The new VS-i series is available in three widths, including the 762mm VS-300i, the 1,371mm VS-540i and the 1,625mm VS-640i, and is equipped with Roland’s latest Eco-Sol MAX2 inks, which were previously only available on the SolJet Pro4. Rob Goleniowski, business manager – sign and graphics, Roland DG UK, said: “The pro-level ingredients are filtering down through the family. With the new Eco-Sol MAX2 inks, the VersaCAMM VS-i is like a mini SolJet Pro4. “It’s got the latest output quality and the combo of the new inks and printhead gives it a bit of a speed increase over the old VS series; the maximum speed on the VS-640 was 23.1sqm/hr, compared to 26.9sqm/hr on the new VS-640i.” He added that the VS-i series was cheaper at launch than its predecessor, with a new VS-640i costing from £15,499, a full £2,500 cheaper than the VS-640, which had a list price of £17,999 at launch. Goleniowski said this had been achieved through economies of scale and manufacturing efficiencies. Users can choose from nine available colours (CMYK, Lc, Lm, Lk, white, metallic) in either four, seven or eight-colour configurations, including: dual CMYK; CMYK, Lc, Lm, Lk; or CMYK, Lc, Lm plus either Lk + white, Lk + metallic, or white + metallic. Goleniowski highlighted the new light black ink as another enhancement. “We’ve never had light black before on a versaCAMM,” he said. “And the new white ink has got higher density and opacity, while the new metallic has more of a metallic sheen, which gives glossier, more vibrant metallics.” The higher density of the white and metallic inks is said to have enabled a 1.5x increase in production speed for white and up to twice the speed for metallic versus the previous model. Maximum four-colour CMYK print speed is 25.9sqm/hr for the VS-540i and 26.9sqm/hr for the VS-640i in banner print mode at 360x720dpi, dropping to 5.7sqm/hr and 5.9sqm/hr respectively at 1,440x720dpi. Maximum four-colour CMYK vinyl print speed is 9.82sqm/hr for the VS-300i, 12.2sqm/hr for the VS-540i and 13.1sqm/hr for the VS-640i, falling to 3.66sqm/hr, 4.3sqm/hr and 4.4sqm/hr respectively at 1,440x720dpi. Additional enhancements include front-loading ink cartridges and the ability to adjust cut settings during operation. Maximum cutting speed is up to 300mm/second. Pricing for the three models starts from £10,499 for the VS-300i, £13,999 for the VS-540i and £15,499 for the VS-640i; Eco-Sol MAX2 ink costs £85.99 per 440cc cartridge, except white and metallic which cost £74.99 and £169.95 per 220cc cartridge respectively. All models come with the latest version of Roland’s VersaWorks RIP, which has an in-built Pantone spot colour library and predictive ink usage calculator, one-year on-site parts and labour warranty, and a place on and introductory or...

According to a BBC report, the accident took place at the Childerditch Industrial Park in Brentwood, Essex, at 11am on 25 September. A spokesman for the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service said that firefighters had assisted in moving the man from the rear of a lorry parked at Unit 51 on the estate to an air ambulance. The man, who was said by the BBC to have suffered “multiple injuries”, was then airlifted to Victoria Park and transferred to the major trauma centre at Royal London Hospital. A spokesman for the Health & Safety Executive confirmed that it was investigating the incident. Units 51-52 house the production and warehousing facilities for UK paper converter and flexographic print business Aspenlink, which supplies coated and uncoated graphic and magazine papers and prints giftwrap and other specialist products. The 2,800sqm facility houses Jagenbeg Vari-Dur and Masson Scott U1A slitter rewinding machines with trim widths up to 2,850mm, and a 1,420mm CMF Flexographic printing machine. The warehouse has a total capacity of 4,000 tonnes, while the firm’s clamp trucks can handle reels up to six tonnes with a diameter of 1,800mm. Aspenlink was unavailable for comment at the time of writing....

According to a BBC report, the accident took place at the Childerditch Industrial Park in Brentwood, Essex, at 11am on 25 September. A spokesman for the Essex County Fire & Rescue Service said that firefighters had assisted in moving the man from the rear of a lorry parked at Unit 51 on the estate to an air ambulance. The man, who was said by the BBC to have suffered “multiple injuries”, was then airlifted to Victoria Park and transferred to the major trauma centre at Royal London Hospital. A spokesman for the Health & Safety Executive confirmed that it was investigating the incident. Units 51-52 house the production and warehousing facilities for UK paper converter and flexographic print business Aspenlink, which supplies coated and uncoated graphic and magazine papers and prints giftwrap and other specialist products. The 2,800sqm facility houses Jagenbeg Vari-Dur and Masson Scott U1A slitter rewinding machines with trim widths up to 2,850mm, and a 1,420mm CMF Flexographic printing machine. The warehouse has a total capacity of 4,000 tonnes, while the firm’s clamp trucks can handle reels up to six tonnes with a diameter of 1,800mm. Aspenlink was unavailable for comment at the time of writing....

George, who passed away on 24 September at his home in Leicester, led the business through several periods of great expansion. Last year a £21m 150,000 tonnes-per-annum materials recycling facility was officially opened by recycling minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach. Casepak was also crowed Leicestershire business of the year in 2012. In 1997 Casepak moved to a purpose-built site in Enderby, processing 144,000 tonnes of recycled material every year. This marked a quarter of a century since he launched into cartons by opening his own business with just one lorry. George Albert Edward Smith was born in 1936 in Leicester and on leaving the navy aged 19 worked in a local grocery store. In the early 1960s he acquired the city’s Corn Exchange and ran a bingo hall, gaining the moniker “Bingo George”, which stayed with him for the rest of his life. He joined Vinaflex in Leicester, which used expensive cartons to make soles for shoes, and in a bid to reduce costs, started buying second-hand cartons. In 1972 he launched his own second-hand carton business, employing seven people and called Casepak. He identified another niche by selling his unusable cartons for recycling and saw a large and lucrative opening in recycling. Contracts across the Midlands with box makers, printers and news houses soon followed and business snowballed. He was helped by his eight children, all of whom still work in the business, which now employs more than 200 people. Son and joint managing director Mark Smith said his father was great to work with and for, and always made time for the entire team. “George, my dad, had a real recycling vision. He was one of the first to recognise the opportunities that lay ahead. His drive, determination and inspiration shaped the company to become one of the best independent recyclers in the country. He’s already sadly missed.” A funeral will be held at Leicester Cathedral (St Martin’s) on Friday (4 October)....

George, who passed away on 24 September at his home in Leicester, led the business through several periods of great expansion. Last year a £21m 150,000 tonnes-per-annum materials recycling facility was officially opened by recycling minister Lord Taylor of Holbeach. Casepak was also crowed Leicestershire business of the year in 2012. In 1997 Casepak moved to a purpose-built site in Enderby, processing 144,000 tonnes of recycled material every year. This marked a quarter of a century since he launched into cartons by opening his own business with just one lorry. George Albert Edward Smith was born in 1936 in Leicester and on leaving the navy aged 19 worked in a local grocery store. In the early 1960s he acquired the city’s Corn Exchange and ran a bingo hall, gaining the moniker “Bingo George”, which stayed with him for the rest of his life. He joined Vinaflex in Leicester, which used expensive cartons to make soles for shoes, and in a bid to reduce costs, started buying second-hand cartons. In 1972 he launched his own second-hand carton business, employing seven people and called Casepak. He identified another niche by selling his unusable cartons for recycling and saw a large and lucrative opening in recycling. Contracts across the Midlands with box makers, printers and news houses soon followed and business snowballed. He was helped by his eight children, all of whom still work in the business, which now employs more than 200 people. Son and joint managing director Mark Smith said his father was great to work with and for, and always made time for the entire team. “George, my dad, had a real recycling vision. He was one of the first to recognise the opportunities that lay ahead. His drive, determination and inspiration shaped the company to become one of the best independent recyclers in the country. He’s already sadly missed.” A funeral will be held at Leicester Cathedral (St Martin’s) on Friday (4 October)....