Roland launches wide-format rental scheme
The rental scheme is aimed at printers who either aren’t ready to commit to purchasing a device, are struggling to secure finance or simply have a short-term requirement for extra production capacity. Included in the rental programme are Roland’s VersaCamm SP-i and VS-i series of printer/cutters, the VersaART RE-640 printer and the VersaUV LEF-12 and LEF-20 desktop UV promotional product printers. Roland DG UK is financing the rental scheme directly. Customers will be required to pay a three-month deposit upfront and then make monthly rental payments via direct debit. The deposit will be refunded at the end of the rental provided the machine is in good working order, while customers will also have the option to buy the machine at market value once the rental period is over. Customers taking out two- or three-year rental agreements will be able to cancel after 12 and 18 months respectively, with one month’s written notice; there will be no early termination charges according to Roland. Roland gave an example three-year rental cost for its £8,499 VersaCamm SP-300i as £341.25, or £11.22 per day. The rental cost includes one set of inks, VersaWorks RIP software, training at the Roland Academy and a full RolandCare Silver warranty. James Johnson, business manager, RolandCare and Roland Rentals, said: “This is a very comprehensive package and one we believe will give the new entrant to wide-format printing everything they need to quickly see a return on their investment. “At Roland, we are consistently trying to find new ways to work with customers to ensure they can take advantage of all our wide format technology has to offer. This programme could open up a whole world of possibilities for many smaller, ambitious businesses and we are looking forward to introducing the many benefits of Roland’s technology to them.”...
read moreRevamped paper range targets expanding high-speed inkjet market
The five papers in its family will now come under the ‘Crown Letsgo’ brand, and range from Letsgo Eco targeted at transactional printing and the multi-purpose Letsgo Universal, through to Letsgo Bright Silk aimed at publishers and retailers. Grammages range from 70gsm to 170gsm. The Dutch papermaker has two paper machines at its Velsen site near Amsterdam, with the capacity to make 220,000 tonnes per annum. Its flexible setup means it can make smaller volumes with different types of coating. Around 10% of its current output is inkjet papers, mainly used in transactional printing, and it also makes label base papers and laser papers. Ad Sies, sales and business development manager for digital, said demand was growing as inkjet printing expands into new areas: “We introduced our new silk grade at Drupa last year and it has proved very popular. We subsequently introduced Letsgo Bright Silk because retailers wanted a brighter paper. “There is a real need for this type of paper in colour inkjet printing – we expect to see growth in retail and publishing applications,” Sies said. The firm’s papers are approved to work with equipment from all the major suppliers of high-speed inkjet kit, including Canon, HP, Kodak, Ricoh, Screen and Xerox. Through its Letsgo Develop initiative Crown Van Gelder aims to speed up the development of new papers. “Inkjet is hugely complex, technologically and it needs good paper,” Sies explained. “If you have a dialogue with the equipment manufacturer you can really shorten the time to market.” It also works directly with print customers to help them develop their businesses. “We are redefining fit-for-purpose, it doesn’t just have to be the inkjet equivalent to the laser or offset paper that was used in the past – let’s redefine it,” Sies added. Crown Van Gelder is also investigating the potential to expand its label grades following the recent explosion in inkjet label printing devices. The €160m (£135m) business employs 285 staff. It deals directly with major customers and its papers are also sold via Paperlinx. Technical details about its inkjet paper range can be viewed on the Crown Van Gelder website....
read moreHollanders announces commercial launch of ColorBooster DS-320
The duplex device, which is available in 2,100mm and 3,200mm widths, is equipped with two print engines and an integrated fixation unit, enabling it to print onto both sides of the media simultaneously. It uses Hollanders high-energy disperse direct textile inks and can be equipped with a range of gamut-extending colours in addition to the standard CMYK, including: grey, orange, red, green, blue and violet. In duplex mode the ColorBooster DS-320 has a maximum throughput speed of 72sqm/hr. The device features onboard climate control and is fitted with Hollanders media transport system which can handle rolls of up to 60cm in diameter. According to the Netherlands-based manufacturer, the DS-320 is intended for 24/7 industrial production of flags, banners and front- and back-lit displays. “The textile printing market has become ever more demanding and we have been able to address higher productivity and greater versatility with the new ColorBooster DS-320,” said Roland Biemans, marketing and communications manager at Hollanders Printing Systems. “Double-sided applications have been time consuming and labour intensive until now, but the arrival of this new machine means that anyone needing to print direct to both sides of the media can now achieve this as an automated process. “This opens new doors to flag and banner specialists, and simplifies the generation of front- and back-lit posters and displays.”...
read moreHollanders announces commercial launch of ColorBooster DS-320
The duplex device, which is available in 2,100mm and 3,200mm widths, is equipped with two print engines and an integrated fixation unit, enabling it to print onto both sides of the media simultaneously. It uses Hollanders high-energy disperse direct textile inks and can be equipped with a range of gamut-extending colours in addition to the standard CMYK, including: grey, orange, red, green, blue and violet. In duplex mode the ColorBooster DS-320 has a maximum throughput speed of 72sqm/hr. The device features onboard climate control and is fitted with Hollanders media transport system which can handle rolls of up to 60cm in diameter. According to the Netherlands-based manufacturer, the DS-320 is intended for 24/7 industrial production of flags, banners and front- and back-lit displays. “The textile printing market has become ever more demanding and we have been able to address higher productivity and greater versatility with the new ColorBooster DS-320,” said Roland Biemans, marketing and communications manager at Hollanders Printing Systems. “Double-sided applications have been time consuming and labour intensive until now, but the arrival of this new machine means that anyone needing to print direct to both sides of the media can now achieve this as an automated process. “This opens new doors to flag and banner specialists, and simplifies the generation of front- and back-lit posters and displays.”...
read morePackaging printer installs world’s first Oce InfiniStream
The machine from Canon joins a fleet of offset presses and will provide short- to medium-length runs for customers including global brand owners and local German brands. Leupold offers a complete range of services for folding cartons, point of sale displays and presentation boxes. Joh Leupold managing director Bernd Assmann said: “During discussions with brand owners it became evident trends such as declining run lengths and increasing use of versioned products will become major challenges in the packaging value chain. “Brand owners want shorter turn-around times and faster campaign execution as well as waste and cost reduction. We have carefully analysed the market. That is why we are taking advantage of a completely new press category – the fastest in the industry – in digital folding carton production.” The Océ InfiniStream is based on an electro-photographic liquid toner technology that is said to match offset in relation to productivity, print quality and substrate versatility. It has a roll-fed, modular print tower design enabling users to choose from four to seven colours. Canon confirmed that there were currently no other test sites in Europe, Asia or North America. European sales & marketing director, Commercial Printing Group at Canon Europe, Reinhold Frech, said that while the company was focusing on the folding carton market initially, the InifiniStream would “eventually be used for other applications other than folding cartons”. It was possible there would be a UK installation in the next 18 months said Frech, “but our priority is to complete our current order book,” he added. “We are in talks with many customers. There is a lot of interest in the technology, and we have already taken several UK printers to see the technology at our showroom and testing facility in Poing, Germany.” The InfiniStream runs at 120m per minute and can produce up to 14,400 B2-sized or 7,200 B1-sized sheets per hour on a 28 inch-wide web. The technology has the potential to be extended to even larger formats, exceeding the productivity and format flexibility of current digital presses for cardboard production. Compared with offset and depending on the specific job parameters, Canon claim the InfiniStream would deliver a cost advantage for run lengths up to 3,000 to 4,000 B1 sheets. InfiniStream handles standard offset cardboard substrates up to a thickness of 600 microns. Canon commercial printing group head for EMEA Peter Wolff said: “Our new InfiniStream technology, which already matches the productivity of sheetfed offset presses, ideally positions us to enter the growing packaging market.”...
read morePackaging printer installs world’s first Oce InfiniStream
The machine from Canon joins a fleet of offset presses and will provide short- to medium-length runs for customers including global brand owners and local German brands. Leupold offers a complete range of services for folding cartons, point of sale displays and presentation boxes. Joh Leupold managing director Bernd Assmann said: “During discussions with brand owners it became evident trends such as declining run lengths and increasing use of versioned products will become major challenges in the packaging value chain. “Brand owners want shorter turn-around times and faster campaign execution as well as waste and cost reduction. We have carefully analysed the market. That is why we are taking advantage of a completely new press category – the fastest in the industry – in digital folding carton production.” The Océ InfiniStream is based on an electro-photographic liquid toner technology that is said to match offset in relation to productivity, print quality and substrate versatility. It has a roll-fed, modular print tower design enabling users to choose from four to seven colours. Canon confirmed that there were currently no other test sites in Europe, Asia or North America. European sales & marketing director, Commercial Printing Group at Canon Europe, Reinhold Frech, said that while the company was focusing on the folding carton market initially, the InifiniStream would “eventually be used for other applications other than folding cartons”. It was possible there would be a UK installation in the next 18 months said Frech, “but our priority is to complete our current order book,” he added. “We are in talks with many customers. There is a lot of interest in the technology, and we have already taken several UK printers to see the technology at our showroom and testing facility in Poing, Germany.” The InfiniStream runs at 120m per minute and can produce up to 14,400 B2-sized or 7,200 B1-sized sheets per hour on a 28 inch-wide web. The technology has the potential to be extended to even larger formats, exceeding the productivity and format flexibility of current digital presses for cardboard production. Compared with offset and depending on the specific job parameters, Canon claim the InfiniStream would deliver a cost advantage for run lengths up to 3,000 to 4,000 B1 sheets. InfiniStream handles standard offset cardboard substrates up to a thickness of 600 microns. Canon commercial printing group head for EMEA Peter Wolff said: “Our new InfiniStream technology, which already matches the productivity of sheetfed offset presses, ideally positions us to enter the growing packaging market.”...
read morePixartprinting offers clients free large format sample book
The Italian-based web-to-print business already offers colour swatch books for small formats and rigid formats, and a sample book for small formats. In addition to these it has now developed the ‘Large format samples – Rigid media’ sample book, which provides printed samples of the main rigid materials, each with its own description, in a coffee table book. Sample materials range from wood, to corrugated board, to Plexiglas and Kapaplast, which is used for photo canvas prints. Andrea Pizzola, sales and marketing manager at Pixartprinting, said: “Because it is an online tool, [web2print] can be perceived as being cold and detached, creating a divide between a company and its users. “Our entire customer care department is working to shorten the distances, provide excellent services and ensure our customers’ loyalty.” For more information visit pixartprinting.co.uk/samples/wide-format-sample-pack....
read morePixartprinting offers clients free large format sample book
The Italian-based web-to-print business already offers colour swatch books for small formats and rigid formats, and a sample book for small formats. In addition to these it has now developed the ‘Large format samples – Rigid media’ sample book, which provides printed samples of the main rigid materials, each with its own description, in a coffee table book. Sample materials range from wood, to corrugated board, to Plexiglas and Kapaplast, which is used for photo canvas prints. Andrea Pizzola, sales and marketing manager at Pixartprinting, said: “Because it is an online tool, [web2print] can be perceived as being cold and detached, creating a divide between a company and its users. “Our entire customer care department is working to shorten the distances, provide excellent services and ensure our customers’ loyalty.” For more information visit pixartprinting.co.uk/samples/wide-format-sample-pack....
read moreRoyal Mail workers vote to strike as CWU renews DSA boycott threat
The turnout in the ballot of 115,000 CWU members was less than two-thirds (63%), of which 78% voted in favour of a strike versus 22% against. A 24-hour walkout will be held on Monday 4 November if no agreement has been reached by that date, after the CWU allowed two weeks for an agreement to be reached with Royal Mail’s management. Royal Mail said it was “very disappointed” that CWU members had voted in favour of strike action, but noted that – taking into account the turnout – 51% of the union membership had either voted against strike action or abstained. It added that including the 24,000 frontline employees who are not union members, only 40.5% had backed a strike. “Any action, or threat of disruption, is damaging to our business, especially in the run up to Christmas, our busiest time,” the Royal Mail warned. The CWU is in dispute with Royal Mail Group over “pay, pensions and the impact of privatisation on job security [and] terms and conditions” and has pledged that the dispute will remain until “each and every demand made has been met”. Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: “Postal workers have spoken very clearly that they care about their jobs, terms and conditions far more than they care about shares. The stakes have become much higher for postal workers since privatisation making this ballot more important than ever. Postal workers will not be the people who pay for the profits of private operators and faceless shareholders. “We have said from the beginning that we want an agreement and we still do. The question now is whether this privatised Royal Mail still wants an agreement. We have offered the company a two week period to reach an agreement and having already had many hours of negotiation, this is achievable if there is a will. The clock is ticking for both sides and we need Royal Mail to work to reach agreement before this deadline. “What we want is a groundbreaking, long term, legally binding agreement that not only protects postal workers’ job security, pay and pensions – but will also determine the strategy, principles and values of how the Royal Mail Group will operate as a private entity. “This means there will be no further breakup of the company, no franchising of individual offices or delivery rounds, no introduction of a cheaper workforce on two-tier terms and conditions and no part-time industry. “It will mean – regardless of who owns Royal Mail – this company will not be able to enter the race to the bottom and replicate the employment practices and service standards of their competitors.” Royal Mail has offered a three year, legally-binding and enforceable contract with the CWU, including an 8.6% increase in pay, allowance and overtime payments over that period, in addition to a £300 lump sum (in year one) payment to any employees who work normally during any strike action. The postal operator cited an Ipsos MORI poll that revealed that 72% of the British public say the CWU should accept the pay offer from Royal Mail and call off the plans to strike. All bar 371 Royal Mail employees that opted out of their free share options are currently sitting on paper profits in excess of £3,500, although they...
read moreRoyal Mail workers vote to strike as CWU renews DSA boycott threat
The turnout in the ballot of 115,000 CWU members was less than two-thirds (63%), of which 78% voted in favour of a strike versus 22% against. A 24-hour walkout will be held on Monday 4 November if no agreement has been reached by that date, after the CWU allowed two weeks for an agreement to be reached with Royal Mail’s management. Royal Mail said it was “very disappointed” that CWU members had voted in favour of strike action, but noted that – taking into account the turnout – 51% of the union membership had either voted against strike action or abstained. It added that including the 24,000 frontline employees who are not union members, only 40.5% had backed a strike. “Any action, or threat of disruption, is damaging to our business, especially in the run up to Christmas, our busiest time,” the Royal Mail warned. The CWU is in dispute with Royal Mail Group over “pay, pensions and the impact of privatisation on job security [and] terms and conditions” and has pledged that the dispute will remain until “each and every demand made has been met”. Dave Ward, CWU deputy general secretary, said: “Postal workers have spoken very clearly that they care about their jobs, terms and conditions far more than they care about shares. The stakes have become much higher for postal workers since privatisation making this ballot more important than ever. Postal workers will not be the people who pay for the profits of private operators and faceless shareholders. “We have said from the beginning that we want an agreement and we still do. The question now is whether this privatised Royal Mail still wants an agreement. We have offered the company a two week period to reach an agreement and having already had many hours of negotiation, this is achievable if there is a will. The clock is ticking for both sides and we need Royal Mail to work to reach agreement before this deadline. “What we want is a groundbreaking, long term, legally binding agreement that not only protects postal workers’ job security, pay and pensions – but will also determine the strategy, principles and values of how the Royal Mail Group will operate as a private entity. “This means there will be no further breakup of the company, no franchising of individual offices or delivery rounds, no introduction of a cheaper workforce on two-tier terms and conditions and no part-time industry. “It will mean – regardless of who owns Royal Mail – this company will not be able to enter the race to the bottom and replicate the employment practices and service standards of their competitors.” Royal Mail has offered a three year, legally-binding and enforceable contract with the CWU, including an 8.6% increase in pay, allowance and overtime payments over that period, in addition to a £300 lump sum (in year one) payment to any employees who work normally during any strike action. The postal operator cited an Ipsos MORI poll that revealed that 72% of the British public say the CWU should accept the pay offer from Royal Mail and call off the plans to strike. All bar 371 Royal Mail employees that opted out of their free share options are currently sitting on paper profits in excess of £3,500, although they...
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