ProPrint April 2022

People Technology Business

www.sprinter.com.au April 2022

Horizon finishing in a new light Insane Signs & Print

Sustainable printing

ProPrint’s 30 years

Rodney James’ grit, determination & creativity on show in his print journey

It’s on everyone’s minds so let’s explore what it is & how to get there

The fourth in a sixpart series looks at key events from 2006 to 2010

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‘CUSTOMER IS ^ KING AT HERO PRINT’ ...AND IT SHOWS o Queen

AUSTRALIA’S BEST TRADE PRINTER

EDITOR’S LETTER SHEREE YOUNG

Is it just me or have things gotten busy?

It feels to me like we have burst out of COVID lockdowns, January holidays and into full blown life, kind of the way of it used to be back in, you know… 2019. Yes, COVID is still around but it seems we are doing our best to live with it. Instead of us all being locked down, it is now patchier with people in and out of iso and having their chance to cocoon, as the Irish so beautifully put it.

So far this year the ProPrint team has been busy, getting out to see printers, suppliers and attend functions. A trip to Newcastle gave us the chance to get to know Rodney and Sharon James from Insane Signs a little better – so much so that they are the feature in our Star Business this issue. Rodney’s story caught my attention in his Power 50 submission last year when he mentioned a serious injury he had suffered while building a corona machine – unfortunate wording but that’s what it is called – so he can print direct to shade cloth. His story of resilience after the injury is featured this month and it was a pleasure to find out that the machine he built, is now operating and bringing in work to the business in Cardiff, NSW. This type of ingenuity seems to be everywhere across print as printers work hard to find solutions for customer problems, and quick.

We also dropped in on Yianni Moratidis, Bernie Ayrton and Peter Young at GENR8 Printing in Wallsend for a coffee and a chat.

Again, these guys embody the spirit of creativity, trying new things and giving it a go. If you are passing, call in. They love visitors, make a great coffee and you will leave with a big smile on your dial. We also paid a visit to Vik Gulati at Westman Printing at Minto in Sydney to see the new Horizon perfect binder he has installed through Will Currie at Currie Group. After enduring the ravages of COVID, it was great to see this new piece of kit going in and the avenues it is opening for this business

4 ProPrint April 2022

Editor Sheree Young (02) 8586 6131 SYoung@intermedia.com.au National Sales Manager Carmen Ciappara 0410 582 450 carmen@proprint.com.au Design and Production Manager Carrie Tong carrie@i-grafix.com Managing Director James Wells james@intermedia.com.au Subscriptions (02) 9660 2113 subscriptions@intermedia.com.au Subscription rate (6 issues) Australia $69.95

Out and about: L-R Carmen Ciappara, Printer Media Group; Russell Cavenagh, Mutoh and Sheree Young, Printer Media Group at FESPA Australia’s Sydney Social.

through greater automation and faster makereadies.

And last but least was our visit to FESPA Australia’s first ever Sydney Social evening at the beautiful Sydney Rowing Club at Abbotsford on a rare balmy clear skied evening in Sydney. FESPA certainly know how to pick their dates as every night before and after this it poured rain so well done on that. There is a full gallery of who was there on pages 28 and 29 of this issue, so please enjoy.

Sustainable printing is on everyone’s minds. Our technology writer, Peter Kohn, has delved into the topic this issue. Peter got the lowdown on all things sustainable from AFI Branding, Complete Colour and Finsbury Green, while also checking in with some key suppliers on what efforts they are making to deliver a lighter environmental load when it comes to print.

Accreditations were also explored with two interviews with the PVCA and The Real Media Collective.

Nominations for the 2022 ProPrint Awards to be held on Thursday October 27, 2022 at 6pm are also now open. Last year’s event was such a blast, and it was great to see this industry out in force, celebrating the year that was and getting together face to face. Have a think about which senior leader, supplier, rising star or industry legend you consider deserves recognition and make your nominations at www.proprintawards. com.au. We hope you enjoy this issue.

Go well and stay safe, Sheree.

Printed by Hero Print Alexandria, NSW, 2015 Mailed by D&D Mailing Services Wetherill Park, NSW, 2164

ProPrint is published bi-monthly by Printer Media Group, registered in Australia ABN 47 628 473 334. 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.

DISCLAIMER This publication is published by The Intermedia Group Pty Ltd (the “Publisher”). Materials in this publication have been created by a variety of different entities and, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher accepts no liability for materials created by others. All materials should be considered protected by Australian and international intellectual property laws. Unless you are authorised by law or the copyright owner to do so, you may not copy any of the materials. The mention of a product or service, person or company in this publication does not indicate the Publisher’s endorsement. The views expressed in this publication do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Publisher, its agents, company officers or employees.

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The user should make independent enquiries as to the accuracy of the information before relying on that information. All express or implied terms, conditions, warranties, statements, assurances and representations in relation to the Publisher, its publications and its services are expressly excluded save for those conditions and warranties which must be implied under the laws of any State of Australia or the provisions of Division 2 of Part V of the Trade Practices Act 1974 and any statutory modification or re-enactment thereof. To the extent permitted by law, the Publisher will not be liable for any damages including special, exemplary, punitive or consequential damages (including but not limited to economic loss or loss of profit or revenue or loss of opportunity) or indirect loss or damage of any kind arising in contract, tort or otherwise, even if advised of the possibility of such loss of profits or damages. While we use our best endeavours to ensure accuracy of the materials we create, to the extent permitted by law, the Publisher excludes all liability for loss resulting from any inaccuracies or false or misleading statements that may appear in this publication.

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www.sprinter.com.au

CONTENTS

30

24

10

28

42

22

Contents April 6-10 Update

17 Comment: Watson

TECH FOCUS: SUSTAINABILITY

Check out the big issues impacting the Australian printing sector

TRMC IR expert Charles Watson on why onboarding new employees right is crucial

30-41 Sustainable Printing

8 Easy Signs US expansion

PROPRINT AWARDS

Australian signage company Easy Signs spreads its wings into the USA

14-15 ProPrint Awards

A new 23m Müller Martini perfect binder just the ticket for this trade printer

Nominations for the Printer 50, Emerging 50, Supplier 50 and Industry Achievement Award are now open for the October 27 event in Sydney

12-13 Debrief

COVER STORY

A recap of what’s been happening on sprinter.com.au

20-23 Currie Group & Horizon

19 Comment: Mick Rowan

Currie Group previews what Horizon kit PacPrint visitors can expect to see in June

10 Hero Print’s new binder

Thinking laterally is key to Mick Rowan’s message about how to engage customers and bring in more sales

16 Comment: Northwood TRMC CEO Kellie Northwood reminds us about print’s sustainability record www.sprinter.com.au

Peter Kohn takes a deep dive into what’s happening to drive down print’s environmental footprint

STAR BUSINESS 24-25 Insane Signs & Print Learn about Rodney James’ print journey and his quest to find solutions to problems

DIARY 26 ProPrint Diary Keep up to date with industry events

DOWNTIME 28-29 FESPA Aust Sydney Social The inaugural FESPA Sydney social was a big hit - check out the pictures from the Sydney Rowing Club

Feeling social?

Follow us on: @SprinterNews @SprinterNewsAust @news_sprinter www.sprinter.com.au

April 2022 ProPrint 5

UPDATE

Nominations for 2022 ProPrint Awards now open

by Sheree Young

It’s that time again. Nominations for the 2022 ProPrint Awards which will again be held in the ballroom at the Shangri-la Hotel in Sydney on Thursday October 27 at 6pm are now open.

The ProPrint Awards recognise and celebrate the print industry. Award categories include the Printer 50, which is the new name for the long-running Power 50 which recognises senior leaders in the Australian printing industry.

There is also the Emerging 50 category which recognises the rising stars of print with around five years’ experience. The Supplier 50 recognises the people who supply and service the industry and the Industry Achievement Award is an exclusive award which honours a 25-plus year print veteran who has made significant broad industry contributions.

Professional emcee, Sam McCool, will be returning this year bringing his special touch of ‘McCool’ humour to the night. Tickets are now on sale so why not think about booking a table for your team and customers.

The ProPrint Awards is all about recognising the hard work put in each year by the printing industry. The evening gives the entire industry a chance to come together, have a laugh, enjoy a three-course meal and importantly catch up and network.

We would like to thank Durst Oceania and Matt Ashman for returning as the Platinum Sponsor of this event.

The feedback from the 2021 event, which was the first time the evening ran in the larger format with the Supplier 50 and Industry Achievement Award components added, was extremely positive. We look forward to seeing you all again in 2022.

This year we have also secured the rooftop bar at the Shangri-la Hotel as well for the afterparty, adding another dimension, not to mention the priceless harbour views, to an already fine evening.

Other sponsors already committed to supporting the event include DIC, HP, OKI and

The ‘McCool’ humour: Professional emcee, Sam McCool, will be back for the 2022 ProPrint Awards.

Orafol as Gold Sponsors with Media Super the Foundation Partner of the Emerging 50. Silver Sponsors include Ball & Doggett, Böttcher Systems, Bright Print Group, Cactus Imaging, Centrum Group, Graph-Pak, Kurz and Lamson Paragon. The Real Media Collective is onboard again as the Mentorship Partner for the Emerging 50.

We encourage you to make your nominations as soon as possible at www.proprintawards. com.au.

Your nominee – whether they be a senior industry leader, a rising star, a supplier who goes above and beyond or a long-time member

How it works: Self-nominations are accepted, and you can nominate more than one person Printer 50: Formerly known as the Power 50, this award recognises senior print leaders. Once nominees have accepted their nomination and answered some questions, peer judging is then undertaken to determine the Top 20. External, independent auditors will then review the results.

Nominees from 30-50 will be announced and published alphabetically.

Emerging 50: Recognises rising stars from all parts of print with around five years’ experience.

Nominees can be considered for the Emerging 50 alphabetical listing and can also apply for the Mentorship Prize, delivered by The Real Media

6 ProPrint April 2022

of the industry who has contributed greatly – will receive an email advising them they have been nominated.

They will then answer a few questions and submit a photograph to complete the nomination. This information will be used in the announcement on the evening and also published in ProPrint December, the ProPrint Awards edition for the year.

For more information about the awards and to book tickets, please visit: www.proprintawards.com.au.

If you would like to sponsor this event, please contact carmen@proprint.com.au.

What you need to do: Collective which includes a $1000 voucher with the Australian Institute of Management. This requires a reference from their supervisor and answers to some further questions.

Supplier 50: Recognises those who service and supply the industry. Recipients are judged on the quality of their submissions based over the last 12 months. All winners are announced at the ProPrint Awards and published in ProPrint December.

Industry Achievement Award: An exclusive award honouring someone with at least 25 years’ experience. The winner is judged by the 2021 Power 50 Top Ten and Platinum Sponsor Durst Oceania. The winner will be announced at the ProPrint Awards and published in December 2022 ProPrint.

Make your nominations at www.proprintawards.com.au Book your tickets at www.proprintawards.com.au Nominations close: Friday July 29 Nominee submissions close: Friday August 12 Printer 50 & Emerging 50 Mentorship judging opens: Monday August 22 Judging closes: Sunday September 4 ProPrint Awards: Thursday October 27

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UPDATE

Horizon Graphics acquires Allmad

by Sheree Young

Adam Mezz, the owner of Sydney trade coatings supplier, Horizon Graphics, has acquired mounting and die cutting specialist, Allmad, with all staff and equipment now located at Horizon’s new and larger factory in Chatswood.

Discussions between Mezz and Allmad owner Shawn Ballesty took place over the last few years but with Mezz purchasing a larger factory the time was right to make the move.

The decision made sense to both Mezz and Ballesty as their services complemented each other and they shared a significant number of customers.

Over the years Mezz had noted that many customers were collecting their spot UV work from Horizon and then taking the jobs to Allmad for mounting or die cutting. The acquisition will save customers from having to complete this step with all work now able to be done under one roof in Chatswood.

“About 70 per cent of my customers were also using Allmad so it was very attractive that way as an add-on and it means Horizon Graphics has become more of a one-stop shop,” Mezz told ProPrint.

“We timed it all pretty well which was great for both Shawn and I. Horizon Graphics has now bought the company, all the equipment

Horizon Graphics owner Adam Mezz.

and Shawn and his team have come across bringing their knowledge and expertise.”

Mezz, who was an apprentice at Horizon Graphics before buying the previous owner out 12 years ago, says the decision to buy a business and a factory was a major step for him.

“There is an attraction to expanding but the biggest part for me is renewing Horizon and extending what we do. There is also a passion with the name Horizon Graphics, and I want to see this business here in 20, 30 or 40 years when I retire. I would be very proud to see this business is here for a long time whether I am

here or not. I’ve devoted my whole life to this business, and I love it,” he said.

The move has doubled his employees from three to six and he hopes this will safeguard the future of Horizon Graphics. “It’s almost like we’ve got another division now inside Horizon Graphics which satisfies all of our customers.

Shawn had a very reputable business, and we can now add-on services like screen board mounting with flutes or B flutes. And then there is the die cutting service because all his machinery came across,” he said.

“It is all going very smoothly. Everybody is working well together and getting along well.

There are two divisions now, but it does not feel like it, it is a very open operation and certainly doesn’t feel separate. Everyone works alongside one another and if one division is a bit slow, we’ll go and help the others and vice versa.

Horizon Graphics now has a fully automatic mounting machine that can mount light papers (up to 200 gsm) onto thicker substrates including corrugated boards, B Flute, E Flute as well as screen boards. “This is really useful for printers who can’t print direct onto their substrates because they are too thick,” Mezz said.

For more information please don’t hesitate to contact Horizon Graphics via email at: adam@horizongraphics.com.au.

Australia’s Easy Signs opens in US

by Andy McCourt

Easy Signs, based at Smeaton Grange in NSW, has seen increased sales to the US and is now opening its first US manufacturing facility in Pennsylvania to continue that growth.

The company has leased a 72,000-squarefoot facility in Lehigh County and expects to fully launch in July 2022.

Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf said the move by the manufacturer of high quality digitally printed signage will create 130 jobs in Allentown located 150km west of New York.

“We have spent years building Easy Signs into a customer centric, ultra-efficient manufacturing company. With a focus on technology and continual innovation we knew it would one day be ready to launch into a much larger market such as the US. That day has now arrived, and we are thrilled to be establishing in Allentown,” Easy Signs co-founder Andy Fryer said. “We look forward to creating a wide range of jobs for Pennsylvanians in the Lehigh Valley and developing a facility and culture that allows people to enjoy coming to work each day.”

Easy Signs manufactures digitally printed signage using the latest technology. Its efficient production system allows it to provide some of the fastest production times of any signage manufacturer in Australia.

Over the last 10 years, Easy Signs has invested in the latest machinery, including an HP Indigo 7800 Digital Press and an HP R2000 in 2018 to 8 ProPrint April 2022

Customer-centric & ultra-efficient: Easy Signs co-founders Adam Parnell and Andy Fryer are expanding into the US.

ensure the supply of consistent, high quality products at the lowest cost. The company has been exporting to the US since 2019.

For the opening of the US manufacturing site, Easy Signs received a funding proposal from the Department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) for a

$225,000 Pennsylvania First grant, a $75,000 workforce development grant to help train workers, and a $1 million loan through the Pennsylva nia Industria l Development Authority (PIDA). The company was also encouraged to apply for the department’s Manufacturing Tax Credit (MTC) program. www.sprinter.com.au

UPDATE

GENR8 Printing installs handy OKI label printer

by Sheree Young

Yianni Moratidis is fairly new to printing having set up GENR8 Printing in Wallsend, NSW in 2018 but this is not stopping him from trying new things to see what sticks.

His latest kit addition is a compact OKI Pro 1050 toner-based digital label printer and a Virgo converter. The CMYK plus white label printer and converter means he has the capabilities for digital printing, wide format, personalised packaging and labels.

“I went into the printing game because it works in really well with my entertainment business. I book a lot of entertainment for weddings so while I am booking a soloist or a band, I can ask the customer what they need in terms of wedding stationery like invitations and welcome boards,” Moratidis told ProPrint.

“And now with this label printer what we can do is we can make personalised stickers and even confetti.”

He said he could use his HP Latex 700 W printer to print labels, but said having the OKI set up, priced at around $50,000, was less time consuming and required less set up then moving machines around in the lower level of his workshop. “I got the bigger version of the Virgo cutter because eventually if we want to get 2 x 20 rolls, we can do that on this machine whereas the other

GENR8 Printing owner Yianni Moratidis with Inkdustrial’s John Bryson.

configuration could only do 125. If we look at a bigger machine like the Durst or something else, we know we can still run it on this without having to spend another $100,000 on a cutting machine for now,” he said.

John Bryson of Inkdustrial sold the OKI set up to Moratidis.

Bryson said the OKI Pro 1050 offers print businesses a way to generate reliable cash flow as it enables a fast response to the growing call for short run, personalised labels with superfast turnarounds.

“These days there is more short run orders, more demand for personalisation and there has been an increase in everyone’s side hustle during COVID. This OKI set up allows people that

have got a candle business or something like that to have professional labels, but without having to commit to long runs which come from high-end digital and flexo printing,” Bryson said. He added that label rolls are also hardier and less susceptible to tearing and other damage, compared to label sheets.

“With this set up customers can buy these labels once a month, every six weeks or every eight weeks, rather than once a year which means suppliers get better cash flow as they’ve always got jobs coming in. It allows for diversity and a quick pivot in the market,” he said.

“We saw with COVID everyone had to quickly pivot and change. Short run digital in labels, and in any format, allows business to change and adjust very, very quickly. Having a full digital printing and cutting set up allows for everything to be customised. So, there’s no standard sheets, no standard labels, it’s what the customer needs for their products.

“The OKI Pro 1050 label printer and converter also allows for white printing on clear labels. There is a big trend for using brown craft to get that natural look. The OKI is perfectly suited for printing white toner on brown craft stock to get a good colour and logo representation. You can then go through to clears, blacks and get real high value without having high value investment.”

Women in Print breakfast dates announcement

by Sheree Young

The focus for this year’s Women in Print breakfast series is ‘learning how to think differently’ with keynote speaker Lisa Smith preparing to present at the national series in May. The series of breakfasts will focus on empowering women to approach challenges in a different way by unlocking their innate creativity to solve complex problems simply.

“We have all endured challenging years in recent times, learning how to address these challenges with a different mindset to simplify our problem-solving skills will be a critical tool for future leadership and we wanted all the women across the industry to be empowered with these skills for their professional and personal lives,” Women in Print chair Susan Heaney said.

The breakfast series will explore how becoming expert in the way things are (best practice) can make it harder to see how things could be (next practice); how tapping into creative thinking allows us to approach challenges differently, and tips on how to unpack complex problems to find solutions.

“Women in Print is an established community and we look to working harder together to collaborate, share and learn. Empowering each other with knowledge and tools through an industry community is an important first step to deepening our female talent and building talent acquisition programs broader than our www.sprinter.com.au

Women in Print attendees at the May 2021 breakfast in Sydney.

immediate industr y,” The Real Media Collective CEO Kellie Northwood said.

“Partner and Sponsor support is critical to build the Women in Print agenda across the entire 12 months and we are thrilled to be bringing in more supporters this year. I cannot thank all our partners and sponsors enough, without you we couldn’t run the series.”

Partner sponsors so far confirmed are Cactus Imaging, DIC, IVE Group, Heidelberg, Kwik Kopy, Ovato & The Real Media Collective.

Associate sponsors include Ball & Doggett, Böttcher Systems, Lamson Paragon, Konica Minolta and Spicers.

Industry sponsors include Advance Press, Bright Print Group, Creative Juice SA and Heaney’s Performers in Print.

Sprinter, ProPrint and Australian Printer are proud to be among the media partners to support this important series which keeps getting better and better each year.

New sponsors are coming in this year to support the program, in particular returning partner sponsor, Kwik Kopy, which is committed to female leadership and professional development in the industry.

“Kwik Kopy has long been a proud supporter of diversity and inclusivity across the industry and, most specifically, our franchisees. And in perfect timing for this year’s Women in Print Breakfast Series, I am delighted to welcome our incoming chief executive officer, Sonia Shwabsky, who will provide a strong leadership pathway for all women,” Kwik Kopy director Annalise Andrews said.

“As a director of Kwik Kopy, I am committed to creating opportunities for diversity across our franchise and we look forward to seeing a strong contingent of Kwik Kopy women attending these great events across the country and learning to ‘think differently’.”

Dates for the breakfasts are: Brisbane: Thursday May 5; Melbourne: Friday May 6; Adelaide: Tuesday May 10; Perth: Wednesday May 11 and Sydney: Thursday May 12.

Tickets can be purchased at www.womeninprint.com.au or direct with Eventbrite for state by state bookings.

April 2022 ProPrint 9

UPDATE

Hero Print’s new Müller Martini PUR binder

by Sheree Young

Hero Print has made another installation with a new highly automated Müller Martini Pantera perfect binder added to ensure the bindery can keep up with the red-hot speed of the trade printer’s Komori 10 colour HUV offset and HP Indigo 12000 HD Digital Press.

The 23-metre-long PUR unit includes automation features which significantly reduce makeready time and manual touch points and lead to substantial productivity gains.

Hero Print general manager, Alex Coulson, said since installing the B2-sized HP Indigo last year, the demand for short run books has gone through the roof.

To keep up with this demand and deliver a quality product, a new binder was needed, especially as the existing Wohlenberg model was nearing 15 years of age.

After extensive research, Hero Print decided to go with the Pantera binder with the 23-metre long set up including an inline 3692 Gatherer unit and a Granit 3676 3 Knife Trimmer – each featuring specific time saving and waste reducing automation features.

“The Wohlenberg was a lot more manual whereas with the Pantera many of the manual processes are done automatically and require less operator input and is set up and ready to go a lot quicker. The Wohlenberg would take an

Very happy: Hero Print production manager John Tsiknis and bindery manager Matt Parker.

hour or so to make ready whereas the Müller takes about a third of that,” Coulson told ProPrint.

“What we are noticing since we put in the new B2 HP Indigo is there is a lot more demand for quantities of between 100 and 300 PUR bound books. On our previous binder if someone wanted 100 books it would take quite a while to set up the binder as it was very manual.

The Müller is so automated we can literally print the book, put it on the binder and it can be bound very quickly so that is a really big reason why we got this binder as well because there is more and more of these books coming out.”

The Pantera can process book blocks with

spines ranging from 2mm to 50mm and 380mm x 320mm untrimmed book blocks. It includes the latest in spine preparation technology to ensure high quality adhesion for PUR bound products and is also equipped with the Amrys automatic makeready system which can easily be adjusted on the run making it perfect for digital products.

Another inclusion is the inline 3692 Gatherer. This includes an automatic section measurement tool which is built into the grippers to prevent missing or double pages. There is also an optical scanning system which uses a 2D resolution camera to detect incorrect or upside-down sections in the hopper. If any issues arise, the machine will immediately stop cutting wastage and saving time.

A Granit 3676 3 Knife Trimmer is also part of the arrangement and can also be fine-tuned on the run for precise cutting. It has the latest trimming technology which allows the clamp to apply itself gently to the book block and is backed up by a spine first swing cutting action.

Roman Beeler from Müller Martini Australia said: “Müller Martini Australia is very happy and grateful to place this perfect binding line into Printforce / Hero Print.

“It has been a few years since we were able to bring in a new and complete perfect binding line into Australia.”

Sustainability in focus at FESPA Global Print Expo

by Sheree Young

More details have been released about what visitors to the FESPA Global Print Expo and European Sign Expo at Messe Berlin in May can expect with a new ‘Sustainability Spotlight’ and ‘FESPA Associations Pavilion’ to join the popular ‘Printeriors’ and ‘World Wrap Masters’ programme features.

After two years of COVID lockdowns and border restrictions, it is anticipated that a strong contingent of Australian printers will make the trip to Berlin.

FESPA CEO Neil Felton and president Christophe Aussenac provided an overview of what to expect at the May 31 to June 3 show which is themed ‘Experience Print in Motion’. So far 325 exhibitors are confirmed including Durst, HP, Mimaki, EFI, Roland, Kornit Digital, Canon and Fujifilm. Aussenac said sustainability and education are key focuses of FESPA. “The past two years have been challenging for industry. As a printer myself I have felt the impact of COVID 19. I feel lucky to be in the position to support the global community and I am extremely passionate about the work FESPA does to support our members and printers worldwide,” Aussenac said.

“This is a critical time for our community.

We remain committed to understanding the challenges of the industry.”

Michael Ryan, the head of FESPA Global Print Expo, said the Berlin show will be the 10 ProPrint April 2022

The FESPA Global Print Expo in Berlin is all about experiencing print in motion.

place where visitors can find out more information than what can be found on Google.

“We strongly believe that this Berlin event is the place to see new technology. Last year Amsterdam was incredible even with continued restrictions we had 7863 visitors from 103 countries,” Ryan said.

A dedicated ‘Sustainability Spotlight’ space will be used to help speciality printers make more sustainable and environmentally conscious choices. Education sessions and displays will focus on sustainable materials and ways to reduce energy consumption. It will also cover carbon footprint facilities, benchmarking and how to increase supply chain transparency and avoid greenwashing through the provision of actionable advice for printers.

“Building a successful and profitable business is every entrepreneur’s number one goal, but the print community has an obligation to sustainability too, and this is becoming a priority for print buyers,” Ryan said.

“Becoming sustainable means understanding the whole operation and the opportunities and risks that need to be addressed, now and in the future.”

Another new entrant is the Associations Pavilion which will celebrate FESPA’s international community.

‘Printeriors’ returns celebrating flora and the freshness of the natural world. It will include textiles, wall coverings, furnishings, flooring, fine art, lighting and accessories. World Wrap Masters is also back with 36 European wrap winners competing for the world title.

“With new content streams and enthusiastic participation from our partners and Association members, FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 will be a must-attend event for the print community,” Ryan said. www.sprinter.com.au

“The Best Label Printer” Winner of the 2021 European Digital Press Association’s category

Why has the SCREEN Truepress Jet L350UV SAI won another EDP Award for the company? It’s the third time, as each generation of the L350UV label printers have received this accolade. The judges claimed it was primarily “for its ease-of-use thanks to its excellent software, as well as for its improved quality and speed.”

We agree, adding:

• 7 vibrant colours including a brilliant blue and orange • Speed of 60 mpm and 50 mpm when using white • Engineered for highest (>93%) uptime • Fully supported by local factory-trained technicians • User-friendly EQUIOS software integrates with MIS SEE US AT: 28 June -1 July 2022 Melbourne Exhibition Centre

www.screenaust.com.au

www.jet-ap.com

UPDATE FEBRUARY - MARCH TIMELINE

Debrief Recapping the major developments since your last issue. Stories are breaking every day at www.sprinter.com.au

February issue

7 february

15 february

28 february

FESPA GLOBAL PRINT EXPO EXHIBITORS FESPA Global Print Expo organisers say over 250 exhibitors are now booked in for the May 31 to June 3 show in Berlin. Visitors will be able to view solutions from Durst, Mimaki, Brother, HP, Agfa, aleph, Canon, Epson, Fujifilm, Kornit Digital, Mutoh, M&R, Roland DG and swissQprint.

Consumable suppliers include 3A, Ahlstrom Munksjö, Avery Dennison, Hexis, InkTec, Neenah Coldenhove, Neschen, Orafol, Poli-Tape and Sun Chemical.

FESPA Global Print Expo head Michael Ryan said: “It’s so motivating to have such a strong vote of confidence from the supplier community for FESPA and our power to reinvigorate the speciality print industry after the challenges of the last two years.”

EVAN FOSTER PROMOTED After 12 years with Signarama in Australia, Evan Foster has been promoted to the role of Global Director for United Franchise Group (UFG). Foster will work with UFG’s global Master License Partners covering brands including Signarama, Fully Promoted, Transworld Business Advisors, and Venture X. UFG has Master License Partners in over 60 countries including New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Malaysia, Singapore, India, South Africa, France, Spain, and the UK. UFG CEO Ray Titus said Foster has played a significant role in building the Signarama brand in Australia. “Knowing how to develop infrastructure, grow the network and work with franchisees made Evan the ideal person for the role,” Titus said.

NEW ASGA PRESIDENT Mick Harrold, managing director of Visual Exposure, is the new president of the Australian Sign & Graphics Association (ASGA). Harrold succeeds Julie Rochester who stepped down in February. “I’m proud to say ASGA has achieved a lot over the past couple of years but this could not have been achieved without the time commitments and contributions of the rest of the Board. I was also fortunate to have the support of Mick during my time,” Rochester said.

News happens every day at

sprinter.com.au

8 february

17 february

DURST WINS TWO EDPA AWARDS The Durst P5 TEX iSUB and P5 350 HS presses have won European Digital Press Association awards.

Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman says the wins recognise the continuous development of the modular platform. The Durst P5 350 HS roll and board hybrid printer won the Corrugated Solution category in the Industrial Solutions Print and Finishing division, while the P5 TEX iSUB won the Textile Printer Roll-to-Roll with Inline Finishing category. Pictured is Andrea Riccardi, Head of Product Management, and Christian Harder, Vice President Sales, of Durst Group with the two awards. Avon Graphics was the first printer in the Southern Hemisphere to install the P5 350 HS last year. “These award wins show Durst’s commitment to providing the best solutions and it is an honour that Durst’s hard work in finding these solutions has been recognised by the EDPA,” Ashman said.

SHWABSKY NEW KWIK KOPY CEO Sonia Shwabsky, the former chief growth officer at Snap Print & Design, is the new CEO at Kwik Kopy Australia.

Having spent three years in senior roles at Snap, Shwabsky brings in-depth franchise industry knowledge, business ownership experience, transformation strategy expertise, and strong alignment to Kwik Kopy’s relationship-based business model and growth agenda to the role. She also spent 10 years transforming King Gee workwear and is the founder of two businesses. Kwik Kopy Australia chair Matthew Penfold said: “Sonia is a dynamic leader. Her energy and passion, together with her extraordinary experience and business acumen, make her a great asset to the business and we welcome her to the Kwik Kopy family.” Shwabsky said: “Kwik Kopy is committed to growth, and I am excited to play a part in what is shaping up to be a new era for the company. Her appointment follows the departure of CEO David Bell.

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12 ProPrint April 2022

www.sprinter.com.au

UPDATE

3 march

15 march

17 march

WOMEN IN PRINT SEEK QLD PATRON Women in Print founder, chair and Queensland patron Susan Heaney has stepped down from her role, with the Women in Print board seeking a Queensland patron. Heaney has a 16 year history with the organisation and the search for a new patron has started early to allow for a smooth transition. This will allow the incoming patron and Heaney to work together on the 2022 Breakfast Series, which will run nationally from May 5 to 12. A powerhouse of the printing industry, Heaney is also a former president of Printing Industries Association of Australia, chairperson of Media Super, and managing director of Heaney’s Performers in Print. She has been instrumental in driving female leadership and development.

AFI BRANDING TURNS 30 AFI Branding has turned 30 and used the milestone to reflect on how a company which started as Auto Flags International by father-and-son, Al and Glenn Watson, in 1992 grew to be a significant player in fabric printing. AFI Branding now services the retail, events and exhibitions industries including the Commonwealth Games (2006 and 2018). “We might not always have had the answers or solutions, but we knew the places to go and the people to speak to, to ensure our business stayed one step ahead,” Glenn Watson said. In October 2021, AFI was acquired by IVE Group, Australia’s leading holistic marketing and print communications company.

DURST, RICOH PRINTHEAD DEAL Ricoh and Durst have extended their printhead technology partnership with a €50m collaboration which will see Ricoh printheads further developed for Durst printing technologies. Durst already uses Ricoh Gen 5 inkjet printheads in its Alpha textile printing systems and the Durst P5 series for large format printing. The deal means Ricoh and Durst will collaborate on new solutions, developing printheads as well as printers, to open the potential for inkjet technology to address the needs of emerging applications. Ricoh industrial print business global general manager, Dr Christian Compera, said the partnership will help Ricoh printheads meet real-world requirements.

1 march

8 march

15 march

ESKO, KISSEL + WOLF PARTNER Integrated software developer, Esko, has announced Kissel + Wolf Australia as its new distribution partner. Esko Oceania regional marketing and channels manager, Scott Thompson, said Kissel + Wolf will act as a dealer of Esko’s software, including packaging management solution WebCenter, the cloud-based Automation Engine, and structural design software, ArtiosCAD. Thompson said software advances to drive accuracy, efficiency and productivity in the print and packaging value chain is key for Esko going forward. “It not only strengthens our distribution foothold in the region but partners Esko with one of the key suppliers to the print and packaging industry. We are delighted to have cultivated this successful relationship and to work so closely with such a wellrespected and renowned company,” Thompson said.

EPSON TOP 100 GLOBAL INNOVATOR Epson has been named a Clarivate Top 100 Global Innovator for the ninth time since the listing began in 2012. Epson intellectual property division general administrative manager Toshihiko Kobayashi said: “It is an honour to be selected as one of the Top 100 Global Innovators. We at Epson are seeking to address societal issues through our aspirational goal of achieving sustainability and enriching communities. We are working to convert intellectual property into value and to sustainably increase corporate value so that we can promote innovation, shape the future, and further enhance our brand image.” The listing identifies organisations that pass a criteria based on the volume of inventive activity. It also measures innovations using the Derwent World Patents Index which considers influence, success, globalisation, and technical distinctiveness.

BALL & DOGGETT’S SHARK SKIN Ball & Doggett has launched Shark Skin Outdoor Display Board, a fully recyclable board made from natural wood and fibre which can go in any paper recycling bin. The product is available in 1.2mm and 2mm thicknesses and can be digitally printed on both sides on a UV inkjet flatbed printer. Ball & Doggett sign, display and digital general manager, Rob Brussolo, said the board is great for shortterm outdoor use as it can maintain its structural and dimensional integrity outdoors for up to 12 weeks. Applications include point of sale, bollards, sandwich boards, posters and signage. “Sustainability in print is becoming more important as individuals and businesses work to reduce their environmental footprint. Advances in technology has allowed the sign & display industry to produce sustainable material whilst maintaining high levels of print quality.”

www.sprinter.com.au

April 2022 ProPrint 13

2022

AWARDS Thursday October 27, 6pm Shangri-la Hotel, Sydney

Nominations Now Open Which senior industry leader, rising star, supplier who goes above and beyond or industry legend will you nominate?

Self-nominations are accepted You can nominate more than one person from the same company Nominations close Friday July 29

GHTS I L H G I H T N EVE

Scan to watch

2022 sponsors announced so far Platinum

Gold

Silver

All w be inner on annou s will t pub he nig nced lish ht a Dec e nd em d in of P ber is the roP sue rint

Formerly known as the Power 50, this peer-voted award is independently audited by PKF & recognises senior leaders. The top 20 leaders are ranked, and the remaining 30 nominees will be announced alphabetically. Self-nominations are accepted and you can nominate more than one person.

Recognises those who go over and above to help print businesses flourish. Supplier 50 recipients are judged on the quality of the award submission based on achievements over the last 12 months. There is no overall winner of the Supplier 50 – all recipients are acknowledged alphabetically.

Recognises industry rising stars from all parts of the print industry with around five years of experience.

Nominees can also apply for The Real Media Collective mentorship prize which includes a $1000 Australian Institute of Management gift voucher. An industry panel judges the winner of the mentorship prize.

This exclusive award recognises an Outstanding Achiever in Print – someone who has spent at least 25 years in the industry and has been integral in improving the industry. The Top 10 Power 50 from 2021 and our platinum sponsor, Durst, will decide who deserves this exclusive honour.

For more information about becoming a sponsor and to nominate please visit:

www.proprintawards.com.au

COMMENT

How to get potential customers interested in what you offer Mick Rowan shares some insights into how you can engage and expand your audience by putting in place a long term marketing strategy that will help deliver business success through lead generation.

MICK ROWAN

Y

ou’ve worked hard to build your business, buying, or making the right equipment, employing great staff, and offering a service that you’re genuinely proud of. You know your offering is exceptional and has the potential to separate you from the competitors.

But how do you go about letting people know that you’re here and ready to help?

Your website is up, you’ve got a social presence, company brochures, and a dedicated sales team, busy knocking on doors to get the word out, but is it enough? How do you get potentials interested in what you have to offer?

The cold hard fact is that orders probably aren’t coming in the way you’d planned and as a consequence, you’ve got excess capacity and or stock to show for it. Something is missing from the formulae, just as it has been for many companies before you. The question is: Are you visible enough to your potential market, and if not, how do you engage and expand your audience?

That’s where a long-term marketing strategy comes in, and it’s absolutely essential to your business success. Your growth will be stifled without a cohesive marketing plan in place that focuses on empowering potential customers, building lasting relationships with your audience and creating content that entertains and educates. You need to get the word out about your business and, at the same time, make a lasting impact.

A perfect place to start is your brand identity, the key to distinguishing yourself from your competitors. If you want to separate your business from the competition, you need a unique narrative that will resonate with potential customers.

You need to connect with your audience at a deeper level so they can see the benefits of partnering with your business.

If you get your value proposition right and hit the sweet spot, you’ll create a firm and lasting connection.

The goal is to introduce yourself with an authentic story that captivates and arouses your audience. You want to show your potentials that your brand is the perfect fit and make them feel like they’re

16 ProPrint April 2022

Learn to use inbound marketing, content marketing, blogging, and social media.

part of something bigger than themselves.

If you can engage them, their emotional connection will grow. With a well-crafted narrative in place, you can start to connect at a social and emotional level and begin building a genuine bond across multiple forums.

Your audience will be seeking answers.

You need to engage them with your expertise and provide the information they need.

Remember that people care about their needs above all else; the “What’s in it for me?” clause is a legitimate effect. So, focus on solving problems, providing information, and educating your audience, rather than just selling. If you do, your potentials will become your customers, and your customers will become advocates for your brand, the ultimate outcome.

It’s all about the content; well-crafted content captivates, engages, and connects with your online audience. However, the delivery methods can vary depending on the audience you’re targeting.

You might be thinking that a blog is dull or tedious, but when you deliver a wellcrafted, informative blog that answers questions, it will drive traffic to your site every day of the week. When you regularly blog content that answers your audience’s questions, you become a thought leader and a go-to resource. The same is true for

eBooks; if they solve problems, they’re valuable assets.

You don’t want to overwhelm the audience with information, but you should answer their questions and ensure the narrative focuses on what’s important to them. By taking the time to educate and entertain potential customers without trying to sell to them, you build trust and increase the likelihood that your brand will be front and centre when they’re ready to engage.

The plan should provide ongoing access to your expertise via blogs, booklets, and social media channels, so your customers will always have reason to return. You become a trusted thought leader, and your potentials become your brand advocates.

So, if the idea of inbound marketing, content marketing, blogging, and social media is new to you, then you should start to investigate now. The payoff can be enormous in attracting more leads and customers to your business; it’s relatively low-cost and can be scaled up or down as needed.

But don’t wait too long; the competition is only getting tougher.

Mick has spent the past decade building printIQ into one of the most recognised software brands in the printing industry, and with over four decades of experience, Mick truly has ink in his veins.

www.sprinter.com.au

The new blueprint for wide format

Introducing the all new Acuity range from FUJIFILM A true flatbed with a unique, exceptional design and high value, the Acuity Prime offers high quality printing on a range of rigid and flexible media, supported by its five dedicated vacuum zones and jettable primer.

This range is available at a cost effective price point and offers an excellent return on investment.

Visit believinginprint.fujifilm.com or contact your FUJIFILM representative to request print samples or organise a demonstration.

• FUJIFILM Graphic Systems Australia on 1300 650 504 • FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia on 13 14 12

BELIEVING IN PRINT

COMMENT

Sustainably managed forests are about more than producing paper The Real Media Collective CEO Kellie Northwood explains why understanding what ‘Reforestation’ is and the role this plays in the production of paper and paper-based products is crucial for printers.

KELLIE NORTHWOOD

T

he Real Media Collective has long held the regional licence for Two Sides which promotes the environmental credentials of paper and print products in Australia and New Zealand. We stand proudly with representation globally with the UK, America, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa and Spain united in the promotion of the sustainable credentials we all share.

Two Sides challenges greenwashing claims made against paper and print media - ‘Go Paperless’ claims are often unverified, and we challenge them to ensure a balanced and accurate environmental message is provided to consumers.

This year Two Sides is launching the Love Paper consumer campaign which will share positive stories about the environmental and social credentials of paper, print and paper packaging. It will also explore how many people our industries employ, how our industries support local sustainable manufacturing and how print provides an equal communication channel for all while challenging the digital divide that many vulnerable citizens are exposed to. Paper and print offer significant benefits to society so let’s take this opportunity to remember its key environmental credentials to ensure we are well-versed and ready to share this information with customers.

Forests are nature’s lungs Paper is a renewable resource and healthy forests are critical for paper harvesting. A well-managed forest can have multiple benefits for society. Forests also represent some of the richest biologically diverse areas on Earth and are critical for regulating not only the global environment, but also the population and the economy.

The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) is an international, not-for-profit, non-governmental organisation which promotes sustainable forest management through independent third-party certification. They are also avid supporters of our industry and direct supporters of the Love Paper campaign.

The Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) operates in a similar manner as an independent, not-for-profit, non-

18 ProPrint April 2022

This conceptual image shows how forests act like nature’s lungs.

governmental organisation that promotes the management of the world’s forests in an environmentally appropriate, socially beneficial and economically viable way.

Both organisations set the standards for responsible forest management and as an industry we endorse and support sustainably sourced paper ranges.

Australia has 1.8m hectares of planted forests. Over 90% of these are certified as sustainably managed by either PEFC or FSC. A well-maintained forest provides renewable raw materials to make paper, wood products, renewable energy, natural carbon capture and provides livelihoods for millions of people and while also helping control floods and droughts. The PEFC estimates that 60m Indigenous people depend on forests for their livelihoods.

A new Nature Geoscience study found converting agricultural land to forest can boost summer rainfall by up to 7.6%. An explicit explanation behind this correlation is unclear, however, it is believed to have links to forest interactivity with cloudy air.

Our industries recognise that healthy forests are essential to produce paper and paperbased products, and this is why forest certification schemes such as FSC and PEFC are ingrained in the way our industry works.

We are a ‘Reforestation’, not a ‘Deforestation’, industry The notion of ‘Reforestation’ is extremely important in the wake of climate change.

Reforestation conserves natural forests by reducing deforestation, improving degraded land and reducing carbon dioxide – all of which combat climate change. Reforestation also provides employment and supports

economies. The PEFC helps to guarantee that Australian and New Zealand paper is coming from sustainable sources. All forest harvesting in Australia is conducted sustainably, and almost all the original fibre for printing and communication paper is sourced from softwood plantations and land that has undergone reforestation.

The FSC and PEFC schemes have similar objectives: the certification of forests to credible, independently verified standards of responsible forest management, conserving the natural habitats of plants and animals, and respecting the rights of forestry workers and local communities.

PEFC and FSC operate robust Chain of Custody schemes that track wood and wood fibre through every step of the supply chain.

Two Sides seeks to ensure that paper and print’s unique renewable and recyclable qualities can be enjoyed for generations to come.

It is crucial we understand the notion of ‘Reforestation’ and optimise renewable sources as part of our business activities to contribute to sustainable development.

Once we have a strong grasp on the concept, we can communicate this with our customers and continue the informed cycle and knowledge of our environmental communications channel.

Kellie Northwood is the Chief Executive Officer, The Real Media Collective.

For any questions related to this article, membership or other please contact kellie@ thermc.com.au

Knowing where your paper comes from: • Over 90 per cent of Australia’s 1.8m hectares of planted forest are certified as being sustainably managed by the FSC and the PEFC. • New Zealand has 1.7m hectares of productive area plantation forests, and 1.2m of these hectares are certified by the FSC and the PEFC. • The PEFC estimates that 60 million Indigenous people depend on forests for their livelihood across the world and this number is growing.

• A new study by Nature Geoscience has found that that the conversion of agricultural land to forest can boost summer months’ rainfall by up to 7.6 per cent.

www.sprinter.com.au

COMMENT

Why onboarding new hires the right way creates all round success The Real Media Collective’s Charles Watson explains why ensuring a new employee is onboarded in the best possible way leads to improved outcomes for the whole business.

CHARLES WATSON

M

aking the right decision when recruiting a new hire is critical and involves numerous important steps and decisions. However, the rubber hits the road after the employment contract is executed. Significantly, the process of onboarding forms a crucial cornerstone for the new worker’s experience with the organisation and provides the best opportunity for the organisation to get them on a path to success in their new role.

Employers should avoid relying on a tick and flick approach and the over reliance of onboarding software that has not been customised for the business and the role.

Onboarding new workers well often takes more than several days to prevent significant missteps. Taking a considered, planned, and methodical approach to onboarding always brings great results for the new worker and the organisation.

Onboarding software Imagine turning up on your first day at a new role and the following occurs. A colleague of mine commenced in a standalone specialist role in a larger-sized business with over 900 employees. Due to having the word ‘manager’ in his title, the onboarding software used by that organisation assumed he had direct reports (he did not) and needed to complete several related components of the onboarding process. Although the HR department understood the software was not directly relevant for my colleague’s role, they did not take steps to try and customise the onboarding experience for his role and instead they took a “computer says you have to do it” approach. Not a great start to day one, but it didn’t have to be that way.

Don’t get me wrong I think onboarding software platforms can be great tools for employers. They can save significant time across a range of issues. But all too often they are not properly adapted or customised for the particular organisation or the employee. Additionally, the over reliance on onboarding software and the perceived ability to remove human involvement in the process is erroneous. For those organisations that use onboarding software please periodically review the set up and consider whether it needs refining. www.sprinter.com.au

Introducing a new team member the right way will create better outcomes for your business in the long run.

What good onboarding looks like?

Although HR may have ownership of the onboarding process, it is the responsibility of the entire organisation to ensure the process is as seamless as possible. Essentially, it involves a range of activities and processes that commence prior to the new hire’s first day and lasts for approximately the first month. While the ‘To Do’ list is extensive, significant steps include ensuring that: • The recruitment process forms part of the overall onboarding.

• HR/payroll/IT documentation, files and administration are completed prior to commencement or ready for completion on day one.

• Managers and supervisors are prepared for day one and to take the worker through relevant ‘meet and greets’.

• All work-related equipment, tools, machinery and resources are functioning.

• Health and safety related work procedures and methods are clarified on day one and across the first week.

• An end of day one and end of week one meeting with the new worker is undertaken by their manager.

• All co-workers are aware of the new employee’s commencement date.

• An experienced worker is assigned to act as a buddy/guide over the first week or two.

• Any immediate training needs are identified within the first few days.

• Work expectations are clarified and set within the first week.

• Ensure the various components of the process are understood by the new worker and become ‘sticky’.

• Regular feedback is sought from the new worker over the first few weeks and months and acted upon where necessary.

• Records of all related steps and outcomes are kept on file. When it is time for a performance review you will be glad that you have this.

By the end of the first week, a new worker should feel empowered, included, and engaged. Within the first few months the worker should be integrated into the workplace and hitting home runs.

Like all business considerations, your onboarding process is never a set and forget matter. When was the last time any evaluation was undertaken in relation to the performance and effectiveness of your onboarding processes? When reviewing and evaluating your processes, don’t forget to include worker feedback on their experiences and what could be improved.

The benefits of good onboarding A high functioning, positive and productive workplace culture requires consistent time and effort. However, the productivity levels achieved, and higher level of worker retention achieved from effectively and appropriately onboarding a new worker and creating a good first impression ultimately makes the effort worthwhile.

Charles Watson is the GM – IR, Policy and Governance at The Real Media Collective.

April 2022 ProPrint 19

COVER STORY

Horizon finishing in a new light

PacPrint visitors looking for a perfect bookmaking solution will have plenty to check out on the Currie Group stand with the new Horizon HT-300 three-way trimmer set to run in-line with the Horizon BQ-270 perfect binder in an industry first.

J

apanese finishing powerhouse, Horizon, is continuing to redefine print finishing with the new cloud-connected Horizon iCE HT-300 three-way trimmer to be running at PacPrint in-line with the Horizon BQ-270 perfect binder for the first time.

The HT-300 is a significant update to the HT-30 which was unveiled 15 years ago.

New technology smarts mean it can be paired with the Horizon BQ-270 perfect binder – a move which will save print business owners money by increasing production efficiencies through automation.

There is also an option to add iCE cloudbased software package to the HT-300, enabling business owners to keep an eye on the machine on their smartphones.

The other clever addition to the HT-300 is a colour-coded lighting system which allows operators to quickly determine what phase of production the unit is up to judging by the green, yellow and red lights which glow from the machine.

Currie Group Managing Director, Bernie Robinson, said the operational advantages of running a Horizon perfect binder and a Horizon trimmer in-line cannot be underestimated.

20 ProPrint April 2022

Japanese manufacturer, Horizon, has plenty of solutions which make efficient bookmaking a breeze.

“This is the first time a HT-300 or a HT-30 have gone online to a perfect binder. Before you used to have your perfect binder in one corner and in the other corner of the print shop you’d have the HT-30 but the two never talked together,” Robinson said.

He added the technology smarts also mean book blocks of varying thicknesses can be pre-set in a calibration unit which then sends the measurements to the BQ-270, so all clamps for binding and scoring are ready to go before the book block is loaded.

“The idea is to eliminate the touch points for an operator so it means you have one less operator doing book production,” Robinson said, adding this set up can produce up to 250 soft covered books per hour up to 50mm thickness.

“With the HT-300, Horizon have now changed the colour of the lights inside which change from blue, green, red, and yellow.

Normally we have just a white light there but they have put an array of colours there now so the operator can see from a distance what the progress of the book is, whether the cover has been done, or the book block has been added to the cover.”

Currie Group’s PacPrint stand will also feature an in-line set up of the higher volume equivalent, the Horizon HT-1000 variable trimmer and the Horizon BQ-500 perfect binder, an upgrade from the BQ-450, which has separate glue tanks for EVA and PUR glue and can also have the iCE cloud software added.

“The HT-1000 can produce 1,000 books an hour and the BQ-500 can produce between 600 and 700 books an hour at a thickness of up to 60mm, so it is vastly quicker,” Robinson said.

“Also, with the BQ-500 you can have an EVA glue tank and then you can change that with a PUR glue tank, so you’ve got two glue tanks which come with the BQ-500. So, it is

up to the owner to decide whether they want to use EVA glue or the stronger PUR glue at the time of the production.”

Like the BQ-270, the BQ-500 also includes a bar code reader to ensure the right covers are matched to the right books, cutting wastage, and improving productivity.

“This iCE software allows the business owner to monitor what is happening with the machine on a smartphone at any time of the day, whether it is or isn’t in production, or why has it stopped,” he said.

Robinson said both set-ups are proven workhorses in the market, but it depends on the type of business and needs a business has.

“The BQ-270 and HT-300 set up suits A4 and A5 booklet production, this includes a lot of schoolbooks and published books. Now you could also produce these types of products on the BQ-500, but your volumes would be different so if you had the BQ-500 you are probably talking about anything up to 5,000 books, whereas on the BQ-270 you are probably talking maybe up to 1,000 copies of that book to be done,” Robinson said.

“You’ve also got to look at the speed. With the BQ-270 you are talking about 250 books an hour, compared to 650 books an hour books on the four-clamp machine, then the single clamp machine. Both machines are very popular, and both sell just as well as each other. It just depends on the size of the business that wants it and how much they want to spend.”

For more information, please visit: www.curriegroup.com.au/contact. PP www.sprinter.com.au

www.curriegroup.com.au

L-R: Will Currie, Currie Group; Tony Centorrino, Westman Printing; Vik Gulati, Westman Printing; Adrian Burger, Westman Printing; John Richmond, Currie Group.

Westman Printing boosts automation with new Horizon StitchLiner Mark III Increased automation, diversification and reliability were key requirements for Vik Gulati when he invested in a new Horizon StitchLiner Mark III.

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here were a few big ticks Vik Gulati of Westman Printing was looking for when he bought a new Japanese-built Horizon StitchLiner Mark III saddle stitching binding line through Currie Group.

Increased automation to handle increasing short-run jobs, diversification options with landscape and gatefold magazine production, reliability and an easy-to-use set up which mirrored the Horizon perfect binder he installed in 2021. Happily, a few months postinstall, Gulati says his check sheet is ticked with the StitchLiner Mark III, which can produce up to 6,000 booklets an hour, having not missed a beat.

“This was actually a step up for us. We had an old StitchLiner that we used to use for 15 years. Nowadays with the way technology is and the industry is moving, the repairs sometimes cost more than investing in a new machine,” Gulati told ProPrint. “Runs were getting shorter, so the automation was very important for us, so quick makereadies and quick changeovers.”

22 ProPrint April 2022

“Smooth” is how Gulati described the installation and training process for the new StitchLiner, which can be configured as a conventional collating system for offset print production and as a high-speed sheet feeder for pre-collated digital production.

“We earmarked a space on the floor and two days later it was operational. It couldn’t have been smoother. We haven’t had a single breakdown and the operators have taken to it without a hitch as the user interface is very user friendly. It was a no brainer,” he said.

Another sweetener was its ability to trim and stitch increasingly popular landscape orientation booklets, as well as traditional orientation. It can produce booklets in A3, JIS, B4, A4, B5 or A5 sizes with normal paper weights ranging from 52.3 to 350gsm and 73.3 to 350gsm in coated stocks.

Gulati added a crash fold unit MKU54T so he can fold A4 brochures into DL in-house, a service increasingly being asked for as clients chase cheaper mailing costs. Another was the soon-to-be-introduced Horizon software sixpage option which opens up diversification into gatefold magazine covers.

Market conditions, with the closure of Sydney Binding, also prompted the upgrade, with the new line available for trade use.

Currie Group’s Will Currie commended Gulati on researching every aspect of what is needed to produce ‘just in time’ print.

“I think Vik has done a really good job of sticking to the ethos of ‘just in time’ production. Care and capability equal true ‘just in time’ production and the way he is investing in equipment is helping achieve that,” Currie said.

“If you don’t weigh up everything including courier costs, jobs that can go wrong and come back faulty, your costs are going up and your turnaround time is extended.”

Currie said the results of Horizon’s customer-informed R&D is why the StitchLiner Mark III is delivering what printers need. A 40-year relationship forged by his father, David Currie, and Ejiro san from Horizon, which was also supported by Currie Group’s Rob Peterson, has contributed to the Horizon products available today and ensured seamless installations, operator training programmes and ongoing servicing.

“We have worked very closely with Horizon creating products that have been user friendly and well-constructed,” Currie said.

“So much so that we’ve always had faith in the training programme that we’ve created because it’s been very simple, and we’ve been able to translate that with the plans we map out for our installation and training schedules with every machine.

“It’s been a remarkable experience for two family businesses, being able to work together in two very different markets. I think the strength of the relationship reflects on the ability for us to be very successful, and for them to be successful in the market as a result.”

Gulati said introducing the new Horizon had lifted morale post-COVID. This was supported by bindery manager, Adrian Burger, who demonstrated the swift and easy process of running the StitchLiner Mark III. “Well, I’m not having to yell out that it’s down again, so that is definitely a bonus,” Burger said. PP www.sprinter.com.au

www.curriegroup.com.au

Rodney and Sharon James are very proud of the business they’ve built and their enthusiastic team.

The evolution of Insane Signs and Print Resilience and gritty determination were key in Rodney James’ recovery from a serious workplace accident that almost cost him his hand.

By Sheree Young

I

t is often said necessity is the mother of all inventions.

This quote by famous Greek philosopher, Plato, came to me during a recent visit to Insane Signs and Print at Cardiff, near Newcastle in NSW, where I met with business owners Rodney and Sharon James.

Insane Signs and Print has evolved substantially since the James’ bought what was a tiny sticker business from a retiring couple in 2007. Since then, it has scaled up and out into the signage space with forays into packaging on the horizon. It also now occupies a spacious and artfully decorated factory with 18 loyal employees.

The business has also been fitted out with

factfile Age: 15 years Staff: 18 Strategy: A specialist in printing mesh and rigid substrates in the events and construction sectors, with plans to add on packaging in the future 24 ProPrint April 2022

some serious kit. In a move to get away from solvent printing technologies, two Durst UV roll-to-roll Rho 512R Plus presses were installed in 2017, representing a combined value of $1.7 million.

A HP flatbed handles the rigid work, as well as a significant line up of finishing gear, and in a move to heighten their quality and output they have just installed the latest HP Latex grand format printer and added another highspeed welder to their already existing arsenal.

Traditionally the mesh produced by Insane was considered the highest quality available on the market due to its hand welded edges, but now the business will also be able to supply folded edges for customers who are looking for shorter term and more affordable solutions.

The events sector, particularly large outdoor music festivals, had always been a key segment at Insane Signs, as has the construction industry which requires a constant flow of printed mesh to wrap around building sites.

The shift from solvent to UV was a no-brainer for Rodney, but what he wasn’t expecting was the problem he would have in getting ink to adhere to shade cloth – a substrate his clients had come to expect, by the kilometre, on a regular basis.

Not only did the ink scratch off, from what Rodney had been able to ascertain there also didn’t seem to be a machine on the market which could pre-treat the shade cloth so the ink would stick.

This is where we get to the invention part.

One thing I learned on my visit, is that when Rodney puts his mind to something, he makes it happen. This goes for just about anything – whether it be buying an around-the-world ticket (hugely popular in the 1980s and 1990s) to give the world pro tennis tour a crack at the age of 24 (he won a national US title in 1996

and was the tennis pro at two elite New York tennis clubs).

In another more print-specific case, ‘McGyvering’ a plasma treatment machine, otherwise known as a corona machine, so ink would adhere to the shade cloth.

New endeavours are not without their challenges and Rodney learned this in August 2020 when his right hand and almost half of his arm, followed by his left, were consumed between the rollers of the machine he was trying to build as he pulled some string out of the way.

“I was playing around with this static string because I was getting a lot of static electricity and we were having an issue with the print which was another thing I had to fix. So, I’m playing around with the roller and the other roller closes and I was in there,” he said, adding he then used his left hand to try and free the right hand.

Not being able to reach the emergency stop button, he knew he was in trouble but thankfully the fast action of his staff and a thin cotton long-sleeved t-shirt meant the rollers couldn’t grab and go beyond his elbow.

But the damage that was done was severe

Members of the Insane Signs team load up the Durst. www.sprinter.com.au

STAR BUSINESS PROFILE and almost cost him his right arm.

Miraculously Rodney suffered no broken bones in the ordeal, but he did sustain significant burns which took over six months to heal. He still hasn’t regained full sensation into his right hand and the memories of the accident live on for his family and the team at Insane Signs. But he eventually got back in the saddle and returned to his pet project to see it through to completion.

“Well, here it is, the beast,” Rodney says as he proudly shows me the Insane Signs and Print Plasma Machine, which bombards shade cloth with trillions of electrical lightning bolts to change its molecular structure and make it hungry for ink.

“If we don’t put the shade cloth through this machine, the ink will scratch off. No matter what ink we tried, we couldn’t get it to adhere.

We’ve been to the factory, we looked at how do we change this, and then I was just told to change the substrate I was printing on, but it is shade cloth, and it is sold at a price point my customers like.

“Most guys look at it and go ‘I don’t want to touch it, it’s too hard to deal with’ so I just said I’ve got an old machine, I’m going to try this.

“So, I ended up doing a whole bunch of research on how you would do it because it is plastic, how do you print on plastic like a bread bag? It’s printed plastic, so what do they do?

They corona treat the plastic.”

This decision sent him on the McGyvering journey. He pulled apart an old solvent printer for the outer rollers which reel the shade cloth in and out of the machine. The internal structure – which produces the electric lightning bolts – was bought from another printer in Melbourne who had the same idea as Rodney, but lost patience in the end. The result is a working machine which can treat 10,000 square metres of shade cloth per hour and is enabling Rodney to take on signage work he may not have been able to fill otherwise.

“This machine allows me to use a cheap version of fence fabric. It’s never going to appear in Pitt Street in Sydney but if it is on a construction site in the back of Dubbo and they want half a kilometre of it that is where it will get used,” he said.

He has also seriously boosted his safety measures in the workplace, including employing a qualified electrician to work onsite a few days each week to make sure everything is as it should be. The emergency off switch for the machine is now in easy arm’s reach and there is an automatic laser which can turn the machine off if the rollers are obstructed.

“Had I not been injured, this would have been a complete win, however it was very tough on my family, but we got through it,” Rodney said.

Dabbling in software since the 1990s had always been a hobby for Rodney, which he put to good use when he developed his own software program for the sign shop, which he continues to custom design to suit the business’ growing needs. From staff attendance to quoting and tracking a job’s progress through the factory, Rodney is constantly honing and updating the system. www.sprinter.com.au

Back on track: Rodney is eyeing a bright future as the business builds momentum post-COVID.

(L-R) Rodney’s corona treatment machine is up and running and helping him win new business. Sharon and Rodney are now also looking to diversify into new areas.

In addition to this custom-designed software he recently launched his latest project called Art Loader.

This is an online system that checks to ensure customers’ artwork is print ready and automatically sends the jobs directly to the appropriate print queue in the factory, shortening turnaround times and reducing the labor involved.

Sharon is relieved the ordeal is over and Rodney is back on track. With the difficulties of COVID also now in the rear-view mirror, she is hoping the business can find its way back to prosperity.

“We have always had a name for being the people that you come to in the concert industry,” Sharon said.

“We did the Stereosonic signage and we had to do all of that in 14 days across five locations, kilometres of event fabric, stage drops all around Australia, so that was our forte.”

When COVID hit this business quickly dried

up, with Insane Signs and Print losing $72,000 in one week as events were cancelled with the jobs on the press.

“It was a bitter pill to swallow but you just suck it up and move forward. Letting staff go was very difficult, but we also learnt a lesson that we need to move into other markets,” she said.

“We were reliant on events signage and fencing fabrics, but we can do so much more.

Now with the help of our Business Development Manager we are looking at diversifying, we are sampling cardboard boxes and trying to move into the packaging market so if anything ever happens like this again we have a more varied base of industries to fall back on.

“We are building a better business now because what happened was we lost half our base. Hopefully we’ll be better prepared and ready for anything that gets thrown at us in the future. PP April 2022 ProPrint 25

PRINT DIARY

EVENT

LOCATION

DATE

Durst Label Expo

Brixen, Italy

April 26 - April 29

FESPA Global Print Expo

Berlin

May 31 - June 3

PacPrint

Melbourne

June 28 - July 1

National Print Awards

Melbourne

June 30

ProPrint Awards 2022

Sydney

October 27

Hosting an event? Send an email to the editor - Sheree Young - syoung@intermedia.com.au with the details

Systems  Printing

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26 ProPrint April 2022

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CHANGING THE FACE OF WALL GRAPHICS dimense.com.au

PacPrint 2022 Bays 3-13, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Stand: H18

UPDATE DOWNTIME

FESPA Australia holds inaugural Sydney Social A solid group of Sydney’s print community attended the first ever FESPA Australia Sydney Social held at the picturesque Sydney Rowing Club in Abbotsford on a lovely balmy night in March.

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DOWNTIME UPDATE

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1. The team from Orafol: Alex McClelland, Brett Turner, Trent Byrnes and Daniela Mastroeini 2. Alistair Rathbone, Orafol and Brett Wark, Smartech Systems 3. Andrew Mantilla and Geoff Smallwood from Orafol 4. Brett Turner, Orafol and Bob Ryan, HVG Graphics 5. Carmen Ciappara, Printer Media Group; Russell Cavenagh, Mutoh; Sheree Young, Printer Media Group 6. Chandan Soni and Ben Clarke from Cactus Imaging 7. David Leach, Look Print; Tony Bertrand, Ball & Doggett; Nigel Davies, FESPA Australia 8. Jim Villamor, Bright Star Promotional Products; Stephane Champagen, Bright Star Promotional Products; Larry Wainstein, Lightletter 9. Mitch Mulligan, Böttcher Systems; David Leach, Look Print ; Rob Brussolo, Ball & Doggett 10. Paul Whitehead, Currie Group talks to Keith Ferrel, Cactus Imaging 11. Emmanuel Buhagiar, Imagination Graphics; Carmen Ciappara, Printer Media Group 12. Trent Byrnes, Orafol; Grant Cunningham, Allprint Graphics; Terry Crawford, Epson; Ryan Warby, Epson 13. Joy Lara and John Rotundo from Mulford Plastics 14. Adrian Morris, HVG Graphics; Keith Ferrel, Cactus Imaging; Nigel Spicer, Cactus Imaging; Paul Whitehead, Currie Group 15. Romeo Sanuri, Next Printing; Ashley PlayfordBrowne, Durst Oceania 16. Tony Bertrand, Ball & Doggett; Nigel Davies, FESPA Australia 17. Trevor and Grant Cunningham from Allprint Graphics 18. Jonny Rumney, Celmac; Jeremy Brew, HP; Daniela Mastroeini, Orafol; Keith Ferrel, Cactus Imaging 19. Glenn Moffatt and Karen Lawler, Cactus Imaging 20. Stephane Champagen, Bright Star Promotional Products; Kathryn Polyer, Ricky Richards; Jim Villamor, Bright Star Promotional Products 21. Keith Ferrel, Cactus Imaging; Carmen Ciappara, Printer Media Group 22. Vedran Martinovic, Currie Group; Sandra Duarte, Sandra Duarte Consulting; Paul Whitehead, Currie Group

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April 2022 ProPrint 29

FOCUS SUSTAINABILITY

Sustainability is good business In this issue we cover some initiatives that are driving print in Australia to become what it must – a greener and more sustainable proposition.

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By Peter Kohn

rinting sustainably in Australia today is more than a virtue – it’s a market requirement for print providers who seek to place Australia’s premium projects across their presses and finishing departments.

Australian corporates, such as BHP and AGL, bastions of the business establishment, are rapidly embracing decarbonisation policies. And the Reserve Bank and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission now work within the constructs of combating greenhouse gas emissions.

As ProPrint discovered, the industry’s recognition of sustainable printing as a business asset can be found in the nation’s pressrooms and binderies, in the policies of industry bodies, and in the product offerings of a multitude of hardware, paper, ink and chemical suppliers.

Print enterprises

AFI Branding and Coritex

Repurposing fabric and apparel have been emerging in Australia for some time, but printers are still bearing the on-costs.

Speaking to ProPrint, Julian Lowe, national sales & marketing director at Coritex, an

Australian supplier of bespoke fabrics for printing, says Australian consumers have been reluctant to pay a ‘green’ component to cover an ethical life-of-product pathway for their purchases. So, until governments come to the party more energetically and corporates begin to shoulder some of the cost burden, printers will be squeezed financially on repurposing.

However, the schemes now operating are exciting, and move Australia closer to the front when it comes to product life stewardship. The ‘Be Sustainable Take-Back Fabric Scheme’ from AFI Branding, an initiative to recycle and repurpose printed fabric and clothing, sprang from the vision of the company’s managing director Glenn Watson. Coritex, AFI Branding’s key supplier of recyclable, print-ready fabrics, also came on board with the initiative.

To date, AFI Branding – which prints over 15,000 square metres of fabric each month for the retail, events and exhibition industries – has enabled the repurposing of more than 250 tonnes of fabric which would otherwise have ended up in landfill, explains Lowe.

AFI Branding has an estimated 20 per cent ratio of offcuts to saleable product, making binning and storage major cost burdens.

Under the repurposing initiative AFI’s offcuts, plus post-use product returned by clients as part of the end-of-life take-back scheme, are handled by Circular Centre, a Sydney-based repurposing specialist.

Circular Centre services companies in the market for repurposed raw materials.

Mattress manufacturer, Sealy, takes the bulk of AFI Branding’s materials. The material is sent to Brisbane where specialised machinery converts it into filler which is used for mattress padding. Other companies are using AFI’s materials to make sports surfaces.

Circular Centre connects clients like AFI

Old signage baled up and ready for re-circulation at AFI Branding.

DuPont’s Artistri textile inks simplify the printing process, reduce consumption and eliminate significant chemical and wastewater components.

Branding to supply-chain systems and a loopback into its Circular Textile Waste Service (or a client’s own system) to recollect, reuse, repair, resell and ultimately compost.

“Taking back signage is trickier than you imagine,” Circular Centre director Alison Jose says. “Like clothing, there are a variety of textiles and finishes, and it’s necessary to take into consideration what’s printed on them. So, to reuse, redesign and repurpose these resources into other products is an exciting step.”

AFI Branding is also exploring polyester recovery with Queensland company, BlockTexx, a clean-technology innovator that recovers polyester and cellulose from textiles and clothing, turning textile waste into a resource for new products. BlockTexx has proprietary technology for separating polyester and cotton materials, such as clothes, sheets and towels of any colour, or conditioning these back into their high-value raw materials of PET and cellulose for reuse.

The recovered PET is polymerised to create virgin-quality plastic pellets and polyester fibre for textiles and packaging. The recovered cellulose is processed to create SOFT (separation of fabric technology) cellulose powder for the textile, pharmaceutical and food industries.

Watson says these initiatives, which are being commercialised, add to AFI Branding’s sustainability culture. “It’s part of our MO and our USP to our clients,” he said.

AFI Branding co-founders Alfred and Glenn Watson.

SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS

Complete Colour

Complete Colour, a Melbourne-based privately owned printing business provides services to corporate, government and general commercial businesses.

It is also a standard-bearer of environmentally credentialled printing.

Services include digital and offset printed products, including variable data and mailing, warehousing, distribution and electronic media.

The 30-year-old company with 25 staff prints brochures, catalogues, POS material and high-end books.

Complete Colour managing director, Tim Michaelides, said the business began its environmental journey as good business practice.

“It’s not only about doing the right thing but, just as importantly, about reducing costs,” he said, adding some industry players practice greenwashing and state that they use vegetable-based inks and operate diesel trucks as a compelling sustainability offering, but it’s not.

At Complete Colour, it’s a comprehensive picture.

Since 2007 the company has operated an Integrated Management System (IMS) that is independently audited and certified yearly incorporating ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management and ISO 14001:2015 Environmental Management.

Michaelides says a fully audited and certified IMS provides clients and other stakeholders with surety in the practices in the business and genuine peace of mind.

He adds interested parties are welcome to come on site and view the company’s credentials.

Complete Colour is credentialled as an FSC and PEFC (Chain of Custody) certified printer.

Power for the entire manufacturing and office site is generated from Complete’s own 200kW LGC (Large Generation Certified) onsite solar power station. More than 35 per cent of its power is generated from this system.

All additional power is supplied from Shell Energy under the National GreenPower Programme (Energy, Climate Change and Sustainability).

Clients can also carbon offset work on a job to job basis through the Climate Friendly organisation. www.sprinter.com.au

Utilising this option means calculated carbon that is heavily reduced due to the practices in place within the business in relation to the manufacture of the finished product, including delivery, can be carbon offset with detailed CO2 statistics published.

In 2007 Complete Colour was awarded Sustainability Victoria Wastewise Gold certification for its recycling initiatives.

At that time 92 per cent of product entering the business was either recycled, reused or delivered as finished product to clients – today that figure is at 98 per cent.

In the pressroom, offset print production uses ecologically rated presses linked to workflow and prepress software, which manages press settings for production and image control for colour, says Michaelides.

Proofing is soft copy unless otherwise required or requested. All hard copy proofing systems have onboard spectrophotometers.

Colour standards are to ISO colour and proof-matching to printing through a highly accurate image control system, resulting in minimal paper and press time wastage.

All inks are low-Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) and are derived from vegetable-based oil. Conventional printing solvent is piped to equipment in a closed-loop solvent recirculation system, with a reuse percentage of up to a continually recurring 90 per cent.

“All solvent is filtered through a multiple unit filtering system separating water and ink particles,” Michaelides said.

“Water is cleaned to meet sewerage disposal requirements, ink is broken down to fine particles that are dirt-like, and being vegetable-based, these particles can be included as landfill in the same manner as dirt is sometimes used for landfill.”

Since 2019, Complete Colour has been fully operational with process-free printing plates for offset. Alcohol usage on the press is one to five per cent, which in industry terms is alcohol-free, says Michaelides.

The business operates a ten-colour Heidelberg Speedmaster 102, plus multiple pieces of high-speed, high-quality Fujifilm iGen5 and iGen150 digital printing equipment using matte dry toner with inline saddle stitching and PUR binding – where all components are recycled and waste is minimal.

All toner cartridges are collected and refilled by the supplier.

Replaced or damaged machine parts are collected by the supplier and disposed of under appropriate e-waste guidelines.

Further initiatives are also underway including battery recycling and ink cartridge collection. Timber skids are also collected post-use by paper suppliers, soft plastics are baled for recycling, and rubber blankets are transferred to third-party users for responsible reuse.

Michaelides says, “As a leading company within the industry in the area of sustainability, it is encouraging to see other companies take the initiative and realise the benefit in incorporating sustainability into their business.”

Going green and reducing costs go hand in hand at Complete Colour. (L-R) Geoff Lawyer, Tim Dunphy, Graham Brooks and Tim Michaelides.

Complete Colour has 728 solar panels on 3,500 square metres of roof space.

Finsbury Green

A leader in Australian commercial print, managed services and logistics for more than 48 years, Finsbury Green has grown to become one of the most successful print enterprises in Australia, employing 180 staff across five locations in Melbourne, Sydney and Adelaide, and its environmental standards have matched its other performance indicators.

Executive chairman, Peter Orel, says Finsbury Green is “one of the most sustainable print, managed services and logistics solution providers in the world. It’s in our DNA!” This year, Finsbury Green will launch its newest rating system based on the Finsbury Green Social Rating (FGSR), an industryContinued on page 32 April 2022 ProPrint 31

FOCUS SUSTAINABILITY Finsbury Green proactively reduces water and energy consumption throughout the whole operation and undertakes many initiatives, including solar, power factor correction, voltage optimisation and lighting designed for low power usage.

Orel sums it up: “Our environmental leadership and credentials developed over 19 years are independently verified on an annual basis and published in our Sustainability Report and because we are a carbon-neutral business, everything we do is carbon-neutral which makes our reputation as Australia’s premier green printer and print manager unrivalled.”

Sustainability is a part of Finsbury Green’s DNA says executive chairman Peter Orel. Finsbury Green offers the Finsbury Green Environmental Rating system, and this year is launching the Finsbury Green Social Rating.

Continued from page 31

leading process that reflects the company’s commitment to the development of social benefit suppliers.

Orel says the FGSR comes on top of already established environmental safeguards developed by his company. Finsbury Green actively promotes sustainable practice through its total supply chain and provides its customers with the ability to select suppliers based on their environmental credentials.

“At the front line of our approach to sustainability is the Finsbury Green Environmental Rating system (FGER) that all offset and digital print suppliers must complete during the supplier accreditation process. Our own standards have positively influenced our supply chain and the FGER,” Orel said.

He adds the FGER is independently audited and validated by current environmental science sourced from the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, National Greenhouse Accounts Factors 2020, and the National Carbon Offset Standard (Climate Active). The FGER has been reviewed by an independent panel of industry experts and science professionals and provides an open and transparent environmental rating which also highlights areas for improvement.

In terms of world’s best practice, Finsbury Green operates ISO9001:2008 Quality Management, ISO14001:2004 Environmental Management and ISO12647 Colour Management Systems certification.

Furthermore, Finsbury Green is actively involved with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and is Chain of Custody certified. And the company provides CO2 reporting using the National Carbon Offset Standard’s methodology which currently includes Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions.

Finsbury Green remains Australia’s only independently audited and manufactured carbon-neutral print group. “We measure, monitor and proactively reduce our emissions from our entire operation, then offset the balance, which is approved under the Australian Government’s National Carbon Offset Standard,” Orel said.

At the micro-level, each phase of Finsbury 32 ProPrint April 2022

Green’s operation follows these principles and standards, says Orel. In terms of its CtP, Finsbury Green uses developer-free systems, reducing the need for chemistry and water from platemaking. In the pressroom, the company has eliminated the use of mineral solvent-based inks, which contribute to growing greenhouse gas emissions. Instead, 99 per cent of all inks and varnishes used are vegetable based. Low-waste pumping systems deliver ink to presses, reducing waste and maximising efficiency.

With isopropyl alcohol in fountain solutions another source of greenhouse gas emissions – not to mention the unpleasant odour in many printing plants – the company has reached a level of 100 per cent alcohol free, becoming one of the first printers in Australia to do so in 2006.

All waste created in manufacturing at Finsbury Green is recycled or re-purposed, but Orel says the company wanted to do more for the environment by using landfillbiodegradable plastic and making packaging more ecofriendly, noting this commitment is in line with the 2025 National Plastic Plan to phase out plastic waste.

“Our chemical and solvent usage is very low, resulting in consistently low factory-toair emission readings,” Orel said.

Accreditation platforms are being revisited: PVCA business marketing manager Kieran May.

Accreditation in Australia

Print & Visual Communication Association

Kieran May, business marketing manager at the Print & Visual Communication Association (PVCA), says the industry body has been revisiting accreditation platforms to make them relevant for the 2020s.

Sustainable Green Print (SGP) is the PVCA’s certification program, based on the international environmental standard ISO14001. SGP is available in three tiers with annual re-certification required.

May says the ‘sustainability’ concept has grown more complex in recent years, adding sustainably printed products now must consider not just the environmental impact of manufacturing, but whether the products were made ethically, for example in oppressive-free workplaces.

Reflecting on the certification programs prevalent since the mid-2000s, May says that while effective in minimising the use of VOCs in inks and press chemistry and helping to remove greenwashing in the supply chain, they began to lose relevance as customers and stakeholders set the bar higher.

In relation to SGP, May says: “We went through a process of reimagining it. Mindful of consumer sentiment, we’re bringing into the scope of Sustainable Green Print factors such as supply-chain management and

Sustainable Green Print is the PVCA’s print-specific accreditation. www.sprinter.com.au

SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS

The Real Media Collective CEO Kellie Northwood

workplace policies. We also plan to take it to another level – to guide certified members on how they can best use their certification in their marketing, and to tell their stories to their customers, so that in turn, these customers can tell a good environmental story to their own customers.”

Being industry specific, May says SGP recognises the role played by the likes of FSC, PEFC and APCO, all of which help to tell our compelling story.

The Real Media Collective

The Real Media Collective (TRMC) has a partnership with Responsible Wood, a standards development organisation which has managed the PEFC system in Australia since 2004.

TRMC CEO Kellie Northwood says Responsible Wood has spent two decades developing a standards-based system and certification programme to ensure forestry management in Australia and New Zealand is sustainable.

“Working closer with Responsible Wood allows our members to gain greater access to information about sustainable forestry, the PEFC standard, as well as TRMC sharing with Responsible Wood how the standard could be better suited to the commercial print sector,” Northwood said.

“As an industry, we support sustainably managed forestry both locally and Agfa’s Eclipse technology allows for process-free printing plates in sheetfed commercial production.

internationally, as this ensures reforestation, sustainable employment and eradication of illegal logging practices. Supporting sound environmental practices across our industry from the production of raw materials is an important first step in ensuring our environmental legacy across our industry.”

TRMC endorses PEFC as the industry standard, adding it sets high standards to ensure that products are sourced from sustainable forests.

“The standard and compliance are developed with relevance to the commercial print industry and recognises the inability of the commercial printer to change the wood product substrate,” Northwood said.

“Other standards can be onerous, regulatory and costly to commercial printers who can ill-afford the increasing costs of some of the requirements. As an industry body, we continue to review all standards applied across our industry.”

TRMC also supports carbon mapping.

“Following COP26, TRMC has met with several industry leaders and is looking to prepare a strong carbon emissions, energy and deforestation education and communications toolkit for our members,” Northwood said.

TRMC is also the regional licence holder for Two Sides, which promotes the environmental credentials of paper and print products in Australia and New Zealand. “We now stand proudly with firm representation globally – with the UK, US, Canada, Brazil, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa and Spain, all representing the paper and print industries with a united promotion of the sustainable credentials we all share,” Northwood said. “Our mission is to help people get a better understanding of why print and paper remains a versatile and sustainable communications medium.”

What the vendors say

Agfa Oceania

Agfa’s commitment to sustainable innovation focuses on three ‘e’s – ecology, economy, and extra convenience – or ECO³, Agfa Oceania managing director Mark Brindley says.

“Our hardware, software and consumables make prepress and printing operations Agfa’s ethos: Ecology, economy and extra convenience.

Responsible Wood has managed the PEFC accreditation system in Australia since 2004.

cleaner, more cost-effective and easier to operate and maintain. ECO³ extends from the prepress environment into the pressroom with software packages that give unparalleled ink saving and press standardisation. The outcome is reduced makeready time and paper waste,” Brindley said.

He says Agfa examines environmental and safety issues through each stage of a product’s life cycle to provide best manufacturing practices and solutions that meet customer needs and reduce waste and resource consumption.

These include plate systems that reduce waste, chemistry and energy use; chemistry with reduced VOCs or gases which contribute to ground-level air pollution; efficient workflows and inkjet solutions that reduce the amount of ink, paper and energy. required. In the commercial and newspaper segment, Agfa maintains a strong position in the field of eco-friendly prepress technology.

With Agfa’s chemistry-free CtP solutions, printers can minimise their environmental footprint, reduce their operation costs and boost their efficiency, says Brindley.

Agfa’s Eclipse is a new process-free printing plate for sheetfed commercial printers that combines all the benefits of process-free technology with effortless printing.

Ball & Doggett

Being Australia’s largest distributor of printable materials and press consumables “is a position we don’t take for granted – and we work tirelessly to ensure we bring new sustainable and innovative products to market,” says Tony Bertrand, Ball & Doggett’s national marketing manager.

“The three pillars of sustainability are social, economic and ecological – and we endeavour to have a position on all three,” he says.

“Environmentally the world of fibre has made a huge resurgence, especially in the packaging sector. Our manufacturing partners have responded quickly and listened to consumers. Our range incorporates highly credentialled stocks that cover everything from forest certification (FSC and/or PEFC), system certification, recyclability, biodegradability and compostability. The last two are relatively new accreditations that have been in response to the global move away from plastic to more easily disposable or recyclable fibre-based products.”

Bertrand says by working closely with brand owners, Ball & Doggett has seen an increased understanding of the full supply chain from cradle to grave. He says a more transparent approach is needed to ensure accountability and responsibility is shared.

Continued on page 34

www.sprinter.com.au

April 2022 ProPrint 33

FOCUS SUSTAINABILITY

Ball & Doggett works tirelessly to bring new sustainable products to the market.

Continued from page 33

“Our service offering, I_consignment, is a perfect example of economic and ecological sustainability examples, which will reduce delivery requirements. We’re reducing truck movements, resulting in lower CO2 emissions. For customers, I_consignment helps manage their cash flow, as they only pay for inventory when it has been used. This can have enormous benefits for the sustainability of their business. More PSPs need to embrace sustainable practices, as well as sustainable products to ensure longevity and relevance,” he said. To discuss options with Ball & Doggett, contact national business manager – Zaidee Jackson.

Böttcher Systems

Pressroom peripherals play a significant role in keeping the printing process sustainable and well functioning, says Böttcher Australia’s managing director Mitchell Mulligan.

For example, the function of a feed roller

Ball & Doggett’s I_consignment helps customers manage cash flow as they only pay for inventory once it is used.

Böttcher Systems rollers ensure uniform, non-destructive sheet transport at high speeds and frequencies.

is to ensure uniform, non-destructive sheet transport at high machine speeds and cycle frequencies. Frequent format changes and high workloads with small formats contribute to uneven wear-and-tear of the roller covering, which has a negative impact on sheet transport and rubber covering service, resulting in high turnover and wastage of rollers. Equally important is nondestructive material transport in the rollers, which minimises shaft compression and the resulting loss of mechanical properties.

Böttcher’s BöttcherTec brand offers a number of solutions that meet this requirement, from proven, economical single-layer constructions to dual-layer systems designed to provide enhanced wear protection. “This product helps to preserve the integrity of the corrugated carton by not crushing the flutes, hence enables full strength corrugated packaging to be maintained, which in turn offers the packaged product superior shipping and handling protection,” says Mulligan. “This

leads to less waste going to landfill. In the end, this is better for the carton manufacturers, product producer, consumer, and the environment.” Böttcher also supplies its Böttcher Green VOC-free roller and blanket washes. “Böttcher is an undisputed choice for environmentally friendly solutions, printing blankets and green pressroom chemistry,” Mulligan said.

DuPont’s new range of Artistri pigment and dye sublimation inks use lower impact chemicals which reduces hazardous waste by up to 85 per cent dramatically reducing the carbon footprint of textile printing.

DuPont

Dyeing and printing are an inherent component of textile production, but this sector has a heavy environmental footprint.

According to the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, annual greenhouse gas emissions from textile production totalled 1.2 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent – more than the emissions of all international flights and maritime shipping combined.

Textile production also discharges high volumes of wastewater containing Continued on page 36

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FOCUS SUSTAINABILITY Continued from page 34

DuPont is working to reduce the environmental load of textile printing with the development of the Artistri ink range which cut chemical and water use in the production process.

hazardous chemicals into local bodies of water. For example, 20 per cent of industrial water pollution globally is attributable to the dyeing and treatment of textiles.

However, DuPont’s Artistri range of pigment inkjet and dye sublimation inks simplifies the printing process, reduces resource consumption, and eliminates significant chemical and wastewater components from the production cycle, says Eric Beyeler, global marketing manager, Artistri. Digital printing with Artistri inks can reduce the total carbon footprint of textile printing by as much as 40 per cent at scale and reduces water consumption by over 60 per cent, compared to traditional analogue printing.

DuPont’s Artistri inkjet inks use lower impact chemicals, which can contribute to reducing the hazardous waste streams by up to 85 per cent, says Beyeler.

“This reduces particulate matter pollution, acidification, and freshwater eutrophication, which means less impact on the air, land, and

water. Reducing chemical effluents in the textile production processes simplifies the local downstream wastewater treatment requirements, lowering the impact of the textile industry on communities and on waterways,” he said.

EFI

EFI’s printers have been proven to deliver significant reductions in energy usage compared with latex and traditional UV inkjet display graphics printers, says Rodd Harrison, EFI Vice President of Sales, Asia Pacific. “The energy reduction, which comes from the instant on/off nature of UV LED curing lamps used on our printers, also enables the use of thinner – and often, less expensive – substrates that cannot withstand the heat required in traditional UV or latex inkjet printing,” Harrison said.

EFI also produces a range of leading-edge dispersed dye sublimation printers for soft signage graphics, which give print businesses and their customers the sustainability

advantage of high-end displays that are reusable and, due to their light weight, require less fuel to ship, he adds.

In the packaging space, EFI is a leader in high-volume, direct-to-board single-pass inkjet corrugated printing with its Nozomi C18000 Plus printer, a UV LED inkjet solution which Harrison sees as a strong sustainability proposition. The C18000, in use at Opal in Australia and at other leading corrugated packaging companies worldwide, produces high-graphic, full-colour corrugated packaging in precise quantities needed, eliminating not only the significant makeready waste required with litholaminated packaging, but also eliminating waste, warehousing and obsolescence.

“In addition to our printer portfolio, EFI manufactures the industry-leading Fiery portfolio of digital front end print servers and print software solutions, which include advanced prep, automation, colour

EFI’s Nozomi C18000 Plus high-volume, direct-to-board single-pass inkjet corrugated printer has strong sustainability credentials.

36 ProPrint April 2022

Continued on page 38

www.coritex.com.a u

julian@coritex.com.au

FOCUS SUSTAINABILITY Continued from page 36

The HP Indigo 25K Digital Press is certified Green Leaf Eco by Intertek, an independent global organisation that verifies environmental claims.

management and makeready systems that eliminate waste due to errors. This helps ensure that every sheet off of a production printer or press is a saleable sheet,” says Harrison.

Fujifilm Business Innovation Australia

Eliminating the use of hazardous materials including lead-based solder, enabling lowenergy consumption, utilising innovative, energy-efficient toner and ink technologies, taking advantage of modular design concepts to enable end-of-life disassembly for reuse, re-manufacturing and recycling, and staying compliant with the 2009 Energy Star standards are the goals that any digital press should aspire to. Darren Yeates, senior marketing manager, graphic communication services, Fujifilm Business Innovation Australia says these goals are being achieved with Fujifilm Business Innovation’s range.

Additionally, Fujifilm Business Innovation’s Super Emulsion Aggregation (EA) Eco Toner was developed over eight years and marks a revolution in the production of colour and black toner, Yeates adds.

“Conventional toner manufacturing involves mechanical grinding of large Sustainability goals ticked: The new Revoria production series from Fujifilm Business Innovation.

particles of plastic into smaller ones, followed by a classification process which sorts out toner particles of the desired size. By contrast, the EA method chemically builds toner particles to any required size and shape, says Yeates.

“This chemical process reduces CO2 emissions by 35 per cent due to less energy needed in the process. The Super EA Eco toner not only reduces environmental impact during its manufacturing process, but it also contributes to waste reduction during the printing process.”

Yeates says responsible paper procurement is a consumables goal. “We provide a range of carbon neutral FSC, PEFC and recycled papers. Our goal is to ensure our papers are derived from paper mills with sustainably managed fibre sources and manufacturing processes that reduce environmental and social impacts.”

One of the ways Fujifilm Business Innovation markets sustainable printing is product stewardship, which Yeates describes as “a driving principle of our business ... ensuring that the waste streams generated throughout the full lifecycle of our equipment are minimised and handled in an environmentally responsible manner.”

HP

HP Indigo is driving progress toward a more efficient, circular, and low-carbon economy in more ways than one, says Craig Walmsley, country manager, HP Personalisation & Industrial Business South Pacific.

“The shift from analogue to HP Indigo digital printing means reducing waste by decreasing printing plates, makeready, and the intensive cleaning cycles associated with analogue printing. Additionally, just-in-time printing means short runs, significantly reducing scrap. HP Indigo designs digital printing solutions that drive the customer’s inventory level in conformity with customers’ requirements, removing the need for minimum order quantities and reducing unnecessary inventory,” he said.

Walmsley adds all HP Indigo presses start their life as carbon-neutral, thanks to carbon-

neutral manufacturing. HP Indigo’s presses (6K, 8K, and 25K digital presses) are certified Green Leaf Eco by Intertek, an independent worldwide organisation that verifies environmental claims. Since 2012, more than 140 million kilograms of CO2 have been reduced through offsetting projects.

“One key programme that we’re particularly proud of in Australia and New Zealand is the Take Back Program in partnership with Close the Loop and Currie Group. It allows for HP Indigo users in Australia and New Zealand to recycle used BIDs, ink cans and ink tubes,” Walmsley says.

“Globally, each year HP Indigo is reusing and recycling approximately 400 tonnes of metal and plastic from the supplies and spare parts.”

He says that along the manufacturing and supply chain, HP Indigo separates and manages treatment of solid and liquid waste streams at its plant in Israel, recycling chemical, non-chemical, and liquid waste. In terms of supply efficiency, inks are developed with a longer lifespan for fewer replacements.

There is increased end-of-life recyclability of supplies, media and press parts, and HP Indigo is the first digital press provider to become a member of CEFLEX (Circular Economy for Flexible Packaging).

HP Indigo printed compostable labels and packaging are also certified for compostibility

by TUV. When it comes to plastic recycling, HP Indigo is certified by Cyclos-HTP. Walmsley adds these additional certifications add to HP Indigo’s ability to assist customers as they undergo their own transformations by contributing to the circular economy.

Kodak Australasia

Kodak offers numerous products which help customers become more sustainable by reducing energy, water and chemical consumption and eliminating waste, says Kodak’s sales director, ANZ, Robert Mollee.

Offset printing with KODAK SONORA process-free plates eliminates the use of Continued on page 40 www.sprinter.com.au

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FOCUS SUSTAINABILITY Continued from page 38

Kodak ANZ sales director, Rob Mollee, says using SONORA process-free plates removes the need to dispose of spent chemicals and residual liquids from the production process.

electricity, water, developer, replenisher, gumming solution and clean-out finisher associated with conventional plate processing, Mollee says.

Since there is no longer any chemistry used, and no plate processor in need of cleaning and maintenance, there are also no spent chemicals or contaminated residual liquids to be disposed of,” he says.

Kodak’s water-based inkjet inks – used by KODAK PROSPER presses and imprinting systems, as well as by Uteco Sapphire Evo presses for flexible packaging – are more sustainable than conventional solvent-based inks, he adds. “They do not contain PVC or phthalates, making them safer for printers, consumers, and the environment. In addition, because the inks are water-based,

no harsh chemicals are required for cleanup.

This keeps potentially harmful substances out of waste streams and water supply.”

Mollee says the KODAK NEXFINITY and ASCEND digital presses use eco-friendly, VOC-free dry inks that create virtually no emissions. A wide range of recycled and FSC-certified paper stocks can be run on the presses. “What’s more, printed sheets have been certified as easily deinkable and recyclable by INGEDE, the international association of the de-inking industry.

Kodak’s Operator Replaceable Components (ORC) service model increases press uptime, reducing service calls and associated fuel use and carbon emissions.

Furthermore, used ORCs and empty dry ink bottles are recyclable.”

Kurz’s new Eco-Label range is made using the waste product from marble decomposition.

Kurz Australia

Kurz Australia managing director, Stephen Pratt, says his company has launched a raft of new products that offer sustainability in label technology. He adds various approaches are being pursued to make security labels – which have always formed an important building block in the Kurz TRUSTCONCEPT brand portfolio – more sustainable.

“The important influencing factors include the source and value chain of the materials used. Fossil raw material sources can be replaced by renewable ones, for example, by using alternative, renewable upper materials this leads to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions,” Pratt said.

“Another option is the reuse of waste and

SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS

byproducts from other industrial processes and their incorporation into the layer compound of the label. What’s more, upper materials made from recycled components can be used in both the plastic and paper sector, or the material can simply be reduced to the absolute necessary minimum weight in order to improve the CO2 footprint of a product.”

Pratt points to several new products under its Eco-Label brand that take sustainability to new heights. The Kurz Premium Eco Label, a wood-free yet paper-like label, impresses with its high-quality, durable, matte/gloss surface and soft-touch feel, 80 per cent of which is made of a waste product from marble decomposition.

The rPP Eco Label, a white plastic label largely made from recycled packaging film, can hardly be visually distinguished from conventional standard polypropylene labels.

With the wbPP Eco Label, Kurz provides another sustainable alternative to conventional plastic labels. The transparent outer material is made with residues from pulp production and is therefore practically a wood-based plastic label. For the light Eco Paper Label, the use of materials has been reduced to the necessary minimum weight, which means it noticeably improves the ecological footprint.

The primary energy requirement, freshwater consumption and the emission of climate-damaging CO2 can be demonstrably reduced here.

“This also applies to the PCR Eco Paper Label, which is made up of 99 per cent postconsumer recycled fibres, without losing any of its brilliance,” Pratt adds.

The release of the new TRUSTCONCEPT brand portfolio from Kurz makes producing security labelling more sustainable.

sustainability and efficiency go hand-in-hand.

“Whereas early attempts at sustainable practices were seen as adding costs and reducing efficiency, in practice, Screen has found that by adopting a comprehensive ESG programme company-wide, when coupled

with technology advances, the result is better machines that increase productivity by reducing waste and saving time,” he said.

Some of these benefits may be regarded as incidental, but this in no way diminishes their importance.” PP

Screen’s Truepress Jet 520HD series of continuous-feed colour and mono presses and the Truepress Jet L350UV SAI label presses offer huge sustainability advantages.

Screen GP Australia

While Screen itself does not supply plates and consumables, its CtP reseller and OEM partners Fujifilm, Ferag and Agfa do. All have excellent low or no-chemistry plate offerings, says Screen GP Australia managing director, Peter Scott.

“However, our latest-generation CtP setters use far less power, water and disposable components than previous generations. For example, Screen’s PlateRite 4600N series supports a variety of processless, chemical-free and waterless plates. Its systems also provide major ecological benefits by reducing the production of harmful VOCs and waste developing liquid while maintaining exceptional quality and throughput.”

On the digital printing side, it is well established that all digital print presents sustainability advantages, says Scott, with print on demand enabling shorter print runs as needed, and little waste and no prepress chemicals.

“Our Truepress Jet 520HD series of continuous-feed colour and mono presses contribute greatly to sustainable print, as does the Truepress Jet L350UV SAI series of label presses and the upcoming PAC830F flexible packaging press,” he said. Scott says www.sprinter.com.au

April 2022 ProPrint 41

h t 0 3

Y R A S R E ANNIV

L A I C SPE

t six-par int’s a n i h fourt ProPr to the rating b e e l m e o c c l s We erie ry. ective s retrosp 30-year histo d in ul r perio a colourf e y e rint a fiv review ng a look at p t. l l i w e su ue taki world of prin Each is this iss e h t i w 10 in th 0 time 2 6 0 m 20 life fro

30

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

What happened in

2006

Konica Minolta launched itself into the production printing market in 2006 with some clever advertising, while Böttcher Systems also made use of some attention grabbing creative. Meredith Darke was appointed as the marketing manager of DIC Graphics Australia’s web division and the Junior Printing Executives Association of Australia was active with many get togethers organised through the year. DES also merged with CyraChrome as the industry continued to reshape itself. Along these lines The Laminating Company acquired V&L while David Fuller from Focus Press provided a view from the top and M&M Binders featured on the November cover.

From top left: DES and CyraChrome merger; Böttcher and Konica Minolta get creative; All Print China 2006 gets some press; Darke appointment; A beautiful Océ cover in June; TLC acquires V&L to expand; David Fuller of Focus Group; Ball & Doggett adds labels; EFI ad; Screen cover; M&M Binders up service.

years

celebrating

1991–2021

30

years

celebrating

1991–2021

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

What happened in

2007 Women in Print held its first ever dinner series this year with our very own Carmen Ciappara in attendance, meanwhile the countdown was on for Sydney’s PrintEx07.

The forums at this trade show were so popular there was standing room only in the rooms. Bright Print Group were the feature of a story after installing a new Komori press, while then NSW Education and Training Minister, Carmel Tebbutt, opened a new Canon-sponsored training facility at TAFE NSW. Print imports from China were continuing to cause headaches with one member of the industry writing in to advise businesses to talk up the carbon cost of imported print to encourage local purchases.

From left to right: More creative from Screen; Inaugural Women In Print function; CanPrint sets a new record; Matt Aitken features; Heidelberg feature on the front cover; An insightful letter to the editor; PrintEx07; Bright Print Group’s new Komori; NSW TAFE print school opening; Bernie Robinson talks CtP.

30

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

What happened in

2008

ProPrint changes hands with Don Elliott selling the magazine to Haymarket Media, owners of UK publication, PrintWeek. Geon was also making waves announcing the closure of Agency-Graphic World site in Seven Hills.

It was also a drupa 2008 year so there was a flurry of new announcements including MAN Roland’s release of a new two metre plus web printer. Neil Southerington from Graffica attended drupa to show the Hamada 466 press. Commentator Andrew Tribute slammed printing associations for not doing enough to promote print in the marketing mix. There was also a great story about the print room on the Queen Victoria cruise liner.

From left to right: DS Chemport front cover; Celmac hosts Roland open house; Andrew Tribute lets loose; Geon causes waves; Komori’s drupa surprise; Fujifilm plays on the trust theme in this ad; ProPrint’s drupa coverage; MAN Roland goes wide; The Queen Victoria print room explored; ProPrint’s new owners; Screen teams up with Fujifilm on CtP; Neil Southerington at drupa.

years

celebrating

1991–2021

30

years

celebrating

1991–2021

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

What happened in

2009 With the recession taking effect, news was focused on job losses and downsizing. Then editor Steve Crowe asked readers to “stay positive”. There was controversy as a Gunns $2.2b pulp mill was approved in Tasmania.

Printers jumped onto FSC, PEFC and Sustainable Green Print accreditations. PMP’s former CEO Brian Evans chased a $1.56m payout and being a PacPrint year ProPrint delivered a preview and review. Heidelberg ANZ MD Andy Vels Jensen told ProPrint the industry needed a strong, united and effective voice to go forward; Fuji Xerox got a new MD in Nick Kugenthiran and Konica Minolta’s David Procter reflected on four years since the company launched in Australia’s production market.

From top left: ProPrint’s PacPrint guide; Bob Lockley interviewed; a selection of local industry news; Epson ad in 2009; Mitch Mulligan as GAMAA president; David Procter disussed Konica Minolta’s launch in Australia; Heidelberg ProPrint cover; Andy Vels Jensen interview; Océ launch and more print industry news.

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30

years

celebrating

1991–2021

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

What happened in

2010 ProPrint received a facelift in 2010 with new sections added as printers continued to feel the GFC pinch. Bright Print Group’s Debbie Burgess said the recession proved that cash truly is king. Geon continued to expand, while securing refinancing and reporting a $183m after tax loss in NZ. Phoenix activity was an issue for many. In a sign of the times, Pettaras Press was put in receivership with a new buyer sought. It was an IPEX year and the Fujifilm Truepress Jet 520 was released. Melbourne Uniiversity unveiled an on-demand book arm in a sign of things to come. Heidelberg and Kodak announced a partnership to open local opportunities.

From left to right: Fujifilm’s new Jetpress; A round up of industry news of the time; ProPrint’s Ipex cover; Fuji Xerox ad; Pettaras Press was close to sale; Preparations underway for Visual Impact; Gunns controversy continued; PMP takes on Geon and Blue Star with the purchase of a new sheetfed press..

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

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