28.06.2008
Komori to open new tech centers

Komori, in order to speed service and provide technical support and training in emerging sales markets, will open new Technical Service Centers in Malaysia and the Czech Republic. Both Centers are scheduled to open in September 2008.
The Technical Service Center in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will employ 10 specialists. In addition to speeding service response times, the Center will provide product training, not only for Komori’s distributor technicians but also for customer technicians and press operators. It will also serve as a sales support demonstration center. To increase customer satisfaction and provide customer “Kando” (Beyond Expectations), the Center will provide preventive maintenance support to customers to ensure maximum productivity of their Komori presses.
The Eastern European Service and Sales Center will be a branch office of Komori International Netherlands (KIN), and will be operated out of the headquarters of Graffin, Komori’s distributor in Prague. Also employing 10 specialists, this Center will provide sales and service support, training and an ongoing preventive maintenance program to Komori customers in the region.

27.06.2008
Daido Shiko goes for roland

Manroland has just gained a new costumer from the Japanese community. The quality offered for PP foil and plastic printing proved convincing for Daido Shiko in Nagoya. Daido Shiko, in Nagoya, Japan, purchased a seven-color ROLAND 500 with UV equipment during drupa 2008, the first time it has opted for a manroland press. The reason: Daido Shiko’s principal competitors are also manroland customers, which is why the print shop wanted to ensure a new and stronger market position.

26.06.2008
EskoArtwork expands in Eastern Europe

Three new reseller agreements have been signed up by EskoArtwork in order to meet demand in the Eastern European display and packaging markets, where its revenues are increasing annually by 30 to 60 percent. The company's Kongsberg cutting tables will now be offered by Romanian companies ProPrint SRL and Grup Transilvae, both of Transylvania, and Croatian distributor Fortuna Komers, in this region. The trio of newly-signed dealers will provide EskoArtwork customers in the region with sales and support services. Grup Transilvae and Fortuna Komers are both long-standing distributors of the full range of HP Designjet and HP Scitex printers, from aqueous- and mild-solvent based products through to wide- and superwide-format UV-curable options. The main customer base for these two companies are within the display and sign-making sectors whilst ProPrint specialises in the packaging industry.

25.06.2008
Editora Abril in Brazil orders KBA Compacta 618

Brazilian publisher Editora Abril, the São Paulo based market company, placed an order with Koenig & Bauer AG (KBA) for a 48-page commercial web press. The decision builds on the historical business relationship in publication gravure printing.
The new 48-page Compacta 618, which will go into operation next summer, will have a fifth printing unit to print special colours. It will also be equipped with KBA RollerTronic roller locks which were unveiled for use on commercial web presses at drupa for the first time. The locks automatically perform high-precision contract pressure adjustment on the inking rollers. Since Grupo Abril was founded in 1950, it has grown to become one of the largest and most successful media corporations in Latin America, and it currently employs more than 7,400 persons. The publisher Editora Abril is a member of the corporate group. The company’s 314 publications had a total circulation of 164 million in 2007. Seven of ten magazines in Brazil are published by Abril including Veja, the world‘s fourth-largest wee weekly magazine. Editora Abril is also the leader in the educational market, and it printed 38 million textbooks last year.

24.06.2008
COLORMAN XXL goes to Ireland

Smurfit Kappa News Press Limited, Kells/Ireland, signed the official order for a COLORMAN, XXL with six printing towers and two 4:7:7 folders . The press is equipped with the materials logistics system AUROSYS as well as with the networking software printnet. The press is expected to go into production in spring, 2009. Smurfit Kappa prints primarily for News International and Associated Newspapers Limited in Ireland. Tom Mooney, CEO of Smurfit Kappa News Press Limited and Gerd Finkbeiner, CEO of manroland, are happy about their common project: “Ireland’s fastest and first triple width newspaper printing press”. Tom Mooney, CEO of Smurfit Kappa News Press Limited, explains why the company has decided in favor of the COLORMAN, XXL: “This press fulfils our highest expectations in terms of quality and production capability for full color newspaper production requirements".

23.06.2008
Mimaki’s solutions make a buzz

Mimaki’s booth at drupa bustled with activity and interest by printers from all areas of the graphic arts. The JPP 60-12, a new professional inkjet CtP system featuring high registration accuracy and low running costs was the center of attention for commercial printers who were looking for a processless platemaking solution. As the plates generated by the JPP 60-12 are press ready, this real chemical-free and processless system is an alternative for many.
Label printers were interested in the IPH-300-L label press. It employs single pass inkjet technology enabling it to reach speeds of up to 12.5 m/min on a web width of 30 cm at standard resolution of 600 x 600 dpi and offers a high resolution mode of 600 x 1200 dpi. The press is modular and was demonstrated in roll to roll configuration. In addition the print unit as well as the transport unit together or only the first can be implemented into existing lines enabling variable printing on preprinted stock or other substrates such as plastics. In addition the UV inks instantly dry enabling immediate finishing.
The UJF-605RII made impact on flexo and gravure printers especially. Apart from being able to print on original substrates which are used in flexo presses it enables proofing with six colors and white over and underprint. The UJF-605RII also is used for short run production as well as sampling. The machine employs UV inks and accommodates roll-to-roll and sheet materials up to a width of 64 cm such as OPP, PET and shrink film among others. Its vacuum table ensures high accuracy. Vivid and colorful proofs of all kinds of jobs calibrated to the respective press profiles are easily achieved.
The UJF-605CII, a UV inkjet system able to print on even and uneven surfaces such as plastic cards, pens, wood or metal to name just a few was well received. Many visitors expressed great interest in this device that prints with six colors (CMYKLcLm), white and gloss on a wide variety of materials. Both the UJF-605RII and the UJF-605CII print with a resolution of 1200 x 2400 dpi.

20.06.2008
Katun solutions for Konica Minolta

Katun Corporation created a Katun Performance color toners for use in Konica Minolta bizhub  C250/C252 color digital printers and monochrome toners for 600/750 applications. These products “will help dealers maintain high levels of customer satisfaction while significantly lowering their costs”, says Katun Corporation. It was also tested to match Konica Minolta toner attributes in many areas, such as image density, half-tone reproduction, background imaging or print/copy yields and toner adhesion/fusing performance, and can be used after a OEM toner and avoid degradation of print/copy quality. The new products are available in the Katun Online Catalogue.

19.06.2008
Sun Chemical signs with Fogra

Sun Chemical has signed a partnership contract with Fogra, the graphic technology research association based in Munich, Germany, to contribute to the association’s activities in the certification of offset print shops according to Process Standard Offset (PSO).
The contract outlines Sun Chemical’s role in the partnership, which includes assisting print shops to meet the demands of the international print standard ISO 12647-2.  This standard is applied when preparing colour separations for four-colour offset printing or when producing four-colour prints by heatset web, sheetfed or continuous forms process printing.  Both parties agreed to cooperate worldwide except in German-speaking countries, where Fogra has existing arrangements in place. Felipe Mellado, corporate vice president and group managing director for Sun Chemical Europe, added: “We are proud to enter a partnership with Fogra, one of the leading research organisations in the graphic arts industry, and look forward to adding value to this important project. This is another important step forward for Sun Chemical, which is working with a growing number of companies and organisations on initiatives, services and products that benefit our customers.

18.06.2008
HKS unveils DtP package

HKS is celebrating its 40-year anniversary with a new DTP package “Creative Box 3ooo+” for creators and designers. Apart from the HKS 3ooo+ software and booklet, “Creative Box 3ooo+” also contains the HKS 3ooo+ K and HKS 3ooo+ N colour guides in a practical “colour garage.”
The new HKS 3ooo+ software rounds off our universal HKS Colour Management System 3ooo+. Professional designers have digital access to all colours for coated and uncoated paper using all standard graphics software. The HKS 3ooo+ software has a direct interface to Adobe Creative Suite 2 and 3 as well as to QuarkXpress 7, generating document-specific colour palettes for all software applications.

17.06.2008
EskoArtwork gets Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering

EskoArtwork announced the signing of a Letter of Intent to acquire Mikkelsen Graphic Engineering, Inc (MGE). After four years of cooperation on digital converting, the companies decided to integrate its development and distribution activities. The transaction, for which no financial details will be disclosed, is expected to close by end of July 2008. “By fully aligning our development and distribution efforts with EskoArtwork’s hardware and software technologies and global sales and support channels we will be able to bring even more attractive and performant converting systems to the digital printing and sign & display markets”, says Steen Mikkelsen, owner and president of MGE.

16.06.2008
XChange releases QkLink

XChange is releasing the Sonar Bookends QkLink for QuarkXPress v7.x. QkLink allows users to define PDF bookmarks and hyperlinks directly within QuarkXPress so they are automatically generated when the PDF version of the document is created. Bookmarks can be defined manually or can be detected automatically using various attributes that the user specifies.Hyperlinks are defined manually. When the document is later converted to a PDF, the specified bookmarks and hyperlinks appear in the PDF automatically. “This has been a highly requested feature from users and we are excited that we are now able to offer the capabilities that QkLink provides,” states Greg Stodghill, Technical Support Services Manager for XChange International.

13.06.2008
Techno Sanaye acquires Rapida for Iran

Techno Sanaye concluded a deal on the KBA stand for a five-colour Rapida 130a with coating and board capability and a delivery extension. This Rapida will be installed in 2009 and will be the first large-format Rapida in Iran.
The company is also building a new production hall and is looking for the best large-format technology available. Teheran-based Iranian packaging specialist Techno Sanaye prints packaging for cosmetics, food and washing powder.

12.06.2008
New heights with the NanoJet

Gandinnovations launched its newest grand format UV digital printer at drupa. The NanoJet UV True Flatbed uses the latest in digital print technology and is specifically designed to print photo-realistic quality outputs. Equipped with a silicon nozzle plate, the NanoJet uses 24 Spectra high performance print heads. This 15 pico liter head is specifically designed to deliver high resolution droplets. Printing at speeds of 220sqft/hr (20.4sqm/hr) in photo-realistic mode, the NanoJet has a print area of 4’ x 8’ and prints in 6 colors at 800dpi, using Gandinnovations UV-curable branded inks. The strong vacuum table on the NanoJet holds virtually any rigid material in place up to 5 cm (2”) in thickness and the specially designed table uses a linear motion system to control movement, ensuring perfect registration on rigid and flexible materials every time. It can also print on Glass, Acrylics, Dibond, Aluminum, Wood, Steel, Coroplast, Formboard and Styren.

11.06.2008
Torraspapel for the environment

Torraspapel is taking actions addressed to reducing the environmental impact of its business activity. In the last two years, Torraspapel has reduced its specific CO2 emissions by 9%, to 0.4 tons of CO2 per ton produced. Among them are various measures such as replacing fuel oil by natural gas, process improvement, adopting mill-specific energy-saving projects and giving priority to rail transport over road transport. Moreover, all Torraspapel’s mills run controls on CO2 emissions and strive to improve energy efficiency in order to do as much as possible to reduce emissions, in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol, thus contributing to reducing the green-house effect. In addition to reducing CO2 emissions in its business operations, Torraspapel contributes to maintaining and increasing woodland by using pulp originating from responsibly-managed forest plantations and by planting trees, which are highly efficient absorbers of CO2, by way of various reforestation projects and corporate volunteer days.

06.06.2008
Wetflex breaks 500m printing target

Sun Chemical and Comexi Group are celebrating after crashing through a landmark target of 500metres per minute with WetFlex™ printing. This breakthrough is being shown in public for the first time at drupa.
WetFlex delivers wet-on-wet flexographic printing and is designed to meet the needs of the flexible packaging market for improved print quality, efficiency, and low environmental impact. WetFlex uses new generation energy curable ink technology specially developed and patented by Sun Chemical for the process. At drupa, the inks are being wet trapped using Comexi’s new iF2 Icube concept Central Impression (CI) cylinder press and cured instantly by exposure to ESI’s EZCure-DF EB in-line electron beam, which has been installed in an innovative ‘short  web path’ press layout. It fits in perfectly with Comexi’s slogan at drupa, ‘Ready for the Future’.

05.06.2008
iGen4 unveiled

Xerox unveiled the Xerox iGen4, a color cut-sheet digital press, at drupa. This solution produces short runs of books, photo applications, direct-mail campaigns or personalized brochures and increases productivity by 25 to 35 percent by automating operator tasks. It offers press runs at 110 pages per minute, uses dry non-toxic inks and more than 97 percent of its components are recycled. The iGen4 also presents 400 new parts and subsystems and new patented technologies, such as Auto Density Control, Carrier Dispensing System, High Definition Linearization or Advanced Color Profiling. “Building on our hugely successful Xerox iGen3, the industry's leading high-speed digital color press, this next generation iGen4 delivers color quality and automation that redefine the standards of printing”, says Anne Mulcahy, Xerox chairman and chief executive officer. 

04.06.2008
ROPI’s new UKM-750

Special manufacturing solutions for elaborate designed products, such as displays, large format packaging, special portfolios and complicated paper material presentations often can’t be processed by standard glueing machines. ROPI a German manufacturer located in the valley of the river Ahr now adresses these needs. Rolf Pitzen has introduced a new generation which was specifically built for those changing and special applications. The new UKM-750 is a fully modular gluing machine. Heart of the construction is the robust ”one-frame design” which allows processing of various paper and cardboard formats up to 750 x 1.000 mm. On request the machine can be fitted with automatic friction- or pneumatic large stacker feeders. User specific outfeed belt and pressing conveyors complete the system. All different jobs, like: hot-melt or cold gluing, folding, different product pick and place, labelling, shell packing, sleeving, or for example bar code and text printing, is realized by modular sets of different aggregates, which can be easily exchanged with minimum effort. It is also possible to integrate already available user modules at attractive cost. The patented technique allows first time to process multiple different jobs with one base machine only, and by this replaces the need for expensive special machine developments. ROPI says that a basic machine, depending on module configuration, ranges between 60 to100.000 Euros.

03.06.2008
Sappi now by rail

Renowned model train manufacturer Märklin is bringing Sappi to the attention of model railway enthusiasts around the globe by adding the large wagons Sappi uses to transport its product to and from its mills to its 2008 product line. Märklin unveiled the miniature Sappi wagon in February at the International Toy Fair in Nürnberg - the world’s leading trade fair for toys, hobbies and leisure-time activities. Sappi is increasingly switching transport of its raw materials and products from road to rail for environmental and logistical reasons. Two dedicated 18-wagon trains make a daily trip to or from its Gratkorn mill in Austria, carrying 1,700 tons of paper for its Wesel distribution centre in northern Germany or returning with raw materials for the mill. In addition, rail terminals at Sappi's Alfeld and Ehingen mills in Germany have eliminated more than 5,000 truck deliveries annually, significantly reducing emissions and road congestion.

02.06.2008
Matan to break 300m2/h printing speed?

Matan Digital Printers will present at drupa, a record-breaking printing speed of over 300 m²/hr with the next generation of its Barak5 - a Super-wide Format, UV, Hybrid Digital Printer. It has been less than a year since the Barak line of 5m and 3.5m wide, UV, Hybrid digital printers was launched. Now, Matan introduces the next generation of its Barak5 – enhanced with mechanical and software features, which further leverage its overall performance and benefits. "Matan is constantly seeking new ways of improving its products and meet the most demanding customers' requirements" says Hanan Yosefi, President & CEO of Matan. "The new Barak5 allows users to improve productivity and the overall performance of their print shop while enhancing quality for their customers."