PROOFING ON DESIGNJETS MADE EASIER
The EFI Bestcolor-driven Colorproof XF proofing solution now supports the new HP Designjet Z2100 and Z3100 Photo Printer Series.

The award-winning EFI Colorproof XF transforms inkjet and laser printers into powerful proofing and production systems. The first photo printers with an embedded spectrophotometer, the new HP Designjet eight-ink Z2100 and 12-ink Z3100 series offers an automated, intuitive experience in large-format image reproduction.

"Working with HP supports EFI’s objective of continually introducing innovative solutions that are ideally suited to address customers' needs," said Stefan Spiegel, general manager, Graphic Arts Solutions, EFI. ”We believe that our customers will find that the powerful combination of Colorproof XF and the new HP large format photo printer series delivers increased automation, efficiency and cost savings.”

W: www.hp.com/go/efidesigneredition

THE PRINTED WORD MAKES UK FIRST
TPW in Horsham, West Sussex, has installed a Presstek Dimension Excel 425 chemistry-free CTP system to operate alongside its exisiting Presstek Dimension 400 platesetter. TPW is also the first printer in UK to use the Presstek Anthem Pro chemistry-free thermally imaged digital plates launched at IPEX.

“ It’s always been our policy to invest in the latest technology from the studio through to the press. Over five years ago, we were one of the first companies in the UK to invest in the Dimension 400 CTP system and now, once again, we are at the forefront with the new generation of Dimension 425 platesetters,” said Robert Pryer, managing director of this family run business and promotional printers.

“ We originally specified a Presstek Dimension 400 computer-to-plate system because of it environmentally friendly credentials and the same holds true today. It initially replaced an imagesetter and a developer with all the inherent problems of using and disposing of chemistry,” Pryer explained.

“ When we bought the Presstek Dimension 400 I did not think that we would be able to improve on the quality it produced. Any thoughts that we were merely increasing our capacity and duplicating what we already had were quickly dispersed when we saw the fantastic results that we could achieve from the Presstek Dimension 425. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I would never have believed the improvement in quality. The gradation of tones on pictures is making for much more vivid and realistic results. The tints are infinitely sharper and cleaner looking as well.”

W: www.presstek.com

“Four years ago, we set out to dramatically expand the inventory of Fonts.com,” said Allan Haley, director of words and letters at Monotype Imaging. “In a relatively short period, we’ve more than quadrupled the number of products offered. Our plan is to push forward and continue to offer new, distinctive designs and to support even more languages to further enhance our selection.” Throughout 2006 alone, over 13,400 new products have been added to Fonts.com.

W: www.fonts.com

The investment, further consolidates two production centres which had operated in close proximity since Sun Chemical’s acquisition of Gibbon Inks and Coatings and Coates Lorilleux. The second site at Castle Donington was closed at the end of September. All the functions and the majority of the staff have transferred to South Normanton, which has now almost doubled its number of employees to 87. The company said the investment, which includes the installation of three dispensers to handle UV and conventional inks, has resulted in the UK’s most modern and automated supply location for sheetfed and UV inks, varnish and consumables..

Operations director Peter Elliott said: “This investment will enhance our customer service. With the new resources available, we will exceed our customers’ expectations for quality and service.”

The printer comes with a range of solutions to ensure that set-up and use are as simple as possible. These include a Plug-In for Photoshop, which allows users to export 16-bit RGB images processed with Adobe Photoshop directly to the printer without changing its broader colour gamut and retaining a smoother gradation. Additionally, the Canon software PosterArtist and Digital Photo Print Professional are packaged as standard and can be configured to an existing network to ensure ease-of-use and effective print management.

The Xerox 8200 series Eco solvent and 8300 series Mild solvent systems are available in 65in and 90in widths. They provide speeds of up to 42m2/h and are equipped with Caldera Rip, two features of which are: Signmark, to create marks for grommet positioning and margin visualization; and Cost Proof, which allows print jobs to be costed before committing to print. The inks used can print onto a range of media including vinyl.

For instant visualisation of high impact artwork, simply design as usual in your favourite creative software, select any material, which in PrintDevizor Pro can include opaque or transparent plastic, then add special finishes such as foils, metallic inks, embossing and varnish, or even flitters, glitter, die cutting and 3D embossing if using PrintDevizor Pro. Save as a PDF and then watch PrintDevizor bring everything to life, building a virtual proof automatically, at the touch of a button.

Key for users of new Intel Macs, the Apple Mac version of PrintDevizor is now in Universal Binary form, and runs in native mode on both PowerPC and Intel Macs including the Mac Pro, iMac, MacBook Pro and even the Mac Mini. It costs £195.

However, going green need not be a daunting prospect for printers and can in fact, carry considerable business benefits.

The Print for Business exhibition, which takes place on the 12th and 13th October at the International Centre, Telford, will be a chance for companies in the sector to consult Envirowise on the resource efficiency issues specific to their business, and receive practical advice on how and where savings may be achieved. One of our advisors will be on hand to advise on areas such as legislation and to provide general support.

But which particular areas should print companies be addressing?

Well, a key concern for printers is hazardous waste. Last year’s regulations brought in new controls and procedures for the movement of wastes, as well as increased responsibility on the producer for the wastes generated. Wastes of particular concern to printers include photochemical solutions, etching solutions, disperse oil and printing inks (where they contain dangerous substances such as metallic pigments or organic solvents).

Another area printers should consider is the use of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs). These are commonly used across the industry in the form of ink thinners and retarders, and wash-up and reclamation solvents. Some VOCs are classified as hazardous and even those that are not, are still regulated under several pieces of legislation.

As a result of these measures the cost of waste disposal is likely to increase for many printing firms and the true cost of waste to a business is more than the price of disposal. The additional cost of raw materials, energy and labour involved in the generation of waste can bring the total cost to between 5 and 20 times more than that of disposal.

Water is also an issue for the sector, particularly for screen printers who use large volumes in screen preparation and reclamation. As water becomes an increasingly expensive resource, printers should consider whether there is an opportunity to reduce their water use, and save money.

For many copy shops or digital large format printers, the considerations are very similar to that of an office, but on a bigger scale. Waste items such as toner and inkjet cartridges must be dealt with responsibly, and even fluorescent lighting tubes and common batteries containing lead, ni-cad or mercury are now classified as hazardous waste. Paper also represents a significant purchasing and disposal cost to the digital print sector, yet can be brought down easily through reduction, reuse and recycling.

Lastly, green procurement is an industry-wide issue and an important first step for printers looking to make efficiencies in their operations. Largely driven by Government and consumer trends, buyers are placing increased pressure on printers to address the fibre source of the substrate, the use of solvents and other chemicals, as well as their carbon emissions. Envirowise recommends that printers consider these factors early on in their own procurement stage and identify where greener alternatives can be used and materials that become waste can be reduced at the outset.

Envirowise Programme Delivery Leader, Heather Cholerton explains the business case for resource efficiency:

“Looking at ways to minimise waste can be a positive and highly profitable move for printers. A very effective way of tackling the issue is to take a holistic view and implement an Environmental Management System (EMS). This is a practical framework within which all environmental issues can be managed. This can be either an internal management tool or alternatively a way of working towards external recognition of environmental standards.”

Visiting the Envirowise stand at Print for Business next week could be an important first step for businesses looking to reap the benefits of resource efficiency. Printers can also receive free and confidential advice by calling the helpline on 0800 585 794, and may be eligible for an on-site resource efficiency review. The website (www.envirowise.gov.uk/printing) holds a number of useful publications, which can be downloaded free-of-charge.

Envirowise can be found on stand 52 at this year’s Print for Business exhibition.

W: www.envirowise.gov.uk/printing

“Jetrion’s advanced technology and very talented team are great additions to our inkjet business and are a key element in fulfilling our strategy to expand our presence in the industrial inkjet market,” said Guy Gecht, EFI CEO. “We are especially impressed with Jetrion’s packaging and label printing expertise, and we see this as an emerging market opportunity for digital printing given the increasing demand for short-runs, variable content and fast turn-around in these segments. In addition, the Jetrion and VUTEk development capabilities complement each other quite nicely. Combining EFI’s leadership in precision color and intelligent, high speed Raster Image Processing (RIP) technology with the market-leading innovation of the VUTEk and Jetrion product lines will give us multiple opportunities to share expertise, benefiting all of our products.”

"We are excited to join the EFI team and be able to leverage their global reputation, vast industry relationships and financial strength to gain greater market reach and provide our valued customers with an even higher quality of service,” said Dr. Kenneth Stack, president of Jetrion. “Our customers and employees will also benefit from EFI's culture of innovation and technical depth, allowing us to remain competitive and forward-thinking.”

The acquisition is expected to add between $3 million and $5 million in revenues to EFI’s fourth quarter results with an immaterial impact on pro forma earnings. For the full year 2006, Jetrion is expected to post revenues of approximately $16 million to $18 million. The Jetrion products are currently anticipated to show top line growth of 30-40 percent in 2007 and again have an immaterial impact to pro forma earnings as EFI makes investments to expand the Jetrion product line and distribution.

Jetrion is headquartered in Ypsilanti, Michigan, with approximately 50 employees. A wholly-owned subsidiary of Flint Group, Jetrion specializes in digital printing, providing a complete spectrum of industrial inkjet systems, custom high-performance integration solutions and specialty inks to the converting, packaging and direct mail industries. They are a pioneer in hybrid digital printing systems for several high-growth digital print segments, such as labels and packaging, which require variable printing capabilities, and recently announced plans for a full color UV inkjet label press.