, The Print Hive

26 Zeitgeist Get Government money for your R&D

SECTIONS:

14

Business 10 Talking Point … with Keypoint Intelligence’s Colin McMahon on “great pause” considerations.

12 Top Tips Reaching new customers with new marketing strategies

Technical 14 What to Watch I Cybersecurity: could your printers let the baddies in?

16 What to Watch II Finishing: developments for applications flexibility and maximum efficiency.

NEWS AND VIEWS ONLINE Go to www.imagereportsmag.co.uk for all the wideformat sector’s industry news, updated regularly online. Image Reports can also send a twice weekly enews bulletin straight to your inbox – register at:

Environment 21 Coronavirus and climate change Are ‘green’ online shows and showrooms going to be the new normal?

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News

Digital Factory v10 Sublimation Edition out Cadlink Technology has brought out Digital Factory v10 Sublimation Edition.

Using a high-fidelity colour management engine, the software includes colour profiles and colour adjustment tools as well as a pre-production, print production workflow management tools.

The software aims to eliminate the need for using other design applications to prepare print jobs by including all commonly used tools such as step-and-repeat, custom print template creation, image editing tools and colour ‘knock out’ tools.

The company said support for virtually all sublimation printers is possible, either by using the included customised direct printer drivers, or by leveraging the workflow advantages within the software and printing via the Windows driver (GDI approach) included with most printers.

GO TO WWW.IMAGEREPORTSMAG.CO.UK FOR THE FULL STORY… ] IPIA and BAPC merge ] First UK Graphic Awards and associated conference shifts to 2021 ] A second FuturePrint Virtual Summit to run in October ] Roland DG launches the TrueVis VF2-640 ] Global Graphics partners Inèdit to create new textile workflow solution ] Agfa introduces Apogee v12 and StoreFront 5.6 ] Switch 2020 Spring released ] Drytac brings out tough floor graphics material

Print trade shows get major shake-up Drupa stalwart Heidelberg has pulled out of next year’s event. The move by the press manufacturer comes on the back of other notable cancellations such as Xerox, and the scaling down of some stands from the likes of HP. In a statement, Heidelberg said the “unforeseeable effects of Covid-19” were behind its decision, and that it would focus instead on “new, digital options to present products and innovations.”

The move comes as many would-be exhibitors and visitors question the value of physical trade fairs, and as the show calendar gets moved around due to the ongoing Covid-19 situation.

Fespa Global will no longer take place in Madrid in October 2020. The next event will now take place 9 - 12 March 2021, when it will shift location to the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam. This event will replace the originally scheduled May 2021 event in

Munich. The show will return to Munich in 2022.

“In March 2020 we took the decision to delay Fespa Global Print Expo by six months in the face of the advancing pandemic and its implications for our exhibitors and visitors. Since then the development of Covid-19 has been dynamic and unpredictable. While many regions are now gradually emerging from lockdown, at this point in time we cannot be confident that we could match exhibitor and visitor expectations of a Fespa event if we were to go ahead in October this year,” said CEO Neil Felton.

Other trade show changes include the postponement of this September’s The Print Show and new sister event The Sign Show to 28 - 30 September 2021. Sign and Digital UK 2020, cancelled earlier this year, will next take place 2 - 4 March 2021.

WOO campaign puts OOH centre stage The World Out of Home Organisation (WOO) - which represents OOH media owners, associations and specialist media agencies - has appointed New Commercial Arts to handle a major global campaign to promote the medium. The campaign - running through to September on OOH sites donated by media owners worldwide - is the biggest OOH campaign of all time.

WOO president Tom Goddard said: “This appointment and the massive campaign to come, marks an important milestone for global OOH. It

shows the industry coming together to lead the advertising recovery from Covid-19 by showing a united and trusted global medium at its best and most effective, at a time when other major media channels are not providing safe platforms for global brands.”

New Commercial Arts CEO James Murphy added: “We all grew up inspired by great posters and it’s a tremendous honour and responsibility to be charged with helping to return OOH to centre stage for consumers and advertisers.”

] Screen expands European service team ] Epson Europe appoints new OEM business development manager GMG releases ] ColorServer 5.2 and OpenColor 2.4 ] BPIF launches Covid-Secure Road Map ] Vivid unveils Boss Bloc anti-bacterial film ] New antimicrobial laminate from Spandex ] Ricoh revises its greenhouse gas reduction programme ] Hollywood Monster highlights supplier relationships as it repositions ] CMYUK introduces asset finance support scheme ] Adapt offers new business finance package to SMEs

New Agfa plant to boost water-based inkjet ink production Agfa is opening a new inkjet ink manufacturing plant to boost its production capacity. The new facility, based at Agfa’s HQ in Mortsel, Belgium, will focus on water-based inkjet inks.

The company sees growing demand for these inks for applications such as printing on décor paper for the production of laminate floorings and furniture panels, and for

inkjet printing on packaging, especially on corrugated cartons.

In combination with Agfa’s existing facilities, the new plant will form a flexible production centre, where R&D and quality control teams will be co-located. Its manufacturing capacity should cover the expected growth rates of ink volumes for the next five to ten years.

] New online offering from SDUK ] ‘Green’ certification for EFI Nozomi inks ] Caldera announces MaskFactory initiative ] GIS and Sakata Inx to collaborate ] Sun Chemical acquires Sensient Technologies ] CADlink and Custom Gateway join forces on Cloud-based Rip ] New CEO for Landa ] Messe Dusseldorf president and CEO retires ] Graphene’s antimicrobial coatings pass independent testing ] Onyx introduces Automation Libraries ] Confidence in printing inks sector at all time low ] Roland shines a light on its VersaWorks 6 Rip ] Future Factory draws attention ] Inspirwood unlocks new charitable funds ] Enfocus launches BoardingPass PDF checker

6 | August / September 2020

Imageco makes solar power investment Leeds-based print and signage firm Imageco is to install 256 tier 1 photovoltaic solar panels to generate enough energy to power its 2,788m2 facility. The new solar solution will save enough energy to power 18 homes for a year, and dramatically reduce the company’s carbon output - the Co2 savings per year would be equal to travelling 135,000 miles by plane and to offset this carbon, over 2,500 trees would need to be planted.

The latest move comes just months after Imageco installed a voltage optimiser in its facility to help cut the carbon output by 9,363kg

of Co2 per annum.

Imageco MD, Nathan Swinson-Bullough, said: “We’re excited to be embarking on a new journey towards a more sustainable future with the installation of our very own solar panels. This marks a beginning of our solar campaign, which will give us the edge on our competitors, allowing us to continue to innovate and stay green. We will be saving 62,000kwh and 33,647kg of Co2 per annum.”

PlanetU is the energy supplier working with Imageco.

News

Andy Wilson buys out PressOn partner Andy Wilson is now sole owner of PressOn, having bought out joint founder and MD Nigel Webster.

“The Coronavirus situation gave us the breathing space to look at the business and consider what we wanted to do with it,” said Wilson. “The upshot is that management is being restructured and Nigel has left to pursue other interests.”

Wilson, who founded the Chatham-based company with Webster in 2000, is reviewing its business model, pointing out that “after two years of difficult trading due to Brexit, 2020 started out really well, then Coronavirus hit and in April we did just 5% of our usual turnover, in May 20% and in June 60%. Things are picking up - but a lot of that work is Covid related and immediate. There’s no real pipeline of work, though some of the work that was cancelled coming back. It’s not great when it comes to the retail and exhibition sectors so we need to really look at where we can be innovative, in terms of business strategy as well as technologically.”

Monsterjet prints objects up to 92cm high Croatia-based Azonprinter has brought out the Matrix Monsterjet - a direct-to product and interior decoration printer handling objects up to 92cm in height.

Sold in the Uk via its distributor Atlantic Tech Service, the printer comes with optional bed sizes of 590mm x 1200/1800mm and 1100mm x 1200/2500mm and prints onto most materials, such as ABS, polycarbonate, TPU, PVC, wood, stone, glass, canvas, ceramic, aluminum and additionally handles Braille 3D printing and print onto cylindrical objects. The manufacturer said the use of white ink as a base for a high-density CMYK layer means user can create unusual and creative textures.

Epson launches 76in dye-sub LFP Epson has announced its first 76in dyesublimation printer - the SureColor SC-F10000. It will be available from September.

Epson manufactures all the components for the new machine, including printheads, ink, firmware and software.

The SC-F10000 offers speeds of up to 255m2/ hr using new PrecisionCore Micro TFP printheads and Epson Precision Dot Technology (blending new

Halftone, LUT and Micro Weave technologies).

It has an easy media setting (media loading lever front and back), auto-adjustment technology including an integrated RGB camera, a new dryer for less ink transfer to the reverse of the media and wrinkle elimination, an advanced auto tension control (Ad-ATC), and operator-replaceable parts.

Ink comes in 10-litre or 3-litre ink boxes supported by ‘hot-swap’ function.

ColorGate extends its offering ColorGate has announced three new products/ services - Productionserver 20, Custom Create and Professional Color Management Services.

Productionserver - a Rip and colour management solution available in a commercial version for large-format printing and graphic arts, as well as in industrial versions for packaging, ceramics, décor, and textile printing - has been updated to Adobe’s PDF Print Engine 5, now supports spectral spot colour definitions, and is compatible with PantoneLive. It also includes additional settings for the Ink Saver feature. A new Retouch Module allows for last-minute colour corrections before going to print while staying consistent with a colourmanaged workflow.

Custom Create is a workflow solution that connects print buyers, print service providers and brand owners. The core of Custom Create is a Magento-based ecommerce engine with features such as product creators and 3D product previews, as well as a pricing engine that can be individually configured for various payment methods.

The solution integrates with Productionserver.

Other modules expected to be made available include online marketing support, connectors to

creative applications, job ticketing and fulfilment functions such as inventory and shipment management.

The new Professional Color Management Services offering includes: colour gap analysis (customers will receive an evaluation report with suggestions for improvements); colour management bundles for designers (including training, a spectrophotometer, a swatch book and, optionally, a license for ColorGate Productionserver); colour management bundles for soft proofing (including training, a spectrophotometer, a light booth, profiling software and, optionally, a quarterly check-up); colour management bundles for production proofing (including training, an inkjet printer, proofing media, proofing software, a light booth, and a spectrophotometer and, optionally, quarterly assistance); colour management for professional print bundle (including ColorGate’s DFE Profiler, training, a spectrophotometer and, optionally, a quarterly assistance service, an inkjet printer, proofing media, a light booth, and a quarterly assistance); a consulting service for customers whose requirements are not covered by the above.

StackaWraps adds Eco 3D display range to offering Following 18 months of development and a £200k investment, StackaWraps has added a new Eco range to its flat-pack 3D photorealistic display offering.

Known for its textile-based 3D products, StackaWraps’ new Eco range uses printed card wraps around an internal frame to provide fully recyclable 3D displays.

Three 3D products make up the Eco offering.

Firstly, the 3D Standee, available at 5ft or above and fitted with a strut at the back, ships in kit form and assembles in minutes and can last for six months. Packed two per box, they can be placed at the front, sides, or above cases of stock to provide the ultimate in brand visibility.

The Shelfie is StackaWraps’ version of the traditional FSDU - whereby what looks like a supersized product opens up to house the

real products inside. The number of shelves is dependent on stock size and weights specifications.

Bridge units form a display between two product replica ends.

StackaWraps has formed partnerships with some of the world’s biggest print service providers that license the technology as an approved manufacturing partner (AMP).

One such AMP is Italian print and packaging manufacturer Redbox, which is also adding a high gloss PLA lamination film for a glass effect finish, and which is also compostable.

Richard Peter, co-founder, said: “One thing that is important in this competitive marketing is giving the consumer the sensory experience, and these disruptive displays certainly do the job well.”

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 7

Cover Story

A FUTURE FOCUS FROM ANTALIS Antalis UK looks at changes in the large format market and at the challenges 2020 has presented to both Antalis and its visual communication customers.

COALA TEXTILE BACKLIT CITY

The coronavirus pandemic has undoubtedly had a devastating impact on the print industry. Businesses have had to look at new approaches, adapt to new working conditions and look at ways to diversify. Antalis UK believes that it is in times like these that working together in trusted partnerships makes all the difference.

ANTALIS’ NEW MAJORITY SHAREHOLDER MAKES THEM PART OF A WORLD LEADING MERCHANTING GROUP Antalis recently announced KPP (Kokusai Pulp & Paper) Group’s successful majority share purchase on 21 July 2020 confirming its worldwide leadership as a distributor in the papers, packaging and visual communication sectors.

This announcement will enable Antalis to benefit from new resources, strengthening its position in various markets and supporting its long-term financial structure.

It opens new opportunities for its clients with a worldclass business partner and ensures innovation and future development.

NEW CHALLENGES AND SUPPORT FOR LARGE FORMAT PRINTERS For the large format digital inkjet print market new opportunities, demands and trends have emerged from the coronavirus pandemic. New uses and market sectors look to take advantage of the capabilities of materials and technology. The growth is certainly being aided by the increase in demand for social distancing

8 | August / September 2020

print and for new media as sustainable options come to the forefront once again.

ANTALIS SUPPORTS CUSTOMERS AND LOOKS TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE FUTURE FOCUS - Antalis wants to support customers during these challenging times and is offering a promotion that will benefit customers’ businesses, whilst also helping them to reach sustainability objectives.

To recognise customer partnerships and to support customers’ futures, Antalis is launching a new promotion, ‘Future Focus’. The campaign is designed to reward customers by supporting their businesses and environmental goals through the rest of 2020, and beyond.

Running from 1st September to 30th November 2020, the initiative will allocate customers points on all Antalis purchases. Additional points can be achieved when purchasing specific product lines and by carbon offsetting materials or through online trading.

Prizes include an electric van, carbon offsetting a customer’s business for a year, or offsetting all their Antalis purchases. Further rewards are on offer including carbon offsetting credits, carbon footprint reporting and a range of free paper products.

Bruce Munro, Commercial Director – Papers & Visual Communication at Antalis comments, “Future Focus aims to reward customers for being valued partners of Antalis. With an exciting future ahead as part of the KPP Group, we look forward to innovating, collaborating and working in partnership with our customers to achieve a successful and sustainable future.”

Open to all UK commercial printers, customers need to register for the scheme by visiting the following: ask. antalis.com/futurefocus and entering their details by 31st August 2020.

FUTURE FOCUS: A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TOGETHER During the pandemic, many businesses have postponed sustainability-related announcements and priorities.

“Protection against the coronavirus has taken priority but for many the need, and desire, to address climate change, will continue, and fairly soon, as public support grows again, we will once again, need to focus on this important issue,” says Bruce.

The rise of carbon offsetting - when it comes to selecting and specifying a sustainable substrate the options may not always be clear. However, Antalis announced earlier this year that ALL materials purchased from across their paper, packaging and visual communications ranges (including large format media) can now be carbon offset. This includes paper and board products as well as aluminium composite materials and plastics, all supplied to customers’ premises with the unavoidable carbon emission from manufacture, processing and logistics, offset.

By opting to offset the carbon that would have been used in the production and distribution of the products purchased, Antalis’ customers are able to work towards

Cover Story

XANITA PRINT

limiting the environmental impact of their business while at the same time making an important contribution to the wider, global challenge of reducing global warming.

“We anticipate the demand for sustainable solutions will increase as end users and printers, designers and brand owners look for environmental product support from suppliers. A dedicated logo can be used on printed communications to show commitment to the environment,” says Bruce.

MEETING FUTURE TRENDS WITH NEW PRODUCTS The trend in the market to create bespoke, personalised interiors, within both commercial and residential markets, grew significantly last year, presenting new opportunities for wide format printers.

Antalis anticipates the desire for textile media will continue providing both the scope and quality which printers need to tap into a growing interior design market. Antalis extended its textile range, launching Coala Textiles in 2019, a range of polyester printable textiles for signage and decoration to complement its existing Coala WallDesign range.

Textile products have great versatility and, as they are 100% polyester, they are a more environmentallyfriendly alternative to traditional PVC materials. Textile ranges available include products for a large variety of applications, including frontlit and stretch displays, vibrant backlit displays, acoustic dampening, and indoor/outdoor blinds.

“The trend, and therefore increasing use of textiles has really enabled large format printers, both specialists and commercial printers, to diversify their offering, to capitalise on the growing opportunities presented by the

interior design market” comments Bruce.

Another move noted by Antalis is the convergence of market sectors with new media opening brand new applications and end uses for large format production.

“Antalis’ Xanita board range, is a great example of how a board that may have been traditionally associated with POS and exhibitions, for example, is now crossing the boundaries of conventional usage,” says Bruce.

Xanita is made from 100% post-consumer kraft in the core and is fully recyclable. It presents a real opportunity for printers to explore new markets that make use of structural applications which they can produce with their existing equipment. These markets offer significantly better margins for players in an industry with ever-increasing margin competition. They also present additional revenue streams without the need for significant capital outlay. By simply working with a substrate such as Xanita board, printers gain the ability to move from a flat two-dimensional starting point and finish off with a three-dimensional, even load-bearing structure - which opens up a world of possibilities.

Antalis’ range, and their environmental credentials, can be viewed on their helpful product selector, SUBSTR8, at antalis-substr8.co.uk, launched to help specifiers and convertors choose from their wide range of media using filters such as application, sector, print compatibility and finish.

IN CONCLUSION Whatever 2020 throws at the industry and our businesses, Antalis is determined to offer support and assistance to its customers and invest in the partnership that is so pivotal to shared business success.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 9

Business | Talking Point

talks to...

Colin McMahon Wish you had a crystal ball to tell you how business is going to look post Covid-19?

Well, we have the next best thing. Having raised some interesting points in his talk at the Future Print virtual summit, I linked-up with Colin McMahon, research analyst with Keypoint Intelligence, and asked him to expand on some of his key messages. It doesn’t all make for comfortable reading.

10 | August / September 2020

“We’re in a period of great pause. Now we need to start on a proper period of transformation.” That was practically the opening message of your summit talk Colin. What do you think that business transformation will/needs to look like?

I think it’s all about operation. How we operated in the 20th century versus how we will operate in the 21st century.

Many print companies still use 20th century workflow practices, i.e. a centralised workflow, a rigid supply chain, multiple human touchpoints throughout the product lifecycle. These practices were already becoming obsolete before Covid-19 and that has just helped to show how outdated they are. The modern internet has been around for decades now and we have a wealth of new technology - such as IoT - that created new pathways to profitability, pathways that are much more flexible than traditional workflow procedures. The digital transformation began years ago but now it is time to realise its full potential.

On the technology front then, you have said that people have started referring to Industry 5.0. Many PSPs have yet to get to grips with i4.0. Can you define the difference - and explain how important you consider it to be that they invest in such developments in the ‘new normal’?

First off, no one should panic when they hear ‘Industry 5.0’. I’m not trying to start a jargon war, but I’m going to say that most experts believe we are still in Industry 4.0, which can be defined as a period fuelled by advancements in automation - automation used to decentralise workflows, increase hardware connectivity and communication potential, allowing machines to provide more information and feedback to their human operators. This automation hinges on digital connectivity (the internet), which, through IoT, allows machines to essentially ‘talk’ to each other in a way that was not before possible. We’re not talking about artificial intelligence, but we are talking about devices communicating with each other wirelessly to help perform basic tasks.

To answer the second part of your question, I would say it is essential to the long-term success of any print company (OEM, dealer, print service provider) to fully adopt Industry 4.0 principles. This requires significant investment and overhaul. Implementing automation on a small scale does

not open silos or optimise workflow - it just speeds up one process. It’s nice, don’t get me wrong, but we’ve seen companies begin to automate - only automate one or two processes - then declare themselves fully automated, when in reality their system still suffers from isolated data being unused and dragging down production levels. This process is not a five-minute fix. It requires adopting new software, training employees to use that new system, and, beyond that, re-examining your mindset to what is possible.

It made me laugh when you highlighted in your talk that VR/AR are about more than gaming. You obviously feel there’s enormous scope/need for their implementation in the print sector. Can you expand - and give us some idea of what kind of timescales you think are involved?

Ha yeah, I feel like there are still many people, particularly in the print industry, dismissing AR and VR. After all, what does gaming have to do with printing? But let me be clear - VR and AR are, at their core, new communication platforms. It’s like saying ‘I don’t think the smartphone will change the way I do business because it has Candy Crush on it’. Yes, this technology can be used for entertainment but the potential is so much more, particularly when it comes to AR. Imagine running a printing plant and knowing which machines need repair, and exactly what kind of maintenance, just by looking at them. Imagine bringing in a new hire off the street and having them become experts in handling sophisticated equipment without nearly as much onboarding - all this and more is possible, and some companies out there are already doing it.

There are several powerful headsets in the enterprise space, led by Microsoft’s Hololens 2, that allow workers to see and interact with their environments in new and exciting ways. I can see AR making a big impact on the print space both internally and externally, however consumer-grade AR is still very basic, still very simple. While companies can and should start investments and AR and VR this year, they should focus on the internal side. AR for training, VR or remote collaboration - applications like that.

To quickly address the question of what comes next both AR and VR depend heavily on internet infrastructure.

Unless you want to pay top dollar for every headset, you

Business | Talking Point

research analyst, Keypoint Intelligence want cloud computing to help lessen the processing burden.

The rollout of 5G, which is happening around the world, will help move mainstream AR and VR more toward reality.

But if you’re asking when do I think AR and VR will fully emerge as mainstream platforms - meaning that people’s innate knowledge of the technology will drastically increase (many today don’t even know they’re using AR when they add an image filter or log on to Snapchat), I think that’s still some time away. Less than a decade, probably. Keep an eye on Apple. The company that helped everyone embrace smartphone technology will likely try to repeat history with AR glasses, so when they announce a product, expect a notable reaction.

In your own words, “when you ask printers where they’re investing, it’s not in IT infrastructure. Moving out of Covid-19 this will be of huge importance.” Please give us your thoughts on that.

So, I should clarify that. Obviously there are many print companies investing in improving their online capacity.

That said, printers care about making money - right? That makes sense. So for many, the priority is buying new and better equipment. Equipment that creates better quality prints, equipment that allows for greater substrate versatility, equipment that enables faster turnaround and shorter runs this is all very important and I don’t want to overlook any of it.

That said, organisations that are serious about protecting their revenue streams cannot afford to overlook IT infrastructure which, to me, is built around the idea of cybersecurity. I mean, if you buy the latest and greatest print hardware in the planet, you would never leave it in a room with the door unlocked, yet many print companies do this now on a digital level.

Proper IT infrastructure means systems and people put in place to ensure that cybersecurity policies are created and enforced across the entire company. If there is even one weak link, everything can fall apart. Cybercrime is evolving and growing more prevalent. It impacts every industry. If printers do not make sure they exist in a secure environment, well, they may not exist for long.

As you have reiterated, environmental sustainability was everyone’s minds pre Covid-19. What’s your thinking on

where that topic should sit on the agenda going forward?

Sustainability and preserving the environment should be the top priority by every single person who felt inconvenienced in some way by Covid-19. If you think this pandemic was disruptive, wait until climate change really gets going.

We’re already seeing more storms that are, on average, more destructive. Droughts and flooding are plaguing various parts of the planet. None of this exists in a vacuum outside of the business world. It is all connected.

Now I’m not saying climate change created Covid-19 but, if you look at the areas of our planet with the worst levels of air pollution, those poor people tend to suffer more extreme cases of the disease. Their lungs were already weakened. The environment is only going to be more of a factor in the century to come. The data shows that many people care so much about sustainability that they’re willing to pay more for responsible products. Likewise, they will spurn companies that show no regard for their environmental surroundings. So print companies, which have historically not had the greenest image, should take extra steps to show they are on the forefront of sustainable practices. I think there’s real opportunity there, actually - given the mounting criticism of plastic.

Can you make a call on whether, in say the next five years, businesses in the large-format print sector are likely to better or worse off than they were pre Covid-19?

Unfortunately I believe it is still too early to say. They will be different, no doubt about that, and large-format printers that make no effort to evolve during this great pause will very likely being doing worse, in part because they will be going against competition that used this time more wisely.

If I had to pick, I think the road to recovery will not be quick. There’s a historical precedent for this. I also think that many people are relying even more heavily on the digital now than they’ve done in the past, so certain print-based applications may not come back, at least not in the levels they were seen previously.

Anyway, yeah, sorry to be vague on this one. I only know that, until there is a vaccine, there is no hope for any chance of a full economic recovery. Fingers crossed we can get something that works by this time next year.

IF PRINTERS DO NOT MAKE SURE THEY EXIST IN A SECURE ENVIRONMENT, WELL, THEY MAY NOT EXIST FOR LONG

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 11

Business | Top Tips

Getting past the case study As your focus moves from survive to thrive, clever marketing is going to be a strategic necessity.

Ice Blue Sky works with B2B organisations to deliver higher than average marketing qualified leads and/or sales qualified leads, so what its MD has to say on the topic is worth hearing.

CASE STUDIES HAVE BEEN THE MAINSTAY OF MANY A PSP’S MARKETING STRATEGY FOR MANY MOONS NOW. BUT ARE THEY THE BEST WAY TO GET YOUR REINVENTED BUSINESS IN FRONT OF NEW CUSTOMERS IN THE EMERGING NEW NORMAL? CHARLOTTE GRAHAM-CUMMING, MD OF MARKETING AGENCY ICE BLUE SKY GIVES YOU SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT.

1.

THINK ON

It has been proven that companies that continue to invest in marketing during recession survive for longer and are stronger and more robust. Harvard Business Review conducted a study of more than 4,000 companies across all the major recessions of the 20th and 21st centuries, finding that only 9% flourished - and they weren’t the companies that cut costs deeply. They balanced sensible cost cutting with investing in their future.

While marketing is not a magic wand by any means, there are several strategies and tools at your disposal.

WE’VE SEEN ENGAGEMENT INCREASE BY 200% WHEN USING ANIMATION.

2.

MAKE THE MESSAGE AUTHENTIC

“People don’t buy what you do, they buy why you do it.” Simon Sinek (2008) Sinek, as some of you may know, wrote and promoted ‘Start With Why’.

Many businesses focus on capital gain objectives that are purely driven by turnover, stock value or how many offices they have in the world. During - and post - recession many of these businesses sacrifice employees to cut costs, as opposed to looking at operational efficiencies and investing in their future.

The most successful and influential brands on the planet have authentic messaging, that conveys their core values and makes it easy for customers to understand the value they can add and how they do business, attracting the right kind of customers to their brand.

Sinek’s second book, ‘Find Your Why’ - with additional content written by Peter Docker and David Mead - guides you through a series of exercises that both identifies the ‘Why’ within any one person, or alternatively helps brands and business understand and articulate their ‘Why’.

The process doesn’t just involve the senior or executive management team - it works best when you involve 10-12 people that make up a cross sections of an organisation, fewer if the business is smaller.

‘Why’ statements are split into two parts: the first is a contribution - what do you contribute to the world as a whole; and the second is the impact that it delivers. The great thing about this is that it cannot be replicated by your competition, because it comes from deep within each organisation and is driven by people.

The end point is one of the truest forms of authenticity - the statements cannot be questioned because they are based on the experiences of the company and the people within it.

Helping both internal staff and customers understand the true purpose of an organisation presents a complete picture of what a business stands for and makes communications far more effective.

12 | August / September 2020

Business | Top Tips

DATA IS AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE THE DNA OF SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS.

5.

MAKE IT MOVE

“A picture paints a thousand words.” Frederick Barnard (1921)

3.

BE DATA DRIVEN

“Data is the new oil.” Clive Humby (2006) One of the impacts of Covid-19 is that brands will have to work smarter with their data.

Personalisation goes well beyond applying “Dear Peter” to an email or piece of direct mail.

From a B2B perspective, you will have to think far more strategically around how you will use data to improve the outcome of your marketing communications. This includes getting people into the top of the marketing funnel then using content and activity to convert them into qualified leads.

Think about the hierarchy of a business - the information and content that you share with middle management would be completely different to that of a senior level or board level individual.

The content that you use with cold data (for example animations) should be different to the content you share with warmer leads (such as webinars, or long form content).

You will need to take time to research and get the contact details of the various people in the businesses you wish to target, tailoring the dialogue for each of those audiences will greatly improve your results.

There are many service providers that can help with the researching and supply of data including Dunn & Bradstreet, Cognism, Electric Marketing, and Abacus Epsilon for example.

Data is and will continue to be the DNA of successful business.

4.

Content has gone through a metamorphosis. The explosion of digital in the early 2000’s led to a proliferation of content, most of it questionable in terms of quality. This has led people to be more selective in what they engage with.

WORK IN COLLABORATION

“No man is an island.” John Donne (1624) A recent McKinsey report on the impacts of Covid-19 states that a common reaction to the effects on businesses will be the shortening of the supply chain. Typically this involves a more localised approach in relation to supplier relationships.

Organisations will be looking for more ‘total solution providers’ where more of the component parts of service lines are joined up together before they are delivered to the point of requirement. So is it time to start thinking about collaboration?

Look at your business and then look at your customers’ and understand their pain points as a business. Consider what you do and the value you offer, but then see who you could partner with to increase that value. Print companies can find like-minded agencies to promote a full service offering for example.

But one word of caution, make sure any business or individual you decide to tie up with is completely aligned to your ‘Why’ and values, because if not, fractures will appear in relationships and that is ultimately bad for business.

Animation is consistently proving to be a winner in terms of getting people to engage with a brand. Animations outstrip other types of content in terms of social media performance. We’ve seen engagement increase by 200% when using animation.

One- or two-minute videos can be really powerful in promoting what you do. You can even put video into direct mail now with screens that are lightweight and cheap enough to use when targeting new accounts.

It’s incredibly effective too for complex, technical messages, and provides an outlet to demonstrate creativity and humour.

6.

TURN TO TELEMARKETING

“Never look at what you want to change. Always look at what has changed.” Jane Kang The simple truth is that business needs to be conducted in much more of a human way. The ‘Covid reset’ made us all realise that we need to get back to basics and work out ways to connect with people when we can’t meet them face-to-face.

Cut through with direct mail is diminishing in B2B due to the displacement of the workforce.

Laying the ground with well storyboarded and personalised telemarketing you can achieve some outstanding results in generating BANT (Budget, Authority, Need, Timeline) qualified leads.

Currently we are seeing strong engagement and opportunity levels being created through this medium, particularly when done authentically and with the aim of genuinely providing the help to people that they need.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 13

Technology | What to Watch

CYBERSECURITY: HAVE YOU GOT ANY? EVER CONSIDERED WHETHER YOUR PRINT KIT COULD BE LETTING THE BADDIES INTO YOUR BUSINESS? NOW MAY BE THE TIME TO THINK ABOUT IT.

There are two types of company, the old cybersecurity joke goes: those who have been hacked and those who don’t know they have been hacked. The recent mysterious hacking of 130 celebrity Twitter accounts was a sensational reminder that no one is safe. If it can happen to Jeff Bezos, who became the richest man in the world by exploiting the power of digital technology, it really can happen to you.

The first step towards improving your cybersecurity is to recognise the fact that you can never be safe.

You can then can focus on protecting the data that is critical to your business and identifying the most likely threats to that data. To do that, the people who own, run and/or manage print service providers need to face a few harsh, post-pandemic, truths.

Colin McMahon, a senior research analyst at

14 | August / September 2020

THE BENEFITS OF AUTOMATING WORKFLOWS ARE OBVIOUS. THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS? NOT SO MUCH.

Keypoint Intelligence, which specialises in global data and market know-how for the digital imaging sector, puts the issue rather bluntly: “People in print tend to be older men - the worst demographic category to be in as far as Covid-19 is concerned and they need to bear that in mind for their future operations. Remote working - to a greater or lesser extent - is something they need to prepare for and that means, as print service providers consider more ‘connected’ devices, cybersecurity becomes a bigger issue. Automation, cloud computing, the Internet of Things, remote working have lots of advantages for the industry but they come with lots of risks attached.”

McMahon has a point. Any defence against cybersecurity is only as strong as the least guarded

Technology | What to Watch

device on the network. It cost Target more than $300m to discover that painful truth: the hackers who stole 40m credit card details from the American retailer broke in through systems belonging to its air conditioning supplier. Closer to home, many PSPs don’t even consider the fact that their wide-format printers, which generate most of their revenue, are connected devices that pose risks. As competition grows fiercer - and the market becomes tougher - the benefits of automating workflows are obvious. The potential hazards? Not so much.

Fortunately, some digital print companies are recognising the perils. In response to growing concerns, British supplier Solimar Systems has recently launched a secure IPP print server for digital print environments. Equally commendably, HP runs a global crowdsourcing initiative to identify bugs in its systems that may help hackers.

The second unpleasant truth PSPs need to face is that, as far as cybercriminals are concerned, they are low hanging fruit. You can hack into the Pentagon but, as the defences of that organisation - and others like it - become more sophisticated, why would you? A similar rationale applies to banks although, as recent cases have demonstrated, they are nowhere near as secure as they would like to be. All of which means that small to medium sized enterprises - of the kind that dominate the British wide-format print sector - are a very tempting target.

At this point, you are probably asking yourself: yeah, but how much money are they really going to make from hacking into my business? Think of the old Nigerian email scam. A prince you’ve never heard of promises you a large sum of money if you help them transfer money out of their country. Who would fall for that?

Well, as one cybersecurity consultant pointed out, it doesn’t really matter. It costs next to nothing to send out such emails and if one gullible soul is conned by it, they have more than made their money back - which is why that kind of scam has now gone global.

In the past 12 months, the Government estimates, almost half of British companies have been the victim of a cyber-attack. Of that half, one in seven reported that they dealt with such threats every week. The average cost of a cyber breach or attack on a company over that period was ÂŁ3,230. ‘Ransomware’, in which anonymous hackers demand money after taking control of an organisation’s IT systems, is most effective when aimed at organisations that aren’t that sophisticated technologically. Again, PSPs might insist that such cheap tricks would never catch them out but as Willy Kruh, the former head of the retail and consumer sector for KPMG, confided once: “Most of the brands and retailers I know are terrified that their entire operations could be paralysed by ‘ransomware’. When you think about it, all it takes is one clever geek in a balaclava, based in an emerging economy, with a laptop and internet access.â€?

At least with ‘ransomware’, the motive is clear. Many attacks are motivated by malice, mischief or hackers testing out their own capabilities. Cybercrime is a $600bn a year global business - if it were a country, its

PROTECTIVE MEASURES Here’s how to get tough on cybercrime‌

15% The proportion of British companies which have been victims of cybercrime who say they identify breaches or attacks at least once a week.

15% The proportion of British companies which have reviewed the cybersecurity risk posed by suppliers in the past 12 months.

4/10 The proportion of British companies which have taken no actions to improve cybersecurity in the past 12 months.

+V HU H\KP[ ,]LY` JVTWHU` OHZ KPŃœLYLU[ vulnerabilities. The most common include: an internal culture that doesn’t take the cybercrime seriously (for L_HTWSL ^OLU Z[HŃœ IYPUN [OLPY V^U [LJOUVSVN` [V use at work); failure to update cybersecurity defences; and a lack of awareness of how suppliers protect their systems and the products they supply to you.

2. Ask your suppliers. As Colin McMahon says: “If `V\ HYL I\`PUN THJOPULZ ^P[O JVUULJ[P]P[` `V\ ULLK [V YLJVNUPZL [OH[ [OL` JHU JH\ZL YLHS KHTHNL [V `V\Y I\ZPULZZ š :V Ă„UKPUN V\[ ^OH[ WYLJH\[PVUZ Z\WWSPLYZ HYL [HRPUN PZ PTWLYH[P]L +VUÂť[ IL W\[ VŃœ VY assume that, just because their company is much IPNNLY [OHU `V\YZ [OL` ^PSS OH]L Ă„N\YLK [OPZ HSS V\[ ;OL SHYNLZ[ JVTWHUPLZ PU [OL ^VYSK OH]L ILLU hacked and breached. ,K\JH[L Z[HŃœ *`ILYZLJ\YP[` JHU ZLLT H IP[ YLTV]LK MYVT WLVWSLÂťZ KH` [V KH` ^VYRPUN SP]LZ HUK [OLYL PZ H YPZR [OH[ [OL` YLNHYK ZVTL WYLJH\[PVUZ HZ bureaucratic red tape which can be worked around VY PNUVYLK ^OLU WYLZZ\YL TV\U[Z 0[ PZ `V\Y QVI [V JVU]PUJL `V\Y Z[HŃœ [OH[ J`ILYZLJ\YP[` PZ UV[ [OL ZVSL YLZWVUZPIPSP[` VM 0; 0M UV[OPUN LSZL YHPZPUN H^HYLULZZ ^PSS OLSW KPZJV\YHNL O\THU LYYVY Z\JO HZ SLH]PUN laptops on trains).

4. Own up. If your systems have been breached, don’t try and hide the fact. Inform any stakeholders [OH[ HYL SPRLS` [V IL HŃœLJ[LK LZWLJPHSS` J\Z[VTLYZ Prompt, decisive and visible action will help retain J\Z[VTLY [Y\Z[ HUK OLSW WSHJH[L [OL YLN\SH[VYZ PM [OL` NL[ PU]VS]LK (\KP[ HNHPU *`ILYZLJ\YP[` JHU UL]LY IL JVTWSL[LS` solved. There are always new threats, new techniques HUK UL^ [LJOUVSVNPLZ 2LLW HU L`L VU `V\Y KLMLUJLZ and, at least once a year, take the time to assess risks, practices and policies across the business.

economy would be larger than Poland’s - and PSPs who choose to ignore the danger because they have more important things to do are gambling with the future of the business.

Accepting that you are not now - and never will be or can be - completely safe from cybercrime will clarify what you can and should do. No matter how much money you spend building a state-of-the-art, all-singing, all-dancing IT fortress, you cannot eliminate the risk once and for all. In business, as in life, without risk there is no reward. But a more intelligent, proactive approach to cybersecurity can at least mitigate the risk, protecting your company, your staff and your customers if the worst happens.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 15

Technology | What to Watch

CAN YOU CUT IT? TIMES MAY BE TOUGH, BUT HAVING THE RIGHT FINISHING KIT COULD HELP MAKE THINGS SO MUCH EASIER - LITERALLY. Yes, we’ve already seen the opportunities out there for PSPs capable, and willing, to change things up. Dare I even mention PPE production? The point is, there are numerous applications - many of which are yet to be discovered no doubt - that could help your business thrive in this ‘new normal’ where reduced staff numbers are also an issue and lean manufacturing a key focus.

Having the right finishing kit could be core to your progress, so for this feature we asked manufacturers/ suppliers of such kit ‘what developments give largeformat PSPs added applications flexibility and maximum efficiency?’ Here’s the upshot of what we got back…

AXYZ An upgraded version of the AXYZ Trident print finishing system has been introduced by AAG (AXYZ Automation Group) that incorporates design features and production tool enhancements to radically extend its existing automation, performance and configuration capabilities.

The AXYZ Trident - available in four standard sizes (4008, 4010, 5010 and 6010), with processing bed areas ranging from 1,524 x 1,219mm up to 2,159 x 3,048mm and a length of 1,259mm (customisable up to 15m if required) - incorporates a multi-purpose processing head comprising a 10HP 24,000rpm quick-release HSD routing spindle and tangential and scillating knife-cutting units.

The new machine has a four-position tangential knifechanger to supplement the (up to 21-station) Automatic Tool Change (ATC) facility, dust extraction and spray mister units, the AVS (AXYZ Vision System) for optimum material registration and alignment, and a raised gantry height capability for the processing of materials up to 125mm thick. By the by, a narrower carriage also contributes to a 12% reduction in footprint.

As UK general manager Theresa Scarth points out, in addition the new AXYZ Trident has other standard and optional enhancements too, including the latest A2MC machine controller, a live vacuum deck, and the latest helical rack and pinion drive system with a multi-teeth configuration that helps spread the workload more evenly.

The machine - which can handle flexible, semi-rigid and rigid materials - is supplied as standard with Vectric VCarve and optional Aspire design and production software, with the latter enabling more complex 2D and 3D work.

BLACKMAN AND WHITE “Lockdown was a great opportunity to further accelerate some of the development work on the Genesis-V and Z cutting systems, enhancing the functionality of the latest tooling, new and powerful motion control and workflow-optimising software,” according to director Eiko Ichikawa-White, pointing out that the company’s product range “now encompasses digital connectivity, and no longer is the machine a stand alone piece of equipment as cutters are conventionally

16 | August / September 2020

The AXYZ Trident

The 65 degree tool map dashboard

perceived, but instead is now a measure of efficiency and productivity and a part of the brains of a business.”

The new ViZeo is a scanning system for reading registration dots or outlines of printed images. A high resolution camera array allows a full table area 3.2m X 3.2m to be scanned in under three seconds. An unlimited number of registration marks can be located to within 0.1mm.

Outline scanning allows printed textiles with a solid black line outlining the shape to be processed without the need to create a separate cut file. Full automation is possible with a roll of material containing many different patterns and programs to be loaded and cut without any operator involvement. There’s full integration with software which supports all popular printer formats including Onyx, Caldera, ErgoSoft and Asanti.

Ichikawa-White also points to another development. “With a gantry based motion system the cross axis mostly referred to as the Y axis is normally much less massive than the X axis. Based on the fact that Force = Mass X Acceleration, this means that for the same amount of Force the Y axis can accelerate much faster than the X axis. Most control systems do no take this into account and limit the acceleration to the slowest axis. Whilst it is relatively simple to overcome this for linear movements the equations become extremely complex when you start to consider complex curves and splines. The Blackman and White system slices the motion into time segments typically around 1 millisecond, and for each of these the maximum acceleration is used without ever exceeding the limitations set by Max Accel X,Y and Z. “The benefits are that the cut lines in the Y axis will be processed almost twice as fast as those in the X axis resulting in higher throughput of production. Complex curves will accelerate faster depending on the angle all processed within the motion controller.

Tight curves requiring very fast rotation of the C axis will automatically slow down the X and Y axis producing a higher quality curve always at the maximum machine speed. Splines are generated from the design software and passed to the controller in a spline format, removing the approximations created by fitting arcs to complex curves.”

In addition, Blackman and White has created an inline processor that sends an optimised version of the G code to the controller thereby speeding up the process lag time significantly. And the machine provides run time data that captures efficiencies whilst simultaneously feeding information to the tools to ensure that cut accuracy and efficiencies can be measured. A CAD editor has also been integrated into the front-end.

CALDERA Caldera has brought out PrimeCenter - a prepress automation solution designed for wide-format print-andcut workflows. Developed in cooperation with Zund, the Caldera-owned and branded product has been developed

Technology | What to Watch

to meet the move from a “ready to print” to a “ready to produce” mindset.

The software solution sits upstream from the Rip, enabling production to be scaled. It consolidates preflight, bleeding and nesting into one tool. Different input image files (pdf, tif, jpeg, png) coming in from clients can be automatically prepared and optimised. These files are preflighted, marked and nested together, into ready for production layouts.

PrimeCenter doesn’t replace the Rip as it does not directly drive any printer or cutter, but acts as a firewall, preventing earlier issues at the production stage.

Production is streamlined thanks to the PrimeCenter’s ability to inject job meta data, and this contributes to complete workflow tracking using XML to connect to MIS and ERP solutions.

There are three editions of the product. PrimeCenter Basic requires users to manually apply a combination of actions such as preflight, nesting and bleeding in what are called recipes.

PrimeCenter Pro represents a step up - the application of recipes is semi-automated via the automatic import of incoming files. Layouts are automatically generated, though not instantly exported to the controller or the Rip. PrimeCenter Max handles the latter too.

directly into a printer, and as sheets roll off the stacks are automatically transported by means of rollers to Reversa, Elitron’s new intelligent, large-format, sheet turner due to have been launched at Drupa 2020. Sheets are then turned so the print side is face down, before being fed into the Kombo TAV cutting system. The reference points are read from the underside in the pre-loading area, using Seeker System cameras, and the material is then cut and creased with the print side facing downwards. An Airo Panel unloading system then moves each cut sheet, without any nicks, directly to the unloading bay where they are again stacked.

The Esko MUlti-Cut Tool Head

CWT Papergraphics represents CWT in the UK, and according to John Selby, “strangely enough, the past two months have proved to be very busy with sales of CWT tables, especially the new Evolution. We can only assume it is due to the demand for social distancing floor stickers.

Using an application table to apply a laminate or selfadhesive vinyl could improve productivity by up to 80%.”

CWT tables all have a tempered glass top to prevent bowing and distortion when under roller pressure. But, as Graham De Kock points out, “in the past the speed and consistency of the top rollers horizontal movement has been manually operated and therefore controlled by each individual table operator. This means the amount of time the nip of the top pressure roller is in contact with the media surface will vary from operator to operator and may vary along the length of a board. CWT has recognised this limitation and solved it with the all new CWT Evolution.”

The table includes a remote controlled motorised drive system. It controls the pressure nip time, which combined with a new heated top roller, allows users to eliminate silvering associated with some vinyls and laminates while ensuring a consistent and accurate pressure is evenly applied and maintained.

ELITRON Elitron has invested heavily in automation, with its Kombo TAV-R at the pinnacle, offering fully automatic, loading, cutting and creasing, unloading, with perfect stack alignment.

The company’s well known Heleva system loads sheets

ESKO CMYUK is the exclusive distributor of Esko Kongsberg digital cutting tables in the UK and Ireland, with group director Robin East saying that during lockdown, there was high demand for the tables, “the driver undoubtedly being the huge demand in social distancing signage and many customers switching from their usual signage applications to producing vital PPE, and a massive upscale in the production of sneeze and countertop guards made from acrylic and Perspex.” He points out too that the conveyorised bed helped PSPs to automatically load material to minimise the amount of human contact between the operator, material, and final product.

Esko tables come with a Multi-Cut Tool Head as standard - extra tools can be added to help users wanting to produce more specialised items. According to East, many have used the 1Kw router tool to produce the types of clear protection screens now seen in shops etc. A rotary cutter tool is designed to cut fabrics, so useful for things like aprons and facemasks.

“Many Esko customers have experienced unprecedented volumes of work during this period. The i-Cut Suite software has been invaluable. Regardless of the type, source, and variety of job information, this software tackles all bottlenecks in your workflow from pre-flighting PDF files, prepping graphics, creating layouts and minimising wastage, printing and finishing in perfect registration,” adds East.

FLEXA As with CWT, Flexa is represented in the UK by Papergraphics. Graham De Kock points out that if you are performing straight edge cuts on media such as wallpaper, canvas, magnetic, polycarbonate films etc. you can automate the task with a Flexa XY cutter. The new Miura Plus HD boasts an upgraded frame and input feed system specifically designed with heavy rolls in mind - up to 400 mm (16in) in diameter and weighing up to 200 kg (441 lbs).

It combines horizontal and vertical cutting, has on-board mark detection camera systems, a new ‘muting’ function to

The Elitron Kombo TAV-R

The F-Mark Plus

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 17

Technology | What to Watch

avoid misreading of hidden marks, and can cut a 50m in as little as three minutes (1000 linear meters in an hour).

GRAPHTEC GB Graphtec GB has broadened its product offerings to include the Kala XY II 1650 Pro automatic trimmer, the latest F-Mark automatic digital die-cutting machine and the recently launched WID L300 laminator.

The 165mm-wide Kala XY II 1650 Pro operates at up to18m/min and will accommodate printed media 1mm thick in a roll diameter of 250mm. Key design features include an automatic media alignment facility, dual central and self-sharpening cutting/edging blades and LCD touchscreen control panel.

The F-Mark and F-Mark Plus automatic sheet-fed cutting systems have die, kiss and perforation cutting functions, with the latter also providing media creasing. A key attribute claimed for the F-Mark is that the die-cutting process is carried out automatically.

The machines are based on the Graphtec CE6000-40 and CE6000-60 respectively, incorporating software that is compatible with other popular software programs such as Adobe Illustrator.

The F-Mark will handle sheets up to 330 x 483mm, with larger sheet sizes possible with the F-Mark Plus option.

Both machines will handle up to 120 sheets of media continuously, with further sheets added as required whilst the machine is still running.

Introduction of the L300 Laminator followed the recent partnership forged with Portugal-based WID Innovations whereby Graphtec GB is now the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for both this machine and the new C Series laser cutters.

The L300 will handle media up to 25mm thick and at speeds of up to 3.5m/min. It’s a compact machine - 201cm (width) x 65cm (depth) x 135cm (height) - and includes twin silicon 130mm diameter-wide laminating rollers, pneumatic roller elevation and pressure/tensioning systems and allows automatic and manual laminating.

The FCX4000 and FCX2000 flatbed cutters - which have individual as well as shared design characteristics and performance capabilities - incorporate Graphtec’s latest proprietary ARMS (Advanced Registration Mark Sensing) system for optimum media plotting and

The Matic Cronos Ultimate

The Matic Hera

The Burkle LFC

cutting accuracy, together with Graphtec’s own-brand Pro Studio, Pro Studio Plus and optional Cutting Master 4 design and production software.

The FCX2000 is available in three sizes (60, 120 and 180), with respective processing areas of 610 x 920, 1,200 x 920 and 1,800 x 920mm, a cutting speed of 400mm/sec and a cutting force of 500gf up to 1kgf.

There’s a choice of a vacuum bed or electrostatic material hold-down facility.

The FCX4000 is especially suited to the handling of more complex and difficult-to-cut materials and for postprocessing print-on-demand applications. Available in two sizes (the 50ES and 60ES) with respective cutting areas of 660 x 488 and 976 x 660mm, the FCX4000 has a maximum speed of 750mm/sec, a cutting force of 600gf and utilises the electrostatic material holddown option.

MATIC Atech has flagged-up three products it believes will help a PSP become more flexible. First up is the Matic Cronos Ultimate automatic sewing machine which it reckons requires very little operator skill to achieve a professional finish on textile and PVC graphics - with six pre-set channels for different applications. As with all Matic products it has Industry 4.0 integration.

The Hera is an automatic impulse welding machine - available 4-8m wide - for hemming, joining and creating pole pockets, applying zips and keder to PVC and polyester graphics. Again, it’s said to require very little operator skill - simply select the application by pressing a button or reading a QR or barcode and insert the graphic. It has 99 memory channels for different materials and applications The Burkle LFC UV coater is simple to use and highlighted as ideal for those perhaps moving into social distancing signage. Available in 1300, 1600 and 2100mm widths, is handles flexible sheets, roll materials and rigid panels up to 80mm in thickness at speeds of up to 25 linear meters per minute. It can apply a range of cost effective UV curable laminates, such as gloss, matt, anti-graffiti, R9 anti-slip floor varnish, also colours including white.

An automatic board feeder and stacker are available.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 19

Environment

VIRTUALLY GUARANTEED SUCCESS? IN JUNE THE PRINTING EXPO VIRTUAL EXHIBITION OPENED UP ONLINE. SO, WITH TRAVEL RESTRICTIONS STILL A KEY CONSIDERATION, IS THIS THE WAY OF THE FUTURE - AND TO WHAT EXTENT DO ENVIRONMENTAL CONCERNS COME INTO PLAY? “Virtual exhibitions can reduce carbon emissions by 99% when compared to equivalent live events.”

That’s a conclusion drawn from the recent paper ‘Making industrial exhibitions green’ based on the ISO 20121 standard comparing a virtual trade show with several live physical events, and flagged up by Wayne Beckett, joint managing director of Resolve Business Management, the organiser of the new printing-expo. online virtual trade show.

As we are aware, and as Beckett reiterates here, there are a huge number of benefits to an event hosted online - especially in the current climate, and taking into account the technology platforms now available to create compelling exhibitions. So, are virtual shows the way of the future - and should we be getting excited about their green credentials as much as anything else?

There are obvious attractions. Aside from the added convenience to visitors of shows like printing-expo. online being available 24/7, there’s no travel or accommodation required. Show navigation tools including a search function, products list and company profiles - further ensure visitors can easily find their way around. Big ticks there.

Exhibitors can populate their ‘stands’ - built using a combination of 3D rendering, photography and HD video - with interactive content that visitors can explore and download. More ticks.

And if you’re wavering over ticking the ‘environmental’ box just think that number of tradeshows organised in continental Europe alone during 2019 exceeded 2,670, bringing together over 735,500 exhibitors and 75.4m visitors. When you consider the carbon equivalent (CO2-eq) for a single three-day, mid-size trade show is over 500 tonnes, then this extends into the millions of tonnes globally per annum.

Beckett continues with the eco-analysis: a three-day conference with 800 attendees has a carbon footprint of 455 tonnes of CO2-eq, corresponding to an average of 0.57 tonnes CO2-eq per participant.

The main contributors to these emissions are travel activities, which accounts for a total of 378 tonnes CO2-eq or 0.47 tonnes CO2-eq per attendee. These are followed by hotel overnight stays (39 tonnes CO2-eq in total) and catering (20 tonnes CO2-eq, 0.25 tonnes CO2-eq per individual).

A three-day fair with 120 exhibitors and 11,600m2 of

A THREE-DAY FAIR WITH 120 EXHIBITORS AND 11,600M2 OF OCCUPIED SURFACE CAN GENERATE 75.5 TONNES CO2-EQ.

occupied surface can generate 75.5 tonnes CO2-eq, 50.6% of which come from heating and lighting of the venue, for a total of 38.2 tonnes CO2-eq. The second greatest contributor to the environmental impact of the preparation of a fair is the assembly of spotlight bars and carpets over 20% of total emissions. This activity is followed by the assembly of electronic equipment, which is responsible for over 15% of total CO2-eq.

Using virtual exhibition platforms - such as V-Ex, which is hosting printing-expo.online - traditional venue owners can now render physically accurate trade shows using real-world lighting, materials and dimensions to recreate virtual twins.

The ‘virtual’ halls and stands can look visually identical to the bricks and mortar versions and host most of the same trade show subjects.

Beckett points out that V-Ex was designed from the outset as an interactive 3D environment to support largescale virtual trade shows with hundreds of stands and thousands of visitors. He believes trade shows that deal with services, physical products and machines or software transfer very easily to a digital format.

“We are currently building showrooms for two large SEOs to assist their sales and marketing teams display and promote equipment as well as to launch new products. Our virtual exhibition provides a platform on which to do this right now, when physical alternatives are not an option.”

On a final environmental note, Beckett adds: “I’ve seen the large amount of waste generated at the end of trade shows when the stands are deconstructed, and a huge amount is binned as the waste tends to be of mixed materials. With a virtual show, the stands are never dismantled, just updated as often as the exhibitors like.”

Sounds like a win, win?

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 21

Think Bigger | Gallery

a. On holy ground This 4m high x 87m long trompe l’oeil building wrap at Westminster Abbey could fool many a tourist and was produced by Project Print Management to hide scaffolding and construction works.

b. Clap for Hearoes A big round of applause for family-run print business Hearoes, which creates personalised skins and accessories for hearing equipment, particularly for children.

c. Play time RMD developed these freestanding mini heroes for school settings. Unsurprisingly they got the thumbs up form the director’s daughter. d. To your stations Ultima Displays has brought out The Kid’s Multi-Height Sanitising Unit within a range of cleaning stations designed to help schools and nurseries comply with Covid-19 regulations.

e. Not the real thing Following 18 months of development and a £200k investment, StackaWraps has added a new Eco range to its flat-pack 3D photorealistic display offering. f. New Louis Vuitton print Not all large-format graphics currently being produced are for social distancing - this floor graphic was produced by Graphic and Sign Installations for the reopening of Louis Vuitton London. Nice!

a.

22 | August / September 2020

Think Bigger | Gallery

b.

c.

d.

e.

f. www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 23

Forum

DIGGING BELOW THE SURFACE WITH INDUSTRY MOLE Am I the only person alive who suspects there’s a conspiracy to pretend that Zoom is easier to use than it really is? The young Moles keep extolling its simplicity and yet, when the link inviting me to a virtual meeting doesn’t work, they just give me a patronising shrug of their shoulders, look as if I’m making it all up, and ask if I’ve restarted the laptop.

Such complications are particularly embarrassing because Mole Graphics prides itself on technical expertise. My usual response is to blame the wi-fi which, for its tardiness and all round unreliability, has become the 21st century equivalent of British Rail (but sadly without the individual fruit pies).

One thing I have learned from working at home is that both broadband and wi-fi are slower than I had previously thought. I even started monitoring broadband speeds so I could complain to my provider. After a few hours and many irritating questions - yes I have tried turning everything off and on again thanks very much - I rejected the contention that I was using too many devices and was promised a new high speed router, which did arrive but made no discernible difference.

Comments please to industrymole@ imagereportsmag.co.uk

Most clients sympathise with such travails, a few offer suggestions (yes, I really have turned everything off and on again), some look scornful and a minority helpfully message me saying “WE CAN’T HEAR YOU” (always in capital letters).

It’s harder to shift the blame when the camera goes dark, you appear on screen as a grey ghost or are seen pressing the microphone button in panic. And then there’s the key question: how much of the screen should be filled with your head? Some say less is more but, so far, I have opted for more is more.

I find Microsoft Teams easier to manage than Zoom. Google Hangouts is okay although, contrary to Einstein’s famous definition of insanity, you can do exactly the same things and get completely different results.

One aspect of what everyone is calling the ‘new normal’ - even though none of us agree on how new or normal the ‘new normal’ will be - is that virtual meetings will remain a part of our working lives - and that means I’m going to have to get a lot better at them. Wish me luck. I’m going to need it.

FESPA GLOBAL 2021

DRUPA 2021

THE PRINT SHOW

When?

2 - 4 March, 2021

When?

9 - 12 March, 2021

When?

20 - 30 April, 2021

When?

28 - 30 September, 2021

Where?

NEC, Birmingham

Where?

RAI, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Where?

Dusseldorf Messe, Germany

Cost?

Free to trade visitors

Cost?

TBA

Cost?

TBA

Cost?

TBA

Who will be there?

Traditionally, this is the UK show serving the sign and digital print market, and the exhibitors reflect that. Given all that is happening we’ll have to wait until a bit closer to the event to see how it is shaping up.

Watch his space.

Who will be there?

Fespa Global will no longer take place in Madrid in October 2020.

The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has prompted organisers to move it to 9 - 12 March 2021, when it will shift location to the RAI Exhibition Centre in Amsterdam. This event will replace the originally scheduled May 2021 event in Munich. The show will return to Munich in 2022. It is hoped that the usual key players will be in evidence, but worth checking closer to the time.

Who will be there?

Mmm, well…good question! This has been the key international trade show for years, but with the likes of stalwart Heidelberg pulling out and others reducing stand space it will pay to keep an eye of developments.

Who will be there?

Given the moves in the trade exhibition space at the minute, it’s hard to call yet. Will need to revisit

Should you go?

Worth checking out

Should you go?

Yes

Should you go?

Depends. Do you want to see as much print kit/systems and supplies as possible under one roof – or a more dedicated wide-format event?

Should you go?

Need to wait and see….

EVENTS

SIGN AND DIGITAL 2021

24 | August / September 2020

Rating

7/10

Rating

10/10

Rating

8/10

Where?

NEC, Birmingham

Rating

5/10

Forum

OVER TO YOU...

Your favourite bit of kit is..?

Finishing equipment is great but as our name suggests we love to print so has to be our printers. They are like our extended family and most days we spend more time with them then we do our actual families!

CHAZ DOBSON, DIRECTOR, THE PRINT HIVE WWW.THEPRINTHIVE.CO.UK What’s having the greatest impact on your business at the moment?

Covid-19. Due to the lockdown we saw a downturn in turnover by 60% at the start of the second quarter. Luckily this was short-lived and the need for safety signage and floor graphics then kept us extremely busy. The pandemic is something we know we will survive but our concerns are with our smaller clients that we know are feeling the pinch.

Where do you see the greatest wide-format opportunities?

We have seen a tremendous shift in the wide-format print industry in the past few years - moving from conventional signage type projects to bespoke branding opportunities such as unique digital wallcoverings, wall art and personalised decor. This led us to launch our ecommerce site www.houseofwalls.co.uk What would make your day-to-day operations easier?

We aim to invest in new technology each financial year. Recent years have seen the installation of our Rollsroller flatbed applicator and last year our Summa F1612 flatbed cutter, both ensuring printed products are to the highest quality, cost effective to our clients and offer a quickest possible turnaround.

What’s the best bit of business advice you’ve been given?

The best advice I have been given is to look after your existing client base chasing new customers is great but not always the right approach to increase turnover.

Keeping your clients happy that we’ve been working with for years is key. Offering them new and alternative products and medias, sample packs branded with their logo goes a long way.

What are you most proud of achieving?

The Print Hive all started in the back bedroom so to see how far the business has progressed over the past eight years is amazing. I have a great team behind me and they have the best kit on the market behind them.

What lesson does the wide-format sector need to learn?

How environmentally conscious we all need to be. Lockdown has enabled the environment to thrive again and I think this can be a lesson for our industry. People are becoming more aware and this should be reflected in print, whether more eco-friendly options being specified for print projects or more thought into where these printed products end up once their shelf-life has ended. Now is the time we should all be looking at greener processes.

LEGAL EAGLE LEGAL EAGLE

LEGAL EAGLE CONSIDERS THE REDUNDANCY ISSUE FROM MENZIES LAW

WHAT IS REDUNDANCY? It is the role which is redundant and nothing personal about the employee(s).

CAN WE ASK FOR VOLUNTEERS? Yes, but think carefully - you might avoid a selection process but the ‘wrong’ employees might volunteer. You can refuse an application for voluntary redundancy but it can create resentment.

HOW DO I SELECT STAFF FOR REDUNDANCY? Redundant staff must be selected fairly. For each redundancy consider how the person has been selected. Are they the only person in that role? If so, they are in a selection pool of one? If several people are doing the same role but you only want to reduce some, they will ALL need to go into the selection pool. Defining the pool and whose roles it should contain can be complex so taking legal advice here can be crucial.

You must have an objective assessment to create the criteria. To show a fair process you typically need to demonstrate that: - the selection criteria was objective (create a scoring system for your criteria) - the affected staff were warned they were at risk of redundancy and the reasons explained

- employees were afforded an opportunity to consider and comment on the proposal.

WHAT IS AN ‘OBJECTIVE PROCESS’?

You must consider who will be most valuable to the business - without favouritism. Length of service may be considered in a tie-break situation, but only in the case where skills and performance are equal.

You can take into account performance and attendance, but the emphasis has to be on objectivity. Better criteria might include disciplinary records, qualifications, and experience. Of course, these may not provide the best match for your future needs. Often the less ‘measurable’ things like potential or attitude are required. Evidence with examples of the employee’s behaviour will be required to support your assessment.

The bottom line is to consider whether the criteria could be used in a discriminatory way.

WHAT PROCESS DO I NEED TO FOLLOW? Where you’re making 20 or more roles redundant in a 90 day period, you’re required to enter into collective consultation with either a recognised trade union (s) or with elected employee representatives.

For 20 or fewer redundancies in a 90 day

period you are only obliged to consult with your employees individually. An individual consultation process typically requires three meetings, with each individual, over a seven to ten day period.

It is at the final meeting that the redundancy dismissal is confirmed and an individual’s notice period will start. The notice period in their contract may have been overridden by the statutory minimum if they have long service.

WHAT COSTS DO WE NEED TO CONSIDER? Employees with at least two years continuous service at the time of the redundancy dismissal (the end of their notice period if they are serving out their notice) are entitled to statutory redundancy. This figure depends on their age and their length of service (https://www.gov.uk/ redundancy-your-rights/redundancy-pay) Payment in Lieu of Notice - in some cases you may want to offer the employee a cash payment without the requirement to work their notice.

Holiday - employees will need paying for any unused holiday entitlement for the current year or deducted if not accrued.

THE COSTS OF GETTING IT WRONG Failure to follow a fair redundancy process could result in an employee making a claim in the Employment Tribunal. If your process is found to be discriminatory in some way the financial consequences can be substantial.

That is because there is no cap to the limit of compensation in a discrimination claim.

Menzies Law offers a ‘Guide to Redundancy’.

Email: enquiries@menzieslaw.co.uk

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 25

Zeitgeist

Make some money R&D TAX CREDITS ARE A GOVERNMENT INCENTIVE THAT REWARDS INNOVATION. SO ARE YOU BENEFITTING? KENE PARTNERS RECKONS MORE PRINTERS SHOULD BE.

It’s 20 years since the UK’s R&D incentive began, but here’s betting a lot of qualifying print companies know nothing about it. With so many of you reimagining your business it’s time for another look-see at a scheme that could bring you financial rewards for being innovative.

The UK’s R&D incentive began in 2000 and has remained consistently active and encouraged by the UK Government ever since. The intention is for this financial pot to act as growth-fuel for companies taking a risk with their development work. This work can include paid projects for clients, or in-house development for a company’s own benefit. The bottom line for any business wanting to get a share of this cash-pot is to show that it’s spending money on work which seeks to overcome ‘scientific and/or technological uncertainty’.

The R&D guidelines are intentionally broad so as to accommodate all kinds of innovation - and, crucially, your R&D work need not have been ultimately successful in order to qualify. You also needn’t necessarily have developed an entirely new technology or product - you might’ve made improvements or modifications to existing systems and processes in order to meet demand and create new capabilities. Print companies are doing this all the time.

Look at how the print sector has reacted to the Covid-19 crisis and demand/opportunity for social distancing signage/products for instance.

New production demands for print and signage may well have meant you’ve gone beyond conventional print processes - and this is where the R&D incentives could reward your innovation. For example, the crisis may be presenting your company with print demands that require you to modify and/or adapt existing print technologies, processes, or systems beyond what is documented or conventional. These non-routine changes and improvements may well be eligible R&D work.

26 | August / September 2020

THE AVERAGE CLAIM VALUE FOR AN SME IS OVER £50,000.

Likewise, global supply restrictions may mean that your print processes and systems have had to be modified or extended in order to print onto new, different, or unconventional substrates and materials. Making fundamental changes to the underlying technology - or its processes and systems - in order to accommodate new materials can also be eligible R&D activity.

It doesn’t matter if another print company has achieved a comparable solution which serves your own project’s aims. What matters is that the other comparable solutions were not available to you, and could not be implemented or consulted in order to give you a complete solution. If you’ve worked to develop your own solution to a problem a competitor has solved, this can still be eligible R&D. In most fields of technology - not just printing - existing products, knowledge, and theory can offer a decent baseline from which to begin your work.

But then there are technical limitations that you have to work to overcome. The R&D guidelines include the development of a parts-of-a-system or process as qualifying activity. So, ask yourself: - Am I creating new print products, processes or services?

- Am I changing an existing print product, process, or service?

- Have I spent money on this development work?

The value of your claim will depend on your company size and the type of work you’re doing. But HMRC’s most recent statistics show that the average claim value for an SME is over £50,000.

Large-format print companies often undertake a greater quantity of bespoke projects - and these highly specific requirements often lead to non-standard methods being developed. This, in turn, can mean more qualifying R&D. If you have undertaken work (either for yourself, or a client) as outlined above, it’s worth considering putting in a claim.

Specialist R&D tax advisors - such as Kene Partners - can help with all the paperwork and give you a heads-up on how successful any claim is likely to be.

Weblook | Inks / Hardware

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Landor Uk specialises in providing its own unique range of innovative imaging products that increases productivity, durability and value of the printed image.

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AirplacÂŽ foam board is made in the UK. The lightweight panels come in all formats up to 3050x1524mm. The polystyrene foamboards are rigid, white and extra light. A new 100% recyclable XPS panel AirplacÂŽPRINTFOAM is perfect for environmentally responsible campaigns.

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