Fespa to launch Africa show partnership
Fespa Africa is a joint venture with PP and will incorporate the latter’s established Sign Africa and Visual Communications Africa events. Fespa Africa will also be co-located with PP’s Africa Print show. The combined events will have a footprint of 13,500m2, with 150 exhibtors, and are targeting 6,000- plus visitors from Africa and Europe. Fespa managing director of events and exhibitions Neil Felton said: “Africa is a vital and exciting growth region, and in Practical Publishing, we have an experienced partner to help us establish Fespa there. “FESPA’s strategy is always to work with a partner who can blend FESPA’s brand recognition, organisational strengths and world-class content programmes with local knowledge to deliver something which addresses the unique challenges and opportunities facing that particular region’s printers.” Dyelan Copeland, Director at Practical Publishing added: “Sign Africa and Visual Communications Africa are successful, well-attended events but we know that, by partnering with FESPA, we can take them to another level. FESPA Africa will set out to deliver a new experience for African business audiences, at a time when they need global expertise and insight to help them embrace the opportunities of wide format.” The inaugural Fespa Africa event will take place from 2-4 July 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa....
read moreEFI lauds SmartSign and LED
“We really believe in data and analytics as a tool for driving business, so if we can give our customers the tools to help their customers, which we can now, then that’s great,” said chief executive Guy Gecht. SmartSign uses image capture in POS displays linked to facial recognition software that can identify consumer dwell times, gender and age to help brand owners and agencies measure the effectiveness of displays, according to Mark McGowan, EFI director of OPS products. “When it comes to detecting is someone is viewing a display its 98% accurate, gender is 85% accurate and age bracket it is 75% – this is an incredibly acurate tool,” added McGowan. SmartSign will be commercially available in August. The company is also using Fespa to highlight the benefits of its flagship 3.2m wide HS 100 Pro hybrid flatbed and also the milestone of 100 installations of Vuteks with LED curing. “We now have enough statistics to compare how users of LED machines perform like-for-like against mercury systems, and LED users are buying 50% more ink per machine on average, which proves that LED not only saves money, but it actually generates more business,” said Gecht. EFI is also using the show to highlight its UV thermo-forming inks, developed for the eight-colour plus white 2m-wide EFI Vutek GS2000 Pro-TF and 3.2m-wide GS3250 Pro-TF. According to EFI they’re ideal for custom-formed signs, packaging, POS, vending panels, vehicles and promotional items....
read moreMimaki unveils three new machines at Fespa
The JV400 SUV water-based solvent printer, first shown at Fespa 2012 as a prototype, combines the flexibility of solvent with the durability of UV-cured inks, and prints in four colors (CMYK) at speeds of up to 18sqm/hr in draft mode. Meanwhile the UJV500-160 UV printer features energy-saving LED curing with long-lasting LED bulbs, and new nickel-free inks, and has a top speed of 70sqm/hr when printing with white, and 100sqm/hr with just four colours. Also being debuted in Europe is Mimaki’s new CG-SRIII Series plotters, targeted at sign makers, especially those working with vinyl or garments. The three cutters in the series have cutting areas of 606mm,1,070mm, and 1,370mm and can cut curved edges at double the speed of predecessor, the CG SRII. Also launched this Fespa, are two new orange and green latex inks, and updates, including movable LED lamps for reverse printing, to the JFX500-2131 flatbed UV printer, which began shipping in January....
read moreWitness the Melding of Minds and Emerging Technologies: TAGA Annual Technical Conference
TAGA’s Annual Technical Conference is where the latest in global technological research and development for the printing and graphic arts industry is presented. The environment here is alive with active discussion on what’s new, innovative, and has the most impact in our industry. If you want to be the first to know what technologies will be emerging and changing the way we operate, this is the forum to attend. Attendees experience technical presentations from business leaders, scientists, academics, and professionals, and all are full of excitement as new ideas and solutions are revealed after months or even years of development. Some of the brightest minds in the industry, including students, research scientists, engineers, and the world of academia converge here for three days of dissertations, learning, and some serious networking. Take a look at what you can expect from the 66th TAGA Annual Technical Conference, happening March 23–26, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Innovations That Rock the Industry Conference presentations provide insight into the future of the industry, making them highly valuable if you want to be an early adopter of the technologies. Presenting companies highlight their research and technology to their peers. Keynotes gather from leading companies around the world. In 2013 the conference welcomed top minds from Heidelberg, Landa Digital Printing, Kodak, and many other organizations and universities. Two types of papers are presented. Scientific Papers are based on emerging science, technology, and the application of all forms of graphic technology and printing processes. Technical Innovation Papers cover topics where a broad technology perspective is needed, focusing on issues that are current to the industry and critical to its development. Abstracts are submitted, and the top papers are chosen for presentation. More information can be found in the 2014 Call for Papers (PDF download). Intelligent Idea Swapping It’s impossible not to learn something in a room concentrated with intense intellect. This conference attracts a diverse group of professionals and students who come together from around the world to discuss industry innovations. Attendees have the opportunity for unparalleled networking. At next year’s event in Fort Worth, Texas, expect to make connections in both quality and quantity. Student Involvement Few other technology-centered events promote such strong student participation. Eager college students conduct research and can present the results of those projects during the student portion of the conference. These student papers and journals add great value to their future careers and can even earn them awards, as the TAGA Board of Directors judges all student papers. TAGA Past President Paul Cousineau described student members as, “The best and brightest students in our industry and our up-and-coming stars.” Find out more about TAGA Student membership. Learn more about TAGA and the 66thAnnual Technical Conference, March 23–26, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Read the latest TAGA Annual Conference press release. ...
read moreWitness the Melding of Minds and Emerging Technologies: TAGA Annual Technical Conference
TAGA’s Annual Technical Conference is where the latest in global technological research and development for the printing and graphic arts industry is presented. The environment here is alive with active discussion on what’s new, innovative, and has the most impact in our industry. If you want to be the first to know what technologies will be emerging and changing the way we operate, this is the forum to attend. Attendees experience technical presentations from business leaders, scientists, academics, and professionals, and all are full of excitement as new ideas and solutions are revealed after months or even years of development. Some of the brightest minds in the industry, including students, research scientists, engineers, and the world of academia converge here for three days of dissertations, learning, and some serious networking. Take a look at what you can expect from the 66th TAGA Annual Technical Conference, happening March 23–26, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Innovations That Rock the Industry Conference presentations provide insight into the future of the industry, making them highly valuable if you want to be an early adopter of the technologies. Presenting companies highlight their research and technology to their peers. Keynotes gather from leading companies around the world. In 2013 the conference welcomed top minds from Heidelberg, Landa Digital Printing, Kodak, and many other organizations and universities. Two types of papers are presented. Scientific Papers are based on emerging science, technology, and the application of all forms of graphic technology and printing processes. Technical Innovation Papers cover topics where a broad technology perspective is needed, focusing on issues that are current to the industry and critical to its development. Abstracts are submitted, and the top papers are chosen for presentation. More information can be found in the 2014 Call for Papers (PDF download). Intelligent Idea Swapping It’s impossible not to learn something in a room concentrated with intense intellect. This conference attracts a diverse group of professionals and students who come together from around the world to discuss industry innovations. Attendees have the opportunity for unparalleled networking. At next year’s event in Fort Worth, Texas, expect to make connections in both quality and quantity. Student Involvement Few other technology-centered events promote such strong student participation. Eager college students conduct research and can present the results of those projects during the student portion of the conference. These student papers and journals add great value to their future careers and can even earn them awards, as the TAGA Board of Directors judges all student papers. TAGA Past President Paul Cousineau described student members as, “The best and brightest students in our industry and our up-and-coming stars.” Find out more about TAGA Student membership. Learn more about TAGA and the 66thAnnual Technical Conference, March 23–26, 2014, in Fort Worth, Texas. Read the latest TAGA Annual Conference press release. ...
read moreCompany fined after worker injured by laminating kit
Staff member Michael Taylor’s right hand and forearm were drawn into gluing rollers following which he has had four operations and physiotherapy but is unlikely to regain full movement in his hand. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the firm for the accident, which happened in January 2012. Wellingborough Magistrates’ Court heard how the company, which uses recycled paper to make pallets, failed to ensure a honeycomb laminating machine was guarded and that staff were adequately trained and supervised in order to use it safely. The Paper Pallet Company pleaded guilty health and safety breaches and was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £10,877 costs. Following the incident it introduced a light guard system to shut down the line if anyone breaks a beam. HSE said it found several failings: Taylor was inadequately supervised and the machinery was unguarded at several points; insufficient guarding over the gears and chains allowed access to dangerous moving parts; and some of the emergency stops did not work properly. In addition the company had not carried out a risk assessment on the machine. This meant there was no safe system of work for cleaning the gluing rollers or for the operation, use and maintenance of the line. The company’s managing director Graham Hayes said he did not have guards in place, “as we were in the middle of installation”. The Paper Pallet Company had spent a lot of money on safety since but in manufacturing situations “these things can happen”, he added. HSE inspector Elizabeth Hornsby said: “This is a very serious case of a company neglecting its duty to supervise and protect its employees from potentially dangerous machinery. Basic risk assessments weren’t carried out and Mr Taylor was not given suitable instruction. “Even his supervisor had not been given appropriate health and safety training to allow him to discharge his responsibilities adequately. The Paper Pallet Company has now introduced measures that will cut the power to the machinery if anyone approaches dangerous moving parts. It’s just a shame this did not happen before Mr Taylor suffered such severe injuries.” Taylor said: “The physical scars I have, both on my hand and from skin grafts, mean I’ll be reminded of this accident everyday for the rest of my life. Since the accident I have struggled to get back into work.”...
read moreHP Latex 3000 gets global unveiling as first buyer announced
The Latex 3000 is suitable for both indoor and outdoor wide-format products such as billboards, banners, textiles, self-adhesive vinyl and truck curtains. It prints at 1,200dpi in six colours and has HP’s Ink Optimizer, with production speeds for indoor applications of 77sqm/hr and outdoor quality printed at 120sqm/hr. The machine can print on single rolls up to 3.2m or dual rolls up to 1.6m each. The world’s first signing for the £230,000 machine, which will be delivered to Rochester-based PressOn on 1 July straight from the Fespa stand, will take place this afternoon (25 June). The purchase is part of a £600,000 investment at the wide-format specialist printer that recently included an EFI Vutek QS2 Pro 3.2m wide-format flatbed and roll-fed UV-curable printer. The Latex 3000 will replace two of the firm’s existing HP latex printers including an LX850 and an LX600, which have been with the business for around three years. Two HP LX 65500s will remain on site. Joint managing director Andy Wilson said its latex machines had “transformed the business”. “We used to print on solvent machines, the HP 9000s, but after beta-testing the 26500s a few years ago and we immediately saw big advantages, particularly with our self-adhesive vinyl work.” “With our solvent printers we could have to wait up to 24-hours to complete the post-cure but with the latex machines, it’s a whole new ball game,” he added. “We print a lot of self-adhesive vinyl and with these machines there is no gassing-off time required, which gives us a time advantage against our competitors.” “We’ve hammered our 850 and it has stood up to the job well but with growing demand we needed a more industrial and robust model and this was perfect.” Wilson said that the new five-litre ink cartridges that come with the Latex 3000 were a big selling point for the company as well. The 14-staff business turns over £2.5m and Wilson hopes to see annual growth of 10% following its latest investment....
read moreCompany fined after worker injured by laminating kit
Staff member Michael Taylor’s right hand and forearm were drawn into gluing rollers following which he has had four operations and physiotherapy but is unlikely to regain full movement in his hand. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the firm for the accident, which happened in January 2012. Wellingborough Magistrates’ Court heard how the company, which uses recycled paper to make pallets, failed to ensure a honeycomb laminating machine was guarded and that staff were adequately trained and supervised in order to use it safely. The Paper Pallet Company pleaded guilty health and safety breaches and was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay £10,877 costs. Following the incident it introduced a light guard system to shut down the line if anyone breaks a beam. HSE said it found several failings: Taylor was inadequately supervised and the machinery was unguarded at several points; insufficient guarding over the gears and chains allowed access to dangerous moving parts; and some of the emergency stops did not work properly. In addition the company had not carried out a risk assessment on the machine. This meant there was no safe system of work for cleaning the gluing rollers or for the operation, use and maintenance of the line. The company’s managing director Graham Hayes said he did not have guards in place, “as we were in the middle of installation”. The Paper Pallet Company had spent a lot of money on safety since but in manufacturing situations “these things can happen”, he added. HSE inspector Elizabeth Hornsby said: “This is a very serious case of a company neglecting its duty to supervise and protect its employees from potentially dangerous machinery. Basic risk assessments weren’t carried out and Mr Taylor was not given suitable instruction. “Even his supervisor had not been given appropriate health and safety training to allow him to discharge his responsibilities adequately. The Paper Pallet Company has now introduced measures that will cut the power to the machinery if anyone approaches dangerous moving parts. It’s just a shame this did not happen before Mr Taylor suffered such severe injuries.” Taylor said: “The physical scars I have, both on my hand and from skin grafts, mean I’ll be reminded of this accident everyday for the rest of my life. Since the accident I have struggled to get back into work.”...
read moreHP Latex 3000 gets global unveiling as first buyer announced
The Latex 3000 is suitable for both indoor and outdoor wide-format products such as billboards, banners, textiles, self-adhesive vinyl and truck curtains. It prints at 1,200dpi in six colours and has HP’s Ink Optimizer, with production speeds for indoor applications of 77sqm/hr and outdoor quality printed at 120sqm/hr. The machine can print on single rolls up to 3.2m or dual rolls up to 1.6m each. The world’s first signing for the £230,000 machine, which will be delivered to Rochester-based PressOn on 1 July straight from the Fespa stand, will take place this afternoon (25 June). The purchase is part of a £600,000 investment at the wide-format specialist printer that recently included an EFI Vutek QS2 Pro 3.2m wide-format flatbed and roll-fed UV-curable printer. The Latex 3000 will replace two of the firm’s existing HP latex printers including an LX850 and an LX600, which have been with the business for around three years. Two HP LX 65500s will remain on site. Joint managing director Andy Wilson said its latex machines had “transformed the business”. “We used to print on solvent machines, the HP 9000s, but after beta-testing the 26500s a few years ago and we immediately saw big advantages, particularly with our self-adhesive vinyl work.” “With our solvent printers we could have to wait up to 24-hours to complete the post-cure but with the latex machines, it’s a whole new ball game,” he added. “We print a lot of self-adhesive vinyl and with these machines there is no gassing-off time required, which gives us a time advantage against our competitors.” “We’ve hammered our 850 and it has stood up to the job well but with growing demand we needed a more industrial and robust model and this was perfect.” Wilson said that the new five-litre ink cartridges that come with the Latex 3000 were a big selling point for the company as well. The 14-staff business turns over £2.5m and Wilson hopes to see annual growth of 10% following its latest investment....
read moreDomino posts loss after egg project stalls
In March the Cambridge-headquartered business warned that commercialisation efforts at US-based TEN were not going to plan. Domino made a $50m (£32.4m) investment in the egg traceability business in 2011 as one of the co-founders, and has now written that down to just £3.2m. In its statement, Domino said: “While the group has successfully demonstrated that it can meet the operational requirements of the exclusive supply arrangement, there is no certainty that TEN Media will have sufficient capital to commercialise its system.” Shares in the coding and inkjet printing specialist fell 24p to 574p in early trading after the company announced the news. Underlying profits prior to the exceptional charge were £25m, 3% down on the prior year, but the write-down caused Domino to post a loss of £3.8m for the period. Sales in the six months to 30 April rose 7% to £161.9m, with Domino’s most recent acquisitions, Graph-Tech and Postjet, contributing 3% of the increase. Domino said its digital label printing business was progressing “strongly” and that it had achieved its full-year sales target for the inkjet device in the first six months of the year. The group overall achieved double-digit sales growth in the US with Asia also highlighted as a growth market for the group. European trading overall was described as “difficult” with the exception of Germany. Domino also moved to keep shareholders on-side, and increased its interim dividend by 5% to 7.6p....
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