Bezier confirms restructure

In a statement, Bezier said that after a strategic review it planned to focus on its Global Brands business, headquartered in London's Soho.

It described the decision to pull the plug on Wakefield as "sadly unavoidable". The firm said the economic downturn had "accelerated a move by clients to cut their print budgets and instead move more into digital and social media."

Staff were informed about the situation this morning.

A spokeswoman said 400 employees were affected by the administration, with some 150 remaining in the continuing part of the business.

Manufacturing at the Leicester facility was relocated to Wakefield last year. It has emerged that most of the business and employees at Leicester working on creative and prototyping had been moved into the Brands business prior to the restructuring announcement.

In a statement, the group's chief executive James Buckley said: "It has been an incredibly tough trading climate for the print manufacturing businesses as new forms of marketing replace more traditional forms of print media.

"In making this decision we had to take a view of what was best for the whole company going forward and we think our Global Brands division, which works for the likes of Warner Bros, P&G and Revlon will benefit from having the full focus of management's time and the company's resources to support it going forward.

"This decision was not made lightly and we are extremely grateful to all our colleagues in print for their dedication. We will do our upmost to support them through this transition."

Employees at Wakefield have expressed disquiet on social networks about whether they will be paid or not.

It's not yet clear whether Deloitte will try to find a buyer for the Wakefield site, or whether it will be closed down and the assets sold off.

PrintWeek is awaiting clarification about whether Bezier's Poole-based sheetfed printing facility is affected by the restructure, or not.

UPDATE at 15:30: Deloitte has confirmed that Poole is also going into administration.

Bezier is owned by private equity house HIG Europe, which acquired the business in 2011.

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HP & Oce to show digital print at packaging show CCE

HP will be focusing on corrugated applications including free standing display units (FSDU), POP, POS and retail ready packaging (RRP) for its HP Scitex FB series machines while Océ will be talking about folding carton applications for its InfiniStream liquid toner digital web, which was unveiled at Drupa.

On its stand HP Scitex will be showing the FB500 UV-flatbed producing samples and mock ups while it will be displaying examples of work produced on all its machines and video demonstrations of the larger FB7600.

"CCE is an interesting show and a new direction for HP Scitex," said Moshiko Levhar, segment manager, Scitex high volume solutions, EMEA.

He added that some 20% of the FB7500 and 7600s installed worldwide were used for some corrugated work and corrugated board was the most used substrate on the machines, although to date most of that had been produced by graphic display printers.

"Corrugated converters are a conservative market and are not typically early adopters of technology," said Levhar. "However we are now starting to see some of the same trends in the corrugated market as we have previously seen in signage with the Scitex equipment and commercial print with the Indigo in this sector as firms start to dip a toe in the water."

He added that the work the firm had done on media handling to address the challenges of using corrugated boards and in adding automated handling had helped make industrial inkjet suitable for this market.

Other wide-format manufacturers are also increasingly attracted to this space with Fujifilm recently launching new inks and materials handling for the Inca Onset machine and announcing the first site to use the new inks, Model in Switzerland.

Océ is taking a small stand at the show to speak to more converters and brand owners to understand their requirements and to get their feedback on the InfiniStream for carton printing.

"So far we have received very positive feedback in our conversations with brand owners and packaging converters," said Océ marketing director for liquid toner systems Roland Stasiczek. "Most people say that digital printing for folding cartons is now ready to go mainstream."

Stasiczek added that the InfiniStream project remained on schedule with a pilot customer machine set to be installed this summer and commercial sales commencing in 2014.

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'Turbo-charged' Inca Onset printers courtesy of new Accelerator option

Inca Digital Printers has launched a new ‘Accelerator’ option for its Inca Onset S20i and S40i UV flatbed inkjet printers which delivers significantly increased productivity.  Developed and tested in conjunction with Fujifilm, Inca’s exclusive global distribution partner, Inca Accelerator is an optional enhancement, which increases overall production speed whilst maintaining the same outstanding level of print quality.

The increase in print throughput is dependent on the particular Onset model, and the number of print passes. The maximum throughput of the Onset S40i with automation has been increased from 470sqm/hr (94 beds/hr) to 560 sqm/hr (112 beds/hr) â€" a 20% increase. This equates to an additional 720 sqm (144 beds per shift) that can be printed within the same 8-hour shift or - put more simply - the equivalent to adding an extra mid-range printer.

Accelerator has been thoroughly beta tested by Superior Creative Services in the UK on the Inca Onset S40i. “We have regularly achieved 110 sheets an hour on the floor since we started testing this, although it does depend on the substrate we are running. Having this on our machine had been pretty invaluable to us in peak times â€" it’s like us having a turbo charger,” says Stewart Powell, production director, Superior.

“As part of our continuing product development initiatives, our teams identified a way to significantly increase print throughput across all of our Onset print engines,” says Heather Kendle, Director of Marketing at Inca Digital. “Thanks to Inca Accelerator, new Onset users can enjoy an increased total capacity per shift, faster job turnarounds, an increased ability to handle tight deadlines, reduced overtime costs and all of this whilst maintaining the outstanding image quality that the Inca Onset is renowned for. Inca Accelerator is yet another result of our continued commitment to provide the best possible combination of quality, productivity and flexibility for our customers.”

Colourgen announces availability of Kodak PHOTO TEX repositionable fabric for aqueous printers

 

Colourgen has announced the immediate availability of Kodak PHOTO TEX repositionable fabric for water-based printers.

KODAK PHOTO TEX Repositionable Fabric / Aqueous is ideally suited to a broad range  of indoor applications. It features a removable, reusable and repositionable adhesive that sticks to any non-porous flat surface and removes easily with no residue to deliver sharp-looking, seamless graphics and superior photographic images every time. It's ideal for life-size photographic cut-outs for walls, wall murals, posters, point of sale, banner stands, marketing displays, promotional graphics and more.  It can also be used in a variety of indoor locations, including walls, windows, doors, sign boards, pillars, exhibition stands and almost any flat surface and can be laminated for high traffic areas if required.

Melanie Enser, Product Marketing Manager at Colourgen, says, “The Kodak brand of inkjet media remains a firm favourite with photographers the world over thanks to its quality and consistency.  PHOTO TEX is probably one of the most flexible products in terms of applications on the market and really opens up new opportunities and markets for Epson, Canon and HP water-based printer users.  The fact that it can be repositioned quickly and easily without specialist training and leaves no residue means that it can be used on pretty much any clean, flat surface.”

A video on how easy it is to use is on the Colourgen website at http://bit.ly/WcjiOB.

Prices start at £209 (ex VAT) for a 24” x 30m.  PHOTO TEX is available immediately from Colourgen Authorised Business Partners and free sample prints are available on request from Colourgen.

For more information, please visit www.colourgen.com

 

Hybrid's 'Wide Format Wave' event hailed a great success

Hybrid Services recently hosted the new 'Wide Format Wave' event for the printing industry alongside Soyang, Solent Sewing & Welding, Curvorama, CADLink and keyringfab.co.uk.  The event provided a free educational experience where participants were able to try out different applications - ranging from producing pull up banners and coasters to keyrings, t-shirts and vehicle graphics - as well as being offered the opportunity to talk with industry experts in an informal environment.

The two day event, which was the first of its kind to be hosted at Hybrid, proved to be a great success - with companies travelling from all over the country to have a go at producing something ‘different’. Hybrid’s marketing manager, Duncan Jefferies, commented, “The aim of the event was to offer participants an enjoyable and hands on experience, giving them new ideas of how to generate new revenue streams within their existing setup and the feedback received has been extremely positive.”

“It was good to see a wide range of applications from start to finish,” said Jason Middleton, MD of Abalone Graphics, who visited the event. “I came to the Wide Format Wave because although I knew how the machine worked, it was good to find which different materials were available.”

“The Wide Format Wave was very informal,” remarked another visitor â€" director at Williams Design & Print, Rob Williams. “There was no pressurised selling and it was good to be able to use all the machines to produce different jobs.”

Hybrid’s Duncan Jefferies concludes, “We intended that the Wide Format Wave enabled people to just come along, have a go at trying out new applications they may not have considered before and take away something positive for their own businesses and we really feel this was accomplished.”

A video of the event is available to view at www.wideformatwave.co.uk along with complete contact details of all the partner companies.

Mimaki unveils customer-based MyMimaki.com website and photo competition

Mimaki has unveiled its Fespa 2013 plans with the launch of a fun, customer-based website - www.MyMimaki.com - and a photo competition. The show at London’s ExCel runs from June 25th to 29th and Mimaki can be found on stand J5S.

To celebrate the unveiling of MyMimaki.com website, customers are being asked to get creative for a photo competition by uploading fun images of their Mimaki systems. Dubbed as the “Me & My Mimaki Photo Contest”, the competition offers a prize package worth more than €5,000.

“We wanted to use the platform of FESPA to highlight the very exciting results achievable on our portfolio of systems and help customers celebrate the capabilities possible, which is why we have launched MyMimaki.com,” said Mike Horsten, Marketing Manager of Mimaki EMEA. “Our solutions help customers be as responsive and proactive as possible but it is their energy and creativity that is vital to ensuring their long-term success."

The emphasis on the fun is continued with the Mimaki-sponsored FESPA Wrap Cup Masters Series and the photo competition’s winner being flown to London with two sought-after VIP tickets to FESPA, paid on-site transportation, as well as FESPA gala invites.

On display at Fespa 2013 will be the JFX500-2131 grand format UV flatbed printer, tabled to have its UK & Irish launch on exclusive Mimaki distributor, Hybrid’s stand at Sign &Digital UK in April. With printing speeds up to 60 square metres per hour, the printer sets a new standard in speed, flexibility, quality and environmental sustainability.

Hybrid’s John de la Roche comments, “The Mimaki JFX500 incorporates a brand-new printhead and advanced LED curing. It brings new efficiency, quality and price/performance to the sign & graphics industry and wide format display marketplace. Its advanced head movement control produces an exceptionally high resolution image quality that can produce legible fonts as small as 2 point.”

The JFX500-2131 will be joined by Mimaki’s TS500-1800. With an unrivalled speed of 150 square metres per hour, it is the world’s fastest printer for transfer paper and is ideal for the textile market.

Also on the show will be Mimaki’s UJF-6042 A2-format flatbed printer that builds on the success of the smaller UJF-3042 series, while offering greater versatility and spectacular photo-quality print reproduction onto an almost limitless range of media. Furthermore, its larger print area opens up a whole new world of possibilities for end users in the higher volume production market, where even higher quality is demanded.

Promoting a mix of innovative technologies with social networking, Mimaki’s booth will feature its strong product portfolio, with latex/eco corner, innovative UV printing solutions, creative samples, and an “aquarium” where creative young students will show visitors job concept/design to realisation.

More details about Mimaki products, including those featured at the show can be found at www.hybridservices.co.uk.

For the fun new website, visit www.mymimaki.com.

Three new Mimaki solutions to be launched by Hybrid at Sign & Digital UK 2013

Hybrid Services will launch three new Mimaki solutions at the upcoming Sign & Digital UK 2013 show: the production dye sublimation Mimaki TS500 inkjet printer, the new top-of-the-range flatbed LED UV Mimaki JFX500 printer and the high end A2 format flatbed LED UV Mimaki UJF-6042.  Alongside a host of Mimaki's award-winning outdoor durable eco solvent, solvent and latex print solutions, Hybrid will be showing the two new '500 Series' production machines and the small format UV printer for the first time in the UK and Ireland, allowing visitors to get an exclusive look during the exhibition.

National sales manager, John de la Roche, outlines Hybrid's plans for the show. "Launching three incredible new Mimaki printers is no small feat, so we're anticipating a busy stand," he predicts. "With offers from Hybrid’s resellers at the show on Mimaki's popular CJV30 and JV33 products, there will be something for everyone."

Hybrid's stand will feature products including the Mimaki JV400 latex printer - to be shown in both 2x4 colour and 4 colour plus Mimaki's unique white configurations, with prints being produced from Mimaki's exciting new RasterLink 6 RIP software. Also on show will be the multi-award winning UJF-3042FX and UJF-3042HG A3 flatbed LED UV printers, with new applications and profit centres being a core message from the company.

"The Mimaki Learning Zone is situated right in the centre of our stand," adds de la Roche. "We're inviting visitors to discuss how they can get the most from their existing setup or how we can help them find new revenue streams - there's expert advice on hand throughout the show."

The Mimaki Learning Zone is also the place for customers to seek advice on Mimaki software, maintenance and support solutions with Hybrid's Technical Services Manager, Andy Lewis. He adds, "With Mimaki-trained technicians on our stand, we're here to assist our customers who may have business or technical questions during the show."

For more information, please visit www.hybridservices.co.uk/sduk

[image shows the flatbed LED UV Mimaki JFX500 printer]

Future stars of print and paper industries to be recognised at PrintIT! Awards

Future stars of the print and paper industries will be recognised at the 8th annual PrintIT! Awards ceremony scheduled to take place on 16th May at North Print & Pack 2013 in Harrogate.

The PrintIT! Awards ceremony, which will be attended by around 200 students, parents, teachers and award sponsors, will take place at 2pm in Hall C on the main show floor. The awards celebrate the best of Britain’s young talent, honouring the finalists and their teachers, and the winners will receive individual awards, as well as prizes for their schools.

PrintIT! is a nationwide education initiative that encourages students to consider careers in the paper and print industries. The initiative is designed for students studying GCSE and A-Level Graphic Products, Product Design and Media Studies, and can also be used for those working towards Diplomas in Creative & Media and Manufacturing & Product Design. It is structured around a design competition that sees students designing printed promotional materials for use promoting Fairtrade products in supermarkets.

Richard Moore, Print & Paper Industry Lead for Proskills comments, “The initiative is aimed at informing young people that there are vibrant and exciting careers in the print and paper industry, as well as changing any misconceptions they may have about print. The programme really comes to life when schools twin with a local printer, because students can see the theory they’ve learnt being put into practice. There can be nowhere better to show students what a wonderful industry this is than at an exhibition where they’ll be able to walk through a hall filled with the latest print technologies on display. And along with the awards ceremony, we’ll also be announcing the new PrintIT! Chairman, so it’s well worth joining us on the afternoon.”

Sales Manager for North Print & Pack 2013 Mary Buck comments, “Shows like North Print & Pack give the industry a forum to nurture relationships and network with the rest of the industry, and we’re thrilled that the print talent of the future will be part of that in 2013. The Applications Showcase will give them a great chance to see some of the latest ideas and opportunities in print, and they’ll also be able to learn even more about our industry in the Knowledge Centre.”

For more information, please visit www.printandpack.co.uk

Lumejet 'printing without ink' technology to be showcased at InPrint 2014

Lumejet has announced it will be showcasing its LumeJet S200 printer at InPrintLive 2014, alongside other emerging solutions that the company's patented “photonic” technology can deliver.  The LumeJet 'printing without ink' technology uses multiple-parallel independent beams of photons (light) of various wavelengths, spot sizes and power to print, pattern, expose or mark photo-activated media.

The LumeJet S200 prints at the maximum addressable resolution of photo-sensitive paper and can combine - for the first time â€" true contone images with fine vector artwork and pin-sharp text (down to 1-point size reversed out of a coloured background) on the same page, with outstanding colour fidelity.

Trevor Elworthy, Lumejet founder and CIO, comments, "This will be one of our first appearances outside UK, and we chose Germany for its strong photobook market, not to mention a long and distinguished history in print and publishing.  By April 2014, the LumeJet S200 will have been in the market for approximately a year, and InPrintLive will be the perfect occasion to present a business case for the ultra high quality output achievable to our target audience in mainland Europe."

He adds "It’s also an ideal opportunity to engage with industry professionals beyond our core print market (fine art and high-end pro-printers), and demonstrate the potential of new printing technologies for packaging, new product development, design and communications."

LumeJet’s pinpoint accuracy, minute dot size, inkless, direct-print process and faultless replication offers highly lucrative potential for many existing light-activated industrial applications plus other, cutting-edge solutions in the pipeline:

• Inline labelling and packaging, with data printed directly onto designated areas of a product as it passes along the production line.  Using special photo-activated inks, labels can include fixed and variable data, are eco-friendly and recyclable, and offer cost-savings compared with existing laser printed and inkjet solutions
• Printed electronics and plastic logic for flexible displays, thin memory, OLEDs and OPV, where deep black levels, wide viewing angles, high contrast in low light and low energy consumption are ideally suited for flexible screens.  LumeJet’s technology may provide an alternative to expensive fixed optics and masks, making the manufacturing  of über-thin, roll-up TV screens a practical reality
• Direct-write digital maskless lithography for patterning of photo-resists used in multilayer electronic devices and displays. For a number of applications, where additive ink-based printing cannot provide the resolution (eg TFT’s in OLED backplanes), then light-based ‘inkless’ systems may have the advantage, particularly for flexible media where distortion correction of the order 1/1000th mm over a 1 metre panels might be required

 

'Extra sparkle' from Roland's Eco-Sol Max metallic ink helps Datum Print break into luxury ...

Hertfordshire-based full-service print services provider, Datum Print, has been offering its high-quality graphic design, marketing, and digital and wide format printing services to agencies, print management companies and popular brands such as Bollinger Champagne and John Lewis for over 13 years. The company is run by directors, Scott Pearce and Mark Gamble, who have pioneered its evolution from a prepress business to one that also offers exhibition graphics, vehicle wraps, POS displays and product mock-ups. In 2011, the company invested in a Roland VersaCAMM VS-640 printer/cutter with white and metallic inks to improve the creative offerings it could provide to its customers â€" a decision that has opened up new markets and significantly reduced Datum Print’s outsourcing costs.

On the company’s decision to purchase the Roland package, Scott Pearce comments, “Datum Print has steadily evolved since it was established in 2000 and now offers a wide range of creative print. As part of our on-going development plans, we were looking for a package that would help us break into the high-end jewellery and luxury car makers graphics market â€" both of which require a very high-quality finish and additional finishing touches like vibrant metallic silver incorporated into designs.

"We have used Roland products for a number of years so were confident in the brand’s quality and performance. We purchased the VersaCAMM VS-640 due to its integrated cutting feature and the Eco-Sol Max inks which are available in white and metallic. It has definitely helped us achieve our ambitions and we can now make products such as window graphics and labels that require complex cad-cutting in-house. This has been very beneficial to us on a financial and operational level."

Datum Print purchased its Roland through local dealer, Atech. The installation was completed within a day and the machine continues to impress Datum Print and its customers with the quality of its output and the added definition and luxurious finish the white and metallic ink gives printed graphics. Scott continues, “Our customers are always amazed at the remarkable results a little creativity and mixing white, metallic and CMYK inks can achieve. In such a competitive market place, I know offering metallic ink finishes helps us secure repeat business.”

Scott and the team at Datum Print have also been impressed with the level of after-sales service from Roland through its RolandCare technical support package and the training courses held at the Roland Academy. Datum Print has Roland’s Bronze level of RolandCare which includes over the phone technical support and free call outs and new parts if required. Scott concludes, “The level of after-sales care from Roland is truly impressive. Our Roland is such a crucial part of our operation it’s nice to know they are only a phone call away if we encounter any problems. The Roland forum and online support are also useful and a great way to interact with other Roland users. The team has attended courses at the Roland Academy and always give positive feedback on the level of teaching and information provided.”

Roland’s award-winning VersaCAMM VS series of printer/cutters is one of the brand’s most versatile and high-performing machines available in a range of specifications to suit all business needs and budgets. Available in four sizes â€" 30, 43, 54 and 64 inches â€" the VS series is easy-to-use and ideal for creating high-impact, eye-catching applications. Boasting fast print speeds (23.1m²/hour) and an unattended printing feature, the unit will seamlessly integrate into any print business. The VS series is available in four ink configurations and up to eight Eco-Sol Max ink colours (CYMK, LC, LM, Metallic and White). Innovative technology ensures the Eco-Sol Max inks are durable and scratch resistant, and the wide colour gamut will cater for even the most creative of projects.

For more information on Datum Print, please visit www.datumcp.com

For more information on Roland DG and its range of VersaCAMM VS products, please visit www.rolanddg.co.uk/VS

Esko to highlight sign and display market solutions at Sign & Digital UK

Esko will highlight its carefully crafted solutions dedicated to the sign and display market on stand H12 at this year's Sign and Digital 2013 show.

“Wasted time and materials reduce productivity and eat into profitability. In large instances it's easy to see the impact on an operation. However, it is the small but frequent minutes of waiting and centimetres of material waste that can quickly add up,” states Paul Bates, Esko’s Regional Business Manager UK & Eire. “We'll show sign and display operations how simple software enhancements can be easily integrated into any operation to assure integrity and consistency,  job after job. In addition, our solutions dramatically improve throughput while minimizing errors. As a result, operations will be introduced to business-wide improvements including greater efficiency in production. This in turn can translate to customer service improvements and long-term relationships, and even open up new sales avenues.”

Leading solutions presented by Esko include Suite 12 which focuses on adding value by introducing new productivity and efficiency benefits. This is achieved through close integration of all flagship tools and engines. Another key tool is WebCenter that delivers end-to-end manufacturing process management, creating a competitive advantage by specifying requirements, managing assets and overseeing the entire design and production process.
Also on display is Esko's highly popular Kongsberg i-XP 24 cutting table, the best-selling Kongsberg system among sign and display companies that is designed to operate 24/7. Equipped with the i-cut Vision Pro control system, the Kongsberg table provides automation, high productivity and outstanding precision. Finishing efficiency is enhanced with i-cut Automate - the latest addition to Esko's i-cut Suite of pre-production software that automates the entire production process. “Work can be grouped to maximize substrate use while highly effective automation eliminates mistakes and the need for reprints. The result is enhanced productivity, reduced operator intervention and valuable time, money and material savings,” concludes Bates.

For more information, please visit www.esko.com

 

Frost Signs 'delighted' with Expanse Premier Cast Vinyl from CWES

Frost Signs is 'delighted' with the new Expanse Premier Cast Vinyl and matched cast laminate provided by CWE Solutions Limited (CWES).  Gareth Marchant, Production Manager at Kent-based Frost Signs Limited, started using Expanse Premier a few months ago for vehicle wrapping and has been extremely pleased with the results.

Established ten years ago, Frost Signs started as a signage company installing a wide spectrum of sign and graphic projects including vehicle wrapping.  In recent years Frost Signs has expanded their product portfolio allowing them to expand their direct customer base whilst still maintaining their valued trade service of installation and sub-contract work.

Gareth already had a great relationship with CWES, so when he joined Frost Signs in 2011 he brought in the CWES team to profile the HP Designjet L25500 he inherited with the job and supply a new Onyx RIP to optimise his print solution.

Having experienced various vinyl failures, Gareth started researching and testing different alternative vehicle vinyls and applications, trialling the Expanse Premier Vinyl and matched cast laminate for a vehicle wrapping job over Christmas 2012.

Gareth explains, “Some vinyls that we have used for vehicle wrapping in the past provide easy and smooth application but have been very problematic when it came to printing.  Others were great to print onto but then difficult to fit to the vehicle. We were really struggling to get the branding right for our clients and we knew there had to be a better way.  That’s when we decided to trial Expanse Premier and we’ve had great results ever since.”

He continues, “We were one of the first to use Expanse Premier and we don’t regret it.  Without a doubt, Expanse Premier from CWES is the best vehicle wrapping product we have used and gives the best all-round result of any media we have tried.  Expanse Premier gives a great print quality coupled with easy application.”

Specially designed for the vehicle wrapping market and rigorously tested, one of the secrets to the success of Expanse Premier lies in the new Micro-Air bubble releasing system adhesive.  Expanse Premier also provides superior conformability, easily taking the form of the vehicle it is being applied to but without losing its shape, meaning it fits even the difficult curves of the Smart Car without messy mistakes and difficult reapplications.

When Frost Signs upgraded to a new HP Designjet L26500 Latex printer a few weeks later in January 2013 to meet the ever increasing demands of their growing customer base, it was a natural decision to use CWES again.  Gareth explains, “We needed a new machine and it had to be latex as so many of our jobs are fast turn-around.  With latex you can print and as the signs are coming off the machine they are ready to use straight away.  You don’t have to wait for inks to cure or gas off  before laminating.  Our need for a consistently reliable printer is paramount and that’s why we chose the HP Designjet L26500 Latex printer from CWES.”

CWES is delighted that Frost Signs are pleased with the results they are getting from Expanse Premier for vehicle wrapping and their new HP Designjet L26500.  Graham de Kock, Commercial Director at CWES explains, “We are very pleased that our new vehicle wrapping vinyl, Expanse Premier, has had such a great impact at Frost Signs.  The quality of the media can be seen in the fantastic work they have been completing recently including with the Smart car wrap. Our new Expanse media range was developed to answer the needs of our customers, identified from our years of working closely with them, and it’s great to know we have got it right with Expanse Premier.”

New 'greetings card' collection launched by Antalis

Paper company Antalis has released a new range of papers and boards for the greetings cards industry, including 100 per cent recycled, textured and metallic grades. Samples of the Complete Greetings Card Collection, which also includes gift wrap and insert products, are available in a ring-bound swatch book.

The new collection offers a one-stop shop for all greeting card publishers and printers. The carefully selected products range from the more traditional grades such as ‘Trucard’ for timeless classic card production, digital materials for short run and personalised cards, 100% recycled grades, specialist gift wrap and insert products, through to some of the most textured and tactile, coloured and creative papers for high value luxury and bespoke designs.

Natalie Thomas, Antalis marketing manager for the Greetings Card project comments: “We want to give our customers a totally hands-on experience of the new collection and central to this is our new swatch binder which will provide them with an inspirational guide to help choose the best product for their needs.”

Included in the collection are a number of unique creative offerings such as ‘Rives Shetland’, which has a wool-textured finish which not only enhances the design, but adds significantly to its overall look and feel. Other creative papers include the ‘Curious Metallics’ range with its iridescent finish to add visual power to the finished product.

Natalie continues, “We have taken our time in researching the market and have carefully selected the very best products that will give the widest possible choice from one single source. Whether our customers are looking for traditional coated board for more standard card production, or looking for inspiration from the latest materials on the market, our ‘Complete Greetings Card Collection’ will have something to offer.

The new ‘Complete Greetings Card Collection’ A5 swatch ring-binder is available exclusively from Antalis, displaying the complete range and providing a wealth of product information, and printed samples.

For more information, please visit www.greetingscards-antalis.co.uk

Royal Mail joins Two Sides and Print Power campaigns

Royal Mail has joined the Two Sides and Print Power campaigns, describing the groups' actions to promote print as a sustainable medium as 'completely complementary' to its own work in the area. Royal Mail has emphasised 'the important role mail plays in the fabric of our daily lives' as well as the impact of printed marketing material in a digitised industry.

The goal of the Two Sides and Print Power campaigns is to promote the responsible production and use of print and paper, and dispel common environmental misconceptions by providing users with verifiable information on why print and paper is an attractive, practical and sustainable communications medium.

Royal Mail is an essential part of the UK’s economic and social infrastructure, serving companies, customers and communities six days a week; delivering 59 million items every working day to businesses and households.

David Gold, Head of Public Affairs at Royal Mail comments: “It is important that we recognise and focus upon the importance of mail for all UK citizens; ensuring that companies and consumers alike not only recognise the important role mail plays in the fabric of our daily lives but also how mail can deliver corporate marketing messages that really stand out an increasingly digital and media cluttered world”

Gold continues, “The mission of Two Sides, to promote the attractiveness and sustainability of mail, is completely complementary to our own activities and we are looking forward to working with the organisation to assist the development of their campaigns and strengthen our own relationships with information that will benefit all our stakeholders”.

Martyn Eustace, Director of Two Sides responds; “It’s great to see Royal Mail, an organisation very much at the forefront of print and mailing technology, supporting our campaigns. We’re currently having great success, supported by magazine and newspaper publishers, with our £2.5 million ‘No Wonder You Love Paper’ campaign, aimed at changing consumer perceptions about print and paper’s sustainability. The Print Power magazine, which promotes print’s unique effectiveness as part of multi-media campaigns, is now established as a must-have magazine for Brand Owners and Media Decision Makers. Royal Mail’s support for these campaigns, and our ability to collaborate with them, will be invaluable.”

Inca launches efficiency-boosting ReporterPro analytics application

Inca Digital Printers has launched a user-friendly analytics application - ReporterPro - designed to give managers a clearer understanding on the productivity and efficiency of their Inca Onset and Spyder wide-format printers.  The software gives production managers the ability to monitor their Inca flat-bed printers and access a wide range of production statistics from a web browser-based interface. It provides a detailed overview across a range of metrics and can generate a variety of internal management reports, allowing managers better insight to fine-tune production schedules and increase efficiencies.

Inca ReporterPro provides job, customer and machine production data, either dynamically or at preset intervals through a user-friendly ‘Dashboard’. Different users can set up their own Dashboard view, displaying their preferred choice of job metadata. Using standard SQL database queries, users can search on multiple criteria such as filename, job number or customer name and have the results regularly updated on their Dashboard, or used to generate reports.

The system can deliver specific data such as individual machine uptime, productivity (e.g. total number of sheets printed and job production time) and quantity of ink used per job. Users can easily generate production reports for a single machine focusing on a specific timeframe, or they can examine data relating to jobs for a single customer that are printed on a number of different Inca devices. The information can be used to improve the accuracy of job estimating and assist with production planning. If required, ReporterPro data can be imported into an Excel spreadsheet, estimating system or even an MIS. This facility allows the user to manipulate the data using existing IT applications.

“Today more than ever, print service providers need fast, accurate production data in order to maximise profits, increase efficiencies and reduce waste,” says Heather Kendle, sales and marketing director at Inca Digital Printers. “Inca ReporterPro gives users desktop or network access to comprehensive insights and metrics on printer use and performance across multiple Inca machines, helping deliver increased transparency on job costs and production efficiency.”

Fujifilm, Inca’s excusive global distribution partner, will offer Inca ReporterPro software with all new Inca Onset printers, along with Inca’s Print Run Controller, a PPML-compliant print scheduling and collation module, and the Inca Accelerator productivity enhancement option.