Dscoop premieres university initiative at EMEA event with live streaming
“This is one of our most exciting initiatives,” said Dscoop global chairman Chris Petro. The university is headed up by former Dscoop member John Tenwinkel as director. Tenwinkel began his career as an Indigo 3050 operator, working his way up to head up production at a number of US print businesses and holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in graphic communications management. Over the course of Dscoop EMEA2 this week Tenwinkel will be canvassing members on what sort of resources they would like the university to prioritise. Initially the university will focus on pulling together an online repository of information from a variety of sources – not just Dscoop – such as webinars, research analysis and white papers, grouped by disciplines such as management, production and sales. However, Tenwinkel hinted that in the future the university had grander ambitions and could ultimately offer qualifications and structured training delivered via webinars, face-to-face events, online resources and exams that could result in formal qualifications. Tenwinkel is in very early discussions with a number of educational institutions on their involvement with the university. He stressed that it was very early days and the focus at this stage was simply delivering valuable content to members globally. “We’re looking at qualifications, but we have to understand where the demand is first. When we talk about certifications we have to look at the whole industry and identify where there are overarching gaps. But at this stage it’s too early to talk about formal qualifications, this is just the start of the university’s incredibly exciting journey,” said Tenwinkel. The university is currently pulling together an advisory board to help identify the content needed and also advise on potential content partners from within print and also outside, as well as being ambassadors for the university. The university, which is sponsored by HP, plans to launch its online delivery platform around March 2014, in time for Dscoop9 in Orlando, Florida. As part of the soft launch at Dscoop EMEA2, the university will live stream seven sessions today and tomorrow (7 and 8 November), accessible to Dscoop members and colleagues within their organisations. The service will also include exclusive interviews with speakers and delegates and the streamed sessions will be archived post-event. The sessions featured will include keynotes from high-profile speaker Barrie Bramley on leaving the past behind and focussing on the future and Karim Rashid, a leading industrial designer, on how the future of design is digital. Other streamed conference content will include sessions on customer relationship management, taking personalisation to the next level, transitioning from offset to digital to cross media, building your business in the new economy, imaging trends and financial performance. “Nothing can replace actually coming to the conference, but this will give our EMEA members the opportunity to engage with the conference and the great education on offer here. It will also benefit members from outside the EMEA,” said Tenwinkel....
read moreEFI claims IP ‘victory’ over Durst after German court invalidates patent
The latest development in EFI and Durst’s patent feud, which dates back to 2007, follows a ruling in Durst’s favour earlier this year by the Düsseldorf District Court in relation to Durst’s German patent no. 10 2005 006 092. Durst chief executive Richard Piock told PrintWeek at the time that this ruling gave Durst the right to stop the sale of Vutek printers with white ink in Germany and claim a royalty from customers that purchased Vutek printers with white ink in the past four years. However, EFI filed a nullify action in the Federal Patent Court of Germany asking the court to invalidate the portions of the patent asserted against EFI on the grounds that what Durst claimed had actually been disclosed years before. EFI succeeded in an earlier legal dispute with Durst covering a “utility model” – a less rigorous form of intellectual property protection – for similar reasons after German courts in Mannheim and Karlsruhe held the “invention” to be invalid. On 23 October the Federal Patent Court agreed with EFI and invalidated substantial parts of Durst’s patent. Durst, which was unavailable for comment at the time of writing, has the right to appeal....
read moreSpandex Asia-Pacific acquires two wide-format suppliers
Sydney-based Plas Image and Perth-based Qualsign, both of which will continue to trade under their own names for the next 12-18 months, became Spandex group companies at the beginning of this month. Plas Image, which was founded in 2000 by Stan Vidaic, is a distributor of rigid materials and digital roll media. Qualsign, established by Merv Hopkins in 1995, is a distributor of aluminium composite sheets, cut vinyl and digital media and had an existing relationship with Spandex as a reseller of Arlon and Avery signage materials. Alex McClelland, managing director and vice president of Spandex Asia-Pacific, said: “In today’s business environment, we cannot stand still; the status quo is not an option. Real quality opportunities for acquisition do not come along that often and we were fortunate to find two this year that offered expansion into new product areas and adjacent markets. “The addition of highly experienced industry people is another positive as we begin the task of integration. While there are some inevitable parallels in our customer bases, for the main part, Plas Image and Qualsign bring new products that Spandex did not previously offer. We are delighted with these acquisitions and welcome staff and customers alike into the Spandex family.” McClelland added that Spandex would continue to look for suitable acquisitions to “further enhance our position in the market”....
read moreSpandex Asia-Pacific acquires two wide-format suppliers
Sydney-based Plas Image and Perth-based Qualsign, both of which will continue to trade under their own names for the next 12-18 months, became Spandex group companies at the beginning of this month. Plas Image, which was founded in 2000 by Stan Vidaic, is a distributor of rigid materials and digital roll media. Qualsign, established by Merv Hopkins in 1995, is a distributor of aluminium composite sheets, cut vinyl and digital media and had an existing relationship with Spandex as a reseller of Arlon and Avery signage materials. Alex McClelland, managing director and vice president of Spandex Asia-Pacific, said: “In today’s business environment, we cannot stand still; the status quo is not an option. Real quality opportunities for acquisition do not come along that often and we were fortunate to find two this year that offered expansion into new product areas and adjacent markets. “The addition of highly experienced industry people is another positive as we begin the task of integration. While there are some inevitable parallels in our customer bases, for the main part, Plas Image and Qualsign bring new products that Spandex did not previously offer. We are delighted with these acquisitions and welcome staff and customers alike into the Spandex family.” McClelland added that Spandex would continue to look for suitable acquisitions to “further enhance our position in the market”....
read moreSolutions for New Technologies’ Effects on Color Management
Interview with Erica Aitken, President, Rods and Cones, Inc. Color workflow innovation is one of Erica Aitken’s main focuses as founder and president of her company, Rods and Cones. We asked Erica, one of our featured speakers at this year’s Color Management Conference, about some of the challenges her clients face with color management today, as well as her insights and recommended solutions. Q: Erica, with today’s technologies rapidly changing, our daily workflows are being affected. Where can print and graphic arts professionals find solutions? What are the resources you recommend most often for those beginning their search for the perfect color management system? Erica Aitken: I have found webinars to be efficient and very beneficial resources. Workshops and conferences can offer great hands-on experience and networking. But when clients are looking for go-to guidebooks for everything on color management, the Color Management Handbook: A Practical Guide is a handy resource for every aspect. The guide is well organized, you can keep it right on your desk, and it’s there when you need it. Also Datacolor, whose Spyder monitor calibrating system you may know, publishes a very good book about color management. It’s called Calibrate Your World and is available at no cost on their website. This excellent 90-page digital book explains digital color, calibrating cameras and monitors, making ICC profiles, etc. If you’re beginning your search for the perfect color management system, read these booklets and come talk to me at the conference with your questions. Q: You’ll be speaking at the 2013 Color Management Conference about one major challenge expanding technology has created: color management on tablet devices. Can you give us one tip to improve customer proofing on tablets? EA: With pleasure. I found that color managing iPads is still very much in its infancy and, as it’s often the case in very young industries, people try to find the right approach to something that they’re not even sure is needed. I will outline what’s available today and how effective today’s existing iPad color management solutions are. Q: You help your clients evolve with new technologies and optimize their color workflow. You’ve worked in-depth with streamlining and automating workflows in addition to marketing and developing your business. As an industry professional, what are you most looking forward to at this year’s conference? EA: What excites me the most about this year’s Color Management Conference is the introduction of tracks geared toward brand managers and creatives. It makes sense since color is critical from beginning to end, and it’s easier to control color if it’s considered right at the start of a project. The most efficient workflows are the result of communication between creator and prepress/printer at every stage of a job. Learn more about the 2013 Color Management Conference, December 7–10, Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix, and Erica Aitken’s session, The Scoop on Color Managing Tablet...
read moreSolutions for New Technologies’ Effects on Color Management
Interview with Erica Aitken, President, Rods and Cones, Inc. Color workflow innovation is one of Erica Aitken’s main focuses as founder and president of her company, Rods and Cones. We asked Erica, one of our featured speakers at this year’s Color Management Conference, about some of the challenges her clients face with color management today, as well as her insights and recommended solutions. Q: Erica, with today’s technologies rapidly changing, our daily workflows are being affected. Where can print and graphic arts professionals find solutions? What are the resources you recommend most often for those beginning their search for the perfect color management system? Erica Aitken: I have found webinars to be efficient and very beneficial resources. Workshops and conferences can offer great hands-on experience and networking. But when clients are looking for go-to guidebooks for everything on color management, the Color Management Handbook: A Practical Guide is a handy resource for every aspect. The guide is well organized, you can keep it right on your desk, and it’s there when you need it. Also Datacolor, whose Spyder monitor calibrating system you may know, publishes a very good book about color management. It’s called Calibrate Your World and is available at no cost on their website. This excellent 90-page digital book explains digital color, calibrating cameras and monitors, making ICC profiles, etc. If you’re beginning your search for the perfect color management system, read these booklets and come talk to me at the conference with your questions. Q: You’ll be speaking at the 2013 Color Management Conference about one major challenge expanding technology has created: color management on tablet devices. Can you give us one tip to improve customer proofing on tablets? EA: With pleasure. I found that color managing iPads is still very much in its infancy and, as it’s often the case in very young industries, people try to find the right approach to something that they’re not even sure is needed. I will outline what’s available today and how effective today’s existing iPad color management solutions are. Q: You help your clients evolve with new technologies and optimize their color workflow. You’ve worked in-depth with streamlining and automating workflows in addition to marketing and developing your business. As an industry professional, what are you most looking forward to at this year’s conference? EA: What excites me the most about this year’s Color Management Conference is the introduction of tracks geared toward brand managers and creatives. It makes sense since color is critical from beginning to end, and it’s easier to control color if it’s considered right at the start of a project. The most efficient workflows are the result of communication between creator and prepress/printer at every stage of a job. Learn more about the 2013 Color Management Conference, December 7–10, Arizona Biltmore, Phoenix, and Erica Aitken’s session, The Scoop on Color Managing Tablet...
read moreHow Printers Are Keeping Up with Color Management Tech
We’re all trying to adjust to color standards updates, new automated workflow systems, and a steady flow of emerging technologies. Everyone in the workflow is responsible for ensuring that the color of a printed piece is accurate and consistent all the way from concept to customer. If you’re like Elizabeth Nolden, a production manager at Sign-Zone, Inc., you are looking to stay competitive in today’s market and find the latest information on color technologies and trends. As a long-time attendee of the Color Management Conference, we asked her how this particular event helps her stay fresh in her career. Q: As a printer aiming to stay up-to-date on color management tech, why is this conference unique in the industry, and why is it important for workflow and production? Elizabeth Nolden: This conference is unique in a sense that it gathers all print professionals together to talk about one issue they can all relate to, color. Whether you’re a designer at an ad agency or a print operator, offset or wide format, we all deal with color. This year’s conference in particular is geared toward brand management through the entire process. It will also be uniquely structured from previous years. I’m excited to see where it takes us. Q: What can attendees expect to learn and how can they prepare to get the most out of the conference when they come? EN: My recommendation would be to look at the schedule early and plan your path ahead of time. The conference is segmented out for different levels of expertise. Make sure you’re attending the sessions you’ll get the most out of. Attendees can expect to learn a lot of technical pieces of print, but also some good tips and tricks to increase your productivity. Q: What can production professionals, who need to learn to speak the language of brand managers, designers, and standards experts, expect to get out of it? EN: It’s important for production professionals to understand all aspects of print, including design and brand management. With the collaboration effort of this conference and wide variety of attendees it’s a great opportunity for everyone to speak the same language to reduce communication gaps. Q: What do you personally learn when you attend the conference, and how has this event helped you keep up to date on color tech, standards, and specifications? EN: I can always count on learning something new at this conference. As a print professional, it’s always helpful to keep track of all standards, but also to learn where the industry is going, not just where our little niche is. It’s also a great opportunity to network with other print professionals. Q: What sessions are you most looking forward to? EN: I am most looking forward to the keynote speakers. I’m always interested in hearing how the key players in this industry deal with the very same issues I’m dealing with. Learn more about the 2013 Color Management Conference, December 7–10, by visiting www.printing.org/color....
read moreHow Printers Are Keeping Up with Color Management Tech
We’re all trying to adjust to color standards updates, new automated workflow systems, and a steady flow of emerging technologies. Everyone in the workflow is responsible for ensuring that the color of a printed piece is accurate and consistent all the way from concept to customer. If you’re like Elizabeth Nolden, a production manager at Sign-Zone, Inc., you are looking to stay competitive in today’s market and find the latest information on color technologies and trends. As a long-time attendee of the Color Management Conference, we asked her how this particular event helps her stay fresh in her career. Q: As a printer aiming to stay up-to-date on color management tech, why is this conference unique in the industry, and why is it important for workflow and production? Elizabeth Nolden: This conference is unique in a sense that it gathers all print professionals together to talk about one issue they can all relate to, color. Whether you’re a designer at an ad agency or a print operator, offset or wide format, we all deal with color. This year’s conference in particular is geared toward brand management through the entire process. It will also be uniquely structured from previous years. I’m excited to see where it takes us. Q: What can attendees expect to learn and how can they prepare to get the most out of the conference when they come? EN: My recommendation would be to look at the schedule early and plan your path ahead of time. The conference is segmented out for different levels of expertise. Make sure you’re attending the sessions you’ll get the most out of. Attendees can expect to learn a lot of technical pieces of print, but also some good tips and tricks to increase your productivity. Q: What can production professionals, who need to learn to speak the language of brand managers, designers, and standards experts, expect to get out of it? EN: It’s important for production professionals to understand all aspects of print, including design and brand management. With the collaboration effort of this conference and wide variety of attendees it’s a great opportunity for everyone to speak the same language to reduce communication gaps. Q: What do you personally learn when you attend the conference, and how has this event helped you keep up to date on color tech, standards, and specifications? EN: I can always count on learning something new at this conference. As a print professional, it’s always helpful to keep track of all standards, but also to learn where the industry is going, not just where our little niche is. It’s also a great opportunity to network with other print professionals. Q: What sessions are you most looking forward to? EN: I am most looking forward to the keynote speakers. I’m always interested in hearing how the key players in this industry deal with the very same issues I’m dealing with. Learn more about the 2013 Color Management Conference, December 7–10, by visiting www.printing.org/color....
read moreTrinity Mirror plans Reading print plant closure
According to reports, some 28 staff are at risk of redundancy as a result of the planned closure, which will see the printing of titles including the Reading Post transferred to Trinity Mirror’s Watford site. A Trinity Mirror spokesman said: “Trinity Mirror Printing Reading has announced that it will not be renewing the lease on its Tessa Road site in Reading when it expires in early 2014. “We have entered into a period of consultation with all affected staff.” It is understood that alternative roles will be available at Watford for some of the affected print staff. Excluding Reading, Trinity Mirror has nine other print sites around the UK, which are used to print its own titles and for contract printing....
read moreTrinity Mirror plans Reading print plant closure
According to reports, some 28 staff are at risk of redundancy as a result of the planned closure, which will see the printing of titles including the Reading Post transferred to Trinity Mirror’s Watford site. A Trinity Mirror spokesman said: “Trinity Mirror Printing Reading has announced that it will not be renewing the lease on its Tessa Road site in Reading when it expires in early 2014. “We have entered into a period of consultation with all affected staff.” It is understood that alternative roles will be available at Watford for some of the affected print staff. Excluding Reading, Trinity Mirror has nine other print sites around the UK, which are used to print its own titles and for contract printing....
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