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Global meet at Drupa 24 for Authentication & Traceability p…

The Authentication Solution Providers' Association (ASPA), a leading non-profit organization dedicated to advancing secure authentication solutions, today announced its entry into the Middle East and Africa regions with the introduction of its MEA (Middle East & Africa) Chapter. This strategic move, marking ASPA's 25th year of combating counterfeits, aims to strengthen its global efforts against the proliferation of counterfeit goods, which pose severe risks to consumer safety, economic stability, and intellectual property rights. Industry veteran Mr. Ranesh Bajaj, will assume the position of Chairperson at ASPA's MEA Chapter. At the global meet held in conjunction with Drupa 2024 at Dusseldorf, the Governing body team of ASPA organized an interaction for professionals from the Authentication industry worldwide. This initiative will ensure greater cooperation between global companies regarding technology and service in the fight against counterfeiting. Recognizing the Middle East and Africa as significant export hubs for various products, including pharmaceuticals, automotive parts, electronics, and luxury goods, ASPA acknowledges the critical importance of addressing counterfeiting issues before these products enter international supply chains. According to a recent report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), counterfeit goods account for up to 3.3% of global trade, with the Middle East and Africa contributing significantly to this challenge. "Combating counterfeiting at the source is crucial to ensure the integrity of exported goods and protect global supply chains," added Mr. Manoj Kochar, President of ASPA. "By working collaboratively with stakeholders around the world, we can implement effective authentication measures, strengthen regulatory frameworks, and raise awareness among consumers, ultimately contributing to global economic growth and consumer confidence. Counterfeiting is a transnational threat that requires coordinated and collaborative efforts from stakeholders across borders." ASPA endeavors to collaborate with stakeholders including the manufacturers, brand owners, technology providers, law enforcement agencies, and policymakers in the Middle East and Africa to champion authenticity, safeguard consumer interests, and fortify legitimate businesses. The organization's strategic focus in these regions will center on research, advocacy, capacity building, and the advancement of best practices in authentication and traceability solutions. "I am eager to lead ASPA's efforts in the Middle East and Africa," said Mr. Ranesh Bajaj, ASPA's MEA Chapter Chairperson. "We will remain steadfast in upholding ASPA's core values and mission, working tirelessly to promote authentication solutions and protect consumers in these regions. Additionally, we aim to gather more like-minded stakeholders to join us in this collective endeavor." The Drupa 2024 meeting saw participation from over 40 delegates from Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and India, with media covering the event. Stakeholders and industry players connected and shared insights, showing great interest in ASPA's initiatives. Notably, Mr Zbigniew Sagan, President of the International Tax Stamp Association (ITSA), also joined the meeting in an engaging session of the ASPA meeting at Drupa. ASPA and ITSA are also in touch, discussing an exciting potential collaboration. This interaction highlighted the event's success in fostering international cooperation and advancing the fight against counterfeiting. This expansion underscores ASPA's commitment to fostering global partnerships and leveraging collective expertise in the fight against counterfeiting. The organization remains resolute in its mission to advance secure authentication solutions, promote industry best practices, and safeguard consumer interests worldwide.

Global meet at Drupa 24 for Authentication & Traceability p…

Koenig & Bauer well positioned in the first half of 2022 despite all …

The Koenig & Bauer Group (“Koenig & Bauer”) can look back on a challenging first half of 2022. The current operating environment is one of the most difficult in Europe’s recent history. Almost all manufacturing companies are caught between high customer demands on the one hand and a long list of adverse factors mainly on the supply side on the other. “Despite all the current uncertainties and temporary effects, we are well positioned in multiple respects and are continuing to strategically align our business model along the growing market for packaging”, says Dr Andreas Pleßke, Chief Executive Officer of Koenig & Bauer, adding that “our end markets, which primarily address the food, beverage, pharmaceutical, and cosmetics sectors, are healthy”. Order intake boosted by growth in the Sheetfed and Digital & Webfed segments Customers ordered around 13% more in the first half of 2022 than in the already good period of the previous year. This performance was particularly underpinned by the increase of around 22% in orders in the Sheetfed segment and of around 46% in the Digital & Webfed segment. At €692.9m, order intake was once again above the industry-wide average for printing presses in the first five months, rising by just under 5%. At around €1bn, Koenig & Bauer’s order backlog as of 30 June is one of the highest in the company’s recent history. The customers’ investment decisions are thus showing that Koenig & Bauer has done a good job in recent years and that the decision to focus on products and solutions on the structurally growing market for packaging is paying off. Koenig & Bauer is systematically pursuing this path and has now joined forces with Celmacch Group S.r.l., a leading manufacturer of high board line flexographic printing presses and rotary die cutters for the corrugated board industry. Koenig & Bauer already addresses the corrugated cardboard market, which accounts for the greatest proportion of the total market for packaging in terms of value, with CorruCUT and CorruFLEX. Looking forward, Celmacch will trade under the name Koenig & Bauer Celmacch and the joint product family will cover all price and performance classes in this market segment under the name “Chroma”. Christoph Müller, the member of the Management Board responsible for the Digital & Webfed segment, comments: “The success of this merger is based on complementary skills to actively leverage opportunities for growth in the corrugated cardboard market.” Early renewal by the Supervisory Board of contracts to ensure continuity on the Management Board In this context, Christoph Müller’s contract has been renewed ahead of schedule, meaning that he will remain on the Management Board until 30 June 2026, after being initially appointed in 2006. He is responsible for new developments in corrugated board and digital printing as well as strategic partnerships, such as with hp. This renewal will ensure the smooth integration of Celmacch within Koenig & Bauer’s global sales and service network. Ralf Sammeck has been a member of the Management Board since 2007. He is responsible for the digital transformation within the Group and, with his experience, will ensure that the Sheetfed segment continues to expand its successful position in the growing packaging market and to drive forward digitisation even after drupa 2024. His contract has been renewed by a further year until 30 June 2025. Independence from pipeline gas being stepped up to achieve maximum self-sufficiency Continuity and independence – these are two characteristics that are paying off twice in the current situation given the list of adverse factors: geopolitical uncertainties, an impending gas supply freeze and the disruption to global supply chains. Over the last few months, Koenig & Bauer has been working on reducing its reliance on pipeline gas ahead of an imminent gas shortage. This means that the process gas previously required for production can be completely substituted from the end of July 2022. In addition, supplies of fuel for heating energy will be modified at the main production sites by the beginning of September. Unforeseen fluctuations in the power grid cannot be ruled out as a consequence of limited gas supplies. Koenig & Bauer is also prepared for this scenario and, with the measures taken, sees its own production in all European plants as very largely secured, even in the event of a possible Russian gas supply freeze. Operating earnings improved despite increase in inefficient production costs resulting from disruptions to global supply chains At €491.8m at the end of the first six months, Group revenue was virtually unchanged over the previous year and well above the industry average, which revealed a decline of around 13% after the first five months. In terms of the individual quarters, revenue in the second quarter was higher than in the same quarter of the previous year as well as the first quarter of 2022. With respect to earnings, the higher cost of materials and energy was almost completely offset by the price increases that had been announced. However, the proportion of inefficient production costs widened in the second quarter due to worldwide disruptions to supply chains. They are also necessitating additional or retro work on systems and presses and exerting strain on productivity at the plants and on site at the customers. The central purchasing system introduced under the P24x efficiency programme is also paying off given the disrupted global supply chains. Generally speaking, successful progress was made with the P24x programme in the first half of the year, resulting in savings of around €22m. At €-13.8m, Group earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) were still in negative territory. The previous year's figure of €6.4m had been boosted by an amount of €21.3m resulting from the more efficient implementation of the P24x personnel measures and stood at €-14.9m in operating terms. Accordingly, operating EBIT improved by €1.1m, corresponding to an operating EBIT margin of -2.8%, compared with -3.0% in the previous year. After income taxes, the Group posted a net loss of €-15.8m as of 30 June 2022 (previous year: net profit of €1.1m). This translates into earnings per share of €-0.98 (previous year: €0.05). Given the Group equity ratio of 29.1% (end of 2021: 28.7%), Koenig & Bauer is financially well positioned thanks to this equity base and the freely available cash and cash equivalents of more than €250m. Full-year forecast for 2022 and medium-term goals reaffirmed The second half of the year continues to be marked by great uncertainties. The global disruptions to supply chains are just as unpredictable as the geopolitical situation and high inflation in Europe and the United States and could place a damper on the global economy in the second half of the year. This is exacerbated by the currently unknown course of the pandemic in the winter months. The planned delivery of our presses and systems for the second half of 2022 poses a major challenge and must be reassessed if the global supply chain situation continues to deteriorate. Accordingly, it is still not possible to provide a reliable full-year forecast for 2022 as of the date on which the report on the first half of the year was completed; Koenig & Bauer continues to anticipate a slight year-on-year increase in Group operating revenue and the operating EBIT margin in 2022 and confirms its medium-term targets. Dr Stephen Kimmich, CFO of Koenig & Bauer: “Despite all the external uncertainties, we feel well positioned to achieve our goals for 2022 as a basis for reaching our medium-term goals.”

admin in News Sept. 16, 2022

How to implement automation in printing operations

It is becoming necessary in printing operations to automate as much as possible to gain efficiencies. But before you begin your planning processes, look at your current state to ensure that you understand how works happen today. Kodak, a global technology company focused on print and advanced materials and chemicals, explains the vital role of automation in printing operations and how to do it properly. Read on. Single system of record that reliably gathers data from business and production systems If you have that system of record, you are in the perfect state to take on end-to-end automation. If you have multiple points of data collection that have never been integrated, there is still a path to automation. Still, your planning may take longer to accommodate identifying the required data and the processes that use them. Standard processes for order taking, job specification, and order management When there are standard processes, planning for automation can leverage them to speed implementation. When the procedures to take orders are different for every sales channel, it is hard to standardize order intake. When the process of capturing job specifications varies by sales team member and orders are managed without a strategic view into machine usage and job deadlines, some work will be required before automating and making those processes more efficient. How many spreadsheets are used to track jobs, components, or processes? Every business has some ad hoc processes tracked on spreadsheets, whiteboards, and notepads to keep mission-critical items front of mind. There is nothing wrong with them, but when they become the sole source of truth about a job or a process, they add risk to production. Some organisations justify using spreadsheets by putting them onto shared-access servers so that all authorized constituents can easily access them. It sounds like a great idea, but over time you may find that copies are sitting on individual desktops, and the shared copy is no longer the reliable source of information. Knowing what you have as you plan for automation will help you size the effort. Moving to that automated environment creates a single system of record that is reliable and can be integrated into adjacent business and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Planning for automation You could find some processes that appear easy to automate, add some new tools, and call that your automation plan, but there is a better path. It starts with knowing what is possible. New options in cloud-based workflows bring the same powerful options to smaller shops as the largest shops enjoy. With minimal investments and immediate implementation, shops with a single digital press can build an efficient workflow that will scale using the same technology as a mid-size shop with a mix of offset and digital devices. And these modern cloud-based production workflow solutions can help in any segment, whether the work you produce is graphically-rich static content or uses data-driven processes to execute variable content targeted to a specific recipient. Today’s automated production workflows are built to integrate MIS and ERP tools, Web-to-Print solutions, and e-commerce options. This approach should be high on your list as you consider automation options because it brings a robust IT infrastructure to the table. Automating individual processes glued together with manual interventions isn’t the accomplishment that brings the most benefit. Considering automation requires a dive into every action involved, from the point of estimation and sale to the final delivery to the customer. Planning is the active event designed to identify the touchpoints and the best approach to reviewing each step, the people involved, and the current tools used. Start by articulating your strategic goals for 2022. You may be looking to expand into a new industry or print segments. Your current workload may require more capacity. You may want to acquire more capabilities, either through buying more equipment, optimising workflows, or buying a company. As you consider your strategic plan, itemize the candidate processes for automation to move you toward those goals. Don’t be surprised if you identify current manual processes as critical roadblocks. Strategic goals are long-term and inform the way the business runs. There will be some work to do to build the bridge from strategy to implementation, and that is where tactical planning becomes essential. Tactical goals are more than solving today’s bottleneck. They work within the strategy to consider implementing new software and processes while keeping production moving. Think of it as changing the tires on a car while it’s in motion. There will be practical concerns as current processes are replaced by automation, including how and when to move off tools that are no longer providing value. Tactics should support the strategic goals and solve the business' specific challenges without adding more hurdles to creating an automated environment. Build the strategic plan for automation to consider the practical implication of automating the current processes, including goals for gaining buy-in from the team members in each department, who may be asked to change how they do their jobs or change positions to accommodate the planned process modifications. Look for onramps to the fully automated business environment for every element in the tactical plan that enables lower cost and higher margins. A part of tactical planning includes your approach to daily operations. To create an efficient environment in 2022, consider a standalone Operational Plan to document the expectations for each department, interface points between departments, and the key performance metrics that will help everyone stay on the strategic course. Automation does not eliminate the need to understand the production touchpoints. The best practice is to document what should happen if you lose access to the automation, too. The last step in planning for automation is to build the appropriate contingency plans. Cloud-based automated workflows protect you from onsite server disruptions and mitigate much of the risk associated with onsite installations when paired with a disciplined backup strategy. What to do next If you plan to automate your print workflow in 2022, look for scalable and easy platforms to integrate with your core business systems. Ensure that your chosen technology partner lets you automate each task within prepress and production and then map those automated tasks together to ensure that each type of job takes the correct journey through each process. Learn your options, and then create a plan that works for you.

admin in News July 22, 2022

Estimable estimators

If they were lucky, the human estimators had an adding machine or desktop calculator to help with the figures. A busy medium-sized printer might have 10 or more full time estimators. Finding and keeping that many specialised estimators could be tricky, as the work was exacting but hardly exciting. Computers were an obvious solution, but the knowledge of how to program for such specialised calculations wasn’t. One of the first UK companies to crack it was what was to become Imprint Business Systems, which is still going strong after 42 years. Today its customers in print and packaging run into the hundreds and many of them have used Imprint systems for at least 25 years. Like most of the early MIS developers, Imprint grew out of the needs of a particular print company, which then used the experience gained to sell to a wider circle or printing and packaging companies. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw a lot of computer estimating start-ups, often with printing company roots. Some of Imprint’s original UK competitors from 40-odd years ago have also survived and prospered independently, such as Optimus (originally Optichrome Computer Systems Ltd, or OCSL), DDS (Accura) and Tharstern, while others were taken over by the ever-expanding EFI empire (such as Prism, Radius, Shuttleworth and Technique). A few others have either merged, or closed, or both. Imprint itself was founded in 1978 by Glennys Bourne and Jonathan Richards. Originally the pair had worked together at the art book printer Shenval Press in Harlow. Richards was general manager, later a director of Shenval, but had learned programming skills at college. Bourne went on to run the nearby Caterpillar Press. Bourne says that the reason for writing the original computer estimating program was a shortage of the trained human variety. “You could not get estimators for love nor money,” she says. So the first estimating program was written to suit the needs of Shenval Press and Caterpillar Press. Bourne saw the potential for Imprint beyond the needs of Shenval and Caterpillar, so the latter was sold to concentrate on the new business. “The Imprint name describes the company well and has stood us well over the years,” says Richards. “As for why the name was chosen, it just seemed a good fit at the time.” Both are still very much involved today. Bourne is CEO, while Jonathan Richards says he’s “allowed to be chairman on high days and holidays”. However, time marches on and their children Will Richards and Nick Bourne have also joined Imprint – the latter now being MD. Today Imprint is based in High Easter, in the countryside between Chelmsford and Bishop’s Stortford, handily close to the M11 and Stansted airport. It employs 16 people in an often overlapping mix of management, programming and customer services roles.

admin in News July 22, 2022

Agfa Avinci CX3200

Avinci CX3200 is 3.2 m wide dye sub textile printer capable of printing on polyester-based textiles What is it? Agfa’s Avinci CX3200 is a highly reliable and convenient soft signage printer that can print directly to fabrics and onto transfer paper. It uses an off-line calendar unit to ensure perfect fixation. Agfa’s dedicated dye sublimation roll-to-roll printer will enable you to create vibrant, high-quality prints on polyester-based fabrics up to 3.2 m wide, including a broad range of in- and outdoor soft signage applications, as well as interior decoration. The Avinci CX3200 boasts a rich color gamut and delivers deep black, perfect solids, accurate spot color mapping and smooth tonal rendering that is particularly noticeable in skin tones. The Avinci inks are characterised by their flexibility, image longevity and outdoor resistance. They offer stable jetting performance and deliver the same high-quality results, batch after batch. An off-line calender unit fixes the color deeply into the structure of the polyester-based fabrics while evaporating the carrier fluid. When was it launched at what are the target markets? It was launched on June 22, 2021, and aimed at soft signage industry, sports wear, fashion industry and home décor. Avinic CX3200 is a 3.2 m wide Dye Sub Textile printer capable of printing on polyester based textiles. Does it replace an earlier product? It replaces the earlier model of DX3200. The Avinci CX3200 is driven by Agfa’s Asanti wide-format workflow software. Color accuracy is provided by the easy-to-use color management. Using their Calibrated Print Mode feature, new media can be calibrated and profiled in less than 15 minutes, after which the new profiles can be used to guarantee print quality. Asanti controls and automates the entire printing process from file intake to finishing, maximising productivity. Its comprehensive integration of file handling, color management and preflighting guarantees smooth and error-free jobs. The web-based Asanti Production Dashboard offers a view on your running production. It summarizes the jobs produced and reports on quantity printed, media usage, ink volumes enabling you to control your production and to manage your print shop optimally. What is the USP? It allows you to print directly on textiles and capable of print on transfer paper media as well. Single person media loading and low inks consumptions are another features. High productivity and a robust design for reliable printing at all times, vibrant prints and a wide color gamut; fine detail rendering; extensive applications scope; low ink consumption; convenient operations and a fast changeover between jobs are another features. Avinci produces good results with a minimum of jetted ink. This low ink consumption is based on Agfa’s renowned Thin Ink Layer technology: a smart combination of particular ink characteristics and our Asanti workflow software algorithms that tune the ink quantities perfectly to the required image quality mode. What training and support are available? Full in house training and support available from Agfa UAE and Belgium. Complete and integrated solution are available for printer, inks, workflow software, worldwide service and applications support. How productive is it? It prints at speed of 250 Sqm per hr on express mode. Being able to print directly to fabric is easy and ideal for fast handling and for special applications such as flags, where print-though is needed. Transfer paper allows for super sharp prints, eliminates any set-off, and limits media waste to a minimum. In addition, it extends the application scope to sportswear and fashion garments, as well as home décor prints on non-coated polyester fabrics. What does it cost? How is it sold? The recommended retail price (RRP) is approximately $220k stand alone printer and requires a separate calendaring unit. How many are in use? Currently, the latest CX3200 are around 11 units around the world. Specifications 3.2m Dye sublimation Printer Kyocera print heads 4 colour printer CYMK Direct to garment capable to print on transfer paper Max speed of 250 sqm Stand alone printer Resolution up to 600 x 1800 dpi Media types: Polyester-based fabrics, or transfer paper used to create banners, indoor wall graphics, shop decoration, outdoor advertising, light boxes, trade show displays, flags and high polyester-based blends “Agfa Avinci CX3200 was launched in June 2021.”

Aug. 2, 2022

Epson – SureColor SC V7000 Flatbed Printer

Epson's first UV large format printer offers exceptional image quality, Shihab Zubair What is it? The SureColor SC-V7000 is Epson's first UV large format printer, offering exceptional image quality. The V7000 is ideal for printing eye-catching retail and outdoor signage, window displays, hoarding panels, packaging, promotional goods, and décor products. It includes Epson’s Micro Piezo printhead with ten newly developed original inks, for accurate colour reproduction for spot and corporate colours. It allows businesses the flexibility to print on a range of media up to 80mm thick including acrylics, polycarbonates, PVC, glass, aluminium, metal, polyester, foam board, styrene, wood and stone. The printhead layout enables simultaneous high-speed printing and, with the 4-zone vacuum system, it offers real flexibility for production environments. When was it launched at what are the target markets? The Epson SureColor SC-V7000 was launched in April 2021 within the Middle East region, building on the success of Epson’s award-winning range of SureColor S Series signage printers. The V7000 allows sign and display makers to expand their portfolio of products, to deliver high quality, fast and reliable results on a variety of different media. Does it replace an earlier product? The SureColor SC-V7000 proudly marks Epson’s entry into the UV flatbed signage print market. As Epson’s first UV large format printer, it provides unique features to differentiate and enhance our offering to the signage market. Every feature of the Epson SureColor SC-V7000 has been designed with the customer in mind. This is a robust and affordable UV LED flatbed signage printer capable of fast and quality printing on a wide range of media – any type of surface, despite the size, thickness, or weight. This is in addition to Epson’s successful product solutions such as the Epson SureColor SC Series of eco-solvent and resin ink printers. For instance, for environmentally friendly organisations, Epson’s SureColor SC-R5010 Series has the capacity to include a resin ink solution, offering print service providers and creative design agencies the ability to produce a wide range of signage in a more sustainable way, without compromising on the results. For a larger ink capacity, Epson offers the SureColor SC-R5010L. What is the USP? The Epson SureColor SC-V7000 provides exceptional image quality, productivity, usability, and safety. With the unique Epson Micro Piezo printhead, the printer has ten newly developed original inks and 3-layer high-speed printing. It helps print with ease and safety with automatic measurement of media thickness, a multi-zone vacuum, and a printhead crash prevent function, Epson Edge Print, proximity sensors. What training and support is available? Epson manufactures all the components for the SureColor SC-V7000, including printheads, inks and software, in order to reach the consistent quality levels that our customers expect. The Epson Cloud Solution PORT is a cloud-based system from where you will be able to monitor equipment across several sites, or several printers across one site, from the production floor or remotely, and assist the control of production. This enables efficient production planning, increased uptime and enhanced support. Epson Production Monitor is part of the Epson Cloud Solution PORT suite of apps and allows you to examine the production status in real-time. If an issue occurs, it can be corrected efficiently with minimal disruption to the print run. How productive is it? The SureColor SC-V7000 enables businesses to print at high speed with a maximum print area of 2.5 metres by 1.25 metres. The printhead layout enables simultaneous high-speed printing, with white ink and varnish, without losing productivity. What does it cost? How is it sold? The recommended retail price (RRP) is around AED 330,563 (US $90,000) and it is sold through authorised partners in the Middle East. How many are in use? Currently two printers have been installed in the UAE, and we are scheduled to install a few more in December and further into 2022. Specifications UltraChrome UV 10-colour inkset Printing resolution of 720 x 1,440 DPI Outstanding print quality High-speed simultaneous printing even when using white, colour and varnish Printheads, ink, firmware and software with an ink tank capacity of 1,000 ml Price from AED 330,563 “Epson SureColor SC-V7000 was launched in April 2021.”

Aug. 2, 2022

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