Government’s Royal Mail float heightens strike threat
Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday (11 July), Cable said: “The sale would initiate the final stage of the governments postal sector reforms, the overarching objectives of these is to secure universal postal service, the six-day-a-week service at uniform and affordable prices to all 29m addresses in the UK.” Cable added that the government would retain flexibility in terms of the size of the stake to be sold “as this would be influenced by market conditions and investor demand”. However, he confirmed that a “majority stake” would be sold. According to Cable the IPO would include a “retail offer” enabling individuals to buy shares, however private institutions will most likely buy the majority of the share issue – although the government has in effect ruled out selling the business as a whole. Royal Mail employees will also be allocated 10% of the Royal Mail’s shares for free, with discounted options to buy more. The share issue is likely to take place in the autumn and, according to reports, will value the business at between £2bn and £3bn. Cable reassured Royal Mail employees that a change in ownership would not trigger a change in their terms and conditions. He added that for at least three years the Royal Mail was committed to: a predominantly full-time workforce, no change to the company structure in relation to its current services and no outsourcing of services. General secretary Billy Hayes of the CWU, which represents around 100,000 of the 150,000 Royal Mail staff, said: “For the secretary of state to describe this decision as logical is unbelievable. “Royal Mail is profitable, has modernised and can be successful in public ownership. The logical step is for the government to consider the union’s proposal to keep the company in public ownership whilst putting in place a not-for-dividend structure that allows profits to be put back in to improving the service.” “CWU will continue to fight the sale and without worthwhile and legally binding assurances on terms and conditions, strike action is inevitable,” added Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary. In the union’s consultative ballot last month, 96% of respondents said they were against privatisation.The union has also published an open letter to Michael Fallon, minister for business and enterprise highlighting the reasons behind its opposition to privatisation. Defending the privatisation, Cable said: “A share sale will not only provide commercial discipline, it will give the Royal Mail future access to private capital enabling the company to continue modernising and to take advantage of commercial opportunities such as the growth of online shopping, building on its success in parcels and logistics.” Separately, the Royal Mail has unveiled a £70m plan to add barcodes to letters so that DM firms and large users can track their mail through the postal network. The scheme will begin a phased launch next year, with 47 companies, organisations and mailing houses the first to trial the system. It will be rolled out to all business users in the following two years. Stephen Agar, Royal Mail’s managing director of consumer and network access, said: “The introduction of this new barcode technology to letters will enable businesses to track the progress of bulk mail consignments through the postal network, helping them to improve their own efficiency and customer service.”...
read moreCommunisis wins huge deal with bank
The ten-year outsourcing contract will involve Communisis taking over the bank’s transactional print facilities. The move is part of the bank’s plans to simplify its operations following a strategic review in 2011, and is the result of a detailed evaluation process that has taken around a year. It was the last of the ‘big four’ banks to produce its own statements. It covers all the Lloyds TSB Banking Group (LBG) brands, which include Halifax, Scottish Widows, and Cheltenham & Gloucester. The overall group has more than 30m customers across its retail and commercial banking operations. Communisis will make a further multi-million pound investment in HP T-series full-colour inkjet presses for the operation, effectively mirroring the facilities at its transactional print supersite in Speke. Chief executive Andy Blundell said: “As far as I’m aware this is the biggest deal ever in Communisis’ history. It’s roughly equivalent to our entire pack output at Speke. It’s big.” LBG employs 243 staff at its print facilities in Crawley and at Copley near Halifax, of which Copley is the largest site. There is also an associated site in Edinburgh that dates from the Scottish Widows integration. The bank currently overprints monochrome variable data onto pre-printed base stock, whereas Communisis has moved to a ‘white paper’ solution with fully variable colour using HP presses. Adare currently produces the pre-printed base stock. Blundell said Communisis would work with LBG to develop the right manufacturing footprint for the future. “We will invest behind that and consult with employees accordingly,” he said. The re-equipping is likely to involve two HP T400 presses and possibly an additional narrow web T200 device, Blundell said, along with associated finishing and mailing kit. Longer-term the group could also produce work for other customers at the revamped facility. “There is potentially scope to commercialise it over time, but first and foremost it’s about maintaining service levels and providing a seamless transition with Lloyds TSB,” Blundell added. The £20m of additional funding gained by Communisis through a share issue four months ago has given the group the scope to take on the contract. The money was earmarked for contract acquisition, restructuring and potential M&A. Blundell said the group was looking at a number of possible acquisition opportunities, with developments in that area likely in the third quarter. Communisis’ share price jumped to a 52-week high of 61.5p after the news was announced. The deal is subject to formal ratification by the LBG board next month, with implementation planned to take place from October. Edit note: This story has been amended. There was an inadvertent miscommunication between LBG and PrintWeek. The separate contract for general direct mail print handled by Xerox Global Services is not affected by the Communisis arrangement....
read moreCommunisis wins huge deal with bank
The ten-year outsourcing contract will involve Communisis taking over the bank’s transactional print facilities. The move is part of the bank’s plans to simplify its operations following a strategic review in 2011, and is the result of a detailed evaluation process that has taken around a year. It was the last of the ‘big four’ banks to produce its own statements. It covers all the Lloyds TSB Banking Group (LBG) brands, which include Halifax, Scottish Widows, and Cheltenham & Gloucester. The overall group has more than 30m customers across its retail and commercial banking operations. Communisis will make a further multi-million pound investment in HP T-series full-colour inkjet presses for the operation, effectively mirroring the facilities at its transactional print supersite in Speke. Chief executive Andy Blundell said: “As far as I’m aware this is the biggest deal ever in Communisis’ history. It’s roughly equivalent to our entire pack output at Speke. It’s big.” LBG employs 243 staff at its print facilities in Crawley and at Copley near Halifax, of which Copley is the largest site. There is also an associated site in Edinburgh that dates from the Scottish Widows integration. The bank currently overprints monochrome variable data onto pre-printed base stock, whereas Communisis has moved to a ‘white paper’ solution with fully variable colour using HP presses. Adare currently produces the pre-printed base stock. Blundell said Communisis would work with LBG to develop the right manufacturing footprint for the future. “We will invest behind that and consult with employees accordingly,” he said. The re-equipping is likely to involve two HP T400 presses and possibly an additional narrow web T200 device, Blundell said, along with associated finishing and mailing kit. Longer-term the group could also produce work for other customers at the revamped facility. “There is potentially scope to commercialise it over time, but first and foremost it’s about maintaining service levels and providing a seamless transition with Lloyds TSB,” Blundell added. The £20m of additional funding gained by Communisis through a share issue four months ago has given the group the scope to take on the contract. The money was earmarked for contract acquisition, restructuring and potential M&A. Blundell said the group was looking at a number of possible acquisition opportunities, with developments in that area likely in the third quarter. Communisis’ share price jumped to a 52-week high of 61.5p after the news was announced. The deal is subject to formal ratification by the LBG board next month, with implementation planned to take place from October. Edit note: This story has been amended. There was an inadvertent miscommunication between LBG and PrintWeek. The separate contract for general direct mail print handled by Xerox Global Services is not affected by the Communisis arrangement....
read moreEdale and AB Graphics launch converting line for Indigo 20000
The new machine, which will be manufactured by Edale but uses technology developed by both companies, is designed to enable printers to convert pressure-sensitive labels and flexible packaging printed on the HP Indigo 20000. With a width of 762mm, the Digicon 3000 is designed to match up to the web width of the Indigo 20000, which, according to Edale, is ideally suited to the majority of label and flexible packaging applications. The machine comprises eight processes: pre-treatment, drying, laminating, slitting, die-cutting, printing, unwind and rewind. Edale managing director James Boughton said: “The Digicon 3000 is packed with innovations that will serve to enhance and broaden the applications possible in mid web digital label and packaging printing.” The companies said that two machines had already been sold. The first is to be installed at US labelling firm Innovative Labelling Solutions (ILS). ILS will be running a label and flexible packaging configuration with the HP Indigo 20000 running inline with the Digicon 3000. ILS owner Jay Dollries said: “The Digicon 3000 will provide versatility and accuracy that will keep us well ahead of the technology curve.” The new machine will get its first live airing at Label Expo Europe in Brussels (24-27 September 2013) where it will be shown running on the HP stand (5C 105)....
read moreEdale and AB Graphics launch converting line for Indigo 20000
The new machine, which will be manufactured by Edale but uses technology developed by both companies, is designed to enable printers to convert pressure-sensitive labels and flexible packaging printed on the HP Indigo 20000. With a width of 762mm, the Digicon 3000 is designed to match up to the web width of the Indigo 20000, which, according to Edale, is ideally suited to the majority of label and flexible packaging applications. The machine comprises eight processes: pre-treatment, drying, laminating, slitting, die-cutting, printing, unwind and rewind. Edale managing director James Boughton said: “The Digicon 3000 is packed with innovations that will serve to enhance and broaden the applications possible in mid web digital label and packaging printing.” The companies said that two machines had already been sold. The first is to be installed at US labelling firm Innovative Labelling Solutions (ILS). ILS will be running a label and flexible packaging configuration with the HP Indigo 20000 running inline with the Digicon 3000. ILS owner Jay Dollries said: “The Digicon 3000 will provide versatility and accuracy that will keep us well ahead of the technology curve.” The new machine will get its first live airing at Label Expo Europe in Brussels (24-27 September 2013) where it will be shown running on the HP stand (5C 105)....
read moreTotal Displays helps make EFI’s Fespa a record-breaker
The Peterborough-based display and exhibition specialist is moving to a site on the other side of the city. The company bought the new facility earlier this year and is in the process of completing renovations. It plans to complete the move at the end of July. “We’re going to a big 2,800sqm unit, but we’ll stay in the area because Peterborough is ideal for us – it’s an hour away from both London and Birmingham,” said managing director Layth Karagholi. “Previously we were leasing, but we’ve had a huge growth, which put us in a position to buy the building and invest in kit.” To support the move, the four-year-old, 28-staff company signed for a 3.2m-wide EFI Vutek QS3 Pro UV hybrid flatbed printer and EFI Pace MIS from reseller CMYUK and a Zünd G3 digital cutter at Fespa. Karagholi said that the QS3 offered the best combination of versatility of applications, print quality and production speed. “We come from the indoor business where resolutions are high but speeds are slow, so we used to think UV was not an option. With the Vutek, UV is now possible without our customers noticing the transition,” he added. The QS3 will be installed at the new site later this month and will run alongside the firm’s battery of HP DesignJets. The new MIS will be rolled out over the coming months, replacing a Clarity system. The Zünd will be installed in the autumn. According to Karagholi, the new site has space for 70 office staff alone, so as a result of the move he would be looking to continue to grow the business. “The only thing that has been stopping us growing faster has been our site; we just had no more room to put anyone.” While the company can process orders online, Karagholi said the key driver for its growth was “unrivalled customer service”. “Some competitors try to push customers on to their websites, but we want ours to pick up the phone so that we can help them make the right choices, we want to be a consultant, a partner, and that seems to work.” Karagholi added that once the company has bedded into its new home, he would be looking at further kit investments. The double sale to Total Displays helped to make this year’s Fespa a “record-breaking” show for EFI. “Fespa attracts some of the industry’s most discerning print professionals and our performance at this year’s show validates the investments EFI is making to give them more automation, productivity, quality and versatility,” said Scott Schinlever, senior vice-president and general manager of EFI’s Inkjet Solutions division....
read moreTotal Displays helps make EFI’s Fespa a record-breaker
The Peterborough-based display and exhibition specialist is moving to a site on the other side of the city. The company bought the new facility earlier this year and is in the process of completing renovations. It plans to complete the move at the end of July. “We’re going to a big 2,800sqm unit, but we’ll stay in the area because Peterborough is ideal for us – it’s an hour away from both London and Birmingham,” said managing director Layth Karagholi. “Previously we were leasing, but we’ve had a huge growth, which put us in a position to buy the building and invest in kit.” To support the move, the four-year-old, 28-staff company signed for a 3.2m-wide EFI Vutek QS3 Pro UV hybrid flatbed printer and EFI Pace MIS from reseller CMYUK and a Zünd G3 digital cutter at Fespa. Karagholi said that the QS3 offered the best combination of versatility of applications, print quality and production speed. “We come from the indoor business where resolutions are high but speeds are slow, so we used to think UV was not an option. With the Vutek, UV is now possible without our customers noticing the transition,” he added. The QS3 will be installed at the new site later this month and will run alongside the firm’s battery of HP DesignJets. The new MIS will be rolled out over the coming months, replacing a Clarity system. The Zünd will be installed in the autumn. According to Karagholi, the new site has space for 70 office staff alone, so as a result of the move he would be looking to continue to grow the business. “The only thing that has been stopping us growing faster has been our site; we just had no more room to put anyone.” While the company can process orders online, Karagholi said the key driver for its growth was “unrivalled customer service”. “Some competitors try to push customers on to their websites, but we want ours to pick up the phone so that we can help them make the right choices, we want to be a consultant, a partner, and that seems to work.” Karagholi added that once the company has bedded into its new home, he would be looking at further kit investments. The double sale to Total Displays helped to make this year’s Fespa a “record-breaking” show for EFI. “Fespa attracts some of the industry’s most discerning print professionals and our performance at this year’s show validates the investments EFI is making to give them more automation, productivity, quality and versatility,” said Scott Schinlever, senior vice-president and general manager of EFI’s Inkjet Solutions division....
read moreSTI orders Fuji Inca Onset S40i with new corrugated inks at Fespa
The investment, which also includes Fuji’s XMF workflow, is part of a move to bring digital printing in-house for the Gillingham, Kent-based business. This deal marks the first time Fuji’s new Uvijet OC inks have been sold to a UK customer. According to Fujifilm, the inks are specifically formulated for optimum performance on corrugated materials. STI Line operations director Dave Driver said: “The Uvijet OC inks will guarantee exceptional flexibility for us, so we can immediately proceed with the cutting and finishing stage, delivering finished products quickly.” Driver explained that STI was adopting digital print technology in order to better respond to a changing marketplace: “The increasing demand for short run products, as well as the importance of reducing lead times, has driven us in the direction of digital print. The 3.1m-wide Onset S40i employs a six-colour inkset and operates at speeds of up to 560sqm/hr. The manufacturer states that it can print at a resolution of up to 1,000dpi. “In the last few years the performance offered by this technology has grown steadily and now perfectly suits our requirements,” said Driver. STI Line supplies packaging and POS products for a range of sectors including the cosmetics and beauty...
read moreStage one of first UK Clickable Paper trial a success
The Norfolk-based commercial and publication printer has over the past four months been one of several printers around the globe to trial a new print-to-mobile system, similar to QR codes and NFC (near field communication). To access extra online content, readers download a free Ricoh app and scan the page with their smartphone or tablet cameras. They then choose from up to six links, which could include links to buy online, watch videos or join a Facebook group. The USP of Clickable Paper, according to Ricoh, is that activating the page for scanning, or ‘authoring’, is carried out after the PDF is created, with the digital technology built to respond to the printed design rather than the other way around. “The good thing is we can print the pages any time, we don’t have to wait for Ricoh to enable it, so it doesn’t hold up production,” confirmed Julian Barnwell, managing director at Barnwell Print. The first stage of the trial has involved Barnwell customer, magazine publisher Just Regional, adding interactive content to both advertising and editorial pages. Both Just Regional and its advertisers have responded extremely positively, reported Barnwell, as have other potential users of the system. “New clients just want to know when they can start doing this. The demand’s there,” he said. “It gives a lot of life to the printed page and more importantly it gives you accurate information on what people are using Clickable Paper for, which is great for advertisers.” Key learnings from this first stage have centered around finessing the technology, reported strategic marketing manager at Ricoh UK, Gareth Parker. The importance of educating all parties about the importance of the quality of PDFs, and the need to re-author repeat adverts with slight changes and avoid similar images in different adverts, has also emerged. The second stage of the trial will involve “taking a closer look at how the system performs in a commercial environment,” said Parker, with Barnwell rolling Clickable Paper out to other projects, including a fishing book and East Anglia Ambulance magazines. “One of the other things we are looking at in stage two is how viable it is for printers to do the authoring themselves. We need to understand how we can support that.” He added that Ricoh hoped Clickable Paper would become commercially available to other UK printers in the first half of 2014....
read moreSTI orders Fuji Inca Onset S40i with new corrugated inks at Fespa
The investment, which also includes Fuji’s XMF workflow, is part of a move to bring digital printing in-house for the Gillingham, Kent-based business. This deal marks the first time Fuji’s new Uvijet OC inks have been sold to a UK customer. According to Fujifilm, the inks are specifically formulated for optimum performance on corrugated materials. STI Line operations director Dave Driver said: “The Uvijet OC inks will guarantee exceptional flexibility for us, so we can immediately proceed with the cutting and finishing stage, delivering finished products quickly.” Driver explained that STI was adopting digital print technology in order to better respond to a changing marketplace: “The increasing demand for short run products, as well as the importance of reducing lead times, has driven us in the direction of digital print. The 3.1m-wide Onset S40i employs a six-colour inkset and operates at speeds of up to 560sqm/hr. The manufacturer states that it can print at a resolution of up to 1,000dpi. “In the last few years the performance offered by this technology has grown steadily and now perfectly suits our requirements,” said Driver. STI Line supplies packaging and POS products for a range of sectors including the cosmetics and beauty...
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