ROLAND ACADEMY INTER-SCHOOL CHALLENGE (01.05.08)
Illustrating its commitment to education and developing the next generation of graphic arts professionals, Roland DG (UK) has recognised the winners of the inaugural Roland Academy Inter-School Challenge, a design competition for schools in the Walsall area. Pupils were asked to design eye-catching graphics inspired by the theme "the regeneration of Walsall." A design submitted by a team of two schoolchildren aged 13 and 14 from Barr Beacon Language College was judged to be the best in its use of colour, image and clarity of message.

The winners, Kirsty Ryan and Stacey Taylor, from Barr Beacon Language College were presented with digital cameras and a framed copy of their desig by Roland DG (UK) Product Manager 3D and Engraving, Peter Kettle, at a ceremony held on the company's stand at the Sign and Digital UK exhibition at Birmingham's NEC. The winning design will now be produced in large format and adorn banners on the perimeter of the construction site of the New Walsall College that's currently being built. The winning entry will also be reproduced and framed for display at Barr Beacon Language College. In total, more than 60 pupils from six schools in the Walsall area, including Palfrey Girls School and Joseph Leckie Community Technology College, submitted entries.

The entries were judged by a panel comprised of representatives from the organisations supporting the initiative: Walsall College, The Roland Academy, Walsall Education Business Partnership, and Roland DG (UK). The teams prepared their designs at school before attending a half-day practical session at the Roland Academy, where they amended their entries using professional software, prepared them for printing in the VersaWorks RIP, and outputted them on a Roland DG large format printer. Pupils and their teachers were also given a tour of the Roland Academy, giving them the opportunity to learn more about wide format technologies and applications.

Barr Beacon Language College, Senior Teacher, Claire Emery, said: "I am extremely proud of our students' professional attitude throughout this competition, and have to say that this demonstrates the positive and enthusiastic way they approach a challenge."

Roland DG (UK) Managing Director, Jerry Davies, said: "We were pleasantly surprised by the overall quality of the entries. Many were produced using the latest software packages and wouldn't look out of place in a professional design agency. Roland DG is committed to supporting education and encouraging talent into the industry. I hope that the Roland Academy Inter-School Challenge has also given schoolchildren a chance to experience what a career in graphic arts can offer."

The Roland Academy is the largest, industry-accredited sign, engraving and large format education facility in Europe and operates from Walsall College. It runs a range of courses, which have been developed by independent industry professionals. These include programmes on digital printing, engraving, RIPs and Adobe software packages.

W: www.rolanddg.co.uk

INX ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT TO OWN A MAJORITY INTEREST IN MEGAINK DIGITAL A.S. (01.05.08)
Sakata Inx worldwide operations today announced an agreement with the ownership group of Czech Republic based, Megaink Digital a.s., taking a majority interest in Megaink Digital a.s. The company will offer customers a broad spectrum of digital ink products and services for wide and super-wide format printing as a member of INX Digital, the digital arm of INX International Ink Co.

"We are delighted to join forces with an established, European-based leader in digital ink systems," said INX International President and CEO Rick Clendenning. "Megaink Digital will strengthen our ability to service digital printing operations world-wide - particularly in rapidly growing areas such as Eastern Europe, as well as the Americas, and in Africa and the Middle East where Mega Digital has established a strong presence in just six years since the company was founded."

Andrej Keblusek, Managing Director of Megaink Digital said, "This joint venture with INX International will be very beneficial to our rapidly expanding customer base - not only with additional distribution and support, but with added product development and related resources available through Sakata Inx."

"Digital users have been highly receptive to our superior-quality products which are specially designed for virtually all OEM printers," Avi Bukai, Director of Business Development added. "We anticipate even more rapid development of new products to meet emerging marketplace needs."

Clendenning noted: "Megaink Digital's recent introduction of environmentally friendly BioMG inks - renewable resource-based inks - signifies further compatibility with our own 'green' product development and sustainability initiatives. Responsible environmental stewardship has been part of the culture of both our organizations, and it will continue to play an increased role moving forward."

Megaink Digital a.s., based in the Czech Republic, is a world leader in developing and manufacturing of solvent and renewable resource based (BioMG) inks for wide and super-wide format digital printing. Established in 2002, Megaink Digital has secured strong positions in Europe, Africa and the Middle East, as well as in the Americas.

W: www.megaink.com

PrintIT! AWARDS CEREMONY CONCLUDES ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL YEAR (01.05.08)
In conjunction with Polestar, the Stationers' Hall once again provided the venue for the PrintIT! 2008 awards ceremony, which marked the third year of the successful educational initiative. The event saw student Alex Robertson of Bispham High School & Arts College, Blackpool awarded 'Overall Winner of PrintIT! 2007/8', as well as an expenses paid educational trip of a lifetime to St Lucia to see the benefits of Fairtrade. The ceremony was once again given a celebrity boost by guest speaker, BBC Six O'clock news presenter and patron of The Fairtrade Foundation, George Alagiah OBE.

The overall winning entry of PrintIT! 2007/8 was selected from the eight category winners in a competition that registered more than 23,000 participating students from over 570 schools. Comments Martyn Elmy, Chairman of PrintIT!, "Alex's entry stood out because the design was innovative and had the greatest immediate visual impact of all the designs that were considered. There was strong brand identity and the item was also able to convey a message about Fairtrade. The design concept was also cleverly extended through a range of other promotional display items."

As well as taking the top prize in the 2007/8 PrintIT! campaign, Alex Robertson also scooped the category award for 'Best Table Talker', a printed table-top display which conveys a promotional message.

"It is a befitting salute to the strength of our industry that we can all unite to encourage and support our joint ambition of attracting young people into print, through the efforts of PrintIT!", continued Terry Watts, Chief Executive, Proskills UK and one of the final judges. "The fact that PrintIT! continues to enjoy enormous success is thanks to the unwavering and charitable support of the UK print industry and I take this opportunity to thank them for their commitment during year three of the programme."

Once again, the Fairtrade Foundation provided the theme of the 2007/8 PrintIT! competition which challenged participating schools to create a comprehensive 'print-centric' campaign to support the promotion of Fairtrade products in a typical café. As last year, the curriculum-mapped competition was extended to Year 10 students (aged 15-16) in their first year of their Product Design GCSE as well as for GCSE Graphic Products students. The aim of the project was to introduce students to the unique and stimulating appeal of print as an absorbing and rewarding career.

Adds Terry Watts, "Today's ceremony typifies what can be achieved through a fusion of inspiration, hard work and creative skill. We hope that by inspiring those pupils who have taken part in the PrintIT! initiative, some of them might join our industry in the future. Having a talented, youthful and vibrant workforce is vital to keeping our industry competitive, and judging by what we have once again seen from PrintIT! entries, it is evident that creative flair, enthusiasm and talent are in abundance within our schools." were presented with individual prizes of a digital camera, as well as a valuable print-related prize for the winning schools. The students and teacher named overall winners of PrintIT! 2008 were also presented with an educational trip of a lifetime to St Lucia, where they will visit farmers on the island in order to see the benefits of Fairtrade; a major printing plant and also have lunch with the High Commissioner and attend various TV & radio interviews.

Category Winners:
Best Poster:
Stephen Partington - Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, Lancashire
Best Table Talker:
Alex Robertson - Bispham High School & Arts College, Blackpool, Lancashire
Best 'Free' Design:
Billy Joe Poole - Sandwich Technology School, Sandwich, Kent
Best Use of Brand across the Range:
Sarah Edmondson, Katie-Louise Wire, Amy Pearson - Keswick School, Keswick, Cumbria
Best Understanding of Printing Techniques:
Beth Goddard - Nottingham High School For Girls, Nottinghamshire
Best Use of Materials:
Daniel Carter - Altrincham College of Arts, Altrincham, Cheshire
Best Overall Presentation:
Jack O'Brien, Adam Spivey, Alex Walsham - George Farmer Technology College, Spalding, Lincolnshire

Best Understanding of Environmental Concerns
Stacey Barry - Aylesbury High School, Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire

2007/8 Special awards
Best Industry Twinner
The Print Room, Bracknell, Berkshire

Best Teacher
Daniel Currigan, Tiffin Girls' School, Kingston, Surrey

Best Overall School Effort
Beauchamp College

Best PrintIT! Student
Karen Sanders, Queen Elizabeth's Community College, Crediton, Devon

W: www.printit.org.uk

GET A WORKMATE WITH ECRM (01.05.08)
Building on WorkMates, the automated PDF based entry-level workflow solution for small to midsized commercial printers launched by ECRM last year, the company has now released the RipMate module upgraded to version 8.0 of the Harlequin Plus Server Rip. This makes driving any ECRM imaging device fast and simple, through an easy-to-use user interface. At Drupa, ECRM will also introduce WorkMates 3.0, an entry-level digital prepress workflow solution.

The RipMate v8.0 enhancements include: PDFRaster output of variable page sizes; support for PDF 1.7 and PDF /X-4 compliance; support for MS XPS 1.0; and will run with Macintosh OSX 10.5 and Vista operating systems.

WorkMates 3.0, with its new GUI, will allow users to either view all or selected workflows. Users can choose to drop jobs into automatic flows for complete automation, or manual flows to create custom impositions to selected output devices. WorkMates 3.0 is a client server package offering users both Macintosh and PC clients with unlimited client connections. In addition, WorkMates 3.0 includes the latest Harlequin Rip release version 8.0 which offers PDF Raster output and increased performance from multi-threaded CPUs.

W: www.ecrm.com

EPSON ENTERS NEW MARKETS WITH INKJET LAUNCHES (01.05.08)
Epson hopes to move into new commercial print sectors with the demonstration at Drupa of a new product using its with a MicroPiezo TFP (Thin Film Piezo) printhead and by showing applications developed with its partners such as remote proofing, textile printing and inkjet CTP. These will be shown alongside Epson's more traditional large-format offerings, including the new Stylus Pro GS6000, a 64in-wide printer with an eight-colour ink set, debuting at Sign and Digital UK.

The Stylus Pro GS6000 has a resolution up to 1440 x 1440 dpi and production speeds of up to 25m²/hour using Epson's variable-sized ink droplet and MicroWeave half-toning technologies to deliver fast-drying, scratch-resistant prints that are water and UV resistant for up to 1.5 years without lamination.

The Stylus Pro GS6000 will be supported by the major Rip vendors and will cost £29,995 (ex VAT), including auto-take-up-reel to support heavy rolls up to 30kg, a maintenance and starter-kit.

Visit hall 5, stand A01 or www.epson.co.uk

CASLON DEBUTS DIGITAL AND LITHO FINISHING KIT (01.05.08)
Digital and litho print finishing solution will be debuted by Caslon at Drupa. The company will launch the HighPrint System for short-run thermography applications alongside two new card cutters for high speed production of embossed and foiled business cards. Also showing for the first time at Drupa will be Caslon's Square Edge spine maker, a finishing solution with both in-line and standalone capability.

Richard Caslon, managing director says: "In the present market where specialist finishing, especially for digital print, is becoming the added value option to ensure profit, we are developing products for a variety of applications including foiling, embossing, thermography and slitting."

Visit hall 10, stand E52-9 or www.caslon.co.uk

SWITCH PRICES FALL IN RUN-UP TO DRUPA (01.05.08)
Positive Focus has announced special pricing for the Enfocus Switch product range in the run-up to Drupa. Until 30 June there is ten percent off the product. Prices start at £555 with LightSwitch, handling and filtering files and providing notifications. FullSwitch costs £1,845 instead of £2,050, while PowerSwitch is down to £3,690 from £4,100.

Switch 07, the process automation software introduced by Gradual Software, and now incorporated into EskoArtwork's Enfocus Business Unit, automates the handling of files and managing the print workflow. There is a simple calculator for return on investment at http://www.gradual.com/ROI/roi_main.php.

KIP BRINGS WIDE-FORMAT TONER BASED PRINTER TO EUROPE (01.05.08)
KIP UK is using Drupa as the European launchpad for the KIP Color 80, a wide-format LED tone-based printer. The system can produce an A0 print in 17 seconds (almost 4 x A0 sheets per minute) and can print onto regular bond paper as well as a range of more specialised media types all of which are instantly dry and UV stable.

Visit hall 7A, stand D07 or www.kipuk.com

DUPLO INCREASES FINISHING OPTIONS WITH NEW DUETTO/SCC NEARLINE BOOKLETMAKING SYSTEM (17.04.08)
For the first time, Duplo's unique Duetto nearline bookletmaking system will be available with the company's SCC slit, cut, crease module to offer two configurations in one finishing line. The Duetto/SCC bookletmaking line provides litho and digital printers with a solution to handle both short and long run booklet production.

An advanced hybrid solution based on Duplo’s System 5000, the Duetto incorporates The DSF-2000 sheet feeder, up to three DC-10/60 collators, DBM-500 bookletmaker and DBM-500T trimmer. The Duetto was the first system to handle both set-by-set and sheet-by-sheet output with equal ease – creating the first system of its kind to address both digital and offset printing requirements. Incorporating the SCC module in between Duplo’s sheetfeeder and the DBM-500 enables the bookletmaker to accept sheets directly from a digital press and output a finished book.

By extending the Duetto line with the SCC unit, Duplo is essentially offering printers the flexibility of using two separate production workflows combined in one finishing line. Workflow A comprises a DC10/60 suction collating tower, the DBM500 bookletmaker and DBM-500T trimmer to produce longer book runs at speeds up to 5,000 booklets an hour. Workflow B consists of Duplo’s DSF-2000 sheet feeder (with optional barcode reader), the SCC unit and a DBM-500 bookletmaker and trimmer, which is ideal for the production of shorter run, multiple jobs on digitally printed stocks.

Designed principally for the production colour digital market, the SCC-equipped bookletmaking system takes care of two common issues associated with colour digital output.

First, the SCC unit side-slits and trims the head and foot of each sheet. This provides an accurate full bleed trim which is registered by a CCD camera to the image, rather than to the physical dimensions of the sheet – this means that ‘image drift’ can be corrected. Second, the SCC module can crease the cover and innermost sheets of the booklet, or all the sheets in the booklet so that image cracking on the fold-line is prevented.

For jobs where colour and black and white output is to be combined, the sheet feeder is equipped with two feed trays, so that one can be loaded with oversize colour output from one digital press and the other with finished-size black and white output from a different device.

The coloured sheets are fed through the slitting, cutting and creasing units, while the finished-size black and white sheets are transported via a by-pass unit to the accumulation section of the bookletmaker. There the entire set is re-integrated, with the coloured sheets now the same format as the black and white sheets, ready to be stitched, folded and trimmed. This feature-rich solution is controlled by an MS Windows based software to allow for a clear and precise overview of the complete finishing line and simplify operation.

FUJIFILM LAUNCHES XMF C-FIT (17.04.08)
XMF C-Fit from Fujifilm is an intelligent image optimisation software which automates the process of analysing and improving RGB images that arrive from various sources. Incorporating a number of Fujifilm image processing algorithms, XMF C-Fit includes face recognition and skin smoothing, light source recognition, exposure and white balance adjustment, and sharpness enhancement, to create an RGB Digital Master.

XMF C-Fit's colour appearance matching technology maps the colour gamut of the RGB Digital Master to the maximum gamut potential of the profiled target device. It also enables users to convert RGB files to CMYK without changing or losing the feel of RGB images, ensuring the best possible colour conversion from original to printed image.

Simple to use, XMF C-Fit is a ‘hot folder’ based workflow with a ‘drag and drop’ operation. The core technology supporting many of the features in XMF C-Fit is Fujifilm’s image processing technology, Image Intelligence. This technology originated in Fujifilm’s minilab systems and is now being used in many other Fujifilm products. It includes a dynamic colour management system that actively changes the output target settings such as paper, ink and printing format to simulate the finished product.

KIP FORMS PRINTER PARTNERSHIPS (17.04.08)
Konica Minolta Business Solutions (UK) has formed a strategic partnership with KIP UK to enable Konica Minolta to offer a comprehensive document imaging range that now includes wide-format KIP printers.

Commenting on the partnership agreement, Grainger Hill, director of KIP UK said: "This strategic partnership between Konica Minolta and KIP is to the mutual benefit of both companies and customers. The KIP range of HDP printers have been designed to deliver unrivalled performance and value to meet the ever increasing demand for fast, high quality and cost effective wide format document reproduction."

Toshiba TEC has also teamed up with KIP to provide wide-format document imaging solutions in the UK for architectural, construction and engineering sectors. The first offering is the colour capable KIP3000 wide-format MFP.

As with all KIP systems, the KIP3000 can be bought as an entry level system that is upgradeable to provide additional functionality for monochrome and colour scanning, printing and copying.