The spend at its main Radstock site includes two new mono Nuvera 314EA duplexing digital presses with integrated Plus Finishing Solution for personalised booklet manufacturing and a Nuvera 144MX digital press with a Magnetic Ink Character Recognition (MICR) facility for cut sheet cheque fulfilment. The equipment was installed a fortnight ago and replaces two older models. Additionally an iGen 150, which is due to be installed next month following building modifications, will add to Radstock’s exisiting iGen, doubling the site’s digital colour capacity Meanwhile the business took delivery of an iGen4 at its Livingston, Scotland site two weeks ago, boosting digital colour output, and is set to receive a duplexing Nuvera 288EA mono digital press and a DP4635MX MICR printer for cut-sheet cheque fulfillment in the coming weeks. Managing director Dave Broadway: “The investments provide synergy between the two sites and mean that the business can roll out our Downstream Access service, Docmail, in Scotland. “We are very involved with the Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland and by commencing Docmail production we will provide major cost savings for a lot of small firms as well as business continuity and disaster recovery solutions.” Broadway said that he anticipated, with the additional output, adding to the 25-strong Livingston workforce in the near future. Formerly FST Technologies, the Livingston transactional mail facility was bought out of administration by CFH in October 2011 and is currently being rebranded as CFH Scotland. In April this year, the business became the second company in Scotland to be awarded cheque printing accreditation....

The organisation’s latest Printing Outlook showed while just over half of companies surveyed in July reported no change in demand, 28% experienced an improvement in volume of domestic orders outweighing the 19% that experienced a deterioration, and exceeding last quarters’ predictions. According to the quarterly survey, it was the first time that the actual performance of printers was ahead of forecast for more than two years and coincided with signs the general UK economy improved further during the period. BPIF chief executive Kathy Woodward told PrintWeek: “Printers are coming out of the rabbit-in-the-headlight phase and taking strategic decisions on their future positioning and how they need to expand what they do. They are addressing this in a mature way.” The survey found that overall quarterly improvement had prompted more optimism for demand in the third quarter. Again, most did not expect any change to order levels but those anticipating a pick-up in the market accounted for nearly a third of respondents. Confidence in the state of trade in the industry has also improved from last quarter’s downbeat expectations, the report found. With over a quarter, or 27%, believing the general state of the market had improved in the three-month period. However, while this was the highest reading for nine quarters it was “tempered” by the fact that a similar amount of firms, 24%, reported deterioration, the report cautioned. The overall small positive result suggested a gradual return in confidence rather than complete belief trade was firmly on the up, said Woodward, insisting the fourth quarter would be “the real barometer”. The online trading trends survey was carried out during the first two weeks of July and received responses from 91 companies employing 6,771 people. Competitors pricing below cost remained the issue most frequently chosen by companies as one of their top three business concerns, with four fifths flagging this up in July. Under utilisation of capital equipment was the second ranked concern, chosen by just over a third of respondents, with late payment by customers third, almost a quarter. Most printers saw no change in staffing levels but some cut jobs due to a weak start to 2013. Over a quarter paid more for energy in the second quarter in contrast to little changes in costs for paper, board and ink. Investment intentions meanwhile focused on product and process innovation, training and machinery. More than 90% aimed to spend more or the same on products, processes and training over the coming year. Woodward said: “The primary investment focus for almost three-quarters of respondents shows there is continued investment in kit, training and product and process improvement in our industry. “Energy costs will be an on-going issue, as we are...

The organisation’s latest Printing Outlook showed while just over half of companies surveyed in July reported no change in demand, 28% experienced an improvement in volume of domestic orders outweighing the 19% that experienced a deterioration, and exceeding last quarters’ predictions. According to the quarterly survey, it was the first time that the actual performance of printers was ahead of forecast for more than two years and coincided with signs the general UK economy improved further during the period. BPIF chief executive Kathy Woodward told PrintWeek: “Printers are coming out of the rabbit-in-the-headlight phase and taking strategic decisions on their future positioning and how they need to expand what they do. They are addressing this in a mature way.” The survey found that overall quarterly improvement had prompted more optimism for demand in the third quarter. Again, most did not expect any change to order levels but those anticipating a pick-up in the market accounted for nearly a third of respondents. Confidence in the state of trade in the industry has also improved from last quarter’s downbeat expectations, the report found. With over a quarter, or 27%, believing the general state of the market had improved in the three-month period. However, while this was the highest reading for nine quarters it was “tempered” by the fact that a similar amount of firms, 24%, reported deterioration, the report cautioned. The overall small positive result suggested a gradual return in confidence rather than complete belief trade was firmly on the up, said Woodward, insisting the fourth quarter would be “the real barometer”. The online trading trends survey was carried out during the first two weeks of July and received responses from 91 companies employing 6,771 people. Competitors pricing below cost remained the issue most frequently chosen by companies as one of their top three business concerns, with four fifths flagging this up in July. Under utilisation of capital equipment was the second ranked concern, chosen by just over a third of respondents, with late payment by customers third, almost a quarter. Most printers saw no change in staffing levels but some cut jobs due to a weak start to 2013. Over a quarter paid more for energy in the second quarter in contrast to little changes in costs for paper, board and ink. Investment intentions meanwhile focused on product and process innovation, training and machinery. More than 90% aimed to spend more or the same on products, processes and training over the coming year. Woodward said: “The primary investment focus for almost three-quarters of respondents shows there is continued investment in kit, training and product and process improvement in our industry. “Energy costs will be an on-going issue, as we are...

The demo will include its biggest seller worldwide – the Mini 76 thermal film laminator – equipped with an inline inkjet spot UV machine and a high-speed flying knife cross-cutter. The kit was new to the North American market, said director Alan Gilmore, adding that the US market was showing signs of sustained growth. “We’ve been selling in the US for 25 years and have received more enquiries and made more sales than last year,” said Gilmore, who reckoned sales to American companies accounted for around 10-15% of his business. “Last year was pretty flat over there but this year we’ve enjoyed three or four sales. Talking to people, there’s a genuine confidence this upturn is not just a blip.” The configuration on show at Print 13 on 8-12 September will include the Mini 76 x 105 TH-CC with a 52 SUV, which has a one-sided, thermal thin film, sheet-fed laminator. This has a Heidelberg Speedmaster 74 feed-head, a flying knife cross-cutter and spot UV varnishing machine. Gilmore said that since it was launched in 2011, Autobond’s inkjet spot UV technology had attracted global sales from trade finishers and commercial printers. The kit produces applications with gloss effects and a braille-like feel and uses inkjet printheads to spot print UV varnish in-line with lamination in a single pass. The flying knife cutter – in widths of 30″ or 41″ – can run polypropylene, polyester and nylon applications and cuts film at up to 200ft per minute with sharp accuracy. It can also be adapted to run two-sided thick film applications, edge seal and flush cut, or for pressure-sensitive applications such as floor and window graphics, magnet lamination and metalized film. Oran Gilmore, vice president of Autobond in the US, said: “The North American market is forward thinking in the way it approaches obstacles, with customers seeking dynamic and innovative solutions to enhance their business. “The Mini 76 x 105 TH-CC with in-line inkjet spot UV was built in response to customer demand as we look to help them gain a competitive edge. I’m delighted we can debut our inkjet spot UV and cross-cutter technologies...

The demo will include its biggest seller worldwide – the Mini 76 thermal film laminator – equipped with an inline inkjet spot UV machine and a high-speed flying knife cross-cutter. The kit was new to the North American market, said director Alan Gilmore, adding that the US market was showing signs of sustained growth. “We’ve been selling in the US for 25 years and have received more enquiries and made more sales than last year,” said Gilmore, who reckoned sales to American companies accounted for around 10-15% of his business. “Last year was pretty flat over there but this year we’ve enjoyed three or four sales. Talking to people, there’s a genuine confidence this upturn is not just a blip.” The configuration on show at Print 13 on 8-12 September will include the Mini 76 x 105 TH-CC with a 52 SUV, which has a one-sided, thermal thin film, sheet-fed laminator. This has a Heidelberg Speedmaster 74 feed-head, a flying knife cross-cutter and spot UV varnishing machine. Gilmore said that since it was launched in 2011, Autobond’s inkjet spot UV technology had attracted global sales from trade finishers and commercial printers. The kit produces applications with gloss effects and a braille-like feel and uses inkjet printheads to spot print UV varnish in-line with lamination in a single pass. The flying knife cutter – in widths of 30″ or 41″ – can run polypropylene, polyester and nylon applications and cuts film at up to 200ft per minute with sharp accuracy. It can also be adapted to run two-sided thick film applications, edge seal and flush cut, or for pressure-sensitive applications such as floor and window graphics, magnet lamination and metalized film. Oran Gilmore, vice president of Autobond in the US, said: “The North American market is forward thinking in the way it approaches obstacles, with customers seeking dynamic and innovative solutions to enhance their business. “The Mini 76 x 105 TH-CC with in-line inkjet spot UV was built in response to customer demand as we look to help them gain a competitive edge. I’m delighted we can debut our inkjet spot UV and cross-cutter technologies...