According to provisional data, this year’s London show notched up 22,000 visitors – more than half of whom spent more than one day at the Excel, bringing total ‘visits’ to 37,460. The number of “senior decision-makers” at the event was described as “unprecedented” by Fespa, with just over 71% having input into purchasing decisions and half of those having “ultimate purchasing responsibility”. Unsurprisingly, the largest single visitor group came from the UK, circa 8,500 delegates. However, with around 13,500 coming from outside the UK, including 3,300 from outside Europe, this year’s event was described as the most “globally diverse” in the show’s history. Neil Felton, Fespa managing director, said he was especially pleased with the number of “long-haul attendees”. “The exhibitors I’ve spoken to have been absolutely delighted with the breadth of international visitors,” he said. Attendance figures from Australasia and North America alone were up 66% and 45% respectively on the last flagship Fespa in Munich in 2010. Visitors from sub-Saharan Africa also more than doubled on Munich, which Fespa said “reinforced the rationale” for launching Fespa Africa next year. Felton also highlighted the popularity of the show’s educational content, which, along with an even greater focus on applications, is something he said he planned to build on for Fespa Digital in Munich next May. “Both the main seminar theatres were 80% full on average at London, which was great. We can always improve, but I think we got the balance right and the feedback has been that our educational content is what makes us stand out,” he said. “We have an obligation to visitors to explore what print can really do for print service providers, buyers and creatives, and the best way to do that is through the show features and highlighting applications.”...

The annual accounts published by parent firm Guardian Media Group show that overall revenue for GNM, home to the Guardian and Observer newspapers as well as GuardianOnline, increased from £194.4m last year to £196.3m. Within these figures, a 28.9% growth in digital and new product revenues to £55.9m “more than offset” declining revenue from its printed products, the company said. At group level, GMG’s pre-tax profits reflected the digital growth with an increase to £22.7m (2012: £19.8m loss) on revenue from continuing business of £206.8m (2012: 206.3m). EBITA also showed improvement growing from £45.9m last year, to £54.5m. The figures include exceptional restructuring costs of £7.7m (2012: £10.5m). In 2011, GMG announced a five-year “transformation programme”, focusing on a ‘digital-first’ strategy, that aimed to create at least £25m in savings by 2016. Commenting on the results, GMG chair Dame Amelia Fawcett said the loss-reduction programme remained on track. She added: “At group level, we were pleased to convert last year’s loss into a profit before tax, while EBITA also improved. This is due in no small part to the success of our transformation plan, as we continue to map our way towards the digital future.” “The programme combines investment in the digital future with a targeted reduction in the cost base. This has meant some very difficult decisions, particularly on staffing levels. It is vital however, to press ahead with these measures if we are to complete the transformation of the business and so secure the future for the company, for the talented people who work here and for the principles on which the organisation stands.” GMG chief executive Andrew Miller said that the 2012/2013 performance was a clear reflection of the digital-first strategy. He added: “A sharp increase in the contribution of our digital operations to revenue was a striking feature, enabling a modest increase in overall group revenues. Having committed to digital earlier than our peers, we are now reaping the benefits. “The reduction in losses would have been even greater, had we not chosen to invest a significant proportion of the efficiency savings in new developments. “Investing in the future is a key part of our strategy for this news organisation – every bit as important as the target of taking £25m out of the cost base by the end of 2015/16. Thus far, we are meeting or exceeding all our targets in this respect.”...

“We became a reseller about two weeks ago and being an expert in guillotines, as opposed to say book binding equipment, people know us for guillotines,” said Dean Stayne, sales manager of the Nottingham-based company. “The range is ideal for the high-speed, digital sector. By bringing the process in-house, it will enable printers to work more efficiently and plan effectively for future business growth,” he added. The Mohr 56, 66 and 80 guillotines have 560mm, 660mm and 800mm widths respectively. The three models come in a more basic ECO version with a smaller screen, and the top end NET cutters, with an 18.5″ touch-screen display, barcode reader and 1,998 program memory positions. “The ECO version will probably be more popular than the NET because it is cheaper,” he said of the machines ranging in price from around £15,000 to £20,000. “Its functions are also adequate for many jobbing printers.” Typical users of the Mohr 56 would be digital printers and small copy shops with SRA3 kit such as Xerox, Canon and Ricoh machines. MOHR 66 is aimed at SRA2 digital work, while the Mohr 80 was targeted at larger scale digital outfits and B2 litho printers. Stayne said the the Mohr brand was recognised for precision and quality and and joins a TCS product portfolio that includes CP Bourg, CCM Premier, Challenge Machinery, Zechini and Bagel....

“We became a reseller about two weeks ago and being an expert in guillotines, as opposed to say book binding equipment, people know us for guillotines,” said Dean Stayne, sales manager of the Nottingham-based company. “The range is ideal for the high-speed, digital sector. By bringing the process in-house, it will enable printers to work more efficiently and plan effectively for future business growth,” he added. The Mohr 56, 66 and 80 guillotines have 560mm, 660mm and 800mm widths respectively. The three models come in a more basic ECO version with a smaller screen, and the top end NET cutters, with an 18.5″ touch-screen display, barcode reader and 1,998 program memory positions. “The ECO version will probably be more popular than the NET because it is cheaper,” he said of the machines ranging in price from around £15,000 to £20,000. “Its functions are also adequate for many jobbing printers.” Typical users of the Mohr 56 would be digital printers and small copy shops with SRA3 kit such as Xerox, Canon and Ricoh machines. MOHR 66 is aimed at SRA2 digital work, while the Mohr 80 was targeted at larger scale digital outfits and B2 litho printers. Stayne said the the Mohr brand was recognised for precision and quality and and joins a TCS product portfolio that includes CP Bourg, CCM Premier, Challenge Machinery, Zechini and Bagel....

The single-clamp machine, supplied by Intelligent Finishing Systems, was bought to meet a growing demand for short-run reports and perfect bound books. One of the first jobs was a 7,600 run for Oxford University’s Brasenose College. “We used to send finishing to local firm Overload but that stopped trading, which left a bit of a hole in our capability,” said managing director Ben Burrows. “We wanted to respond immediately to short-run requests. The quality of the kit is very, very good, nice square backs and fast. “But I also wanted to be sure the quality of the Horizon matched the quality our customers were used to. We didn’t want a compromise in the quality of the book or for our customers to notice any difference between jobs,” said Burrows. He also liked the intuitive touch screen set up of the 500bph system, which cost around £30,000, and the variable software enabling the single clamp to be pre-set for the next book block in the job queue. Burrows’ 12-staff company was launched in 1890 by his great grandfather Harry Burrows. Clients include Oxford colleges, medical and IT sectors and local businesses, helping the business to clock up an annual turnover of £800,000. Other kit includes a Xerox 770 bought two years ago and litho machines including a five-colour Sakurai 575, two-colour Heidelberg MOZP and a two-colour Speedmaster 52 B3 machine. The investment in the binder prompted Burrows to consider the provision of online ordering, he said: “A lot of our customers still like us to go and see them but with an online service we can also cater for those that prefer to upload work themselves.” “The new addition gives us flexibility on price and turnaround times. Minimum order costs were creeping up and we had to consider transportation times to and from the finisher. Now we can more easily offer a same-day service.”...