The website will capture experiences of SMEs, including those that have approached RBS and its subsidiary NatWest. These will be fed in to a review of lending practices being undertaken by the group. “Responses will inform the findings and conclusions of our independent review, which aims to identify steps that NatWest and RBS can take to enhance support for SMEs and the economic recovery, while maintaining safe and sound lending practices,” said a spokeswoman. Chief executive Ian Cowie said: “We’re challenging ourselves to do the best possible job of supporting SME growth, so we need to hear from businesses to make sure we are tackling the things that will make a difference for them. “There are many opinions on what banks could do to lend more but the most important are those from businesses themselves – this is their chance to have their say.” BPIF chief executive Kathy Woodward said: “Feedback on what is happening at grass-roots level is vital if we are to effectively lobby. While a website is great for giving some quantification of the issues, what is important is a real shift in commitment to supporting business risk rather than applying a set of rules. She added: “It is really important SMEs have access to affordable finance for growth, consolidation and working capital, and that the balance between risk and return isn’t all one sided in favour of the banks.” A spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland said RBS’s approach to small business lending was crucial because of its large share of the business banking market. He called on FSB members to contribute to the review regardless of who they banked with. Last month RBS appointed Sir Andrew Large and management consultant firm Oliver Wyman to undertake an independent review of the standards and practices used by RBS and NatWest, for small and medium sized business lending in the UK....

The website will capture experiences of SMEs, including those that have approached RBS and its subsidiary NatWest. These will be fed in to a review of lending practices being undertaken by the group. “Responses will inform the findings and conclusions of our independent review, which aims to identify steps that NatWest and RBS can take to enhance support for SMEs and the economic recovery, while maintaining safe and sound lending practices,” said a spokeswoman. Chief executive Ian Cowie said: “We’re challenging ourselves to do the best possible job of supporting SME growth, so we need to hear from businesses to make sure we are tackling the things that will make a difference for them. “There are many opinions on what banks could do to lend more but the most important are those from businesses themselves – this is their chance to have their say.” BPIF chief executive Kathy Woodward said: “Feedback on what is happening at grass-roots level is vital if we are to effectively lobby. While a website is great for giving some quantification of the issues, what is important is a real shift in commitment to supporting business risk rather than applying a set of rules. She added: “It is really important SMEs have access to affordable finance for growth, consolidation and working capital, and that the balance between risk and return isn’t all one sided in favour of the banks.” A spokesman for the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) in Scotland said RBS’s approach to small business lending was crucial because of its large share of the business banking market. He called on FSB members to contribute to the review regardless of who they banked with. Last month RBS appointed Sir Andrew Large and management consultant firm Oliver Wyman to undertake an independent review of the standards and practices used by RBS and NatWest, for small and medium sized business lending in the UK....

The System 2000S, which was launched in the UK at May’s North Print & Pack, produces booklets of up to 120 pages and is fed by an ACF510 hybrid feeder. The 2000S is capable of feeding pre-collated sets from a digital print engine, collating litho printed sections or combining both into a finished book product. The heavy-duty bookletmaking section comes with wire stitching heads, fore-edge trimmer, and the Morgana Squarefold 2000. The other US debut on the Morgana stand will be the DigiBook 300 PUR perfecter, which was launched in the UK and the rest of Europe at Drupa 2012. The unit can produce up to 300 A4 books per hour. “The kit is extremely quick and effective to set-up and shut down – ideal for very short runs of PUR bound books,” said a spokesman. “Chicago is normally good for Morgana. Small-format digital printing is a predominant market in the US, with lots of ma and pa print shops. Morgana are therefore perfectly placed to market optimum pieces of finishing kit.” Print 13 runs from 8 to 12 September....

The System 2000S, which was launched in the UK at May’s North Print & Pack, produces booklets of up to 120 pages and is fed by an ACF510 hybrid feeder. The 2000S is capable of feeding pre-collated sets from a digital print engine, collating litho printed sections or combining both into a finished book product. The heavy-duty bookletmaking section comes with wire stitching heads, fore-edge trimmer, and the Morgana Squarefold 2000. The other US debut on the Morgana stand will be the DigiBook 300 PUR perfecter, which was launched in the UK and the rest of Europe at Drupa 2012. The unit can produce up to 300 A4 books per hour. “The kit is extremely quick and effective to set-up and shut down – ideal for very short runs of PUR bound books,” said a spokesman. “Chicago is normally good for Morgana. Small-format digital printing is a predominant market in the US, with lots of ma and pa print shops. Morgana are therefore perfectly placed to market optimum pieces of finishing kit.” Print 13 runs from 8 to 12 September....

Cedric Clarke, joined Tesco’s procurement team in November 2011 and following Pelsmakers exit a month ago has taken on responsibility for arguably the UK’s largest print, paper and post spend, understood to be around £400m. “Even in a multi-channel industry, paper and print are still important ways for us to communicate with our customers. I’m really excited to be taking on this role and using all our combined knowledge and experience to make sure that Tesco has the best possible supplier base for our business,” said Clarke. He has more than 17 years of buying experience across a number of disciplines. Clarke began his buying career at Booker Cash & Carry and has held various senior buying roles in food and computing products sectors with responsibility for print, paper and point of sale, including eight years at Dixons Retail where he spent more than two years working in Prague with responsibilities for buying in Central Europe. Clarke’s promotion follows the departure of Pelsmakers on 5 July. She joined Tesco in early 2011 from Williams Lea and PrintWeek understands that she left Tesco to take on a global IT procurement role for confectionery giant Mars. While the new role signals her exit from the print industry, one source hinted that she hadn’t necessarily ruled out a return to the industry at some point in future where the broader business knowledge, insight and experience she would gain in her new, non-print role might prove invaluable....