Xaar boasts strong trading update, while 3D project gets gov’t backing
The company said strong growth in its ceramic tile printing products between January and May 2013, had contributed to a projected 50% year-on-year increase in its full-year revenue, to £86.3m. It follows a record year in 2012 with revenue increasing by 26% on 2011 and a 74% increase in adjusted pre-tax profits. Chief executive Ian Dinwoodie said: “All applications are growing in industrial, packaging and graphic arts. The strongest growth is in ceramic tile decoration where we are seeing a major and significant industry shift from analogue to digital – the fastest and highest penetration we have ever seen – which we expect to continue for the next three years or so.” Dinwoodie said that despite the global economic crisis, Europe had also continued to show fairly strong growth, but that the real acceleration was in China. “China is picking up very strongly for ceramic tiles now because half of the world’s ceramic tiles are produced there. We are definitely moving in the right direction,” he added. In its trading update Xaar said it was accelerating research and development investment “to expand the conversion potential of analogue processes to digital inkjet across a range of markets”. The company said it would invest more than £12m in R&D in 2013, but added that while the growth in R&D was expected to broadly match the percentage increase in revenue, a higher rate of revenue growth would result in a strong operating margin. Meanwhile, the company’s expertise in 3D print technology has led Xaar to be included in one of 18 projects announced last week as the winners of £14.7m worth of investment. With £8.4m to be funded through the government’s Technology Strategy Board and a further £6.3m to come from private sector investment, the funding has been committed to further the development of 3D technology for manufacturing industries. Xaar is working with a consortium including FaraPack, Unilever Central Resources, BAE Systems, Cobham Technical Services and Marker Block on a project that will develop structural parts for industries including FMCG and aerospace. Xaar’s will develop and deliver specialist printheads as well as knowledge and expertise in additive manufacturing to the project. Dinwoodie said: “We’ve been involved in 3D printing for over 10 years and there is a lot of hype about it at the moment. “This project is some years away from commercialisation but it is interesting that money is being pushed into it and we will continue to support the consortium and see what it develops into. “For us 3D print revenue is a number of years away but it could well be a growth area. Like many of these advanced manufacturing applications that are emerging there isn’t that much business for them at the moment but five to 10 years from now, who knows?”...
read moreXennia launches three new ceramic inks
The new pink, white and beige inks join the existing Zircon range of blue, yellow and brown. The oil-based range is compatible with the single pass, four colour Xennia Ultramarine ceramic tile printing system and with other “major digital ceramic printing machines”. The inks can be used for printing on both fired tiles and a range of unfired glazes. The range’s USP is a colour strength and density previously hard to reach on single pass digital printers, said Xennia. “Zircon white, pink and beige show strong colour vibrancy and high opacity. The inks offer a high level of colour stability across a wide range of glazes, eliminating colour differences between wall and floor tiles,” said Olivier Morel, Xennia’s chief technology officer. “The wider gamut achieved when using Zircon colours allows the designer to reveal the finer details in the highlight and shadow areas that are embedded in marble, stone, wood pattern effects which has previously not been visible,” added Morel. The Xeninx Zircon range are priced between £10-£40 per kilo depending on volume and colour....
read moreBuxton installs second Heidelberg XL
The latest eight-colour Speedmaster XL106 perfector completed commissioning on 24 May. Like its twin, which was installed last July, it is configured with Cutstar reel sheeter, Inpress colour control and Autoplate XL simultaneous plate changing. Buxton managing director Kirk Galloway said the company, which prior to the installation of the first XL last summer had been an all KBA house, was delighted with the performance of the XLs. “When combined with our existing four KBA long perfecting presses, [the XLs] will completely revolutionise Buxton’s overall output capabilities,” said Galloway. He added that the company was already looking at its next press install as part of its commitment to completely revamp its press hall with a new machine every other year up to 2018. The Derbyshire magazine printer has also created “several new positions” as a result of the second installation. The press spend is the centrepiece of a £20m re-equip that the firm hopes will help support its strategy to boost turnover to £30m. “The new generation of presses offer significant improvements in terms of make ready times, paper and ink usage, lower power requirements and simplified maintenance, factors which when combined not only assist us in reaching our capacity targets but also allow us to maintain print pricing stability for our clients – a win win combination in our very competitive market sector,” said Galloway. “A further investment in press number three is already on the cards,” he added. As well as the £7m Drupa spend on the two Speedmaster XLs the firm also re-equipped its bindery with a substantial investment with Friedheim International....
read moreXennia launches three new ceramic inks
The new pink, white and beige inks join the existing Zircon range of blue, yellow and brown. The oil-based range is compatible with the single pass, four colour Xennia Ultramarine ceramic tile printing system and with other “major digital ceramic printing machines”. The inks can be used for printing on both fired tiles and a range of unfired glazes. The range’s USP is a colour strength and density previously hard to reach on single pass digital printers, said Xennia. “Zircon white, pink and beige show strong colour vibrancy and high opacity. The inks offer a high level of colour stability across a wide range of glazes, eliminating colour differences between wall and floor tiles,” said Olivier Morel, Xennia’s chief technology officer. “The wider gamut achieved when using Zircon colours allows the designer to reveal the finer details in the highlight and shadow areas that are embedded in marble, stone, wood pattern effects which has previously not been visible,” added Morel. The Xeninx Zircon range are priced between £10-£40 per kilo depending on volume and colour....
read moreBuxton installs second Heidelberg XL
The latest eight-colour Speedmaster XL106 perfector completed commissioning on 24 May. Like its twin, which was installed last July, it is configured with Cutstar reel sheeter, Inpress colour control and Autoplate XL simultaneous plate changing. Buxton managing director Kirk Galloway said the company, which prior to the installation of the first XL last summer had been an all KBA house, was delighted with the performance of the XLs. “When combined with our existing four KBA long perfecting presses, [the XLs] will completely revolutionise Buxton’s overall output capabilities,” said Galloway. He added that the company was already looking at its next press install as part of its commitment to completely revamp its press hall with a new machine every other year up to 2018. The Derbyshire magazine printer has also created “several new positions” as a result of the second installation. The press spend is the centrepiece of a £20m re-equip that the firm hopes will help support its strategy to boost turnover to £30m. “The new generation of presses offer significant improvements in terms of make ready times, paper and ink usage, lower power requirements and simplified maintenance, factors which when combined not only assist us in reaching our capacity targets but also allow us to maintain print pricing stability for our clients – a win win combination in our very competitive market sector,” said Galloway. “A further investment in press number three is already on the cards,” he added. As well as the £7m Drupa spend on the two Speedmaster XLs the firm also re-equipped its bindery with a substantial investment with Friedheim International....
read moreXaar boasts strong trading update, while 3D project gets gov’t backing
The company said strong growth in its ceramic tile printing products between January and May 2013, had contributed to a projected 50% year-on-year increase in its full-year revenue, to £86.3m. It follows a record year in 2012 with revenue increasing by 26% on 2011 and a 74% increase in adjusted pre-tax profits. Chief executive Ian Dinwoodie said: “All applications are growing in industrial, packaging and graphic arts. The strongest growth is in ceramic tile decoration where we are seeing a major and significant industry shift from analogue to digital – the fastest and highest penetration we have ever seen – which we expect to continue for the next three years or so.” Dinwoodie said that despite the global economic crisis, Europe had also continued to show fairly strong growth, but that the real acceleration was in China. “China is picking up very strongly for ceramic tiles now because half of the world’s ceramic tiles are produced there. We are definitely moving in the right direction,” he added. In its trading update Xaar said it was accelerating research and development investment “to expand the conversion potential of analogue processes to digital inkjet across a range of markets”. The company said it would invest more than £12m in R&D in 2013, but added that while the growth in R&D was expected to broadly match the percentage increase in revenue, a higher rate of revenue growth would result in a strong operating margin. Meanwhile, the company’s expertise in 3D print technology has led Xaar to be included in one of 18 projects announced last week as the winners of £14.7m worth of investment. With £8.4m to be funded through the government’s Technology Strategy Board and a further £6.3m to come from private sector investment, the funding has been committed to further the development of 3D technology for manufacturing industries. Xaar is working with a consortium including FaraPack, Unilever Central Resources, BAE Systems, Cobham Technical Services and Marker Block on a project that will develop structural parts for industries including FMCG and aerospace. Xaar’s will develop and deliver specialist printheads as well as knowledge and expertise in additive manufacturing to the project. Dinwoodie said: “We’ve been involved in 3D printing for over 10 years and there is a lot of hype about it at the moment. “This project is some years away from commercialisation but it is interesting that money is being pushed into it and we will continue to support the consortium and see what it develops into. “For us 3D print revenue is a number of years away but it could well be a growth area. Like many of these advanced manufacturing applications that are emerging there isn’t that much business for them at the moment but five to 10 years from now, who knows?”...
read morePolestar vaunts power of print at client event
Speaking at a client event last night, where the group launched the upcoming revamp of its web offset facilities to more than 450 guests, Hibbert delivered a tour de force in praise of the power of print. He contrasted print’s proven effectiveness against the comparatively miniscule revenues from digital publishing and other online channels. “Of course we should embrace and encourage digital, but we shouldn’t do that at the expense of a sound business model that has stood the test of time,” he stated. “Without printing, none of you would have a digital stream to work with. “We want to encourage you to continue to invest in the golden nugget of printing.” Hibbert also said Polestar was likely to make an acquisition in the digital content space “when the time is right”. “We want to be a one-stop shop but the digital market is too fragmented at the moment, it’s like the VHS and Betamax scenario. When the time is right we will acquire.” Clients including major newspaper, publishing and retailing brands attended the event. Two months ago Polestar announced a £50m investment in new web presses from Goss International. It also plans to add two new high-speed perfect binding lines as part of the plan. The first two 96pp Sunday 5000 presses are due to be installed in the first half of next year, but Polestar is still assessing options for their location. Hibbert thanked customers for the long-term commitment of more than £900m of business over the next seven-to-eight years, which had made the spend possible. Group finance director Peter Johnston said the financial picture at the £280m turnover group had been “strengthened immeasurably” since 2011, when Polestar nearly collapsed prior to the pre-pack acquisition by Sun European Partners. “Despite the fact that we are operating in a very difficult economic climate we grew our earnings by 13% to £34m in 2012, and we expect to make a profit of £37m in 2013,” he said. “The printing industry in the UK is robust but the players in it are fragile, with weak balance sheets in the hands of private owners with limited access to funds. Polestar is the exception to that,” Johnston stated. Chief operating officer Peter Andreou said the new presses would result in Polestar becoming “one of the most technologically advanced web offset business in Europe, if not the world”, with the capacity to produce 11bn 32pp sections per annum. When installed, the new presses will provide “a 500% productivity increase over our current capabilities,” said Andreou. Goss International chief executive Rick Nichols, who made a flying visit to the UK in order to attend the event, said: “I’ve racked up more than 500,000 air miles visiting Goss customers in print and packaging since I joined the company 11 months ago, and Polestar is in the top five in terms of innovation and making a huge transformational change in their business.” He said the Goss webs would deliver “a sheetfed-type finish at web offset speed.”...
read moreUS print services giant acquires Professional Packaging Services
The Chicago-based company, which turned over nearly $800m last year, bought the Bradford packaging company as part of an ongoing strategy to expand its business portfolio and reach throughout Europe and the UK. Under the new arrangement, PPS, which provides high-end packaging for global clients including Harrods, Boots, Bollinger, Bacardi and Thorntons, will continue to operate in its current form but will be brought under the InnerWorkings umbrella. The US firm made its first foray into the UK in May 2008 when it acquired Solihull-based print management and marketing firm Etrinsic. The 100-staff company, which posted reveues of $44m in 2007, rebranded as InnerWorkings UK and went on to acquire online merchandise supplier Merchandise Mania in September last year. In 2011, before becoming part of InnerWorkings, the 34-staff firm posted an annual turnover of more than £6m. The latest acquisition is the company’s first move into the packaging manufacturing in the UK. PPS managing director Simon Bell said: “We are excited to join forces with InnerWorkings. I have no doubt that both companies will benefit greatly from each other’s expertise, global contacts and worldwide manufacturing network. “Although we will be operating under the InnerWorkings banner, I can assure clients it will be business as usual.” “PPS has a strong reputation for creating luxury packaging solutions,” said InnerWorkings UK managing director Simon Dipple. “We look forward to integrating them into the InnerWorkings family.”...
read morePolestar vaunts power of print at client event
Speaking at a client event last night, where the group launched the upcoming revamp of its web offset facilities to more than 450 guests, Hibbert delivered a tour de force in praise of the power of print. He contrasted print’s proven effectiveness against the comparatively miniscule revenues from digital publishing and other online channels. “Of course we should embrace and encourage digital, but we shouldn’t do that at the expense of a sound business model that has stood the test of time,” he stated. “Without printing, none of you would have a digital stream to work with. “We want to encourage you to continue to invest in the golden nugget of printing.” Hibbert also said Polestar was likely to make an acquisition in the digital content space “when the time is right”. “We want to be a one-stop shop but the digital market is too fragmented at the moment, it’s like the VHS and Betamax scenario. When the time is right we will acquire.” Clients including major newspaper, publishing and retailing brands attended the event. Two months ago Polestar announced a £50m investment in new web presses from Goss International. It also plans to add two new high-speed perfect binding lines as part of the plan. The first two 96pp Sunday 5000 presses are due to be installed in the first half of next year, but Polestar is still assessing options for their location. Hibbert thanked customers for the long-term commitment of more than £900m of business over the next seven-to-eight years, which had made the spend possible. Group finance director Peter Johnston said the financial picture at the £280m turnover group had been “strengthened immeasurably” since 2011, when Polestar nearly collapsed prior to the pre-pack acquisition by Sun European Partners. “Despite the fact that we are operating in a very difficult economic climate we grew our earnings by 13% to £34m in 2012, and we expect to make a profit of £37m in 2013,” he said. “The printing industry in the UK is robust but the players in it are fragile, with weak balance sheets in the hands of private owners with limited access to funds. Polestar is the exception to that,” Johnston stated. Chief operating officer Peter Andreou said the new presses would result in Polestar becoming “one of the most technologically advanced web offset business in Europe, if not the world”, with the capacity to produce 11bn 32pp sections per annum. When installed, the new presses will provide “a 500% productivity increase over our current capabilities,” said Andreou. Goss International chief executive Rick Nichols, who made a flying visit to the UK in order to attend the event, said: “I’ve racked up more than 500,000 air miles visiting Goss customers in print and packaging since I joined the company 11 months ago, and Polestar is in the top five in terms of innovation and making a huge transformational change in their business.” He said the Goss webs would deliver “a sheetfed-type finish at web offset speed.”...
read moreUS print services giant acquires Professional Packaging Services
The Chicago-based company, which turned over nearly $800m last year, bought the Bradford packaging company as part of an ongoing strategy to expand its business portfolio and reach throughout Europe and the UK. Under the new arrangement, PPS, which provides high-end packaging for global clients including Harrods, Boots, Bollinger, Bacardi and Thorntons, will continue to operate in its current form but will be brought under the InnerWorkings umbrella. The US firm made its first foray into the UK in May 2008 when it acquired Solihull-based print management and marketing firm Etrinsic. The 100-staff company, which posted reveues of $44m in 2007, rebranded as InnerWorkings UK and went on to acquire online merchandise supplier Merchandise Mania in September last year. In 2011, before becoming part of InnerWorkings, the 34-staff firm posted an annual turnover of more than £6m. The latest acquisition is the company’s first move into the packaging manufacturing in the UK. PPS managing director Simon Bell said: “We are excited to join forces with InnerWorkings. I have no doubt that both companies will benefit greatly from each other’s expertise, global contacts and worldwide manufacturing network. “Although we will be operating under the InnerWorkings banner, I can assure clients it will be business as usual.” “PPS has a strong reputation for creating luxury packaging solutions,” said InnerWorkings UK managing director Simon Dipple. “We look forward to integrating them into the InnerWorkings family.”...
read more