Image Reports August September 2021

Actively investigating and supporting the wide-format print sector

ISSUE 4 • VOLUME 29 • AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

THE NEW BLUEPRINT FOR WIDE FORMAT The all new Acuity range from Fujifilm

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www.imagereportsmag.co.uk

Editorial

A WORD TO THE WISE Editor: Lesley Simpson lesley.simpson@imagereportsmag.co.uk

The worst of times has been the best of times for some. That may not be what you want to hear if Covid has just about sunk

Production / Design: Alex Gold

your business but, according to the 195 large-format orientated

Publisher: Wayne Darroch wayned@sjpbusinessmedia.com

UK/Ireland-based print businesses that answered our 14th Widthwise poll at the start of this year, the sector has not fared

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

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

large-format PSPs have seen the Covid-19 pandemic, and all the upheaval that has created, as an opportunity for a great reset.

But don’t take my word for it - the survey information speaks

For circulation enquiries contact: SJP Business Media Email: subscriptions@sjpbusinessmedia.com

for itself and can be found in the newly published Widthwise 5HSRUW $ SUÒFLV RI WKH NH\ ðQGLQJV LV LQFOXGHG LQ WKLV LVVXH

Image Reports is available free to printers based in the UK. Register at www.imagereportsmag.co.uk/register.

but you can download the whole report - for free - at https:// imagereportsmag.co.uk/widthwise

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

Data from the survey shows that 30.8% of PSPs intending to invest in the next year or two are doing so with the aim

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.

The editorial content does not necessarily reflect the views of the Publisher. The Publisher accepts no responsibility for any errors contained within the publication.

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This issue also looks into another key issue - carbon emissions, and what this sector can do to reduce them. Plus, there are updates, tips and advice on other areas of concern, such as UHJXODWLRQV RQ GHDOLQJ ZLWK VWDσ VXσHULQJ IURP /RQJ &RYLG KRZ WR KDQGOH UHTXHVWV IRU ñH[LEOH ZRUNLQJ HWF

From Top: Lesley Simpson Alex Gold Wayne Darroch Carl Archer

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

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 3

Contents

CONTENTS AUGUST / SEPTEMBER 2021

REGULARS: p6 News Keeping you abreast of all the latest news in relation to digital wide-format print.

27

p8 Cover Story Advertorial Acuity Prime: The new blueprint for wide-format.

p27 Think Bigger Gallery showing off the creativity and complexity of largeformat inkjet print.

p28 Forum Vital stats to help you run your business; Digging below the surface with Industry Mole; Out and About - events diary; Over to You with Michael McNamara from Emerald House Associates.

p30 Zeitgeist Long Covid - how much of a disability could it be for your business?

SECTIONS: Special p11 Widthwise 2021 An overview of the key survey findings

Business p12 Talking Point … with Neil Felton of Fespa on how he sees it developing.

p14 Top Tips How to deal with requests for flexible working.

21

Technical p16 What to Watch MIS: should you be re-evaluating this oft-eschewed tool?

NEWS AND VIEWS ONLINE Go to www.imagereportsmag.co.uk for all the wideformat sector’s industry news, updated regularly

Environment p21 SGP pilot readies for take off

online. Image Reports can also send a twice weekly

The US-based sustainability certification programme heads to Europe.

enews bulletin straight to your inbox – register at:

p23 A breath of fresh air

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk/ newsletter

Can CarbonQuota help you do the right thing?

p25 Capturing your attention A look at the Carbon Capture programme almost a decade on.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 5

News

Taya introduces Kavalan Eco Calculator Taya Group has launched an Eco Calculator to help companies evaluate and understand the true costs of using its Kavalan PVC-free print media.

The data used is based on the life cycle analysis (LCA) process conducted by SGS, a testing, inspection and certification company. The new Web-based calculator has 12 Kavalan products available for comparison with PVC banner and textile counterparts. It uses comparison data relating to global warming, water consumption, human carcinogens, PM2.5 (polluted particles), and fossil fuel scarcity. Users enter the Kavalan product of their choice, their preferred unit of measurement, and the quantity, and the eco savings result is generated, with a PDF report and message is sent straight to their inbox.

Vincent Lin, VP Taya, said: “As we continue to rapidly expand our worldwide distribution network, large-format print businesses working with or pitching to agencies and brands have a powerful tool in the Kavalan Eco Calculator.

No more lazy claims about recyclability, sustainability, or eco-friendly – the calculator can tangibly demonstrate to your clients how it can help them with crucial environmental targets without compromising on quality.”

GO TO WWW.IMAGEREPORTSMAG.CO.UK FOR THE FULL STORY… ] Case studies from swissQPrint, Morgana, Agfa, CMYUK, Kongsberg, InkTec, Papergraphics, Nazdar, Mimaki, Epson, GMG, HP, I-Sub, Antalis ] New print and cut Rip packages from ATS ] Print Show 2021 cancelled ] HP bolsters its eco pledges ] Kernow coating reduces SARS-COV-2 shows test ] Roland extends VersaUV LEC2 series capabilities ] MYUK introduces its Eco media collection

KGK Genix becomes carbon neutral KGK Genix has achieved carbon neutral status.

Working with carbon emission offsetting specialist Carbon Footprint, KGK Genix was assessed from 1 April - 31 March 2021, and planted 138 trees to offset 138 tons of CO2e emissions generated from building energy, company cars, van travel, commuting, public transport and homeworking.

KGK Genix has also made significant changes in its office and machinery areas by changing lights to LED panels along with using LED curing, water-based inks in their print processes, upgrading company cars to electric models and reducing movements between premises. It has also researched and developed a

range of sustainable material alternatives to those traditionally used.

“We will continue to make changes to our business and processes to be more sustainable, just like our overall aim to have a number of ‘green’ alternatives for every single material that we currently offer. We really feel that by achieving carbon neutral status we have taken another important step towards a much greener future for our industry,” said Graham Pitts, operations director at KGK Genix.

KGK Genix - the result of a merger between KGK and Genix - employs over 90 people, based at sites in central London, Hertfordshire, and Essex.

Fujifilm announces new products and strategic changes Fujifilm has made a number of strategic changes and introduced new products, including the Acuity Prime and Acuity Ultra R2 flatbed printers, part of a strategy to create “the new blueprint” for wide-format by resetting expectations for price/ performance and ROI. The Prime - which has a printable area of 2.54m x 1.27m and can accommodate media up to a thickness of 51mm - is available in CMYK formats with white, and with additional clear and jetting primer. It uses a new ink system called Uvijet HM, formulated for adhesion to a range of substrates while delivering a wide colour gamut. And there’s a new jetting primer for challenging substrates.

The Prime uses a LED curing system, incorporates touch-button media loading pins and has a five-part media zone system. The software and user interface have been completely redesigned to give all the tools required in the most straightforward way possible.

The Acuity Ultra R2 replaces the Acuity Ultra launched in 2018. Available in 5m or 3.2m versions, it is of a new enclosed design to eliminate stray UV light, while from a functional point of view the

machine is designed with both maintenance and ink supply on the same side. It has a crash detector with dual way activation, a low scratch surface platen and new automated meniscus control.

Like the original Acuity Ultra, the R2 is available in various colour configurations up to eight channels, and is available with conventional UV curing as standard, or with an LED UV curing system for six colour and white configurations.

Meanwhile, Fujifilm has expanded its Integrated Inkjet Solutions business to pull together technologies from across the group to provide integrated inkjet systems.

Fujifilm is entering the flexible packaging market with a new Jet Press FP 790 water-based inkjet digital press. It will launch in North American in the autumn, and thereafter will gradually roll out to Europe and other parts of the world.

The group has also announced the Fujifilm 42K Printbar System - a single-pass inkjet printing solution, built to the desired print width by utilising as many 1200dpi Samba printheads as needed to meet production needs.

] GMG ColorBook aids Pantone matching ] IPIA bucks trade association trend ] VMC 2021 to run in September

ColorJet appoints QPS as UK distributor

] Andrew Coulsen appointed Spandex CEO ] Signbox in most involved project to date ] Agfa becomes reseller for Kongsberg cutters ] Roland study highlights UV printable media trends ] Hollywood Monster in investment mode ] Sappi brings out dye-sub media duo ] Nazdar expands 130 series inks ] UK Graphic Awards entry date extended ] Mutoh Europe gets new general manager sales ] Arjen Evertse succeeds van den Broek at Mimaki ] GIS adds Epson D3000-A1R printhead support ] Pandemic changes work patters long-term shows report ] ITC adds Vee Groove tool to offering ] Spandex adds to wrap film offering ] OneVision upgrades Workspace Pro X ] Onyx 21.1 now out

6 | August / September 2021

India-based ColorJet has appointed QPS as UK distributor for its UV flatbed and soft signage printers.

QPS will offer five printers - the Verve LED and Hybrid models, the Vulcan RTR, and the SoftJet Plus and Grand solutions.

The Verve LED is an industrial UV flatbed printer

that runs at speeds of up to 38m2/hr. Sister machine, the Verve Hybrid, is a 3.2m-wide UV flatbed roll-to-roll printer that runs at speeds up to 63m2/hr.

The Vulcan RTR is a 3.2m-wide roll-to-roll UV flatbed inkjet machine printing at up to 63m2/hr.

The SoftJet Plus - a 2.5m wide entry-level soft signage printer has a top speed of 46m2/hr. The SoftJet Grand is a 3.2m wide offering.

“We’re delighted to expand our product offering to include the ColorJet printers,” said QPS MD Chris Bailey. “We were put in touch by Nazdar, whose products are already successfully used on ColorJet platforms. As a distributor of both Nazdar and DuPont Artistri inks, we are able to fine-tune the ColorJet printers’ ink selection to specifically meet any customer’s requirements.

News

Agfa introduces the Avinci CX3200 New from Agfa is the Avinci CX3200 dye-sublimation roll-to-roll printer that can print either directly to textile or on transfer paper. It can handle prints of up to 3.2m wide at a production speed of up to 270m2/h.

The machine is equipped with Kyocera printheads and uses water-based inks. A pre-heater limits drying time and reduces set-off and an offline calendar fixes the colours post print.

Agfa said loading a new roll can be done in less than seven minutes by a single operator thanks to the automatic media transport with pinch rollers. A vacuum ensures thin transfer papers are kept wrinkle-free.

The Avinci CX3200 is driven by Agfa’s Asanti workflow software, and with Asanti StoreFront, PSPs can manage incoming online orders.

Xaar acquires FFEI Xaar has completed the acquisition of print systems and printbar specialist FFEI. The move is expected to help Xaar provide more comprehensive solutions for its OEM and UDI customers.

FFEI is an integrator and manufacturer of industrial digital inkjet systems and digital life science technology. It employs over 60 people and in the year to 31 March 2021 generated revenue of £9.9m. The initial cash consideration of £3.7m was paid on the deal’s completion (which reflects existing FFEI free cash reserves) with an additional £5.4m deferred consideration to be paid out over three years.

Based in Hemel Hempstead, FFEI CEO Andy Cook and CFO Julian Payne will remain in their current roles and report to Xaar’s CEO John Mills. Bob Wilson, FFEI’s CTO, will join Xaar in a senior position.

More PSPs join Stackawraps programme StackaWraps Global has expanded its print partner network with a number of new sign-ups. Simpson Group, Delta Group, DS Smith and Mouveworxs are the latest to join, allowing them to offer their clients Stackawraps three-dimensional, card-based, POS display prints.

StackaWraps Global co-founder Richard Peter said of the development: “We have risen to the challenges of the past year and broadened our network, which fits in with our expansion plans.

“We only select the best to partner with - those that can to provide a reliable service to clients, and we have limited this to a small number of big names - those we know we can trust with our mission for environmentally friendly print alternatives to plastics. We are beyond delighted to partner with these prestigious companies - each one has a great selection of clients taking advantage of photorealistic, eco 3D in their displays.”

Canon introduces Arizona 135 GT and Colorado 1630 Canon has replaced its Arizona 318 GL with the Arizona 135 GT flatbed printer. The introduction follows swiftly on the heels of another launch the 64in-wide Colorado UVgel roll-to-roll printer.

The Arizona 135 GT can handle substrates of up to 125 x 250cm and up to 50.8mm thick, and print at speeds of up to 34.2m2/hour. Canon said it considers the printer a smart investment from 2,000m2 per year.

Its productivity is enhanced by its easy-touse functionality, including nesting, batching, step and repeat, mirroring and re-assignment of print modes. There’s hands-free printhead maintenance and selectively restores nozzle function, while an On Remote Service allows the user to authorise remote assistance.

An optional Arizona Static Suppression upgrade kit enables the Arizona 135 GT to print on hard plastic materials. A field-upgradeable Roll Media option allows users to produce flexible media applications up to 220cm wide.

The Arizona 135 GT comes with Arizona

Xpert prepress software, including recipes for easy-to-create applications, and the software allows users to exchange recipes directly with customers so that designers can preview the end product with a 3D view in Arizona Xpert Extensions. Arizona Xpert also offers opportunities for textured surface prints using multiple ink layers.

The Colorado 1650 has a maximum print speed of 111m2/hour, and in high-quality mode has a cruising speed of 29m2/hour. The printer delivers 1,800dpi print quality and uses UVgel 460 inks for odourless and instantly dry prints.

Users can add a second media roll option.

An optional FLXfinish module uses a LED curing technique designed to add visual impact to applications without the need to change inks or media. This technology also supports printing on porous substrates, such as uncoated papers and soft signage materials.

Also, Canon’s Remote Control app is now available to monitor all Colorado printers.

Epson commits to ambitious eco targets Epson has joined the RE100, a global collective of businesses committed to 100% renewable electricity, and aims to achieve this milestone by 2023. It has also committed to become carbon negative and underground-resource free by 2050.

The company recently announced Epson 25 Renewed, a new corporate vision to drive the company towards its goals of achieving sustainability and enriching communities. Its revised Environmental Vision reinforces these

goals, as the company seeks to become carbon negative and underground resource free by 2050 through a programme of decarbonisation, closing resource loops, customer environmental impact mitigation and the development of innovative environmental technologies.

- New printers from Epson include two 44in machines - the SC-T7700D for the technical/AEC and POS markets and the SC-P8500D for photo production.

YPP spinoff in new online gift partnership Your Print Partner (YPP) online company Custom Gifts has partnered with The Range to significantly extend its offering.

The Range is one of the largest growing retailers in the UK, with an online presence and 180 plus stores, selling products for home, garden, and leisure. Via the Custom Gifts partnership it will introduce over 2,000 personalised products online, ranging from cushions, blankets and bedding to mugs, beanbags and deckchairs - including those under licenses with big brands such as Arsenal and Celtic as well as Sesame Street.

YPP founder and CEO Stuart Maclaren, said of the move: “We saw a great strategic benefit for both parties - bringing in a new audience for The Range, which is looking to add personal touch to its gifts, and to ourselves by fulfilling orders from their customer base.”

A spokesperson for The Range said: “In the last

18 months we’ve seen visitors to our website jump by 50% and in what has become the digital era, we’ve found our customers expect more and often need it quickly. This personalisation service brings something new to The Range online for all occasions and recipients. We are delighted to have such a slick process in place, capable of completing orders months in advance of the Christmas build up.”

The Range is owned by self-made billionaire Chris Dawson and now sells more than 80,000 having started life as a market stall trading across the South West of England.

Its first store was opened in 1989 under the name CDS and there are now over 180 stores across the UK and Ireland. The retailer formed a strategic alliance with Iceland in 2018 and there are now over 75 branches with the Iceland offering. They have also recently introduced luxury Jonas & James Kitchen showrooms over 30 of their stores.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 7

Cover Story

THE NEW BLUEPRINT FOR WIDE FORMAT From the place where it all began, comes a new blueprint for wide format, a blueprint set to define a new benchmark in UV inkjet system performance and return on investment.

The Fujifilm name has been closely associated with UV inkjet technology since 2005 – the year in which Fujifilm acquired the pioneering UV inks and inkjet company, Sericol, based in the seaside town of Broadstairs in Kent. Founded in 1950, Sericol had long been a screen inks pioneer and market leader.

Then, in the 1970s, it launched the world’s first instant curing UV screen inks and built on this experience to commercialise the first UV digital inkjet systems and inks in the world in 1999. The immediate and rapid growth in this new sector resulted in Sericol being presented with a Queens Award for Enterprise in 2004 for its role in developing and commercialising these new UV inkjet systems.

With the Fujifilm acquisition in 2005, forming what is now known as Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems, the company has gone on to produce some of the most highly regarded UV cured inkjet inks and systems on the market, including the popular Acuity range of wide format printers launched in 2007, and now with more than 1,800 global installations. This 20 years of experience means Fujifilm has developed a keen sense of what the market really needs, and perhaps more importantly, how it is likely to change in the future.

MARKET MATURITY The early years of wide format UV inkjet development were largely defined by advances in technology that delivered rapid and continual increases in print speed and quality. In 2018, however, Fujifilm recognised that

8 | August / September 2021

the market had reached an advanced degree of maturity, and a point at which a very high level of quality and productivity was assumed. New product launches were tending to offer only very marginal improvements in print speed and quality.

In addition, Fujifilm also became aware that there was an opportunity to use these evolving technologies to drive improvements in wide format print ROI. The market had reached a tipping point – a point at which more of the same, with minor improvements, was no longer enough. The market needed something fundamentally new. So, three years ago, Fujifilm made a strategic decision to start the process of rethinking its Acuity wide format offering; focusing on new ways to deliver improved value, versatility and ease of use and in particular on defining a new level of print ROI. Fujifilm set out to do what it had first done back in 2000: to create a new blueprint for wide format.

BACK TO FIRST PRINCIPLES In terms of printing hardware and systems, Fujifilm has always been a technology company first and foremost, rather than a manufacturer, working with a range of OEM partners and other specialists to provide the best possible platforms for its inkjet technology. The Acuity range already has a deserved reputation for quality and reliability, but for this next chapter in the Acuity story, Fujifilm wanted a new level of design influence and control in order to take full advantage of what was possible, to create something that offered far more than

Cover Story

mere marginal improvements.

To do this, the Fujifilm team returned to first principles, starting with an almost blank canvas and a challenge to strip everything back and create a completely new and improved range of machines. To help with this process, they brought in an award-winning industrial design company and tasked them not simply with making changes to what had gone before, but with completely rethinking the press design to maximise the value, productivity, ease of use and – most importantly – the ROI. Fujifilm’s vision was to combine stunning aesthetics with exceptional functionality. In order to achieve this, the first step was to carry out wide ranging research, so the two companies embarked on an extensive and intensive listening exercise, meeting not only with business owners and directors, but also with press operators who had experience of working not only with Fujifilm machines, but others too. This exercise produced an understanding of what worked, what didn’t, and what changes (whether simple or radical) would improve the value, versatility, usability, productivity and ROI, while retaining an eye for the environment in terms of reducing waste and making for a safer and more contented workplace.

It was clear from this exercise that the owners and directors of these companies want equipment that’s reliable, fast and able to give them a rapid return on investment, but being in a creative industry, they also want machines that look stylish and that are easy to work with. For press operators, it was also clear that good machine design – aside from the obvious benefits to productivity – can be the difference between job satisfaction and great frustration, and the listening exercise uncovered many aspects of machine design that could be improved upon.

Fujifilm combined the findings from this extensive research exercise with its own knowledge and inkjet expertise to provide a structure for the design process.

In parallel, the team also carried out comprehensive research into the best components and technologies on the market, and the best routes to assembly and manufacture. The output from all this research and creative thinking was effectively a completely new blueprint for what a UV inkjet system of the future should look like, how it should perform, and how it could be brought to life.

Three years on, the result of this blueprint is the all new Acuity range, designed and developed by Fujifilm.

First and foremost, this new Acuity range has been designed to redefine the price / performance and ROI that can be expected from a UV inkjet system. This has been achieved through careful design choices, stripping back features that don’t add value, and maximising quality, value and performance where it matters most.

The result is a high performance range available at a competitive price with low cost in use, a combination that radically changes print ROI. The new Acuity range is also built for printers from the ground up, resetting expectations around operational ease of use. The ‘question everything’ approach to the whole process has allowed Fujifilm to put the operator experience front and centre. “We’ve taken on board the frustrations and inconveniences identified in our extensive market research, and addressed those concerns to create a range that is a real joy to work with and operate, with the additional benefit of maximising uptime and productivity,” says Kevin Jenner, European Marketing Manager, Fujifilm Wide format Inkjet Systems.

The first two printers made to this new blueprint are the Acuity Ultra R2 and the Acuity Prime. The Acuity Ultra R2 is a completely redesigned version of the Acuity Ultra, which itself had set a new standard for super-wide print when it was launched in 2018. The Acuity Prime is an entirely new, mid-range flatbed which offers ease of use and print ROI unmatched by anything else on the market.

For more than 10 years since its initial launch, the Acuity range has built a reputation for quality, versatility and value and this new range will enhance the Acuity brand on all those fronts, while maintaining the reliability standards that have always been the hallmark of Fujifilm’s inkjet systems. And of course, the new printers take advantage of Fujifilm’s renowned UV inkjet ink, manufactured in the UK in the company’s multiaward winning factory. The Acuity Ultra R2 and Acuity Prime represent a new blueprint for wide format print production, at a time when printers need versatility and value, and ultimately a better ROI, more than ever.

For more information visit j y / g p FujifilmAcuity.com/ImageReports

BRINGING IT ALL TOGETHER Four design criteria emerged from the blueprint that informed all design choices and helped to identify the right manufacturers and suppliers to work with, as well as the OEM partners to help to bring it all together.

These were: quality, value, performance and ease of use. In addition, every component part selected was chosen with these four criteria in mind, from the printheads to the user interface, lamps, static control and vacuum solutions. In all cases, Fujifilm made choices based on answering questions like: “does it do what it needs to do?” or “could it be done better?”

Nothing was left unchanged that could be improved.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 9

Special: Widthwise 2021

WIDTHWISE 2021: THE KEY FINDINGS IT IS 14 YEARS SINCE WE CONDUCTED THE FIRST WIDTHWISE SURVEY OF THE UK/ NORTHERN IRELAND’S LARGE-FORMAT PRINTERS. WE’VE PROBABLY SEEN MORE DISRUPTION IN THE MARKETPLACE IN THE LAST YEAR THAN WE DID IN ALL OF THOSE PREVIOUS ONES PUT TOGETHER, AND 2021 IS PROVING TO BE ‘THE GREAT RESET’. WHAT THAT MEANS FOR PSPS IN THIS SECTOR IS WHERE WE HOPE TO SHED SOME LIGHT IN OUR 2021 WIDTHWISE REPORT, PUBLISHED ALONGSIDE THIS ISSUE. YOU CAN DOWNLOAD IT AT HTTPS://IMAGEREPORTSMAG. CO.UK/WIDTHWISE, BUT HERE’S A PRÉCIS OF THE KEY FINDINGS TO WHET YOUR APPETITE.

The worst of times has been the best of times for some. That may not be what you want to hear if Covid has just about sunk your business but, thankfully, according to the 195 large-format orientated UK/ Ireland-based print businesses that answered our 14th Widthwise poll at the start of 2021, the sector has not fared too badly. That’s not to say it hasn’t suffered of course. Almost half (47.69%) had to cut staff levels, and a whopping 81.03% said they had needed to take advantage of Government aid during the pandemic.

Two thirds of respondents (64.62%) said turnover dropped more than 10% in the past year, and another 13.33% said it had fallen 1 - 10%. But, 13.34% saw turnover grow - 8.72% by more than 10%. And though not everyone was feeling tickety-boo over what the next couple of years hold, more than two thirds (67.18%) said they were optimistic - more than a quarter (26.15%) ‘very optimistic’.

Asked if, in the short to medium term, they felt overall demand for large-format print in the UK would return to pre-Covid levels, almost two-thirds (63.59%) said yes, with 12.82% giving a decisive ‘no’.

The findings come from a cross-section of PSPs, all of which handle large-format digital inkjet print. To put things into perspective, 60% of the 195 companies had five staff or fewer, while slightly under 15% (14.88%) had 21 employees or more - nine companies polled had more than 100 employees. Almost half (48.72%) of those that responded reported a turnover under £250,000, though 7.69% had a turnover of £5m or more.

A good number (45.64%) of the sample said they had restructured their business during 2020, with new markets, new print - and non-print - applications, and ecommerce having been a focus for many, but with workflow efficiency measures at the top of the list, with 32.31% earmarking this as a key change. Asked about likely strategic moves over the coming two years, more than half (57.95%) of companies said further improving workflow efficiencies would be a top priority.

So what else is on the priority list? Well, not necessarily

investment in new kit and software, a key priority for so many companies for so many years. Asked how much they were expecting to invest in new hardware/software right across their business in 2021 compared to 2020, a third (32.31%) said more, but another third (32.82%) opted for a zero spend in each period.

Interestingly, given that so many PSPs said they had been/would be on an efficiency drive, under one in ten (9.23%) said they would be investing in Industry 4.0 (eg the Internet of Things, automation, AI, remote diagnostics etc) in the year ahead.

Nigh on two-thirds (65.13%) of respondents said they would be spending under £20,000 on large-format technology specifically over the next two years, and 77.08% said there would be no investment in software or finishing kit.

Half (50.26%) said they were expecting to buy a new wide-format printer before the start of 2023. UV curable hybrid printers came out top of the wish list, with 34.62% of those planning to invest selecting that technology. Next in the planned purchases popularity contest came solvent printers, with 30.77% earmarking those despite the furore surrounding the need for the large-format print sector to green-up.

So, how important do respondents think it is to improve their green credentials? It’s hardly surprising that 70.77 said it had become more important for them to be seen as environmentally friendly than it was two years ago - and 67.18% said they do now have environmental accreditations. What might be more surprising, is that 43.08% said few clients ask to see these credentials/ policies, and 21.03% said none do.

When it comes to priorities and concerns going forward, the poll confirmed what we’d all expect - that growing turnover is the key focus for almost half (47.18%) this year, while the rising cost of supplies is what gives 85.64% the biggest headache.

A fear of further lockdowns, worry over paying back Government loans, uncertainty about UK economic bounceback were all flagged up as reasons for sleepless nights, yet that fabulous optimism prevails. Let’s hope it’s well founded.

64.62%

saw turnover drop more than 10% in 2020

45.64%

have restructured their business

85.64%

worry about the rising cost of supplies

67.18%

are optimistic for their future www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 11

Business | Talking Point

talks to...

Neil Felton, The Covid-19 pandemic has played havoc with the exhibition calendar as we know only too well, but we’re due to see the return of Fespa Global Print Expo this October. I asked Fespa CEO Neil Felton about the show, about the changes that have taken place during his decade at the helm, and about how he sees Fespa developing.

Fespa is oft considered a trade association in itself, but it’s not, it’s a federation of 37 trade associations (inc. Fespa UK Association) and predominantly an exhibition organiser for the sectors they represent.

You talk about the need to keep connecting wide and wider to remain relevant - and point out that Fespa is now made up of a number of communities - so how do you see it developing now?

At the core of Fespa have always been the print communities that evolved from screenprinting. Over the decades this has become a very diverse ‘speciality print’ universe. It includes producers of printed graphics, textiles and garments, printers of industrial applications, as well as visual communications specialists, sign producers, and many more besides.

Then, within those segments, the digital technology revolution has provoked diversification into new vertical markets and applications - for example from graphics into décor, from vehicle graphics into wrapping, from T-shirts into sportswear, from conventional signage into soft and even digital signage. So those communities have become even harder to define under a single descriptor.

Meanwhile, the business ecosystems they work in because it’s hard to talk in simple terms of supply chains anymore - have become broader. So, their clients are brand owners, retailers, agencies, designers, architects, individual consumers and so on, which points to new communities that we need to understand and engage with.

Ultimately, how we develop Fespa is driven by our members and visitors, regardless of which segment they fit into, asking us to help them understand the new opportunities and avenues for growth. And what’s interesting is that, while the applications, production technologies and materials might differ from one group to the next, many of the business challenges they are facing and the issues they need support with are universal.

Neil, your first show at the Fespa helm was in 2011.

Textiles was a small part of the main Fespa show then but has grown enormously, with a much wider gamut of exhibitors bringing in a whole different batch of visitors one would imagine. Who’s driving that show ‘diversification’ and are there other specific areas on your/their radar?

12 | August / September 2021

Yes, with our screenprint heritage, T-shirt printing and garment decorating always featured at Fespa events, but the advent of digital printing for textiles created exciting new avenues for graphics producers in areas like soft signage and, increasingly interior décor, while digital printing for garments has opened up new verticals like fast and customised fashion, sportswear and so on.

Again, we’re driven by the interests of the service providers who visit our events telling us ‘We’re interested in this new revenue stream, show us what’s involved and how to make a success of it’, and also by the technology innovators looking for a platform to share their developments.

At the same time, new expertise comes into the Fespa organisation - for example in the shape of a new board member whose business is in garment printing. We can then channel that personal insight and develop content that meets the needs of similar businesses.

These have been the drivers behind event features like Printeriors and Print Make Wear, for example, and the expansion of the textile-related educational content we make available via fespa.com and Club Fespa.

In a Fespa online video you say Fespa has to be seen to promote ‘the whole industry and not parts of it’, so is your aim for Fespa Global to become a generic print trade show rather than be sector specific? Are your ambitions to take on the likes of Drupa for instance?

We’re close to the specialist communities we serve and our events evolve to meet their needs. Fespa’s remit in terms of technologies, products and applications will continue to expand in many different directions but being a ‘generic print trade show’ is not our intention.

Remember that, while we organise events, unlike most event organisers we’re not driven by the financial expectations of shareholders, so our motivations are very different.

Fespa’s byline is ‘Profit for Purpose’. How has the pandemic and its impact on the global trade show/ events calendar hit Fespa’s profit - and its ability to fund various programmes of industry support?

Business | Talking Point

CEO, Fespa Clearly, we’ve been hit by the loss of our live events worldwide, which are a key source of revenue to enable our reinvestment programmes, so we’ve had to be prudent about managing costs and investments. Despite the challenges though, we didn’t stop our development funding to our member associations, and we honoured our financial commitments to them.

We’ve also invested to sustain our dialogue with our communities via our online channels - for example, our website and our virtual event platform. We ran a virtual Global Summit and have shared the presentations and discussions in the public domain via fespa.com and as a trend report.

We’ve run a series of online Coffee Break webinars on topics of interest to speciality printers, helping them stay abreast of trends and common discussion topics, and we’ve invested in our FIT virtual events to keep the dialogue open between our exhibitors and visitors until we can run a live event again. Plus, we’ve localised the majority of our educational content into all languages represented by our associations, making it possible for members to access critical information and educational material in their own language.

When we have another live flagship event behind us, we’ll be in a position to invite new project applications from our associations again and initiate new central projects.

The priority for us will always be to be able to re-invest to help our communities grow and recover.

Can wide-format PSPs here in the UK expect to benefit from ‘Profit for Purpose’ in the near future? Are you working to financially support any projects initiated by Fespa UK Association for instance?

Fespa has provided financial support for the Fespa UK Thrive In Print conference and the UK Graphic Awards, taking place in September in Leeds. Funding is also in place for a members’ knowledge-sharing visit to printing businesses in mainland Europe, but this is on pause due to the current uncertainties around foreign travel.

UK members have made very active use of our Club Fespa content during the last 18 months, and many participated in our webinars and FIT events. Looking ahead to 2022, we know that Fespa UK is keen to reactivate its member event calendar, with our support.

Part of Fespa’s mission is to help educate the industry.

How should we expect to see that programme developing, and how involved are your member associations - and by turn their members - in shaping that?

Education is one of the pillars of our ‘mission’, and the specifics of the content we create are heavily influenced by our board (all of whom are print business owners), our associations and their members. You can see their input reflected in the areas we’ve been focusing on most recently - automation, sustainability and e-commerce - which are front of mind right now.

Our Global Summit also gives us a platform to talk to leading print entrepreneurs from around the world, in some cases beyond our member base, and their insight is invaluable in shaping our programmes too. Looking ahead, I can see that sustainability will be a big focus area for education, knowledge - and best practice-sharing. The pandemic has changed perspectives, and this is going to become more and more important.

Given your long-term involvement with so many of the large-format sector’s manufacturers and suppliers, what’s the key messaging coming across from them, and how do you/they think Fespa Global will play-out in October?

The key message we’re hearing is that they’re keen to get back to meeting customers and prospects face to face and sharing their products and innovations in a real environment, which is so much more meaningful than the virtual alternatives.

Likewise, research shows that our visitor audience wants to move on from virtual product launches and events and get close to the technology - to touch and try, and to speak one-to-one with product or applications experts. It’s fundamental to their research and buying process, and the appetite for investment is definitely there, despite the challenges of the pandemic.

After 18 months of life behind a screen, there’s a real pentup energy and enthusiasm to just get moving again, to get back on track and resume business as usual. The team and I really can’t wait to get to a live Fespa event again and feel the unique buzz and camaraderie that only comes when a whole business community comes together in one place.

FESPA WILL CONTINUE TO EXPAND IN MANY DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS BUT BEING A ‘GENERIC PRINT TRADE SHOW’ IS NOT OUR INTENTION

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 13

Business | Top Tips

ǓljȅǾǩǿǠ ƺ МǓΠǩLjǹǓ ǟȖǩǓǿǏ Many employees want to continue a more flexible approach to their work, having become accustomed over the last year or so.

Here, law firm Wright Hassall offers advice for businesses experiencing an influx of such requests.

YOU KNOW YOU’RE LIKELY TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH AN INCREASED NUMBER OF FLEXIBLE WORKING REQUESTS FROM STAFF AND COLLEAGUES AS MORE RETURN TO THE WORKPLACE. TINA CHANDE, A PARTNER AND HEAD OF THE EMPLOYMENT TEAM AT LAW FIRM WRIGHT HASSAL, PROVIDES SOME POINTERS ON DEALING WITH THEM.

1.

BE PREPARED

Employers may find it difficult to demonstrate that granting requests for flexible working will negatively impact the future performance of their business if it operated effectively throughout the enforced lockdown, so be prepared.

Those who worked from home throughout the pandemic have experienced the potential benefits it can bring. Requests from employees who were placed on furlough or flexible furlough under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme may have also developed an eagerness to remain at home upon their return to work, especially if this fits around routines, such as child care arrangements, more easily.

In the post-lockdown working world, many employees will be keen for their employers to adopt a long-term culture of flexible working, which they will inevitably argue has now been proved to be effective with minimal impact on business productivity in many situations due to remote working being viably sustained for so long.

AN EMPLOYEE CAN ONLY MAKE ONE FORMAL FLEXIBLE WORKING REQUEST IN ANY 12-MONTH PERIOD.

14 | August / September 2021

3.

HOW A REQUEST SHOULD BE MADE

Any request for flexible working must be made in writing so there is a written record of it - an email being just as acceptable as a written letter. Whilst many employees may look to discuss the matter more informally with their line manager in the first instance, which is of course understandable and perfectly acceptable, they should be reminded of the need to place their request in writing too so that it may properly be considered as a formal flexible working request.

The flexible working request should, for clarity, state that it is a flexible working request and that the employee meets the eligibility criteria, explain the reasons for the request and provide any other information in relation to the desired working pattern that the employee believes would be relevant and helpful in aiding the employer making their decision - the more information given, the easier the process will be in determining the practicality of the request.

2.

WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO MAKE A REQUEST?

The first consideration for an employer is whether the employee is eligible to make a formal flexible working request. Where the request is made by an employee, who has at least 26 weeks of continuous employment at the date of making the request, the employee will be entitled to make a formal request and this must be handled accordingly.

An employee can only make one formal flexible working request in any 12-month period, so employers should check their records to ensure no such request has been made within this timeframe.

4.

REASONS FOR MAKING A REQUEST

Flexible working requests can be wide ranging, but will usually cite one or more of the following as the reason for the request: • A change of their work location (e.g. work from home for some or all of their contracted hours) • A reduction or variation of the days the employee works (e.g. compress their contracted weekly working hours into fewer days) • A reduction or variation of working hours (e.g. potentially reducing a current full-time role to a parttime one or flexible start and finish times for their working day) The dilemma for many businesses will be balancing the potential benefits of the requests against the negative, particularly if the employee is in a leadership role and their input is needed to oversee operations and manage more junior level roles or if an employee’s role generally requires considerable collaboration with colleagues.

Business | Top Tips

HAVING RECEIVED A REQUEST, THE EMPLOYER MUST DELIVER AN ANSWER WITHIN THREE MONTHS, ALLOWING TIME FOR THE INDIVIDUAL TO SUBMIT AN APPEAL IF THE DECISION GOES AGAINST THEM.

5.

HOW TO HANDLE A REQUEST APPROPRIATELY

Having received a request, the employer must deliver an answer within three months, allowing time for the individual to submit an appeal if the decision goes against them. This time can be extended by mutual agreement, when considerations are more complicated.

There may be occasions where the request can be approved easily and without the need for further discussion. However, this is highly dependent on the request made and the usual course of practice is likely to be to arrange a meeting with the employee to discuss their request further.

Employers should notify employees of the outcome of their flexible working request within a reasonable timeframe. If the request is accepted (including if it is accepted in part with slightly alternative arrangements proposed), the employee should be informed in writing with confirmation or the details and any trial period. This will be a formal permanent change to their terms and conditions of employment (unless agreed otherwise), and should be treated as such.

7.

KEY CONSIDERATIONS

It is vital that proper consideration is taken before any decision is reached, and therefore the meeting should be conducted without employers indicating the outcome at the meeting.

It will usually take time to consider what impact long-term flexible working may have on the entire workforce.

When assessing requests for flexible working, employers must also be mindful of whether any of the employees are protected under the Equality Act 2010 before deciding whether to accept or refuse their requests. Refusing a request from employees afforded such protection could result in claims of discrimination, which can be very costly for employers.

When refusing a request, it is critical the employer explains the reasons carefully, to help the employee understand how the changes would impact the business. This is time well spent and should minimise the risk of claims being brought against employers as a result of their refusal.

6.

REASONS TO REFUSE A REQUEST

There will inevitably be circumstances where employers cannot accommodate a flexible working request - an outcome that may become more necessary if numerous requests are being received. However, employers must remember that they can only refuse a flexible working request for one or more of the reasons detailed in the legislation: • Additional costs associated with change will impact the business • The changes will make it more difficult to meet expected customer demand • The inability to redistribute work among colleagues • The inability to hire new staff to fill gaps left • Service quality will be negatively impacted by changes • Performance of the business will be reduced by any change • Lower demand at the times the employee wants to work • The business is already planning changes to the workforce.

Again, this decision should be communicated in writing, with an explanation as to the reason/s for refusal of the request and the option for the employee to appeal the decision.

8.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND

Most flexible working requests come from individuals seeking a better work-life balance, with even furloughed workers recognising the costsavings they made whilst at home. Pre-pandemic, employees granted flexible working requests were reportedly happier and more productive, which is of course a good outcome for employers.

Understandably, the sheer number of anticipated flexible working requests could cause a problem for employers. However, if it is possible to compromise and allow some flexibility, then this would offer a morale boost to employees, whilst also delivering benefits to the business.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 15

Technology | What to Watch

MIS: A MANAGEMENT REPORT INCREASINGLY, WHEN IT COMES TO BUSINESS EFFICIENCY, AND POTENTIAL GROWTH, IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DATA. SO WHAT ARE MIS SUPPLIERS DOING TO HELP CONVINCE YOU THAT THEY ARE WORKING ON MORE SUITABLE SYSTEMS FOR THIS SECTOR, WHERE THERE’S STILL SUCH RETICENCE TO INVEST? Data from this year’s Widthwise survey shows that 30.8% of PSPs intending to invest in the next year or two are doing so with the aim of improving efficiencies.

Many are looking at workflow as you’d expect, but what about MIS? Well, of the 195 large-format print companies that took part in the 2021 poll, only five said they’d be spending money on such systems - and it’s doubtful the number is so low because many have all singing, all dancing systems already running. We know the main drawback – that off-the-shelf MIS are oft considered unfit for purpose in this sector. But should you be reinvestigating the options, given what some of the key MIS suppliers have to say about developments?

David Lowe, technical sales specialist at EFI believes MIS has become a bigger focus for PSPs as they grow or look to streamline their operations, with systems becoming “the beating heart of the enterprise, handling everything from estimate enquiry through production and on to dispatch - MIS sits at the centre of the whole workflow with connections to digital equipment now a de facto requirement.”

Lowe says EFI’s largest improvements recently “have been around planning irregular shapes from supplied artwork ready for printing, combining the power of estimating with the reality of production. We have also continued to support hybrid customers who run campaigns with a mixture of work on smaller machines as well as posters and signage through our campaign importation

16 | August / September 2021

tools. Being able to import multiple shipments for a campaign and monitor them in real time through integration with the parcel network while sending notifications to the end customer is increasingly becoming a requirement for many POS printers as the ‘Amazon generation’ takes over order processing.”

He acknowledges that there are ‘snagging issues’ in terms of MIS regarding wide-format - for instance, where installation or fabrication works are part of a job, saying: “Generally a print-specific MIS struggles to understand how to make something like a wooden frame, where a nonprint-specific ERP struggles to understand printing forms.

Our approach to building cost centres allows this degree of flexibility which is really appreciated by the wide-format sector which doesn’t always conform to the traditional model of putting ink on substrate.”

Lowe also highlights issues relating to ganging, pointing out that “being able to do that quickly and automatically with imposition tools embedded within the MIS is essential for the wide-format printer.”

Asked whether he thinks there needs to be more synergy between MIS providers and others (such as printer manufacturers, accounts systems developers etc), Lowe says: “It is essential to look more holistically at a process to determine the best MIS solution. In some

SOFTWARE DEVELOPERS WORKING FOR AND ENHANCING THE OFFERING FOR THE PRINTERS’ CUSTOMER ARE THE MOST VALUABLE ASSET IN THE EVER-CHANGING WORLD OF WIDE-FORMAT PRINT. David Lowe, EFI

Technology | What to Watch

WE OFFER DIRECT INTEGRATION WITH AN ARRAY OF CLOUD-BASED ACCOUNTING PACKAGES, AND INTEGRATED THIRD-PARTY APPLICATIONS. Paul Bromley, printIQ

places, like in accounts, it might make more sense to integrate with existing solutions. In other areas, like online print shops, the business can have a smoother workflow by having a single system. Equally, being able to link an MIS into a prepress workflow - whether that is simply within the MIS of the customer approving proofs or more complex automation routines with third parties - is the next stage of true touchless order processing and delivering customer satisfaction.

“Software developers working for and enhancing the offering for the printers’ customer are the most valuable asset in the ever-changing world of wide-format print. They can smooth out the bumps in the road between multiple vendor platforms.”

Paul Bromley, head of sales EMEA, at printIQ says a common complaint is that many print management systems have remained unchanged in the face of quite impactful shifts within the industry, where a dwindling pool of experienced estimators has highlighted the necessity for a smart system for efficient automation across the entire business workflow.

“Print customers are requiring high quality, lower price, and faster turnaround more than ever before, which means workflow inefficiencies are having a more devastating impact. The impact of Covid-19 has made working remotely a necessity not an option, and the ability for staff and customers to quote from anywhere 24/7 can mean the difference between thriving and struggling to survive.

“This is where the printIQ management workflow system (MWS) significantly differs from the traditional MIS. printIQ is totally cloud-based with a visual and intuitive interface.

Production-staff manage the factory while customers order and track, all within the same application from anywhere at any time. There’s no software to install, no separate Web portal or online ordering system to add on.”

Is that a quantum shift? Bromley believes it is. “printIQ is far more than just an MIS in that it manages the workflow of the business in its entirety.

“We understand that an offset solution doesn’t fit in a wide-format business. We’re in the position of being able to support industry specific pricing models, while many print management systems force users to adapt their pricing models to suit the limitations of their software.

“The printIQ job management tools are also unusual in the way that they are designed for the digital spacewith online production boards to give the full view of the floor, regardless of the user’s location, along with tablet optimisation, barcode scanners, and smartphone app, to keep people moving.”

“We found that traditionally, MIS vendors have been quite inflexible, but we took a different path. Via our Connect range of modules we offer direct integration with an array of cloud-based accounting packages, and integrated third-party applications such as Enfocus, Esko,

HP, Hybrid, Infigo, Tilia Labs, XMPie and Zapier to mention but a few. We can also expose many of the workflows in printIQ, via our API’s, allowing our customers to produce their own custom printIQ integrations.

Over at Optimus, which has been supplying MIS to the print industry for almost 40 years, sales director Steve Richardson says that “historically, much criticism was rightly thrown at MIS providers in general, when many were (and some still do) calculate everything as sheets essentially harnessing litho principles, when they simply don’t apply and are not relevant!

“This incompatibility resulted in frustrating workarounds and fudging of MIS systems, which simply did not lend itself to automation or increased efficiency. Simple and fundamental things, like the ability to calculate a quote using a square meterage calculation and book in a job with the correct level of ink coverage, were not properly included or understood. This I believe provided an understandable reluctance to invest in MIS from largeformat PSPs. However, we are not all the same. Optimus dash can deal with these fundamentals and so much more as it is a process led system. This means that services such as installation and anything associated with the delivery of a project can all be easily configured and housed within the MIS. “The big step change in the last three years has come about with the management of files and integration with workflow providers - like Switch - as updates between the MIS and workflow can be many and varied, managing print ready files and real time status updates.

“In addition, Web-to-print integration with MIS - specific to wide-format - has evolved tremendously and full production jobs can now essentially be booked in by the customers without their knowledge that they are inadvertently setting up a job ready to produce. If everything is understood, artwork files have been pre-flighted and processed properly, real time automation is possible.

“Moving forward, Optimus is focusing more on job ganging functionality and more advanced planning tools to cater for even higher levels of automation.

Richardson continues: “I would suggest that there still needs to be more synergy across the industry in general, including printer manufactures. There is still tremendous room for improvement to make it easier for the MIS to obtain real time live data - but ultimately data harnessed properly from devices can be really instructive and a potential game changer.

Lee Ward, chief revenue officer at Tharstern, reiterates that if the past 18 months have taught us anything, it’s that companies need their critical business data to be accessible online. “And what that essentially means is that companies have to remove

THE BIG STEP CHANGE IN THE LAST THREE YEARS HAS COME ABOUT WITH THE MANAGEMENT OF FILES AND INTEGRATION WITH WORKFLOW PROVIDERS. Steve Richardson, Optimus www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 17

Technology | What to Watch

MIS CAN HANDLE EVERYTHING FROM SALES AND ESTIMATING - TO WAREHOUSING AND DELIVERY, SO THE POTENTIAL ROI OF AN MIS JUST GOT EVEN BIGGER. Lee Ward, Tharstern

NEW MIS INTEGRATIONS:

manual processes and migrate them over to a suitable software solution instead. For large-format PSPs, an MIS can handle everything from sales and estimating, to scheduling and order processing, right through to warehousing and delivery, so the potential ROI of an MIS just got even bigger.”

Ward points out that Tharstern’s MIS is hybrid, using both Web-based and on-premise technologies, combining the accessibility and responsiveness of a cloud solution with the control and integration capabilities of an on-site solution.

“Our customers’ core MIS remains at their premises, while their employees access it over the internet. Over the past few years we’ve been adding tools to allow the different teams within a PSP to access their MIS on the move. The most recent addition is our Remote Access Portal, which has been designed for sales and account management teams, but a PSP’s customers can also use it to create their own estimates and orders.”

Ward adds that “one issue our large-format customers wanted us to make easier for them was dealing with complex multi-location campaigns. So we developed functionality to quickly import and create production-ready estimates and jobs. We’re also working with companies like Colateral to integrate with campaign management solutions that make this process even slicker.”

Geoff Needham, of Wildcard Software, says that “over the past 12 months in Printlogic we have continued to expand the features available for wide-format work. The production end of the system can now be setup to cover anything from basic signage to completed POS units created from rigid boards to multi-step kitting jobs, whilst a whole new quoting area was created to handle the 20 - 30% of wide-format quotes that would be outside of a ‘standard work’ definition for these PSPs. He feels that outstanding snagging issues in regards to MIS generally are mainly around pricing. “The processes and materials are so varied that it is difficult for a system to anticipate what the estimator wants it to do 100% of the time, without requiring so many inputs that it would be quicker for the user to do the quote on a piece of paper.

Straightforward quotes are easily handled but for some offthe-wall quotes the PSP will have to accept that it will have to be manually input with the system doing little more than making the final quote document look nice.

“These are being dealt with certainly by Printlogic, but I don’t think any MIS system will ever be 100% capable in terms of quotes for wide-format work. In terms of the MIS industry in general, for systems that are non SaaS based updates are much more difficult and as a result I think they are generally slower to accommodate sectors like wideformat where there are frequent advances in equipment / processes and hence the related quoting.”

18 | August / September 2021

ONEVISION With version 21.1, OneVision’s workflow management system Workspace Pro X gets a stats dashboard, allowing users to control and analyse key print production metrics. It can also now integrate with MIS or web shops.

The new dashboard lets users track the workload of individual modules as well as the job status (error, warning, cancelled or completed). It also shows which modules are working at maximum capacity.

For a more detailed analysis, users can install Elasticsearch, which lets them analyse the most frequent errors as well as the job results per output device. The dashboard is updated with every new job start and thus enables clear workflow control as well as longterm analysis of the production workload.

OPOC A number of enhancements have been made to OPOC (Online Proof Of Completion), the cloud-based field service management solution that makes data collection at remote sites more efficient, allowing businesses to track live installations.

The software - which allows project managers to assign tasks to contractors with a target date for completion - includes live feed monitoring, site survey tools, a route planner, auto-revisit features and a subcontractor interface. Various improvements include a new look dashboard to help the user better understand information and help navigate the site.

A ‘voice to text’ feature now enables field agents to complete forms or questions on their mobile devices, without having to type. Notifications’ allows any question (or RFI’s - request for information) to trigger an action - eg. to let a customer to know when a job is started. As soon as a field agent is on site and starts a job, an email can automatically be sent to your customer to inform them of the action.

Also new is a calendar function to help manage workloads - new projects are added into the calendar all-in-one process. There’s also now a client app that lets a customer see and review a job. Other new features include an ‘asset list’ that can hold complex and detailed information about almost any item.

In addition, OPOC has an API link into Tharstern MIS to manage POS distribution.

Thastern can push pick-list information into OPOC, which then can be sent to retail stores who can check off received goods via the OPOC app and notify of missing or damaged items and request replacements.

Phill Reynolds, MD at OPOC Retail, said: “OPOC has been providing a service to many business sectors for over three years, but it is mostly used in or around the retail sector.

We’ve recently worked with some of the biggest names in the industry and have been a major part in key business presentations to some of the biggest worldwide brands. What sets us apart, is the user base, which provides us with great feedback and ideas. We use this information to map out our future development to provide continuous improvements.” (see feature at: https://www.imagereportsmag.co.uk/features/special-report/9156opoc-what-s-that-then)

I DON’T THINK ANY MIS SYSTEM WILL EVER BE 100% CAPABLE IN TERMS OF QUOTES FOR WIDE-FORMAT WORK. .LVɈ 5LLKOHT >PSKJHYK :VM[^HYL

Environment

SGP PILOT READIES FOR TAKE OFF THE US-BASED SGP IS EXPANDING ITS SUSTAINABILITY CERTIFICATION PROGRAMME INTO EUROPE AND IS LOOKING FOR PARTICIPANTS IN ITS PILOT PROJECT. SHOULD YOU GET ON BOARD? How do you validate sustainability? While there are eco-logos, partnerships, community groups and award programs that help UK printers demonstrate their sustainable practice there is yet to be a print industry specific, full-facility certification available to UK printers.

Well, in May, the US-based Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) - a NGO dedicated to certifying sustainability in printing and supplier facilities -announced it would be bringing its sustainable certification programme to the UK as a pilot project.

SGP sustainability certification is different from other schemes and programmes being used by the printing industry worldwide.

As its chairman Jonathan Graham points out: “SGP certification encompasses every aspect of a printing facility not just print production. Our criteria basis is a sustainability management system (SMS) adapted specifically by an applicant (print shop) covering the entire business and operation.”

He adds: “While SGP recognises the value of eco-labels for materials - like the Antalis and FSC programmes and the environmentally focused ISO 14001 management system - only the SGP criteria covers the full facility and the three areas of sustainability - people, planet and profit.”

The SGP is an all-volunteer organisation. Its management team comprises leaders in companies supporting a more sustainable future for the printing industry, and sponsors include 3M. Since 2008, SGP certification has been driving sustainable in the North American printing industry. With its SMS and annual improvement projects, SGP certified facilities are widely recognised as industry leaders in providing sustainable printing and trusted by major brand by having independent validation of their claims to be part of a sustainable supply chain.

Until 2020, PSP applicants for SGP certification - and recertifying PSPs - had an onsite audit with an independent auditor, but for over a year now the SGP has been holding audits virtually. Using these virtual audits (paid for my the PSP being audited), the NGO can expand its sustainability certification

WE WILL SELECT A FEW INTERNATIONAL PRINTERS WHO ARE WILLING TO COMMIT TO THE RIGOROUS SGP CERTIFICATION PROCESS

internationally, allowing printers and industry suppliers worldwide to achieve SGP certification.

“In 2018, the SGP released the SGP Impact Tracker data tool, which helps SGP certified printers certify and recertify by monitoring sustainability performance over time and benchmarking efforts against an aggregate of other facilities. With enhancements, the Tracker provided a virtual audit solution for the current global situation,” explains Wendy Nadan, SGP lead auditor.

“The new features of the Impact Tracker inspired us to rethink how we could extend the SGP certification outside of North America. From the initial certification planning meeting to the completion of document review including photographic evidence, all can be accomplished virtually with the local sustainability team. Each facility can meet the expectations of the audit as if an SGP auditor were physically on-site.”

Graham says that the SGP “will select a few international printers who are willing to commit to the rigorous SGP certification process,” explaining that “the SGP website certification page (http:// sgppartnership.org/certification/) gives info on what the certification process can be. It is essential that a full-time person lead the process along with managing a local sustainability committee - and we advise a minimum six-month commitment. If a company has gone through an environmental scheme like ISO 14001, it should help reduce the time and planning to develop a comprehensive, facility-wide sustainability management system.”

The SGP certification pilot programme will be launched in October 2021 with the next revision of the SGP certification criteria, which is adopted after a public review process every five years. More programme details, including the application for pilot testing will be released this month (August) and at the time of going to press Graham says there are several interested printers in Europe and Asia.

GET WITH THE PROGRAMME Any printer in the world can follow the SGP sustainability criteria. You can use the SGP criteria available to the public at http://sgppartnership.org/sgppwordpress/wp-content/ uploads/2016/09/2016-SGP-Certification-Criteria.pdf While it is easier to have an SGP independent auditor issue SGP certification, print facilities can self-declare they meet the SGP sustainability criteria - then it is up to the printer to document/validate their claim to brands and customer looking to improve their sustainable supply chain.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 21

Environment

A BREATH OF FRESH AIR RELAX, YOU’RE NOT ALONE - THERE ARE COMPANIES OUT THERE THAT CAN HELP YOU SAVE THE PLANET. Governments, individuals and businesses are all grappling with how to do their bit as the climate change clock ticks on. To add to the confusion, terminology such as GHG, net zero, carbon neutral, SBTi, SDG, and biodiversity collapse are regularly bandied about and there’s an assumption everyone knows what they mean. If you need help, you’re by no means alone, and if carbon measurement and reduction is one of the issues you’re looking into a company called CarbonQuota may be useful.

This is a carbon business specialising in the print, display, publishing, and marketing industries, that blends print expertise with scientific rigor.

Co-founder Dominic Harris says the company purposely focused on this sector because there is so much potential for businesses to measure and reduce carbon emissions, and demonstrate strong leadership to the wider manufacturing sector. The measure-and-reduce approach ensures printing companies, no matter what size, can play their part in reducing their impact on global warming.

“The biggest issue facing the planet is climate change and it is within printing companies gift make changes quickly,” says Harris. “There is some great work happening at companies like ImageCo, but they are a rarity and everyone needs to take this seriously, and do it fast.”

Increasingly, print customers are pushing their print supply chain to reduce their carbon emissions too, and the team at CarbonQuota have seen a marked increase of printers being asked to declare their carbon footprint to such businesses.

Print businesses can start by knowing their baseline carbon emissions to then support a reduction programme. This baseline is how you show improvement and is a technical process that should be carried out and certified - by companies such as CarbonQuota, which works with the likes of ImageCo, Gardners, Delta and Echo House.

“We can carbon footprint anything from a poster to a building and even a full end-to-end supply chain!” says Harris.

“The best place to start is the carbon footprint of what is under your direct control, before thinking about materials, distribution or what happens to your product at the end of its life - these can be done afterwards.

“Whilst many of our customers are printers, print managers and design agencies, we also deal with the mega-brands to help them drive carbon reduction programmes in their print supply chain.

“An operational carbon footprint starts with baselining from two years of carbon emissions

as this allows for peaks and troughs from trading.

We support this plan with a set of detailed recommendations to help the carbon reduction process for the next 12 months and repeat the project quarterly or annually to certify the reduction.

“We provide every customer with a certified report and data as this demonstrates credibility, which is especially important when publishing carbon emissions to customers. It’s like getting your accountant to sign off your financial accounts.”

Harris flags up some interesting statistics from work CarbonQuota has done with clients - see graphic below.

HOW IT WORKS Whilst CarbonQuota can, basically, carbon footprint anything, it recommends you start with your own operations because this is where you can make quick and ongoing carbon reductions.

It’s also where you can impress your customers the most with robust data about your carbon emissions from a certified process.

It costs about £1,200 per operation for a study. CarbonQuota makes the process as easy as possible, but it obviously requires information from you, such as utility bills, invoices, expense claims, fuel purchases, standard accounting information and some general information. The company provides a template that acts as a checklist to make sure all the relevant aspects are recorded. One of its consultants will work with you to prepare the data and its life cycle practitioners independently assess each calculation and certify the formal report.

This certified report and supporting data includes: a series of intensity ratios (e.g. carbon footprint per tonne of substrate, per employee or per £ of sales); recommendations of reduction targets; suggestions for how to reduce your carbon emissions; and the all-important CarbonQuota certification and labelling that you can use in your customer communications and marketing.

This programme allows you to work on an annual review cycle and demonstrate through certified reporting that the changes made to your operation is reducing your impact on climate change.

There are, as it stands, no legal obligations for most printing businesses to de-carbonise to fight climate change - only businesses with a turnover of £36m or more must provide information on their activities and convert them to equivalent carbon emissions within their mandatory reporting. This is called Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) and CarbonQuota can help there too.

In short, investment in carbon reduction is a choice. It will cost you money in the short-term but you should see an ROI in the medium-term through cost savings and customer retention.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 23

Environment

CAPTURING YOUR ATTENTION ALMOST A DECADE SINCE ITS INTRODUCTION, PREMIER’S CARBON CAPTURE PROGRAMME HAS MORE THAN 600 PARTICIPANTS. THINKING OF SWELLING THAT NUMBER? HERE’S WHY IT’S WORTH CONSIDERING. What started off as a simple idea to give a few businesses the choice to mitigate the CO2 emissions from the materials they buy has blossomed into something very special. Almost ten years on and Premier’s Carbon Capture programme has become one of the printing industry’s leading environmental initiatives, with well over 600 fully signed up and committed to the cause - from printers to sign makers, local authorities to banks and other corporate organisations - all directly supporting the creation and maintenance of local native woodland throughout the UK. To date, Premier and its customers have raised in excess of £1.22m for the Woodland Trust and have captured over 80,000 tonnes CO2.

For those of you yet to get involved with the Carbon Capture programme, here’s the lowdown on what is a low cost, simple, easy to understand and transparent way of improving your company’s eco credentials, while also helping provide habitat for wildlife via the creation of new native woodland.

Firstly, know that 100% of the Carbon Capture amount goes directly to the Woodland Trust, which operates the scheme under the UK Government’s Woodland Carbon Code, based on emissions data calculated from approved DEFRA criteria.

There are no deductions for marketing, third party carbon trading companies or management fees, and those companies taking part in the programme receive a number of benefits, including: • Carbon mitigation statements that can be included in annual reports • Certificates detailing amount of CO2 captured and the area of new native UK woodland created for display and inclusion on websites • Carbon Capture brochure personalised with your company details • Carbon Capture branded promotional items to help sell the programme to clients and their employees • The use of a personalised Woodland Carbon logo for websites stationery and jobs where Carbon Capture material shave been used.

• Woodland Carbon logo for your clients when Carbon Capture material is used for their jobs As most of you will recognise, the Woodland Trust is a very high profile entity, being regularly featured on national TV news and environmental magazine programmes such as Countryfile. The brand also appears in many retail outlets and in addition there are over 600,000 registered members and supporters of the Woodland Trust throughout the UK.

PREMIER AND ITS CUSTOMERS HAVE RAISED IN EXCESS OF £1.22M FOR THE WOODLAND TRUST AND HAVE CAPTURED OVER 80,000 TONNES OF CO2

Like many top household and high street brands that work directly with the Woodland Trust, the brand image of companies and their clients can also be reinforced by engaging in an environmental programme that is very much associated with the UK’s leading woodland conservation charity.

With just 13% tree cover, the UK is one of the least wooded countries in Europe, where the average amount of tree cover is around 35%. The Woodland Trust plants new native woodland here in the UK, creating natural habitats for wildlife and providing places for people to visit and enjoy.

Engaging in the Carbon Capture programme and using the Woodland Carbon logo makes a clear statement regarding your company’s environmental values - values that can be shared with your target customers.

The Carbon Capture programme also provides opportunities to take part in - and to invite your clients to take part in - tree planting events at Woodland Trust sites throughout the UK, often alongside environmental experts such as TV’s Julia Bradbury, to help create and maintain native woodland. Premier provides photographs, video content and press releases to all participants for their own marketing communication use.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 25

Actively investigating and supporting the wide-format print sector Authored by former print professionals, Image Reports provides intelligent news coverage which targets those that produce and sell wide- and grandformat digital print.

Dedicated entirely to the digital print provider rather than the manufacturer or supplier, Image Reports presents information via three main filters – business, technology and the environment.

Also part of the Image Reports family is Widthwise Report, an annual survey and report on the state of the UK and Irelands wide-format print sector which is packed with facts, figures and features.

Magazine Newsletter Website Supplements Bespoke Events Roundtables Research Reports www.imagereportsmag.co.uk @imagereports Please contact Carl to discuss advertising and sponsorship opportunities: Tel: 0791 606 7589 Carl.Archer@imagereportsmag.co.uk

Think Bigger | Gallery

a. Music to the ears Imageco has kicked off an Indie Initiative by giving Crash Records a lift with a new Dibond facia sign and this brilliant desk wrap. The purpose of the initiative is to help revive the local high street through the renovation of local stores, with ImageCo offering its services pretty much free-of-charge.

Nice one.

a. b.

b. Paris match Exhibit Group large-format print arm Felix&Co produced and installed this eye-catching Eiffel Tower graphic across two days to celebrate the reopening of cultural venues. This vertiginous work by Julien Rivaton used 633m2 of non-slip aluminum floor (without PVC) and 110m2 of tarpaulin.

c. Floating your boat?

Globe Print provided the wrap for a boat in which four men rowed, non-stop, for 3,200 miles from Lanzarote in the Canary Islands to the island of Antigua in the Caribbean, in a charity challenge dubbed the ‘Atlantic Dash’. For the job, the Marlow-based company used Drytac Polar Matte Grip, printed on its Roland SolJet EJ-640, and paired it with Interlam Pro Emerytex overlaminate.

d.

d. King of the castle Sign and graphics company John Young Group has transformed its premises to showcase its ability to renovate interior spaces. Using Coala WallDesign NW media and produced using a Roland SG2-540 printer, the graphics include this castle hallway.

c.

e. 3XWWLQJ RXW WKH ÁDJ IRU (QJODQG Printed and installed in advance of England’s crucial Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark, Northern Flags and sister company FaberExposize UK made a big statement by unveiling the largest environmentally sustainable banner in the country. Measuring 9m x 3m, the banner was made from 346 recycled plastic bottles and is 100% recyclable. e. (PEUDFLQJ 3HWHU -RQHV Embrace Building Wraps has clothed the iconic Peter Jones department store in Chelsea, London, with digitally printed mesh PVC to hide its façade facelift works. Each of three main sections of scaffold have been wrapped to create one giant wrap measuring 2,268m2.

e. f. www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 27

Forum

DIGGING BELOW THE SURFACE WITH INDUSTRY MOLE Comments please to industrymole@imagereportsmag.co.uk

“To be or not to be, that is the … gazoormonplatz” That is the punchline in one my favourite Bob Newhart sketches in which a monitor is tasked with checking the theory that if a monkey is given a typewriter and an infinite amount of time the primate will type something as good as Hamlet.

I was reminded of that the other day when Mole Graphics received one of those files, created in Photoshop by someone who had decided they were a designer. To be honest, the file couldn’t have been much worse if it had been designed in Photoshop by a monkey. It contained all the classic mistakes: the images were too low-res, the colours were obviously going to blend together and muddy the text and the file had been created in blissful ignorance of the concept of bleed. The only thing that was right with the file was that the text contained no typos.

We first began to notice this trend after the last recession. Quite a few customers made the false economy of getting rid of their experienced - for which read expensive - print buyers and handing the task over to younger staff who had little or no

training in the subtleties of print. In the past 18 months, the problem has been exacerbated with clients putting staff on furlough and making do with minimal resources.

For people wanting to save money on design, Photoshop is a dangerous tool - it can give them false confidence in their ability. Any potential cost savings are then squandered when the file proves to be unfit for purpose. A few clients even quibble over the price implying that somehow it’s all our fault - we’re not using the file correctly or we should have told them about the spec (which we would have done if we had known they were going to wing it).

Mercifully, there are not too many of these morons.

Most people realise the error of their ways and rectify it the next time around although, given the turnover in staff, sometimes you can spend hours patiently walking a client through the issues, only for the next order to come in from someone completely new with all the old familiar flaws.

In terms of irritating cases of ‘déjà vu all over again!’ it’s right up there with the England football team losing a penalty shoot-out.

FESPA GLOBAL 2021

HEIMTEXTIL

SIGN AND DIGITAL 2022

When?

28 - 30 September, 2021

When?

12-15 October, 2021

When?

11-14 January, 2022

When?

22-24 March, 2022

Where?

NEC, Birmingham

Where?

RAI, Amsterdam, Netherlands

Where?

Frankfurt Messe, Germany

Where?

NEC, Birmingham

Cost?

TBA

Cost?

TBA

Cost?

45 Euro on the door for one day entry, 33 Euro in advance

Cost?

Free

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Giiivven Giv G en tthe thhe he moves move mo vves es iinn th es the ttrad rraadde rad exh eex xxhhiib ibi bbiittio tiioon spa ppac aacce at thhee m min inute in uutttee, itt’ t’s ’s ’s hhaard har ard to ar to caall alllll ye yett.. Will Wiill nee W Wil eeed eedd ttoo rreevvis viis isiitt

Who will be there?

Initially scheduled for October 2020 (in Madrid), then moved to March 2021 (to replace the originally scheduled May 2021 event in Munich), this event, for obvious reasons is now due to take place in October (in Amsterdam) this year.

Again, it’s a waiting game to see how things pan out.

Who will be there?

Retailers, wholesalers, designers, furniture and bedding stores, interior decorators, interior architects, architects, hotel outfitters etc are likely to attend the annual event specifically aimed squarely at the textile market.

Who will be there?

The SDUK event which was due to take place in May 2021 was scrapped due to the Covid pandemic, and will next take place in 2022.

Traditionally, this show brings together those wanting to come and see developments in the sign and digital print market, but we’ll have to see how things evolve.

Should you go?

This would normally be a resounding ‘yes’, but Covid-19 may make it a more difficult decision this time around.

Should you go?

Only if textile print is your thing, in which case it may be worth undertaking the travel.

Should you go?

Need to wait until closer to the event to check-out the exhibitor list

EVENTS

THE PRINT SHOW

Next event 20-22 September 2022

Should you go?

Need to wait and see….

28 | August / September 2021

Rating

5/10

Rating

5/10

Rating

6/10

Rating

7/10

Forum

OVER TO YOU...

MICHAEL MCNAMARA, OWNER, EMERALD HOUSE ASSOCIATES WWW.EMERALDHOUSE.CO.UK

Formed 25 years ago, Corby-based Emerald House Associates - or EHA as it’s better known - is now a well established fullservice design, print, build and install graphics company, working for prestigious clients such as Chanel, Coty and Selfridges.

I talked with the company’s owner, Mick NcNamara, about the reasons for its recent investment in a HP R2000 latex printer as part of its drive forward.

EHA has many well-known clients, for whom the environment is now a very big focus. To what extent is that impacting your own investment choices?

The circular economy is a big thing for clients like Chanel and Coty, and with regards to our investment we have to consider very carefully, because we don’t want to be using products or machinery that don’t follow that remit and fit with their guidelines.

I was really excited when I heard about the HP R2000 because this fitted all the requirements - it uses recyclable latex inks, it’s very economical,

produces very high quality print, and we just looked at it and thought it was the right machine for the company.

It looks really cool in the new print area we’ve created too. We take customers in there and it’s a big selling point.

We recycle a lot of stuff here - over 90% of our rubbish. We burn waste MDF to heat the factory.

So having kit like the R2000 is a big deal - part of our thinking when it comes the circular economy.

When we were talking the other day, you mentioned that Cranfield University had provided a grant to help you buy the R2000 as it’s helping you adjust to - dare I say it - a new normal! Can you tell us a bit more about that?

Cranfield University has been working with us on our growth curve and moving onto the next level.

Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, this turned into a bounce-back programme. We’re closely associated with retail and were badly affected by it all, but I’m glad to say that we’ve come back

LEGAL EAGLE LEGAL EAGLE

PREGNANCY AND MATERNITY: PART II

BY ANNE-MARIE BOYLE OF MENZIES LAW

Following on from the last Legal Eagle piece we look at communication requirements during maternity leave. What constitutes the ‘right’ level of communication for women on maternity leave can be confusing. Unhelpfully, there is very little guidance out there for employers. This uncertainty can lead to treating a woman on maternity leave as ‘out of sight, out of mind’, which can contribute to a host of problems for the employer.

Women on maternity leave remain bound by their employment contract and all the terms and conditions that would have applied had they not been absent (except ‘terms and conditions about remuneration’). If an employee gets involved with work during her maternity leave, it may be that her maternity leave will be deemed to have ended. This was why Keeping in Touch (KIT) days were created - to allow some work contact without bringing the maternity leave to an unintended early end.

With this risk in mind, the Maternity and Paternity Leave Regulations 1999 state that ‘reasonable contact from time to time between an employee and her employer which either party is entitled to

make…shall not bring [maternity leave] to an end’.

But what about the employee who wants full visibility on their work whilst they’re on leave? Or an employee who insists on access to her email and computer? Or those employees who do not wish to hear from you at all until just before they are due back. Every employee will be different.

Employers getting it wrong could find themselves facing claims for sex discrimination, pregnancy and maternity discrimination and unfair dismissal. Your staff on maternity leave must not be at a noticeable disadvantage in areas like promotion, training and redundancy selection.

Some practical tips for effective communication during maternity leave are: - Start with your Maternity Leave policy. If you don’t have one then get one. Include a section on ‘communication’ and create wording to suit your organisation and reflect its style and resources.

- Discuss communication preferences with your pregnant employee. You don’t have to accommodate every type of preference - it is ok to manage expectations as to communication levels.

now and Cranfield really helped us do that.

Part of what Cranfield was offering was a Government recovery and resilience grant that went towards the new HP R2000, it being such a key part of our recovery. We were vetted, and because the printer is environmentally friendly etc. we got the money. If we’d been going for something else I don’t think it would have been so easy.

The expansion of our print department has created more jobs and the R2000 has done so much for the business.

How do you see EHA’s client-base evolving, and how does the HP latex printer fit into that?

Well the quality is there, it’s cost effective - it’s comparable to our roll machines - but it’s this environmental side of things that is the real draw. Everybody is going to have to become more environmental conscientious eventually, and I thought we may as well jump on that train early on. We will get more work by having it.

It’s great when customers come in and they say ‘we’ve got this sustainability mission and you’re going to have to do this and that Mick’, and I can say ‘we’re already doing it!’ with how we can print, with our recycling etc. It means they’re engaged with us very quickly.

We’re members of the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC) and it’s that kind of detail and a cohesive sustainable agenda they are looking for.

It’s a long road, but we’re getting there, and HP has been very good in helping us along the way.

- Even if your employee does not want any communication during maternity leave, you must ignore this request if there is a promotion opportunity, redundancy exercise/TUPE transfer/ major organisational change.

- If you provide a laptop for work with email access, maintain this during maternity leave.

Arguably there is no ‘down-side’ to allowing this access during maternity eave.

- An employee cannot insist on being kept fully updated on her work whilst she is away, but sensitivity is important. Some women will be anxious about being away from work for an extended period. KIT days can be deployed really effectively here!

- You may have an employee wanting to use her KIT days in a certain way. You can refuse a KIT request like this and an employee has no right to require that she access a KIT day in a particular way. Back to sensitivity though.

- A women about to go on maternity leave may well wish to keep her options open as to how she returns to work - but she might not want to tell her manager this. Consider how internal vacancies are advertised. If they’re on a secure intranet, can they be made accessible to those on maternity leave?

Be careful of making assumptions about women on maternity leave - don’t assume they don’t want to hear about vacancies.

- Try not to be an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ employer. Invite your maternity leave employee to key celebrations like Christmas parties.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 29

Zeitgeist

The Long-Covid HR legacy LONG COVID - HOW MUCH OF A DISABILITY COULD IT PROVE, AND WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS? EMPLOYMENT LAWYER ANNA BITHREY OF TAYLOR WALTON EXPLAINS YOUR LEGAL RESPONSIBILITIES.

As this is written, one in every ten people in the UK who have had Covid-19 will go on to suffer symptoms of the virus more than three months after first becoming infected. At present, not much is known about how or why so-called ‘Long-Covid’ strikes, who it affects, or how badly it affects them. However, we can be certain that it has the ability to cause chronic illness, which can dramatically diminish the quality of life of anyone it impacts, making even the simplest task a challenge - and work a greater one.

So how do you as an employer deal with it?

As many PSPs ramp-up production and more employees return to the workplace following the easing of lockdown restrictions, that’s a vexed question. More than a million individuals in the UK are now said to be experiencing symptoms of Long-Covid, so every business needs to develop a better understanding of just how it impacts them from an HR perspective.

Although there is at present no uniform definition of what Long-Covid is, the NHS explains that sufferers can continue to display a variety of debilitating symptoms for many months after initial infection, with common ailments including joint pain, extreme fatigue, breathing difficulties, soaring temperatures, high anxiety, and brain fog. And it’s already evident that Long-Covid will likely impact significantly on a person’s mental as well as physical health, thus, for the purpose of employment law, any employees experiencing symptoms are likely to be classed as disabled.

Anyone displaying a ‘physical or mental impairment’ that has a ‘substantial’ and ‘long-term’ negative effect on their capacity to carry out day-to-day functions will be classed as disabled under the Equality Act 2010.

30 | August / September 2021

ANY EMPLOYERS NOT ACTING APPROPRIATELY WILL FIND THEMSELVES IN BREACH OF DISCRIMINATION LEGISLATION.

As ‘long term’ specifically refers to an impairment that has lasted or will last for at least 12 months, and could increase or decrease in severity time, it is apt terminology when considering Long-Covid. It will not be relevant for all those afflicted by the illness, however, and each individual employee should be assessed singularly according to their specific circumstances, and the seriousness and nature of their symptoms.

Should an employee be thought to have developed a disability due to Long-Covid, the employer has a responsibility to make any reasonable adjustments that would enable their safe return to work. It’s important to note that any employers not acting appropriately in these matters will find themselves in breach of discrimination legislation.

However, with there still being so many uncertainties surrounding the illness and its prolonged effect on the human body, ACAS is recommending that employers move their emphasis away from defining Long-Covid and instead concentrate on adapting to facilitate possible absences and making operational adjustments so that employees with the condition can continue in their roles.

As with any other chronic illness, we can be relatively confident that those afflicted with Long-Covid will need to take brief, recurrent absences from their posts, as well as longer, more extended ones. These situations should be tackled no differently.

The best course of action you can take as an employer is to develop an open dialogue with employees through which you can mutually agree on how you can most effectively support their return to work when the time is right. This might include looking at alternate shift patterns, more frequent or longer breaks, a phased reintroduction, parameters for monitoring their condition, or even an alteration to job specification. Any changes should only be made with the full agreement of the employee, and, if possible, with the advice of medical or occupational health.

Should there be any real concern about an employee’s capacity to return to work at all, it might be most appropriate to commence a formal capability procedure, although this should only be done once all other options have been exhausted.

The last 12-18 months have intrinsically changed how management teams and workforces engage with one another and the evolving situation with Long-Covid only serves to highlight the ongoing importance of remaining reactive and responsive with your operations.

It could probably go without saying but it’s worth reiterating, that given the fluid circumstances surrounding every employee’s situation, should you have any doubt about how to handle Long-Covid within the workforce, obtain assistance from a qualified employment law team that can evaluate the situation on your behalf and ensure that you don’t make any potentially costly errors.

Weblook | Inks / Hardware

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For expert wide format advice call the team on 01954 232 564 or visit our Cambridge showroom.

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<36 VSHFLDOLVH LQ ZLGH IRUPDW SULQWLQJ VROXWLRQV ÀQLVKLQJ equipment and print software. We are authorised resellers for Mimaki, Roland, Epson, Easymount and Flexa.

We provide OEM inks and consumables and supply a wide range of digital print media including Drytac and Metamark.

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Spandex supplies materials and equipment to the graphics industry. Our portfolio includes Avery Dennison, 3M, ImagePerfect, Arlon, Orafol, HP, Epson, Roland and more.

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Enhance, Protect and extend the life of inkjet Prints with Landor Liquid Lamination Easy to apply by handroller, brush or spray, Landor coatings ensure the longevity and durability of prints. $QWL *UDIÀWL ² 9HKLFOHV ² :DOOFRYHULQJV ² 7UXFN sides – Anti-Microbial 01252 624411 - info@landorUK.com

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Airplac® 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 Airplac®PRINTFOAM is perfect for environmentally responsible campaigns.

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Drytac has been a leading international manufacturer of adhesive-coated products, digital SULQW PHGLD DQG SURWHFWLRQ ÀOPV IRU WKH JUDSKLFV and industrial markets for over 40 years.

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