February 21 2023
Australia’s last white paper manufacturer will permanently close with a suspected 200 workers to be made redundant.
After months of speculation about the company’s future, documents seen by the ABC show Opal Australia is set to withdraw from the graphic paper business.
A lack of timber supply is being blamed for the decision following a court verdict in November last year where the government-owned timber business VicForests lost a Supreme Court case for not amply protecting endangered wildlife, including two possum species.
As a result, the company was ordered to scale back its timber harvesting in parts of rural Victoria.
The mill previously produced up to 200,000 tonnes of white paper per year, with 300 reams of paper created a minute. At this point, the mill’s brown paper production is not affected.
February 14 2023
IVE Group Limited (ASX:IGL) (IVE) announced that AFI Branding (AFI) will rebrand to IVE following its acquisition in November 2021. As part of the rebrand, AFI will form part of a new market offering – Brand Activations.
IVE’s Brand Activations will bring together a full-service display, signage and activation offering to the retail, events and exhibition industries. Brand Activations sees IVE’s Retail Display, AFI and Active Display Group (ADG) combine to offer the most comprehensive onshore capabilities in Australia with extensive production facilities across NSW and VIC. The newly formed Brand Activations offers a full-service design team, large scale print production including wide format and fabric, hardware manufacturing and fabrication, alongside a national installation network. With an end-to-end service offering, it brings unparalleled on-shore production and cost efficiencies to the Australian market.
From idea to execution, Brand Activations will specialise in creating temporary, semi-permanent, permanent display solutions, and physical activations, for a client base of global and Australian brands.
IVE’s Production and Distribution CEO, Cliff Brigstocke said, “The acquisition of AFI and ADG is aligned with IVE’s growth strategy in the retail, events and exhibition space. Consolidating these complementary services into one offering provides a compelling value proposition, further strengthening IVE’s position as an industry leader in this space.”
AFI Branding was founded in 1992 and over its 30 years has grown to become Australia’s largest fabric printer. In November 2021, AFI was acquired by IVE Group and in December 2022 AFI moved sites to a state-of-the-art facility in Victoria’s Braeside, sitting alongside many of IVE’s other production and distribution services including print, premiums and merchandising and integrated logistics.
AFI’s Founder and Strategic Director, Glenn Watson said of the rebrand, “Becoming part of IVE Group last year has propelled AFI into its next chapter, opening up a host of opportunities for AFI and our clients. The rebrand and integration into IVE allows us to offer a broader range of products and a larger capacity to our clients, not to mention the wider expertise it brings through collaboration with IVE’s teams.”
For further information on IVE’s Brand Activations see https://www.ivegroup.com.au/our-services/production-distribution/brand-activations/
Epson has announced the expansion of the Epson Print Academy™ YouTube channel to include content for additional Epson Professional Imaging markets. Initially created for professional photographers, the expanded YouTube channel now includes videos featuring content for additional markets including promotional goods, signage & point of purchase, print production & commercial labs, t-shirts & garments, and CAD & technical.
“The Epson Print Academy YouTube Channel is designed to serve as a resource across the printing ecosystem, including our channel partners and customers,” said Dan (Dano) Steinhardt, marketing manager, Epson America, Inc. “The content is intended to assist and provide inspiration to our customers, and channel partners showcasing a variety of applications overviews, step-by-step tutorials and success stories with Epson Professional Imaging solutions.”
The Epson Print Academy YouTube channel features video content in both short overviews and step-by-step video formats. Ongoing video uploads will cover topics for SureColor® product lines and accessories including SureColor D-Series, SureColor P-Series, SureColor R-Series, SureColor S-Series, SureColor T-Series, and SureColor V-Series along with relevant printing techniques and events. The updated YouTube channel aims to be a central resource for the whole Epson Professional Imaging community.
The Epson Print Academy was first established in 2001 to help professional photographers better understand what was then the new world of digital photography and inkjet printing. Now, two decades later, the Epson Print Academy aims to be a resource for technical information and insight into advanced techniques for the many industries served by Epson’s Professional Imaging products. The Epson Print Academy YouTube channel can be found at www.epson.com/EpsonPrintAcademy
January 17 2023
Memjet has brought manufacturing back to Australia with advanced robotics. The company has also committed to backing local supply chains and Australian innovation.
‘There are big benefits to vertical integration in Australia,’ says Jason Thelander, Chief Technology Officer, Memjet. ‘We have a stable economy, great scientific and engineering capability, as well as a highly-skilled workforce. With new robotics and ultra-smart software, our manufacturing is competitive with Asia.’
Memjet’s new factory in North Ryde, Sydney, started producing the cores for commercial printing machines in December 2022.
‘Local manufacturing means a US$15–20 million increase in Australian value adds per year,’ says Thelander. ‘And 100% of our output will be exported.’
Memjet is a pioneer of advanced digital ink-jet printing technologies. Memjet print engines are used by some of the world’s best-known printing machine brands. This includes Canon, Konica Minolta, PCMC, MGI and Gallus.
Most of the company’s design and research and development (R&D) work is executed in Australia. Over the past seven years, the company has registered 183 patents, most held in Australia and the United States. Until recently, however, most print engine assembly was done overseas, particularly in northeast Asia.
‘A typical print engine might have print heads from Australia, inks from Japan, and other subsystems from Singapore and Malaysia,’ says Thelander. ‘The print engine would be assembled overseas and then exported to assembly plants around the world. For most models, about 70—80% of the value-add happened in Asia.’
In July 2021, Memjet finished the design of its latest print engine, and several factors made executives consider investing in Asia. Memjet wanted to consolidate its global supply chains. ‘Every country has been hit by supply chain issues over the past few years,’ says Thelander. ‘Like all companies, we want to reduce risk.
‘The advantage of bringing manufacturing back to Australia and vertically integrating is you get more control. We are more in control of our supply chains and our margins.’
Thelander says the new Australia-made strategy includes sourcing most components from suppliers in Australia.
‘When we reach full production, about 80% of the parts for our Australia-built print engines will come from Australia,’ he says. ‘For example, we used to get most of our dye inks from international suppliers. Now, all of them will be sourced from Australia.
Thelander believes strongly in the future of advanced manufacturing in Australia. ‘Advanced manufacturing can deliver a big reduction in factory head-counts,’ says Thelander. ‘The combination of new robotics and smart software means we can reduce manual labour by a factor of between 4 and 7.
‘So, a printhead production line in Asia that used to require 106 people now needs just 28 here in Australia.
‘Advanced manufacturing makes Australia competitive with Asia. It is not that we are “taking jobs” with automation: these jobs would have never existed in Australia — they would have gone overseas along with the supply chain.’
The North Ryde factory will include a collaborative manufacturing centre and house 140 engineers and scientists.
The key is agility. With new AI robotics, Memjet can quickly reconfigure its manufacturing spaces to execute small production runs for external organisations – such as MedTech and electronic-product developers. This helps innovators, start-ups and university spinoffs to make and test prototypes. Adaptable manufacturing spaces also enable innovators to refine their manufacturing processes.
‘This is a revolution in manufacturing,’ says Thelander. ‘It will take us just 90 minutes to reconfigure a production cell from manufacturing one product to another.’
This approach could deliver substantial potential benefits to entrepreneurs, he explains. They can quickly assess their prototypes' commercial potential without investing in a manufacturing line. Entrepreneurs only need to configure “workstations” for their products and design the grippers. All other systems are already in the cell.
‘If you want to be competitive, you need the ability to effectively assemble parts with the lowest possible headcount,’ says Thelander.
‘Our new robots and ultra-smart software enable us to quickly manufacture high-tech, low-run components for other innovators,’ he adds. ‘We can also assemble parts with minimum human input. This is high-efficiency collaborative manufacturing and has a great future in Australia.’
SCREEN has refreshed product logos for its Truepress series brand of inkjet digital printing systems. The range, which began in 2006 with the release of the highly successful Truepress Jet 520 series of document, transactional, book and direct marketing presses with EQUIOS software, has now expanded to include offset-quality full colour machines, high speed label presses and the upcoming Pac520P and Pac830F flexible packaging presses for sustainable paper and plastics respectively.
“There are now over a dozen variants of our Truepress devices, each with specific traget market benefits,” says Screen GP Australia Managing Director Peter Scott. “We saw the need to more clearly to delineate the three main categories and have refreshed the branding in order to do this, particularly as new devices roll in from R&D into market. Each category also has specific front-end software requirements, catered for by versions of EQUIOS and other third-party integrated software.”
The changes intend to clarify Screen’s development of products and solutions for each of the commercial/publishing, label and packaging markets. The company plans to begin shipping presses bearing the new branding from March 2023.
Screen has been working to better differentiate its development of products and solutions for individual fields and to increase its ability to deliver new value to its customers. The three categories are:
Commercial/Publishing, mono & colour:Truepress JET
Self-adhesive and other Labels:Truepress LABEL
Flexible packaging, paper & film:Truepress PAC
November 29 2022
Stephen Boyce with Epson inkjet business printers at Bongiorno HQBongiorno business systems manager, Stephen Boyce, explained, “We had a four-year contract with Orion Print for 17 business printers that was due to expire so, we decided to trial some new machines and manufacturers – one of which was Epson. While some of the other printers were okay, we found the Epson printers to be faster, quieter and far more efficient. These attributes sealed the deal for a complete shift to Epson business printers and printing solutions.”
Epson WorkForce Enterprise WF-C21000
At that time Bongiorno were printing an average of 110,000 pages per month, which meant they needed a high performance and robust printing solution.
Stephen continued, “We needed a solution that would be reliable and low maintenance. We also needed a solution that would replace the 17 laser machines we had with better products and without changing the workflows already in place. The Epson inkjet printers ticked all of those boxes.”
Epson inkjet business printers at Bongiorno HQ
Stephen added, “With the new office it was decided that we would have a printing hub with all machines in one location rather than machines all over the building. Therefore, we needed fast, compact and cool running machines and it really was a no-brainer that we chose Epson.”
In total Bongiorno purchased a multi-model Epson solution that included their WorkForce Pro WF-C579R network MFP, WorkForce Enterprise WF-M20590 and WorkForce Enterprise WF-C21000 business devices.
Stephen explained, “The requirements for the printer in our reception area were around its need to be compact in size as it was just the reception using it, plus anyone in a nearby meeting room. We chose the WF-C21000 it is very fast at both printing and scanning in both colour and mono and the WF-M20590 was chosen for similar reasons and the fact that a fast mono printer is always a good idea.”
Bongiorno use PaperCut for their Follow Me Print solution which works seamlessly with the new Epson printers and solutions, as Stephen commented, “Our main focus for workflows is scanning to two different applications and scanning to email. The two applications involve scanning to our DMS, Virtual Cabinet and scanning to pdfDocs. Both applications also utilise ‘hot folders’ to pick up scans.”
According to Stephen there are several, tangible reasons and benefits as to why Bongiorno and other companies have and will switch to Epson business printers. He said, “The fact that the Epson inkjet printers have fewer moving parts, are far more reliable and require far less upkeep than laser printers makes them the best option. The print quality is great and they use much less power, plus they generate no heat, which means we can have several machines in a room without worrying about creating a stifling room temperature.”
It's clear that Stephen Boyce and the Bongiorno team see the switch to Epson business inkjet printing and the move away from laser printers as a good, clear and obvious choice as he concluded, “The reliability and low cost of running of the Epson solutions means we are not wasting time or money with less efficient printers. Our management and employees are under enormous pressure to deliver services to our clients with as few ‘write-offs’ as possible. Fast and reliable printing and scanning means there are no interruptions to our workflows due to printer failures. We have found Epson to be the most reliable, cost-effective solution we have had so far. I would give them 9.5 out of 10.”
November 29 2022
Konica Minolta Australia is committed to helping its production print (PP) and industrial print (IP) customers grow their businesses through new opportunities in 2023 with additional investments, products, and solutions, backed by a committed leadership team and wealth of expertise.
The PP/IP market continues to play a key part of Konica Minolta’s strategy in Australia, with the company focused on continuing to build on what it does best. This includes its commitment to customers through innovation, consulting, and service and support backed by its local leadership team, which includes Yohei Konaka, managing director, Andrew Cocker, general manager, production and industrial print, and recently appointed chief sales officer, Dean Hosking.
Yohei Konaka, managing director, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “Konica Minolta, Inc. (KMI) has a huge commitment to the PP/IP industry going forward. In the next 12 months, there is a lot in the pipeline for this space, which will filter through to customers in Australia to benefit from. In the commercial print space, customers are requesting more complex and customised demands that require short run production and personalisation, which means commercial printers need to transform to survive. Konica Minolta continues to bring solutions to the market to address these challenges as well as ensuring its staff are trained, resourced, and visible through key partnerships, industry support, and trade shows.”
Andrew Cocker, general manager, production and industrial print, Konica Minolta Australia, said, “Konica Minolta has seen a post-COVID boom in PP/IP as it helped customers navigate through the pandemic and open new revenue streams and opportunities for diversification. This has seen customers adopt short run and personalised offerings, embellishment, wide format, packaging, and label options.”
Andrew Cocker
Despite the opportunities, there are still challenges, particularly with skills shortages across the industry. This means that innovations that improve productivity and efficiency are critical. Automation is a key way that commercial printers can counter the talent shortage and ensure that its people are working on the right tasks.
One solution offered by Konica Minolta is the revolutionary Intelligent Quality Optimiser (IQ-501), available on several devices, that automates print jobs to ensure the highest print quality, optimal image position, registration, and colour control for every job. With its high productivity and versatile automation, the IQ-501 is tailored to suit the demands of short run production and fast turnaround times. This technology equips customers to reallocate their employees to more valuable tasks while the IQ-501 ensures quality finishes.
The breadth and depth of experience and knowledge Konica Minolta has in the PP/IP space, backed by the new leadership team and strong sales force, represents a combined 300 plus years of experience in the industry.
Dean Hosking said, “Konica Minolta Australia’s goal is to help customers diversify from and recognise new revenue stream opportunities in the space. PP/IP can be transformative for businesses, so for the Konica Minolta team it’s about helping customers find success in new areas.”
Dean Hosking
“As always, this will be backed by the exceptional service and support Konica Minolta customers have come to expect. This is an area we will continue to invest in, looking at ways that we can offer even better service to further improve customer satisfaction. The PP and IP industry will play an important role in Konica Minolta’s success in 2023 and we look forward to our customer’s success being a key driver.”
Since its inception in 1980, Queensland based audio visual and communication solution specialist Videopro has grown to be one of Australia's leading technology companies. Australian owned and operated, one of their key core values is ‘We Care’ and it’s this customer commitment that has seen their business continue to expand year on year. A leading Epson partner for visual display solutions, Videopro recently saved significant operating costs by switching all their in-house laser printers to lower energy consumption and more sustainable Epson inkjet solutions.
Epson WorkForce Enterprise WF-C20600 with Finisher Stapler and High-Capacity Feeder
Videopro CEO, Cameron Douglas, explained, “Videopro’s in-house copiers and laser printers were previously supplied under a cost per page plan and service agreement. The equipment was old, becoming increasingly unreliable and the finance contract was about to end. After hearing about the savings that were to be had by switching to Epson’s document solutions range of business copiers and printers, we investigated how this could benefit our business.”
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-C579R
The result of this investigation would lead to Videopro upgrading to a faster, better featured and more reliable fleet of devices. It was also projected that, conservatively, the company would save many thousands of dollars on service costs. The icing on the cake was that by using Epson’s Heat-Free print technology they would reduce copier-related CO2 emissions by over 1,600 kg.
Douglas continued, “With our business servicing a wide range of sectors and locations, the goal was to find a technology partner that could provide products that could support our requirements while also maintaining value and consistency with a maintenance and support program. That partner was Epson.”
When starting to look at different options, it quickly became evident to the Videopro team that there were a lot of different stakeholders in the decision-making process and each person brought their own focus points to the process.
The new Epson printers in use at Videopro
Douglas said, “With this in mind we came up with the assessment criteria that best fitted the requirements across the business. These included initial costs, ongoing costs, suitability of product range and the technology used. There were initially some questions about moving from laser printers to an inkjet solution in a corporate environment, but by experiencing the Epson range of printers we quickly saw the significant benefits of using inkjet over laser.”
Having completed a rigorous and comprehensive assessment of all the laser and inkjet solutions available on the market Videopro decided to consolidate their printer fleet and standardise it with all Epson Heat-Free Technology inkjet solutions.
The new Epson printers in use at Videopro
Douglas said, “The Epson WF-C20600 was chosen as the main print device at our head office as this allows for additional finishing options such as the stapler and booklet finisher. A combination of Epson WF-C579RTC, Epson WF-M5799 and Epson WF-M5299 units are used in our other locations that don’t have access to the main printer.”
As Douglas mentioned earlier, there were initially some questions concerning the move from all laser to all inkjet printing solutions and how Epson’s inkjet technology would compare and compete. This is a point and outcome that Douglas clearly wants to emphasise.
He explained, “The technology that the Epson print range uses dispels any issues about inkjet technology. The Epson inkjet prints are fast and high quality, the printers are quiet and consumable support is quick and efficient. Another positive aspect is the reduction in energy usage you get by using Epson inkjet printers.
According to Cameron Douglas the benefits of Epson’s inkjet printing solutions over any laser solutions are not just obvious but immediate.
He concluded, “By switching to Epson inkjet printing solutions there were immediate savings as the initial costs were less than all other laser options. Ongoing support and consumables are well priced, have a fast turnaround time and there were savings from the reliability of the Epson printers, which have not had any real downtime. Energy savings are certainly a big part of the overall savings too. Overall, we have found the Epson document solutions inkjet range to be beneficial to the business and our users, while also offering a positive environmental impact by reducing energy and CO2 emissions.”
For more information go to: https://www.epson.com.au/products/printers_for_business/
Brett Martin is pleased to announce that Colex Finishing Solutions has become its latest Approved Partner following a successful collaboration at PRINTING United 2022 in Las Vegas. Paying homage to the casinos that surround the Las Vegas Convention Center, Colex used Brett Martin’s Foamalux Xtra foam PVC in 6mm to create a dice design on its Sharpcut Pro cutting and routing equipment at the show.
Colex specializes in wide format cutting equipment for Graphic Sign, Display, P.O.P. and Packaging. During the PRINTING United show, the Sharpcut Pro range of cutters were put through their paces, with the Router performing outstanding with the Foamalux Xtra, first routing a design into the foam PVC and then routing the through cut to complete the final piece.
Keith Verkem, Colex Finishing Solution’s Senior Product Manager, explains the importance of the collaboration, “When we demonstrate our equipment at exhibitions or to potential customers at Colex’s Demo Facility in Elmwood Park, NJ. It is important that the substrate used is consistent in order to produce the same quality of cut on every sheet. That consistency is achieved from Brett Martin media. Colex Finishing is now able to share cut profiles for the Brett Martin range of products which ensures the cut will be right the first time and every time.”
The companies’ collaboration is part of Brett Martin’s Approved Partner Programme. The Northern Ireland based plastics manufacturer works closely with cutting, printing and thermoforming machine manufacturers to test and showcase the processing capabilities of its semi-finished product portfolio.
Mark Robinson, Brett Martin’s Sales Manager for the USA and Canada, explains, “It is important for us to work alongside companies such as Colex. We need to ensure that our products can be successfully processed on the equipment which our customers use. Through these collaborations, we can ensure that our products are continuously evolving and performing to the highest standards and kept up to date with the latest technology advances.”
For more information about Brett Martin’s products visit www.brettmartin.com. For more information about Colex Finishing Solutions’ range of cutters visit www.colex.com.
October 25 2022
Canon Production Printing announces that 3M has recognized the exceptional quality of the Colorado 1650 and its UVgel 460 ink for approval in their 3M™ MCS™ Warranty program. This approval provides assurance that applications printed on the Colorado 1650 in combination with the UVgel 460 and 3M’s approved media will achieve the highest quality standards. Applications covered by the 3M MCS Warranty include vehicle graphics, signs and displays, floor graphics and many others.
To qualify for the approval, the Colorado 1650 and its UVgel 460 inks, in combination with a variety of 3M media, successfully passed a series of rigorous tests carried out under 3M’s stringent assessment conditions. Underpinned by the thorough testing of ink, printer and media combinations, including also 3M’s elaborate weathering technology, the 3M MCS Warranty gives both print service providers and their customers peace of mind and confidence that their images will perform as expected for the intended lifetime of the printed graphic.
Widely recognized as a de facto industry standard and representing the most comprehensive, all-inclusive warranty for finished graphics, the 3M MCS Warranty provides non-prorated protection for the graphic’s intended lifespan, including protection against fading, cracking, peeling, blistering, discolouration and many other aspects of graphic performance.
The industry’s most productive 64 inch printer, the Canon Colorado 1650 uses the unique UVgel ink technology, which incorporates all the best aspects of alternative ink technologies, such as the colour gamut and light fastness of eco-solvent, the fit-for-indoor use and quick drying time of latex and the productivity and low-temperature printing process of UV. UVgel technology also enables unique options, such as the production of output with a matt or gloss finish or even the two combined in one print.
UVgel inks produce odourless, ultra-robust output fully certified for indoor use, as well as being very durable for outdoor use. And with customers benefitting from zero VOC emissions, zero hazardous air pollutants and a low average ink usage of 6.4ml/m2 across the more than 2,500 UVgel engines installed worldwide, UVgel has already proved itself to be a sustainable and cost-efficient alternative for latex and eco-solvent technology.
Woonsik Shim, Vice President, Graphics and Personal Auto Business, 3M Commercial Solutions Division, says, “At 3M we take pride in the ability to provide graphics manufacturers the widest selection of premier printing solutions. Extending the warranty through our partnership with Canon reinforces our commitment to quality and to our customers' success, which in turn inspires confidence in the printed graphics.”
Dirk Brouns, Vice President Large Format Graphics at Canon Production Printing, comments, “UVgel is a breakthrough technology that is transforming the way wide format graphics and other applications are being produced. By securing the 3M MCS Warranty, we have passed yet another milestone in our long-term strategy to encourage adoption of the technology. By working together with key industry partners such as 3M, we will continue our mission to offer print service providers in this exciting market a wider choice of print technologies and demonstrate the significant difference UVgel could make to their business.”
Canon is seeing a rapid growth in the take-up of its Colorado platform and patented UVgel technology and, in 2020, invested in a new, state-of-the-art ink factory at its HQ in Venlo, Netherlands, which is now fully operational and increasing its production capacity continuously to keep up with demand.
Canon is currently setting up new labels and packaging so that the Colorado 1650 and its UVgel 460 ink will be available for the 3M MCS Warranty starting 1st January, 2023. At this time, customers will be able to register to apply for the 3M MCS Warranty Certificate for the Colorado 1650 and UVgel 460 ink.
October 25 2022
Following extensive and successful talks over two years, Fujifilm has agreed terms for a joint development with Spanish industrial print manufacturer Barberán, to bring a high-speed, single pass inkjet press to the sign and display market.
Barberán has established itself as a world leader in high-end, high productivity industrial presses for the corrugated market over the last ten years – with 30 customers in North America alone. Now this new partnership combines Barberán’s manufacturing expertise with Fujifilm’s unrivalled knowledge of inkjet integration, ink chemistry and its extensive experience in the sign and display market. The new press will print with a bespoke new Fujifilm ink and primer, developed at its multi-award-winning factory in Broadstairs, UK, making it suitable for printing on a range of substrates, including plastic and particleboard.
At 30 meters in length and with an excellent built-in print engine, the machine will be able to print on all typical sign and display substrates, up to a width of 1.6 meters, at breath-taking speeds of 6,000 square meters per hour. A number of major sign and display print businesses in North America and Europe are already impressed enough with the technology to sign an agreement to take the first machines when it is available in late 2023.
David Burton, Business and Commercial Director at Fujifilm WFIJ HQ, says: “We choose our partners carefully and Barberán is no exception. We’ve been in close talks with them for more than two years because they have a huge amount of expertise in industrial print manufacturing and we saw an opportunity for a mutually beneficial relationship. They already have a single pass product that is proven in the corrugated sector, and we have the expertise to help them adapt it for the very different requirements of the sign and display market.
“Fujifilm has a huge market presence across the whole graphics sector, from analog to digital,” Burton continues. “It’s a market presence that spans commercial print and packaging, as well as sign and display which, of all the graphics sectors, has digitized most rapidly in the last two decades. We’ve played a key role in that transformation and, with this project, we can take that process a step further – supporting digitization for some of the highest volume sign and display production businesses in the world. We will be able to provide a path to digital transformation for businesses printing such massive volumes that (for now) offset processes often still make more economic sense.
“That breadth of experience, and our unrivalled expertise in ink development, combined with Barberán’s skill in heavy engineering, also makes us the perfect partnership to provide a business development opportunity for high-end flat sheet sign and display printers.”
Eladio Lerga, Technical Director of Barberán adds: “We’re really excited to be bringing our technology to a whole new market. Fujifilm’s breadth of experience in print for sign and display will be crucial to this – as well as its expertise in inkjet ink chemistry and inkjet systems. Working together we can maintain our print speeds and quality, and adapt our systems to accommodate a much wider range of substrates and to meet the very different market requirements of this sector.”
Models D-100 and D-1000, the smallest conveyor dryers produced by Vastex International, are now available with Powered Exhaust to remove excess moisture and fumes from the infrared heating chamber. Available as an option on new units or as a retrofit kit on existing units, the exhaust hood vents from the top of the dryer for maximum flexibility in ducting to the shop's exterior, while reducing noise significantly.
"The powered exhaust hood pulls fumes and hot air away from the operator’s environment, making these compact dryers ideal for working in confined spaces, especially when curing direct-to-film adhesives," says Mark Vasilantone, president.
These entry-level dryers can cure up to 110 plastisol-printed garments/h, or 50 garments/h printed with water-based ink or discharge, as well as DTF adhesives at high rates. Variable controls for both heat intensity and conveyor speed allow fine-tuning of the drying process according to ink type, ink coverage, desired cure temperature, and rate at which items are being screen printed, or coated with DTF adhesives.
The D-100 is equipped with a 46 x 117 cm conveyor belt and a 41 cm square, 1,625 watt infrared heater. The D-1000 comes with a 66 x 142 cm conveyor belt and a 51 x 41 cm, 2,050 watt heater. The heaters can be raised, lowered or angled to accommodate bulky garments or irregularly shaped items, and carry the same 15-year warranty as the company's larger dryers.
Available in 120V or 240V models, the dryers can be placed on a tabletop or on utility carts for in-shop mobility. Their compact size and light weight also make them portable for onsite printing at fairs, concerts, trade shows and other events using a small generator or other power source.
Vastex also manufacture 16 larger models of conveyor dryers with capacities as high as 2,700 plastisol-printed garments/h, 900 garments/h printed with water-based inks or discharge, and 576 garments/h printed with DTG/digital white ink. DTF adhesives can be cured at correspondingly high rates.
All floor-standing units can be expanded by adding modular heating chambers and extending the conveyor belt, multiplying capacity (belt speed) in direction proportion to the number of chambers added.
The company are also a leading producer of manual screen printing presses, flash cure units, screen exposing units, screen drying cabinets, washout booths and complete screen printing shop systems, and offer a comprehensive range of training classes for entry level, intermediate and advanced screen printers.
For information contact Vastex International, Inc.,+1 610 625 2702, www.vastex.com
Xitron, a subsidiary of Hybrid Software Group and the developer of Harlequin-based Navigator RIP and workflow products for commercial, flexo, screen, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing has been selected as Memjet’s sole developer for the Digital Front End (DFE) of two soon-to-be-announced digital print engines.
According to Memjet, the first print engine assemblies will support full-color, high-quality output at speeds approaching 500 feet per minute. In monochrome mode, the print engine will reach speeds close to 1,000 feet per minute. Xitron’s scalable DFE technology supports these speeds and beyond, with or without variable data.
“Aside from the performance needed to drive these print engines at speed, which is impressive, what really stands out about the DFE is the level of integration,” said Eric Nelsen, Xitron’s VP of Product Development. ”Navigator doesn’t just provide print data; it fully controls all press functionality.” Everything from feeders, vacuums, dryers, dehumidifiers, and web tensions are addressed in the DFE dashboard and maintained through configurable MODBUS control.
“This new approach delivers flexibility to machine builders and simplicity for the end users of these systems,” said Scott Desoto, Memjet’s VP of Sales. “In today’s world where labor is tight, this highly integrated approach is critical to asset utilization and company profits,” he added.
“By incorporating MODBUS connectivity, we’ve eliminated the external synchronization issues presented by separate hardware and software subsystems, which can be a major hurdle in getting a press to market,” said Karen Crews, President of Xitron. “This means Memjet’s OEMs will get to the commercialization stage much faster, and with an intuitive, single-interface product.”
The first shipments of Memjet’s newly integrated print engine technologies are happening now, through the end of the year, and Memjet expects to accelerate deployments to their customers starting in Q1 of 2023.
Since its inception in 1980, Queensland based audio visual and communication solut...
October 18 2022
Since its inception in 1980, Queensland based audio visual and communication solution specialist Videopro has grown to be one of Australia's leading technology companies. Australian owned and operated, one of their key core values is ‘We Care’ and it’s this customer commitment that has seen their business continue to expand year on year. A leading Epson partner for visual display solutions, Videopro recently saved significant operating costs by switching all their in-house laser printers to lower energy consumption and more sustainable Epson inkjet solutions.
Epson WorkForce Enterprise WF-C20600 with Finisher Stapler and High-Capacity Feeder
Videopro CEO, Cameron Douglas, explained, “Videopro’s in-house copiers and laser printers were previously supplied under a cost per page plan and service agreement. The equipment was old, becoming increasingly unreliable and the finance contract was about to end. After hearing about the savings that were to be had by switching to Epson’s document solutions range of business copiers and printers, we investigated how this could benefit our business.”
Epson WorkForce Pro WF-C579R
The result of this investigation would lead to Videopro upgrading to a faster, better featured and more reliable fleet of devices. It was also projected that, conservatively, the company would save many thousands of dollars on service costs. The icing on the cake was that by using Epson’s Heat-Free print technology they would reduce copier-related CO2 emissions by over 1,600 kg.
Douglas continued, “With our business servicing a wide range of sectors and locations, the goal was to find a technology partner that could provide products that could support our requirements while also maintaining value and consistency with a maintenance and support program. That partner was Epson.”
When starting to look at different options, it quickly became evident to the Videopro team that there were a lot of different stakeholders in the decision-making process and each person brought their own focus points to the process.
Douglas said, “With this in mind we came up with the assessment criteria that best fitted the requirements across the business. These included initial costs, ongoing costs, suitability of product range and the technology used. There were initially some questions about moving from laser printers to an inkjet solution in a corporate environment, but by experiencing the Epson range of printers we quickly saw the significant benefits of using inkjet over laser.”
Having completed a rigorous and comprehensive assessment of all the laser and inkjet solutions available on the market Videopro decided to consolidate their printer fleet and standardise it with all Epson Heat-Free Technology inkjet solutions.
Douglas said, “The Epson WF-C20600 was chosen as the main print device at our head office as this allows for additional finishing options such as the stapler and booklet finisher. A combination of Epson WF-C579RTC, Epson WF-M5799 and Epson WF-M5299 units are used in our other locations that don’t have access to the main printer.”
As Douglas mentioned earlier, there were initially some questions concerning the move from all laser to all inkjet printing solutions and how Epson’s inkjet technology would compare and compete. This is a point and outcome that Douglas clearly wants to emphasise.
He explained, “The technology that the Epson print range uses dispels any issues about inkjet technology. The Epson inkjet prints are fast and high quality, the printers are quiet and consumable support is quick and efficient. Another positive aspect is the reduction in energy usage you get by using Epson inkjet printers.
According to Cameron Douglas the benefits of Epson’s inkjet printing solutions over any laser solutions are not just obvious but immediate.
He concluded, “By switching to Epson inkjet printing solutions there were immediate savings as the initial costs were less than all other laser options. Ongoing support and consumables are well priced, have a fast turnaround time and there were savings from the reliability of the Epson printers, which have not had any real downtime. Energy savings are certainly a big part of the overall savings too. Overall, we have found the Epson document solutions inkjet range to be beneficial to the business and our users, while also offering a positive environmental impact by reducing energy and CO2 emissions.”
For more information go to: https://www.epson.com.au/products/printers_for_business/
October 11 2022
HP and ePac Flexible Packaging, the all-HP Indigo converter in digital flexible packaging, has purchased 50 new HP Indigo digital presses to be deployed in existing and new sites around the world, as part of the company’s continued global expansion plan in the largest deal ever for HP Indigo.
Industry-leading ePac Flexible Packaging is a digitally based, flexible packaging company driven by its mission to help brands and businesses of all sizes remain competitive with a variety of flexible packaging systems. ePac leverages the latest in digital print technology, providing its customers with a quick and easy way to purchase custom printed flexible packaging.
According to HP, ePac has been a principal adopter of HP Indigo digital presses since the company’s inception in 2016 and has since upheld a strong and deeply rooted collaboration with HP. Over the past six years, the company’s fleet of HP Indigo digital presses has grown enormously, overseeing large-scale investments of HP Indigo 20000 and HP Indigo 25K digital presses.
The new wave of 50 HP Indigo digital presses, the largest single order in HP Indigo’s history, will accelerate ePac’s record-breaking production capacity as it continues to disrupt the global flexible packaging market.
Focusing on global expansion, this new fleet will be distributed within 36 new and existing sites across five continents. These presses, which incorporate HP Indigo’s latest technologies, will also support ePac’s strategy to expand its share and business in existing markets
'As we recently announced, ePac aims to accelerate its growth and expand its global footprint. Our 50-press acquisition will enhance ePac’s record breaking flexible packaging production on HP Indigo Digital Presses, further rooting our longstanding collaboration with HP. This transition will leverage ePac’s vast market experience together with HP’s unique digital printing technology,' said Virag Patel, COO, ePac.
'ePac Flexible Packaging is leading the global digital flexible packaging movement as it continues to replicate its HP Indigo-based business model in new locations around the world. ePac’s vision to utilize digital print to give a voice to small and medium brands and revitalize local communities exemplifies our joint values and demonstrates the power of digital to have a meaningful global impact,' said Haim Levit, GM of HP’s Industrial Print Business.
ePac Flexible Packaging’s latest investment into HP Indigo is an example of how HP is continuing to disseminate the advantages of digital printing and serving even more brands and communities around the world.
Akita Epson, a group company of Seiko Epson, will invest a total of approximately $3.5 billion yen ($24 million USD) on the construction of a new factory on the Akita Epson lot to increase production capacity of printheads for inkjet printers. Construction work on the new factory will begin in November 2022 and is scheduled for completion in December 2023. This investment will approximately triple Akita Epson's current printhead production capacity.
Epson's printing solutions business provides products and services based on original Micro Piezo inkjet technology to customers in the office, home, commercial, and industrial markets. Global demand for inkjet printers in the office and home inkjet printer markets is forecast to continue growing over the medium and long terms. The need for distributed printing that arose with COVID-19 is helping to fuel this demand, as is the strong demand for high-capacity ink tank printers in North America and other developed economies.
The new factory will be used to manufacture and assemble inkjet printheads, the core devices used in inkjet printers. The investment plan will ensure that Epson has enough production space to meet the predicted future growth in demand. It will also enable Epson to strengthen its product lineup and expand printhead sales to third parties, with a view to increasing the supply of inkjet printers equipped with cutting-edge PrecisionCore MicroTFP printheads*.
The plan is to construct the new factory adjacent to the existing factory. By consolidating PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead production at Akita Epson, the company aims to maximise efficiency. In addition, production equipment and processes will be arranged to further increase human productivity and space productivity.
As a production site with high technological capabilities, Akita Epson works closely with other Epson R&D sites. It shares the advanced production technology and know-how it gains through the production of core devices with Epson's worldwide production sites to help maximise manufacturing capabilities across the Group.
October 04 2022
Specialist trade supplier, Avon Graphics, advised today that it has acquired Lorimier in a move which will bring more than 200 years of history – and two of the country’s most well-respected names in trade finishing and embellishment – under one brand.
The announcement was made by Avon Graphics Managing Director, Tate Hone, who said both parties were delighted with the deal, which was done in a ‘very professional’ manner.
“Lorimier is a respected Melbourne-based specialist in foil stamping and embossing, and we have always held them in high regard as a professional, well-run business – and a worthy competitor,” Hone said today.
“The company has an exceptionally long history in the Victorian marketplace, having been in continuous operation ever since its inception in 1876, and they have an enviable reputation for quality, creativity and service.”
Initial discussions between Hone and Peter Johnston, Owner and Managing Director of Lorimier, were straightforward, open and positive, Hone reports, with both agreeing that the acquisition of Lorimier by the family-owned and operated Avon Graphics made ‘good sense’.
“We both felt that the time is right for further rationalisation in the trade supply market place, and that provided a sound basis for productive discussions which resulted very quickly in a deal which was acceptable to both parties,” he says. “We are delighted to be announcing the acquisition today.”
Avon is widely regarded as Australia’s leading specialist print trade supplier and embellishment company, with more than 80 staff across locations in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. With services covering foil stamping and embossing, cutting, coatings, verkotype and glitter, security printing and specialty prepress, as well as large-format print, the business offers a range of options to ‘enhance the artistry of print’.
Lorimier has a similar approach, with services including foil stamping and embossing, laminating and celloglazing, varnishing, forme cutting, strutting and mounting, and pattern gluing, as well as embellishment of leather goods and promotional products.
Hone sees the acquisition as a strategic move that will strengthen Avon’s offering for trade supply, particularly throughout Melbourne and Victoria.
“Avon intends to continue operations from Lorimier’s Heidelberg West location, in addition to our own manufacturing facility in Rowville, spreading our footprint across greater Melbourne,” he says, adding that changes to the Lorimier facility are expected over time, to broaden the range of services offered from that location.
Most importantly, Hone says, the companies’ shared commitment to superior quality, personalised service and long-term relationships means the two teams of passionate and professional staff are expected to fit comfortably into the newly expanded operation.
“It’s been great working with Peter, and we thank him for his cooperation and professionalism as we have worked through the detail of this important agreement,” he says.
“We are looking forward to welcoming all Lorimier staff to the Avon team as we put our plans into action, including Peter who has agreed to stay on into 2023 to ensure a smooth transition across all aspects of the handover.
“Together, we can now not only look back on a proud combined history of more than two centuries of service, but look forward to a future of even better and more comprehensive support to our industry throughout the Melbourne metropolitan area – and across the country.”
The acquisition will be completed on 31 October 2022.
September 27 2022
Ricoh, a leading provider of smart workplace technology, today announced it has been selected as a preferred print partner by leading holistic communications and marketing company, IVE Group.
Founded in 1921, IVE Group offers a broad range of creative, data-driven services as well as a portfolio of print and production capabilities. The company’s 2000 staff serve clients throughout Australia.
IVE Group Chief Operations Officer – Data-Driven Communications, Brent McCulloch, says the decision was made in December last year and the chosen Ricoh devices were fully operational by April of this year.
“Some of our printing infrastructure was reaching end of life and so it gave us an opportunity to see what alternatives there were in the market,” he says.
Detailed assessment process
Prior to signing the new agreement with Ricoh, the IVE Group team undertook a detailed, three-step RFP process. The first step involved issuing invitations to tender to seven print vendors before a shortlist of three was formed.
IVE Group had initially planned to then conduct week-long, high-volume print runs at each of the three vendor’s facilities, however COVID-19 restrictions on travel meant this was unable to proceed.
“As an alternative, we gave the three vendors the opportunity to install their proposed equipment at an IVE production facility for a four-week proof-of-concept test,” says McCulloch. “The POC was to allow IVE to gain first-hand experience with how the equipment and vendors would perform in a simulated production environment.”
McCulloch says this approach put Ricoh's Pro C9210 in a direct face-off with flagship digital colour printers from two other vendors. Each of the systems ran the same jobs with the output and performance stats presented to senior management for consideration.
“The third phase involved vendor capability presentations and final commercial submissions at the end of December,” he says. “At that point, we selected Ricoh as our new preferred technology partner.”
McCulloch says this rigorous process was necessary because of the critical role that the new equipment would perform within the company’s production facilities.
“Choosing Ricoh was large decision for us at IVE Group, to bring in a new print vendor. The first in many years,” he says. “We made the change because Ricoh was able to clearly show it was the vendor most capable of meeting the production requirements of Australia's largest commercial printer.”
The new printer fleet
A range of different Ricoh printers and associated equipment have been selected to meet IVE Group’s print production requirements. The models deployed are:
·Top-of-the line EFI Fiery colour controllers drive each of the Ricoh digital colour presses.
“As part of the testing process, we found that the Ricoh printers gave us great quality and print registration ,” says McCulloch. “They were also able to deliver high levels of uptime and were preferred by our operating teams because of their ease of use.”
McCulloch says the new machines have been put to work on a number of different cut-sheet print runs and have also been used for some offset printing replacements.
“Ricoh has enabled us to increase our print efficiency which has lowered our cost base,” he says. “From initial installation to production, everything has gone very smoothly. Once each machine had been delivered to site, it was up and running within a week.
“The support we have received from Ricoh has been second to none. We look forward to working with them.”
“IVE Group is Australia’s largest diversified marketing and printing company and we are delighted that Ricoh has been selected as a preferred print provider after such a rigorous selection and testing process,” said Yasu Takahashi, Managing Director, Ricoh Australia.
“The unique aspect of having three competitive print engines operating alongside the machines to be replaced provided IVE Group with real insight into the production capabilities of the Pro C9210 and the support offered by Ricoh Australia. It is a testament to the teamwork of our sales, support, service, logistics and operations that we were able to meet a very tight installation schedule.
“We look forward to strengthening our relationship with IVE Group. Through improving our collaboration we can share expertise and experiences with each other, finding better ways to serve IVE Group and its customers, and incorporate feedback back into product development and the services we offer.”
September 20 2022
President and Representative Director, CEO of Seiko Epson Corporation, Yasunori Ogawa
Ogawa said, “I would like to express my respect and thanks to the healthcare professionals and other frontline workers who are fighting to overcome this threat. COVID-19 has also severely impacted and changed our business activities. We have been doing everything we can in response to factory shutdowns, supply chain disruptions, national and regional restrictions on movement and changes in the market environment due to people modifying their behaviour.”
According to Ogawa, climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic are only a few examples of societal issues that we are currently facing.
Ogawa continued, “The United Nations has been sounding the alarm about the destruction of the natural world, saying that it is approaching the point of no return due to the actions of mankind. People have always sought enrichment, but the focus was on material and economic wealth. This desire for affluence may be a contributing cause to these issues. Going forward, it is both necessary and desirable to enrich not only ourselves but the rest of the world and the global environment as a whole.”
“I think the world desires more than just material and economic wealth. People also want other, less tangible forms of wealth. They want to be enriched spiritually and culturally. Sustainability is a fundamental requirement for achieving this. We revised Epson 25 Corporate Vision for the start of fiscal 2021. We added “quality of life” to “achieve sustainability in a circular economy” and “advance the frontiers of industry” as material themes that we can impact long-term.”
Epson sees climate change in particular as a long-term global threat, as they see climate as a foundation of our lives and society.
Ogawa added, “Epson’s unique Micro Piezo inkjet technology can help to reduce environmental impacts. We will tackle this issue by using this technology to drive innovation in co-creation projects with partners who share our aspirations of creating new products and services that are eco-conscious and that contribute to higher productivity and a better working environment.”
Epson also revised their Environmental Vision 2050. They analysed their 2°C scenario last year based on the TCFD’s report and are now studying a 1.5°C scenario.
Ogawa explained, “We will accelerate our environmental actions too. In 2020, Epson was named to the CDP’s prestigious A List after attaining the highest scores for the categories of climate change and water security. There are other environmental issues, such as energy saving and resource depletion, that we will also continue to address.”
In addition to these environmental issues, there are various societal issues such as those described in the SDGs. In 2004, Epson became a signatory to the U.N. Global Compact, which sets forth 10 basic principles in the areas of human rights, labour, environment, and anti-corruption.
Yasunori Ogawa concluded, “In 2018, we declared our commitment to achieving the SDGs. In 2019, Epson joined the Responsible Business Alliance (RBA), a global coalition dedicated to corporate social responsibility (CSR) in global supply chains and we have been promoting sustainability in our own supply chain. Multiple Epson sites earned platinum in RBA audits. We see this achievement as a result of our sincere efforts. We will further accelerate our efforts by working with our customers and partners and contribute to achieving sustainability and enriching communities.”
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The leading manufacturer of digital cutting solutions to the worldwide packaging, signage, display and manufacturing markets has underlined its commitment to customer service, unveiling a new online store to boost the speed and ease of ordering replacement consumables.
With the new platform from Kongsberg Precision Cutting Systems (Kongsberg PCS), businesses can now minimise downtime when ordering and awaiting delivery of the vital components they need to bring designs to life.
“One of our key objectives is to achieve best-in-class performance for our customer service,” said Stuart Fox, President and CEO of Kongsberg PCS. “Since launching as a standalone business we have been working hard to ensure we have the best people, processes and programs in place to help us achieve that goal. I am delighted to say that we have now launched our new online sales platform to help keep businesses moving with a service that is faster, better and easier to use.”
The new cloud-based consumables platform, store.kongsbergsystems.com, is powered by Salesforce B2B, helping boost Kongsberg PCS response times and minimise delays. “The system also addresses one of our most common customer requests, enabling multiple account groups to be managed by a single purchaser,” said Stuart. “There’s also demo videos, advice guides and additional functionality to enable one-click re-ordering, as well as simplified access to a customer’s order history and information on their installed products.
“All this, together with improved ways of searching for individual bits, blades or other consumables, means that our customers can now enjoy a much simpler and therefore quicker ordering experience, ensuring their purchases are ordered and dispatched without delay,” he said.
“We know that great service results in a great customer experience, and we’re proud to have a real focus on training and supporting our team to deliver that,” added Stuart. “We want our customers to enjoy the experience of owning a Kongsberg machine and we are committed to putting every effort into ensuring our deployment and service is the best. Our new consumables sales platform is the latest step on our journey to achieving that.”