ProPrint April 2018

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People Technology Business

www.proprint.com.au April 2018 $8.00

ENERGY CRISIS

D A R W SH

We now take Currie Group’s Mobile Showroom to the bitumen on our 2018 Roadshow, trucking the very latest technology around the country to provide print service providers with hands-on access to the very latest solutions. The first stop will be in Brisbane with the Mobile Showroom set-up at the Currie Group offices.

D A R W SH

Printers looking to solar power

Sun providing answers in uncertain energy world STAR BUSINESS

Spot Productions This print business was just up and running when it was hit by first GFC and then Qld floods

FOCUS: WIDE FORMAT

We will be showcasing inline automated booklet production via the innovative combination of an HP Indigo 7900 Digital Press with a Horizon 200 Series bookletmaker…a world first at PacPrint 2017.

This combination delivers true ‘end-to-end’ productivity and solutions and is a perfect illustration of automated printing. The Horizon booklet maker takes the sheets from the HP Indigo and, in one operation, stitches, folds and 3-way trims, to deliver a finished product onto the conveyor at the far end, all without a single touch point.

The Brisbane Roadshow will boast an impressive We now Currie Group’s Mobile Showroom range of take equipment on demonstration from HP,to the bitumen on our 2018 Roadshow, trucking the very latest Horizon, Foliant and CRON, providing attendees with technology around to provide print service demonstrations on the fullycountry integrated print solutions.

Points of Profit As digital LED signage surges into view can printers still make a profit from print?

ALSO INSIDE...

Comment: Querty days Downtime: New from Next Tech Guide: Offset packaging

EDITOR’S LETTER WAYNE ROBINSON

Gaining and losing Long the stuff of schoolboy fantasy it seems that robots are finally on their way into print. Those who were at the Active Display Group launch of their two big new Inca flatbed printers will have seen the two robots taking the sheets of the printers and stacking them. The OcĂŠ stand at the upcoming Fespa expo will show a similar system which will have a robot taking printed sheets off an Arizona flatbed, putting them onto the ProCut bed, and then taking them off into a stack. And of course visitors to the Currie Group stand at PacPrint a year ago saw a robot working the end of an HP Indigo.

In a different area Southern Colour now has a robot system in its platemaking area, which is enabling the company to produce all its significant number of plates with virtually no human activity, save wheeling in the new plate skids. And Visy has just announced it is looking to develop a robot controlled factory.

Robots are coming.

Much of the print production process has already transformed from a craft activity of 30 years ago to a computer driven automated system of today, and robots represent the next logical step towards full automation. The print process still relies on manual labour, particularly in the bindery, but with the costs of robots coming down, and rise of AI artificial intelligence, the day of the lights out print factory has suddenly moved closer.

Skill sets will be lost of course, but the gains for print business owners will be immense. Already those print businesses that have moved to implement digitalisation in their production and minimise human intervention are seeing upside, with the lack of mistakes, lack of tiredness and lack of social benefits contributing to a higher productivity.

The arrival of robots of course will impact on jobs, which is always a conundrum, and has been since the Luddities destroyed the first spinning

CONTENTS

p 38

wheels 300 years ago at the dawn of the industrial revolution.

While manual jobs are not for everyone for some people they are a lifeline, and to see them disappear is hard. The only solution is in improving education opportunities so that the manual staff have the opportunity to move into different roles, however with the current strategy of both political parties to convert education from an investment in the nation to a business the omens there are not good.

This month's issue of ProPrint contains two uplifting features for those thinking that print has had its day, first Spot Productions is the April Star Business, a terrific story of a print business which survied two major crisis and is powering forward, and then the Business Focus piece, which asks whether the rise of digital singage will mean the end of the boom in wide format print, and points out the compelling reasons why print will always be needed.

26-31 Going solar Why printers are choosing energy from the sun to face the crisis

4-8 Update The monthly round-up of all the major news from the non-stop world of Australian and international print

STAR BUSINESS 32-33 Spot Productions How Simon Carmody's business became a high volume, high turnaround success despite the GFC and the 2011 Queensland floods

10-12 Monthly debrief Recap of all the major developments published on proprint.com.au since the last issue with a round up of the breaking news

BUSINESS FOCUS

14 ProPrint Online

34-40 Signage

What has been causing our readers to hit the keyboard this month on social media and share their opinions

Digital signs may be catching on, but lots of potential remains to be tapped into for printed displays

TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

16-20 Downtime

41-45 Pressroom

All the pictures from the Textile Hub and Oliphan launch, and the LIA tour of Spot Productions and its new ten-colour RMGT perfecting press

COVER STORY 24-25 Currie Group Mobile Showroom hits the road

22 Comment: Romano From the typewriter to now: the history of the Qwerty keyboard we use today

2 ProPrint April 2018

p 56

Printers in Albury and Adelaide able to check out the latest digital print and finishing developments

ProPrint looks at six of the latest offset printing systems

POSTSCRIPT 56 Print's Past, Diary, Q&A Get to know John Howard, and check out the ProPrint Diary

www.proprint.com.au

If you’re not reading or advertising in ProPrint, you probably aren’t doing business in Australia I enjoy reading ProPrint as it keeps me up to date with what is happening in the industry, news or legislative changes that will affect the industry.

I especially enjoy the promotions by other printers as I like to collaborate as much as possible with my colleagues and I should say that even the sad stories of colleagues not doing so well make me feel that I’m not alone in the struggle to transition my business.

Kerim El Gabaili CEO, one point My team and I enjoy reading and following everything ProPrint as it is always relevant to what we do on a daily basis. There are amazing insights into what to look out for in the market on anything new and innovative. ProPrint is a way to stay connected to the wider community even through our busy days.

Clayton Treloar CEO, Mail Boxes Etc Australia

ProPrint is a must read for us regularly with the email updates and magazines. It keeps us in the loop with what is going on in the industry. It also is like a community and I feel helps keep the industry together.

Jamie Xuereb Co-owner, Mediapoint

proprint.com.au

UPDATE

Robots arrive in Australian print The first wave of robots have arrived in Australian print shops, with many more expected as print business owners look to decrea se costs a nd increa se efficiencies.

Melbourne printer Southern Colour now has what it calls one of the most automated platemaking lines in the southern hemisphere, with no human interaction apart from bringing in unexposed plates on pallets.

Across town wide format operator Active Display Group has installed two new Fujifilm Inca Onset X series UV flatbed printers at its Mulgrave site, the first from the Fujifilm X series in the Asia Pacific region, both of which come with robotic automation, allowing both printers - which rank at the top of the productivity league - to be run by just one person.

Active hosted local display printers for an open house for its new printers.

Robots are expected to make a significant impact on print, especially with the rapid development of AI artificial intelligence, which will enable them to carry out many of the more mundane tasks in print production.

Visitors to the Currie Group stand at PacPrint last year saw a robot working with an HP Indigo in materials handling.

First wave of robots in print: Stuart Gittus, general manager, operations, Active Display Group (top) and Allan Gardiner, prepress manager, Southern Colour (bottom)

At Southern Colour the new process uses Fujifilm plates, Heidelberg printers and Nela technology, with just one employee being present in the plateroom, and only to replace the 660-plate skid when it runs low.

Southern Colour’s Heidelberg XL 10610 colour and XL 106-6 colour with coater operate for 24 hours four days a week, along with 12 hour shifts for the other two days. Around 42 plates per hour are run through the company’s Supr a s e t t er a n d Sup er i a Z AC processor.

Allan Gardiner, prepress manager at Southern Colour says, “We happened to see an Auto Pallet Loading device made

by German company Graphoteam, on the Heidelberg stand. It was automatically lifting plates from a skid, removing interleaves and feeding them into a Suprasetter CTP device which in turn transported the exposed, punched plates into a Fujifilm lo-chem processor and onwards to Nela bending.

“What impressed us was the complete absence of human intervention, apart from removing empty pallet skids of plate and placing a fresh one ready for uninterrupted supply. All this was at a rate of 42 B1 plates per hour.”

The Active site will be one of Fujifilm’s largest installations of its type in the

Asia-Pacific region, and features ABB Robotic Systems automation.

Stuart Gittus, general manager at Active says, “With the degree of automation, both machines can be run by a single operator. We have always been early adopters of new technology.

It will allow us to be more nimble and responsive. It is a demanding market we sit in and to be able to cater to it is important.”

At Southern Colour Gardiner says, “Our press operators receive plates on a trolley that are in the correct colour sequence, for the correct press and for the next job shown on their production screen and ready to be queued in the Autoplate loader.

“If, on a long-run, a plate wears out the printer can easily order a replacement on-screen. The system then knows what plate/s are needed, sends the data to the plate line and within minutes the replacement plate is stacked and ready for loading. If this happens at 2am on a night shift, it’s no problem as there is no need for people to be present in the plateroom. In the Inca Onset X series we found print speed at high quality will ultimately enable us to become even more competitive in a challenging market, whilst increasing our capacity for speed-to-market.”

MADE AN IMPRESSION NEXT PRINTING Sydney textile printer launches two new ventures in related fields, including short-run ASIA PACIFIC PULP & PAPER Paper giant recognised for sustainabiltiy reporting SIGNWAVE Signage franchise opens second new store for the year in Perth BEEHIVE INDUSTRIES Not-for-profit mailing house expands into printing with donated KM equipment

UPS & DOWNS MELBOURNE MUSEUM OF PRINT Future uncertain with doors locked over $500,00 unpaid rent

4 ProPrint April 2018

Champion V8 Ute racer and owner of Queensland based Rad Visual, Ryal Harris (right), is being sponsored by industry supplier Neopost for the season. Neopost says it is a one-of-a-kind deal that sees Australia’s most successful race car driver team up with a leading supplier to the print industry. Alongside running his print business Harris is now the most successful V8 Ute driver in history with 38 race wins, 11 pole positions, numerous lap records, and he is the first driver to win three championships in the V8 Ute category. Karen Kavanagh (l), marketing director at Neopost Australia says, “Not only is Ryal Harris a super race car driver, he is also the owner of Rad Visuals, a sign and display business located in Queensland. He is a long standing customer of Neopost, in the past few years investing in HP Latex Printing technology to serve his business.” www.proprint.com.au

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UPDATE Dashing implements HP PrintOS Australian company Dashing Group is the first business in the Asia-Pacific region to adopt HP’s cloud based operating system, HP PrintOS Print Beat across its large format, industrial and Indigo digital print platforms.

Dashing is operating the system at its Sydney production facility in Lane Cove West, working across four HP Latex production printers, two HP Scitex industrial devices and three HP Indigo sheetfed and digital presses.

Paul Wilcockson, COO at Dashing says, “Using one platform to help us automate our print production and manage any number of jobs from submission to delivery has allowed us to not only keep up with demand, but offer a level of service no other print service provider can.

“The PrintOS app is an extremely useful tool that allows us to stay up to date wherever we are in Australia or throughout the world.”

Dashing says the standout feature of HP’s PrintOS system is the ability to generate real-time data on press performance through PrintOS Print Beat, one of 13 applications which offers both historical and near-real-time data on volume, utilisation and maintenance to track printer and site performance.

Textile Hub and Oliphan set to launch Sydney large format digital firm Next Printing is launching two new ventures, a specialist fabric printer called the Textile Hub, and Oliphan, a photo printing service.

The Textile Hub is aimed at bringing fabric printing to the local market, where most manufacturers have gone overseas. Julian Lowe, the general manager of the new enterprise was previously a sales and marketing manager with Next.

Lowe says “Next does dye sub and large format for advertising and retail, using 3.2m wide fabric. With the Textile Hub, we are focusing on fashion and on short run quick turnaround “In Australian clothing Think Positive prints for everyone, it is a good market to enter, as there is only one competitor.

“Direct to print digital textile printing used to be internally done at Jets Sw imwea r, it was 100 per cent Australian, but then the manufacturing went to China. They left three guys with experience and machines, so we have brought those three on board.”

The Textile Hub is looking at providing shorter runs and turning them round quicker than is possible through overseas suppliers.

Lowe says, “Overseas, they charge per

Expanding into new ventures: Julian Lowe, general manager of the Textile Hub

kilo or metres. We dealt with one designer who had 90 different designs, and they were facing with a minimum for metres, costs of a few million dollars.

They can have minimums of around 5000m in one warehouse. Here, we can make smaller volumes available to designers and we can have them ready and shipped quicker.

“We have already picked up a few fashion brands. I saw a real need in the industry.

“We see fashion designers have to become graphic designers, because there is not a lot of work in the Australian industry.

“Textile Hub is a start up and we are getting work from brands wanting sampling for instance, rather than wanting a completed range.

“I was a sales and marketing manager at Next and I saw an opportunity, I have been interested in doing this for a long time.

“I was able to speak to Steven, the operational sales manager at Digital Textile Printing and find clients, a space and equipment. Next was supportive and I was able to relinquish my previous position.

“We were able to buy a complete working factory with coating steamers and a couple of printers.”

Debt sends Museum of Printing into limbo

THE LATEST ENHANCEMENT IN 3D TECHNOLOGY

6 ProPrint April 2018

The future of the Melbourne Museum of Printing (MMOP) is in jeopardy, with a suspended lease notice and lack of funding leading it to call for help in the form of donations and loans.

The Museum houses the greatest collection of print memorabilia in the country.

Michael Isaachsen, founder and curator of the museum received a letter from his landlord in the window of the Footscray premi s e s , a s k i n g t h a t he q u it forthwith.

The museum is said to have close to $500,000 in unpaid rent.

Isaachsen is making an appeal for a loan of several million dollars over five years, with the hope that a major investor will save the site.

James Cryer, well known print historia n a nd head of JDA Recruitment says, ‘It would be real shame to see it go.

“I am suggesting that the PIAA forms an action group to try and help save the Museum. However it is difficult with the amount of

money it needs.”

Isaachsen says, “For now, MMOP operations are suspended due to unexpected expiry of our lease – it is actually because industry, government and philanthropy have not been able or willing to help. We may need to move everything, to where I do not know.

“A potential contributor of a major grant or loan will be supplied with information to assess the business side of the Museum.

Isaachsen says, “Only if we totally fail to raise funds do we need to think about what to keep, and where to go. Moving the whole Museum, or most of it, will almost certainly cost more than leaving it where it is. Our landlord has said he is happy for the Museum to stay on, subject to certainty about rental payments.

“When our new team has finished cataloguing the heritage assets the Museum may well decide to move some less important items to other museums.” www.proprint.com.au

UPDATE PRINT BY NUMBERS

$500k Approximate unpaid rent the Melbourne Museum of Printing has p6

16,500 Number of sheets a Heidelberg Speedmaster CX102 can print per hour p8

1.1m Number of complaints Australia Post received in the 2016-17 financial year p12

47% Percentage of printers who would consider using robots in their print production p14

144 Number of years Qwerty keyboard has been around p20

70% How much Melbourne printer Wrapping Paper Co claims their power costs have dropped by since installing solar p28-31

$1m Monthly turnover for Brisbane printer Spot Productions p32-33

6

Number of offset presses in the ProPrint Technology Guide p41-45

8 ProPrint April 2018

Industry planning training changes The print industry’s Printing and Graphic Arts Industry Reference Committee (IRC) has produced a draft review of the current and potential training requirements for a changing industry, and is inviting comment.

The 48 page report - available for download on the PIAA’s website - is a comprehensive assessment of the upcoming needs of the industry and how young people can be trained to meet them.

Based on consultation with the Printing and Graphic Arts IRC and Price Waterhouse Cooper (PwC) research and analysis, attracting new talent and maintaining talent appears to be stemming from three core issues: perception and reputation of the sector; working conditions and prospects; and in many cases, an ageing and static workforce.

The IRC worked with PwC’s Skills Australia to prepare the draft Industry Skills Forecast and Proposed Schedule of Work (ISFPSW) for 2018/2019.

The point of the document is to refocus the discussion of skills and training to ensure that training design is centred on what will equip learners with the

Print’s reputation, working conditions and aging workforce a barrier to attracting new talent

right knowledge and skills to satisfy industry requirements.

Paul Mitchell, national workplace relations manager at the association says, “At PIAA, we constantly hear about the challenges businesses have in finding appropriately trained employees, or having opportunities for formal training in the right areas.

“This review presents the opportunity for industry to get involved, and ensure the training needs of printers are con sidere d i n f ut u re t r a i n i n g programmes.”

The report points out that industry participants are expanding into nontraditional service offerings, such as data driven customisation and multichannel marketing.

Allclear installs new Heidelberg CX102 Queensland printer Allclear Signs and Display Group is installing a new Heidelberg Speedmaster CX 102 press at its Harding Colour site in the east Brisbane suburb of Tingalpa, potentially replacing three older Heidelberg machines at the facility.

The new Speedmaster CX 102 is a universal straight printing press in 70x100 format and able to print up to 16,500 sheets per hour, with a high level of automation.

Anthony DeStefani, owner and managing director of Allclear says, “Since taking over the Harding Colour in 2016, we have made several changes which have benefited our business, however the addition of the new Heidelberg Speedmaster is the most exciting.

“Previously, Harding had three Heidelberg presses that had served the company well, so it was a natural choice to stay with the Heidelberg brand given the past relationship. The new press will eventually replace all three Heidelberg presses at the Tingalpa site, and we know that this will not only benefit our business efficiency, but the new technology will also provide a superior product to our competitors.

“The new press should be replacing the three machines at Tingalpa, one of

Tingalpa site being prepared for the new Heidelberg press: Allclear managing director Anthony DeStefani

them is already gone and we will have the other two working side by side to see if the new one eats up all of the work.

That is our plan of attack.”

Allclear Print and Signs operates across three sites in Queensland, with its head office in Yeronga, Brisbane and two additional sites in Tingalpa and Townsville.

The company offers a broad range of services including offset, digital, finishing, large format and signage printing along with storage, distribution and mail.

DeStefani says, “Our Yeronga site has three HP indigo presses including B2 10,000, three offset presses and a signage facility. Townsville also has an HP indigo press and offset presses. The site at Murrarie (Tingalpa) has those three Heidelberg presses.” www.proprint.com.au

UPDATE MARCH TIMELINE

Monthly debrief Recapping the major developments since your last issue. Stories are breaking every day at www.proprint.com.au

March issue March 2018

People Technology Business

www.proprint.com.au March 2018 $8.00

OFFSET PRESSES

08 march

MANROLAND LAUNCHES NEW PACKAGING PRESS Press giant manroland is launching the Varioman f:line, a new flexible packaging press, which premiered at a customer event in Germany. The pilot device is an offset gravure hybrid press, which the company says prints films and provides mature design, system integration and comprehensive service and maintenance packages. The company says the device provides high substrate and production flexibility and process integration, making for faster, more efficient and cheaper packaging printing.

13 march APP AWARDED FOR SUSTAINABILITY REPORTS Paper giant Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) is being named as a leader in green practices, after receiving its fifth award from the Sustainability Reporting Awards (SRA) in Solo, Indonesia, a Special Commendation for Early Adopted GRI Standards. The Global Reporting Initiatives (GRI) Standards is the world’s first standardised sustainability reporting structure to be applied internationally, having been instigated by independent standards organisation GRI last year to replace earlier guidelines. The organisation recommended business take on early adoption of the latest GRI Standards, which would be effective from July 1. APP, which is a major supply partner for Australian companies Solaris Paper and Paper Force, applied the latest standards in developing its 2016 Sustainability Report published last year.

14 march OKI UNVEILS SYDNEY DEMONSTRATION CENTRE Oki Data Australia has launched its new print solutions demonstration centre in Macquarie Park Sydney, which is double the size of its previous site.

The demonstration centre was launched

by Alex Kawamura, managing director, Oki Data Australia and New Zealand and is set up at its Australian headquarters.

Big iron on the march Latest developments for the king of print STAR BUSINESS

MBE Parramatta Networking, developing new revenue streams, servicing customers, all key to growth

Break into new markets with Fuji Xerox Iridesse™ and White Dry Ink.

OPPORTUNITY

Digital Packaging Smithers Pira says digital packaging production represents big opportunity

ALSO INSIDE... $8.00 (inc GST)

Comment: Designer blues Business: LinkedIn sales Tech Guide: Digital cut-sheet

Kodak says the Nexfinity is set to become the most versatile sheetfed digital press available

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Registered users get access to premium content 10 ProPrint April 2018

12 march KODAK LAUNCHES NEXIFINITY DIGITAL PRESS Kodak is releasing a new digital press, the Nexfinity press, which the company says by building on the success of the of its predecessor the Kodak Nexpress, is set to become the most versatile sheetfed digital press on the market. Kodak says the press will change how printers evaluate what can be run on digital, with low running costs, higher speed and dynamic imaging. The machine is said to be built with Dynamic Imaging Technology, a patented Kodak innovation for digital printing. Kodak says the technology works by applying algorithmic adjustments to specific areas of an image, which optimizes image quality and consistency based on the image content in each area. The company says the result, for example, produces crisp text, hard lines, soft skin tones on the same page, whether it is for one print or millions. Kodak says with a new high resolution and multi-bit LED writing system, the press produces the broadest range of applications, including direct mail, commercial print, publishing, and packaging. The press is also said to include seamless integration into workflow and finishing solutions meaning it is optimised for a printer’s production.

13 march PEAK DIGITAL BUYS EPSON SC80600 Wide format specialist Peak Digital is installing an Epson SureColour Solvent SC80600, with the family owned business saying it was after a printer that could match specific needs for colour quality.

The Melbourne based company says it was looking for environmentally friendly technology that could specialise in signage and décor. Andrew Robertson, director at Peak Digital says, “We strive to deliver high quality printing, personalised service, competitive pricing and a fast turnaround but the emphasis is on quality. Peak Digital required a printer that could accurately match reds and orange as closely as possible, a near match just would not be acceptable for our clients so this printer had to be good. After viewing samples we made our minds up that the Epson SC80600 was the way to go. The SC80600’s ability to print either white or metallic silver was also a big contributing factor in our decision.” Epson says the press is designed to produce flexible high value signage quickly, easily and at minimum cost. The company claims the press suits a variable workflow with low to medium production volumes and can be used with a wide range of media.

www.proprint.com.au

UPDATE

Eye Spy Signs has installed a new Durst Rho 163 TS, and has retired its screen printing activity as a result

26 march

EYE SPY INVESTS IN NEW DURST Hobart printer Eye Spy Signs has installed a new Durst Rho 163 TS, and has retired its screen printing activity as a result. The company has also invested in a new Zund flatbed cutter. John Howard, managing director and owner of Eye Spy says, “We had a need to get ahead of others in the industry and to increase our efficiencies.

Its primary use will be as a digital road sign printer. The Durst Rho 163 TS allows us to skip a step in the manufacturing process, which makes us more efficient.

The press is also fully backed by 3M. Road signs require a 12 year warranty and this printer is able to deliver that. The printer is the second in its generation. The 163 TS as opposed to previous generations will print in full colour whereas previously, the colour gamut was limited. And we can use it for other jobs besides road signs, we can print other signs. It is not replacing another press, but we do not need to screen print signs anymore, so we have got rid of our screen printing capacities. Because the signage is digitally printed, we can dispatch on the same day.”

MATRIX FRAME OPENS AUSTRALIAN CENTRE Silicone-edge graphic system and framing supplier Matrix Frame is in the process of starting up its new warehouse in western Sydney, with the company making its Australian debut at the Visual Impact signage show in Brisbane in late April. The Silverwater site is the company’s fourth distribution centre, following others established in the Netherlands, US and China. Matrix Frame makes and sells aluminium frames and LED light boxes, the company is currently seeking distributors and resellers in Australia and the Pacific region. David Cross, general manager for Matrix Frame Australia says, “Matrix Frame makes a framing system that holds tension fabric in place. We have two kinds of customers: people with their own printers who are able to manufacture panel faces, and people who put it all together and pass it on.”

14 march STARLEATON BUYS UNISCREEN AUSTRALIA Printer supplier Starleaton has completed its acquisition of screen printer supplier Uniscreen Australia.

Early this year Starleaton had talks with Uniscreen owner and CEO Ross Clarke to take over their Australian distribution.

Starleaton says for the last few weeks its team have been undergoing extensive training on the new range to begin the immediate introduction to their customers.

The company says existing customers of Uniscreen should see a seamless transition to Starleaton. Ben Eaton, CEO of Starleaton says, “Starleaton has always been brand focused. We needed a transfer paper and they offered a high quality product so we decided to take it on and entered discussions with Uniscreen. We have completely absorbed them, the stock and sites have already been transitioned. It can only be a positive. We are growing the business and are excited about introducing a new range to our customers. Coldenhove are the industry leaders and inventors of digital sublimation transfer printing papers, so to be able to add their range to our current offering is a real bonus for us.”

www.proprint.com.au

27 march

20 march

22 march ALLKOTES LAUNCHES 3D OPTIX Allkotes is now offering 3D Optix, a patented lens technology for offset printing, which the company says is the first of its kind to be offered on the Australian market. Allkotes says the new technology enables printers to combine shapes or patterns into the background of a design to create 3D illusions on offset printed sheets, along with having the ability to shift colour or flip from colour to colour in selected areas. Darren Delaney, business development director at Allkotes says, “It is the latest product on our market place. A client can print on an offset printed sheet, there is a process after that and a 3D optix film is placed over it. It can be used for promotional material, we have done jobs for companies such as 3M. It has a lot of different applications, whether it is used for direct mailing or promotional work. This is our official launch, we have had a lot of interest come in now. We have already completed a dozen jobs with 3D Optix before. It is a simple process. For offset printing with a lot of customers, 3D has needed plastic but to take that away can only be beneficial and open up the possibilities for what offset can do.”

PEARCE NEW PRESIDENT AT LIA QLD Digital printing consultant Gavin Gyles (right) is stepping down from his position as president of the QLD Lithographic Institute of Australia, with Brendan Pearce (left), QLD territory manager for Kodak taking on the role.

Gyles says, “I have held the position for about three years, it was time for me to step down. I still will be working within the LIA, I am taking the treasurer role.

We have a strong committee now and it was time for me to step aside. I still will be quite actively involved as treasurer, doing things such as planning events. My main job will be getting new membership.

Brendan was the vice president and he has been on the committee for quite some time. We like to have someone who has been on the committee for a few years, and it is also about whether you have the time. We are all volunteers. We had a meeting last night and I was quite proud to see some good people.”

26 march PRESS GIANTS IN BLACK Offset press giants Heidelberg and KBA are finally shaking off the residue of the devastating impact of the GFC, with latest figures for both companies showing a sustained improvement. All offset press manufacturers were shredded by the GFC, which arrived at the same time as the internet took off. Orders collapsed, and most of the big five struggled as a result. Heidelberg was saved by state intervention, manroland went broke, was split in two and sold off successfully, KBA downsized significantly. In Japan Ryobi took over the Mitsubushi press manufacturing operation. Web offset press sales are now running at 10-15 per cent of the pre-GFC era, while sheetfed sales are significantly reduced, although by nowhere near as much. Heidelberg’s latest figures show incoming orders for third quarter 16 percent up on previous year, Group sales match previous year’s level at €1.66bn despite, gative exchange-rate effects, and its operating result (EBITDA) improves once again to €105m.

Web offset press sales are now running 10-15 per cent of the pre-GFC era

April 2018 ProPrint 11

UPDATE MARCH - APRIL TIMELINE 03 april 28 march HP LAUNCHES FIRST FLATBED LATEX Imaging giant HP is launching the HP Latex R Series, its first flatbed Latex printing system, as the flatbed boom continues. The new rigid Latex printing technology enables latex printing on multiple surfaces. The company says it is the first solution to produce totally odorless prints with eco-friendly, original HP Latex water-based inks. It says it will enable print service providers to expand their offering and enter new markets.

According to HP the Latex R Series brings vibrant colours into the rigid printing world, and pioneers white ink capabilities with the introduction of HP Latex White Ink. The HP Latex R series brings speed and quality to a wide range of rigid materials, such as foamboards, foam PVC, cardboard and glass. Unlike UV printing technology, which HP says creates a thick layer of ink that completely covers the material, the HP water-based Latex Inks preserve the look and feel of the media.

Not-forprofit mailing house Beehive Industries is expanding into printing

05 april JET TO SELL ASAHI KASEI PLATES Jet Technologies is set to launch Asahi Kasei’s full range of solvent-wash plates, having entered an agreement to be the distributor in Australia and New Zealand.

Jet says it will allow printers to achieve a higher quality image reproduction for their customers, while also reducing waste. This builds on Jet Technologies’ long-term partnership with Asahi Kasei – Jet Technologies first introduced Asahi’s water-wash plate technology in Australia and New Zealand several years ago. That technology is today recognised as one of the leading technologies in the field of labels. Asahi’s solvent wash flexographic printing plates have the company’s patented Clean Transfer technology, which the company says delivers a cleaner ink transfer, a high print quality, and also improves and reduces waste and press wash-ups.

29 march

04 april

BEEHIVE GETS PRINT BUZZ WITH KONICA MINOLTA Sydney based not-for-profit mailing house Beehive Industries is expanding into printing, having been given equipment from Konica Minolta. Konica Minolta has given the enterprise a bizhub 654 including booklet finishing technology along with sourcing a Kodak i4600 scanner with associated training from its partner, ACA Pacific. Beehive was able to launch its programme Beehive2Work, where it has expanded its commercial services, providing employment opportunities for the people it supports. Previously, Beehive used local print shops to print out flysheets, letterheads and other documents. Brendan Lonergan, CEO of Beehive Industries, says, “Faced with such a substantial loss in recurrent funding, there are generally two options: cut services and support fewer people in need; or expand revenues to continue to support as many people as possible.”

AUSPOST RECEIVES A MILLION COMPLAINTS Australia Post indicates it received 1.1 million complaints in the 2016-17 financial year regarding its parcel deliveries, causing the Commonwealth Ombudsman to call for a review of the mailer’s processes.

Complaints from customers examined were about carding, Safe Drop and compensation for lost and missing items.

The Ombudsman says although complaints have declined by 30 per cent over the last two years, it still has cause for concern. In its report on post industry the Ombudsman says, “There have been mixed indicators that Australia Post has improved its services to the satisfaction of clients. On the one hand, complaints to this Office have fallen in recent years which could suggest that Australia Post has improved the management of its complaints. It is evident that Australia Post has taken some steps to manage issues that arose in our previous reports. While the scale of its operations need to be borne in mind, the fact that more than a million people have complained to it is cause for concern.”

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SIGNWAVE OPENS NEW STORE IN PERTH Signage and graphics company Signwave is opening its second new franchise for the year, in Osbourne Park, Perth, with print veteran Barry Boyd and wife Elle Boyd taking the helm. Co-owner Boyd has had more than 15 years production and operations management experience, having originally qualified as a printer at the Glasgow College of Building and Printing. Boyd says, “Until now I predominantly specialised in the self-adhesive label sector and am now looking forward to extending this print, production and business management expertise into signage and display services for clients in automotive, hospitality, events, construction and retail industries.”

Linda Sultmann, general manager of Signwave Australia says, “The market in Perth is dramatically underserviced by a professional sign service.”

Jet has entered an agreement to distribute Asahi Kasei solventwash plates in Australia and New Zealand

05 april

AMWU RAILS AGAINST TAX CUTS While the PIAA has criticised the government for postponing the Coalition’s proposed tax cuts for businesses, the AMWU says it will campaign against the move, blasting it as a means to enrich bosses. Lorraine Cassin, national print division secretary at the AMWU says, “We know that the trickle-down economics of corporate tax cuts is a lie.” Citing existing changes as evidence Cassin says, “We have seen it with the penalty rate cuts in retail and hospitality – we were promised that cutting penalty rates would create more jobs, but all it has done is ripped money out of the hands of the workers and put it in the pockets of bosses.

Hundreds of companies in Australia are not paying any corporate tax at all, and many more are already paying well below 30 per cent. Australia does not need a company tax cut, we need decent wage increases for working people. We will continue to oppose tax cuts for companies and campaign for decent wages for all workers.” www.proprint.com.au

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UPDATE

ONLINE

THE PROPRINT ONLINE POLL

PIAA has We do our own made a training 13% call for submissions on the future of training.

Will you be How do I contributing? contribute?

14%

social media

LinkedIn

www.proprint.com.au/LinkedIn

Yes, great idea 36%

No, waste of time 37%

» Members 2,701 NOTABLE POSTS: » ProPrint: Brisbane printer hits 90 years » Len Townsing: Well done and great legacy. Hard work evolving in the print industry. It’s a new era now with information sharing going beyond print. Best wishes for the future Clark and Wayne McKay.

Twitter

www.twitter.com/proprint » Followers 3,665

Do you attend industry plant tours?

Yes and I would run tours of my own 6% Only to suss out the competition 12%

NOTABLE MENTIONS AND RETWEETS » @PrintInduAus: Thanks to ProPrint for their ongoing support of PIAA lobbying to lower energy costs for print and packaging manufacturers #proprint #PIAA » @SolarisPaper: Great article in @ proprint about our supply partner, @AsiaPulpPaper being named as a global leader in green practices, after receiving its fifth award from the Sustainabiltiy Reporting Awards (SRA) in Solo, Indonesia

Facebook

Yes 44%

www.facebook.com/ProPrintAustralia » Likes 1,503

TOP POSTS » ProPrint: Museum of Printing goes

into limbo

No 38%

» Ian Anderson: Need to set up a go

fund me page. We used to have 6 Linotype machines and 1 monotype machine. » ProPrint: Press giants in black » Troy Murphy: It’s not dead just yet!

Web comments Who would make the tea? 16% Would you consider using robots in your print production?

If they don’t replace me Yes 47% 16% No 21%

Get involved. Have your say. Join the debate. Vote now.

This week’s poll is up on the proprint.com.au homepage.

14 ProPrint April 2018

www.proprint.com.au

» Yes, this would be very sad to see history being removed but it has to be financially viable and fair - maybe a new non-profit board needs to started. Less clutter more quality.

This is a great industry with great people producing great work.

– Commenter James Taylor on Museum of Printing goes into limbo » Can’t really believe something like this is worth saving. Who’s the audience? Surely no one with any sense is going to step in to save it can you imagine asking your bank manager for a loan to pay $500k rent for a printing museum? Hard enough to get a loan for a new press. Looks like there’s going to be a lot of new anchors in the Yarra very soon.

– Commenter Banksy on Museum: no clear way forward www.proprint.com.au

UPDATE DOWNTIME

Textile Hub/Oliphan launch

WE WANT YOUR STORIES Any special dates coming up?

Are you celebrating any milestones?

Planning an industry function?

Anyone raising money for a charity?

Large format digital firm Next Printing inaugurated two new ventures, The Textile Hub, a digital fabric printer and Oliphan, an online photo printing service. The event took place at its St Peters site, with tours for visitors around The Textile Hub’s factory.

If you have something that fits the bill, please email in to make sure it gets a write-up on Downtime.

Email wayne@proprint.com.au or call (02) 9806 9344

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1. (l-r) Anastasia Galustova, production coordinator, Zimmerman; David Millard, Lisa Stubbs, Hien Nguyen and Darlene Sodarak 2. (l-r) Julian Lowe, general manager, The Tetxtile Hub and Romeo Sanuri, managing director, Next Printing 3. (l-r) Lawrence Horsburgh, national account manager, Kodak Australasia; Andrew Oskar, general manager, Next Printing and Matt Ashman, sales manager, Durst 4. (l-r) Nobuto Nishizawa, industrial design manager, Next Printing; Karen Le Roy and Dominic Le Roy, managing director, Designteam 5. The crowd gathered at the site 6. Demonstration of Pathfinder cutter during a tour of the Textile Hub 7. (l-r) Mia Mather, Hendra Wandi, senior SAP basis consultant, Goodman Fielder; and Linda Mather, key account manager, TNT 8. Pranil Chandra, head of marketing, Oliphan, speaks on the new venture www.proprint.com.au

UPDATE DOWNTIME

Spot Productions hosts LIA Qld visit 2

Spot hosted clients and LIA Queensland members on a tour of its Pikemba facility, and its brand-new 10-colour RMGT 9 Series press.

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1. Simon Carmody, Spot, with the new press 2. (l-r) Alisha Clarkson, Freedom Aged Care; Helma Ambachtsheer, Spot 3. Bernard Cheong, Cyber, shows off a sheetf for the RMGT 9 Series 4. (l-r) Nathan Gardner, Konica Minolta; Chad Lemming, Nova Press, Sienna Lemming, Kim Lemming, Yury Lemming 5. (l-r) Peter Carmody, Spot; Louisa, Orora; Mark Wilcox, Platypus 6. (l-r) Liz Hodson, Izzey Creative; Simon Bennett, Spot 7. (l-r) Donna McGuire, Spicers; Glenn Rogers, Queensland Health 8. (l-r) John Aldridge, Dave Guyatt, Spot www.proprint.com.au

DOWNTIME UPDATE

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9. (l-r) Alan Atterton, Eckersley; Cec Dahl, Grafika Links Queensland 10. (l-r) Mark Mulheran, Spot, Johnathon Gleadhill; Top Dog Advertising 11. (l-r) Gordon Anthonisz, Gecko Consults; Tony Gallagher, Special Binding Service 12. (l-r) Robbie Conomos, Cornerstone Press; Gary Munro, Vital Paper 13. (l-r) Michael Tiernan, Andy Sutherland, Fuji Xerox; Brendan Pearce, LIA 14. (l-r) Michael Leins, Gary Wood, Ricoh; Simon Rowbottum, Salt Design 15. (l-r) Kenny Burridge, Alisha Clarkson, Freedom Aged Care 16. (l-r) Todd Robinson, Ashneel Pratrap, Platypus 17. (l-r) Bernie Hoskings, G2PSD; Peter Carmody, Spot

April 2018 ProPrint 19

UPDATE DOWNTIME

LIA Qld..... continued 19

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25 18. (l-r) Duncan Marsden, TAFE Southbank, Peter Carmody, Spot; Simon Rowbottum, Salt Design 19. (l-r) Tim Laidlaw, Tony Gallagher, Special Binding Service 20. (l-r) Mark Jackson, Spot 21. (l-r) Terry Mays, G2PSD; John Aldridge, Spot 22. (l-r) Jeff Victor, Spot, Graham Crawford, Spot; Suzy McLucas, Spicers; Kenny Burridge, Spot 23. (l-r) Dave Guyatt, Spot; Ely Twiggs, Bronwyn Smith, Nicola Careedy, Colourwise 24. (l-r) Bill Bassingthwaighte, Phil Leonard, Earoji 25. (l-r) Mel Ireland, LIA; Peter Carmody, Spot; Bernard Cheong, Cyber

20 ProPrint April 2018

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UPDATE COMMENT

Qwerty keyboard Emritus Professor at Rochester Institute Frank Romano traces the history of the Qwerty keyboard that we use today FRANK ROMANO

Q

WERTY describes the keyboard layout of English-language keyboards based on the 1874 typewriter. It takes its name from the first six characters of the keyboard’s top row of letters. The basic layout was designed by Christopher Latham Sholes for the Sholes-Glidden typewriter. It was said to be designed to minimise typebar clashes and remains in use on computer keyboards today.

Because it was the first successful mechanical writing machine, its key layout became the standard.

Sholes was the 52nd person to invent the typewriter, but the only one to call it that. He struggled for six years to perfect his invention, making many trialand-error re-arrangements of the original machine’s alphabetical key arrangement to reduce typebar clashes.

In 1873 Sholes’ backer, James Densmore, sold manufacturing rights for the Sholes-Glidden ‘Type Writer’ to E Remington and Sons, and within a few months the keyboard layout was finalised by Remington’s mechanics.

The Qwerty layout allows many more words to be keyed using only the left hand. In fact, thousands of English words can be keyed using only the left hand, while only a few hundred words

22 ProPrint April 2018

144 years in the making, and designed for a leftie, the digital world is using a Victorian concept

can be typed using only the right hand.

This is helpful for left-handed people. I contend that Sholes was left-handed and got revenge for every left-handed person who would ever live.

The Qwerty layout became popular with the success of the Remington No 2 of 1878, the first typewriter to include both upper and lowercase letters, via a shift key. The original model was all caps.

The keys are not on a standard grid and each column slants diagonally due to the mechanical linkages. Each key is attached to a lever, and hence the offset prevents the levers from running into each other and this staggered arrangement has been retained by computer keyboards.

Typists who learned on these machines learned the habit of using the lowercase letter L for the digit one, and the uppercase O for the zero. The exclamation point, which shares a key with the numeral 1 on modern keyboards, could be reproduced by using a three-stroke combination of an apostrophe, a backspace, and a period. The 0 key was added and standardised in its modern position early in the history of the typewriter, but the 1 and exclamation point were left off some typewriter keyboards until well into the 1970s.

The first machines typed only capital letters. The Remington No 2 offered both upper and lowercase by adding the familiar shift key. It is called a shift because it actually caused the carriage to shift in position for printing either of

two letters on each typebar. Electronic keyboards no longer shift mechanically when the shift key is pressed, but its name remains.

Many alternative keyboards came and went. Professor August Dvorak set out to develop the ultimate typewriter keyboard once and for all. Dvorak’s home row uses all five vowels and the f ive most common consona nts: AOEUIDHTNS. With the vowels on one side and consonants on the other, a rough typing rhythm would be established as each hand would tend to alternate. Another alternative was Lillian Malt’s Maltron keyboard in the 1960s.

Several alternatives to Qwerty have been developed over the years, claimed by their designers and users to be more efficient, intuitive, and ergonomic.

Nevertheless, none has seen widespread adoption, due to the sheer dominance of available typewriter keyboards and training.

When Ottmar Mergenthaler was laying out the keys for the Linotype he counted the pieces of type in a printer’s typecase. Thus he had a separate set of keys for caps and lowercase arranged by letter frequency use in the English language. He was the first to find Qwerty as a problem.

Thus, in a computer age, we type on an antiquated, illogical keyboard arrangement created by a failed Wisconsin newspaper publisher who was left handed. We are doomed to use this keyboard until voice recognition supplants keyboarding.

www.proprint.com.au

COVER STORY

Currie Group heads to Albury and Adelaide

Latest stops let local printers see integrated printing and finishing in mobile showroom

W

ith a nationwide footprint Currie Group serves print business in every part of the country, and recognises that daily pressures on today’s printers can make it difficult to take time out to get to the big city showrooms. With its long proven eye for the needs of the market the company invested in a mobile showroom, in the form of an expandable rig, which it takes to regional towns and cities during the year.

Next stops on the schedule are Albury and Adelaide, the former on Wednesday May 9 and Thursday May 10 and the latter two weeks later May 23 and 24. The Albury location is the Atura Hotel, Albury while the venue for Adelaide is the West Adelaide Football Club. The mobile showroom will be open from 9.30am to 5pm on all four days.

Bernie Robinson, managing director, Currie Group, says, “We have had the mobile showroom for 13 years. We are taking the 2018 Roadshow to Albury and Adelaide, with plans to take it to Perth before the end of the year. It is

24 ProPrint April 2018

Going local: The Currie Group mobile showroom is on its way to Albury and Adelaide

big, colourful, and we are happy with it. With its own generator we can pull up anywhere, it has air-conditioning too. For local printers it gives them the opportunity to spend time assessing the latest digital print and finishing technology, and to talk to Currie Group staff about the opportunities that technology presents for their own businesses.”

Printers from Albury and Adelaide will be able to see the latest single line production solution, which has the HP Indigo 7900 digital colour press integrated with a Horizon 200 Series bookletmaker.

Currie Group says the HP Indigo and Horizon inline combo, which made its world debut at PacPrint 2017 in Melbourne last year, delivers end-toend productivity and solutions, and is an illustration of automated printing.

Phillip Rennell, sales and marketing director, Currie Group, says, “The Horizon booklet maker takes the sheets from the HP Indigo and, in one operation, stitches, folds and three-way trims, to deliver a finished product onto the conveyor at the far end, all without a single touch point.

“It is optimised print production operating at the highest efficiency with no possibility of human error. For print business owners and managers it enables them to go to market with unparalleled speed. Digital printing with automated inline finishing means going from digital file to finished product in one pass.”

The roadshow tour to Albury and Adelaide comes straight off the back of its appearance at the Visual Impact expo in Brisbane, and then two days at the Currie Group offices in Brisbane.

Bernie Robinson says, “Visual Impact Brisbane has been a successful exhibition for Currie Group and we would like to take this opportunity to thank our customers and industry members that joined us over the three days.

“We now take Currie Group’s Mobile Showroom to the bitumen on our 2018 Roadshow, trucking the very latest technology around the country to provide print service providers with hands-on access to the very latest solutions.”

For printers in Albury and Adelaide those solutions also include the Horizon CRF-362 creaser folder. It is designed to handle the requirements of creasing and folding digital colour output across a wide range of light and heavy weight stocks, coated or uncoated. The system can handle paper weights up to 400 gsm for creasing without folding, 350 gsm with folding.

Currie Group is the industry’s largest equipment and consumables supplier, and has installed more than 200 HP Indigo digital colour presses in the country in both A3 and B2 format. It is one of only two HP Indigo suppliers to be authorised and accredited to run its own training centre for Indigo, and recently graduated its 500th HP Indigo printer at Dashing Print in Sydney. www.proprint.com.au

FOCUS ENERGY

Going solar There is an energy crisis, so printers are choosing power from the sun

By Sarah Simpkins

F

ACED with surging energy costs, more Australian printers are choosing solar power as their weapon of choice. In the past few months, we have seen business after business make the move, from paper embellisher Tafeda to innovative Melbourne printer Excel Australasia to regional printer Industrial Colour Print, and Instant Colour Print from Canberra. The Newcastle based Jennings Print is the latest, installing a system with a total capacity of 65kwh.

These companies now have some self-sufficiency in energy, and even putting power back into the grid. They may not suffer in any power outages whether unintended or not, such as those which impacted on SA printers last year.

The horror stories from printers using the grid supplied power are consistent; Fishprint, a Melbourne based printer, cut its energy use by a third but still saw its bills nearly double.

A printer in Sydney, Rip Graphics, said

its energy company wrongly charged them for two accounts for three years.

North Queensland outfit Lotsa Print saw its bills rise by 27 per cent - despite consumption decreasing by 18 per cent.

A Melbourne based printers faces an increase from its current $120,000 to $360,000 per annum once its existing contract expires.

Despite Australia being energy resource rich, energy prices are rising rapidly, for business and the public.

Energy intensity is a measure of how efficiently energy is used for a nation’s economy, calculated as units of energy per unit of GDP. The higher energy

intensity is, the higher the price of converting energy into profit. Last year, Australia’s manufacturing industry was reported to be the most energyintensive in the world and was the only developed country to see an increase in energy consumption between the years 2000 and 2015, according to research from the International Energy Agency.

In 2000, Australian manufacturing had the third highest energy intensity level at 15.3 megajoules, a figure which rose 1.5 per cent to become the world’s highest at 15.52 megajoules in 2015.

The country’s manufacturing energy consumption is actually lower than

Financing CEC says there are four ways in which a business can finance their solar panels, which all can affect the panels’ tax treatment. All Australian businesses can consider conventional ownership or leasing.

Alternatively, if a printer is based in NSW, they also have the option of solar power purchase agreements (PPAs) or ownership financed by environmental upgrade agreements (EUAs). Ownership financed by cash or loans is still the most popular model for investing in Australia but it requires upfront payment, does not suit tenants and maintenance becomes an extra responsibility for owners. Contrarily, leasing is new to the Australia, but popular in other markets. Similar to any standard equipment lease, a solar company would install and maintain the panels for a minimum period, usually five years, while requiring 26 ProPrint April 2018

customers to pay by the month.

Dam says, “One of the issues people think there is with solar is that you have to own real estate, but it can add value to a property so a landlord will probably be willing to work with you. We own our property, we were able to take out a standard equipment lease with NAB and for the five years under the lease, we were able to arrange for maintenance from the installers. They clean it, make sure it is working at full capacity and that keeps the bank happy and fulfills the warranty.”

Power purchase agreements, PPAs, are like leasing in that they have no upfront cost, but where solar leases require payment by month, payment for PPAs is made per kilowatt-hour. Under a PPA, a company agrees to install and maintain a system while the customer will buy an

agreed amount of electricity generated by the system at an agreed price, usually lower than retail prices for electricity off the grid.

Typically the agreement will last for 10 to 15 years. This method of financing is generally targeted towards customers with a large demand of electricity as they pay for what they use, so printing businesses may like to consider it.

Environmental upgrade agreements, or EUAs, let a financier led money to a building money for upgrades, including solar installation. Repayments are made as an EUA charge, which councils pass on to financiers. This way loans are secured to the property rather than the owner and council involvement adds security, allowing funds to be accessed at a competitive rate and for a longer term. Under these agreements, there are incentives for both owners and www.proprint.com.au

ENERGY FOCUS

that of other major manufacturing nations such as the US, but is inefficiently used.

The ACCC estimates that in 2016-17, Queenslanders will be paying the most for their electricity, followed by South Australians and people living in NSW. Victorians will have the lowest electricity bills. This is due to a range of factors including usage patterns in various states, including the prevalence of gas usage in Victoria in particular.

The ACCC has urged action on the energy crisis, with the results for its current inquiry into power pricing due in June. The print industry is also

tenants. EUAs provide for tenants to share some of the costs of the upgrade where the tenant will benefit from it, which may appeal to owners. Tenants cannot be charged more than the amount they save in operating costs from the upgrade, so tenants can save money and benefit from solar power. EUAs are limited by NSW state government legislation and are only given out by a small number of local governments.

It may be necessary to obtain building and planning approval through your local council. A common barrier to businesses installing solar systems is building ownership, but you may be able to form a long-term agreement with your landlord or body corporate. www.proprint.com.au

Green power: printers making the move to solar

seeing the negative effects of energy.

A ProPrint poll in August last year revealed that nearly three quarters of all printers say there needs to be legislation to fix the energy crisis.

Faced with a tsunami of concern from its members, Printing Industries Association of Australia (PIAA) has called for urgent action on the energy crisis from the government. Andrew Macaulay, CEO of PIAA had an audience with prime minister Malcolm Turnbull at a small business conference, power was at the top of his agenda. He grilled the energy minister and his Labor shadow on the nation’s top rated TV panel show Q&A. One way printers are fighting back, is with renewable energy. In the last 10 years, solar panels have dropped dramatically in price. In Australia, about $US9bn was invested in large wind and solar projects last year, up 150 per cent from the year before.

Rooftop solar installations increased by an additional 1.078 gigawatts, a 50 per cent increase from the year before.

Teresa Del Castillo, marketing manager for Tafeda, one of those that has gone down the solar route, says, “There is the constant going up of electricity and not knowing where it is ending. Secondly, we are currently waste free: recycling, reusing pallets and cartons, and we have customers bring back as many products as possible, and we are also using LED lights. We want to reduce waste and help with global warming.”

Sun to power

Solar panels generate power by converting energy from the sun to power. The conversion takes place within the material the panels consist of and in most cases systems are connected to the mains power supply through an inverter. Users can either install a stand alone system and have it operating with batteries or a back-up generator to supplement the supply, or connect the system to the grid and have the electricity it generates convert from direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) via an inverter. Panels can be connected to a central converter or multiple micro-inverters installed directly under solar panels.

Businesses with systems use their solar power before using electricity from the grid, and when the panels are not generating enough power to meet load requirements, power is then drawn from the grid. For systems with a battery backup, the inverter regulates the charge of batteries, which can store energy for use at night or during blackouts. The output of a system depends on its capacity, size and location, and can range from five or 10 kilowatts (kW) up to a few megawatts (MW). Printers are already encouraged by the PIAA to adopt sustainable

practices, through Sustainable Green Print (SGP), the industry body’s environmental certification program which focuses on waste and relevant environmental laws, but Macaulay says they should not have to invest in solar when their taxes already pay for energy infrastructure.

Macaulay says, “The impact of energy affordability and availability on small business remains a critical issue in the sector, and printers are not alone in feeling the potentially devastating impact of the energy crisis on their business. We have an immediate need for action on policy for energy security.

The impacts of electricity and gas costs are negative. Printing Industries actively supports any policy that assists printers install solar but we only see it as being made only necessary because of lack of action from the government on a federal and state level on the energy crisis. Rising costs and lack of security in energy have led printers to install and invest in infrastructure, that they have technically already paid for through their taxes.”

Last year ProPrint spoke to Canberra based digital printer Instant Colour Press (ICP) about how solar power has given it serious savings in their first year since installation. The company claims that it has saved a third off energy costs in 18 months.

Suzannah Walton, general manager for ICP says, “Our power bills come to $18,000 a year, and we are saving $8000-9000 a year. It has cut our bills, although we do have more energy in summer than we do in winter.

“We have 123 panels. We own half of our complex and the panels cover about two thirds of that roof area.

“Dave (owner of ICP) and I are aware of the environment and our impact. We recycle, we are conscious of doing the right thing and passionate about reducing our carbon footprint.

Additionally we have also the bills we are saving, it is a big investment but it will be paid off in four or five years.”

Most recently, Sydney embellisher Goldcraft Embossing installed 144 solar panels, with 40 kilowatts in capacity in February. In the two months since it made the move, the company says it has already seen an impact on its power bills.

Mark Steuer, director and co-owner of Goldcraft says, “We were prompted by rising energy costs. It is a fairly big investment but we intend to stay in this building for the next five years, the way it works out it will be paid off in around four to five years.

“We are taking steps to make our company more energy efficient.

“We have saved around 20 per cent off our last electricity bill. Right now at this time of the year, the days are Continued on page 28 April 2018 ProPrint 27

FOCUS ENERGY Continued from page 27

getting shorter and in October through to February we will generate more energy, but even now we are finding that it is worth it.

“I would predict that it will continue to save roughly about 20 to 25 per cent off our power costs. The early signs are looking good.”

Paper embellishing house Tafeda had 39 panels installed, with 10.5 kilowatts capacity.

Marketing manager Del Castillo says, “Our roof is in a good area that is northern facing with lots of sunlight so we can have a good use for that energy.

One side faces north, another south and they slope. We have only used a third of that space so we could still have more panels that face north in the future. We hope to be self efficient eventually, so we will see if we decide to install more panels or if we want to have batteries and store the energy we are creating, whatever is more convenient.“We are putting more energy into the grid than we are using right now. It is helping the electricity company and we are seeing the economic benefits there, not straight away as it is an investment over five years.”

Excel Australasia’s headquarters in Melbourne now run on solar power, which drives all of their print production.

Ken Williams, CEO of the company says, “The solar panels covers the whole roof area of our factory. They are powering the manufacturing, and all of our servers at our main business. And we have back-up batteries. Solar is good for the culture of the company as a whole. If we can help the environment while we do business, great. It will also reduce the cost of power over the medium and short term, and the cost of the investment will be recouped.”

Across the board, no printer ProPrint has spoken to seems to want to install battery systems until prices drop, with the exception of Excel Australasia.

Batteries have been forecast to become

Clean energy: solar panels at Excel Australasia

more affordable as prices are estimated to drop 10 to 15 per cent. Capacity is also set to improve. Late last year South Australia installed the world’s largest single battery with Tesla and Neoen.

Following that, Victoria has signed a deal with Tesla to install a smaller 20-megawatt battery and Queensland is looking into installing one larger than 100 megawatts.

Dropped

Harry Dam, owner of The Wrapping Company says, “The cost of solar has dropped dramatically and it always will, it is now even cheaper. Whatever we choose to do as a business, it cannot be a burden to the company, it has to become a positive. The cost of batteries outweigh the cost of putting energy back into the grid and the kilowatt hours that are used, stored and saved are still not higher. Other businesses may be able to justify it in the case of blackouts. In 12 months, battery prices may drop and some are fantastic, some of them are being made in Thailand.

The price will probably drop and their capacity will go up as the demand for them grows and they are made more.

Right now we do not have to use a backup source for power - if we go down, we can just stop printing for a while, it is not a matter of life or death like it would be in say, food storage.”

Steuer of Goldcraft says, “We are a highly energy intensive business, with

the embossing machinery constantly going. The panels cover about a fifth of our energy needs. We do not have battery storage yet, but it is not necessary, we use up all of the energy with our equipment going all day.”

Del Castillo of Tafeda says “It is fantastic to see how much energy is being harvested. We have more energy in summer, in winter we will probably have less. When we are working next year, we will not have enough energy to use, which is why we need a battery.

But it is expensive, so we are doing it in steps rather than one big hit.”

In addition to environmental and financial benefits, printers are also seeing a positive effect for business.

Dam says, “It is part of our marketing strategy. Most of our customers are glad to be working with a carbon neutral company, it is a real justification for choosing to use our services. It has not affected costs, it may even reduce them in the future which customers could see. It is an all round win win.”

To other printers looking to install solar, Dam says, “It is a no brainer, it you are looking to stay in your premises for longer than five years. I just gave another printer advice on it, they were able to work with their landlord. Here where we are in Braeside, there are hundreds of factories and more and more of them are getting solar. Maybe in the future we could have a microgrid among ourselves with a collective battery, where we do not have to rely on the main grid and be independent.”

Del Castillo notes, “With the panels, we were able to support local business.

It was a young entrepreneur partnered with another business who set it up. We are always happy to help locals.

“If the panels help our image, that is a bonus but it is not our purpose. We did it because it is the right thing to do.

If customers see that we are using renewable energy and are excited about that, that is great.”

Ken Williams says on Excel’s solar panels, “It is having a positive effect on the business. It is the small things you Continued on page 30

Where do you start So if you are interested in jumping into the solar movement, where do you start?

The Clean Energy Council (CEC), the peak body for solar and renewable energy companies in Australia has some tips. It recommends that a business looking to install solar should understand its electricity consumption and choose the right size system for its needs, understand how costs may change, do the research on technology, products, 28 ProPrint April 2018

warranties and guarantees; and finally check with your electricity distributor early to understand what is required for a grid connection.

The association also recommends only using installers accredited with the CEC solar retailer code of conduct.

Costs can depend on a number of factors, including government rebates and support schemes, the number of panels, roofing and existing

infrastructure, whether you choose a stand-alone system or connect to the grid.

Estimated system prices could be anywhere between $12,000 to $170,000.

In particular CEC recommends clarifying whether government rebates and grid connection costs are included, grid connection in particular having the potential to add up to 20 per cent to total system costs.

There are also government schemes in place to help

finance systems, including renewable energy certificates for small and large scale systems, feed-in-tariffs and clean energy finance corporation along with grants from state and loca govts.

A cost analysis report from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), which forecast the global costs for onshore wind and solar power to drop, having already decreased by 25 per cent for the last eight years. www.proprint.com.au

FOCUS ENERGY The Wrapping Paper Co Melbourne based manufacturer The Wrapping Paper Co installed its panels four years ago. The company covered their entire roof with 230 panels, with 60kw capacity. Tom Dam, owner of Wrapping Paper Company says, “Last year for the first five months we did not pay one cent for power. Our total power costs have reduced by almost 70 per cent since installation. “ We installed in 2014, it went live in March. A finance broker from Macquarie Bank, who had money from green initiatives

for businesses, approached us.

We were interested because we have always been environmentally conscious.

“We ended up being financed through NAB. It was about $100,000 at the time and it is probably about 40 per cent cheaper now.

“We do not pay for power for about six months of the year and generate more than we can use. The cost of the system should be paid off in March next year.”

Dam has made a spreadsheet which compares the costs of his

$12,000. In that year, we would have saved $16,000.

“We are now saving each year more than what it costs to pay back the lease. In one year, it costs less than $18,000. We also now have an increased rebate for power going back into the grid, which is about 12 cents per kilowatt hour.

“It is reducing our environmental impact in that we are creating more power than what we use. It is carbon positive rather than carbon negative and that to us is a good thing.”

energy bills with the panels against estimated costs without, see below.

He says, “We are still paying off the lease and it is tax deductible, but we can save in the future when it is paid off.

The estimated costs for our energy in 2014 were around $28,000, but our total costs with solar came to $16,000.

Roughly, we would have saved $12,000. The year after that in 2015, I estimated our costs without solar would come to around $28000 and they actually came to around

Wrapco Solar System Comparison, Costs & Savings Months

Actual 2012 Costs

Actual 2013 Costs

Actual 2014 Costs

Estimated 2014 Costs

Actual 2015 Costs

Estimated 2015 Costs

Actual 2016 C

Av 29% increase on 2012

Solar installed Feb 2014

without Solar @ +5%

with Solar Installed

without Solar @ +5%

with Solar Ins

January (Annual Break)

$1,553.86

$1,772.24

$1,780.67

$1,860.85

-$470.04

$1,953.89

-$1,304.3

Install February 2014

$1,612.04

$2,085.23

$1,279.51

$2,189.49

$500.53

$2,298.97

-$113.33

March

$1,895.66

$1,988.35

$1,149.36

$2,087.77

$1,149.36

$2,192.16

$541.51

April

$1,807.59

$1,989.62

$1,029.23

$2,089.10

$769.82

$2,193.56

$495.01

May

$1,808.75

$1,894.80

$2,486.63

$1,989.54

$1,402.21

$2,089.02

$966.72

June

$1,722.55

$2,394.81

$2,473.01

$2,514.55

$1,732.90

$2,640.28

$1,093.8

July (Carb Tax in 2012)

$1,338.34

$2,362.40

$1,365.79

$2,480.52

$1,850.75

$2,604.55

$1,596.2

August

$1,841.34

$2,468.60

$1,193.94

$2,592.03

$2,007.45

$2,721.63

$1,525.2

Sept (Carb Tax out 2014)

$1,715.52

$2,562.07

$966.99

$2,690.17

$1,641.15

$2,824.68

$1,049.8

October

$1,769.70

$3,493.08

$1,244.66

$3,667.73

$689.07

$3,851.12

$1,608.1

November

$1,936.41

$1,666.65

$933.67

$1,749.98

$1,112.86

$1,837.48

December

$723.17

$901.86

$754.68

$946.95

$75.21

$994.30

Total Yearly Spend

$19,724.93

$25,580.71

$16,658.14

Wrapco Solar System Comparison, Costs & Savings

Savings compared to actual 2013 Electricity Costs & or 5% pa increased price

Months

Actual 2012 Costs

$8,922.57 Wrapco Solar System Comparison, Costs & Savings

Actual 2013 Costs

Months Actual 2014 Costs Estimated 2014 Actual 2015 Costs 2015 Costs Assumption: electricity costs have increased by 5% average pa.Estimated ContinuedAustralian from page 28 Costs Av 29% increase on 2012 Solar installed Feb 2014 without Solar @ +5% with Solar Installed without Solar @ +5%

s

2014

PV System do not see:(Annual the staff are excited$1,553.86 that the January Break)

$1,772.24

$26,858.70

$12,461.27

$28,201.63

$10,568.3

$10,200.56

$13,119.44

$15,740.36

$15,012.3

Actual 2014 Costs

Estimated 2014 Costs

Actual 2015 Costs

Estimated

Solar installed Feb 2014

without Solar @ +5%

with Solar Installed

without So

$1,780.67

$1,860.85

Actual Actual2012 2016Costs Costs

with Solar Installed

Actual 20132016 Costs Estimated Costs

Actual 2014 CostsEstimated Estimated 2014 Costs Actual 2017 Costs 2017 Costs

Act

Solar +5% Avwithout 29% increase on@ 2012

with Solar Solar installed Installed Feb 2014 without Solar without @ +5% Solar @ +5%

with

January (Annual Break) $1,780.67 $1,780.67 57kw Solar system provided $1,860.85 -$470.04 $1,953.89 -$1,304.33 $2,051.59

by True Value Solar 230 Panels - Seraphim (12 year warranty, 30 year life expectancy), 6$1,553.86 x Inverters - SMA Sunny 10kw$1,772.24 3ph (5 year warranty, 20 year life-$610.79 expectancy) Estimatedcompany 2014 Costs cares Actual 2015 to Costs 2015 Costs Actual 2016 Costs Estimated 2016 Costs Actual 2017 Costs Estimated 2017 Costs enough make aEstimated TotalInstall system cost $88,000 plus 5 year maintenance program. Payback time aproximately 5-6 years based on current savings. Less than 5 years if electricity price increases $2,189.49 are taken into account.

February 2014 $1,612.04 $2,085.23 $1,279.51 Install February $1,612.04 $2,085.23 $1,279.51 $1,279.51 $2,189.49 $500.53 $2,298.972014 -$113.33 $2,413.91 -$491.15 difference, to with seeestimated that Installed we are reducing without Solar +5%performance Solar @ +5% with231Kwh Solar average Installed with Solar Installed without Solar @ +5% Initial@ system at 233Kwh per without day. ActualSolar generation performance per day. without Solar @ +5% March $1,895.66 $1,988.35 $1,149.36 $1,149.36 our $2,087.77 $1,149.36 $2,192.16 $541.51 $2,301.76 MarchOur $1,895.66 $1,988.35 $1,149.36 $2,087.77$0.00 Total power generated to dateaccount 323,332 Kwhmanagers footprint. $1,860.85 -$470.04 $1,953.89 -$1,304.33 $2,051.59 -$610.79 $2,154.17 seeing customers and April $1,807.59 $1,989.62 $1,029.23 $1,029.23 are going out $2,089.10 $769.82 $2,193.56 $495.01 $2,303.23 $1,854.64 Apriland $1,807.59 $1,989.62 $1,029.23 $2,089.10 $2,189.49 $500.53 $2,298.97 -$113.33 $2,413.91 -$491.15 $2,534.61 Notes are excitedreduced about it. Their May $1,808.75 $1,894.80 $2,486.63 $2,486.63 they $1,402.21 $2,089.02 $966.72 $2,193.47 $546.02 2016 July Feed in tarrif $1,989.54 from 26c to 6c also changed power supplier to lower priced Powershop. Feed in has now gone back up to 11.8c per Kwh in 2018. $2,087.77 $1,149.36 $2,192.16 $541.51 $2,301.76 $0.00 $2,416.85 May $1,808.75 $1,894.80 $2,486.63 $1,989.54 communications material being energy efficientiscompressor & replaced ducted aircon with split systems. This reduced purchased 2017 power by over 10,000 kwh.

June $1,722.55 $2,394.81 $2,473.01 $2,473.01 2017 installed LED lighting, $2,514.55 $1,732.90 $2,640.28 $1,093.87 $2,772.29 $867.63 $2,089.10 $769.82 $2,193.56 $495.01 $2,303.23 $1,854.64 $2,418.40 June $1,722.55 $2,394.81 $2,473.01 $2,514.55 produced in the most environmentally July (Carb Tax in 2012) $1,338.34 $2,362.40 $1,365.79 $1,365.79 $2,480.52 $1,850.75 $2,604.55 $1,596.24 $2,734.77 $1,353.93 $1,989.54 $1,402.21 $2,089.02 $966.72 $2,193.47 $546.02 $2,303.14 friendly wayTax butinat2012) no additional cost.

July (Carb $1,338.34 $2,362.40 $1,365.79 $2,480.52 August $1,841.34 $2,468.60 $1,193.94 $1,193.94 $2,592.03 $2,007.45 $2,721.63 $1,525.23 $2,857.71 $1,135.05 “We know our industry $2,514.55 $1,732.90 uses a lot of$2,640.28 $1,093.87 $2,772.29 $867.63 $2,910.91 August $1,841.34 $2,468.60 $1,193.94 $2,592.03 Sept (Carb Tax out 2014) $1,715.52 $2,562.07 $966.99 $966.99 power. Who $2,690.17 $1,641.15 $2,824.68 $1,049.87 $2,965.92 $743.96 knows where commerce $2,604.55 $2,480.52 $1,850.75 $1,596.24 $2,734.77 $1,353.93 $2,871.51 October $1,769.70 $3,493.08 $1,244.66 $1,244.66 energy $3,667.73 $689.07 $3,851.12 $1,608.19$966.99 $4,043.68 $720.25 prices in two years?

Sept (Carb Taxwill out be 2014) $1,715.52 $2,562.07 $2,690.17 $2,592.03 $2,007.45 $2,721.63 $1,525.23 $2,857.71 $1,135.05 $3,000.60 energy sources are $1,769.70 a way to November $1,936.41 $1,666.65 $933.67 $933.67 Alternative $1,749.98 $1,112.86 $1,837.48 $659.91 $1,929.36 $801.13 October $3,493.08 $1,244.66 $3,667.73 $2,690.17 $1,641.15 $2,824.68 $1,049.87 $2,965.92 $743.96 $3,114.21 risings costs and it$75.21 is December $723.17 $901.86 $754.68 $754.68 safeguard against $946.95 $994.30 $2,449.44 $1,044.02 $225.41 $3,667.73 $1,608.19 $4,043.68 $720.25 $4,245.86 $1,666.65 $933.67 $1,749.98 paid off November in three to$689.07 five years. It$1,936.41 has$12,461.27 a $3,851.12 Total $28,201.63 Yearly Spend $19,724.93 $25,580.71 $16,658.14 $16,658.14 $26,858.70 $10,568.33 $29,611.71 $7,146.08 $1,749.98 $1,837.48 Savings compared $659.91 $1,929.36 $801.13 positiveDecember effect on $1,112.86 our staff and our $723.17 $901.86 $754.68 $946.95$2,025.82 to actual 2013 Electricity Costs & or 5% pa increased price 2013 Electricity $15,012.38 $8,922.57 $10,200.56 $13,119.44 $15,740.36 $18,434.63 $8,922.57 Savings compared to actual Costs & or 5% pa increased price$19,043.38 $946.95 $75.21 $2,449.44 $1,044.02 $225.41 $1,096.22 community. Our industry uses a lot of $994.30

Total Yearly Spend

$19,724.93

power – let’s be the leaders and make$28,201.63 a $26,858.70 $12,461.27

$25,580.71

$16,658.14

Assumption: Australian electricity costs have increased by 5% average pa. $10,568.33 $29,611.71 $7,146.08 $8,922.57 Savings compared to actual 2013 Electricity Costs & or 5% pa increased price

difference.” $10,200.56

$13,119.44

$15,740.36

PV System

$15,012.38

$659.91

$2,449.4

$19,043.38

$18,434.63

$26,858.70

-$470.04 $2,154.17$1,860.85

$500.53$2,189.49 $2,534.61

$2,2

$2,416.85$2,087.77 $1,149.36

$2,1

$2,418.40 $769.82$2,089.10

$2,1

$2,303.14$1,989.54

$1,402.21

$2,0

$1,732.90

$2,6

$1,850.75 $3,000.60$2,592.03

$2,6

$2,007.45 $3,114.21$2,690.17

$2,7

$4,245.86$3,667.73 $1,641.15

$2,8

$2,025.82 $689.07$1,749.98

$3,8

$2,910.91$2,514.55 $2,871.51$2,480.52

$1,096.22 $946.95

$1,112.86

$1,8

$26,858.70Total savings to $31,092.30

$75.21

$23,946.22 $10,200.56

$99

$55,4

$12,461.27

$28,2

$13,119.44

$15,7

$31,092.30

Total savings to 2018

$23,946.22

$55,489.02

$10,200.56

$1,9

57kw Solar system ar life expectancy), 6 x Inverters - SMA Sunny 10kw 3phelectricity (5 year warranty, 20have year life expectancy) Assumption: Australian costs increased by 5% average pa. provided by True Value Solar 230 Panels - Seraphim (12 year warranty, 30 year life expectancy), 6 x Inverters - SMA Sunny 10kw 3ph (5 year warranty, 20 ye

s based on current savings. Less than 5 years if electricity price increases are taken into account.

Total system cost $88,000 plus 5 year maintenance program. Payback time aproximately 5-6 years based on current savings. Less than 5 years if electricity price increases are ta

average per day.

Initial system performance estimated at 233Kwh per day. Actual generation performance 231Kwh average per day.

PV System

Total power generated to date 323,332 Kwh ers - SMA Sunny 10kw 3ph (5 year warranty, 20provided year life expectancy) 57kw Solar system

by True Value Solar 230 Panels - Seraphim (12 year warranty, 30 year life expectancy), 6 x Inverters - SMA Sunny 10kw 3ph (5 year warranty, 20 year life expectancy) Less than 5 years if electricity price increases are taken into account.

Total system cost $88,000 plus 5 year maintenance program. Payback Notes time aproximately 5-6 years based on current savings. Less than 5 years if electricity price increases are taken into account.

2016 July Feed in tarrif reduced from 26c to 6c also shop. Feed in has now gone back up to 11.8c per Kwh inestimated 2018.

Initial system performance at 233Kwh per day. Actual generation performance 231Kwh average perchanged day. power supplier to lower priced Powershop. Feed in has now gone back up to 11.8c per Kwh in 2018.

s. This reduced purchased 2017power power by over 10,000 Total generated to kwh. date 323,332 Kwh

2017 installed LED lighting, energy efficient compressor & replaced ducted aircon with split systems. This reduced purchased 2017 power by over 10,000 kwh.

back up to 11.8c per KwhNotes in 2018.

017 power by over 10,0002016 kwh. July Feed in tarrif reduced from 26c to 6c also changed power supplier to lower priced Powershop. Feed in has now gone back up to 11.8c per Kwh in 2018.

2017 installed LED lighting, energy efficient compressor & replaced ducted aircon with split systems. This reduced purchased 2017 power by over 10,000 kwh.

30 ProPrint April 2018

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PROFILE STAR BUSINESS

Spot thriving following surviving Building up a business just before the GFC presented challenges, which were topped by the floods of 2011

S

pot Productions (Spot) has weathered two of the biggest storms of the past decade - the GFC, and Queensland Floods emerging as a high-volume, high-turnaround successful commercial printer in an era where other companies fell to the wayside.

The secret, managing director Simon Carmody explains, is its focus on a service-based model as opposed to product-based model.

“I had a business 12-13 years ago, Image Studio and Print, before it was sold to a national company. My father Peter Carmody and Mark Jackson had a small printing business with seven staff, so when I cashed in my chips way back then we bought the site here in Pinkenba 11 years ago, and increased the staff to 15.

“The original Spot was registered in 2003, but I joined in 2008. We picked exactly the worst time in history to bring up a company, right in the middle of the global financial crisis (GFC).”

32 ProPrint April 2018

factfile Age: 2005 Staff: 60 Owner: Simon Carmody Strategy: Service based model

Minimal staff turnover at Spot

That was not the only curveball the company was thrown, as after emerging from the worst of the GFC it was hit a second time, by the freak weather occurrence which left most of Queensland under water, costing Australia’s GDP $30bn.

Carmody explains, “What affected us more was the Queensland Floods in January 2011. There were no catalogues, no interstate deliveries, all of Queensland stopped for three, four months and a few of our customers went broke.

“It was an awful time and we do not want to ever see it ever again.

“Fortunately we spent wisely and we do not waste our money as such, but it was the hardest time I have ever been in business, and the hardest I have worked in 35 years.

Since the company weathered the twin storms it has shown consistent growth, Carmody says, “Over the journey we have now expanded into seven sheds and 60-odd staff plus casuals, and invested heavily in ourselves.

“When I first joined we were doing around $1m a year in turnover, around $90,000 a month, and now do around $1m per month. It has been tremendous growth over the past 10-11 years.

“Personal touch and service is the key. We are an on-demand printer with loyalty all over Australia. I am still in charge of sales and face-to-face with customers all the time. We deliver nationally every day, and it is all about service. It is why people chase us up.

“We have had double digit growth over the past 10-11 years, but we put it down to good old-fashioned service, mutual respect internally and externally

for our customers, and if someone rings or emails you, you have be happy they contacted you, because they certainly have choices.

“There is no real secret, the harder you work the luckier you get.

“My door is open all the time is a catchphrase you hear, but it is open, and if anyone has an issue we will sit down and talk about it. A lot of customers are my personal friends now, and we catch up socially. We have a flat management structure, and do not have a high-turnover of staff.

“Our staff levels peak in October, for Christmas time, but 60 is a number we would like to keep it to. I do not need any more printing people, just auxiliary staff to keep up with demand.

“We distribute nationally from Queensland, but also have partner printers in Sydney and Melbourne for urgent work. We may look at expanding into those areas with softer shops, keeping our heavy machinery in Queensland.”

Spot says it made a conscious decision to keep with single manufacturers for both its offset and digital segments, though that may change in the future for its digital production.

“We are strong in offset and digital.

In offset we have been loyal to Ryobi.

Eleven years ago Bernard Cheong and his family supported us when we started off fresh, and over that time we have had five Ryobi presses supplied by Cyber, in various sizes, from 750s up to 920s. Our offering for cutsheet digital has been all Fuji Xerox. We are happy with those two leading brands.

“As it stands now we are running out of space here, so our next big acquisition will be a large site.” www.proprint.com.au

STAR BUSINESS PROFILE

Spot is primarily an offset printer, with 17 per cent of its work in cut sheet digital, 8 per cent in wide format, and the remaining 75 per cent in commercial offset print.

Carmody explains “I do not like the catch phrase one-stop shop, but if a customer wants two million catalogues, along with posters and installs, we can do the lot for them. In sign and display, we print on rigids across corflutes, taxi backs, all visuals, everything within the wide-format space.

“For our big retail customers, we can do cut-sheet digital with variable data, long catalogue runs, along with sign and display, all installed for them.”

As for where Carmody sees growth, “There is future growth in on-demand obviously, even the paper suppliers will tell you that. We are in that field with our online ordering and U-store, the growth is in catalogue work and cutsheet digital. While traditional magazine work for offset printers is shrinking, catalogues are increasing, along with variable data printing, barcoding, target mail.”

Spot has also grown its commercial print volumes, now installing the country’s latest ten-colour press, an RMGT 9 series perfector, to ease production times.

Carmody explains, “We have installed the latest press from Ryobi, a 920 10-colour, and it has been fantastic. I do not like using the phrase exceeds expectations, but it took us two and a half years to decide, even looking at other brands. Capital investment was a big point .

“The 37 inch press has been a gamechanger in Australia, with the other leading suppliers now changing their equipment size to catch up with Ryobi.” www.proprint.com.au

Left: Simon Carmody, managing director, Spot Produc tions Above: The new Australia’s first RMGT ten-colour 920 Series A1 perfecting press

Below: The old Heidelberg platens still doing the job

In Carmody’s words, “This generation of press has exceeded our expectations with makeready times, drying, colour management, and the ease of productions. I can see they have picked the best pieces off Ryobi and Mitsubishi for RMGT. We had three presses, we retired two of them when the new press came in as it is so productive. What used to take us two days now gets completed in four-five hours. We bought it to take pressure off our print room, we have not needed any overtime in the since its installation.

“From July to December last year we would not have been able to print another sheet, and now we are finding that we could do more in less hours. We have found another 140/150 hours of production time a month that we can utilise when the time is right. What the investment means for us is that we can

add 30 per cent to our turnover when the timing and sales are right.

“Given it is not our busiest time of the year, even now as things start to speed up our bottlenecks are getting plates made on the press, and getting the jobs out the door.

“We will wait for the dust to settle in April, May then have a chat with our plate supplier, Agfa, about another platesetter.

“The only finishing work we do not do on site is embellishment, so embossing and foiling, though we can do it to a small degree if needed, and perfect binding, as we focus on stitch work. So we have the full suite across die cutting, drilling, and the other necessities that keep workflow going, we try to keep as much as we can internal. We do miles of die cutting, and it seems to be one of our sweet spots, with three die cutters that chug along during shifts.

“We do a little bit of soft packaging work, but mostly leave it to our competitors in Queensland that we know and love who have those specific capabilities. It is not something we are looking into.”

After seeing itself through those two major crises in its early years, Spot says it has made an effort to recession-proof its business.

Carmody says, “In 2011 we decided to make ourselves recession-proof to a certain degree, and had to look at companies and industries that are recession proof.”

“Aged care, education, hospitals, there are plenty of areas outside of on-demand print work, which will always need print.

“Opportunity is everywhere. They say it is a shrinking market but there are a lot of opportunities in retail, whether it is shopping centres, supermarkets, and other players coming to Australia that will need catalogue printing and distribution.” PP

April 2018 ProPrint 33

FOCUS BUSINESS PRESSROOM

Points of profit Electronic LED signage is catching the eye of ad agencies, but lots of potential remains to be tapped from today’s printed displays.

By Peter Kohn

A

nyone visiting a shopping centre these days cannot fail to notice the number of digital signs now around, replacing printed ones. And shopping centres are not alone – digital signage in bus shelters, billboards, menu boards abound, and everywhere you look, pixels are encroaching on print.

Where does this leave printers? Does it mean the boom in wide format is over? Not quite. There are still many new applications and opportunities for display print. But you have to be smart about it, and plan ahead carefully, and much of that planning will focus on the right technology choices.

EFI’s flexible, rigid and fabric magic Andy Yarrow, director, Asia-Pacific, at EFI, sees the wide-format inkjet printing the market continuing to grow and the demand for POP signage remaining strong.

“Although emerging digital signage is beginning to find a place, there is still a healthy market for printed signage using wide-format inkjet printers,” argues Yarrow, “particularly as print technology providers such as EFI continue to develop applications that highlight the durability, vibrancy, and visual appeal of a printed sign”.

Yarrow says today’s print service providers and display producers continue to invest in inkjet printers, 34 ProPrint April 2018

Stadium Signs client Alice Bennett from Mango with a lifesized PVC model of a cow for the Dairy Australia campaign

such as the EFI Vutek range, for reasons of quality and speed, as these are the two essentials for maintaining margin and profitability.

“Once just a niche market, the growth of high-quality digital textile printers is being acknowledged by the growing market base of users.

Dye-sublimation opportunities are also being acknowledged as a viable alternative to the processes available for manufacturing signs and displays on flexible materials. It is also proving a strong contender in the segment for interior décor where fabrics play an integral role across a range of applications.”

Yarrow highlights three EFI offerings that facilitate that path to profitability in the age of digital electronic signage: The EFI H1625 LED is a mid-level production printer designed to maximise image quality with four-colour plus optional white and grayscale print capability, and with simple, automated operational and maintenance features. It prints on an extended range of flexible and rigid substrates, producing nearphotographic image quality, saturated

colours and smooth colour gradations with true eight-level variable-drop grayscale print capability to increase customer satisfaction.

Meanwhile, the EFI Vutek LX3 Pro printer is designed for POP productivity, with high production throughput, higher volumes, and shorter lead times, while maintaining image quality. It has the versatility to support a very broad range of media and applications.

And on the fabric route, Yarrow recommends the EFI Vutek FabriVU 180/340 series for profitable soft signage graphics printing.

Yarrow says, “The FabriVU series everything you need to produce highquality images at true production level speeds - all while keeping your running cost low and profit opportunity high.”

These 1.8m and 3.4m wide aqueousbased soft signage printer models enable ‘dramatic four-colour printing with a wide colour gamut and deep colour saturation for exceptional fabric display graphics’, he says, adding, “They feature resolutions up to 2,400dpi and four-level grayscale www.proprint.com.au

BUSINESS PRESSROOM FOCUS

“You cannot have any heat in the printing process itself as the heat is what transfers the ink to the substrate and unlocks the vibrancy of the inks.

As such, both a printer and a heat press, either flat or calendar press, are required to produce signage products using dye sublimation,” he says.

Staking its faith in dye sublimation as a revenue earner for wide-format printers seeking more versatility in their offerings, Epson has recently released its dye-sublimation flagship, the Epson SureColor F9360. This is a 64-inch dual-head single-vendor turnkey solution that represents outstanding speed with superior quality and an exceptional gamut, says Warby.

Epson’s S-Series range of ecosolvent signage printers is also proving extremely popular with businesses due to its superior image quality, ease of operation and low running costs.

Epson’s flagship 64-inch roll-to-roll signage printer, the SureColor SCS80600, is Pantone licensed with coverage of up to 98.2 per cent.

3D graphics, textiles in Mimaki mix

printing with 4pL to 18pL drop sizes and are ideal for the production of flags, banners, backlit displays and other high-end display graphics.”

Epson’s dye-sub route

“Electronic signage is growing, without a doubt”, says Ryan Warby, national business development manager, sign & display, at Epson Australia, “ but it still only represents a portion of the total signage market.

With the inherent limitations of digital signage – size, cost, power supply to name a few – printed signage is going to continue to be the go-to solution for many of the most impactful and important signage applications.

“The key for wide format printers is to continue to refine the quality of their existing offerings – colour accuracy, durability, value-for-money and other factors – while expanding their range of print-based offerings to include some of the newer applications, such as fabric, metal and plastic printing.”

So what other applications of wide format printing can print companies embrace to make up for www.proprint.com.au

display advertising that is being lost to electronic?

Warby believes that one of the key technologies to consider investing in is dye sublimation. “It is a digital process that involves placing liquid ink onto transfer material. By using heat and pressure, the ink is heated to high temperatures and turned into a gas before being embedded into the fabric or substrate. By using the dye sublimation technique, the transferred images have excellent durability.

They will not fade on soft fabric and have superior durability properties on certain rigid materials, such as metal and plastic.

“Dye sublimation is essentially a two-step process of printing the design onto a transfer material and then using heat to transfer the design from the transfer material to the substrate. The type of printer technology used for the dye sublimation printing process is the MicroPiezo inkjet print head developed by Epson. MicroPiezo head technology is used as it does not produce direct heat when ejecting the ink onto the substrate,” explains Warby.

Brad Creighton, national marketing manager at Mimaki Australia, sees electronic media in all its forms continuing to grow, he says, “But fundamentally that medium is TV marketing, what I call in-your-face attention grabbing. The consumer has been bombarded with this through television, and now digital devices for many years and the impact and relevance of response becomes somewhat diluted. Mimaki is creating wide format solutions for the signage market that have a wide application appeal.

“Yes we can produce general signage and marketing material that electronic media are getting a greater market share of. But what we can offer that electronic signage does not is versatility of medium. We now have solutions in the LED UV inkjet space that have the ability to print on a wide variety of materials, both treated and untreated, including PVC, PET, ABS, acrylic, wood, glass, ceramics, boards, metals, soft fabrics, and leathers. These solution are about the handle and the finish of design on various materials from a design aesthetic,” he notes.

Creighton points out that Mimaki recently introduced a printer/cutter, the 1.6m-wide UCJV Series in LED UV format, that can create labels and stickers and cut those in a kiss-cut or die-cut form. These are ideal for printing POP displays, such as window Continued on page 36 April 2018 ProPrint 35

FOCUS BUSINESS PRESSROOM

Continued from page 35

graphics with two different views of design. The graphic outside the store can be different from the graphic inside. “We do this by printing five layers simultaneously – a black layer in the middle followed by two outside white layers, then two more outside graphic layers that can be different designs. This can be applied to a large area of glass, such as windows, or a small area, giving versatility.”

The Mimaki UCJV300-160 cut-andprint device provides more than a simple print-and-cut experience, argues Creighton. “It goes beyond extraordinary to deliver an aweinspiring range of applications and versatility. The UCJV300-160 model is the only 1.6m LED UV printer offering inline cutting capability, and featuring white ink, enabling four to five layer printing. It creates stunning transitional backlit panels that ‘change’ colour schemes with the light source.

Print and cut – or cut first then print – labels, decals, and window clings, vehicle markings, and so on, all on one unit. Flexible UV-cured inks expand the possibilities and offers capabilities.”

Mimaki also has the ability to proof and print directly onto clear packaging materials because of a white option. In some cases, these will be the actual production material, giving the proof a real sense of finality for the customer.

“Versatility of solution is the key to compete against electronic signage,” Creighton emphasises. “If the converter has multiple other solutions that electronic at this stage cannot penetrate, that versatility is key to staying ahead of the game in the wide format market.”

Creighton explains that Mimaki has 36 ProPrint April 2018

Applications: Wide format print able to be used for many purposes

three market sectors – SG Sign Graphics, IP Industrial Product and TA Textiles and Apparel. The growth in both IP and TA has been significant over the last five years, he reports. “We now offer exciting solutions in the direct textile market. The Tx300P-1800 and Tx300P-1800B offers five different ink types for textile printing, including sublimation dye ink, dispersion dye ink, textile pigment ink, reactive dye ink and acid dye ink. In the normal course of operation, one ink per printer must be selected. But now textile producers will be able to use the two most popular ink types in one single printer.

“The Tx300P-1800 and Tx300P1800B direct-to-textile printers will be able to simultaneously load TP400 textile pigment ink for cotton and hemp materials, as well as Sb420 sublimation dye ink for polyester material. Since neither ink type generally requires steaming or washing in the post-treatment process, there is no need for a large space, a huge quantity of water, or special expertise in handling the printed fabric. All that is required is the printer and colour fixing equipment, making these entrylevel printers suitable for use by designers, fabric workshops, and educational and research institutions, interior designers and more.”

Roland DG rolls out UV Jacob Higgins, marketing and event coordinator at Roland DG Australia, sees the emergence of electronic signage as undoubtedly having an impact on print signage. “However, print companies should view the two

forms of signage as complimentary, and look to how the two technologies can be used together to deliver messages with greater impact. For example, integrating printed signage such as hanging banners and wall graphics with digital screens in a shopping centre campaign.

“There are many opportunities for print providers to learn about nonprinted displays, and offer this as part of an overall signage solution by working with electronic signage suppliers,” says Higgins.

There are a range of applications that print and signage companies specialising in wide format printing can produce in order to grow their revenue streams, he explains. This can be achieved by adding UV printing or dye sublimation technology to their offering, or by utilising their existing printing equipment. This allows these companies to cater to the varying needs of their customers, or bring on board new customers.

“UV printing technology offers users direct-printing capabilities onto a virtually limitless choice of substrates and three-dimensional media.

Combining CMYK, white and clear UV inks, means that you can create a real visual impact on giftware, awards, and packaging prototypes, as well as promotional products like thumb drives, pens, phone and tablet covers, laptops, golf balls, keyrings, skateboards, and much more,” he says.

Higgins sees dye sublimation technology as ideally optimised for the production of fabrics and coated surfaces for interior décor applications.

Continued on page 38 www.proprint.com.au

FOCUS BUSINESS PRESSROOM

Continued from page 36

With sublimation transfer printing, businesses can offer their clients a comprehensive range of solutions for transfer onto a wide variety of polybased fabrics, including curtains and blinds, carpets and rugs, upholstery, cushions, tablecloths, and bed linen.

“Print-and-cut heat transfers can be used to customise clothing and accessories such as hats, t-shirts, sportswear, promotional items and bags. A vast range of heat transfer materials are available and aside from a print-and- cut device, all you need is a

New applications: wrapping boats can produce striking graphics

heat press to transfer the graphic to the item permanently. If a business can offer a range of products that meet the multiple needs of customers, then they have the potential to become a one-stop shop.

A signage company that is a single point of contact for a company’s signage, display and promotional needs, becomes invaluable to them, as it minimises workload in a climate where businesses are becoming busier and increasingly under time and budget constraints.”

Sheer range The sheer range of applications that are becoming available through the developments in technology is heartening for print businesses.

As the straightforward wide format print becomes ultra competitive, and as LED signage muscles into some existing applications, it is in new applications where the money will be made. It is up to print businesses to get on the front foot and get out there with them.

Continued on page 40

DIVERSIFYING YOUR DISPLAY PRINTING  AGFA - Anapurna H3200i is a hybrid device with a 3200mm wide image, sixcolour plus white LED system, capable of printing onto heat-sensitive boards and roll materials up to 129 sq m per hour.  CANON-OCÉ - The Colorado 1640 offers a solution for the upsurge in timedependency in wide format work, with versatile applications, low operating cost and robust production platform.

UVgel technology on the Colorado uses a process in which ink begins as gel, is then heated to liquid, jetted, then cooled to re-gel for the laying down of ink. It eliminates adhesion and feathering that come with liquid ink.  EFI - The Vutek LX3 Pro 3.2m hybrid flatbed/rollfed printer is designed for high production throughput, higher volumes and shorter lead times while maintaining image quality, as well as the versatility to support the widest range of media and applications.

38 ProPrint April 2018

 EPSON - The S-Series range of ecosolvent signage printers offer superior image quality, ease of operation and low running costs.  FUJI XEROX - From Fujifilm’s Accuity flatbeds to the larger-scale Incas, there is a comprehensive range to combat the attrition of electronic signage.  HP - The vendor’s Latex range, such as the HP Latex 3600, has been described as the UV beater for larger print providers generating signage, decoration, and displays.  MIMAKI - The Mimaki UCJV300-160 cutand-print device is a 1.6m LED UV printer offering inline cutting capability, and featuring white ink, enabling four to five layer printing.  MUTOH - The new ValueJet 1638UH is a 64” (1625mm) LED-UV roll printer able to print flat sheets to 15mm thick, with production speeds up to 22.7sqm per hour.

 NEOPOST - Neopost takes an HP Latex 570 wide-format machine that prints display media, then add sdynamic finishing, using technology such as the Aristomat TL high-speed board cutter.  RICOH - the Pro T7210 offers productivity at 50sqm per hour (standard mode) or 100sqm per hour in high speed mode. Its broad application range focuses on the industrial sector; interior decoration and building materials, especially rigid and heavy, including glass, wood, aluminium composite and metal.  ROLAND DG - The LEF Series UV printers range enables printing directly onto a vast array of objects and materials, including 3D items up to 100mm thick.  SCREEN – Manufactured by Inca in the UK the W3200UVII flatbed UV printer is a heavy duty printer for serious production with a high level of versatility and flexibility.

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FOCUS BUSINESS PRESSROOM

Big events, dynamic signage LED digital signage is on the march, so how does this print business approach the challenge With LED signage encroaching on its contracts at major sports fixtures around Australia, iconic Melbourne display print and logistics outfit, Stadium Signs, has refined its strategy.

Pamela Hammond and her partner Leigh Onions, co-directors of the company located at Ferntree Gully in Melbourne’s outer east, report that LED displays are now installed to levels 1 and 2 of the MCG, as well as the perimeter, for which Stadium Signs formerly provided the printed signage as a major part of its summer income.

The transition from static signwriting and printed signage to scrolling LED displays has been a long one, but it is now really starting to bite, says Onions. Electronic Some members of the Stadium Signs team, from left, Moon Nguyen, Leigh Onions, signage is not an option the company is Pamela Hammond, Denne Harris, and Andrew Dorwood. looking at wading into itself, because it is Stadium Signs has had an almost “If we just cried about the invasion of an entirely different model in terms of complete turnover of staff in the past five LEDs, that would be no use at all,” she skillsets and content provision. years. Onions is now the solitary signwriter quips. “Our motto has been, ‘let’s be But the demand for static signage from at his company, while a small, highly creative, let’s be different’. And we really corporate clients and ad agencies has been versatile staff comprise fields as diverse as love what we do!” buoyed by the overall increase in business photography, graphic design, and “The reality is that if we simply ignored generated by the introduction of new construction. A project typically takes the onset of LED, our business would be sporting codes. For example, at the MCG around six weeks from concept to install. down two-thirds from where it was several and other venues, there is a growing Aiding the turn in this new direction has years ago,” she calculates. demand for signage in the outfield, been the acquisition of a Mimaki JFX 200“Our work at the venues is now far less particularly now with AFLX football 2513 flatbed from Spicers. An Italianlabour intensive,” says Hammond. “Most of introduced this year, joining AFLW in its manufactured Elitron Kombo SD digital it is done at our workshop and installed second season and the ongoing BBL cricket cutter, also from Spicers, performs much of and taken down on the day, such as the series. the 3D manufacturing, and uses a large Boxing Day Test and the One-Day Stadium Signs has evolved into a project range of substrates including acrylic, ACM, International, where we’ll build and dress management company for solutions that foam, Corflute, MDF and PVC. the stage, with activations both on and off include bespoke branding for experiential Hammond confides a special buzz that the field. These are actually more profitable events and launches, as well as the she, Onions and other Stadium Signs staff for us because they’re one-offs.” traditional media backdrops, banners and experience as they enjoy special access to Custom installations have included lifesignage. the MCG, one of the upsides of being a sized models of cows for Dairy Australia, “We also do a lot of work inside the MCG, contractor bringing their latest selection of and gigantic models of picnic baskets for such as concourses, static signage and fan novel display projects to Melbourne’s Monash University Open Day, and of galleries,” notes Hammond. “There’s a lot grand old stadium and to other venues. of static signage still at the MCG, particularly shoeboxes for Adidas. Stadium Signs Developing new projects from a library of manufactured one of the jumbo ‘X’ logos team-related signage for cricket and AFL.” prepress templates, the Stadium Signs used at the launch of AFLX football in Onions explains that the newer codes workshop is a flexible operation, ready for February this year. generate a large following, with new teams orders that are limited only by the The test of a valuable install is durability starting up, all adding to the growing list of imagination, says Onions. in all kinds of outdoor conditions, and clients. But Stadium Signs has also been “The hardware we use is excellent and flexibility – how easily and quickly it can be able to keep the focus on its established suits our purpose very well, but in the end, flatpacked for transport to and from a accounts, some of which span its 30 years the printer is an output device and the venue. of operations, by providing a more flexible cutter is a tool. My philosophy is that ‘If you Leigh Onions has a strong background in concept of signage on demand. can’t imagine it, you can’t build it’.” bespoke signage. As a signwriter by trade, Manufacturing bespoke installations, That creatuve approach from Stadium much of the work he did was manual but it rather than providing long-term installs, Signs is a pointer for the rest of the industry provided a great grounding for the digital which are not very cost efficient, is the new in the face of the digital invasion. print work now being done. thinking at Stadium Signs, says Hammond.

40 ProPrint April 2018

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April 2018

ProPrint TECHNOLOGY GUIDE Offset Packaging

l l

Six of the latest offset presses for printing packaging Sheetfed and web from the leading manufacturers

PRODUCT PORTFOLIO TECHNOLOGY GUIDE

Offset packaging The latest generation of offset presses are now more than capable of printing packaging, specifically boards.

GOSS SUNDAY VPAK

It is a web press designed for packaging, and Goss says its Sunday Vpak technology makes it easier and more cost effective for printers to excel in short-run applications, and to exceed the increasingly high quality demands of the packaging sector.

The machine for folding cartons, flexible packaging, pre-print and labels, includes quick-change sleeve adapter technology, advanced offset inking, tension management and control systems.

Specialised Goss Sunday Vpak systems are designed from the ground up to allow flexible packaging, folding carton, pre-print and label producers to achieve the high productivity, print quality, efficient process automation and short-run agility advantages by the latest advances in web offset technology.

Quick-change sleeve adapter technology allows infinitely variable repeat settings within the design range of each press model, making it according to Goss fast and simple to match the cylinder circumference to the repeat length for each specific job.

Force loaded cylinders extend the versatility, accommodating a wide range of substrates and calipers ranging from lightweight films and foils to heavy gauge carton board and liquid packaging.

Standard web widths are 850mm 0r 1051mm, on the press that runs at a maximum speed of 365 metres a minute. Print speeds are up to 457 mpm, with web widths from 520mm

Goss Sunday Vpak

to 1905mm. It has quick-change cylinder sleeve adapters for variable repeat, and uses the gapless Sunday press blankets, and bearerless force loaded cylinders.

The high-quality extended ink and dampening train comes with four form rolls, three ink form rolls, and one independent dampener roll. There are independent servo drives, Duotrol continuous film dampening, automated Goss Omnicon controls, a nested plate option to optimise substrate use, and a White Light sleeve layer to reduce sizechange cost.

Goss says its Vpak presses are the widest and most productive web offset packaging option around, at up to 1905mm, and with an ‘infinitely variable’ repeat range. The machines also feature Goss patented gapless blankets, quick-change plate and blanket sleeves and a new specially designed ink train. It will print on substrates, from 36 gauge film up to 30 point board.

HEIDELBERG SPEEDMASTER 106XL

The so called peak performance B1 press from Heidelberg will pump out 18,000 sheets an hour in both straight and perfecting modes, in 0.03-1mm thickness (0.8mm perfecting), with those sheets at a maximum 750x1060mm. Printing up to 1000 micron and UV coating that stock is entirely possible.

Thanks to the larger 75 x 106 cm sheet format, the maximum print format of 74 x 105 cm can now be used

Boards up to 1mm: Heidelberg XL106

in its entirety, which means a larger punching margin for packaging printers and more repeats per sheet for web-to-print gang forms.

The Speedmaster XL 106 achieves new dimensions in productivity thanks to straightforward operation and the interplay between preset functions, ink presettings, simultaneous plate changing with AutoPlate XL, and Prinect Inpress Control. All this makes the press another 20 to 30 percent more productive than the Speedmaster XL 105. Depending on the particular job structure, it can produce between 60 and 80 million sheets a year and change between 90,000 and 100,000 printing plates a year on an eight-colour press.

The press has extensive automation.

It can come with Prinect Press Center XL2, including wallscreen XL (a 54in, 4K status display screen), interactive pad and intuitive multi-view interface.

It also has the latest Inpress Control 2, Autoplate Pro and Pressroom Manager software.

Heidelberg offers conventional highenergy UV curing, low-energy (LE) or LED-UV. LE has cool running and the low replacement cost of the lamps.

Some printers also find that metallics and other special inks work better with LE than LED. Inpress Control will deliever savings on makeready, from 500-plus sheets to 100 to 250. Heidelberg’s push-to-stop concept means you do not have to stop the machine at all. You program it, put the plates on, read the profiles, format it if needed, and then it will start. The only reason you stop is sometimes you have to check the register, depending on what you are printing.

Heidelberg says its Push to Stop concept means that for the first time in the history of offset printing, you can now change jobs fully automated – from the last to the first good sheet, right up to the start of production. The job-oriented Intellistart 2 assistance system delivers efficient job preparation and automatic generation of time-optimised job change.

Continued on page 44

42 ProPrint April 2018

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PRODUCT PORTFOLIO Continued from page 42

KBA RAPIDA 106

With printing speeds up to 20,000 sheets/h (18,000 sheets/h in perfecting mode), KBA says the Rapida 106 is the most productive sheetfed offset press for medium formats. And with its substrate flexibility from lightweight papers to heavy board, from plastic films to corrugated substrates, the performance capabilities are versatile.

KBA says the press has practically infinite configuration possibilities with up to 19 printing and finishing units.

Single and multiple coatings, intermediate drying, numbering, perforating, cold foil application with various levels of automation, printing units after coating – the variations are endless.

It is a similar story with regard to finishing technologies: energy-saving VariDry dryers, HR-UV, or KBA’s own VariDry LED-UV technologies are already common features, also for 4-over-4 perfecting applications.

KBA says the fast-reacting measuring and control systems ensure constantly high print quality and a bare minimum of waste. Highlights are inline quality inspection with QualiTronic Professional, inline PDF comparisons with QualiTronic PDF and colour control based on grey balance with QualiTronic Instrument Flight.

With DriveTronic SPC, you can change all the plates on the press simultaneously. And as the changes are performed parallel to other make-ready processes, the contribution to makeready time is effectively zero. Flying Job Change realises job changeovers practically without interruption. It is especially recommended where short runs prevail. DriveTronic PlateIdent detects and identifies the plates as they are mounted on the press and adjusts the register already before the first sheet is printed.

Gentle, air-cushioned sheet transport, automatically convertible perfecting units with special sheet guiding provisions for the freshly

44 ProPrint April 2018

printed reverse, pre-set capabilities – everything has been taken care of. The disengaging of unused inking units reduces roller wear, a print clean function strips the remaining ink from the plate and blanket at the end of a job, and the ErgoTronic console with wallscreen leaves no wish unanswered for the operator.

The parallel functions of the CleanTronic multi-purpose washing systems for blankets, impression cylinders and rollers make for additional time gains. CleanTronic Multi is ideal for mixed operation with alternating ink systems, and CleanTronic UV eliminates waiting times before and after cylinder washing in UV production.

The production management system LogoTronic Professional integrates the Rapida 106 into a local print company Network.

Flexibility: KBA Rapida 106

KOMORI LITHRONE G37

Komori announced an expansion of its Lithrone G37 37-inch offset printing press lineup as a strategy for the package printing market, it offers the same quality and print on demand capability as the Lithrone G40, yet reduces the cost of plates, paper and waste.

According to local distributor Print & Pack the Lithrone G37, the compact press that can produce A1-size products, is the epitome of cutting-edge technologies. Having been shown at international exhibitions such as drupa 2016 in Düsseldorf, Germany, and China Print 2017 in Beijing, China, it

Package printing: Komori G37

has gained popularity in expanding the sales performance of print businesses.

The Lithrone G37 addresses market demands by handling paper thicknesses of 0.8 mm, and is available in 6 or 7 colours with in-line coater configurations for high added value work required for package printing.

Further, the H-UV / H-UV L (LED) innovative curing system, PQA-S (Print Quality Assessment System for Sheetfed), PDF Comparator System and PDC (Print Density Control System) series can also be specified.

The 15,000 (13,000 on 7-color machines) sheets per hour maximum printing speed and stable operation afforded by these systems make the press an advanced package printing system that enables stable quality and prevents printing problems.

Komori says the space saving and optimised cost-performance strategic machine for the package printing market will contribute to greater customer income.

It is available in two to seven unit configurations, and prints at 15,000sph.

Maximum sheet size is 640x940mm with maximum print area 620x930mm, on a sheet between 0.04mm and 0.6mm, with an option to take it up to 0.8mm. A G837P will be shown at Igas in July.

The press has the KHS-AI integrated control system for quick print start-up.

This enables the press to meet the requirements in the publishing and commercial printing sectors, from short turnarounds, diverse printed products and short runs. Colour management can be implemented by including a CMS colour bar on sheets even with 8-up A4 impositions, while total flexibility in layout criteria such as bindery register marks and on-press proofing are further benefits.

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PRODUCT PORTFOLIO ROLAND 700 EVOLUTION ULTIMA

Manroland says it is giving packaging and commercial printers alike, more firepower with their latest incarnation of the Roland 700, the new Roland 700 Evolution Ultima.

Largely unnaffected by the ravages that other sectors of the market have been subjected to, high-end packaging and commercial printers have protected their margins by adding more and more value to their print runs.

Manroland has recognised this and developed the Ultima in response to the changing market demands printers are facing, whether it be higher quality requirements, increased complexity, shorter runs or reduced lead times.

Ultima is aimed at handling all the various coating, printing and foiling processes on high-end packaging and commercial print runs in a single - and more profitable - pass One-pass production, a buzzword for many high-end commercial and packaging printers, is the predominant theme of the Ultima.

Manroland describes Ultima as ‘a press with one or more inline coater or special finishing process’. Ultima can be minimal - with simply an in-feed, coater and a delivery - or it can be highly complex with coating, printing, perfecting, foiling and final coating.

Whichever configuration, OnePass is the common factor.

Among the new developments incorporated in the Ultima platform are a newly designed central console with touch-screen control, a new feeder pile transport that cuts down on waste, new suction belt sheet handling technology for a more even pile contour, all-new dampening units, bearings that significantly reduce vibration and, with sophisticated software for practice-oriented roller washing cycles, even less downtime.

The coaters are standard aniloxflexo-style doctor-bladed units, although now inverted – the negative chamber blade sits at the bottom of the unit, which allows gravity to

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Adding value: manroland Evolution Ultima

feed the duct’s contents to give the blade a full dose of varnish or coating.

With the Ultima, Manroland’s QuickChange coating mechanism is standard. QuickChange allows users to swap one grade of coating or varnish for another in less than 10 minutes.”

The QuickChange system couples with a similar QuickChange wash system that flushes the entire coating unit automatically at the end of a shift, or other user-specifiable interval.

Another feature of the Ultima is the drying units that follow each coater.

These can be either conventional hot air, Infrared, UV or LED. Manroland’s InlineFoiler can also be added into the Ultima coating/printing agglomeration, giving even more scope for added-value sheets. The InlineFoiler occupies two print units, with the first putting down the printable adhesive required for the cold foil to bond to the sheet and the second unit laying down the foil directly onto the glued sheet via the blanket cylinder.

Two final ancillaries can also be added: the InlineInspector system and the InlineSorter. These devices work together to apply a set of user-definable criteria will reject any that do not meet register, colour or other quality criteria.

RMGT 920ST-4

Lower operating costs: RMGT 920

The RMGT 9 series of A1-size offset presses enable high-performance 8-up printing of A4-size. Two model types are available, 940 models with a maximum sheet width of 940mm, and 920 models with a maximum sheet width of 920mm.

RMGT (the combinaiton of Ryobi and Mitsubishi) says features such as a high printing speed of 16,200sph and high printing quality make these presses ideal for printing companies seeking lower costs, high quality, and high productivity.

The press is capable of 8-up printing of international A4 size or letter size, but with significantly lower printing plate costs, power consumption, and space requirements than a B1-size press.

Installation of one LED-UV (or UV) curing unit over the perfecting device and another over the delivery section enables one-pass instant-curing perfecting (920 models only), and the inline coating system adds value to printed work.

Many of the same features as the flagship RMGT 10, including state-ofthe-art sheet transfer technology and a function for quickly and easily checking the roller nip are on its smaller brother, and there is the option of a newly developed press information display with a large 55-inch screen enables the operator to easily monitor printing quality and operating status in real time from the delivery section.

Australian distributor Cyber says the RMGT 940 and 920 models were designed for speed and accuracy. It says the presses provide print quality which comes with lower operating costs, thanks to shorter makeready times, efficient automated plate-changing, and colours that come out exactly right from start to finish of every print run.

Cyber says the press small footprints and energy efficiency give them a market edge for printers in the know.

The RMGT 9 series provides fullcolour, 8-up printing (for the cost of 6-up) which reduces press time, makes for cost-effective paper usage, and lowers wear-and-tear on printing plates.

Colour control stays accurate and efficient, with the added-value of the LED-UV instant curing technology that is environmentally friendly, but also allows curing on all substrates, improving work efficiency, reducing power consumption and eliminating warping of film and other heat-sensitive media.

April 2018 ProPrint 45

VISUAL IMPACT

Visual Impact Bris ADI Displays ADI Displays focused on the company’s portable, modular display system, and TexFrame light boxes, speaking to customers on how they can grow their business with new revenue streams.

William Qian, managing director, ADI Displays, says, “We have been trade signage supplier to the industry for 20 years, and always try to give insights to our customers where opportunity lies for them to offer more to their customers.

The trend in the market is towards fabric, and we have been working hard over the past few years to develop solutions for large-format fabric display applications. We understand how customers want to use them, and develop products that suit them.

“Even if you mainly do other print or

Sharing new revenue streams: William Qian, managing director, ADI Displays consults customers signage/display work, like engraving, the customer you do that task for will eventually need other products. You are in

the industry, you have the contact, and by expanding what you can offer your customer, you can grow your business.”

Currie Group Currie Group had the largest stand of the show, bringing in their Mobile Showroom, having to enter the exhibition hall first to park the truck. Inside was a HP Indigo 7900 Digital Press operating with Horizon finishing equipment inline, with more Horizon and Foliant equipment outside, and Roberto the Robot drawing visitors in.

Phillip Rennell, sales and marketing director, Currie Group, says, “The Horizon booklet maker takes the sheets from the HP Indigo and, in one operation, stitches, folds and 3-way trims, to deliver a finished product onto the conveyor at the far end, all without a single touch point.”

That line was complemented by a range of finishing equipment – Horizon RD-4055 rotary die-cutting system, Horizon

With the Roadshow: Bernie Robinson, managing director, Currie Group SmartSlitter sheet cutter and creaser, Horizon CRF-362 creaser and folder, and Foliant Mercury 400SF laminator.

Bernie Robinson, managing director,

Currie Group says, “It was only a small selection of Horizon products on our stand, but there is a whole array of units, binders, slitters that Currie Group supplies.”

Matrix Frame Matrix Frame, newly launched in Australia, was at the show to pick up distributors for its aluminium frames and light boxes that accept silicone-edge fabric graphics David Cross, general manager, Matrix Frame Australia, says, “Ultimately our goal is to have distributors that take the product in its extrusion form and components and assemble it themselves. We are also offering a reseller service where we will cut the product for them and ship the product to them in an Ikea-style kit with allen keys, to assemble themselves. They will pay a slightly higher price and an assembly fee, but we see it as a launch pad to becoming a distributor, without the initial outlay. ““We only do silicone edge graphic framing systems, and have considered and 46 ProPrint April 2018

Looking for distributors: David Cross, general manager, Matrix Frame Australia (r) with Glenn Woolfrey (l) accounted for everything. Matrix Frame works, you put it together, turn the lighting on and get clear, crisp, even illumination.

“We have the lowest touch time, with the smallest amount of labour to put it together.” www.proprint.com.au

VISUAL IMPACT

bane 2018 Review Multicam Systems Peter Connolly of Multicam Systems, says, “The Trident cutting machine offers a combination of tangential knife, oscillating knife and routing head as well as integrated camera recognition.

“Customers tell us they need greater flexibility, better control over their supply chain and reduced lead times.

“The Trident cutting machine offers all of this through its ability to process a wide variety of products including, foam, corflute, cardboard, plastic and more in either rigid or semi-rigid forms, so pretty well anything that is used in POS and POP displays.

“The Trident cutting machine is the perfect partner for those companies with large format and flatbed printers meaning

Working the Trident: Peter Connolly, Queensland manager, Multicam Systems that outsourcing cutting is no longer required. The machine is the equivalent of hiring an extra employee, without having

to get extra staff on deck and existing employees can be trained to operate the machine.”

Neopost Neopost focused on applications as the central theme of its stand.

Morgan Quinn, national sales manager, Neopost Australia says, “We had some application walls with different products, areas, and markets.

“Interior decoration is a growth area for us; people are printing customised cushions, blinds, upholstery, using latex technology, and all washable.

“Retail has been a strong area too, so the stand has highlighted the different products that can be produced there, like wallcoverings.

“We showcased the Ahlstrom range of spray and up products, you use a spray bottle with water to cover the back of the print or wall, then you can apply it.

Standing by Aristo: Michael Hock, Aristo (l) with Morgan Quinn, national sales manager, Neopost (r) “We had our Aristo flatbed cutter on stand, on which people can produce a range of applications.

We were cutting PVC foam with incredible intricacy and quality, at 800mm per second.”

Optimus MIS For Optimus, Visual Impact was a chance to speak to customers about its flexible management information systems software, Dash, which covers all segments of print.

Nicola Bisset, group managing director, Optimus, says, “We has been supplying MIS to the industry for 35 years. In 2010 we changed our offering, and brought out our new operating system, Dash, which has since won awards. It covers every sector of print from packaging, to wide format, digital, and traditional litho.

“It is popular with wide format, digital, and mixed houses where a lot of our customers have gone from being solely litho printers to introducing other sectors within the business. www.proprint.com.au

Helping customers grow: Nicola Bisset, group managing director, Optimus MIS “For wide format printers, Dash is flexible enough to generate estimates across all the different substrates, sizing. Any substrate, any process, the MIS can manage. We can

supply to smaller customers and scale the system up to grow with you. You can also include different pricing models for different customers.”

April 2018 ProPrint 47

MARKETPLACE

For enquiries, please contact: Carmen Ciappara, National Sales Manager Direct: 02 9833 4314 or 0410 582 450 | Email: carmen@proprint.com.au

Plastic Cards PVC Labels Custom Mouse Pads Post-it Notes

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48 ProPrint April 2018

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Fulfilment And Mail Processing

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Phone: (02) 9588 2888 Web: packone.com.au 5C / 415 West Botany Street Rockdale NSW 2216 Email: sales@packone.com.au

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April 2018 ProPrint 49

MARKETPLACE

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Take advantage of this offer and make sure you are one of the first 10 persons to fax a copy of this page to 02-8079 0614 or e-mail service@nichetc.com Do you want to have peace of mind knowing that your company will not be materially affected if one of your debtors goes insolvent, into administration or simply you don’t get paid?

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JW GRAPHIC ENGINEERING

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Offset m/cs

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Contact details

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THEXTON PTY LTD Ph Keith 03 9555ENGINEERING 4753 Fax 03 9555 4753 Email: thexton@thextoneng.com.au

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erly Formman THEXTON ENGINEERING Pty Ltd Bray phic Ph Keith 03 9555 4753 Fax 03 9555 4753 Gra eers Email: thexton@thextoneng.com.au n i Eng Web site: www.thextoneng.com.au

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Contact Keith Thexton Ph (03) 9555 4753 Fax (03) 9555 4753 Email: thexton@thextoneng.com.au Website: www.thextoneng.com.au

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MARKETPLACE

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April 2018 ProPrint 53

MARKETPLACE Sheets of Labels?

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MARKETPLACE

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April 2018 ProPrint 55

POST SCRIPT Q&A John Howard,

PRINT’S PAST

The Queensland Government Printers

U

pstairs in the old Queensland Government printer you had the comp room. The linotype were up there, banks of linotype, banks of monosetters, there was the monotype casting sections, stereotypers, guys who made all the half-tone photographs, and illustrators.

And all the extraneous sorts and wood type, all the big railway posters for the ANR, all the big changes to the railway timetable, road closures, they were printed on canvas, so they could be hung up. Building applications, I’m just remembering this now. We would print them onto canvas so they could be hung up outside. And that was all wood type. So they were like big notices for changing a road closure.

If it was something important and public notice had to be given, well they were printed onto canvas and hung up so that people could see what the change was happening. Yes, that’s right,

PRINT DIARY EVENT

Managing Director, Eye Spy Why did you get into signage?

Through real estate signage with LJ Hooker back in 1994 in my garage at home.

Dream holiday destination?

Port Douglas.

we used to print those onto canvas.

Amazing, and that canvas was beautiful stuff too. Proper printer’s canvas. So that was the top floor and all the storage of the different types and furniture.

And the next floor down was the bookbinding department. So when you sent down your printing it by-passed, it went straight down to the bottom floor because that’s where all the big heavy printing presses were.

On the bottom floor on one side were all the letterpress machines, and on the other they started to have the litho machines. And all the small jobbing machines, easy format they called it.

And the cold type section. And that’s where they also made the plates, platemakers were down there as well.

Then there was a loading dock at the back where all the stuff came and went.

LOCATION

What makes your blood boil?

The rapidly increasing sanctimoniousness of Australian society.

If your house was on fire what would you rescue?

Collingwood memorabilia (would need a small truck).

Favourite movie?

Ben Hur Have you ever been said to resemble a famous person or character?

Yes – Mr Ed. Favourite season?

The Footy season.

Go to coffee order?

Long black

Aaron Tait

Favourite season?

Spring - it isn’t too hot yet and leads into what is the best time of year, the summer holidays.

DATE

Visual Impact

Brisbane

April 19-21

NSW PICA

Sydney

May tbc

VIC PICA

Melbourne

May tbc

SA PICA

Adelaide

May tbc

National Print Awards

tbc

May tbc

AIP National Conference

Surfers Paradise

May 2-3

Worldstar Package Awards

Surfers Paradise

May 2

Labelexpo South East Asia

Bangkok

May 10-12

Fespa Global

Berlin

May 15-19

Igas 2018

Tokyo

July 26-31

Visual Impact

Sydney

Sept 12-14

NRL or AFL? AFL – NRL is just a bunch of Zombies enjoying cross-country wrestling.

Dreaming: Port Douglas is John Howard’s ideal getaway

What is something you are always asked?

Is Nathan Buckley any good as a Coach?

If you didn’t work in print what would you be doing?

Renovating and flipping houses.

Three people alive or dead you would have dinner with My father, mother and Dane Swan.

Group Editor Wayne Robinson (02) 9806 9344, wayne@proprint.com.au News Reporter Athina Mallis (02) 9806 9344, athina@proprint.com.au Contributors Peter Kohn, Frank Romano Design and Production Carrie Tong (02) 9806 9344, carrie@i-grafix.com National Sales Manager Carmen Ciappara (02) 9625 4434, carmen@proprint.com.au Group Publisher Brian Moore brian@i-grafix.com Managing Director Shankar Vishwanath Subscriptions (02) 9806 9344 subs@proprint.com.au Subscription rate (11 issues) Australia $69.95.

Printed by Hero Print, Alexandria, NSW. Mailed by Pack One and Post, Rockdale, NSW.

ProPrint is published monthly by Printer Magazines Group, registered in Australia ABN 25 927 113 642. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the written permission of the publishers. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this magazine, it is a condition of distribution that the publisher does not assume any responsibility or liability for any loss or damage which may result from any inaccuracy or omission in the publication.

56 ProPrint April 2018

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