ProPrint June 2022

People Technology Business

www.sprinter.com.au June 2022

CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

Celebrating 30 years, offering premium solutions to the sign, graphic and apparel industries Textile printing

Women in Print

ProPrint’s 30 years

Find out how home décor and fashion can open new vistas

Industry women ‘think differently’ over national breakfast series

The fifth in a six-part series looks at key events from 2011 to 2015

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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

Election’s over, back to business

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 Sarah Vella sarahvelladesigns@gmail.com Managing Director James Wells james@intermedia.com.au Subscriptions (02) 9660 2113 subscriptions@intermedia.com.au Subscription rate (6 issues) Australia $69.95

Printed by Hero Print Alexandria, NSW, 2015 Mailed by D&D Mailing Services Wetherill Park, NSW, 2164 Lisa Smith addresses the Sydney Women in Print breakfast.

What a relief to have the at times bitter and negative federal election campaign done and dusted. A new government is now in power, with a new Labor prime minister in Anthony Albanese.

This new government has a big job ahead with a promise to end the “climate wars” amid a massive deficit and the ongoing impacts of COVID. The print industry has been lobbying government for years about the vital role this industry plays as an employer and manufacturer, and now those discussions will continue with the new government.

Vocational education and training, worker shortages, the supply chain crunch and IR continue to be set piece items for discussion.

The fact that five print-related apprenticeships were recently scrapped from the Australian Apprenticeships Priority List will no doubt be a key discussion item.

Later in June the doors of PacPrint will also be thrown open in Melbourne so there are exciting times ahead with the HP 2022 National Sign and Graphics Dinner, National Print Awards and a Women in Print breakfast to take place during that week in Melbourne.

We hope you enjoy this issue. It celebrates the 30th birthday of sign and graphics supplier, Pozitive. Well done to Phil Trumble and the team for the hard work and results you are seeing today.

This issue also contains a feature on NSW-based E-Bisglobal, a print management and software company. There are also pages dedicated to the recent round of Women in Print national breakfasts.

There is also the next instalment of ProPrint’s 30th birthday, with a pictorial summary from the years 2011 to 2015 included.

Election news aside, there is great excitement among the industry as the trade show world is starting to ramp up.

Don’t forget to put in your nominations for the ProPrint Awards which will be held on October 27 in Sydney.

As I write this letter, I am about to jet off to Berlin for the FESPA Global Print Expo so it is timely that our technology writer, Peter Kohn, has written a feature on textile and décor digital printing. With enormous growth projected for this sector, the possibilities for print businesses who get into textiles is quite startling.

This year the ProPrint Awards are also co-locating the inaugural FESPA Australia Conference which will be held during the day in the same venue – more details are inside.

4 ProPrint June 2022

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.

Any use of the information contained in this publication is at the sole risk of the person using that information.

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.

Copyright © 2022 — Charted Media Group Pty Ltd

We hope you enjoy the read.

Go well, Sheree.

www.sprinter.com.au

CONTENTS

26

8

9

30

38

50

Contents JUNE 6-12 Update

PROPRINT AWARDS

DOWNTIME

Check out the big issues impacting the Australian printing sector

16-17 ProPrint Awards

30-36 Women in Print breakfasts

9 FESPA Australia Conference

Nominations now open for the October 27 awards

A national round-up of the 2022 breakfast series

Inaugural conference to co-locate with the ProPrint Awards

COVER STORY

TECH FOCUS: TEXTILES

10 TRMC postage win

22-24 Pozitive turns 30

38-48 Digital Textiles & Décor

TRMC secures 20% postage discount for new promotional mail users

Phil Trumble looks back on 30 years for Pozitive

Peter Kohn takes a deep dive into what’s happening in textiles, apparel and décor

14-15 Debrief

STAR BUSINESS

PROPRINT’S 30TH BIRTHDAY

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

26-27 E-Bisglobal

50-56 A look back at ProPrint from 2011 to 2015

18 Comment: Mick Rowan

Paul Freeman takes ProPrint on a tour

Each journey begins with one step

DIARY

21: Comment: Charles Watson

28 ProPrint Diary

New government, new conversations

Keep up to date with industry events

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Feeling social?

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

June 2022 ProPrint 5

UPDATE

Print industry sets priorities for new government

By Sheree Young

After nine years of Coalition leadership, Australia has a new government with Labor leader Anthony Albanese elected Prime Minister after the May 21 poll.

The printing industry has long promoted its case as a major manufacturing employer to government and will now make this case to a new group of ministers.

Worker and skills shortages remain the biggest issue, while supply chain issues and an increase to the minimum wage are also concerns.

A recent decision to delete five printrelated apprenticeships from the Australian Apprenticeship Priority List making new apprentices ineligible for added supports from July 1 will only add to this issue.

A merger between The Print & Visual Communication Association (PVCA) and The Real Media Collective (TRMC) is underway and returning those apprenticeships to the list is a key objective.

The TRMC contacted Albanese and the ministers so far appointed immediately following the swearing in ceremony on May 23 and is keen to see the industry’s issues put on the table.

“Both the Coalition and ALP have supportive policies across sovereign

Anthony Albanese celebrates his election win with partner Jodie Haydon and son Nathan.

manufacturing which provides opportunity for our industry. We will be engaging with the appropriate minister to ensure the National Skills Council reviews its removal of the apprenticeships across our Awards,” Northwood said.

“Skills and training require review and the ALP have strong policies across this which we will refer. Additionally, we have begun a proposal to Treasury to implement a procurement policy across all government print procurement to be locally manufactured and print management contracts reviewed accordingly to comply with local manufacture. This will be communicated to the incoming Treasurer and Finance Minister in Jim Chalmers and Katy Gallagher.”

PVCA board member, Tom Eckersley, acknowledged the work the Coalition and Scott Morrison had done, particularly during the pandemic, but pointed to worker shortages, supply chains and minimum wage increases as key issues.

Industry reacts to change of government

By Sheree Young

Frank Mezo, the owner of Melbourne’s Mezographic, wasn’t overly happy with either choice in the election and has adopted a “wait and see” approach to see how the new government goes in managing the economy.

Of the key issues impacting his business, finding staff is the main one. He is not overly concerned about any potential minimum wage rise as all full-time staff at Mezographic are paid well above award rates.

“When I started my business, I advertised for an apprentice and I would have had 300 applicants but the last time I advertised I got

6 ProPrint June 2022

Mezographic owner Frank Mezo.

about half a dozen. It is very hard to get people interested in print, young people wanting to do trades just seem to have switched off from print,” Mezo said.

Mezographic production staff start in

“As an industry we must work with the government as they have made an early call on making a recommendation for increasing the minimum wage to 5.1%. From our industry’s point of view this needs to be done in a more moderate and sustainable way,” Eckersley said.

“We recognise that wage growth is required to manage inflation but it has to be done in a sustainable fashion, so we have the view that 5.1% is too big, too sharp and too aggressive and we believe something more like 3% would be more relative to the circumstances in the market now.”

Supply chain is another key concern.

“The other big issue is the supply chain bottlenecks which are throttling businesses and adding huge costs to us. It is a huge issue across many industries. These problems are not going to go away so we have to address that because it is adding a lot of cost to the deliverables on the ground,” Eckersley said. PP

either the packing or cutting room before moving into the print room.

“Our last three trainees have come from the cutting room so they’ve worked on the CNC machines and they’ve been promoted into the print room. It is good because it gives them a basic understanding of what a quality print is. They are then put with a senior printer and trained over time.

“All those steps in the process give them a great grounding and we run our own training programme.”

Mezo said the supply chain crunch is a big concern, adding a key area where this can be alleviated is through a boost to local manufacturing.

“The cost of materials has gone through the roof. We’ve seen anything from 20% to 50% price rises on some materials and I’ve had some paper merchants quote shipping as a separate line item because of the cost of transporting the materials has gone up so much so they are quoting per metre, plus shipping, so they can show why the cost is going up so much,” he said. PP

www.sprinter.com.au

www.hp.com/indigo

www.curriegroup.com.au

UPDATE

Media Super committee to support Cbus Super

By Sheree Young

The print industry’s super fund, Media Super, has now merged with Cbus Super with former Media Super board members forming a Joint Advisory Committee to ensure unique industry specific issues and needs are understood by the now $75 billion fund.

The merger represents a trend in the superannuation industry as smaller funds merge with larger ones to maintain power in the market and ensure strong returns for members. Cbus Super has set a target of being valued at $150 billion in five years’ time with future mergers planned.

In one benefit recently announced, weekly administration fees for Cbus Super and Media Super members will decrease from $2 to $1.50 from July 1 with Cbus Super CEO Justin Arter saying the benefits of scale are already clear.

Arter welcomed Media Super members to Cbus and gave credit to the Media Super board for recognising that a merger was necessary.

Growth plans: Cbus Super Justin Arter.

At the time of the merger, the former Media Super board ceased to exist but members of that board have now formed a Joint Advisory Committee to ensure print industry-specific issues are properly dealt with.

“The new Joint Advisory Committee will meet regularly over the next few years to discuss substantive and unique issues which effect the printing industry to ensure that value proposition that Media Super brings to its unique member cohort still has a voice at the table,” Arter told ProPrint.

Arter praised the Media Super board for recognising that going forward smaller funds would find it harder to deliver returns for members.

“Credit should be paid to the Media Super board as they were quite forward thinking in recognising that the future was going to get very challenging and that battling on wasn’t a great option, as unfortunately

Craig Elvin new CEO at Centrum Group

By Sheree Young

Craig Elvin is the new CEO at Centrum Group and says he can see huge growth opportunities for the NSW-based manufacturer of packaging, commercial print and point of sale products.

A key focus for Elvin is raising awareness among print brokers, designers and agencies about the production capabilities at Centrum with its two wide format offset KBA presses with the end goal of boosting Australian manufacturing.

“A lot of local agencies have clients that used to go to China to have their material produced and that has just been getting more and more difficult with freight and COVID. So, if we can provide that link between having them get their material on budget and on time and also being produced in Australia, then that is a win

8 ProPrint June 2022

Centrum Group CEO Craig Elvin.

across the board for everyone concerned,” Elvin said.

Previously Elvin was the GM of Design and Estimating at Opal Specialty Group and prior to that he worked for Visy in the USA helping establishing Pratt Industries’ point of sale division.

But his history is rooted in design, with his first role out of university in this area.

Elvin believes his ability to talk ‘creative

many smaller industry funds have done to their detriment,” he said.

“By recognising that the landscape had changed, and not for the better if you were a smaller fund, and moving as promptly as they did, the Media Super board got themselves a very good outcome and hopefully a good outcome for their members going forward.”

Last year Cbus’ default option returned its highest ever annual investment return at 19.34 per cent. Cbus also reported that its average annual return over the last 37 years is 9.25 per cent.

Media Super also performed strongly with its Media Super Balanced (MySuper) option returning 16.82 per cent for the 2021 financial year. Over the last decade, Media Super members in the Media Super Balanced option received a return of 8.04 per cent per annum which is above the median return of 7.85 per cent. PP

speak’ will help greatly in discussions with design agencies and print brokers about the benefits of onshore production at Centrum Group.

“There is certainly lots of room for us to grow here at Centrum Group. The kit we have here with the two KBA offset large format printers gives us an incredible edge,” Elvin said.

He said he will be heavily promoting the capabilities of Centrum Group and the premium finishes and varnishes that are possible to be produced on all products, particularly packaging and point of sale.

“This will really make an impact in packaging but also in e-commerce which is just so big now as brands want to create a higher end experience by mail. They want their customers to be surprised by how their product arrives,” he said.

“This is also important in the POS market.

Anything that can attract the eye from halfway across the supermarket in terms of print and finish is only going to let our sales grow so there is plenty to get our teeth into which is great.”

Elvin replaces Sandra Duarte who resigned last year after a 13-year stint with Centrum Group. PP

www.sprinter.com.au

UPDATE

FESPA Australia Conference co-locates with ProPrint Awards

By Sheree Young

FESPA Australia has announced it will co-locate the inaugural FESPA Australia 2022 Conference with the ProPrint Awards at the Shangri-la Hotel in Sydney on Thursday October 27, 2022.

FESPA Australia president, Nigel Davies, says: “While these are independent events, holding them both in the same venue allows participants to maximise their time. It makes sense for a print professional to participate in the conference during the day and celebrate the industry in the evening. We are grateful to Intermedia and the Printer Media Group for offering to share the venue.”

Printer Media Group managing director, James Wells, says the ProPrint Awards (formerly the Power 50 Awards) is a

The inaugural FESPA Australia Conference will be held in Sydney on October 27, 2022 in Sydney.

longstanding and respected event on the industry calendar and this partnership is designed to provide synergies and economies of scale for the industry.

“FESPA is a leading brand in the eyes of our audience, and we hope that many will take advantage of the convenience this arrangement offers,” Wells said.

Davies confirmed the theme of the FESPA Australia Conference is People Planet, Profit.

“Successful print companies of the future will embrace a different culture, dismissing price competition in favour of a holistic view that promotes sustainability and leverages

the power of people. This ‘triple bottom line’ was first coined by John Elkington in 1994 but print companies nowadays must recognise the demands of their clients and internal teams for a socially responsible focus,” Davies said.

The conference will bring together recognised thought leaders on sustainability, leadership and automation to guide print companies into a better future.

The FESPA Australia conference will be held between 8am and 2pm on October 27 at the Shangri-la Hotel grand ballroom, with the ProPrint Awards starting at 6pm in the same venue.

FESPA Australia is one of 37 National associations that make up the FESPA federation.

It works together to promote FESPA’s goal to be the leading globally connected imaging community re-investing its profits to inspire, educate and grow our industry.

Members include leading digital printers, screen printers, sign makers, textile and apparel, and promotional products printers who manufacture a diverse range of products.

To enquire about Early Bird Tickets for the FESPA 2022 Conference, please email membership@fespaaustralia.org.au.

Tickets for the ProPrint Awards are available at www.proprintawards.com.au. PP

Kwik Kopy Tuggerah wins 2022 Franchise of the Year

By Sheree Young

Wendy Mulholland has owned the Kwik Kopy Tuggerah outlet on the NSW Central Coast for four years and at the recent Kwik Kopy annual conference she was pleasantly surprised to be announced as the winner of the 2022 Kwik Kopy Franchise of the Year Award.

Pre-COVID having a chance to win the Franchise of the Year Award required an outlet to be in the top quartile when it came to sales and profit. But a tweak in the rules this year shifted the focus to consistent performance, regardless of size, which Mulholland said was a key factor in helping her mid-sized branch across the line.

During the last 12 months, Kwik Kopy Tuggerah achieved double-digit growth, up 12.1 per cent YoY. This result meant her branch outperformed 90 other outlets to win the award.

Mulholland received the award at the

www.sprinter.com.au

L:R Kwik Kopy board member Annalise Andrews, Kwik Kopy Tuggerah owner Wendy Mulholland and Kwik Kopy chairman Matt Penfold.

annual Kwik Kopy Conference in Darling Harbour in April during a presentation from Kwik Kopy board members Matt Penfold and Annalise Andrews.

“The win came as a bit of a surprise to me.

I wasn’t really expecting to win. We have been going from strength to strength here and even through COVID we had growth,” Mulholland told ProPrint.

“It was different though and the work shifted as there were no events, but we did a lot of work for people who were working from home as there was nobody in the office to handle the distribution side of things - so we would package all of the materials up and distribute.

“Normally organisations have their own mailroom and their own people for that, but

we took on that role for the printing and the distribution which was really good and really helped us get through.

“We’ve maintained those clients, so I think they have realised that it is a whole lot easier for us to do it than them, so we have retained a lot of that work as well as get back a lot of our old work.”

Mulholland said she is flat out busy and is looking for at least two more staff members to work in the print production and finishing areas, but she says finding staff is incredibly difficult.

She is now working to promote her win locally on the NSW Central Coast.

“We will work hard on getting this out into our community, but Kwik Kopy also do a great job of doing that for us as well,” she said. PP

June 2022 ProPrint 9

UPDATE

TRMC secures 20% postage rebate for new users

By Hafizah Osman

The Real Media Collective (TRMC) has been successful in negotiations with Australia Post with its ‘New User Addressed Promotional Mail Rebate’ offer for new mail users.

Australia Post will provide first time promotional mail users with a rebate of 20 per cent off the discounted Business Mail cost for up to 10,000 addressed promotional articles.

“We are very pleased to announce this opportunity for our industry and their customers. This additional discount to the current Business Mail rate provides industry the opportunity to approach their customers and prospects with a sale incentive to develop a new print and mail campaign,” TRMC CEO Kellie Northwood said.

The mail products included in the ‘New User Addressed Mail Rebate’ offer includes Charity Mail, Promo Post, Acquisition Mail, Print Post and Pre-Sort.

TRMC CEO Kellie Northwood.

“The New User Addressed Promotional Mail Rebate is being introduced to encourage businesses that have never used addressed promotional business mail to receive a rebate of 20 per cent on their first mailing campaign. It is very important to encourage businesses at this point, as they mitigate their economic recoveries from the pandemic, to use mail services and assist them to shift their strategies to print marketing again,” Australia Post head of mail products Mark Roberts said.

The offer is available for new and existing businesses and not-for-profits who have not previously used addressed mail to promote their goods, services and causes.

Mick Rowan: starts Think Laterally & IAM running gear

By Sheree Young

Eternal optimist, print industry identity and ultra-marathon runner, Mick Rowan, is putting his proven business building skills to use with his business advice service, Think Laterally, and the launch of his 100% Australian made merino wool activewear brand, IAM. Rowan began his working life on the printing factory floor in Melbourne and went on to create printIQ, which is now a global leader in management information systems for the printing and packaging industries.

He parted ways with printIQ earlier this year and is now directing his energy to help other entrepreneurs get their ideas off the ground through his new business service, Think Laterally.

He has also launched his very own Australian made merino wool active wear

10 ProPrint June 2022

New horizons: Mick Rowan.

range, IAM (It’s Australian Manufactured) which consists of men’s and women’s running singlets, t-shirts and shorts.

Rowan also came first in his age group at the recent Noosa Ultra Marathon, while also clocking a 10-minute personal best (PB).

Since starting Think Laterally, Rowan has had a range of people from different sectors contact him looking for guidance on how to navigate the path of starting up.

“The goal of Think Laterally is to develop new, innovative ideas to break people out of their standard thinking patterns and help

Businesses need to send a mail campaign containing a minimum 2,000 articles (or 4,000 articles if using the Promo Post mail product). The articles must meet Australia Post’s definition of ‘Promotional Mail’ which is “mail that advertises goods or services, including the promotion of organisations, causes and/or customer relationships”.

All businesses applying need to ensure that they have an Australia Post Business Credit Account, complete the ‘New User Addressed Promotional Mail Rebate’ application, then prepare and lodge their mail as usual to the guidelines in the Australia Post Service Guide.

Once the lodgement is complete, customers will complete the ‘New User Addressed Promotional Mail Rebate Request’, which will be processed by Australia Post and the rebate issued.

This is the second Australia Post discount opportunity TRMC has secured for the industry this year, recently achieving a Charity Mail discount for volume increased campaigns.

“Building new user or volume-increase campaign incentives provides support for increased print and mail for members and increased effectiveness and results for our industry customers,” Northwood said.

“We are still working through some additional opportunities and I want to thank Australia Post for their support and partnership in the development of these initiatives.” PP

them to see things from a different perspective,” Rowan said.

“We work with customers from many industries (including print) from start-ups with just an idea, to long-established companies. We help develop a strategy to define a purpose, vision, mission, and values.

“When the foundations are in place, we work on an authentic voice and a narrative for the brand. One area that has proved incredibly popular is Mindset coaching, which we use to help people past the mental blocks that might be holding them back.

“It’s been an incredibly exciting period launching the business and working with people that are prepared to back themselves.

It’s really refreshing, to be honest.”

He added the IAM activewear range is the result of his combined love for running, and Australian manufacturing.

“My other massive area of interest has always been Australian manufacturing.

So, I’ve combined this with my passion for running and launched my own activewear brand called “It’s Australian Manufactured” (IAM). The goal at IAM is to produce the best possible products using Australian suppliers and staff to do so. Australian products, made by Australians, what could be better?

We manufacture our singlets, shorts, and tees right here in Australia,” Rowan said. PP

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

Thinking Differently: Women in Print

By Hafizah Osman

Shifting your brain into a different space and thinking differently about how to deliver ideas is key, said Minds at Work mindworker and Women in Print Breakfast Series keynote speaker Lisa Smith.

“If you believe in yourself and put your brain in a different space, you can end up with powerful results. Sometimes you get so caught up in being excellent at the things you do on a day-to-day basis, that it gets incredibly difficult to see how things could be done differently,” she said.

“The more habitual you are and the more routine your world is, the harder it is for you to think differently. And the more procedures we create, the more we’re making our box smaller and smaller.

If you’re not talking about what’s possible, you’re thinking it’s impossible.”

But there is a method to “thinking differently”.

This first thing that companies should address is the reason for their existence – what worries the business? What is it trying to achieve? The second part is understanding the reality that they’re working within – is there enough time and resources?

“A lot of organisations bounce between

Morag Pugh and Susan Heaney at the Women in Print Breakfast in Brisbane.

this purpose and reality conversation. What it results in is a ‘ping pong game’ between where we want to go and the reality of what is. But there’s actually a third point in this triangle. And that is possibility, which is your opportunity to come up with brand new ways of doing things,” Smith said.

“Once you’ve fixed on your ‘true north’, which is your idea, rather than going straight to reality, pause for a minute and think if there’s a better way for you to come up with new possibilities and work out how to turn that into reality. We’re always looking for new ways of operating.”

But this cycle is hard, says Smith, adding that people must be get rid of traditional styles and challenge the status quo.

“If we want to solve problems, think differently and get creative, we need to move towards what’s possible rather than

AntiKote Plus goes next level on COVID

By Sheree Young

Independent laboratory testing has proven the new version of AllKotes’ AntiKote Plus film is 84.15 per cent effective in reducing the viral load of SARS CoV-2 (Corona Virus) when compared to regular films.

This latest version of AntiKote Plus contains an additive not used in the manufacture of the first version of AntiKote Plus which was released in 2020 with a 99 per cent success rate in eliminating bacteria including Staphylococcus and E-Coli.

AllKotes general manager, Darren Delaney, says the improved AntiKote Plus takes the product to a new level after UK-based laboratory, Industrial Microbiological Services Ltd, found it to be 84.15 per cent successful in eliminating COVID particles, compared to other films.

12 ProPrint June 2022

New AntiKote Plus from AllKotes toughens up on COVID.

Delaney says it offers lifetime protection for high-touch products, compared to the 12-month anti-bacterial protection offered by the original AntiKote Plus product.

“In 2016, Allkotes introduced to the market a new antibacterial film called AntiKote Gloss & Matte Film. Then in 2020 an improved version AntiKote Plus was released which contained antibacterial properties which made it 99% effective against known bacteria like Staphylococcus & E-Coli. It also carried positive results against anti-fungal and anti-mould properties, suggesting further testing required to gauge the degree

festering in reality because that’s going to limit our thinking,” she said.

Smith suggested business leaders employ people who think differently to them.

“Leadership is not top down; that’s an old model. Leadership is about going sideways.

That’s the only way you can go forwards.

And by having people that think different to you, you open your business to a world of new opportunities,” she added.

Women in Print chair, Susan Heaney, addressed the Brisbane breakfast and discussed a recent McKinsey report into gender diversity.

She said gender diverse companies are 48 per cent more likely to outperform the least gender-diverse companies, while companies in the top quartile for executive team gender diversity are 21 per cent more likely to outperform companies in the fourth quartile.

In addition, Heaney said women manage differently and deliver team performance.

“Female managers make more consistent actions in ensuring the wellbeing of their teams. Female executives also reduce team absenteeism. Female leaders are also up to twice as likely to spend substantial time on diversity, equity and inclusion,” she said.

The print industry has a way to go to achieve this.

Heaney said the gender split across all industries is 51 per cent women and 49 per cent men. In the print industry, it is 32.9 per cent women and 67.1 per cent men.

“We are classified as a male-dominated workforce,” she said.

Interested in joining Women in Print?

Visit: www.womeninprint.com.au to find out how. PP

of effectiveness,” Delaney said.

“Twelve months on we have received news regarding antiviral properties carried out on AntiKote Plus. The trial carried out by an independent laboratory, according to ISO 21702 showed a reduction in the viral load of SARS CoV-2 (Corona Virus) of 84.15% when compared to a regular film. So basically, when the Coronavirus SARS CoV-2 was introduced to the surface of AntiKote Plus it was 84.15% effective in the reduction of the viral particles.”

Delaney said the new product is well suited for products in high-touch sectors, particularly pharmaceutical, hospitality and health environments.

“Pharmaceutical clients, hospitality clients, wine lists, cocktail lists and menus – it is very useful wherever you have printed matter, or you want to give employees and customers extra protection. It doesn’t add that much more to the price at all, it is cheaper than your scuff resistant matte films and your soft touch films, so it is not overpriced or out of reach,” he said.

For more information about AntiKote Plus, please visit: https://www.allkotes.com.au/ PP

www.sprinter.com.au

WELCOME CHANGE.

The world’s changed, so have we.

We can keep you ahead of changing times. The future looks bright when you embrace solutions to help you automate, streamline and prosper in the changed world of print and work. Visit FUJIFILM Business Innovation Australia and FUJIFILM Australia at PacPrint, and see first-hand how we can help you grow with our suite of change solutions and transformative thinking.

So expect a friendly and informative welcome when you Welcome Change with the Fujifilm team at PacPrint (stand G14).

FUJIFILM and FUJIFILM logo are registered trademarks or trademarks of FUJIFILM Corporation.

UPDATE APRIL - MAY TIMELINE

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

April issue

7 april

12 april

28 april

FOCAL PRINTING WINS GRAND DIEMEN Focal Printing has taken out the Media Super Grand Diemen Award for Print at the eighth annual Diemen Awards with Craig Pearce of Flying Colours awarded a special recognition for services to Tasmania’s printing industry.

The Diemen Awards celebrate excellence in Tasmania’s creative and craft industries across: Advertising/Communications, Digital, Design and Print. Diemen Awards co-chair Adam Glover, of Mercury Walch, says the awards are about recognising creative talent in and building connections. “A committee of eight people from all corners of the Advertising, Design, Digital and Print industries volunteer to organise the entire event so that Tasmanian companies and their work can be celebrated,” he said.

TRMC, PVCA INTENTION TO MERGE The Real Media Collective (TRMC) CEO Kellie Northwood announced the intention for TRMC and the Print & Visual Communications Association (PVCA) to merge. The merger will create a “super industry body” with a vision for the paper, print, mail, packaging and publishing sectors. “The merger will leverage from the foundation of the existing PVCA Registered Organisation authority and the programs, growth and membership of TRMC,” Northwood said. “TRMC will merge into the Registered Organisation in the coming months and to ensure continuity of the products and services of TRMC, myself and the team will remain, with my future involvement being the incoming CEO of the united association.”

GRAND PRINT’S NEW SWISSQ Grand Print Services has installed a new SwissQprint Nyala 4 press through Pozitive. MD James Sultana said quality and speed were key attractions. “We purchased it mainly to satisfy our flatbed work which is a big growth area for us moving forward. The machine also does roll-to-roll printing.

The SwissQprint is the right fit for us as we’ve got higher demand for larger volume jobs. Our previous machine was fantastic, it helped build our client base,” he said.

News happens every day at

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Sign up for our free regular news bulletin.

14 ProPrint June 2022

7 april

19 april

OVATO SUPPLY & DEMAND ALIGNED IN AUST Critical paper shortages were a key cause for Ovato’s closure of its NZ heatset operation, but CEO James Hannan says supply and demand for Australian heatset production remain aligned. Global paper shortages are impacting heatset printing and the situation worsened after Norske Skog shut down its NZ paper mill leaving Tasmania’s mill the only source of locally produced paper. “Volumes are re-stabilising as we emerge from the latest COVID surge and the raft of natural disasters we have faced since January, so supply and demand are fairly well aligned as we stand here today,” he said. “It is certainly still a struggle getting the surety of supply that we require, but we are working with clients to move them to available options. We have a few more options available to us in Australia.

Pricing pressure remains across all raw materials due to the macro-economic conditions,” he said.

NINA NGUYEN WINS TELSTRA GONG Pakko founder Nina Nguyen beat six other finalists to win the 2022 Telstra Best of Business Award in the Progressing Australia category.

On accepting the award, Nguyen said: “Thank you so much. I’m just so grateful and full of gratitude right now. Thank you, to the team at Telstra for hosting this wonderful evening and for connecting us. This means so much for small businesses, especially someone like me.

When I started Pakko in 2017, it was just an idea about a cardboard box. Today, we manufacture these boxes, and we help businesses by creating, manufacturing and delivering functional packaging. A lot of people think ‘it’s just a brown box’ but it’s the first thing people look at when you receive a box.

It’s an opportunity for you to tell your story, your message on that packaging. It should not be an afterthought. There’s so much to it; a box isn’t just a box.”

www.sprinter.com.au

UPDATE

7 may

10 may

16 may

KM LAUNCHES NEW EFI FIERY EFI and Konica Minolta have released five new EFI Fiery digital front ends (DFEs) based on the newest Fiery platform, Fiery FS500 Pro. The new solutions will drive the AccurioPress C14000/ C12000; C7100/C7090 and C4080/ C4070 models. Both companies say the new DFEs offer pre-flight tools, intelligent automation features and colour management technologies which will help print businesses produce documents correctly every time, and at lower cost. “With these new EFI Fiery DFEs, we continue to extend the range of what AccurioPress users can achieve,” Konica Minolta DX branding division general manager Olaf Lorenz said. “We are pleased to be the first to bring these powerful new DFE solutions into our portfolio.”

SIGNAGEWORLD WINS IN USA Adelaide’s Signageworld has won the ‘Best of Wide Format Awards’ at the ISA International Sign Expo in Atlanta for a 232 square metre train wrap for the famous Ghan railway. The artwork of talented Indigenous artist, Chantelle Mulladad, was recreated in the marvellous display which was printed on 3M Scotchcal Graphic Film using a HP 360 and HP 560 Latex printer. The graphics were also printed on Clear Focus One-Way Vision to ensure passengers still had great views out the windows.

“Working with the complex profile of the train carriages was the biggest challenge of the project,” Signageworld managing director Derek Michalanney said.

“Our team used their expertise to ensure perfect application of the material.”

BÖTTCHER FOCUS ON INNOVATION AT PACPRINT Böttcher Systems’ PacPrint display is designed to cover all four pillars of its business – carton packaging, printing with hybrid UV and Light Emitting Diode inks (HUV-LED), flexible packaging and commercial print. Böttcher will demonstrate innovative solutions aimed at reducing makeready times while improving business sustainability, managing director Mitch Mulligan said, pointing to Böttcher’s ECS ‘Easy Cleaning System’. “These easy-to-clean inking rollers incorporate special polymers and additives in the rubber to reduce the adhesion of the ink to the roller surface, effectively improving ink transfer whilst enhancing the washability of the roller train,” Mulligan said.

5 may

9 may

12 may

FUJIFILM WINS IF DESIGN AWARDS Fujifilm scooped 24 iF Design Awards with the Acuity Prime flatbed and Acuity Ultra R2 roll-to-roll (pictured) wide format printers among the winners. Fujifilm Holdings Corporation President and CEO, Teiichi Goto, said Fujifilm had set a new record for iF Design wins. “Fujifilm Holdings sets its highest record with 24 products winning the prestigious award in recognition of not only the products’ beautiful appearance but also their design that achieves advanced performance and excellent operability,” he said. “The iF Design Award is a prestigious international design award launched in 1953 and is considered one of the top three global design awards, alongside “Red Dot Design Award” in Germany and “International Design Excellence Awards (IDEA)” in the United States. This year, there were approximately 11,000 entries from 57 countries and regions around the world.”

LIA VIC AWARDS APPRENTICES The Lithographic Institute of Australia (LIA) Victoria recently took part in the 25th Annual Awards Festival held by Holmesglen TAFE with Tan Pham from Andrew Kohn Pty Ltd winning the most outstanding Third Year Apprentice award in Printing Trades. The ceremony, which was held at Holmesglen’s Victorian Tunnelling Centre at Chadstone, celebrates the achievements of Holmesglen students, staff and industry. In other printing awards, Hannah Coleman from Flying Colours won the gong for Second Year apprentices, while Mark Pedroni from Fildes Manufacturing won the First-Year award. Caroline Moss won the Outstanding Achievement Award. LIA Vic rep Robyn Frampton said the LIA has a longstanding relationship with Holmesglen, in line with its commitment to supporting education and training and encouraging and sponsoring career development. thern

PRINT AGAINST WAR The Meaningful Print Foundation has set up a ‘Print Against War’ initiative to help print and packaging companies in Ukraine keep operating during the Russian invasion or provide support so they can restart production.

“Beyond the humanitarian efforts that individuals, families, and businesses are making to support the Ukrainian population and refugees, we believe that an industry-wide response is essential,” Meaningful Print Foundation co-founder Lorenzo Villa said. “Print Against War is the first global outreach and support project to a regional printing and packaging market in need. We count it as the first that the Meaningful Print Foundation will be able to coordinate in the future.” Organisers are calling on printers and converters, publishers, influencers, and suppliers to offer support. Visit https://printagainstwar.org/joinprint-against-war for more information.

www.sprinter.com.au

June 2022 ProPrint 15

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

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

Each journey begins with one step Mick Rowan of Think Laterally shares his thoughts on why knowing the why, how and where of your new business venture is key.

F

ounding any business is a hard grind, and it can be tough to know exactly where to start. But there are a couple of essential pieces of the puzzle that would make the journey so much easier if only you knew about them at the start.

Suppose I could talk to a younger me.

I’d explain the value of establishing a purpose, vision, mission, and values for my budding business (after telling myself to lose the earring and buy a couple of 1970s muscle cars).

If only I’d known the why, how, and where of my business at the beginning, it would have been so much easier to create the perfect value proposition for my customers.

The tragedy of many small businesses is that they begin with a great idea but lack an understanding or vision to guide them on where it should go. Without this crucial element in place, budding entrepreneurs often find themselves lost, trying to figure out what their business stands for and how best they can get there.

We can’t go back in time to help our younger selves, but it’s never too late for a face-lift! Looking at what your brand stands for and where you want it to go will tell you if the future is bright or heading towards disaster.

PURPOSE AND VISION The journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step. If you want people to embrace your brand, you must be clear about what your company stands for and why people should care.

Start by asking a couple of simple questions like: “Why do we exist?”, or “What’s the point of our business?”

These will help you define your ‘Business Purpose’. The more you know why you’re in this game and what it means for customers to succeed with their goals, the easier it will be to find solutions!

BUSINESSES NEED A VISION TO GUIDE THEM The next important step is for you to visualise your organisation’s future and create a ‘Vision Statement’ to provide an image of what you want your business to look like in the years ahead.

18 ProPrint June 2022

One step is to visualise your organisation’s future.

A vision statement will help guide all your organisation’s decisions and ensure that nothing gets left out when planning for success!

haul, not just when things are easy but also during challenging periods (like pandemics and supply chain nightmares).

Forming a strategic vision will provide longterm direction and delineate the organisational activities to be pursued and the capabilities that an organisation plans to develop.

Once you define your purpose, mission, vision, and values, your ‘Value Proposition’ is the obvious next step.

It also injects a sense of purpose into how individuals in the company act towards their goals for future success.

A BUSINESS ROADMAP Our ‘Mission Statement’ comes in next: what we do to create the future we want.

The mission statement is like your business roadmap, telling you where to go and what steps to take. It should be clear so that all employees know their responsibilities in carrying out the company’s vision; if there are any unclear aspects or questions, make them more straightforward and use simple language that everyone can understand!

How will we conduct ourselves to support and pursue our purpose, mission, and vision? That’s where our values come into play. ‘Values’ should be the foundation of your business and remain unchanged, passionate, and distinctive to ensure that you don’t lose sight or focus on what matters most.

A truly successful business with clearly defined business values relies on its people to work together, even when times get tough.

The employees in the business understand that it’s worth sticking around for the long

BUILD A VALUE PROPOSITION

A value proposition is why people should do business with you instead of your competitors; it’s what sets you apart from the rest. It’s often the most critical factor in whether customers choose your business.

This simple statement summarises why they should choose you over all other companies and speaks to their needs by communicating what you do and how it benefits them.

It can be daunting to keep up with the latest technologies and changes in the marketplace but remember that you have one powerful asset: your intellect.

Use it to create a business strategy that is innovative and forward-thinking.

Stay true to your purpose, mission, and vision, and build a value proposition that resonates with customers.

With a clearly defined and well-articulated strategy in place, you can not only survive but you will learn how to thrive in any industry.

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. PP

www.sprinter.com.au

www.kyoceradocmentsolutions.com.a u

COMMENT

Love Paper education campaign preparing to launch Kellie Northwood, The Real Media Collective CEO and incoming Print & Visual Communications Association CEO, explains the new Love Paper campaign.

T

he Real Media Collective is preparing to launch its Love Paper campaign to promote the sustainable and attractive attributes of print, paper and paper packaging. It is part of a global campaign to explore the role paper and print plays in today’s digital world.

An array of Love Paper resources will soon be shared with TRMC and PVCA members to showcase how paper benefits all of us.

These will include blog articles to printed templates, research data to get the facts straight about the wonderful world of paper. We are also looking to implement a program into primary schools.

Paper and print were with us from the beginning. From the first book we read, to the butcher paper we scribble on, to the birthday invitations and love letters we send and receive, to the piece of paper that signifies graduation from high school, university, or marriage to the love of our life.

It is hard to disregard the impact that paper has on our lives.

WHY WE LOVE PAPER BENEFICIAL FOR HEALTH

stepping away is more important than ever.

Deakin University research found that during the national lockdown in the first half of 2020, children spent more than a day of extra time each week on smartphones, tablets, computers, and television. The greatest increase was among children aged between five and 12 years old.

Dr Lauren Arundull, from Deakin University’s Institute for Physical Activity and Nutrition, stated that ‘screen time has been associated with lower social development and social connections among children’. During these critical formative years, being exposed to so much screen time is detrimental to the development and wellbeing of these young children2.

BETTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Seventy per cent of Australians agree it is important to use paper products from sustainably managed forests3. Australia has 1.8 million hectares of planted forests, and over 90 per cent of these forests are certified as being sustainably managed by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

Fifty per cent of Australians agree that they spend too much time on electronic devices, with 54 per cent expressing concern that the overuse of electronic devices could be damaging their health e.g. causing eyestrain, sleep deprivation, headaches or addiction1 .

FSC and PEFC certification defines what can and can’t be described as sustainably sourced, provides principles for well managed forests and ensures that when products are selected as sustainably sourced, they are in fact certified as authentic.

Turning off the screen for a small amount of time per day to appreciate the nature of paper can improve mental wellbeing, learning and comprehension, enhance creativity, employ thousands of people and hold memories that last a lifetime.

Organisations like these, further the sustainability of our forests and ensure our paper products are ethically sourced.

This allows consumers to know they are giving back and contributing to the reforestation cycle. Paper has become the natural choice for sustainable packaging for Australians, and 83 per cent of New Zealanders believe that planted forests provide benefits for the environment – they are right in thinking so4.

BRAIN FUEL Neuroscience research has found that children’s comprehension is enhanced when they read via a printed medium, as paper-based content offers the advantage of connecting with our brains and enhancing recall.

After the past two years of consistently working and learning from home and being attached to technology for most of the day,

20 ProPrint June 2022

with the proportion of paper being recycled increasing significantly6.

Using responsibly sourced paper products provides many benefits to the environment and to the livelihood of hundreds of thousands working in the sector.

So, take a break, pick up your favourite book, complete a sudoku, choose a paper bag at the supermarket. Embrace paper as a part of our diversified lifestyles and appreciate it!

If you are a company that supports local jobs and environmental responsibility join the many companies already involved and become one of Love Paper’s supporters. PP Please contact hello@lovepaper.org.au.

1 Two Sides, 2021, 2 Deakin University, 2021, 3 Two Sides, 2021, 4 Two Sides, 2021, 5 CEPI, 2018, 6 Australia’s State of the Forests Report, 2018

FAST FACTS •

• •

• • •

• Paper recycling rates in Australia are amongst the highest in the world, with over 87% of all paper and paperboard consumed being recovered5. In Australia, the proportion of paper disposed in landfill has declined significantly since the mid-2000s,

•

17% of people think that planted forests are bad for the environment - this should be 0% as they are good.

70% of people agree that it is important to use paper products from sustainably managed forests 64% are becoming increasingly concerned that personal information held electronically is at risk of being hacked, stolen, lost or damaged.

50% of people agree that they spend too much time on electronic devices.

53% of people find paper bills and statements better for record keeping.

57% of people believe that paper and cardboard packaging is better for the environment & 72% attribute paper and cardboard to be home compostable.

51% of people prefer online orders to be delivered in paper packaging.

54% of people attribute paper shopping bags as recyclable, and 65% attribute them to be compostable.

www.sprinter.com.au

COMMENT

Industry ready to work with new new Albanese Labor government The Real Media Collective’s Charles Watson offers insight into what the print industry needs to see in 2022 and beyond from the new Labor government.

L

eading into the federal election we experienced a long six-weeks of hi-vis and hard hat wearing media moments on the hustings. We endured the usual platitudes that history shows may or may not eventuate, or even be achievable.

Finally, on May 21 our heads and our hearts headed to the ballot boxes and with a 2B lead pencil the 47th Australian Parliament was determined. The Labor party got the jersey and formed government. Whatever your political views, the country has spoken and we all move forward.

This occurred during a climate of rising inflation resulting in interest rate rises, sub4% unemployment rates, a shortage of workers, and the ongoing effects of COVID19. As an industry we have continued to feel geopolitical and economic punches. We understand this government must work on a budgetary deficit of enormous proportions and we can expect to see a revised budget in October. We also understand this government must manage a range of potentially snowballing economic issues.

However, with the political dust settling, what do we as an industry need to see coming out of Canberra for the rest of 2022 and beyond?

GENUINE INDUSTRY ENGAGEMENT We understand politics and government is a time-consuming undertaking, and not everyone will get everything they want or even need. However, we need to see an improved approach to genuine stakeholder engagement with the business community, and beyond preferential treatment for the usual suspects. We understand the last two years has required government expediency on various issues. However, insufficient, or rushed consultation increases the risk of poor policy development, unforeseen consequences and implementation issues that impact the ability for businesses to manage the effects of policy change in their businesses.

ECONOMIC RECOVERY, PRODUCTION OUTPUT AND GENUINE GROWTH The primary factor to move Australia back into the clean air of solid and sustainable economic growth is government investment in policies that increases the economy's

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production output across both goods and services. This will require overcoming the ongoing supply chain issues, purposefully assisting business to boost local manufacturing, and constructing purposeful physical and technical infrastructure.

Additionally, government must promote and invest in research and development to a global standard. We also want to see greater support and transparency from this government on procurement from Australian businesses. These factors apply to businesses of all sizes and government policy is a significant component in facilitating beneficial outcomes. Also, support and encouragement to commission a domestic paper mill that produces print grade paper to overcome current supply chain issues would be nice.

The May 21 election has seriously altered the makeup of the Australian Parliament.

INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS Industrial relations are always a significant election issue however no side of politics put significant policies or proposals forward prior to the election as they have been burnt from doing so previously. Nonetheless, there are some improvements that must be undertaken to the current system. For example, there remains nothing particularly attractive, creative or beneficial for employers or employees to enter into enterprise bargaining processes and agreements. They require a lot of time and resourcing for what often comes down to pre-determined yearly pay increases.

Possible amendments such as having the ability to completely substitute an Enterprise Agreement for an applicable Award, and visible productivity benefits for employers within an enterprise agreement should be strongly considered.

Further, in 2009 the Fair Work Act legislated that a transitioned national system of long service leave would occur. However, this was put to the back of the cupboard and remains undiscussed. Businesses continue to handle variable state based or pre-modern Award long service entitlements rather than a national standard. Almost thirteen years later this needs to be resolved.

SKILLS AND TRAINING The industry needs government to understand our industry is a significant

employer with over 250,000 workers, and at its core is a trade based creative industry that needs new entrants to take up career paths. With an industry experiencing an aging workforce and a diminishing uptake in new apprenticeships and traineeships, vocational training needs an overhaul and appropriate support funding to change this trajectory. A developed and future focussed plan that keeps up with changing industry needs must be realised to improve this skills shortage. The benefits to our industry and the broader economy are obvious.

TAXATION AND SIMPLIFICATION OF BUSINESS REPORTING This government could achieve a lot from extending the instant asset write-off that proved useful to businesses over the last two years. Additionally, we want to see efforts made on further simplification of business reporting requirements and enhanced protections against unfair commercial contract terms.

These issues form part of a larger list of focus points for the industry. We look forward to having fruitful discussions with the variously responsible Ministers and will be seeking genuine, focussed, and committed approaches on these and other critical issues.

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

June 2022 ProPrint 21

COVER STORY

Pozitive celebrates 30 years Pozitive is proud to have been helping the sign and graphics industry automate and become more productive for three decades. computers and they needed a lot of support to add computer cut vinyl to their offering.”

The CNC cutting part of the business grew rapidly as it found new markets in the kitchen and construction sectors, aided by Clarke’s knowledge of engineering. This prompted a name change to Positive Camtec. ‘Cam’ stood for ‘Computer Aided Manufacturing’ - not a car part as many motoring enthusiasts thought at the time.

Trumble says the technical expertise gained from learning as the signage and print industry developed and the sound business practices of Clarke and Wager are why he is where he is today – running a thriving company with 23 staff at Eastern Creek in western Sydney which has exclusive rights to brands including swissQprint and Summa as well as a soon to be open Melbourne branch.

Pozitive managing director Philip Trumble.

P

ozitive, a sign and graphics supply company, was launched in 1992 by David Wager and Ray Clarke from a garage. Philip Trumble joined in 1994 and in 2012 took over the business. Now, 30 years on, Trumble has developed the business into the success story it is today.

When Wager and Clarke started Positive Signs three decades ago, sign making was not what it is today. Wide format printers did not exist, signs were hand painted by talented brush artists and vinyl cut signage was emerging as the next big thing.

After a couple of years the pair needed more staff and fortuitously a local Year 11 high schooler was looking for a change of scene.

Trumble had no idea about making signs but being naturally inquisitive and interested in computers, he decided to investigate. His interview went well and Trumble soon left the school yard behind to weed vinyl and help install signs around Sydney.

By 1995, Positive Signs had diversified and outgrown Wager’s single car garage, so Clarke built a much bigger one out the back of his house at Revesby.

While still making signs, the business had taken on the customers of Wager and

22 ProPrint June 2022

Clarke’s former employer, Quilla Computer Systems. The owner of this business – which distributed vinyl and CNC cutting equipment – was retiring and Positive Sign Systems was borne as a supplier to the industry.

It wasn’t long until Trumble became the natural go-to guy as technical questions rolled in. As Positive Sign Systems grew, Clarke and Wager sold the sign making business and focussed on equipment supply and servicing. They also moved into a shopfront at Yagoona in 1996.

“Our philosophy was that we did not want to compete with our clients - selling a system out of one door, while making signs out of another. So, the sign making business had to go. This is the philosophy we still have today – we don’t do trade printing. We don’t do any work that would detract from our customers. Our job is to support our customers and push any opportunities their way – because if they grow, we grow,” Trumble said.

“We were right on the cusp of seeing the industry completely change from where it was to where it was going. It was challenging because while a lot of our clients were amazing signwriters and highly skilled brush artists, they had not grown up with

“What got drummed into me early on by Dave and Ray was everything is about the long term – never the short term. Customer satisfaction is always the priority and a key part of this is making sure we sell the right equipment and not just what we have on the shelf,” Trumble said. “We've always lived by the philosophy of making sure the customer gets the right equipment, but also the backup service and support so when things go wrong, which they do, the support is there. It has always been about helping our customers and building that reputation in the market. This then allowed us to present ourselves to these global manufacturers and be able to say with confidence and a proven track record that we will do right by your brand.”

The company continued to grow and moved to Rydalmere in 2000 to a much larger showroom and warehouse. Clarke, Wager and Trumble had no idea how they would ever fill it, but they did. In the ensuing years, wide format printing technologies would develop and Trumble found himself at the forefront of this space, with Clarke focused on the CNC cutting areas.

Business was thriving but sadly in 2003 Wager passed away leaving Clarke and Trumble to run the business. It was a tough transition as the pair quickly added sales to their skillsets, while maintaining high levels of technical expertise.

“This was very confronting for us all because David was our MD and our sales manager while Ray and I were more involved in making sure that whatever David sold got

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COVER STORY installed. It was at this time I was able to buy into a small percentage of the business,” Trumble said.

But Clarke and Trumble overcame these difficulties and in 2005 another move was made to even larger premises at Silverwater.

In 2012, Clarke decided to step back and Trumble - aged 34 – took full ownership. It was clear a name change was needed so Camtec was dropped, and a rebrand to Pozitive sign & graphic supplies realigned the business back to its core focus. From then on Trumble had to make all the decisions, a position he had not envisaged when he started cutting vinyl in that single car garage in 1994.

“I’ve had no formal training in how to run a business, be a sales manager, MD or even a boss. I've never had any formal training in any of this. Sometimes I still think I’m not cut out for this; is it too big for me? In the end it all just comes back to gut feeling and sticking to your principles,” he said. “The last two years of COVID have been the most stressful period of my life running the business. I was constantly asking myself what do we do? How do we keep everybody employed? I took this very personally because it's all about our integrity and there were so many families relying on Pozitive and me to keep going.

“We made it up as we went along. Some things didn't work out, but some did. It comes back to your core beliefs and how you stick to them. Looking back on it, it was extremely stressful. But I'm very proud that our whole team got through it together. We kept everybody on board through all those tough times and now we've grown the team and are back in a growth phase.”

Along with swissQprint and Summa, Pozitive has exclusively distributed Transjet dyesublimation papers since 2003. Pozitive has also been the sole representative of Kiian dye-sublimation inks for over a decade.

“The brands that we represent today, we've worked with them for many, many years and we've developed strong relationships with them,” Trumble said.

Earlier on Pozitive was the exclusive distributor of the Chinese-built Teckwin flatbed printer range, but this all changed when Pozitive won the exclusive rights to represent the highly regarded swissQprint range of printers in 2011.

Trumble first spotted swissQprint while surfing the web in 2010 and says he was “smitten from the start”. The printers, which at that point were not available in Australia, were like nothing he had seen before, and he was intrigued about the way they were built and other productivity features.

The following year he travelled to Hamburg for the FESPA Global Print Expo with friend and colleague Adriano Gut. Gut had previously been Trumble’s Transjet paper supplier but had joined Pozitive in 2008 after relocating to Australia. Together they met with swissQprint representatives to learn more about the technology.

During the trip, Trumble learned the Swiss manufacturer was not ready to expand into

other markets at that stage, as they were focussed on meeting demand in Europe.

But time would tell in the end. A year later Trumble received a call from swissQprint. To his surprise, they had increased production and were ready to expand into new markets and wanted to know if Trumble was still interested. His initial reaction was ‘yes’ but then all the questions started flooding in.

Were they big enough to handle it? How would they afford a demo machine? Could they represent a prestigious company like swissQprint to the level deserved? With all these doubts, and initially declining the opportunity, Trumble and Gut were taken aback when swissQprint revealed they were convinced that Pozitive was the right company to represent them and wanted to work together. With swissQprint’s eagerness to have Pozitive onboard, the deal came together.

“Looking back, we have almost 50 swissQprint machines in the market here in Australia now so it has been very successful for us,” Trumble said. “The first machine we installed in 2012 is still running in full production every day, still with many of its original print heads – it is simply amazing.”

Another key product in Pozitive’s exclusive stable is the Summa roll-to-roll and flatbed cutters. Summa was the first vinyl cutter Trumble used when he started in Wager’s single car garage, so his knowledge of the product runs deep.

EXCLUSIVE DISTRIBUTORSHIPS Whilst Pozitive is part of a broader group of resellers to supply Epson, Mimaki and Roland printers, it also has a number of key exclusive distribution arrangements which have strengthened over the years.

Trumble says his ground-up understanding of wide format print and cutting technologies has helped him secure these deals, as the technologies evolved in sync with his own career journey.

Philip Trumble with the Positive Camtec family in 2010.

Trumble saw the arrival of the first heavy duty industrial solvent printers, followed by the more environmentally friendly ecosolvents and then the UV printers came along which greatly expanded applications and materials that could be printed.

Dye-sublimation printing for sportswear and apparel is also an area that Pozitive developed over the years, and has enjoyed helping Australian manufacturers harness this technology, along with laser cutting, to compete against offshore production.

www.sprinter.com.au

Cheers to that: Philip Trumble with swissQprint CEO Reto Eicher in Switzerland.

A very young Philip Trumble in Ray Clarke’s garage in 1995.

June 2022 ProPrint 23

COVER STORY It was this solid product knowledge that ended up securing an exclusive deal for Pozitive to distribute this range as well. The F Series flatbed cutter was the first to come under an exclusive arrangement, closely followed by the roll-to-roll cutters, which are also sold through a reseller channel in Australia.

L-R: Philip Trumble with Simon Averell and Alfred David in 2019.

Prior to this the Summa range was represented by multiple dealers, and even direct sales out of the USA, and as such was missing the specific promotion and marketing it deserved. The benefits of having the range with just one distributor means more focus can be put into it and more awareness can be built in the market about the qualities of the product.

Trumble says the laser cutting range now offered by Summa has been a gamechanger for Australian manufacturing of sportswear and apparel, particularly as local manufacturing fights against cheaper imports.

“It's critically important because in Australia we are trying to compete against the production costs in China. We were seeing business eroded as customers went offshore, some would come back because they'd have challenges, but others would not because the offshore price was so low,” he said.

“We knew that the only way to keep the industry alive in Australia was to make it more efficient, more cost effective, and improve the quality. The Summa range, with the automated laser cutter, played right into this and fitted perfectly with our high-speed sublimation printers from DGI. It completed our solution for the sportswear market.”

HARDWARE FIRST Trumble is proud that Pozitive is first and foremost a seller of hardware with consumables coming second.

“Pozitive from day one has always been a very strong equipment and technicallyfocused business, and we also sell consumables. We are not a company which is consumables-focused, and also selling equipment. We see this as a key differentiator. Our core belief is that if the market appreciates our commitment to service and support, they’ll support us on the consumables side as well,” Trumble said.

“Our mindset and our philosophy are ‘we are here for the long haul, we are here to help our clients grow and we are passionate about Australian manufacturing’. We want to help Australian owned businesses grow, and we want to make them as efficient as possible. We want to introduce the right workflows and tools to make that happen.”

WHAT’S IN STORE AT PACPRINT? PacPrint, the first live print industry tradeshow in Australia in three years, is being held at the Melbourne Conference and Exhibition Centre from June 28 to July 1 this year.

Pozitive will be there and Trumble and his team are looking forward to meeting with the industry.

POZITIVE’S EVOLUTION 1992 – David Wager and Ray Clarke start Positive Signs after leaving Quilla.

1994 – Year 11 student Phil Trumble goes for an interview and is successful.

1995 – Positive Signs launches Positive Sign Systems to service Quilla’s customers and moves into a bigger garage at Revesby.

1996 – Positive Sign Systems becomes sole business.

1997 – Name changes to Positive Camtec, moves to a shopfront in Yagoona.

2000 – Moves to larger premises at Rydalmere.

2003 – David Wager sadly passes away, Trumble buys small share in the business.

2005 – Moved to larger premises at Silverwater.

2008 – Adriano Gut relocates to Australia and joins the team.

2012 – Clarke decides to step back, Trumble buys business outright.

2014 – Gut returns to Switzerland to join swissQprint.

2015 – Moves to larger premises at Eastern Creek. Name changes to Pozitive; Appointed exclusive distributor for DGI Textile Printers.

2018 – Appointed exclusive distributor of Summa F Series flatbed cutters and Monti Antonia agent for Australia.

2021 – Appointed exclusive distributor of Summa roll cutters.

2022 – Celebrates 30 years in business, opens Melbourne branch.

24 ProPrint June 2022

The new swissQprint Generation 4 Nyala flatbed will be on display. The 3.2m x 2m press uses the latest print head technology to offer a maximum resolution of 1350 dpi, with an output of up to 206 square metres per hour on boards or rolls.

The Summa F Series flatbed cutter will also be running, along with a selection of Summa roll-to-roll cutters. The Summa F Series includes a range of features and optional add-ons to boost production, including a multifunctional head which can hold up to three modules at one time. The central unit houses a positioning laser and an integrated camera system for fast and accurate contourcutting mark recognition.

A new Summa product will also be on display - the Tray One cutter – which has been designed with the colour copy shop in mind.

“It works in combination with an automatic sheet feeder for the colour copy industry to print and cut A3 sheets,” Trumble said.

“If customers want to do short volumes and they don’t have a die cutter or don’t want to make a die, the Tray One is ideal. It is easy to operate with the sheets dropped into the feeder, which then feeds them through for cutting. It is a new market area for us at Pozitive, and we are excited about its potential.”

If you would like more information about Pozitive’s products and services, please email info@pozitive.com.au or visit www.pozitive.com.au. PP

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STAR BUSINESS PROFILE

Tech gains at E-Bisglobal NSW-based print and managed services provider, E-Bisglobal, jumped on the online procurement wave early and now as an Aboriginal enterprise is reaping the rewards and giving back to society.

By sheree Young

The E-Bisglobal leadership team: Will Freeman, Sean Havard, Catherine Gibson, Paul Freeman and Steven Punshon.

P

rint managers haven’t always been the toast of the town in this industry.

They have been criticised for squeezing prices from a safe harbour of zero capital investment.

and online ordering seemed light years away. By 1997 he knew a print-specific procurement software system would be needed to link his business to government and corporate contracts.

Not so long ago there were at least 40 print managers in Australia – that number has now reduced substantially. Back in the day price wars were common and some print managers also owned their own print businesses further muddying the waters.

To make this happen Freeman built a team of developers, which included a local high school whizz kid to develop a proprietary system from concept to implementation.

The result was ZOOL – an online procurement system which has set the standard for the industry and become embedded in government agencies across the country for print management and fulfilment.

The landscape has certainly changed. There are fewer print managers around but there are also less printers. Another structural shift has been the rise of technology and web-to-print software which have centralised ordering, delivery, and inventory management.

Paul Freeman founded NSW Central Coastbased print services, procurement, and software firm, E-Bisglobal, in 1990 – a time when the internet had barely been heard of

26 ProPrint June 2022

ZOOL is a real-time software system which connects customers with printers and other service providers. Each customer has their own interface and they enter the work required. Printers who have been onboarded can then respond and submit their price and delivery options. The customer, or in some cases E-Bisglobal, takes it from there to determine the result

and see the process through to completion.

ZOOL is robust enough to manage all of the transactions for all levels of government.

To become a supplier registered on ZOOL, offset and digital printers, label suppliers, form suppliers, envelope manufacturers, packaging and signage specialists undergo an onboarding process with E-Bisglobal.

Strict controls are in place so there are not too many suppliers with the same capabilities in the system.

Suppliers set their own price and delivery timeframes, there are no lock-in contracts and no rebates. E-Bisglobal also holds a Level 3 Sustainable Green Print certification and as part of this ensures all suppliers meet strict environmental criteria.

In New South Wales, E-Bisglobal has the contract to manage the print and fulfilment needs for NSW Police which recently renewed its contract for another five years, plus others. E-Bisglobal also manages the

www.sprinter.com.au

PROFILE STAR BUSINESS E-Tag system for Transport for NSW and events for Destination NSW. Freeman is aware the print management industry did suffer as unscrupulous operators pushed prices down and were often unreliable payers. But he says print managers are gaining a more positive reception in the print community.

“I’ve noticed the industry is really changing.

Recently we had a couple of substantial tenders and we reached out to digital suppliers who hadn’t really engaged with us before. I get the feeling there is a ground swell of acceptance of us,” Freeman told ProPrint.

“It is a different acceptance to what it was 10 years ago as a print manager – we feel more a part of the industry now than we ever have. There are fewer print managers nowadays and there were certainly some cowboys around in the early days. I think the few that are left are professional and highly regarded.

“The market is also shrinking and printers may now be more inclined to work with us. We have been here for 32 years, we have assets and we pay our bills. It is not like 20 years ago when you had start-ups coming on the scene. The benefit of our model is that printers have an option to quote on work without incurring sales and marketing costs to source the work directly.”

E-Bisglobal sales and marketing director, Catherine Gibson, says suppliers who onboard with ZOOL are not locked into any prices but when price increases come through, the supplier advises E-Bisglobal and the setting is changed.

“There is an accreditation process for our suppliers before we set the supplier up in ZOOL. This is to gather information about their accreditations, their business and what their equipment capabilities are.

We also really like to meet with the suppliers as well and then we onboard them in ZOOL,” Gibson said.

“So, once the job specifications go in, the suppliers who meet those specifications will receive an email to say there is a new job available to quote and they will look at it. They don’t have to provide pricing and they can pick and choose what they want to put pricing in for. It is not like a reverse auction; it is purely put your best price in based on the specs and turnarounds and then we nominate the supplier to use. Working collaboratively with our suppliers is important to us and we have a number of suppliers who we’ve been working with for over 25 years”.

ABORIGINAL HERITAGE RECOGNISED Another new direction for E-Bisglobal has been its shift to become an Aboriginal enterprise. This came about in 2020 after Freeman uncovered that his ancestors were members of the Cabrogal clan of the Dharug nation who lived along the Georges River in Sydney.

Age: 32 years Staff: 35 Location: Tuggerah, West Gosford & Melbourne.

Strategy: An Aboriginal enterprise which manages print services, procurement and develops specialist software

SUPPORTING YOUNG TALENT The way ZOOL was created also speaks to a broader philosophy at E-Bisglobal which is about supporting local talent and providing local jobs on the NSW Central Coast.

E-Bisglobal has also launched an Aboriginal Youth Training Program in conjunction with the local Bara Barang Corporation, an organisation that offers specialised services to empower young Aboriginal people.

Freeman, a proud Cabrogal man of the Dharug nation, is a direct descendant of the last native Australian woman in the Liverpool district, Lucy Burns-Leane, who lived during the 1800s.

Over the years E-Bisglobal has put a number of employees though university – including the whizz kid who built ZOOL. The company is now also employing two local Aboriginal young people with a view to increasing this.

E-Bisglobal is now a member of the NSW Indigenous Chamber of Commerce (NSWICC) and Freeman is mentoring Indigenous entrepreneurs in his capacity as a NSWICC Business Connect Advisor.

Work is also now being done to find other Aboriginal print enterprises to work with and onboard into ZOOL.

“We have a passion for working with young people. Virtually all the people who we have put through university have had substantial success. The first young man we put on went on to build a web-to-print platform for AXA in Melbourne. He is now heading up Pizza Hut’s IT Development Team. Other trainees went into finance in Hong Kong as well as one holding a senior position at an ASX listed company,” Freeman said.

“We are now looking at the ability to drill down into the supply chain. Many of our clients are wanting to know which disability enterprises and Aboriginal suppliers we are working with.

Environmental certifications are also crucial and the database can contain all of that as well,” Freeman said.

“With our key clients being government, these requirements are getting pushed down the line and we need to make sure the whole supply chain is answering those needs.”

L:R Catherine Gibson, Sean Havard, Paul Freeman, Emma McBride federal member for Dobell at E-Bisglobal.

www.sprinter.com.au

FACTFILE:

“We feel really proud that we have given these people a leg up and that is what we want to continue doing with the Aboriginal training. We recently put on three Aboriginal youths with another two starting next week. We are finalising the appointment of another young man who is an accomplished artist and wants to get into graphic design.

“He is only 20 and his art is already featured in Government buildings and he also does cultural tours and is a member of an Aboriginal dance group. I’m very confident that he will come onboard as our next trainee.” PP

Inside E-Bisglobal’s Tuggerah warehouse, the former Sanitarium peanut butter factory.

June 2022 ProPrint 27

PRINT DIARY

EVENT

LOCATION

DATE

PacPrint

Melbourne

June 28 - July 1

Women in Print PacPrint Breakfast

Melbourne

June 30

National Print Awards

Melbourne

June 30

FESPA Australia Conference 2022

October 27 Sydney

ProPrint Awards 2022

Sydney

October 27

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

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See Us On Stand G17

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28 ProPrint June 2022

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You are invited to the FESPA Australia Conference co-locating with the ProPrint Awards

8.00am - 2.00pm

membership@fespaaustralia.org.au

2022

AWARDS 6.00pm

www.proprintawards.com.au Thursday 27th October 2022 Shangri-La Hotel, Sydney

DOWNTIME VICTORIA

Women in Print Breakfast Series 2022 The national Women in Print Breakfast Series focussed on the power of thinking differently with Lisa Smith delivering keynotes around the country.

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Women in Print Victoria patron, Rita Karagiannis, IVE Group 2. Kirsty Woodhead, Rebecca Greensill, Jacinta Allen & Tracey Williams from Breen Printing 3. Naomi McLean, Kelly Allen from IVE with Helen Capacchione, Jess Dixon from Energy Australia 4. Jenny Lynch, Bambra Press & Zaidee Jackson, Ball & Doggett 5. Avril Frankenfeld, Logini Kumaresan, Sarah O'Connell from Fujifilm Business Innovation Australia with Chloe Bradshaw of Melbourne Football Club 6. Kellie Northwood & Lisa Smith watch on 7. Attendees take it all in 8. Place settings at the breakfast 9. Jesseca Taylor, Jenny Neumann, Kirsten Taylor of Taylor’d Press 10. Isha Rathee, Kellie Northwood from TRMC & Lisa Smith from Minds at Work 11. Helen Capacchione & Jess Dixon from Energy Australia 12. Lisa Smith, Minds at Work

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We are committed to being the world’s best supplier of inks, coatings, systems and services

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Amy Maher, IVE Group & Cathy Zhang (Qld) Annalise Andrews & CY Thew, Kwik Kopy (Qld) Brooke Hallam, Lucy Madarian & Taysha Hadley, QLM (Qld) Candace Yelavich, Playtus Print Packaging & Lindsay Tucker, AGDA (Qld) Cheryl Waldron, Frances Taei & Tere Tereu, Ovato (Qld) Donna Herold & Leigh Gadsby, Printcraft & Steph Walls from Worldwide Online Hamilton (Qld) Leigh Gadbsy, Printcraft and Morag Pugh, QLM and incoming Qld Women in Print patron Morag Pugh, QLM & Susan Heaney, Heaney’s Performers in Print (Qld) Women in Print SA Patron Sandy Aspinall addresses from the crowd Rochelle Clark, Cynthia Tarry & Fiona Atkins from Snap (Qld) Women in Print attendees gather in Adelaide Kirsty Sparkhall, Dionne Brewer, Erin Harris and Sophie Tranter from Streamline Cartons (SA) Marisa Smyrneos, Ball & Doggett & Sandy Aspinall, Creative Juice (SA) Attendees enjoy breakfast in Adelaide

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SUCCESS STARTS HERE Built with flexibility and simplicity at the core, printIQ is created for the modern print shop to grow, scale and succeed.

PrintIQ is a seamless, end-to-end estimating, ordering, and production system, encompassing everything needed for your future success. It will allow you to do more of what makes sense for your operation without the need for workarounds-saving both time and money on your end. Plus, you can access printIQ anywhere you’re working from on your preferred device.

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WIN AN APPLE WATCH at PacPrint

Book your PacPrint event demo and be entered into our Apple Watch prize draw.

T’s & C’s apply. See website for details.

VISIT US 28TH JUNE - 1ST JULY STAND D36

DOWNTIME NEW SOUTH WALES

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NSW Women in Print attendees gather Spandex team: Zsuzsanna van Koersveld, Frances Burns, Linda Baverstock, Cindy Misseyer and Megan Rogers from Signarama Blacktown Fiona O’Dea, DIC & Carmen Ciappara, ProPrint Women in Print NSW Patron Debbie Burgess Lisa Smith addresses the crowd The Kwik Kopy team L-R: Genevieve Rechner, Ashley King, Sonia Shwabsky, Karin Ingram, Wendy Mulholland, Sue Waite, CY Thew Marilyn Pavela, Ayla Halil, Julie Tu, Lisa Sharpham, Suz Everett of Bright Print Group DIC attendees L-R Magda Zarifopoulos, Fay Shean, Josephine Psaila, Sabrina Litolo, Dani Palmer, Kate Scott, Mariluz Betancur, Fiona O’Dea & Meredith Darke Erika Tan, Emily Watterson, Karen Lawler from Cactus Imaging IVE Group attendees: Roshni Singh, Jess Ransley, Caroline Conway, Katrina Tonna & Alana Parrott Carmel Henry, Amala Haidar, Juno Jacob, Emma Morgan, Michelle Smith & Samantha McNeill from Fujifilm Business Innovation Daniela Mastroieni, Orafol, Hebah Al-Halabi, Sakshi Vyas, Tatjana Ferguson, Diem Lam, Konica Minolta Sandra Duarte, Duarte Consulting & Debbie Burgess, Bright Print Group IVE Group: Fiona Olsson, Smitha Eswar Chavan (IAG), Jessica Sharma, Nic Overend, Angie Vriens, Jennifer Bell & Dawn Jefferay

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SOLTECT PROMOTION

Design Your Future with Soltect at PacPrint

Y

ves Roussange, founder and CEO of Soltect, says digital innovation and cultural change means it is critical for print and graphic communications businesses to move from a traditional manufacturing mindset to one of technology and innovation.

“We live in a different world today from a decade ago. For businesses to keep up with this transformation, they need to not only continue to invest in equipment and systems, but also foster a new way of thinking about their workflow and their business – to completely change their business DNA, if you like,” Roussange said.

PacPrint visitors looking for new systems and equipment should, he says, consider how these investments fit with the goal of being a totally integrated and streamlined system which takes advantage of automation and two-way, digital communications technologies to maximise efficiency, productivity and profitability.

“What businesses need to be thinking about – particularly if they are looking at new investments, but also if they are just seeking to maximise the value of their current investments – is how much they are losing in terms of time and efficiency by not designing the right business

architecture … and how much that is already costing their business, every day.”

As the adage says, ‘time is money’, and Roussange says many businesses are unaware of just how much time – and, consequently, profit – is being wasted simply because their workflow is not optimised.

“Many workflows are assembled piece by piece as businesses grow,” he says.

“But like a jigsaw puzzle, if you don’t take time to step back and identify where pieces are missing, and work to fill the gaps and connect each piece to the other, you can’t enjoy the full benefit of the complete picture.”

Soltect finds many businesses have more subtle workflow interruptions and disconnects, and far too many touchpoints in their production process.

“This has been highlighted during the pandemic, when staff absences caused production delays and even closures for some businesses,” Roussange comments.

“For our customers who were working with us to increase automation, however, the benefits of reduced reliance on manual processing were immediately evident.

It allowed them to minimise disruption and keep the presses running.”

At PacPrint, Soltect will be launching a

new, cloud-based customer interface which Roussange says is easy, affordable and intuitive, helping to educate customers and giving them the tools needed to take full advantage of automation.

With the recent Federal Budget providing significant incentives for this type of investment – in fact, businesses can claim 120% of their monthly investment for eligible cloud computing solutions, Roussange says it’s a “no-brainer”.

Sitting behind a new customer interface is Soltect’s suite of software products, including Enfocus Switch for workflow automation, PitStop PDF pre-flight software and ConnectALL advanced PDF Pre-flighting delivery tool, as well as Callas PDF pre-flighting and template building solutions, Ultimate Impostrip imposition and finishing automation solution, and SwitchBOX-Approval integrated web-based job approval system.

Soltect will be on Stand B86 at PacPrint, which will co-locate with Visual Impact Melbourne and the Label & Packaging Expo at the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from 28 June to 1 July this year. To register for the show or find out more information about the event, please visit: www.pacprint.com.au. PP

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June 2022 ProPrint 35

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Marianne Walker, Media Super; Denise Farquhar, Kwik Kopy Osborne Park; Renee Cass, Kwik Kopy Canning Vale WA Women in Print attendees gather Rachel King, WASO; Helen Camps, Melissa Reed, Laura Williams, Multicolour Labels and Naomi Alban, WASO Front L-R Val Carroll, Janet Holding, Kimberley Skinner TDS. Back L-R Tracy Fryer, Design Studio Perth, Karen Clatworthy, Rachel Jenner, TDS, Kira Carlin, Marketing Jumpstart WA Women in Print get together in Perth Sonia Dunstan, Swoon Design Studio and Tanya Marriott, Development WA Natalie Jenkins, Block Branding & Susanne Massberg, Perth Mint Teresa Belcher and Sarah Dimmock, Resource Recovery Group Penny Benson, 121Creative and Yen Lieu, Percival Print

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www.sprinter.com.au

• Digital 3D wallpapers • Paintable 3D wallpapers • Roll-up banner stands • Canvases • Exhibition booth decoration • Point-of-sale materials

SEE US AT STAND H18

FOCUS DIGITAL TEXTILES & DÉCOR

Riches from rags Australia’s digitally printed textile sector – from garments through to décor and signage – is enjoying a boom. Can your digital print business climb on board?

From fast fashion to sustainable fabrics, it’s a world worth exploring.

By Peter Kohn

Personalised designs are the order of the day for digital textile printing, as seen in this beautiful example produced on the Kornit Presto.

dynamics that traditional volume-driven textile printing, with its conventional manufacture-store-obsolesce model, is not optimised to deliver, either in terms of cost effectiveness or environmental sustainability.

It is difficult to deny the impact of fast fashion on both the fashion industry and the retail landscape more broadly.

Digitally printed textiles offer innovative solutions that embrace the fast fashion industry, as designers and brands can react quickly to changing trends and consumer demand. The rapid turnover of fashion means brands will attempt to minimise holding significant inventory in storage or in a warehouse, which is often what happens with traditional analogue printed fabrics.

When you consider that the apparel industry is very seasonal – mainly a summer and winter season – production and sampling are prepared months in advance of season release, allowing enough time for product to come to market. In this space, there is little flexibility in lead times and buying.

However, there is a notable rise in the use of digital technologies for preproduction strike-offs, which reduces the time to market significantly and enables late changes and reaction to market demands. Look to the smaller boutique shops and increasingly the web-based businesses – and you will see the transformation brought about by digital technologies. Their ability to offer bespoke ‘just-in-time’ product attracts customers with a higher disposable income and increases margins on single apparel items.

F

igures from the Federation of European Screen Printers Associations (FESPA) indicate that the worldwide market for printed textiles is anticipated to reach $US266.4 billion by 2025. The projections quoted by FESPA, from Grand View Research Inc, show printed textiles registering a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.9 per cent in that forecast period. The statistics also show that internationally, the textiles

38 ProPrint June 2022

market was projected at $US1000.3 billion in 2020 and is expected to expand at a 4.4 per cent CAGR in the period 2021-28.

This is exciting news for any print provider investing in digital textile printing and finishing equipment for their factory floor, because a large part of that growth is expected to be in short turnarounds and ‘fast fashion’. These are today’s market dynamics in fashion and décor –

A strong indicator of the warp-speed growth in digital textile printing is sales of inkjet hardware and inks. IT Strategies Inc projects global sales of inkjet hardware and inks for industrial printing on textiles grew from $US130.5 billion in 2015 to $US231.4 billion in 2020. Moreover, fashion is by far the largest segment of the printed textile market, accounting for more than a third of turnover in all printed textiles in Europe in 2018. The next largest segment was sportswear (just under a third), home décor (around a fifth), contract décor (nine per cent) and events (four per cent).

www.sprinter.com.au

DIGITAL TEXTILES & DÉCOR FOCUS All of this must be considered through the lens of the pandemic and the supplychain crisis of the past two years. FESPA concludes that the apparel sector, burdened by unsustainable business models, and now also by supply-chain disruption, is turning to the digital textile print industry as a remedy to supply issues. To which must be added that as distant textile markets fall victim to global political uncertainties, as well as supply jams, onshoring and nearshoring are emerging with a new lease on life, playing to the strengths of digital printing, with its proven success in micro-runs and personalised, intelligent apparel production.

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 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.

DURST Durst Oceania managing director Matt Ashman says demand for printed home décor, sportswear and fast fashion is booming and Durst technology is being developed in lock step with this growth.

DuPont’s Artistri textile inks simplify the printing process and reduce consumption.

Over the last year two new printers have been released which answer this growing demand for printed décor: the P5 TEX iSUB dye-sublimation printer and the Alpha Wallpaper Edition which prints direct to paper and fabric-based wallpaper with no need for calendering.

Durst’s P5 TEX iSUB prints direct to polyester and has an integrated finishing unit.

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June 2022 ProPrint 39

FOCUS DIGITAL TEXTILES & DÉCOR “And of course, we have the Alpha textile dedicated series for home décor and apparel, delivering speeds of up to 900 square metres an hour.”

High production: The Durst Alpha Series can hit speeds of 900 square metres per hour.

EFI Micol Gamba, product marketing manager, EFI Reggiani, EFI’s inkjet textile partnership, predicts growth in digital textile printing will continue at an accelerating pace. “The regions that traditionally dominate industrial textile production face an increased demand for faster turnaround times and shorter job lots with more design versatility and significant sustainability challenges and increasing labour costs that altogether are driving digital adoption,” she said.

EFI has an expansive textile printing range, including the EFI Reggiani TERRA.

The Durst Wallpaper Edition can print on paper and fabric-based wallpapers.

The P5 TEX iSUB replaces the Durst Rho 325 and comes with a few extra sweeteners which make it an attractive option for any print producer looking to remove production steps or add a textile printing capability.

The P5 TEX iSUB prints direct to polyester removing the need for calendering.

It also offers an integrated finishing unit so printed fabric can be trimmed and stitched inline, reducing waste and saving time.

As it has been developed based on the P5 platform, the TEX iSUB has a multi-roll functionality which simplifies material changes. It can print at a maximum width of 3.3 metres and at 1.6 metres in dual roll mode. Its maximum print speed is 383 square metres per hour.

Ashman says the TEX iSUB makes it easier for printers to add textile printing to their capabilities.

“Textile continues to grow and has been an area many customers wanted to add to their portfolio. However, many were

40 ProPrint June 2022

concerned about the steps to print, transfer, heat press, calendar and finish and this device is all that in one package,” Ashman said.

“It is so encouraging to see Durst continuing to push the technology boundaries. With P5 TEX iSUB and the Durst iSUB inks, this new textile printing and finishing machine all in one is the solution the market has been waiting for.”

Durst also offers the Alpha Series 5, a 3.3-metre-wide platform designed to advance the economic efficiency of grand format digital textile printing.

Included in this range is the Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition which prints direct to paper and fabric-based wallpapers using pigment inks.

“The benefit of the Durst Alpha Wallpaper Edition is that it uses pigment ink, and not dye-sublimation, so there is no secondary steaming or calendering needed. There is also a built-in finishing unit which will take the rolls of wallpaper and finish them into rolls. They would be ready to go on the shelf,” Ashman said.

“At the same time, other regions – places that have long had very limited textile manufacturing – are seeing the ways digital enables near and re-shoring. This is a sustainability-driven vision as well and the result is that we will see more digital printing being done, in more places.”

Gamba says industry data reflects what EFI Reggiani and its customers are witnessing in terms of growth. Digital textile printing, as well as the textile and printing industries overall, had a slowdown during the pandemic, but digital textile is expanding again.

“For instance, World Textile Information Network in its 2021 Digital Textile Industry Review projects a CAGR of nine per cent growth from 2019-26, and other sources predict even superior growth rates, like the research group Smithers, which states that digital textile printing will have a 13.9 per cent CAGR from 2021-26,” she said.

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FOCUS DIGITAL TEXTILES & DÉCOR We asked Gamba how she thinks fast fashion is revolutionising the fashion industry in terms of shorter cycles and seasons – and what impact this will have for on-demand textile printing in Australia. “The trends that began with fast fashion retailers are becoming more of a model for the apparel industry at large,” she notes. “In an apparel industry that has traditionally suffered from overproduction of designs because of difficulties in predicting demand, apparel companies are more focused on having more accurate predictions. That is important from a financial standpoint because apparel companies wish to reduce the number of designs that are overproduced and then sold at a discount or never at all. As demand forecasting improves, EFI Reggiani customers have the important responsibility of reducing the time it takes to produce new designs,” Gamba said.

signage demand and while these markets were heavily impacted by COVID, the longterm trend is all about growth.

“Most of the vinyl printed displays you would have seen at a tradeshow in 2012 is printed on fabric today. EFI’s Display Graphics business has been a leader in helping printing companies capture that growth trend,” Gamba said.

She adds EFI’s VUTEk FabriVU printers and other EFI dispersed dye-sublimation printers leverage some of EFI Reggiani’s innovations so customers can confidently and efficiently deliver high quality soft signage graphics. Décor textile printing, such as upholstery and wall coverings, is a strong and growing opportunity.

“We are, however, spotting an additional trend – on-demand personalisation. The request for increased personalisation and customisation is increasing in Europe and North America, and we believe this can have a positive impact on Australia as well. In fact, while Australia has relatively easy access to imported apparel and textile goods, on-demand textile printing and the near-shoring movement in textiles may increase in the future, thanks to green and short printing processes like dye-sub and pigment printing.”

Delving into EFI Reggiani’s direct-tofabric (DTF) range, Gamba says the recently launched EFI Reggiani BLAZE printer is an easy-to-use solution for businesses taking their first steps into industrial digital textile printing. “Some of our newest printers, such as the EFI Reggiani TERRA Silver, leverage our proprietary pigment technology with inline polymerisation. This offering can simplify the production process for anyone new to textile production. Both the TERRA Silver and the BLAZE printers are good industrial entry solutions for manufacturers moving into the textile industry,” she said.

Gamba says tradeshows and events represent a significant portion of soft

EFI Reggiani’s NEXT press is a digital solution for sublimation printing on paper

and non-elastic fabrics which Gamba says will revolutionise fashion, sportswear and home décor markets with its combination of cost effectiveness, speed and quality.

Higher-volume production models include the EFI Reggiani VOGUE, which offers accurate fabric handling and energyefficient production, and the EFI Reggiani COLORS, a textile printer which utilises up to 12 colours in a row to extend gamut and depth, increase penetration and enhance printing quality and uniformity.

Taking another step up in productivity is the EFI Reggiani POWER – the top seller in the EFI Reggiani range. “With its outstanding performance, extended uptime and low maintenance needs, the POWER is the perfect industrial textile digital printer to increase your productivity and printing capability, without compromising on quality or flexibility,” says Gamba.

She adds the new EFI Reggiani HYPER is the fastest scan digital textile printer in the market, adding its 72 new print heads and EFI Reggiani’s legacy continuous-ink recirculation system make it a champion for uptime and reliability.

Gamba goes on to say the award-winning EFI Reggiani BOLT single-pass solution is said to be the world’s fastest industrial textile printer with speeds up to 90 metres per minute. “It can not only perform at analogue rotary screen printer speeds, but also enables digital printing quality at an unparalleled speed.

Good entry solution: EFI’s Reggiani TERRA system offers an inline polymerisation system for simplified production processes.

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DIGITAL TEXTILES & DÉCOR FOCUS The Reggiani BOLT also delivers high uptime thanks to minimum maintenance at start up and during production.

The BOLT printer expands the design possibilities offered by single-pass technology.”

In terms of inks, Gamba says the EFI Reggiani TERRA line of water-based

pigment inks with binders eliminate the need for steaming or washing on DTF applications, using a greener, more efficient polymerisation process that takes place as the printed textile goes through the printer’s on-board dryer.

“As a result, users can achieve superior printing results while using less time, water and energy,” she says.

EPSON AUSTRALIA

A world of colourful opportunity awaits with the EFI Reggiani range.

The Australia-New Zealand market for printed fabrics has almost quadrupled since 2017, notes Epson Australia’s marketing and communications manager Nathan Fulcher. Much of it is driven by rapidly reducing manufacturing cycles.

“Fast fashion is a bit of a buzz term, but a key factor underpinning its growth is the shift to digital production. As fashion producers from the very small to the very large continue to transition away from analogue processes, the level of customisation and popularity of ‘microcycles’ based on trend and other factors will continue to grow,” Fulcher said.

“On-demand textile printing is going to drive a certain level of onshoring of production migrating back to Australian soil.”

Epson has a broad range of DTG and wide format roll-to-roll printers including the 76-inch Epson F10060.

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June 2022 ProPrint 43

FOCUS DIGITAL TEXTILES & DÉCOR In the décor and display sector, hypercustomisation and rapid turnaround are combining to provide printers the opportunity to deliver an expo or pop-up event solution tailored to a specific theme or campaign, he explains. “For example, ad campaign graphics or colour palettes can be printed to the client’s requirements, not only for display graphics, but also for their staff uniforms, furniture, giveaways, and more.”

Compact and cost effective: Epson’s F2160 is aimed at low-to-medium production.

Fulcher says Epson offers the most comprehensive line-up of DTG and dye-sub printing solutions on the market for A/NZ, ranging from desktop sheet-based units, all the way up to large roll-to-roll machines such as the 76-inch SureColor F10060.

In the DTG space, Fulcher adds, Epson has been a pioneer and has had a strong presence for many years now.

“The SureColor F2160 is one of the highestselling DTG printers in the region, and that is now complemented by the F3000, designed to suit the needs of high-volume producers. Whether you are just starting out in fabric, looking to diversify your offerings or needing to increase volume, you are sure to find an Epson solution that suits your business,” he said.

KISSEL + WOLF AUSTRALIA Jon Field, sales director at Kissel + Wolf Australia, says the rapid acceleration of the e-commerce boom, due to COVID lockdowns and government stimulus is converting retailers to e-tailers and driving print-on-demand. Field adds that instead of holding stock, e-tailers are offering virtual products which are then created online and fulfilled globally and delivered direct to the customer’s door.

“Brands in today’s world need to react lightning-fast to new fashion trends and digital print-on-demand,” says Field, who sees Kornit’s systems as the key to decorating different types of textiles in real time.

“Combined with eco-friendly sustainable production, waste minimisation and minimal stock holdings, many brands are able to manufacture their products with a clear social conscience while meeting fast go-to-market (GTM) products and trends,” he says.

“Australia, as much as any country, is facing change and demand for onshore production because of the supply chain

disruption,” he notes, adding that Australia’s geographic location adds to the challenge. “We have some of the most expensive water in the world surrounding us. These delays are causing chaos in markets, and consumers are seeking out brands and manufacturers where they order today and have their product delivered tomorrow. Supply chain disruption and our place on the map are a perfect storm that’s driving brands to focus their attention back to Australian manufacturing and only producing what is needed, when it’s needed, without fuss or waste.”

Opportunities for printers abound, says Field.

Pigment based inks: The Kornit Presto Max opens the door to endless applications.

44 ProPrint June 2022

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FOCUS DIGITAL TEXTILES & DÉCOR “And with the Kornit Presto utilising our pigment-based inks, this opens the door to endless textile décor applications. No speciality pretreated fabrics are needed, as the Presto pre-treats the fabrics on-the-fly. Unlike sublimation printing, which is limited to polyester, the Presto can print on a wide range of textile substrates like cotton, linen, silk, rayon, bamboo, polyester, canvas, Lycra, and more.”

Asked about the relative strengths of DTG printing, such as on-demand and personalised orders – and high-volume dye-sub printing, Field notes, “With sublimation you are always limited to polyester substrates or products coated with a poly primer for the sublimation inks to bind to. The largest downfall with sublimation is that there is no white ink and this is where DTG printing fills the gap. Decorating on dark or black shirts is now made possible with Kornit DTG systems, utilising our white pigment ink combined with our CMYK- plus-redand-green coloured pigment inks to achieve a larger gamut than our competitors.”

RICOH AUSTRALIA Ricoh is one of the world’s largest suppliers of print heads and ink technology to print equipment manufacturers and produces a range of digital printing solutions for direct-togarment (DTG), direct-to-fabric (DTF) and wide format soft signage applications.

Henryk Kraszewski, senior product and marketing manager, production print, at

Ricoh Australia, says digital textile printing is a key solution for helping the fashion industry find a more sustainable production pathway.

“The apparel industry is responsible for emitting ten per cent of the world’s carbon emissions. It’s also the second largest consumer of the planet’s water supply and it is the world’s second largest polluter behind the petroleum industry,” Kraszewski said.

“The United Nations Economic Commission for Europe estimates that up to 85 per cent of textiles go to landfill every year.

By 2030, the projection is that we will be discarding a staggering 134 million tonnes of textiles a year.

“With climate change an undeniable threat to the future of our planet, the move to a circular economy for the textile industry is critical. The fashion industry needs to find more sustainable manufacturing processes.”

Kraszewski says DTF and DTG printing is one way to achieve this as this process enables on-demand manufacture of just what is needed or a limited inventory.

“During COVID-19 the volume of fabric digitally printed almost doubled, yet it remains only a very small percentage of colouring textiles,” he added.

Kraszewski says the onset of fast fashion is a challenge to the sector’s environmental sustainability. “The fast fashion quick-turn model runs counter to

the need for the fashion industry to build a sustainable model for the future. Fast fashion is all about quick turnarounds and short sales cycles, yet the need to continually release new products means that today’s trend is tomorrow’s waste,” he said.

“The need to protect brand value has led many fast fashion suppliers to send dead stock to landfill or even incinerate it – without ever reaching a consumer.”

Moving to an on-demand production model is part of the solution, Kraszewski said.

“Just like digital print has changed the nature of the print industry with its ability to print what’s required, when it’s required and close to the point of consumption, the made-to-order model for the fashion industry represents a far more ethical and sustainable approach as it limits overproduction and reduces the risk of unwanted excess stock going to landfill.”

Kraszewski says DTG printing offers three key advantages for these issues.

First up is its ability to print on a much broader array of substrates, including 100 per cent cotton, high-cotton blends, polyester, canvas, hemp, and linen.

Secondly, DTG supports white ink, enabling printing on black or dark fabrics. And thirdly, DTG utilises water-based pigments that are environmentally friendly and non-toxic. Unlike dye-sublimation that typically use solvent-based inks, DTG emits no fumes and no VOCs.

Fast and easy: The Ricoh Ri 2000 allows print providers get on with doing business.

46 ProPrint June 2022

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FOCUS DIGITAL TEXTILES & DÉCOR He notes that recently the Ricoh Ri 1000 and Ri 2000 DTG printers have added the ability to provide Direct to Film (DTF) printing. DTF involves printing a design onto a special film, applying, and melting a powder adhesive to the printed film, and pressing the design onto the garment or merchandise. No other special equipment is required for a print provider that already uses DTG printing.

“The Ricoh Ri 1000 is an ideal solution for new businesses, print providers looking to expand their offerings, and e-commerce businesses with mid-volume production.

With fast speeds, high image quality, more accurate colours, and automated setup

From paper to fabric

How straightforward is it for a paper-based print business to expand into textile and décor printing?

EFI EFI’s Micol Gamba notes, “Existing skills like colour management and experience in digital printing are crucial and a great starting point to expand into textile. The hurdles we have observed while supporting our customers at the beginning of their digital textile journey are related to the variety of substrates that are typical of this industry: not every fabric is the same and will provide the same results and different kind of fabrics may be needed for different applications. This variety requires further flexibility in colour management, and a one-sizefits-all approach may lead customers to a not completely efficient and effective use of the technology.

and maintenance, it has been designed to outperform its competition,” he said.

The Ri 2000 delivers exceptionally fast print speeds, simplified maintenance, and convenient ease of use.

“It enables print providers to spend less time setting up prints and more time on growing their business. With a robust full feature set designed for the power user, it delivers superior value in its price class,” he said.

Ricoh also offers the Ri 100 – a compact and affordable DTG option which fits on a shopfront counter – as well as the depending on what is being produced.

When it comes to pressing, there are numerous guides and tutorials available online and the learning curve is not steep.

“Sublimation occurs with heat and time, so you need the right amount of both when pressing. Following manufacturer instructions is always a good start point and will yield the best results in most cases. But these factors are very much dependant on the material being used, so may require some trial and error to get the right outcome. Another tip for dye-sub is to avoid excessive DPI. A good rule of thumb is to set the printer to print at a maximum of 720 dpi, as anything higher is basically wasted in the sublimation process. DTG is even closer to the traditional paper print process, and the pressing process is even more straightforward.

“Décor printing, especially corporate environmental graphics, is one of the better adjacent opportunities for commercial printing businesses to get into with textile printing, assuming they have experience in wide format inkjet. In the traditional textile space, apparel, and home décor, as well as DTG printing, have become adjacent opportunities for some commercial printing companies. Bearing nontraditional textile customers in mind, in the last few years EFI Reggiani has developed solutions that can be sustainable and easy to integrate in a non-textile printing environment and with minimum ancillary equipment,” she says.

“In some ways, the barriers to entry for DTG are lower, as the process is very straightforward and the outputs very well defined – for example, T-shirts, tote bags. However, products like the Epson SureColor F160 (A4) or SureColor F560 (24-inch) provide an extremely economical entry to dye-sublimation too and these products offer the same capacity for on-demand and personalised orders as DTG. As the requirements and skillset of a business grow, the transition to high volume dye-sub printing is easy to make.

You will be serving the needs of a different customer, but the underlying processes and capability remain the same. There are a lot of successful businesses doing both.”

EPSON

KISSEL + WOLF

Epson Australia’s Nathan Fulcher says, “In general, the process is an extension of existing skillsets. When it comes to dye-sublimation, there are the added steps of pressing the prints and, potentially, stitching and finishing,

Kissel + Wolf Australia’s Jon Field states, “A general understanding of print machine operations is recommended, like dealing with inks and printhead maintenance. However, migrating from paper-based printing to textile

48 ProPrint June 2022

Ricoh Pro L5160 wide format printer which can print on self-adhesive PVC, wallpaper, and soft signage.

“The Ri 100 is small enough to operate on a shopfront counter, enabling production of customised T-shirts, bags, pillowcases and other products as customers wait,” Kraszewski said.

“The Pro L5160 is a highly productive wide format with strong environmental credentials, producing high quality print on a diverse array of permeable and impermeable material. It utilises a waterbased aqueous resin ink and is the first printer in its class to feature white ink.” decoration can be very challenging.

‘Similar’ is not ‘same’ and each process has its own set of challenges and nuances. That said, it can be done with application and dedication and an understanding of the challenges. We have a customer that invested in a high-production Kornit DTG printer that is one of Australia’s largest paper-based printers - and with the necessary training and ongoing support from the team at Kissel + Wolf and Kornit, is now running the system and producing impressive volumes daily.”

RICOH Ricoh Australia’s Henryk Kraszewski reflects, “Although there are common elements in the printing process, the interaction of ink or toner with paper is very different to the interaction of ink with fabric. Garments and décor items utilise a diverse array of materials from natural to synthetic, from neatly calendared fabrics to fuzzy fleece. Some fabrics will require pre-treatment to properly absorb ink. Drying and curing adds another level of complexity to the print production process,” he says.

“Colour management with textiles becomes a challenge to reproduce colours faithfully. Ricoh’s ColorGATE software provides a unified workflow across wide-format, flatbed and DTG printing. Having a common workflow simplifies the management of colour reproduction on textiles for those familiar with the software. Although technological advancements have simplified the print production process, printing banners or signs is fundamentally different to printing fabrics for apparel and décor applications. If printers are seeking opportunities in the apparel and décor segments, they must thoroughly research the market and note the complexity of production, the supply chain, and an appropriate business strategy.” PP

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PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

years

celebrating

1991–2021

2011 What happened in

Emerging from the GFC, many were asking whether a new normal had been set. Printers were facing threats from digital and online retailing was really hitting home.

Geon was busy rejigging its debt, while Opus Group was eyeing book prospects in the UK and the US. Women in Print dinners were held across the country with great success and print industry members slept rough to support the Vinnies CEO Sleepout. Michael Todisco also became became the sole director of PrintLinx, the trading name of Mercedes Waratah Group. The first ever ProPrint Power 50 was published with Richard Allely of PMP placing first.

From left to right: PacPrint plans underway; Whirlwind in the news; Andrew Price exits; Wayne Finkelde profile; Richard Allely tops the Power 50; Women in Print dinners; Geon’s finances shuffled as Opus loks at book prospects; first ever Power 50 cover and industry backs Vinnies CEO Sleepout.

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June 2022 ProPrint 51

30

years

celebrating

1991–2021

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS May 2013

Industry consolidation was moving swiftly with IPMG moving to close Craft and the Champ private equity fund eyeing oOh!media. McPherson shareholders voted to demerge paving the way for a merger with Opus.

Being a drupa year organisers threw open the doors to the world as ProPrint covered key industry events. The PIAA also announced it would merge with GASAA, in another show of consolidation. Geon’s communications and sustainability manager, Kellie Northwood, was named as the new manager of Two Sides. Benny Landa also blazed back onto the scene 11 years after selling Indigo sparking great expecations of what was ahead.

Left to right: Benny Landa makes a comeback; Industry associations merge; Two Sides appoints Northwood; ProPrint cover; Champ eyes oOh!media; Drupa gets underway; Colour Graphic Services on the cover; McPherson in the news; a Konica Minolta bizhub ad; Frank Romano visits Australia.

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2012

What happened in

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celebrating

UPDATE DOWNTIME

DOWNTIME UPDATE HANNANPRINT

WE WANT YOUR STORIES

Mohawk Show

People Technology Business

www.proprint.com.au May 2013 $8.00

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Any special dates coming up?

LIA-Heidelberg Grad Awards

Are you celebrating any milestones?

Samuel Moss from IPMG firm Sinnott Brothers was named LIA-Heidelberg Graduate of the Year at an event in Sydney on 4 June.

Sinnott Bros general manager Stephen Cuthbert said Moss had impressed supervisors with his intelligence and enthusiasm during his apprenticeship.

The other finalists were Shanmugan Vadiveloo from Opus Group book arm Ligare, Nicole Clark from News Ltd, Romeo Abellana from Anzpac Services, Lauren Peatman from Integrated Marketing Solutions and Patricia Teo from Jet Swimwear.

Planning an industry function?

Anyone raising money for a charity?

Creative types mingled with printers at Sydney’s plush Arthouse Hotel as BJ Ball presented the New South Wales leg of the annual Mohawk Show on 15 May. The touring event, which is run by US manufacturer Mohawk Papers, showcased winners of the Mohawk Award.

Entries into the competition, which came in from around the world, were all printed on one of the premium uncoated brands for which Mohawk is known.

This year there was one Australian winner of the prestigious awards, Paul Garbett from Naughty Fish design.

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

Email skiernan@proprint.com.au or call (02) 8399 7694

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GLOBALISED BUYING 4

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International print brokers take aim Corporate clients are increasingly demanding worldwide deals p30 PHOTO SPECIAL

Pulling in crowds from state to state Knowledge and networking at Heidelberg Women in Print p22 OFFERING CROSS-MEDIA

ANALYSIS CREDIT TERMS

Knock-on effects of debt

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1. Avon Graphics’ David Konecke 2. BJ Ball’s Garth Corcoran and Aaron Carter with Maria SedoFont from PMG and Craig Brown, chief executive of BJ Ball 3. BJ Ball sales executive Michael Tsiailis with Dominion Print Group managing director Kelvin Gage 4. Acorn Press managing director Craig Foley with Circle Communications managing director Ross Campbell 5. BJ Ball’s Glen Ellis, MacTac’s Denise Nathan and DES’s Mark McInnes 6. Watermarx Graphics’ Alan Fawcett, David Jones’ Karin Rojas, BJ Ball’s John Pennock and Watermarx’s Angela O’Dea 7. Sandra Berzins, studio manager at Folk, with Lindsay Yates Group MD Paul Richardson 8. Peter Musarra and Darrin Marshall from Carbon8 18 ProPrint June 2013

Will web services buoy your business?

Don’t expect an expansion into cross-media to be easy sailing p34

Sick of being left exposed, suppliers are determined to break the cycle

ALSO INSIDE...

Profile Industrial Printing Technology Soft proofing Product Fujifilm Jet Press 540W

PACPRINT REVIEW

Sales and surprises It may have been smaller in scale with some notable absences but the exhibition did not disappoint. Many were taken aback as industry leaders arrived in force

26 ProPrint June 2013

customers. The Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre hummed with an energy that has been lacking in our industry of late. Exhibitors say those who arrived were the industry’s leaders, the people who write the cheques, and that they were ready to do business.

Adrian Fleming, up until recently the managing director of Kodak Australia & New Zealand, says: “There were plenty of worried looks going around on Tuesday, but I can’t think of a trade show when day one wasn’t slow. Day one of Drupa was dead, so were days 13 and 14.”

Steve Donegal, director of strategic accounts at HP Asia Pacific, agrees.

“The show got off to a pretty slow start. Day one and day two were very underwhelming. I was actually a bit concerned on the second day, but I have to say that Thursday, Friday and Saturday made up for the slow start. Our lead

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JPE Industry Review night

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1. Ray Berwick won a NSW jersey autographed by former Blues skipper Wayne Pearce 2. Heidelberg’s Nick Hammond, Bob Milner and Savas Mystakidis 3. Nominees: Shanmugan Vadiveloo, Patricia Teo, Romeo Abellana, Nicole Clark, Samuel Moss and Lauren Peatman 4. Graduate of the Year Samuel Moss from Sinnott Brothers 5. LIA member Steve Kyd with Patrick Rey and John Sfikas from Anzpac 6. Sinnott Brothers general manager Stephen Cuthbert and Kayell sales director Andreas Johansson 1. Mumbrella editor-inchief Tim Burrowes, Graham Trickey and DIC’s Meredith Darke 2. Gary Wilson from Expense Reduction Analysts with Colin Burnell from Graphics Plus Printing 3. JPE president Glenn Ford from BJ Ball, Aaron Millner from Bottcher and Tom Walkerden from BJ Ball 4.Lynne and Russell Morrow from Morprint with JPE past president Steven Gamble

4

Prominent journalist Tim Burrowes, who edits media and marketing website Mumbrella, was the guest speaker at the Junior Printing Executives Industry Review Night.

The function’s other speaker was BT Financial Group chief economist Chris Caton The Industry Review Night was held on 13 May at the North Ryde RSL in Sydney. It was organised by the Printing Industries Association of Australia, JPE and the Lithographic Institute of Australia.

June 2013 ProPrint 19

www.proprint.com.au

www.proprint.com.au

2013

What happened in

Geon collapsed during this year, leaving many asking how and why? Geon was Australia’s third biggest printer and after private equity takeovers, the voluntary administrators were called in when it was unable to secure a $3m debt finance facility. In other news PacPrint was held with a full review in ProPrint.

Sydney hosted the Mohawk Show, presented by BJ Ball.

Hannanprint and Next Printing were featured, while all the highlights from the 2012 Power 50 were published.

Kellie Northwood was also appointed to lead the Australasian Catalogue Association.

generation expectations were met and our business activities exceeded expectations.”

Even the organisers, who had spent months promoting the show and doing everything in their power to ensure its success, kept their expectations modest.

Just a day before the doors opened, PacPrint president Ian Martin told ProPrint that organisers were expecting around 10,000 visitors. There was a feeling that fewer might even be acceptable, as long as those who attended

By Steven Kiernan and Nick Bendel

I

1991–2021

PROFILE STAR BUSINESS

A PrintWeek publication

t could’ve been a PacPrint measured by what wasn’t there. No Heidelberg.

Few offset presses. A prediction of low sales, dismal visitors numbers, a lack of ROI for exhibitors. The glass-halfempty voices had been loud. Considering the brutal start to 2013, it’s easy to see where they were coming from. Would an extravagant trade show, appearing amid the worst economic climate many in print have ever seen, be a white elephant?

As the doors opened on Tuesday 21 May, many worried that the nay-sayers would be proven right. Foot traffic was light.

Exhibitors spoke in worrying tones. A lot was riding on PacPrint13; the first day did little to reassure those who had staked so much on the once-every-four-year show.

But this is not an article about failure.

Because the visitors did arrive. Wednesday got busier. Thursday was busier again. On Friday, stands were mobbed by potential

years

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

The show got off to a slow start. Day one and two were underwhelming Steve Donegal, HP

Left to right: ProPrint cover focuses on credit; photo highlights from the Mohawk Show; Hannanprint featured; PacPrint in review; The Geon saga explored; Rodney Frost invests; Kellie Northwood appointed as head of ACA; Next Printing looks to the future and PacPrint was full of surprises.

were decision-makers. It must have come as a huge relief to organisers when the curtains closed on PacPrint13 and some 13,427 visitors had crossed the threshold.

A decline on 2009 but a welcome bump on the worst-case scenario.

Across the dozens of exhibitors that ProPrint spoke to both during and after the show, the theme of ‘numbers down, quality up’, was consistent.

www.proprint.com.au

A towering achievement Establishing Warwick Farm and relocating from Alexandria was an undertaking of a scale not seen for many years

By Steven Kiernan

I

t takes quite a while to get around Hannanprint’s Warwick Farm supersite. That’s not only because of the building’s aircraft-hangar footprint, although that’s part of it. The other reason for the slow progress is the tour guide, Tony Dedda. The outgoing managing director of the IPMG-owned business just keeps stopping. People have told ProPrint in the past that Dedda prides himself on knowing everyone’s name. Taking a tour of Warwick Farm with him, it’s clearly not lip service. Dedda is shaking hands, shouting out ‘g’day’, asking after people’s children. One worker, who was offered extended leave after a family member fell ill, tells ProPrint, unprompted, “Not every boss is like Tony. It’s nice.”

Over recent weeks, Dedda has also been playing tour guide for an increasing number of customers. Warwick Farm is a showpiece; it’s easy to understand why he would want to show it off. While there are no customers visiting the plant when ProPrint tours, they are there in spirit.

Warwick Farm is still sparkling and new; it lacks the lived-in feel of even the cleanest print shop. Dedda’s office is bare, so it’d be hard to miss the single piece of A4 paper pinned to the empty noticeboard in an otherwise sparsely decorated room.

The note reads, “There is only one boss, the customer. He can fire everyone in the company from the directors down simply by spending his money elsewhere.”

For Dedda, this philosophy starts as the top and permeates the business.

“The whole company is customer focused.

Not just me; it’s the guy in the bindery, the guy in the pressroom. We understand the customer is the business. It is not a motherhood-type statement. We live it.”

Back to the tour, which continues at a stop-start pace. Of course, the gregarious MD is not the only reason that a journey around the newly opened plant takes quite some time. Warwick Farm is all about size.

It would be the biggest plant built since PMP’s Moorebank supersite in the mid90s. The former Kimberly Clark plant

factfile Staff 300 Size 38,000m2 Established 2013 Owners Hannan family Presses • One 96pp twin-web Manroland Lithoman • Two 48pp Manroland Lithomans • One 32pp Manroland Rotoman Markets magazines, catalogues, newspaper inserts

occupies 12.8 hectares. Everywhere you go, there are huge numbers to ponder, staggering volumes, impressive run lengths, machinery values with plenty of zeros. The rainwater tanks hold a combined three million litres. There’s room in the paper store for 22,000 tonnes.

Some 20 tonnes of ink per colour is on hand. One of the gatherers ramps up to 32,000 copies an hour. The newest press is running at 180,000 sheets per hour.

Dedda says that if all four web presses were running full speed at their optimum web width, the plant could churn out eight million pages per hour.

If those numbers aren’t impressive enough, then double them. Because plenty of the integral equipment is counted in multiples of two. When Hannanprint relocated from its long-time home in Alexandria to this new site in western Sydney, it needed to double-up on all essential machinery, to ensure continuity for its customers.

“We need two sets in case one breaks down. When you buy a new piece of equipment, you try to align it to the old one,” says Dedda.

“Redundancy is built into the plant.

The new Lithoman is exactly the same web width as the other two; we could’ve bought something wider, but then if you have to move work to another press, you would have an issue. Staying with one width also makes warehouse management the same.”

Seeing double

This case of double vision doesn’t only apply to duplicate machinery: the flagship press also has a split personality. The heart of Warwick Farm is a 96pp Manroland Lithoman in a twin web configuration.

When ordered, it was the only press of its kind anywhere in the world.

Reaching 45,000 cylinder revolution per hour, the machine’s productivity has been boosted further thanks to optional bells and whistles.

According to Manroland, automation includes: automatic plate loading; the

AutoJobChange control package with QuickStart pre-inking function; inline control systems for cut-off register; ink density control and colour register.

While twin webs are not as popular as wider presses, Dedda is an advocate of the configuration. “Some people are frightened by having one web on top of the other, but we have mastered it. They give you enormous output; it is technology that we are very familiar with.”

Everywhere you look in Warwick Farm there is technology. Shiny new machines sit alongside older models relocated from Alexandria. In the centre of the plant, printing technology actually fuses with the building itself. The masterstroke in the factory’s design is the control room for its fleet of four Manroland presses. The offices have been built directly over the press lines.

Freshly printed catalogues clipped to the Ferag lines zip down and around the press control desks like laundry spinning on the world’s most high-tech Hills Hoist.

It is in stark contrast to the congested layout at the old site. “Alexandria grew over many years, so you stuck things where they fitted. Here you had the ability to develop a flow; you have paper, presses and finishing and stitching and dispatch.”

“We have the people who live this in the control room, the mezzanine over the pressroom. They can feel the presses. They are part of it. That is important,” he says.

On the ground level, press operators man the control desks. Some of them have been at Hannanprint their entire careers.

Guys like Tony Moore, who has been with Hannanprint for three decades, or his co-pilot on the Manroland console, Terry Fripp, who has “only” worked for the company for 18 years.

20 ProPrint June 2013

www.proprint.com.au

PACPRINT REVIEW

1

3

Decision-makers, it seems, did show up; time-wasters did not.

Garry Muratore, Oceania regional sales manager of GMG, who was stationed on the Kayell stand, says: “The tyre kickers were missing; those people who have no intention of purchasing but want to waste your time to prove they are clever.”

Muratore points to one reason for this.

“The industry has been through some tough times so the big labour force that used to be out there is no longer there.

Once upon a time, the bosses would rent a minibus and send 20 people in. The guillo operator would come and ask how a plate works. He was educating himself.”

While students have always been part of the PacPrint make-up, Muratore reckons their numbers were down this year. Other vendors suggest to ProPrint that while students did show up, they were on their best behaviour, there to collect a few free posters but not waste exhibitors’ time.

Konica Minolta general manager production printing David Procter subscribes to the ‘numbers down, quality up’ view. The digital supplier’s centrally located stand was “constantly busy”, he says. www.proprint.com.au

2

4

1. CMYKhub’s free webstore service was a hit 2. Manroland’s Allison Whitelaw on the Canon stand 3. Konica Minolta’s David Procter 4. Centrum Printing signed for a KBA press 5. The Kodak stand

5

“For Konica Minolta, we are very happy with the result from PacPrint. Even though the numbers may have been down through the door, the quality of customers on the stand far exceeded that from previous shows.”

Pleasing partnership

The cross-aisle traffic with partner Kodak can only have helped both suppliers.

Beyond the typical task of sales and leadgeneration, the two companies had different but equally important reasons for making a strong showing at PacPrint.

For Konica Minolta, like fellow digital supplier Ricoh, the exhibition was an opportunity to further bolster its reputation as a serious supplier to the graphic arts market. For Kodak, there was a need to remind the industry that not only is it still here after last year’s fall into Chapter 11, but that the printing industry remains its core focus.

Procter says: “In our customers’ minds, we have cemented ourselves as a serious player in the digital marketplace. This is our third PacPrint. At the first one we were the new boys on the block. Four years ago we were being considered by

a fair few. Now we are regularly on the consideration list.”

Kodak’s Fleming says that following the dramatic collapse of the once mighty company, “we could’ve cancelled [PacPrint} and no one would have blamed us”.

“But we looked at it and said we would take the opportunity to say we are still here, we are coming back. Come September, we will be out of Chapter 11 and we will be a very graphics-focused company,” says Fleming.

The partnership between Kodak and Konica Minolta at PacPrint13 might remind people of their affiliation at PrintEx11, where the pair were joined by Heidelberg. This year was not the PacPrint of old. The absence of the industry-leading offset press manufacturer was not just a reflection of the tough market, but symbolic of wider trends of technology.

Doubters had made much of Heidelberg’s withdrawal from PacPrint and the absence of offset presses.

Mutterings about the minimal litho presence – there were just two, a pair of Ryobis on the Cyber stand – continued throughout the show. But where some saw the lack of traditional machinery as a June 2013 ProPrint 27

30

celebrating

years

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

1991–2021

PROFILE VIEW FROM THE TOP DAVID LEACH

Renewal for life

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE

Look Print founder and new PIAA president David Leach says that printers who can embrace renewal will be well placed to grow their businesses in a world of emerging opportunities

By Wayne Robinson

2014 NATIONAL PRINT AWARDS WINNERS

FROM ALL OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS

I

n one of those delicious contradictions of life David Leach’s progressive and dynamic Look Print business is located on one of the most clogged roads in the country.

The total lack of investment, strategy, innovation and impetus that has gone into the infamous Parramatta Road is in direct contrast to Look Print, which has been determined in all of the aforementioned, and has grown to become one of the most innovative businesses in the industry, under the ownership of Leach, who has just become the new president of the PIAA. Leach is certainly no doomsayer when it comes to print, he begins our interview by saying ‘I love this industry’, and his outlook is founded on embracing the concept of renewal. He says, “I love the excitement of the renewal that is occurring in print. And not just in print, but in society as a whole, and as that renewal occurs it is impacting on every area of our industry. We live in the most exciting times, I appreciate that it is not always easy to stand back and marvel at it, but I think future generations will look back and wish they were here.”

Profile Role: Chief Executive PIAA: President First job: Jackaroo Started Look Print : 1991 Start staff: 1 Current staff: 60

For printers the challenge is to renew themselves so that society sees value in print, so that they can create and fulfill demand, and so develop a sustainable business David Leach, Look Print

For many people the term renewal is an easier one to deal with than change, it has less disruptive connotations, and is more in line with the natural world, which Leach came face to face with during his time as a jackaroo in the outback. He says, “Human beings are progressive, society is

moving forward, and the print industry should be moving forward. Too many people have tried to defy or delay renewal but that is untenable, the world is not the same as it was 20 years ago, embracing it is a much better option. We all have two choices, to move forward or stay as we were.

“Print was predominantly an order taking ink on paper business, whereas when you look at it now it is so much more.

These days the graphic arts business involves software, imaging, data, it involves printing onto so much more than paper, it means printers engaging with innovation to develop new applications and promoting those applications to new markets.”

Leach is certainly practicing what he preaches, his company has a commitment to innovation, with a high level of investment that is reaping rich rewards.

Among its developments Look Print has launched a method of printing high quality graphics onto concrete, and it has just launched a website that enables the public to create their own posters from collections of photos. Leach says, “Thanks to mobile and digital technology we are taking more photos than ever, but there is growing demand for those photos to be available to view, rather than sitting on a server somewhere. Photobooks have grown massively over the past ten years, and our photo poster application PosterCandy provides people with another outlet to present their stories.”

PosterCandy software enables the public to collate their photos into posters, which are all sized to fit Ikea frames. Look Print of course takes care of the print. Already the website has been licensed to Europe and the US. Leach says, “Mobile technology, digital technology and print can serve each other, and there will be great opportunities for print businesses who are prepared to think outside their current fields, who can assess where demand is coming from, what people want, and can create a service to

16 ProPrint March 2014

Opportunities are plentiful, we just have to be prepared to renew our businesses so that we can meet them David Leach

fulfill that demand.”

It is not just in mobile and digital technology though that Leach says printers will find new applications and new markets, he points to Look’s ability to now print on concrete, with early clients including a Perth hospital and a motorway tunnel operator. He says, “Graphic communication is a key component of society. Information needs to be presented in a way that the public can access and engage with, and it always will do. Some of that information has transferred to digital presentation, directories are a classic example, but as one area fades others will emerge, and with them opportunities.

Whether that is a self-created poster of the photos of your latest holiday, signage in a

tunnel or a thousand other applications print is crucial, necessary and welcome.

For printers the challenge is to renew themselves so that society sees value in print, so that they can create and fulfill demand, and so develop a sustainable 2 business.

“If anyone thinks renewal is too hard I can tell them that being in commodity printing is far harder. Selling a product that can be produced by a host of similar companies means you are in a race to the bottom in price, and that is not a sustainable business model. It may be that you still produce that 16 page A4 leaflet, but you may be offering some added value to it in embellishment, or in the finish, or in the design, or by producing it on

David Leach, CEO Look Print

demand, or by personalising it, or regionalising it, or by offering a website landing page to go with it, then the margin becomes realistic. There has to be differentiation in what we offer, because as we all know customer loyalty isn’t as strong as it used to be, and anyway customers expect more these days.

Printers on the front foot who are going to their clients with new ideas and solutions will find themselves in a much stronger position than those who are just doing what is asked of them. We need to get out there and tell the market that print is so much more than ink on paper.

“Commoditisation is a fact of life, all products have a life cycle, innovators create them then other companies enter

The business model therefore is one of high monthly volumes of full-colour impressions Peter Scott, Screen

High-speed inkjet has found its niche with high-volume mailhouses but are there opportunities to harness the technology for commercial sheetfed enterprises?

By Peter Kohn

I

T is six years since high-speed webfed inkjet colour printing technology burst onto the print world at drupa 2008, and four years since most systems became commercially available.

Océ, Screen, Ricoh, HP and Kodak – and lately Xerox – are among those that have unfurled high volume digital inkjet web solutions. With their ability to produce colour print and black-and-white at high speeds on a range of stocks, and without plates or makeready, and with variable data, this technology has revolutionised books, newspapers, DM and transpromo.

Yet apart from the major mailhouses – Fuji Xerox Document Management Solutions (formerly Salmat) which has the Canon/Océ ColorStream, SEMA which has an Impika, ComputerShare which has Ricoh InfoPrint 5000s, and Australia Post which has set itself up in competition with its customers and also has Canon/Océ ColorStreams – and which pump out the mega transactional and transpromo jobs, take up hasn’t been quick. Opus has just ordered two Impika printers, SOS has Kodak and Fuji Xerox for books and educational printing, McPherson’s has HP for books, a Brisbane direct mailhouse has a Screen Truepress Jet SX while Lane Print in Adelaide and Zipform in Perth have both opted for the Canon/Océ ColorStream with inline finishing.

You'll find us where it matters most…

Where ink meets paper, that's where you'll find Böttcher. Our products

rint scoops es award

Continued on page 18

INKJET BUSINESS FOCUS

Moving into inkjet Rollers Blankets Pressroom chemicals Balanced system solutions

the market, but smart companies keep pushing on to stay ahead of the pack. Ink on paper should become a smaller and smaller part of what print businesses are offering to the market, and smart operators already know this. What we offer though has to be of real value, it has to work for the client, and if it does they will want more.”

Leach sees the challenge for companies that embrace renewal is in the new learnings necessary. They are costly, time consuming, require thought and investment, and may not have an immediate payoff. He says, “Print businesses small or large need new skill sets. Renewal doesn’t come without its pitfalls. In nature we see that the pattern is that something has to go. Snakes for instance shed their old skin before they create the new one. Seeds fall from the tree and go into the ground for some time before they emerge as saplings. As human beings we often seek to build on the old structure, without appreciating that if we let go of the past we will be in a much better position to build for the future.

“We at Look have experienced the full gamut of experiences through our commitment to innovation, we know the pains, the frustrations, the challenges first hand. If something was easy everyone would be doing it. We produced print on some 4,000 square metres of concrete for a Perth hospital, there were challenges, but we got there. Now we’re quoting to put graphics onto 28 kilometres worth of freeway soundproofing and offering up to a 25 year outdoor guarantee. We need to move on from our legacy markets and into new areas of opportunity.”

Leach points as an example of renewal to a non-print industry association which reinvented its awards to not only recognise new areas, but where the judges who were industry insiders were all replaced by industry outsiders, in fact by representatives of the client base. He says, “So it is their customers who get to decide the award winners, which means that the industry has the clearest possible pointers as to which way their client base is looking, because the clients are telling them.”

Leach isn’t commenting on the print industry’s own awards, which are currently being reviewed by former IPMG chief Stephen Anstice, rather using the tale as an example of how to think creatively in a way that brings benefits to both the producers and the buyers.

However Leach has just become the new president of the peak industry association the PIAA, and as such is now in a position to bring his experience to bear on the industry as a whole. He took the role he

March 2014 ProPrint 17

www.proprint.com.au

BUSINESS FOCUS INKJET

Sy

UPDATE

VIEW FROM THE TOP PROFILE

There are now around 20 systems running in Australia, and the quality level is increasing, but does inkjet present a realistic opportunity for commercial offset printers? Some have waded in, and the advice they offer, based on their experience, is worth noting.

Establish your supply chain

Despite a steady growth in certified inkjet web stocks, range and availability can sometimes be limited. The managing director and owner of a well known hybrid print enterprise, who asked not be identified, tells ProPrint that, in his view, there are not yet enough installations for a reliable supply chain, so hiccups in supplying coated, uncoated and precoated stocks and proprietary inks has made the technology unreliable as a business model.

In turn, this has impeded wider adoption.

Printers are taking on an industrialstrength machine with industrialstrength capabilities Steve Donegal, HP

The company, an icon of offset printing in its locality, created a digital division and invested some $4m in a well known inkjet line four years ago, with a fixed-service contract. A major application is trade

34 ProPrint May 2014

printing of paperback books, in shorter runs than on the company’s offset presses.

Early on, the press also produced microruns of niche newspapers, but that market dwindled.

Its managing director has faith in the inkjet hardware he bought and believes it is best-in-market, but describes press quality as, “only 20 per cent of the equation,” and admits he was blindsided by the consumables issues.

The business has made its own arrangements for buying paper stocks.

Sometimes it is a case of laying hands on a reel of inkjet-treated stock as a stopgap to move a job out the door, says the managing director. He says that, on the bright side, transferring mono toner printed work to colour inkjet has proven cost-effective. www.proprint.com.au

Take advantage of the speed

At Sydney’s SOS Print & Media, a mono Kodak Prosper 1000 came aboard in 2010 to compliment its two, five, six and tencolour offset presses and six months ago the hybrid print enterprise added a Xerox 2800 colour line.

Michael Schulz, managing director of the high-profile 124-staff business, says the trick is to find work benefiting from speed, the drawcard of web inkjet. “If, for example, you’re printing 300 copies of a 400-page book at 250 copies per minute on your sheetfed machine and it takes 18 hours, and you put the job on a Prosper, at around 3,600 pages per minute, and it takes around two hours, that’s a huge difference.”

Output from the Prosper is transferred to an offline Hunkeler sheeter, then book

blocks are set up, which differs from a sheetfed line, which runs two-up before cutting.

SOS’s sales force has canvassed publishers for book orders that have gone offshore, mainly to China, and Schulz reports some success in enticing these back to Australia, with high speed, low cost-per-page and quick turnarounds.

He acknowledges the range of inkjet stocks is still limited, compared to other digital technologies and offset, so forward planning and ordering is critical, particularly as you are ordering reels.

Do your homework

Paul Sanelli, business manager, inkjet, at Fuji Xerox Australia, identifies three areas for Australian high-speed inkjet: essential/ direct mail, books and general

www.proprint.com.au

High speed: webfed digital inkjet colour offers volume and productivity

commercial print applications. In direct mail, with the demise of VDP-overprinted offset ‘shells’, turnaround times have reduced, workflows simplified and equipment running costs have reduced.

He says that, before deploying highspeed inkjet, printers must do extensive research to assess the integration with existing infrastructure and whether it will result in significant ROI. “Consider questions such as – what is the usual run length of our jobs? What content and types of documents do we specialise in?

How much are turnaround times reduced if we transition to inkjet? Mapping the answers to these questions against the capabilities of the inkjet equipment will help assess its potential value to their business.”

Sanelli adds that it is important to have a workflow that minimises manual touchpoints and effectively manages data composition, which in turn helps drive the inkjet press at full rated speed and ensures its continuous operation.

Then there are the operators’ capabilities. “Key aspects include understanding the characteristics of paper in relation to applying ink, continuous or cut-sheet offset operation, prepress functions (colour management in particular) and mechanical or electromechanical equipment. All these are valuable in ensuring the solution runs well and achieves greatest return.”

Paul Whitehead, senior category specialist, Canon Print Production, believes the most important issue is to transition a business and its manufacturing process from traditional to higher-value products. Web inkjet “offers the opportunity to work in a hybrid print operation, provided the right applications and business benefits are addressed,” he argues.

“For example, a commercial printer with a large but ageing fleet of offset presses may not want to continue buying more offset presses but rather migrate suitable volume to a webfed inkjet press and modernise their work processes from the print operation to the bindery. A Canon/Océ inkjet system will enable high quality multiple applications to be produced in developing an investment strategy for high speed inkjet,” he says.

At HP, Steve Donegal, director, strategic account program, Graphic Solution Business, likewise emphasises preparation before buying in web inkjet.

He says, “Printers coming from an offset environment who add the capabilities of the HP Inkjet Web Press are taking on an industrial-strength machine with industrial-strength capabilities. To take

PIAA seeks 350 printers for business development On the back of a record $11m worth of government funding it has obtained for the print industry the PIAA is looking for 350 printers around the country to sign up to a new business development programme.

The programme, part of the PIAA’s Future Print initiative, is aiming to help printers with a turnover of less than $1.5m transition from traditional print providers into multi-channel service businesses.

Start date is provisionally slated for May this year.

Bill Healey, CEO of the PIAA says, “The print industry and the wider world is in transition. This new programme will help print business owners to engage with the new world, and will equip them with the tools to exploit the opportunities that are emerging.”

The 350 businesses that the PIAA is aiming to sign up will be given an initial thorough business assessment, and then split into three groups; those that are deemed to be viable businesses that want to move forward but are lacking the internal resource to do so; those that are well functioning businesses capable of adapting to the new

May 2014 ProPrint 35

consistency of your product, day after day, night after night.

Systems for success

UPDATE

By Wayne Robinson

roducing top quality print is only part of running a successful print business, in fact these days there is little to differentiate the quality of output from most printers. It is in the business of print that sets a printer on the road to sustainability. Trade-only operation LEP is one printer that has fully embraced business tools to develop itself, and in so doing has created a growing business that now serves an increasing number of clients – other printers – from all over the country.

LEP has a highly developed business model that is based on lean manufacturing, with everything in the factory working to well considered systems and processes. This manifests itself in areas such as just-in-time paper – there is no paper store, just deliveries several times a day. Every piece of equipment from its offset presses to its CTP to its inkjet proofers to its folding machines is backed up by an identical piece of equipment. There is even a pair of identical Heidelberg platens.

Everything is monitored, analysed compared and adjusted. Automation and systems are the watchwords.

LEP was established by entrepreneur Mike Brooks in 2001, then in 2008 just before the GFC crashed the company was bought by the ANZ Bank’s private equity arm. It asked John Bromfield, a chartered accountant of 25 years standing, with a background in the corporate world, to run the business for it. Bromfield had no experience of print, but eight years in private equity and in turning around businesses. He says, “I came in because I could see the opportunity. Even though in many ways it was obvious that print was a tricky business – high capex, low margin, ultra competitive – there was a clear opportunity to develop this business, through implementing lean manufacturing systems, investing in and training staff, and providing a first rate service to our clients.”

So when ANZ tapped Bromfield on the shoulder to head up its new venture he came aboard. Neither he nor the bank could have forseen that just a few short months later the GFC would completely

Established: 2001

Location: Forest Glen, Sunshine Coast Print: Offset, digital

Business: Trade only

change the face of the printing industry, coming as it did at the exact same time that the internet and smartphone combination came into play, diverting even more dollars away from print.

He says, “I could see that trade only printing was quite different to commercial printing, and offered great options for growth, but it had to be a highly automated, highly systematised model. Gang printing for instance offers speed and cost benefits, if you can get the workflow correct. I could see too that if we stayed away from artwork and creation and concentrated entirely on manufacturing then we could develop a healthy business.”

The company has followed that strategy, it only works with prepared digital artwork. However Bromfield says, “Because we are strictly trade only this works fine. Our core customers are commercial printers and graphic designers, so they have a good understanding of correct artwork files.

This keeps our costs down and is a straightforward delineation of processes.

We handle everything from the correct artwork onwards. This means we don’t get involved in costly time consuming activities which slow down the process.”

Bromfield also tightened the product range, and over time has slowly expanded it, so that today there are more than 5,000 different product options available.

FEBRUARY TIMELINE

What happened in

2014

CASHED UP Hannanprint cashed in its Alexandria real estate holdings to the tune of a whopping $343m COMES OF AGE It is 21 years since the launch of digital printing, at first derided, now mainstream

team covering all functional disciplines.

Bromfield says, “We operate with a team based environment, where the team takes responsibility for achieving the required outcome. So for instance we don’t tell the printers what to do, they know what they have to print and when and work it out for themselves. Giving people responsibility, trusting them to work things out because they are in the best position to do what really works, it creates a sense of ownership. I really believe in staff development, I know everyone says that people are their biggest asset, but we walk the talk.”

Last year in fact LEP took the entire production staff offsite for a week and went through a whole week of staff development, training, team building and feedback. Bromfield says, “Investing in our staff is one of the key foundations of this business.” And it is paying off, staff turnover is very low, and whenever a position does become vacant applications are received from far and wide, Bromfield says, “People know we are a good business to work for.”

During what was termed Manufacturing Excellence Week the production and manufacturing team committed to the goal of earning world class manufacturing status. Bromfield

John Bromfield, owner and CEO, LEP

says, “Since then there has been a buzz of excitement as to how we can achieve this.

It is really our team of people that have been instrumental to a number of initiatives that have resulted in producing the highest quality day in day out, and on time.”

One of these is the introduction of a matt varnish on magazines produced on a matt stock, which has resulted in an improved product due to the varnish protection against scuffing, as well as quicker drying times and so faster turnaround time out the door.

Bromfield says, “We cut out valuable time in the whole process all at no extra cost to the customer. It became a real win-win, for us and the customers, as we then introduced a range of matt stocks for magazines with a superior matt varnish finish.”

Since Bromfield has been with LEP, the company has achieved consistent growth, something that many printers long for.

He says, “Maintaining margins is a challenge, because print prices are not rising. So to ensure the business is sustainable we have to look at keeping our costs down. We don’t do this by slashing wages, that is the wrong approach on so many levels, we do it by optimising our workflow, by being smart in what and

how we produce, and primarily by working hard to keep our customers happy, so they come back for more.

“Trade printing is a little bit different to commercial printing, because a lot of our customers are commercial printers. They know what quality is and they know what service is.”

LEP is far from the only trade printer in the country, so what is the differential?

Bromfield says, “That is what we have coined the LEP Advantage, which is an umbrella term to host all the benefits of dealing with LEP. These range from guaranteed next day delivery, to printing on latest technology both offset and digital, to our low everyday prices, to our professionalism and even to our environmental credentials. And, of course, it includes being able to order 24 hours a day from our extensive product line.

“In short the LEP Advantage means that we are on the side of our customers, our mission is to make life easy for them and give them what they want when they want it, and this is why we are growing our business, because this strategy is appreciated by the market.”

LEP Online, which is LEP’s fully integrated online ordering system, has

Three years after ANZ Private Equity bought the business it was looking to sell; a periodic review at the bank had resulted in a decision to divest itself of non-core activities. By that time Bromfield had seen enough to jump at the chance to become the owner, so he headed a management buy-out. However that didn’t change the modus operandus, he says, “We still run LEP as if it were a public corporate business, with all the

24 ProPrint April 2014

www.proprint.com.au

01 february

TAKE A HIT Scoresby-based PMG posted a 23.1% year-on-year fall in revenue in 201213 to $53.2 million

Continued on page 26

Monthly debrief

www.proprint.com.au February 2014 $8.00

INTERVIEW

From photography to award winning print business p20-21

Recapping the major developments since your last issue.

Stories are 30 january breaking every day at NEWSPAPERS SIGN $1.7BN PAPER DEAL WITH NORSKE SKOG www.proprint.com.au

The Rocks. The manufacturer positioned itself as the ‘company that cares’ and donated $17,000 to charity on the night. Guests were wowed by Brad Blaze, the world’s fastest painter

FOCUS

2

Regions: Printers facing challenges We talk to five leading regional print business owners p32-34 RETROSPECTIVE

PROMOTION

Mimaki looks to Australian future FOCUS

Inkjet printer developer makes major investment with local support centre p26-27

od Digital, with Wayne Godsell, Frontline Printing, and wn, Konica Minolta on winners Stewart Alexander and Natalie Kelly, Academy

xpo Group, with Alan Dyer, Document Solutions, and Scott

21 years of digital The innovation that sparked a revolution come s of age 21 years after it rocked print p36-39 ALSO INSIDE...

Comment Gen Y & Z to save print Product Fujifilm XMF Tech Guide Entry level digital

4

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Valley Edge Design’s year started with a two-day wall mural installation for shipping line QGC on Curtis Is The images were manipulated to incorporate a dot pattern effect in keeping with some of the QGC bran The files took one day to produce, and the working file size of one of the images was 3.2Gb. The medi 1.(l-r) Chris Bow wallpaper with a matt over-laminate finish. The total length of murals laid was approximatelyCanon 22Australi met Eckersley, Print

Approach, and Knespal, GASA 2. (l-r) Steve Ho www.p Fujifilm Austra Tjanaria, Next and Brett Dem Fujifilm 3. Kenneth Bec Carbon8 (l), an Sanuri, Next Pr 4. Andrew Ben Louisa Rekasi, 5.Susan Smart Shergill, BPA Pr 6. Steven Kiern ProPrint

01 december

5

6 18 ProPrint February 2014

www.proprint

More than half of printers will pass on paper price hikes

06 december

More than half of printers polled in the week after paper prices jumped 10 per cent say they will pass on the price hike to their customers, though some favourite clients may be spared.

Many printers contacted by ProPrint were not willing to talk publicly, but say some printers will not be saddled with the full rise as paper merchants have never had much success passing on the full rises to printers with more bargaining power.

They also say the suppliers should take a look at their own operations for cost savings, saying they are inefficient with too many staff compared to turnover, before they pass their costs on.

A ProPrint poll of 131 Australian print professionals found 55 per cent plan to pass on the increase to their customers, while another 15 per cent will share the pain and only pass on some of the costs. Only nine per cent say they will absorb them.

A further 21 per cent say it depends on the client, indicating favoured long term clients, or new or irreplaceable ones, might be spared some or all of the price hike to keep their orders flowing.

Some printers are planning to fight the price rise, or at least negotiate with their paper merchant for a better deal.

Civic Media managing director Adam

Middleton says the Queensland wide format printer was offered a 7.5 per cent price hike by its supplier but plans to negotiate for a much lower figure.

“We want to keep it as close as possible to the price we have been basing our cost estimates on for this year,” he says.

“It’s hard enough making sales at the current prices without a further increase on top of that. Paper merchants should be negotiating with their own suppliers instead of just passing the cost on to us, and the price should be set in Australia and not dependent on currency fluctuations.”

SOS Print director Michael Schulz says the rise is too big for the offset and digital printer to absorb, but hopes to work with major clients to find ways to keep costs near their current levels.

“Some things we are able to compensate for with technology, but not others, we can also talk to them about standardising paper stocks or investigating alternatives,” he says. “Of course if they are willing to commit to a long term deal we could work out a better price, too.”

He says using new technologies like inkjet digital printing as opposed to toner sheetfed engines, which allows a wider variety of paper, might be another option for keeping costs down.

NSW PICAS TOAST PRINT

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Melbourne’s newest shopping centre, the $1.2bn Emporium, will have Australia’s biggest external digital sign and more than 30 digital advertising panels, but absolutely no print advertising.

Australia’s largest retail advertising media company, oOh! Media, has won the exclusive media rights contract to provide the digital advertising, a number of which will be capable of full mobile interactivity; plus wi-fi connectivity and other digital and experiential technologies; and a 347sqm external digital screen on two sides of the complex’s exterior.

Both centre owners Colonial First State and oOh! Media have confirmed there will be no print advertising around the flagship development, which opens April 16, meaning the only opportunity it will bring for printers is POS advertising for tenants. oOh! Media chief executive Brendan Cook says digital is most likely to displace print in quality sensitive environments such as shopping centres and airports, as there is more competition for eyeballs and

REVEALED: SELIG BOUGHT BLUE STAR AND GEON FOR $22M Despite falling circulations the nation’s two major newspaper publishers are backing print Geoff Selig acquired in the strongest possible terms, by signing a new Geon for $4 million, after long term deal with paper supplier Norske Skog. acquiring Blue Star for Both Fairfax and News have just signed $17.9 million. deals with the global giant to supply their The details are contained in Caxton Print paperstock for the next ten years, in deals that 3 february Group Holdings’ financial report for 2012-13, are worth a combined figure of around $1.7bn. which was recently lodged with ASIC. The new deal will see Fairfax and News SIGNARAMA TAKES OWN ADVICE Caxton is the parent entity of Blue Star. take around 500,000 tonnes of Noske Skog AND REBRANDS Caxton’s directors Bluegroup Star managing newsprint a year, which will come from the Australia’s largest include sign printing is and Blue Star executive Paul region’s three Norske Skog mills, Albury, Boyer director taking Geoff its ownSelig advice and repositioning 13 december and Tasman. This represents around 70 per itselfThe as aother marketing solutions company in Stuart Selig. two directors are Angus cent of the output from the mills. anJames international rebranding strategy starting and Todd, who are also directors with the Finally a fast, Both Fairfax and News have seen their today.

Seligs’ backer, Wolseley Private Equity. print titles come under sustained pressure Signarama, an international company with According to the financial report, Caxton flexible, efficient since the onset of the GFC, which has led to more than 100 Australian franchise stores, made ‘bargain purchasedesign, gain’ of $33.9 milliondigital label press plant closures, format changes and much will anow offer marketing, project onmanagement Blue Star because it paidadvice $17.9 million Darren Chapman and Michael Cooper from talk of the demise of printed newspapers. and business servicesfor as the company but acquired $51.8 net assets. multi-award winner Offset Alpine However the Australian newspaper market is well as printing signs on theirmillion flatbedofdigital

6

8

7

People Technology Business

Thinking big, in digital

Go to proprint.com.au for news as it happens

customers have more time to look.

Digital advertising can target groups of customers and change throughout the day, such as cereal ads in the morning and alcohol after children would have left the area, and can switch up campaigns quickly.

He says, “We will be able to raise the bar on shoppers’ retail advertising experience during their visit to the Emporium – from the huge external digital sites that entice traffic, to reactive digital panels and experiential opportunities inside.”

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hn Fisher Printing, with Gabriel Said, Dynamix, and , Imagination Graphics er and Perry Garofani, Worldwide Botany

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3

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December 2013

nd Glen Marsh, Marsh Media, with Tom Walkerden and Heath olta n, Shout Graphics, with Colin Fraser, Colourwise Digital vis, CMYKhub, with Nicole Said, Konica Minolta, and Chad

2

April 2014 ProPrint 25

www.proprint.com.au

Konica Minolta C1100 launch View from the top: Michael Warshall

1

UPS & DOWNS

UPDATE

People Technology Business

ProPrint Power 50

TV, BEATEN BY PRINT Ads on the all-conquering idiot box beaten by catalogues in the Myer awards for best marketing medium

DIRECTORIES DONE SNAP AND CMYKHUB LAUNCH Future of White and Yellow Pages increasingly uncertain as Sensis sells NEW PARTNERSHIP IN QLD Snap has set up a new production modelgovernment for Recapping the major After some difficult years, the federal 29 january its Queensland franchisees, outsourcing its developments granted the print industry $11m for the PIAA’s Future Print 2 ProPrint February 2014 MADE AN IMPRESSION since your print to trade outfit CMYKhub. The new model PRINTCENTRE ENTERS ast issue. Stories are initiative. The will funding provided smaller work with was web-to-print ordering. to help 4 SYDNEY MARKET february The new CMYKhub facilitybecoming replaces Snap’s multi-channel Melbourne wide format print providers transition into breaking first every day at own production hub, which closed down late firm Printcentre is taking COLORPAK service businesses.

It was a bigfollowing year for the Selig FOR www.proprint.com.au last year after 12 yearsalso of operation on the Sydney market, POSITIONING from franchisees. with an ambitious FUTURE family as theypressure brought Blue Star and Geon into theGROWTH fold Go to the website to join CMYKhubwas Clive the President expansion plan to become one biggestDavid Ironically ColorPak has shed forof the $22m.

Leachthe offounder LookofPrint ofmore Denholm was also the founder of Snap rival display printers in Australia. jobs in its third plant the 9,150 print industry the aPIAA and called printers to embrace for renewal.

Worldwideon Online, where he pioneered the The flatbed specialist is opening new plant merger in as many professionals who hub and spoke model,signed before selling the in the inner Sydney suburb ofNewspaper Rosebery, that publishes but expects costs also a $1.7b dealyears, with subscribe to the print business. The partnership doesn’t impact on once fully operational will have more than 20 to make up Norske Skog for paper supply. John Bromfieldsavings provided CMYKhub’s business with its multitude of staff, and will increase the company’s capacity for dipping sales and ndustry’s only free insight into running of LEP after it was bought independent QLD print customers. to 980sqm per hour over both plants, each of the higher debtby in the next daily newsletter which will operate 16 hour days. financial year. It has ANZ Bank’s private equity arm in 2014 and high-speed Printing bosses across the country will take to the streets for a winter’s night, as the industry rallies to support the homeless with the CEO Sleepout on June 19. Rodney Frost, chief executive of Cheque-Mates, is in his sixth year on Darren the Printcentre direct Soppi says: “I don’t just reported an FY 2014 pavement, and is calling on his fellow printers to join in. “My father was homeless as a young fella, so it is a cause close inkjet finding its niche.

DECEMBER –was JANUARY TIMELINE think there areothers any printing companies half year normalised home. We want to help change the stigma around homelessness, how people see it and how they treat asflatbed they 04towalk february across the street,” he says. “It is important for our business to give back to the community. I’d like to challenge in Australia canfive output 31,000 square net profit after tax industry leaders to get involved and give back – for just one night instead of sleeping in five stars,who sleep under million stars.” Pictured last year (l-r) David Bell, Kwik Kopy; Rodney Frost, Cheque-Mates; Lane, Fuji metresandinSimon a day at Xerox. this qualityFrom resolution.

We’ve down $2m left to right: National Print Awards held; David Leach guidance; PIAAfrom $11mthe doubled our flatbed UV capacity, halved the same period last year to www.proprint.com.au DOWNTIME UPDATE support fund; Power 50 highlights; Paper price hikes; a Screen ad; Selig family travel time for national deliveries, and can $2.7m. The new plant industry; Newspaper paper deal; KM launches C1100; Another year produce an identical print jobinvests at bothin plants.” merger will double CEO Sleepout and insights from LEP CEO John Bromfield.

Both sites will use 3.14m xsupporting 1.6m flatbed Vinnies Inca the capacity of the Konica Minolta celebrates the launch top-spec C1100supplied digital Onset S40iof itspresses,

by Fujifilm.

Braeside, VIC site.

1 production printer in the shadow of the Harbour Bridge at Pier One in John Bromfield, CEO, LEP

UPDATE MADE ANDOWNTIME IMPRESSION

LOOKING OVERSEAS PMA Solutions is seeking to grow into New Zealand and South America

Monthly debrief checks and balances, governance and procedures that corporates have.” This includes a board of directors where most are non-execs. He says, “This approach forces us into good discipline, especially in processes, controls and management.

We have a strong reference point to look to.”

In 2011 Bromfield was also looking to move the business to bigger premises, and opted to treble the floorspace with a move into a new 2,500sqm premises just outside Maroochydore. “The new premises gave us the opportunity to look at every aspect of our business. We spent a long time working through the optimum workflow. Our factory has no forklift trucks. The throughput is as efficient as possible, with the aim of having as little human intervention as we can. This reduces costs, reduces mistakes, reduces waste and increases productivity.”

Bromfield describes it as a ‘scientific’ approach, with lean manufacturing implementation, following world’s best practice, and some production intellectual property of his own, which he is careful not to reveal.

The company now operates around the clock 24 hours a day five days a week and has a flat management structure with a

Bill Healey, PIAA

will deliver rich rewards fo from any support it receives The PIAA is looking to en makers at every level, and duced a 32pp booklet calle Print, which it will give to Senator. It aims to highlig dynamics in a range of field print, including skills, legisl lation, energy and finance. then seek to meet every b present their case.

The new initiative is par Future Print programme wh mentoring project, an appre ject and a productivity programme.

Future Print also includ entry level through its $5m and a Mentoring and Ad which has $2.5m worth of f Healey says, “Occassiona by printers why they should of the association. I think developments give a clear a question. The PIAA is ac results for print businesses.”

Continued on page 36

are at the heart of the printing process. They ensure the quality and

some so committed they drive from their homes in Melbourne every week.

Print Systems, developed for performance & life! “We work tirelessly, everything has to be spot on because quality is what we’re Head Office | Unit C/2 Hudson Ave, Castle Hill NSW 2154 about,” he says. +61 (2) 9659 2722 | National Free call: 1800 204 102 The other big winner was small Branches in Victoria and Queensland Tasmanian firm Focal Printing, which www.boettcher-systems.com with only seven full-time staff won three gold medals including the best small business award.

It was victorious in the multi-piece prostems Packaging ductions and campaigns; booklets, PROFILE STAR BUSINESS STARand BUSINESS PROFILE catalogues and magazines saddle-stitched LEP categories.

Owner Geoff White says his family printer has been producing quality work This trade only printer has an analytical approach for a long time but has only recently started to print production, and it is paying dividends entering awards at the urging of his chilfactfile dren who he hopes will soon take the reins P of the company.

“It’s easier to keep the quality high in a small company than a bigger one,” he says.

“You have to be diligent and work at it to putting it down to patience, hard work and Big winner: Adams Print production manager make sure you don’t let it slip, and motivate attention to detail.

“We weren’t expecting to win any, I’ve Robert Soutar (r) accepts staff to do their best.”

White says he has worked to establish a been calling Geelong all night saying ‘we the Judges Award from chairman tradition of quality throughout the won another”, he says.

Luke Wooldridge business.

“You have to have the right clients to be “I think we have assembled a great team able to produce quality work. So much of that can keep the tradition alive,” he says. the market is price driven, but we were Trade had clients to be a highly that care “There’s a bit of luck involved too, but I lucky enoughautomated, toprinting have highly systemetised model think the harder I work, the luckier I get.” about quality.

White says Focal Printing invested in “It’s great to have customers that see quality equipment, such as a Ryobi five colprinting the same way we do.” our with coater offset press, allowing the Soutar says staff at Adams Print care firm to handle long and short run orders. deeply about the quality of their work,

economy; and those that are non-viable or have owners who are looking to exit print.

The printers who are in the first category will be eligible to receive the business assistance, although the actual format of that development programme has yet to be worked out.

The PIAA, together with the AMWU, has been spectacularly successful in obtaining government money for the future development of print over the past few months, drawing down the whopping $11m to be used for various training programmes.

Healey says, “The PIAA is in constant talks with the government to put the case for print, which is a major source of employment and wealth, in fact when combined with allied sectors it accounts for some 180,000 jobs spread all around the country. Whether we are a manufacturing or service industry is up for debate, but what is indisputable is that print is an innovative, dynamic and progressive industry. We are not looking for handouts from the government, but we are looking to convince it that print is an industry that

October 2014 ProPrint 17

appearing to be far more resilient than its US counterpart, and this latest deal highlights the confidence both publishers have in print.

printers.

The move comes as Signarama executes a plan to expand into regional areas, with new

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PRINT BY NUMBERS

55%

Percentage of printers that will pass on the paper price rises to their customers p3

123

Number of apprentices now enrolled in the Future Print industry training programme p4

1974

The year that some printers are still living in with regard to their attitude to women in print p10

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90 Number of seconds that people give to AR advertising, compared to 12 for print advertising p32-33

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97%

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April 2014 ProPrint 3

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30

years

celebrating

1991–2021

PROPRINT CELEBRATES 30 YEARS UPDATE COMMENT

Social media’s ineffectiveness uncovered Paper price hikes finalised UPDATE

by Nic White

The last of the big players in the Australian paper market have confirmed their prices will rise in the next few weeks due to rising costs and a crashing dollar.

Major merchant BJ Ball will up prices 6-8 per cent from February 9, and newspaper and catalogue paper manufacturer Norske Skog raised its prices by 3-5 per cent from January 1.

As a rule of thumb a three per cent rise in paper prices adds one per cent to the cost of a job.

The companies follow decisions by Spicers to implement price hikes of 6-9 per cent from December 15 last year, and KW Doggett by up to eight per cent from February 2.

The most popular commercial grades will contain the full price increases.

However Dale O’Neill, sales director at Direct Paper Supplies says even with the rises paper will only be back at the level it was costing in 1996.

BJ Ball marketing and business development manager Tony Bertrand says the Aussie dollar, which has fallen to a four-year low of less than 82c against the US greenback, is a major contributor to the price hike. “The rise is quite modest considering how much the dollar has devalued,” he says.

What happened in focus NEWS ANALYSIS UPDATE

UPDATE NEWS ANALYSIS SUMO VISUAL COLLAPSE

background briefing

Boom to bust

Big player: Sumo Visual worked with many of the country’s leading businesses

ProPrint digs behind the headlines into the collapse of the previously successful Sumo Visual late last year and finds a sobering story of a rapid journey from boom to bust

O

firm Harbert Management Corporation, and a silent co-investor, for $18m in 2010, he had remained at the helm as chief executive, and by all accounts kept the business going strong. When it was clear he was not going to be able to return to work, Harbert replaced him with its own man, Robert Read, as interim chief executive. Opinions differ over whether he, his successor Ken Swan who took over in March 2014, or Harbert itself are most to blame, but all the senior managers agree there is plenty of blame to go around. In the time since Huber’s heart attack, Sumo managed to accumulate debts of more than $7.5m.

It took a lot of factors working together to topple the established, successful retail signage business, boasting some of the biggest retail contracts in Australia with clients including Target, Dan Murphy’s, Masters, McDonald’s, and Red Rooster.

The administrators identify a long laundry list of causes and contributing factors, many of which begin with words like ‘failure’ or are attributable to key executive decisions – and most of which it says were largely avoidable.

Cut prices

Which of the recent printing company collapses were you most surprised by?

Worldwide Adelaide CBD: 7%

GWPM: 3%

TLC: 8% Sumo Visual:

43% On Demand:

40%

Online ProPrint poll December 2014

As with any business doing wide format properly, Sumo historically operated with high margins, even with big corporate clients and tight deadlines. It did not underprice work to win tenders or chase the high-volume, low margin work that is killing so many commercial printers. However this began to change as executives pursued lower margin work, increased outsourcing, and cut prices to win the jobs Sumo would have let go in the past. Gross margin plummeted from 32.5 per cent in FY13 to 16.5 per cent in FY14, and for the few months of FY15 before administration Sumo was losing 11.5 per cent on every job. According to senior managers, the most egregious example was a Woolworths contract that began in June 2013, and due to faulty costing is projected to have made a loss of at least $1m a year. After an analysis discovered the scale of the problem early last year, an alternative plan was not presented to Woolworths

26 ProPrint February 2015

 By 2010 it had grown into an almost $20m-a-year company riding the wave of profitable wide format and non-stop outdoor advertising growth. The company’s margins were mostly above 30 per cent.  Huber sold Sumo to American private equity firm Harbert Management Corporation and an unknown co-investor for about $18m in December 2010. At the time of Sumo’s collapse, Harbert owned 28.9 per cent and the co-investor 48.2 per cent. Huber stayed on as chief executive.

By Nic White

f the three high-profile eightfigure printing collapses of 2014, Sumo Visual Group, which was Australia’s biggest display graphics printer, might have the worst tale of woe. While the massive disaster of Focus Press seems to have been driven by a badly executed shift away from cutprice offering exacerbated by difficult market conditions, accounts of Sumo’s sudden demise are as detailed as they are depressing. An investigative report by administrators into Sumo’s operations, and first hand accounts by former senior managers, paint a picture of poor executive decision making and private equity interference derailing a profitable business in a growth market in just 18 months.

The 39-page report by administrators Craig Crosbie and David McEvoy at PPB Advisory details the $23m turnover company’s decline from profitability in FY13 to debts of more than $12.6m when it went into administration last October. Frustrated former senior managers, who spoke to ProPrint under condition of anonymity, fill in the blanks.

The downward spiral began with founder Matt Huber’s heart attack in June 2013. Though he had sold the business to American private equity

 Matt Huber founded Sumo Visual Solutions in 2003 as a retail signage specialist and targeted big companies, mostly for point-of-sale advertising.

 Things were looking good in February 2011 when Sumo won a huge contract with beverage producer Masters. It became by far its biggest client, worth 30 per cent of turnover.  Huber had a major stress-related heart attack in June 2013 and resigned in October after it was clear he could not return to work. Harbert appointed Robert Read as interim chief executive.  Soon after, Sumo won a big contract with Woolworths but had underpriced the tender and made servere costing errors, to the point where it lost the company $1m each year. This was not rectified by the time Sumo collapsed.  Sumo leased a new HP Scitex FB10000 flatbed printer in December 2013 – the FB10000 is the big daddy of wide format printing - and in March 2014 claimed it had been so swamped with demand that it had to turn away jobs because it machines could not cope without a major upgrade.

until July, and the pricing terms were never actually renegotiated.

The falling margins were coupled with significant expenditure on supervisory staff and extra layers of management, including a new chief financial officer and increased account managers and IT staff, increasing employee costs by 23 per cent between FY13 and FY14. The administrators say they were brought in to resolve inefficiencies that had caused ‘significant issues around production performance (ie rework) in Q1 FY14’, but former staff claim they new people brought ‘no value to the company’. The staff also say the firm spent $800,000 developing an in-house MIS system called Sumo Tools that ‘was never designed for manufacturing’ and did not have the required functionality – at a time when the company could least afford it. This though was the only significant asset of the business the administrators managed to sell, for an undisclosed sum.

Secret

Former senior managers say decision making began to happen in secret www.proprint.com.au

between a few high level executives, and they say this led to significant budget shortfalls because budgets were based on sales that were only vaguely discussed with the client, such as $500,000 for trailer advertising for major client Masters which did not eventuate. The administrator’s report found forecasts differed wildly from actual results, expecting 30 per cent revenue and 215 per cent EBITDA growth in FY14 ‘based largely on unidentified business, assuming that an expanded sales team would generate new business’. In reality, revenue was below budget by $7.5m and EBIDTA lost $3.4m. The managers say the unrealistic and secretive decision making meant the company was unable to adapt to market changes, and left managers in the dark about expectations, strategy and company direction.

Those previous senior managers say it also led to ineffective strategic and service changes. They say under the new executive regime the company inexplicably moved away from its customer-focused, end-to-end service model and implemented textbook

corporate processes that split up each part of the design and manufacturing process into different areas with separate account managers. Clients did not react well to the changes and left in large numbers ‘disillusioned’. The managers say the company moved away from its retail printing base to focus on external signage, and pursue a longerterm goal of offshoring most production to China, neither of which was financially successful. “There was no strategy for the print business and new business was not being chased or generated. Digital was another good opportunity that wasn’t pursued,” one says.

Staff lost confidence in management to the point where the sales and accounts teams had a more than 80 per cent staff turnover in the last six months, and the company lost senior figures, like head of design and innovation Robert Grosso, who left about seven months before the end and eventually joined Carlton and United Breweries, and sales director Gary Fawcett who left for OPG Global in October.

www.proprint.com.au

Continued on page 28

 The volume of work was on much lower margin jobs that halved Sumo’s margins between FY13 and FY14.  Ken Swan replaced Read as chief exec in March 2014.  In April 2014, Sumo established debtor finance with Scottish Pacific. Sumo got $2.2m in following months and still owes $1.5m of it. In the same month, Masters announced it was taking a fivemonth hiatus from May, blowing a huge hole in Sumo’s books.  Sumo was given more than $3m by Harbert and the secret co-investor in May, July and September to cover its compounding trading losses. The company lost $7.5m between July 2013 and October 2014.  Sumo was likely trading while insolvent from July, administrators say. It lost $2.5m in that time.  Colorlux Philippines began due diligence for acquisition of Sumo in early October. Senior managers say this uncovered the true extent of Sumo’s financial woes.  Both Harbert and co-investor advised they would stop supporting Sumo in mid-October and in late October Colorlux pulled out when investors refused to put up $1.5m to help cover debts. Sumo’s fate was sealed and it was put into administration on October 28.

February 2015 ProPrint 27

2015

CATALOGUES Heatset printers are riding a boom in catalogue printing as marketers spend big PMP Debt-free future beckons for country’s biggest printer

SCOTT PRINT Family-owned Perth printer officially launches its two new Komori HUV presses

UPS & DOWNS

Print businesses were closing down and consolidating PAPER PRICES Printers are going to struggle with the cost of paper rising by with the full details of Sumo Visual’s collapse revealed. up to 10 per cent this month Bright Print Group co-director Debbie Burgess talked MANROLAND German press giant forced to put 814 staff on short-time down the effectiveness of social media in a ProPrint working hours column. There was also an indepth feature intoADhow SPENDING Newspapers and magazines hit by reduced print ad spend select Australian printers were maximizing efficiency for gain featuring Tom Lusch from Platypus Graphics, Craig Pearce from Flying Colours in Tasmania and Naresh Gulati from Melbourne’s Print Bound. There were also plenty of gatherings from Asian Cup final celebrations to days out on boats with E-Bisglobal.

4 ProPrint February 2015

From left to right: Peter Cleary from Media Super; OMA sets big plans; Debbie Burgess’ insights into social media; Printers back Movember; Downtime highlights; E-Bisglobal hosts a day out on the water; Printers talk about productivity and efficiency; Peter George from PMP profiled; Sumo’s collapse.

focus FOCUS PRESSROOM

PRESSROOM FOCUS

Productive print

bottlenecks before files go to plate and press.

Trade work figures strongly in the company’s efficiencies – some of the binding is outsourced to the trade, while Platypus takes in trade printing, embossing, diecutting and folding/ gluing – mainly for commercial printers with package contracts.

Lusch says Platypus tries to stay ahead of the curve on productivity by trialling new consumables – inks and plates -- on its Lithrone 28 six-colour machine. “That way, we can trial new ideas on a small scale – if it works, fine, if not, we move on to other ideas.”

Optimising efficiency is essential in today’s printroom, and production performance comes from a combination of highly specified presses, automated workflow and optimal consumables including plates. ProPrint looks at how three print business are best optimising their productivity

By Peter Kohn

A custom-developed W2P system, through a Quote & Print MIS, means customers can upload artwork online, which is proofed and sent to an Agfa Apogee plate workflow.

For Pearce, productivity begins with the latest technology but the true key is in the human resources, he says.

“Productivity is driven by individuals, not by technology alone.”

Sixty per cent of Flying Colours staff are under 30 and they form a dynamic corps serving the company’s range of banking and financial clients, commercial customers and the emerging signage component of the business. “We have a lean team of 20-24 in number. Each member of staff is highly proficient in a diverse range of skills, which means they are adaptable and highly productive. The market we lend ourselves to is driven especially by speed. So we have invested in a highly streamlined set of processes and procedures.”

Craig Pearce Position Managing director Company Flying Colours, Launceston, Tasmania Established 1995

Productivity is driven by individuals, not by technology alone

Workforce 18 Business Commercial, packaging, wide format

Managing print

Craig Pearce, managing director, Flying Colours

W

hile print prices remain depressed, a key route for printers to increase margins is by increasing productivity, achieving more sheets on the floor in less time with less waste and less downtime.

So how do you set up your printroom to maximise the likelihood of success, what measures should you be using, and what type of presses are entering the market?

The press manufacturers have come up with a dazzling array of features over the past 20 years that have transformed the output capacity of their printing beasts, but that is not the whole story. Workflow plays a central role in productivity, and encompasses everything from the location of the press in the factory to its digital connection. Staff are crucial, as are measurement, planning, control and monitoring. Consumables also play an important role, having press-approved poducts is essential.

34 ProPrint March 2015

Tom Lusch Position Owner Company Platypus Graphics, Geebung, QLD Established 1985 Workforce 80 Business: Commercial and packaging print

In its new facility at Geebung in Brisbane’s north, Platypus Graphics, which celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, will focus on package printing from its latest hardware acquisition, a six-colour KBA Rapida 106 with double coater, UV/ conventional hybrid operation and

inline colour control, which has replaced a five-year-old Rapida 106 with fewer features.

Tom Lusch, owner of the Queensland company with some 80 staff, says the additional bells and whistles will reduce waste and enhance productivity.

He describes the inline colour control as ‘quality control on the run … it is hard to control quality on a press that is running full-tilt at 18,000 impressions an hour by pulling a sheet. We have invested a considerable amount in order to do what we are doing now, but better and quicker’.

The new Rapida 106 will be located at the dedicated packaging Geebung factory, alongside sheeting, Bobst diecutting equipment and folder/gluers, to create a super-efficient packaging printing workflow.

The new premises complement Platypus Graphics’ head-office site in nearby Stafford, where commercial printing and some boutique package printing continue on its Komori Lithrone SP540 ten-colour and Lithrone 28 six-colour, as well as on a Roland 104 six-colour press. www.proprint.com.au

Lusch is emphatic about keeping Platypus versatile, and retaining a foothold in a number of markets and technologies, in Queensland and interstate, rather than specialising in package printing, even though this now constitutes more than 70 per cent of the business.

Digital wide-format package work on a Canon-Océ Arizona flatbed is on the rise, while commercial sheetfed is dwindling. “The reason we are doing all this is efficiency and productivity,” he reflects.

The short-run digital box work is mainly for mockups and samples, up to around a dozen, mainly for presentations and photo shoots, before volume runs are generated on the Rapida, he says. Some of the work on the Arizona is for personalised microruns of packaging. “The short-run work is a service we offer our customers.”

Platypus runs a Kodak Prinergy prepress workflow and recently upgraded to the latest version. It is connected to an inhouse-developed MIS, again a configuration that Lusch says minimises double handling and www.proprint.com.au

Performance power: the pressroom

“We don’t just print,” asserts Craig Pearce, managing director of Flying Colours, a versatile printing enterprise in Launceston. “We manage print.” It is a philosophy conveyed by the Tasmanian printer to ProPrint on his way to his first meeting as chairman of the Diemens, Tasmania’s state printing awards. He is also on the steering committee of the National Print Awards.

Twenty-year-old Flying Colours was founded by Pearce with a single-colour GTO in a 200sq m building when he emerged from his printing trade apprenticeship. He was just 15 when he began printing.

Now housed in 1500sq m, the northern Tasmanian company, a winner of multiple National Print Awards and dux of the Diemens in 2014, has diversified its offerings.

From a base in sheetfed offset through its two- and four-colour Heidelberg Speedmasters, it has expanded into digital VDP on its Xerox machines, and now also provides largeformat inkjet services from an Agfa Anapurna M1600 1.6m inkjet, which was installed in early February 2015 in a custom-built 60sqm room. Pearce says: “We now offer print, packaging, online and creative services.”

Naresh Gulati Position CEO Company Print Bound, Melbourne Established 1991 Acquired 2014 Workforce 50 Business Commercial print, finishing

Efficient across technologies

At Print Bound, a 24-year-old printing and finishing outfit at Oakleigh South in Melbourne, productivity has been a priority ever since the 50-staff operation was acquired by businessman Naresh Gulati’s OCA Group last year (It is now OCA’s commercial printing arm).

Pride of the production floor is a Heidelberg XL106, a six-colour press with inline UV coating, including spot UV, and is the only carbon-neutral press in Australia. It has joined a 12-colour Speedmaster SM 102 sixover-six perfector, and a five-colour four-plus-one-plus perfector with inline aqueous coating.

And in addition there is a comprehensive bindery including a Heidelberg Stitchmaster ST 350 and Continued on page 36 March 2015 ProPrint 35

rise would not bring them back to that level.

The company, which sells direct to high-volume Australian customers from local mills, produced more than 70,000 tonnes last year from its Boyer mill as a result of entering the catalogue market,

By Debbie Burgess, director Bright Print Group with a capacity of up to twice that.

Its massive newspaper contracts will DEBBIE BURGESS not be affected by the price rise as they are long-term agreements, but cataA Forrester report from the US cites ustralia Post commissioned a In a sea of visual digital overload, logue printers like PMP, AIW, Franklin report titled, “Creating where advertising and marketing filters major agency Ogilvy as claiming that only 2 perWebstar cent of Facebook reach be Web, and willposts likely connections that matter: How through almost every aspect of life,IPMG, it their intended audience. Engagement Australians want to hear from brands”. can be argued that everything equals hit. fares even worse with only .073 per The report was endorsed by ADMA nothing in terms of cut through. of Facebook fans of interacting (the direct marketing association), One of the myths busted byThe the last cent major round pricewith hikes major brand sites along with Twitter at whose CEO Jodie Sangster describes it Australia Post report is that younger last March saw BJ cent.

BallBillions customers 0.035 per of dollars paying are as providing ‘a significant step forward demographics enjoy receiving being spent globally on social network in assisting Australian marketers to personalised mail above alleight other per cent more across the board, advertising, which is not hitting the deliver customer-centric marketing and channels. The report makes kit plain KWYetDoggett up target. to 10.5 per cent, and intended creating connections that matter’. that this is simply not the case.

So what is the winning combination?

One of the primary take aways from marketers are increasinglySpicers turning 8-10 per cent. the report was that direct mail, the their back on a proven channel, despite Research supports a content rich However,company Doggett managing director “It has fallen significantly from its Up again: papercommunication prices microsite integrated with traditional channel consumer sentiment. clever, well-designed now fullytocustomisable with rising thanks weak says ‘onlyandabeautifully couple per high of $1.05 and that has a great effect Simon Doggett printed personalised communication featured as a top three Aussie personalisation, dollar cent’ of thepieces, 10.5thisper centwinner March price on our costsEngagement so we have nofares choiceeven but toworse with is a clear in preferred channel for communication, delivering effectiveness, as ranked by consumers for eachit major hike was actually realised reach, because the pass on.” only 0.073 per cent of Facebook authenticity and value. Mixed with the category of client engagement: from toor 95c Norske Skog presidentwith Andrew speed to market90c of digital online soon switching customers; existing fansvice interacting major dollar brand moved campaigns, the concept of the slow customers and new customers. after.

McKean also says the price rise does not sites burn or gradual reveal that can play out A direct mail piece that engages The Australian dollar has seen sharp reflect in a savvy direct marketing campaign through being thoughtful, articulate,the full effect of exchange rate could be the novel approach an over- in targeted and thereby customer-centric According to Nielsen, total of recently, falling frominparity changes and that it would be ‘silly’ not to a declines populated market, and achieve an will deliver results. More people will $9.3bn was spent in fiscal year 2013 on its lowest the rest of the market. improved ROI. levels since June open a mailed piece thanfollow an emailed advertising in Australia. May 2013 to For access to the free Australia Post piece. More than 75 per centHe of emails However, there is confusion over with further falls prealso says intense competition has 2010 last month, report visit: http://pages.auspost-email. are never viewed, compared to less which channels are actually the most dicted as com.au/connectionsthatmatter demand for commodities driven the company than 20 per cent of personalised maildown prices since effective, with many marketers For access to the Forrester report which is never opened, or to put it seemingly embracing a new way of China’s economic growth launched its Vantage catalogue paper weakens and visit: http://marketingland.com/ another way, compared to the more communicating which is in reality not forrester-says-marketers-wastingslows. than 80 per cent of personalised delivering results or resonating with brandmail last year, to the point where the A flurry of research over the last 12 months, from all parts of the globe, continues to support the value of the printed communication piece

A

which is opened.

14 ProPrint March 2015

their clients.

resources-facebook-twitter-108376.

www.proprint.com.au

MADE AN IMPRESSION Printers do Movember: Industry figures submited photos of their furry faces to raise awareness of men’s health.

It’s not too late to donate so check out the gallery on the ProPrint gallery for links to their donation pages. The campaign raises money for research and support for mental health, prostate, and testicular cancer, and other men’s health issues.

Clockwise from left: Aaron Finn, Perma Labels; David Chaplin, Eastern Press; Naresh Gulati, OCA; Mark Katrakis, Ricoh. Movember has raised some $580m to date. www.proprint.com.au

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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T: (08) 9240 6244 E: reception@dataflowsystems.com.au W: dataflowsystems.com.au

//OFF ON ONinstant OFF instant light source light source switching switching

* * 91 ％ 91％

lower power lower power consumption consumption

15,000 hr 15,000 hr long life long life

Ozone Ozone free free

Low Low heat heat

RMGT 1050TP-8 LED-UV RMGT 1,050mm 1050TP-8 Format 8-ColourLED-UV Offset Press

RMGT 1050ST-6+CC LED-UV RMGT LED-UV 1,050mm 1050ST-6+CC Format 6-Colour Offset Press

1,050mm Format 8-Colour Offset Press with LED-UV with LED-UV

Why Why LED-UV LED-UV ??

1,050mm Format 6-Colour Offset Press with LED-UV with LED-UV

NEW! NEW! LED-UV LED-UV now now available available to to all all

No odor No odor No Ozone No Ozone No spray powder No spray powder No set-off No set-off No loss time No loss time

• Instant dry • Instant dry • Instant ON/OFF irradiation • Instant ON/OFF irradiation

Reduce CO2 emission Reduce CO2 emission No large peripheral equipment No large peripheral equipment No need for overprint varnishing No need for overprint varnishing Reduce electrical consumption Reduce electrical consumption

• Up to 91% • Up to 91%

No VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) No VOC (Volatile Organic Compounds) Reduce heat generation Reduce heat generation Long life span Long life span

• Up to 15 times • Up to 15 times

Printing on film and cardboard Printing on film and cardboard Just like your conventional offset press Just like your conventional offset press ...without the cons. ...without the cons.

Sydney Sydney

sales@cyber1976.com sales@cyber1976.com www.cyber1976.com www.cyber1976.com

Mercury Mercury free free

2021 ushers in a new chapter to LED-UV dry-to-dry printing system. It is now 2021 ushers in a new chapter to LED-UV dry-to-dry printing system. It is now made available to all makes and models of offset printing machines. made available to all makes and models of offset printing machines.

Starting from $90,000, come join the LED-UV revolution.

Starting from $90,000, come join the LED-UV revolution.

Energy-Saving & Environmentally-Friendly LED-UV dry-to-dry printing system.

Energy-Saving & Environmentally-Friendly LED-UV dry-to-dry printing system.

Pioneering success, first introduced in Drupa 2008. Ryobi single-handedly led the Pioneering success, first introduced in Drupa 2008. Ryobi single-handedly led the industry in LED-UV printing. This revolutionary, award winning printing system industry in LED-UV printing. This revolutionary, award winning printing system offers impressive cost-savings by greatly reducing replacement frequency, power offers impressive cost-savings by greatly reducing replacement frequency, power consumption, installation space and peripheral equipment space, while eliminating consumption, installation space and peripheral equipment space, while eliminating the odor of UV printing. the odor of UV printing.

The defecto standard for small lot on-demand printing today, it is an important strategic The defecto standard for small lot on-demand printing today, it is an important strategic advantage in being able to provide high-quality, small lot on-demand printing at low cost. advantage in being able to provide high-quality, small lot on-demand printing at low cost.

Now, 13 years later, Cyber is applying our wealth of expertise as an LED-UV pioneer to Now, 13 years later, Cyber is applying our wealth of expertise as an LED-UV pioneer to provide the printing industry with innovative solutions that meet your needs. provide the printing industry with innovative solutions that meet your needs.

Rediscover the joy of printing…

Rediscover the joy of printing…

Specifications Specifications Lifespan Lifespan Irradiation Irradiation Start-up time Start-up time Shut down time Shut down time

15,000 hours 15,000 hours Patented optical design Patented optical design 0 seconds 0 seconds 0 seconds 0 seconds

Operating Temperature Operating Temperature Additional Printing Additional Printing substrate substrate Applications Applications Press size Press size Printing Speed Printing Speed

25°C 25°C Yupo, foil, plastic Yupo, foil, plastic and film and film Ink and varnish Ink and varnish 52cm - 162cm 52cm - 162cm 18,000 sph 18,000 sph

: 38 Victoria Street, Beaconsfield, NSW 2015 Australia Sydney - Rob Crough 0423 337 788 : Tel: 38 Victoria Street, Beaconsfield, Sydney Rob Crough 0423 338 337 855 788 (61) 2 9318 0099 Fax: (61) 2NSW 93182015 0399Australia Melbourne -- Greg Knight 0411 Tel: (61) 2 9318 0099 Fax: (61) 2 9318 0399 Melbourne -- Peter Greg Knight Brisbane Erskine0411 0432338 663855 322 New Zealand : Unit 22, Ground Floor, 6 Ken Browne Drive, Te Rapa, Hamilton 3200, Brisbane -- Peter Erskine 0432 New Zealand : New Unit 22, Ground Floor, Browne Drive, Te Rapa, Hamilton 3200, Perth Alan Strugnell 0418 663 955 322 512 Zealand Tel: (64) 6 7 Ken 949 7722 Perth 0418 New Zealand Tel: (64) 7 949 7722 New Zealand -- Alan Paul Strugnell Hilleard (64) 21 955 191 512 6548 New Zealand Paul Hilleard (64) 21 191 6548 Singapore - Tel: (65) 6272 8936 Malaysia - Tel: (60) 3 7955 1668 (Kuala Lumpur) Indonesia - Tel: (62) 21 2555 8924 Singapore -- Tel: Malaysia - Tel: Tel: (60) (60) 7 3 598 79550771/2 1668 (Kuala Indonesia -- Tel: 25559468 8924 Thailand Tel: (65) (66) 6272 2 6828936 3411-4 (Senai,Lumpur) Johor) Vietnam Tel: (62) (84) 21 9 0938 Thailand - Tel: (66) 2 682 3411-4 Tel: (60) 7 598 0771/2 (Senai, Johor) Vietnam - Tel: (84) 9 0938 9468