pf mar april 2016 issue

Vol. XVI • No. 104 • april 2016

Rs. 20

THE FORUM’s One day workshop on Offset Printing - Press Process Control was held on 11th March 2016 at PM Digital Products, Chennai. Mr. Ganesh Kumar, Senior Manager, Heidelberg India conducted the seminar.

THE FORUM’s OnE day wORksHOp On OFFsET pRinTing - pREss pROcEss cOnTROl

March - April 2016 / Vol. XVI, No. 104 / Print Forum 1

From President’s Desk

P [email protected]

Dear Members,

First I would like to pay our homage to Sri S.Damodaran, our founder and guide, without whom this forum will not be where it is today. I am sure with his good wishes, the forum will continue to make strides in the coming years.

Software has played a key role in the development of almost all fields and printing (pre-press, press and post-process) is not an exception. This issue contains interesting information about Corel Dras X8, Cloud W2P & MIS solutions and Xerox DTPS.

Fujifilm and Heidelberg are expected to showcase their Inkjet presses for the commercial and packaging industry at DRUPA. Benny Landa is also expected to unveil the latest in Inkjet Nanography. With these expected developments, there can be no doubt where the printing machinery maufacturers are betting their money on.

It is very well known that ‘Any thing that can go digital will go digital’. In keeping with this trend, Die Cutting process is fact becoming digital. ESKO, Valiani and several other smaller manufacturers have introduced Digital Die Cutting machines. In reality it should be called Digital Dieless cutting machines. Its advantages are many and you can read about them in this issue. I am sure it will help you give better value addition to your printed products.

Publishing is one of the major market segments for the printing industry and it is important for us to keep in touch with the developments in this field. Amazon, one of the biggest e-commerce companies, has taken over Westland Publishing from the TATA group of companies. The youngster’s today are more inclined towards e-books and magazines. Articles covering these developments are presented in this issue.

Heidelberg, has started betting big time on its Anicolor Offset Printing technology. Sree Vinayaga Screens of Madurai and Rajams Digital Offset Prints of Chennai, our forum members, have recently installed these machines and are seeing the big difference it is making to their business. Heidelberg is also expected to showcase its Anicolor 2 with Booster Rollers at the the DRUPA.

The future will be exciting for the Printing Industry and let us all look forward to DRUPA.

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2, Venu Reddy Street, GuindyChennai 600 032

e.mail: [email protected] web: www.theprintforum.com

Office-bearers P. Chellappan, PresidentMobile 93810 01810Rm. Senthilnathan, Vice-President IMobile 98410 41997Dr. B. Kumar, Vice-President II Mobile 94440 51707M. Venkatesan, Hony. General SecretaryMobile 98842 74908K.B.S.Shanmugasundram, Hony. Jt Secretary Mobile 98842 74912 R. K. Sridharan, Hony. TreasurerMobile 98416 47690

Committee Members V. S. Raman, 99403 19704R. Venkatasubramanian, 98402 60413S. Giridharan. 98840 30519 V. Vaidyalingam, 93828 67972Nitin Shroff, 98400 22652K.R.S.S. Mahendran 86953 29444 N. R. Kumar, 99401 72067Alan Baretto, 98417 21406Murugavel, 95001 22075

Co-opted MembersT.E. Srinivasan, 98403 55284L. Ramanathan, 87540 16030Nizamappas, 99625 28890

Advisory Committee (Past Presidents of THE FORUM)M. S. NagarajanV. SubramanianVipin SachdevDr. N. SankaranarayananR. NarayananD. RamalingamR. JayaramanR.S.Bakshi

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All communications about THE FORUM and the Journal are to be addressed to Hony. General Secretary The Printing Technologists Forum 25, Peters Road, Royapettah, Chennai 600 014.

2 Print Forum / Vol. XVI, No. 104 / March - April 2016

Print ForumRegd. with RNI Under No. 71818/99

March - April Vol. XVI / No. 104The Official Journal ofThe Printing Technologists ForumChennai

In this issue . . .

Rs. 120 per annum (Six issues)

n Copyright for all materials published in PRINT FORUM remain with the authors/editors/publishers of the respective magazines books/newspapers from which materials are reproduced.

n The facts set out in PRINT FORUM are from various sources which we believe to be reliable and true to the best of our knowledge. However, we cannot accept no legal liability of any kind for the publication contents, nor for the information contained therein, nor conclusion drawn by any party from it.1

n FurtheritisnotifiedthatneithertheEditor,PublisherorthePrinter,orthePresidentandhisTeamofTheForumwillberesponsibleforany damage or loss to anybody arising out of any error or omission in PRINT FORUM. Members/Readers are advised to satisfy themselves about the merits and details of each before taking any decision.

n Articles and materials appearing in the pages of Print Forum are drawn from a number of sources : books, journals, newspapers and internet - current as well as very old. To many editors of various technical journals and newspapers, the accomplished authors and business leaders who have shared their wisdoms and their words whose articles published in these journals, and their publishers, we owe ourdebtsandgratitudewhichisdifficulttoassessoracknowledge.Wealwaysacknowledgethesourcesofeveryarticleandmaterialspublished in every issue of PRINT FORUM at the end of the articles, with our courtesy.

n Oursisamembersupportednon-profitorganisationandourmainobjectiveistospreadprint-knowledgetoallwithinourlimitationsandconstraints.

Publisher B. G. Kukillaya Ph: 4228 7300

Editor P. Chellappan M : 2454 1893

Designer R.Venkatasubramanian M : 98402 60413


Print ForumRegd. with RNI Under No. 71818/99

March - April 2014Vol. XVI / No. 92The Official Journal ofThe Printing Technologists ForumChennai

In this issue . . .

Rs. 120 per annum (Six issues)

Forum’s One day seminar 3

EFI launches mobile job management 8

Merging Businesses 9

Presstek unveils Gemplate 11

Ink That Stretches 12

Ipex 2014 Review 13

KBA claims faster print throughput with VariDry 15

First short-grain 64-page LITHOMAN 15

Heidelberg launch of B1 Digital Press 16

Is It Time to Add Web Services to Your Repertoire? 17

CorelDraw Graphics Suite X7 18

HP Indigo 10000 Digital Press 19

Adherence to high standards for food packaging inks 20

London Bok Fair 21

Xerox News 22

KSPA News 22

FingerReader gadget lets the blind read printed text 23

History of Times New Roman Font 23

Comparison between CTP Offset Plates in Print Quality, Study 24

Heielberg News 25

REVO Team drives Digital Flexo Revolution 26

Xeikon’s enhanced Folding Carton Suite debuts at Ipex 29

Members Page 30

Our Supporters . . .

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Cover : Lakshmi Cottage Industryn Copyright for all materials published in prinT forum remain with the authors/editors/publishers of the respective magazines books/newspapers from which materials are

reproduced.

n The facts set out in prinT forum are from various sources which we believe to be reliable and true to the best of our knowledge. However, we cannot accept no legal liability of any kind for the publication contents, nor for the information contained therein, nor conclusion drawn by any party from it.1

n FurtheritisnotifiedthatneithertheEditor,PublisherorthePrinter,orthePresidentandhisTeamofTheForumwillberesponsibleforanydamageorlosstoanybodyarisingoutof any error or omission in prinT forum. members/readers are advised to satisfy themselves about the merits and details of each before taking any decision.

n Articles and materials appearing in the pages of print forum are drawn from a number of sources : books, journals, newspapers and internet - current as well as very old. To many editors of various technical journals and newspapers, the accomplished authors and business leaders who have shared their wisdoms and their words whose articles published in thesejournals,andtheirpublishers,weoweourdebtsandgratitudewhichisdifficulttoassessoracknowledge.Wealwaysacknowledgethesourcesofeveryarticleandmaterialspublished in every issue of prinT forum at the end of the articles, with our courtesy.

n Oursisamembersupportednon-profitorganisationandourmainobjectiveistospreadprint-knowledgetoallwithinourlimitationsandconstraints.

Publisher B. G. Kukillaya, Ph: 4228 7300Editor R.S.Bakshi, Ph: 2454 1893

Printer K. Ramachandran, Ph : 24730194

Your memory lingers . . .

Late Sri S. DAMODARANPROPRIETOR

IMPERIAL CORPORATION

15.07.1930 - 27.03.2011

B B

“We, the members, shall always remain grateful to

this honourable gentleman”.

team@printforum

Annual Members Fee Details

Quarterly basis Valid up to Rs.

April, May & June ... 31st March ... 750/-

July, Aug & Sep. ... ,, ... 600/

Oct, Nov & Dec. ... ,, ... 400/-

Jan, Feb & Mar. ... ,, ... 200/-

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Officer Bearer`s of Karnataka State Printers AssociationThe following members are being elected for the year 2016-17 & 2017-18 as Officer Bearer`s of Karnataka State Printers Association on 28th March 2016.

Sri B.R. Ashok Kumar President

Sri A. M. Prakash Vice President

Sri T.S. Nagaraja Treasurer

Sri C.N. Mohan Kumar Hon. Secretary

Sri G. M. Nagendrappa Joint Secretary

from left Sri G.M. Nagendrappa, Sri C.R. Janardhana, Sri B.R. Ashok Kumar, Sri A.M. Prakash, Sri. C.N. Mohan Kumar, Sri T.S. Nagaraja

Officer Bearer`s of K S P A 2

CorelDRAW X8, First Take: Still in touch after 18 versions 3

Designers Wear Many Hats 5

Not Your Daddy’s Die-cutting 6

Engage Employees in the Performance Appraisal Process 8

A million ways to read 9

Amazon buys 26% in Tata Group’s publishing unit 11

Sree Vinayaga Screens adds SM52 Anicolor press 12

New Anicolor 2 at drupa 2016 13

drupa 2016 to Highlight Industrial Printing 14

Cloud W2P and MIS solutions 15

POLAR’s Highlights at the 2016 drupa 17

BOBST ‘s 125th anniversary 18

Konica Minolta launches Bizhub Pro 1100 in N Printech & N Packtech 20

Don’t Try and Train Your Customers 21

Xerox gets DTPS to India, paper-less office soon a reality 22

Printing, ad industry face trouble 24


CorelDRAW X8, First Take: Still in touch after 18 versions

The 18th version of Corel's graphics software adds innovative touch support, font management and other new tools -- plus subscription pricing to suit commercial users. Yes, CorelDRAW is still around -- and yes, it's still getting useful updates.

The CorelDRAW X8 interface will look familiar to existing users, and it still has the option of using a workspace layout that arranges the tools like the X6 release -- or even Adobe Illustrator if that's what you're familiar with. There's a new dark mode too.

Most importantly, the interface is properly scalable with high-DPI support, so if you have a 4K monitor or a Surface Book, the menus and controls size correctly rather than looking oversized or shrunken (problems that still beset too many applications on new, high-res screens). CorelDRAW X8 uses the scaling settings from Windows, although you can tweak those in the options if you prefer. What it’s particularly good at is coping with two screens with different resolution, like an older laptop and a 1080p monitor, or a brand-new Surface Book and an older 17-inch monitor: the interface shows up at the right scale on each screen, and if you drag a window or palette from one screen to another, it rescales correctly. Too many programs still struggle with this, so full marks to Corel for handling this properly.

The interface also has much-improved touch and pen support.

Multiple pressure levels are supported with both Wacom and N-trig pens (and you can tweak the sensitivity for that), you can pan and zoom with familiar pinch and drag touch gestures (too often in graphics software these gestures unexpectedly select objects), and the smart drawing shape recognition lets you draw shapes roughly with your finger and have them turned into neat circles, rectangles, triangles and ellipses. It doesn’t quite manage polygons, but it does turn a finger scribble into a reasonably neat shape that you can then manipulate using the usual shape handles.

you can hide objects and groups of objects so you don’t accidentally edit them when you’re working on something else. Drop shadows are now Gaussian blur, which makes the edges look much more natural and realistic, and you can tweak the feathering on the edge.

All this means you can use a tablet like a Surface Book to sketch ideas the way you would on pen and paper, but end up with the start of a vector graphic you can carry on working with, using finger, pen or mouse tools. This is a more flexible approach than either scanning in a sketch or using one of Adobe’s mobile sketching apps to create a file you then have to open separately in Illustrator. We expect to see Corel offer more touch and pen tools in future versions to take advantage of the rise of devices like Surface Pro and Surface Book, making what used to be a very old-school application far more innovative.

CorelDRAW X8 has a new dark user interface theme.

From shape recognition to pinch-zoom, CorelDRAW X8 has unusually good touch support for software that’s always been designed to use with a mouse.

This works very well with the new node editing option: instead of having to break a shape apart in multiple steps, you can draw the shape and then just shift-click to select the nodes that make up the part of the shape you want to work on. You can also copy and paste just part of a curve instead of a whole object, without breaking it up.

Touch and pen work very well with the distortion tools; if you want to twirl, smooth, attract or repel a selection to get the shape you want, you can do that with your finger to get a subtle effect (like slightly bending a straight line to make it look more natural), instead of having to grab a spline handle and position it perfectly. Options like this make these tools much more accessible for non-professional designers and generally make vector graphics less intimidating. We also like the way

Font Manager X8 lets you catalogue all the fonts on your system -- and use them in CorelDRAW even without installing them.

The new Corel Font Manager X8 is a welcome and very practical addition (it’s almost worth upgrading just for this). You can use the Font Manager to index fonts and no longer have to have fonts installed in Windows to work with them in CorelDRAW. This means you can have thousands of fonts and not slow your PC down -- ideal if you’re a designer working with a lot of different clients, who all have their own sets of specific fonts. You can group and filter fonts by style, weight, width or name inside CorelDRAW and PHOTO-PAINT so you can look at all your script fonts or all your serif fonts together to make it easier to select the right one for a


design. You get all the OpenType features like alternates and stylistic sets, and they’re previewed as you type, so you can use the full range of effects in the typefaces you pay for.

Some features are clearly playing catchup with Adobe’s Photoshop, like the Healing Clone brush for blemish removal, the non-destructive Gaussian blur lens and the perspective correction tool, but they’re easy to use and will speed up image editing.

Commercial and cloudAfter eighteen releases, CorelDRAW is still targeted very clearly at two main user groups: occasional users, who will find plenty of guides and templates to help them create sales, marketing and other business graphics (including a new Hints palette that shows tips for whatever tool you’re working with); and the commercial artists who are Corel’s key audience.

I f you’re a s ign engraver, a commercial embroidery designer or someone printing banners and wraps for cars, X8 has some handy new features. The new Knife tool lets you cut up designs into the right pieces for printing, which might mean adding an overlap where you need to cut for the zip on a jacket or the edge of a car door. There’s also a free up-sampling plugin you can add that’s ideal for extending an image to cover the edges where a canvas wraps around the frame (you can choose to blur or reflect the edge of the image to fit). These are the kinds of tools that save commercial artists a lot of time when it comes to getting the design off their computer and onto the product they’re creating.

If you need to open an elderly graphics file, CorelDRAW X8 can do it. You can even open long-abandoned formats like Photo CDs.

The emphasis on commercial artists also explains why there are so many different options for buying CorelDRAW. You can still get a perpetual licence for £529 (inc. VAT),

or £259 if you’re upgrading. You can add an annual upgrade fee to that to make sure you keep getting the latest version. Or you can switch to a subscription fee of £14.95 a month, which also gets you extra tools and plugins as they’re developed. You’ll need to keep paying the fee or the software turns into a viewer rather than an editor, but if you only need to use it for a month once a year, then you can pay to use it just for that month, let the subscription lapse and then reactivate it the next time you need to use it. It’s an unusual approach that’s a good fit for the range of commercial users for whom CorelDRAW isn’t an everyday tool.

CorelDRAW X8 improves a powerful and mature application with a handful of tools that will make users more productive, and has one of the best font management approaches available. It also takes the first steps to making vector graphics far more usable and accessible to touch and pen users, taking advantage of the convertible and two-in-one tablets that are becoming popular. It’s exactly the kind of application Microsoft needs in order to show off the point of Surface Pro and Surface Book. Today, however, those features sit inside the familiar but complex CorelDRAW interface. n

Courtesy : www.zdnet.com

Fujifilm and Heidelberg Take First Step Towards Industrial Digital Printing

Fujifillm Corporation together with Fujifillm Global Graphic Systems Co., Ltd. (Fujifilm) and Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) has their first showing of a new B1 format inkjet printing machine to be demonstrated at drupa 2016 as Heidelberg Primefire 106.

In late 2013 Heidelberg and Fujifilm formed a strategic partnership for the development of a new industrial digital inkjet-printing machine. The new collaborative approach using respective R&D resources has resulted in a brand new product in less than 24 months’ time. “In record time, Fujifilm and Heidelberg have jointly developed the world’s first B1 truly industrial inkjet digital printing press,” said Gerold Linzbach, CEO ofHeidelberg. “Thanks to our strategic partnership with Heidelberg, the major provider and partner for the global printing industry, we are now confident that we can meet the expanding needs of the industrial packaging market,” said Shigetaka Komori, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Fujifillm Corporation.

Heidelberg wil l showcase the machine and the endto- end benefits of the new configuration during the upcoming drupa exhibition on its booth in hall 1 Commercialization for the new platform is planned in the latter part of 2017. First machine installation for field testing is planned after the drupa exhibition. n

“I still love books. Nothing a computer can do can compare to a book. You can't really put a book on the Internet. Three companies have offered to put books by me on the Net, and I said, 'If you can make something that has a nice jacket, nice paper with that nice smell, then we'll talk.' All the computer can give you is a manuscript. People don't want to read manuscripts. They want to read books. Books smell good. They look good. You can press it to your bosom. You can carry it in

your pocket.”

Ray Bradbury


Designers Wear Many Hats10 online resources to make graphic designer jobs easier.

Most graphic designers working for small printing companies wear many hats. They are a combination designer, IT manager, prepress specialist, web master, and more. Trying to remain creative and productive in this environment can be difficult, but here are 10 websites that all graphic designers should bookmark to make their jobs easier.

1. Adobetv.comKeeping up with all the features a n d p r o d u c t i v i t y t i p s w i t h Adobe’s Creative Cloud software is challenging. Your first stop in finding ideas or troubleshooting design issues should be Adobetv.com. The site includes training videos and how-to instructions for any task in any Adobe product.

2. Indesignsecrets.comAdobe InDesign is one of the most popular pagelayout programs for printers, so this site offers the latest InDesign news, tips, resources, and other free stuff to make the software more productive.

3. Graphics.comIf you are a graphic designer working in print and web design and are looking for one place to keep up with news, resources, blogs, and design samples from around the Internet, bookmark this site. It covers everything from publishing, marketing, branding, 3D printing, and social media.

4. Myfonts.com/WhatTheFontEver have a customer give you a sample of a font and you don’t recognize it? This website can narrow down your search and help you find the name and where to get it.

5. Brandsoftheworld.comEver wish you had a high-res sample of a popular national logo? Brands of the World has the largest online free library of high-resolution, downloadable vector logos. If you design logos, you can also get critiques of your design from others by uploading them to the site.

6. Creativebloq.comCreativeBloq.com is a source of creative tips and inspiration for graphic design, web design, and more. It also has free scripts and actions you can download to improve productivity of Adobe software.

7.Digitalartsonline.co.uk/tutorialsA good source of prepress training material is the UK magazine Digital Arts Online. It provides a tutorial section to help graphic designers learn important design techniques.

8. Justcreative.com/2008/12/02/logodesign-resourcesJacob Cass of JUST Creative, a graphic designer who specializes in logo design and brand identity design, offers a page with a comprehensive list of resources for designers needing ideas for logos. It is an older page, but the information is still important to working designers.

9. Typedetail.com/resourcesHere is a site for everything you ever wanted to know about designing with type in one place. A designer can get lost for hours getting inspiration for new design ideas.

10.Colorhunt.coTrying to figure out what colors work together? Colorhunt.co shows

examples of popular color palettes you might want to consider in your designs for your customer’s new branding, next brochure, or website.

Once bookmarked, these websites can become an important resource for the graphic designer and the company. The challenge is to provide the time during the busy day to explore the sites and learn what is there. If your company can develop a culture that embraces training, the results will be cost savings, higher output, improved operations, and more productive employees. The resources are available, so owners must make sure they are used. n

Courtesy : www.printingnews.com

CartonTech 2016, the exhibition focused on providing a complete business & networking platform to the folding carton, converting & package printing industry, will be happening from 27to 30 July at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The Show, organized by Print- Packaging.com (P) Ltd., will be held under the banner of their flagship event PackPlus.CartonTech 2016 will help the industry by bringing all that must be known and seen under one roof.The Show will be featuring suppliers of equipment and materials required from the stage of pre-press through printing, converting and finishing of the carton. The Show will also cover rigid box converting & amp; paper bag making equipment. Indian and foreign exhibitors will be rubbing shoulders. A large contingent of Chinese exhibitors is expected to participate.Some of the largest converters are also the exhibitors in the adjoining Packaging Products Pavilion at PackPlus.“PackPlus 2016 is all set for its next edition at New Delhi and the concurrently running CartonTech Exhibition will bring in more benefit to the visitors. The visitor registrations are in full swing and building on the huge success of the last edition of the event, we are all set to make this even bigger,” said Neetu Arora, Director, Print-Packaging.com (P) Ltd.To register as a visitor or to plan your participation, log on to www.cartontech.inFor any further query, write to - [email protected] n

CartonTech 2016 to be co-located with PackPlus at New DelhiUnfolding opportunities for the Indian Carton Manufacturing Industry!


Not Your Daddy’s Die-cutting

There is no denying that digital technologies are forcing the print and graphics industry to evolve. Most of the time, when the term “digital” is used, it is in relation to a new press or output device. But digital is changing the finishing side of the business as well, and die-cutting is one area that is reaping the benefits.

Like with presses, digital die-cutting technologies shine the brightest on shorter runs or even variable jobs. Like the inkjet presses, they can easily produce 500 completely unique pieces in a single run, whereas the traditional methods, like the offset technologies they evolved alongside, were designed for longer runs. Digital die-cutting equipment brings a host of potential benefits to a shop. A few of those include:

1. No Dies RequiredOne of the single biggest benefits to going digital versus the traditional cutters is the fact that there are no dies. “The biggest advantage to any digital technology is the ability to produce short runs profitably and far more rapidly than conventional methods,” noted Eshchar Ben-Shitrit, marketing VP at Highcon. “There is no die—so reduced time and expenses there—and the digital process means that the entire process is streamlined and allows for last-minute changes, edits, etc. This means that anyone with digital capability can start immediately reaping the benefits on

existing jobs while building a new and incremental business with the extended capabilities.”

Printers traditionally would have to wait one to three days for a die to be created and shipped, and then once the job is done, it has to be stored somewhere, incurring additional costs. Not to mention, if the client wants to re-run the job, the die has to be shipped back from the storage warehouse, which is frequently located elsewhere. This is one area where digital truly shines, since it eliminates a wide range of time and cost directly out of the jobs.

2. Auto CraftsmanshipThere is no denying that print’s past was all about art. Printers were master craftsmen, and the finishing side of things was a big part of the finished product. Even a decade ago, creating dies was an art form, and knowing how to run jobs on different substrates and sizes and get consistently good results was something a professional could dedicate an entire career to learning.

More and more, however, printing is becoming a manufacturing process, which requires quicker turnaround times and consistent results no matter who is running the job. And digital die-cutting machines allow that mentality to carry through the entire line, instead of coming to a screeching halt when the printed pieces hit the finishing department.

“Unfortunately, the quality of the die can still be quite variable, and building them is still a black art,” said Steve Bennett, VP sales central and distribution at Esko. “When the die is running on the press, there is a challenge to the physical act of a die press opening and closing. Different paper reacts differently to the die rules and release. To help, the die-maker adds sponges that are called rubbers. There is no software to tell a die-maker how to rubber it correctly. A real pro knows how the substrate will react to the die, and he can tweak it. However, if the expert is on vacation, the die might not be made as well. Digital cutting does not have this problem. It cuts the same way all the time. The digital file is just sent to the finisher and it carries off the task.”

3. Short Run LengthsThe print world is moving toward shorter, more personalized runs. That’s not to say that the longer runs will ever vanish completely, but, especially when it comes to marketing, brands and companies are looking to stand out from the crowd, and more personalized materials help them to do just that. But the personalization doesn’t need to end with the print job. Five hundred individually printed boxes could all be cut and folded the same way, but they don’t necessarily have to be exactly the same with digital die-cutting equipment.

“Today’s rotary digital die-cutting systems offer varying degrees of automation and very quick die changes combined with high production speeds, which make them equally as efficient and profitable for short-run, digitally personalized runs—like wedding and event invi tat ions , b ir th announcements, business cards and boutique packaging —as they are for longer-run applications such as direct mail pieces, door hangers, merchandise tags and greeting cards, to name just a few,” noted Bob Flinn, director of business development at Standard Finishing.

Digital cutting equipment such as the Esko Kongsberg XN allow the shop to make perfect cuts every time.

Die-cutting adds instant visual interest to any print project.


4. FootprintPrinting presses are not tiny machines. And the equipment needed to finish those jobs is not small either. In the past, this was a good reason for many printers to outsource the work—on top of not having to invest in the equipment, personnel and materials, they could use the limited space in their shops for machines with a higher return on investment (ROI). Today, however, while they still wouldn’t be called miniscule, the footprint of digital die-cutting equipment is quite a bit smaller.

“The biggest difference between a traditional die-cutting machine and the new digital model is the footprint of the machine,” noted Kevin Chen, product manager for Duplo USA. “With machines which run on magnetic cylinders, the footprint is relatively small compared to the larger clam shell or flat-bed die-cutters that remain popular in the market. All applications that would normally be done on the bigger footprint machines can now be done on much smaller units.”

5. FlexibilityTraditional die-cutting equipment had certain limitations. Cutting on folds or creases was difficult, if not impossible, and the type and thickness of the substrate had a major impact on the finished

product. Not to mention, it was difficult to cut more exotic materials such as acrylic or wood. And it’s not just the flexibility of the output either.

The newer machines are far more modular in design, allowing print service providers to evolve and grow without needing to reinvest every few years.

“High-performance digital cutting systems cut, crease, and route just about any material you can imagine,” said Daniel Bischof, marketing and communication director for Zünd any time, they can be easily upgraded or reconfigured, ensuring their long-term productivity and ROI.”

6. Time and SpeedAll of these benefits add up to two basic things: savings in the time it takes to produce jobs, and the speed at which they can be produced. Not only that, but the newer equipment can even be run directly inline with the press, instead of needing to be two completely separate processes often run in different areas of the shop, freeing up the man power and storage space needed to move and queue jobs waiting to go into finishing.

Printers can cut costs and improve their bottom line, but they also can better sell the value of the service, as

they can provide near immediate, finished pieces in a matter of days or even hours, as opposed to needing weeks or months from start to finish.

“The rotary process enables run speeds of up to 5,000 sheets per hour,” said Kevin Corwin, product manager for Rollem’s Insignia line of die-cutters. “Another benefit is the ability to fit the die-cutting portion of the job inline with other processes; meaning that a rotary machine can die-cut and strip out the waste of the piece—for example a box layout—and send the piece(s) on into a folder-gluer unit for complete job processing, without any human interruption of stop points.”

There is no denying that, like offset presses, there is still a place in the industry for traditional die-cutting equipment. But for many shops, especially those who have not yet invested heavily in finishing options, digital technologies bring a range of benefits and possibilities that even a decade ago were either near impossible or cost-prohibitive. These machines open up new possibilities and potential markets for printers willing to take the plunge. n


Modern die-cutting machines allow the finishing department to keep up with printing speeds and variability.

Helpline Number for Screen PrintersDMI, an educational initiative of Grafica Flextronica, has introduced a Helpline Number – +91 8 655 755 855 – for screen printers. Screen printers across the globe can now call on this special HELPLINE Number for any kind of technical queries related to screen printing process.Timing : 12.00 pm ~ 1.00 pm and 4.00 pm ~ 5.00 pm (IST), Monday to Thursday“I am sure this HELPLINE facility will enable screen printers to improve quality standards and resolve day to day problems,” says Bhargav Mistry.DMI Institute’s technical team including Bhargav Mistry, Director of DMI, will try to suitably reply to screen printers’ queries and problems well within DMI’s scope. Since DMI is connected to many international experts in screen printing, if their problems not resolved within DMI’s scope, an efforts will be made to get solutions from international experts who are associated with DMI. n


Engage Employees in the Performance Appraisal ProcessHey Coach, why is such an important developmental process often dreaded rather than embraced and explored?

Performance reviews are one of the primary ways to recognize accomplishments and discuss opportunities to elevate employee performance. It is an opportunity to have an open and honest discussion not only about performance, but also career development, planning for new goals and aspirations, and infusing the company culture. Unfortunately, the performance a p p r a i s a l e v e n t i s s u c h a misunderstood process that it tends to be ignored rather than explored.

Performance discussions that include coaching may be the single most important factor for employee retention, job satisfaction, and productivity. Reviews were not designed to be a form of torture for managers. Reviews are intended to have a significant purpose: Share feedback in an honest manner to ensure company and employee goals are aligned and to increase overall productivity.

From my personal experience, I can share with you that every performance appraisal session I have ever conducted (and I’ve done many over 38 years in this business) was the most valuable time ever spent with an employee. The brief bursts of time spent in these

sessions provided a hundredfold return in employee p e r s o n a l satisfaction and r e t e n t i o n a n d i n i m p r o v e d productivity. I am confident that the main reason my evaluations were successful is that I engaged each

employee in the process. I also use an organized evaluation form and a structured process for conducting the evaluation.

Two-way CommunicationIncluding the employee as an active part of the process gives the employee a key role to play. Rather than simply being a “recipient” of feedback, the employee is given a voice and can contribute and shape their performance appraisal and ratings. It is not always possible for the manager to see the full picture and understand all the factors that affect employee performance. Therefore, having the employee complete a self-assessment allows the manager to view performance through their eyes and get the employee’s side of the story. Because the discussion is interactive, the employee is more open to hear from the manager’s viewpoint.

It is inevitable that the manager and employee will have different impressions of the performance in a certain area or areas. Identifying these differences creates a win-win opportunity for both the manager and the employee. Often in these discussions the information revealed

might even guide or redirect the manager’s assessment. It may lead to a change in the organization to promote better production or teamwork. It could lead to a discussion of more training or mentoring that needs to be in place.

According to Halogen Software, Strategic Talent Management, “When something is important to us, or impacts us personally, most of us find it easier to listen to someone else once we feel we have been heard. An employee self-assessment gives each employee that opportunity.” I guarantee that this two-way appraisal system is the most comfortable and engaging way to address both positive and negative feedback if a manager is willing to keep his or her ego in check and to keep things positive by demonstrating their sincere willingness to listen objectively and to give feedback to help the employee strengthen and develop performance areas.

But performance feedback cannot be left to the once-a-year get together. Each workday gives the owner/ manager innumerable opportunities to provide praise, reward, and corrective guidance to the employee. The best results are achieved if these conversations and comments take place at the moment the action is observed. Performance, whether it is good or bad, must be addressed when it is observed and should not be left to a later time. The effect of positive reinforcement or instant correction is lost when it is postponed.

A frequent result could be that issues are left unaddressed for so long that the frustration escalates for the owner/ manager, the employee, or even some others on the team. This can lead to someone quitting. Sometimes the employee gets fired and they had no idea it was coming. This last scenario can actually set you up for a lawsuit, which no one needs. Bottom line: written performance reviews are one of the best tools for building a dynamic team and a welloiled business. n



A million ways to readShare your book, read an unlimited number of them or just pay foronechapter.Ebookpublishingisbecomingflexibleinabidto suit individual needs

In 2015, Ramakrishnan Krishnan, an event consultant for indie music bands based in Bengaluru, read 53 books, 45 of them read digitally. It was a dramatic difference from the way he used to read just a couple of years ago. “I’m usually in various stages of three-four books at any given time, so carrying all my collection on my iPad 2 is quite convenient,” says the 45-year-old, who uses Kindle and the iBooks app for books and comiXology for comics and graphic novels. As a reader, he would not opt for a subscription-based model for reading and would like publishers to start creating ebooks that are immersive and interactive.

On the other hand, Vatsala Bisen, a 33-year-old copywriter based in Mumbai, would love a social library-based app. “I want a reading app to have a personality, tell me what to read next, let me show off my personal digital library like I do at home, connect to people who are readers, look at what others have in their digital library, and, if possible at a nominal fee, read a book from someone else’s library too,” she says. Social connections while reading are important for Bisen, who reads on her MotoX rather than Kindle because she can browse and talk to friends on WhatsApp while she reads and manages her baby.

Each reader has his or her own style of reading and preferences, and publishers and authors are fast recognizing this. “Digital publishing can offer a lot of flexibility, of not only changing the experience of reading itself but targeting specific requirements that a reader has, be it bigger font size or backlighting,” says Jaya Bhattacharji Rose, an international publishing consultant who has been associated with the Indian publishing industry for 20

years. “India has a lot of markets within one market, so no single digital strategy is going to work.”

Pay by chapterAiming at readers who don’t want to buy the whole book owing to money or time constraints, Dailyhunt (Dailyhunt.in ), a news and e-books mobile application, is trying to see if you would buy a chapter of the book. “The idea works similar to an EMI. The customer has the option of buying the whole book at the store price or buying individual chapters at a marginal premium for as little as Rs.5 per chapter,” says Virendra Gupta, founder and chief executive officer (CEO), Dailyhunt. Gupta has tried this with magazines, by letting readers pay by the article instead of buying the whole magazine, and the response has been good. In November, Dailyhunt launched a pilot of pay-per-chapter with Westland Books, starting with author Amish’s successful Shiva trilogy. Currently, Dailyhunt offers 100,000 books across 10 languages.

By the end of January, Gupta says they will be able to offer the pay-per-chapter option for more than 6,000 books. “The content for mobile needs to be simple, bite-sized and easy to consume on the phone,” says Rohit Kumar, founder and CEO of Chapter Apps (Chapterapps.net ), a start-up in beta which is building a mobile platform for textbooks to cater to college students. “Students buy books today even though they read only two-three chapters in it. In our app, they would be able to pay for the chapters they want to read.”

Mobile only, pleaseLike Dailyhunt and ChapterApps, the focus of another forthcoming publishing house, Juggernaut Books ( Juggernaut.in ) is mobile. The

mobile publishing house, which was formally launched in September, is working on iOS, Android and desktop apps that will be released by February. They plan to use the pay-to-download model and will include a pay-by-chapter model so that readers can try out a new author. Their aim is to optimally design the app and content they offer in accordance with mobile reading habits. “On an average, people read for 10-15 minutes on the phone without getting interrupted, be it during a commute or late at night,” says Delhi-based Durga Raghunath, CEO, Juggernaut Books.

There are plans to try out different lengths of a book too. “Users can only consume an optimal length for an optimal time, therefore you have to give users ways to get back and stick to a book,” she says. “We’ve calculated the average reading time across a scroll and are building our content and design around it.” She refuses to reveal more before their formal launch.

The idea itself, and the business model, is not new. Other mobile start-ups have tried to create optimum-reading apps long before Juggernaut and failed; at best results have been mediocre.

Perhaps the difference will be in the content. “What I’m really impressed with is the catalogue Juggernaut Books have brought together,” says Nikhil Pahwa, founder, editor and publisher of Medianama, a digital and telecom news platform. Led by Chiki Sarkar, former publisher and editor-in-chief of Penguin Random House, Juggernaut’s 2016 catalogue (released in November) has celebrity authors like Arundhati Roy, Twinkle Khanna, Rajdeep Sardesai, Rujuta Diwekar and William Dalrymple. “I don’t know what they plan to do with the app but these are author names that will sell, which already gives them an audience,” says Pahwa, though he hopes they won’t get stuck in the Kindle ecosystem and will think of multiple distribution platforms.


Unlimited reachD i s t r i b u t i o n i s o n S h a r a t h Komarraju’s mind as well. A multi-genre author based in Bengaluru, Komarraju dabbles in both digital and traditional publishing. Of 15 published books, six are self-published on Amazon Kindle. He likes the freedom he has in terms of content in the digital space, where he can put up books that are around 30,000 words as well as short stories that are a hard sell in traditional publishing.

“ Te c h n o l o g y h a s e n a b l e d distribution, the hardest nut to crack in publishing,” he says. “It’s made it convenient for both authors and readers to find each other online.” To find new readers within the Kindle ecosystem, the 30-year-old opted for Kindle Unlimited, a subscription model from Amazon, when it was launched in India in September.

Kindle Unlimited is an e-library of Kindle e-books, which a reader can subscribe to for a monthly fee of Rs.150. “You have access to over one million books, at the price of less than a paperback, including new releases and Kindle best-sellers,” says Sanjeev Jha, director, Kindle Content, Amazon India. He believes e-books are the game changers in the publishing industry. “Producing, distributing and marketing e-books is more efficient than print. A book can be available in less than 60 seconds to our consumers worldwide through Kindle.” Something that is simply not possible in the physical world.

All Kindle authors can choose whether they want to be part of the Kindle Unlimited pool. Komarraju is part of it as it helps him “entice” new readers to pick up his other titles.

This is not true of Rasana Atreya, one of the first authors in India to come on Kindle Direct Publishing, Amazon’s self-publishing platform. “I love the control e-publishing gives me, be it the content, the cover or promotional opportunities, but Kindle Unlimited doesn’t work

for me.” Since June, authors in the Kindle Unlimited plan have been getting paid by the number of pages a reader reads rather than straight royalty for an e-book sale. This has discouraged authors like Atreya from availing of the subscription service.

Even though Amazon’s Unlimited plan offers a million books to readers in the country, readers won’t hop on if they don’t find the authors they want to read—as many authors have chosen to stay away from the service. London-based Siddhesh Kabe, a voracious thriller and science fiction reader, subscribed to Kindle Unlimited three months ago and is already thinking of leaving.

“The problem is it doesn’t have the big-ticket books, so I end up buying the latest ebooks in the series I’m reading separately,” says the 29-year-old over email. Now, he has subscribed to Marvel Unlimited, a subscription-based service, at $9.99, or around Rs.650, per month, which offers 17,000 Marvel comic titles digitally.

What makes any business plan in e-book publishing fail or succeed is content. “It’s not the subscription you buy, it’s the books that you want to read that decide if you’ll buy an unlimited subscription,” says Pahwa, who believes subscription-based services l ike Amazon Unlimited or Marvel Unlimited will not work for readers who buy books on impulse or those, like Kabe, who look for the latest titles.

Deconstructing the taleUltimately, it’s not technology that will determine which way the readers will swing, it’s the content. “If a book is good, even 1,000 pages or 18 sequels is not enough. If it’s lousy, even 10 pages are too much,” says best-selling author Ashok Banker, who selfpublishes his e-books while his print books go through established publishers. “Today, e-book sales of my titles outsell the print editions by a factor of 10-20 times. It’s a strong source

of royalty and a great way to get the books where the print edition isn’t available,” he adds.

Pratham Books, a Bengaluru-based non-profit that wants to see a storybook in every child’s hand, knew it couldn’t reach 240 million children in India on its own. So it launched StoryWeaver, an open-source digital repository for collaborative storymaking. The platform has more than 1,100 stories for children, with illustrations, all free to use.

“The platform lets you refurbish a b o o k a c c o r d i n g t o y o u r requirement,” says Suzanne Singh, chairperson, Pratham Books. You can read, download, use, reuse, translate any of the stories, or create new ones for others. StoryWeaver works on Unicode, which makes it easier to read or create stories in any language without requiring a font to be downloaded. Launched in September, the platform has already had 95,000 views. “Fivesix new versions of a story come up on the platform every single day,” says Singh, adding that she’s surprised it’s catching on so fast.

Digitizing Indic scriptsWhat makes StoryWeaver exciting is the control it’s given to readers, as well as the fact that it has books in more than 31 languages. Languages other than English remain a huge untapped readership in India and not many digital publishers have been successful in tapping it. Google Play, Dailyhunt and Kobo support Indic fonts, but Amazon has no plans to venture into Indian languages at the moment.

DC Books, one of the leading publishers in Malayalam, offers 1,224 titles of international and Indian authors in translation on its e-books store (Ebooks.dcbooks.com). “We faced many technical challenges in conversion to Malayalam fonts, in which we have 56 letters, and it took our team more than three months to find a solution,” says Ravi Deecee, managing partner and CEO, DC Books.


Each conversion to an e-book continues to need proofreading, for there can be missing letters or mistakes. This has prevented DC Books from introducing titles in languages other than Malayalam, Hindi and English.

Though it seems like an obvious idea, a lot of technology and pricing challenges have to be addressed for other languages, like programming in Unicode, and the cost of enough market for experiments. Gupta agrees: “Digital publishing is a disruption waiting to happen. While there’s a lot happening worldwide, here it’s pretty much in a nascent stage.”

THE DIGITAL CHOICEWant to pick up a few books? Here’s where you can go

StoryWeaverAn open-source digital repository of children’s stories, StoryWeaver has over 1,100 stories in 31 languages and 2,000 images, all for free. You can read, share and download all the stories for offline use or in print-ready formats, or make your

own story, using the illustrations available on the website.

Free on www.storyweaver.org.in

Kindle UnlimitedMeant for voracious readers who like to choose titles across genres, and want to explore new authors, Kindle Unlimited is a subscription service that allows you access to a whopping one million e-books on any device. You don’t need to own a Kindle because you can use any of Amazon’s apps on other platforms to read on your device or smartphone.

Amazon Kindle is available on iOS, Android, Windows Phone and Web; Rs.150 a month. www.amazon.in

DailyhuntHow about taking a bit of the cake to see if you like it or not? Choose from 100,000 books across 10 languages or just read chapters with Dailyhunt. The app lets you pay by card or mobile wallet, or even through your service provider.

Free on Android, Windows Phone and iOS; www.dailyhunt.in

Amazon buys 26% in Tata Group’s publishing unit

American ecommerce giant Amazon has acquired a 26% stake in leading publishing house Westland from Tata Group company Trent for Rs 9.5 crore, upping its presence in Asia’s third largest economy. The deal with Trent also allows the Jeff Bezosled company to buy the remaining 74% stake in future. Trent inherited Westland following its acquisition of Landmark book stores in 2005.

This is the third publishing business in which the Tata Group has begun divesting its interest. In the past, it exited Tata Infomedia, best known as the publisher of the Tata Yellow Pages directory, and Tata McGrawHill Publishing, producer of educational and professional books.

Chennaibased Westland — an amalgamation of EastWest Books and

BookBubLove discounts? Become a part of BookBub, an e-book promotion company that shows the best discounts for titles in online stores. Launched in May, BookBub shows discounts from Flipkart, Amazon, Google Books and Kobo. It’s a great place to discover new self-published authors from India and abroad.Free on www.bookbub.com

Bloody Good BookAt this online publishing venture based in Mumbai, writers submit their manuscripts. “We make the first three chapters available online, and readers and reviewers read, review and vote for the books that they think deserve to be published,” says Niyati Patel, co-founder of Bloody Good Book.Based on reader feedback, the website decides which books should be printed and markets them. The Bloody Good Book had 141 manuscripts and 8,244 readers as of Tuesday.Free on www.bloodygoodbook.com n

Courtesy : www.livemint.com

Westland Books — currently focuses on publishing Indianauthored books and is among the top five publishers in the country. It has restructured operations by exiting the lossmaking distribution business and is expected to turn around this fiscal. Several international players had showed interest in Westland but Amazon emerged the winner for the stake purchase.

“Amazon’s roots are in books and it remains a major part of their business. This investment from a company with such deep experience in books, global reach and digital platforms will help us take our Indian authors and their works global,” said Gautam Padmanabhan, CEO, Westland. The 26% stake gives Amazon one seat on Westland’s board.

India ranks seventh in overal l publishing and third after the US and the UK in English language publishing. Book publishing in India — estimated to be worth Rs 10,000 crore — is expanding at an average growth rate of 30%, according to a Ficci report.

The deal in Westland will help Amazon have a bigger selection of exclusive ‘Indian writing books’ and have a firm foothold in the ebooks market. Westland publishes exclusively or jointly eight of the top 20 authors in the country. Amazon’s Indian rival Flipkart exited the ebooks segment last year.

Sarah Jane Gunter, director, Amazon Publishing, said, “Our investment in Westland continues Amazon’s commitment to innovating and invest ing heavi ly on behalf of customers in India — it’s still very much Day 1.” n

Courtesy : www.timesofindia.com


Sree Vinayaga Screens adds SM52 Anicolor press

Maduraibased Sree Vinayaga Screens has installed a Heidelberg SM 52 press equipped with Anicolor and a coater.

“This is India’s first Heidelberg Anicolor plus coater press, which is capable of running 15,000 impressions per hour,” said L Ramanathan, managing director of Sree Vinayaga Screens.

Established in 1978, the company, which started as a screen print and letterpress firm, now stands tall as a fullfledged commercial offset print house with a fleet of presses including a fourcolour Mitsubishi Gseries and a Komori Lithrone 29.

“Our major strength is the quality of press machinery at our facility which is continuously maintained and calibrated. As a company, we’d like to call ourselves a small replica of a huge print shop as we have all the necessary facilities to produce a job inhouse including CTP systems and an array of finishing equipment,” added Ramanathan.

The Anicolor press prints jobs from 200 to 5,000 sheets, with an average run of 1,000. It processes substrates from 0.03 to 0.6 millimetres (0.0012 to 0.024 inches). Elaborating

on their reason to procure this press, Ramanathan, who is a print technologist by education, said, “Frankly, we have used all brands except Heidelberg, so initially, we thought of going with a regular SM52 for shortrun jobs,

but when we saw this machine at the open house in Mangalore we were fascinated with the new technology and that was when we decided to go with Anicolor and we are confident that we made the right choice.”

According to Heidelberg, compared to a press with conventional inking unit, the benefits of Anicolor can be summed up as "90:50:50" which means that Anicolor inking unit technology results in 90 percent less paper waste, 50 percent shorter makeready times, and 50 percent higher productivity.

Speaking about the installation, Ganesh Kumar of Heidelberg said, “With a shorter makeready time, print buyers can walkin with their jobs and get it printed within a short span of time (A4 or A3 sheets, in 10 15 mins max) and pricing is very competitive with digital too.”

As a commercial printer with a good share of walkins, Ramanathan

feels Anicolor helps them compete with the digital print shops. “The main USP of Anicolor I would say is the minimal makeready timeone time a customer came to our print shop at closing time with an urgent requirement for a wedding event. I offered them coffee and by the time we were done, the job of 500 sheets was printed and delivered to them instantly,” explained Ramanathan. “ The online coating unit is a lucrative feature too, enabling jobs like POS posters, danglers, flyers can be delivered in shorter time to our customers,” he added.

The company’s clientele include top advertising agencies in South Tamil Nadu, corporates like Aurolab, Titan, Bajaj, BigBazar, Ola Cabs etc and also a sizeable share of walkins. n

Mr. Ramanathan, is a Commitee Member of THE FORUM. The President and his team wish Mr. Ramanathan and his colleagues at Sree Vinayaga Screens all the success in this new addition.

(From left) Ramanathan, Managing Director and Lakshminarayanan, Chairman

Anicolor BenefitsAnicolor TechnologyAnicolour technology provides you with a four-colour offset solution that saves both time and money. This state-of-the-art press delivers top offset quality fast due to its short set-up time and reduction in drying time, coupled with an output speed of 15,000 sheets per hour. To serve you better, we have two of them.

Specifications•High-speed four-colour CMYK press •Optimal run lengths: 500 to 5,000 units •Maximum sheet size: 14.33” x 20.47” •Optimal stock: lightweight stock (40 lb) to 18 pt board •Aqueous coating capabilities

Eco-friendlyPrinting with Anicolour inking technology creates less waste and is more eco-friendly, reducing the carbon footprint of your project. The waste at start-up is reduced by 90% from the traditional offset press, all plates and scrap paper are recycled, and the Anicolour consumes ink at a lower rate for a minimal impact on your budget and the environment. n


New Anicolor 2 at drupa 2016Evenmoreprofitableproductionofshortrunsusingthelatestgeneration of Heidelberg Anicolor technology

What do commercial and packaging printers have in common? Both need to optimize their processes so they can deal with increasingly shorter production runs and frequent order changes involving different materials while still remaining profitable. While the CMYK colour model is used for printing advertisements, lots of spot colours are customary when printing packaging and labels. This is where the Anicolor short inking technology from Heidelberg comes in, offering an optimum solution package for the flexible production of short runs. The advantages can be summarized with the formula 905050: Around 90 percent less waste thanks to fast and constant inking. It takes just 20 to 30 startup sheets to reach the correct ink levels for a new order. The result is a 50 percent reduction in setup times combined with a 50 percent increase in productivity.

“ O u r c u s t o m e r s h a ve t h e i r challenges, and we have the solutions and answers they need in the area of both digital and offset printing,” explains Stephan Plenz, Member of the Management Board responsible for Heidelberg Equipment.

“The Anicolor technology is used in both small and medium production runs, and its scope of application will be increased once again with the new Anicolor 2.”

Anicolor 2 – greater ink density at the push of a button for savings of up to 15 minutes Heidelberg will be presenting the next generation of Anicolor technology at drupa 2016 with Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor 2 for greater flexibility, speed and productivity. This is achieved with three innovations. The first of these is the Anicolor Booster. This can be activated at the push of a button on the Prinect Press Center and permits a wider range of inks thanks to an improved setting range for ink density on different printing stocks. In most cases, this does away with the need to change the ink chamber as was previously required with very absorbent printing stocks.

This shortens the setup time in commercial printing since both coated and uncoated paper can now be processed with the same ink series. This benefit is even more

pronounced in packaging printing, with its everchanging spot colors. Up to 15 minutes can be saved here by not having to change the screen roller. Changing to a bigger screen roller is mostly only required for orders involving the application of opaque white, gold, or silver.

Productivity is further increased by the two other innovations. The first of these is a faster washup program that provides for faster ink changes and therefore shorter setup times thanks to 9,000 revolutions per hour instead of the previous 7,000. As a result, changing color shades can now be achieved up to a minute faster. This enables packaging printers facing two or more ink changes in almost every new order to get through two or three orders a day more.

The second of these innovations is a function allowing the operator to choose between “standard”, “short”, or even “none” for the ink shutoff time, depending on the color assignment from one job to the next. The shortened ink shutoff saves another 20 seconds, while eliminating it altogether reduces the


setup time by 40 seconds. The option “without” is ideal for successive orders of the same type.

Perfectly matched Saphira consumablesAll of these benefits are enhanced through the use of tested Saphira consumables. With the Saphira Performance Kit Anicolor, the inks are designed for this special application and deliver constant p r o d u c t i o n c o n d i t i o n s a n d reproducible quality for the most demanding orders.

“We presented the Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor as prototypes at drupa 2012. We have sold over 200 printing units since then – split down the middle between commercial and packaging printers,” explains Stephan Plenz. “At the next drupa we will be showing how easy it can be to complete short production runs quickly, flexibly, and economically using offset printing with the Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor 2. Another aspect of this is machine and materials coming together in perfect harmony and enabling a standardized and fast overall process together with the Prinect Workflow.”

At drupa 2016, the Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor 2 will be presented at the IST stand in Hall 2, right in the passage to Heidelberg in Hall 1. The sixcolor press with coating unit includes full UV functionality. We will show how material costs can be significantly reduced since Anicolor 2 enables UV applications to be processed on expensive, nonabsorbent printing stock with very few makeready sheets.

Anicolor 2 with a new design, new feeder, and the new Prinect Press Center XL 2 will be available as standard from November 2016. A number of technical functions such as the new Anicolor Booster and the faster washup programs will be available earlier from July 2016.

Field testers even more productive with Anicolor 2 “The Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor 2 enabled us to

increase our productivity by a further 10 percent, and our printing speed also rose to up to 1,000 sheets an hour,” confirm Wendelin Lipp and Reto Hauri, Commercial Manager of the printing company DAZ Druckerei Albisrieden AG in Zürich. There is no one better qualified to offer an assessment. DAZ installed the first Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor in Switzerland following the presentation at drupa 2012. DAZ has been using Anicolor 2 since summer 2015, and uses the Anicolor Booster for a wide range of printing stock. Even printing on natural paper – in frequent demand at the moment in Switzerland – as well as glossy coated materials is now possible with just one ink series and without changing the ink chamber or screen roller. The production runs range from 50 to 50,000 sheets, with a salable product achieved after 30 setup sheets in most cases.

Druckhaus Mainfranken GmbH in Marktheidenfeld, the production company of the Würzburgbased online printer Flyeralarm, recently started using a Speedmaster XL 75 Anicolor 2 with UV technology. The machine is replacing one of two Speedmaster SX 52 Anicolor as well as a UV machine in A3 format from another manufacturer.

“The Anicolor 2 has made a promising start. We use it for printing gang runs on very challenging materials. The UV ink technology permits a very wide range of printing stocks and the Anicolor 2 technology provides for fast setup and a significant reduction in waste of what is very expensive printing stock,” reports Managing Director Ulrich Stetter. The company’s products include stickers and PVC labels on different printing stocks, as well as linen papers or highquality, mattcoated papers. All in all therefore a very wide range of products, which places high demands on the printing machine. The Anicolor Booster easily processes the wide range, while Saphira Anicolor UV inks deliver the best printing results. n

drupa 2016 to Highlight Industrial PrintingA strong focus at drupa 2016 will be the advances in industrial printing, specifically packaging, glass, textile, ceramics, flooring, laminates, wood, wallcovering and decorative printing as well as printed electronics. The event will take place from May 31 – June 10, 2016 at the fairgrounds in Germany.“Packaging product ion and industrial printing applications are recognized today as growth markets. We must follow market changes and identify future trends to integrate them into our concept for the trade fair. For 65 years, drupa has always been at the forefront of technological innovations,” explained Werner Dornscheidt, president and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf.According to estimates by research firm InfoTrends, worldwide mass-production of decorative products accounted for just under half a trillion dollars in manufactured goods in flat glass, ceramic tiles, flooring/laminates, textile and wall coverings.Sabine Geldermann, director drupa 2016, stated: “The print and media industry is changing. New technologies are establishing themselves. With the highlight themes of pr int , funct ional printing, packaging production, multichannel, 3D printing and green printing, we are responding to this change and are opening up new visitor target groups with state-of-the-art technologies and new solutions.”In addit ion to the individual exhibitors’ products on display, drupa 2016 will present the latest design and production solutions in the special exhibits drupa innovation park (dip), drupa cube, touchpoint packaging and PEPSO – Printed Electronics. n


According to Lucas Eyre, Australasia sales development manager at MyPrintCloud, most print and design companies have attempted and failed to build an ecommerce presence with design capabilities due to four main reasons. This includes the high cost of capital investment needed, the lack of in house technical skills required, technology l imi ta t ions , and the complexity of hosting and integrating a web to print platform with an existing MIS or estimating solution.Eyre says, “MyPrintCloud set out to be the Shopify for the print industry, that is to bring a low cost ecommerce platform to small and large print companies that want to sell print online and process those orders without having to rekey that information into a third party print MIS solution”.“After many years developing print MIS solutions and webtoprint solutions, MyPrintCloud realised with the emergence of the cloud, along with end user expectations of services, that a home grown solution which was one integrated product was needed. So with this knowledge they quickly set out to develop a cloud based platform to allow printers and graphic arts professionals to build their own branded B2C and B2B web stores. This quickly extended to integrate a powerful print MIS into the ordering module, and grew to include social media management and advanced CRM integration for marketing campaigns. Creating web stores was split into two store types; public vistalike stores (for new, anonymous visitors) and private stores, branded stores with specific templates and products with tighter editing controls for end users,

Cloud W2P and MIS solutionsMISandW2Psolutionsthatallowanyprintertocreatetheirownonline print store.

managing editing privileges and brand controls like fonts and spot colours.“By integrat ing al l the core ingredients to sell online and to process orders on the shop floor and ultimately delivering print to the customer, MyPrintCloud feels that now even the smallest of print operations can compete with the biggest print management companies.”MyPrintCloud is a global provider of print MIS and webtoprint technology. The company feels its latest release is going to change the way the graphic arts market adopts management and workflow technology. It says as proof it is providing its print MIS platform for free. Upgrade options include the ability to subscribe to a monthly subscription to create retail (B2C) and corporate (B2B) web stores.As part of the print MIS solution, MyPrintCloud incorporates an online HTML5 designer tool with the end user in mind that it says is easy to use, while maintaining features found in popular design applications.Since al l of MyPrintCloud’s technology is proprietary, and not a collection of third party partners, the platform is 100 per cent integrated between web store, the online designer and the print MIS. This allows for live feeds into the web stores for items like stock and available inventory, with orders flowing into the production process and onto integrated accounting packages like Myob and Xero.MyPrintCloud has been making a dent in the local market with more than 80 printers a month registering for their own instant print MIS platform for free, hosted on the

Australian Amazon cloud network. Customers are instantly deployed when they register at myprintcloud.com.

Comprehensive free print MIS and CRMThe inbuilt print MIS within MyPrintCloud includes all aspects a printer or print manager would require. With an inbuilt CRM, Estimating, Order Processing, Production Job Boards, Inventory Management, Shipping and Dispatch Modules, as well as calculations for digital, wide format and offset presses, guillotines, pre and post centre calculations. All orders, either online or traditional direct orders are seen in one place and processed to production in one place.

MyPrintCloud has taken print MIS one step further with integration into third party CRM provider Agile CRM, allowing clients to transform their sales cycle with marketing automation, appointment scheduling, social media integration and more CRM related tasks.

C E O O m a r F a r o o q s a y s , “MyPrintCloud intends to improve the efficiencies of all shapes and sizes of print companies by offering the MIS component of MyPrintCloud for free while encouraging customers to grow their business by subscribing to web to print stores.

“MyPrintCloud understands the essence of print commerce. With

Cloud solution: Easy MIS system forbusy printers.


its intelligent features, it allows authorised users to buy print online in a selfservice manner, this applies to both retail stores and corporate stores.”

He says, “Selfservice, transparency and online engagement is what MyPrintCloud web stores are all about. Each store is a separate website with a distinctive URL. It is a complete online print shop filled with products divided into various categories for easy access. Users from all over the globe can order print products ranging from business cards to multipage brochures, posters and other marketing collaterals without caring about geographical boundaries. Each web store is tailored to the need of individual customers.”

The web stores are flexible with options to apply strong branding and design policies to the stores and the artwork available on them. Strict controls can be exercised and checks can be applied across various user levels. Limited or complete access can be granted according to user roles to ensure a smooth and transparent ordering process.

VDP and user logon information can be used to populate templates with text and imagery without any input from the client, and checkout options can be defined on a user by user basis, integrated with many Australian payment gateways like PayPal, St George, NAB, Westpac, ANZ and others.

Custom retail B2C print storesMyPrintCloud provides mobile friendly retail stores with thousands of online stock layouts, a collection of mobile friendly responsive themes and full access to edit and add to the library of preexisting products. More advanced users have access to design elements like the sites CSS and can add to web stores with HTML widgets for different page features.

Farooq says, “MyPrintCloud has spent countless hours refining

and improving the purchasing journey for end users, increasing the flexibility given to printers to allow the up selling of additional services and other products like finished goods and shelf items.

Custom corporate B2B print storesMyPrintCloud already has 300 corporate print stores deployed already within Australia and New Zealand. With some sites having more than 1200 users it has been proven as an essential tool for franchises, real estates, schools and universities as well as corporates with complex approval processes. Customer feedback has allowed for many improvements to how private stores function and almost every requirement for the online repurposing of previously professionally designed artwork.

Integrated HTML5 online designerMyPrintCloud’s online designer gives complete control over design principles. For example, you can control text height, character spacing, text justification, preserve CMYK and spot colours, inline styling for multiple text colours and fonts. Using variable data elements you can use rules to control the collapsing of text elements when different users have different information like mobile numbers and fax numbers.

Automatic outsourcing auto push purchase ordersEyre says, “MyPrintCloud handles day to day ordering with ease. There is automatic notification of low stock items and produces purchase orders for the replenishment of inventory and preprinted stock. There is also easy outsourcing of jobs that are better suited to your trade partners through MyPrintCloud’s purchase order management platform, which can outsource jobs based on quantity ordered or preferred selected suppliers.”

Kick Starter programMyPrintCloud offers a quick start program where a team of professionals assist customers to kick start them to get up and running fast, with dedicated account managers and web designers on hand for the first two weeks of getting started. Eyre says, “This means printers do not need to have the expertise internally to offer online services or configure an MIS platform. As part of the kickstarter program clients are run through a thorough training program while having professionals on hand to configure and implement.”

Accounting and integrationsMyPrintCloud is integrated into cloud based accounting packages like Xero, MYOB and Quickbooks. There is no need for rekeying of orders from online web stores, or direct orders manually created in the print MIS. Online and Offline orders, inventory and stock usage is passed to your accounting package either through a live feed or via a data import / export.

Help desk and supportWith coverage across major markets in Europe, USA and Australia coverage for support is virtually around the clock, MyPrintCloud has implemented an onscreen chat facility where users have access to support staff immediately which has a major benefit to new users. In addition to chat, customers also have phone, email and Skype access to developers and support technicians.

In summaryEyre says, “Put simply there is no hardware needed and no software needed. Mobility is a given in the cloud technology and runs on multiple browsers and devices including, mobile phone, iPads and laptops. You just need to sign in and access your instance with an active internet connection, support and account managers are on hand to guide you through the learning and implementation process.” n

Courtesy : www.proprint.com.au


POLAR’s Highlights at the 2016 drupa

In Hall 1, POLAR and its sales partner Heidelberger Druckmaschinen will once again be presenting a wide range of solutions for handling the most diverse market demands. The highlights are the two new products we will be presenting: Cutting machine POLAR D 115 and POLAR Digicut PRO.

On the stand covering 350 square meters POLAR will show a wide selection of solutions for commercial printers, finishing businesses and digital printers, from solo cutting machines and CuttingSystem 200 through to the automated CuttingSystem PACE. Label printers who attach great importance to first-class cutting precision hand in hand with maximum productivity will be especially interested in LabelSystem DC-11 plus. An enhanced version of the well-established P-Net Compucut® for generating cutting programs off the machine will be presented.

Cutting machine D 115POLAR D 115 is an upward extension of POLAR’s portfolio of hydraulic cutting machines. Besides the hydraulic knife drive system, this cutting machine is characterized

by its sound construction with optimized cast frame and sheet metal casing. A distortion-free machine table with corrosion-free surface and air nozzles ensures easy material handling. Cutting machine D 115 is a machine developed from scratch for digital printers and commercial printers with occasional cutting jobs.

Digicut PROAfter the very successful market launch of Digicut ECO last year, the laser cutter family now has another new member in the shape of Digicut PRO. While Digicut ECO was designed for small runs, Digicut PRO is meant for industrial production. On Digicut PRO, the material is automatically transported over a flat pile feeder and into a cutting cabin where it is lasered on-the-fly. This makes Digicut PRO the right machine for handling large runs, especially in printing houses and finishing businesses. With its Digicut family POLAR is offering interesting and creative finishing solutions. A laser allows the most intricate contours to be cut in diverse materials and there are practically no limits when it comes to the contour.

Information on POLARAn independent family business, POLAR develops efficient solutions in the post-press branch and positions itself as a global, trend-setting technology company. The range of products includes components and systems for networking and automating various processes from loading, via jogging, cutting and die-cutting right through to unloading and banding. We have been producing cutting machines that are perfect for Print-on-Demand markets working with formats up to 46 x 64 cm under the MOHR brand since 2012. Another member of the POLAR Mohr group is Dienst Verpackungstechnik GmbH, a business producing components and systems for the automatic packaging of goods, primarily in the food industry. n

Courtesy : www.polar-mohr.com

Cutting machine POLAR D 115 PLUS

Color-Logic Add dimension to your print using Pattern-FX from Color-Logic. With over 100 unique effects achievable in each volume, create eye-catching designs in a matter of seconds and give your print the sparkle it deserves. Each pattern can be scaled, rotated, edited or even combined with other patterns, to create print that truly outshines its competition.

Each pattern has six unique ways of being utilized – A pattern may be used as a metallic element using one of the primary Color- Logic effects (Metallic, Dimensional- FX, Watermark-FX and Watermark-FX Plus), or the pattern may be used for creating an emboss or varnish plate! Each pattern can also be combined with any of the 250 colors from rom the Color-Logic swatch book, meaning each pattern can be used six different ways across 250 different metallic colors or metallic gradients. n


BOBST is celebrating its 125th anniversary with dynamism and commitment

BOBST is embarking on this anniversary with its sights focused firmly on the future. From autumn 2015 to autumn 2016 it will hold a year of events running under the motto “125 YEARS: FOR THE NEXT GENERATION”. BOBST has chosen this slogan first of all to thank its customers who have placed their trust in the brand for 125 years. It is also to pay tribute to its staff, whose enthusiastic work has given the brand’s products and services their renowned excellence. This anniversary is a reminder that everyone has a part to play in laying the foundations that the company intends to bequeath to future generations, the cornerstone of which resides in customer satisfaction.

In addition to the graphic elements which are the visible signs of this anniversary, three key initiatives will punctuate this program of celebrations.

Customer eventsThe 125th anniversary will also feature in the company’s trade exhibitions, customer days and open days. In particular, BOBST will be commemorating its anniversary at the drupa 2016 and K 2016 international shows, which will be held next spring and autumn in Düsseldorf, Germany.

“BOBST - One Group around the world”On 23 March 2016 all BOBST staff will join together for a day celebrating BOBST’s 125 years. The celebrations will kick off in Japan and will end in Mexico, passing through

each of the Group’s facilities during the day. This event, which is being organized in all subsidiaries around the world, will also be an opportunity to thank all who work there for their contribution to the success of the business.

Let us build our future together!125 years of history and innovation are a great source of inspiration, influencing both the culture of the business and its development by the next generat ion. The Board of Directors is planning the implementation of collective projects at a local level, coordinated by BOBST staff. These long-term initiatives represent a joint commitment and offer employees the opportunity to build the future together.

WINNING OVER THE WORLD FROM LAUSANNE. BOBST: AN EPIC INDUSTRIAL ENTERPRISEIn 1890, Joseph Otto Bobst (1862-1935), a press operator-typographer by trade, set up a dealership in Lausanne for the graphic arts

industry. A clever merchant, a few years later he set up a mechanical repair workshop for his customers’ machines, which added to the prosperity of his business.

Henri Bobst (1897-1975), his younger son, became the driving force in 1918 as the company went on to specialize in board converting machinery. A talented and visionary engineer, Henri Bobst was just 18 years of age in 1915 when he developed the first platen press for printing Braille embossing.

In the 1920’s however, the company came up against severe economic difficulties. After the end of the First World War, competition from German and French machine makers became overwhelming, as they benefitted from currency devaluation in these two countries. In 1924, to avoid bankruptcy, J. Bobst & Fils SA sold its board division to Marinoni, a French company. In 1936, fate offered the Lausanne-based company its comeback when the one-time buyer, having succumbed in turn to financial difficulties, sold the packaging operations business back. BOBST repatriated its industrial heritage to Switzerland and built a factory in Prilly two years later.

BOBST, a family company based in the Swiss Canton of Vaud, is launching a year of events to celebrate its anniversary. Dating back four generations, the company was founded in Lausanne in 1890 and has managed to build an ambitious international economic project while remaining true to its roots and human values.


BOBST propels board converting into the industrial eraIn 1940, Henri Bobst launched the AP 900, the world’s first Autoplaten® automatic die-cutter. This machine revolutionized paperboard die-cutting and creasing, processing over 4.000 sheets an hour compared with barely 1.200 for a manual press of the day. It marked the start of the Group’s awe-inspiring industrial growth.

In 1950, BOBST made its first sales in the United States, which was to become its leading market. Developing its operations on the other side of the Atlantic, it worked in partnership with The Champlain Company Inc., a US company specializing in rotogravure printing presses for high-volume packaging, which it acquired in 1965.

In 1970, BOBST, having run out of space at its Prilly industrial site, acquired 300.000 m2 of land at Mex, in the Lausanne region, on which to build new production facilities.

Building an international groupIt was during the 1980’s that BOBST set itself up as an international group. The acquisition of S.A. Martin in France, Peters GmbH in Germany, and a 50% stake in the share capital of Italian machinery manufacturer Schiavi SpA, enabled it to become the world’s leading manufacturer of equipment for the corrugated board industry and to enter the flexible packaging market.

Up to the turn of the twenty-first century, the Group was still strengthening its position throughout the world. Having opened a facility in Germany in 1990, BOBST went on to establish subsidiaries in Malaysia, Thailand, Taiwan and Indonesia and to set itself up in India. It put plants into operation in Shanghai, China and in Itatiba, Brazil, and also opened dealerships in Central Europe and Russia.

In 2004, BOBST acquired five converting equipment businesses from Metso, the Finnish group, thus strengthening its presence and

market share in the flexible packaging industry, a sector accounting for just 7% of BOBST sales at that time. With this acquisition, the Group intended to achieve 20% of its turnover in this field and thus strengthen its position in this thriving market.

Strategic consolidation of the business: a single Group and BrandBetween 2009 and 2011, the Group, having been hit hard by the 2008 global financial crisis, launched an unprecedented turnaround program combined with a cost and headcount reduction plan. One of the key aspects involved consolidating its portfolio of brands, which continued to expand with the passage of time, under a single name: BOBST. In 2012, the strategic consolidation of the business into one Group and a single Brand was accompanied by the adoption of a new logo to identify all the products and services marketed by the company. The efforts expended, and the sacrifices made, enabled BOBST to resume sustainable profitability as of 2014. The Group is now capable of successfully meeting the challenges of a constantly shifting global economic balance.

In 2013, on completing the TEAM (“Tous Ensemble A Mex” or “all together at Mex”) project, BOBST inaugurated the buildings at its new Mex facility, where the Group consolidated its two production facilities in the Lausanne area into a single one.

Since then the company has excelled with numerous technological innovations. In response to specific needs in growth markets, equipment offering excellent value for money in terms of performance has been launched and is now being manufactured in China, India and South America. In 2015, at the forefront of digital printing, BOBST has been successfully testing two digital presses for a year with its customers. Last spring, it acquired Nuova Gidue, an Italian company specializing in short-run printing machinery. Renamed BOBST Firenze, it strengthens the Group’s position in the label and flexible packaging markets.

Bobst Group todayThe number one global supplier of machinery and services to the packaging industry, BOBST operates in three sectors: corrugated board, folding carton and flexible materials.

BOBST has a presence in over 50 countries, operates eleven production facilities and employs over 4.800 people throughout the world. The geographical proximity between its sales and services networks is one of the keys of its leadership.


The Group devotes the bulk of its resources and energy to strengthening its technological edge. Innovation is written into the company’s DNA, it is at the core of its strategy and has resulted in close to 1.350 patents. Today, BOBST offers equipment which provides a targeted response to its customers’ individual requirements. Its digital print systems open up new, highly profitable, outlets and give manufacturers as well as brand owners innovative solutions, especially in personalized production and short runs of packaging and labels.

BOBST places customer satisfaction at the centre of its operations and has been one of the first manufacturers to offer a complete range of services. This includes basic services such as supplying spare parts, remote services and various technical services, as well as maintenance packages, upgrade programs for previously installed machinery and expert assessment packages to optimize production processes. Every year its highly qualified technicians attend over 8.000 days of training.

The Group intends to keep on investing in its personnel and launching new products to meet the needs of the market and consolidate its long-term growth sustainably. The BOBST vision, based on strong human values, has always been the driver of its success and will remain at the core of the next generation’s business project.

Jean-Pascal Bobst, the Group CEO, is the great-grandson of the founder of the business. Since 2009, he has been at the helm of the company, whose headquarters are in Mex, near Lausanne, Switzerland.

Add i t i ona l i n f o rma t i on and documents regarding the Group’s 125th anniversary are available at the following web address: 125.bobst.com. n

Courtesy : www./media.bobst.com

Konica Minolta launched Bizhub Pro 1100 in the 9th edition of N Printech & N Packtech 2016 organised by Buysell Interactions at Chennai Trade Centre from 22-24 April, 2016.

The N Printech & N Packtech was attended by visitors like Ad agencies, creative directors, brand managers, consumer products manufacturers as well as corporate endusers.

More than 20000 industry visitors from across the country and neighbouring countries visited the exhibition.

During the event Konica Minolta launched Bizhub Pro 1100, a monochrome printer and showcased its flagship models Bizhub Press C1060, C1085.

The bizhub PRO 1100 delivers highspeed 100 ppm B&W output, high paper and toner capacity, standard builtin print controller and a compact footprint to save space on production floor. With a maximum paper capacity of 9,000 sheets in five cassettes and the new bypass tray MB507, the monochrome printer is well equipped for any highvolume job, and even extensive mixedmedia jobs can be handled easily.

The Bizhub Press C1060 is a highly capable Digital Press which is capable of achieving offsetlike results. It can efficiently reproduces minute text, thin lines and rich colour gradations even for colour images through synergy

with 1,200 × 1,200 dpi resolution printing and Simitri HDE toner. The Bizhub Press C1085 features great paper compatibility – can handle paper weights of 55 g/m2 to 350 g/m2 and sizes from postcard size to 330 x 487mm. n

Konica Minolta launches Bizhub Pro 1100 in N Printech & N Packtech


Don’t Try and Train Your Customers

My customers won’t send me printready PDFs.My customers won’t use our webtoprint system.My customers refuse to use our FTP site.My customers won’t use our proofing software.Sound familiar?

Your customers don’t work for you, they have full time jobs, and for most people interacting with suppliers is a small part of what they have to do accomplish day. Utilizing your systems, the way you want them to isn’t ever going to be their top priority. Do you want to increase the chances of your customers NOT adopting your systems? Introduce your solution with an opportunity to train you customers how to use them! That will for sure seal the deal, no chance.Customers don’t want to be trained, customers want you to make their lives easier, make them look good to their bosses, increase their chances of a promotion or sometimes just to keep their current employment. Sitting through a training on how to interact with your business doesn’t do anything for the customer, except keep them for working on things that are important to them.Don’t assume the following: “ i f m y c u s t o m e r s s i m p l y had more knowledge about X, their behaviorvwould change.” Knowledge doesn’t guarantee behavior change. For behavior to change, yourvcustomer has to understand “what’s in it for them” in a very simple and straightforward

fashion. This means you have to step out of your perspective and step into the perspective of the customer. This is very hard for people. This is really hard for people who are on the receiving end of customer’s files, customer’s mistakes, customers failing to “get it” time and time again.Changing customer behavior isn’t about training, it’s about selling. You have to sell the customer on a new behavior based on one thing, “how does this make my life easier, better, more efficient, cost less, etc.” Basically you have sell the customer based on what’s in it for them. If there is even a whiff of how it’s better for YOU (the printer), the customer will get skittish and feel like you’re asking them to do more work to make your life easier.Changing customer behavior is a sales activity, don’t delegate it to your technical team who are naturally not so good at sales. Behavior change is emotional, not factual. Technical people hate that; they want customers to respond logically like computers do.The best time to change behavior is to eliminate the need for changing behavior in the first place. Have you ever heard of the phrase, “if you’re in a hole, stop digging?” We work with a lot of printers who are trying to optimize their workflows with their existing customers. While they are putting all this effort into optimization, they bring new customers in and fail to establish the desired behavior from the very beginning, hence they are simply lining up more and more customers

Your customers don’t want to be trained, your customers want you to make them look good in front of their boss, get them promoted, and generally make their lives easier. Don’t try and educate your customers, sell them on what’s in it for them if they adjust their behaviors (e.g. use your webtoprint system, submitprintreadyPDFfiles,etc.)

to be resistant to change in the future.Webtoprint is such a great example of this, you should have a clear evaluation of what customers/job types your webtoprint solution is optimal for and when new customers show up, get them on it right from the beginning. Present it like its “how you work” not a choice but the default.We are too insecure in our sales process, simply giving in to every whim of the customer even if it means the relationship will be less effective for both parties.Your sales team is constantly trying to find ways to make the customer’s lives easier. If you want to practice on your sales pitch to your customers, try and sell your sales team first. Your sales team has to believe in the idea, if they don’t they will make you out to be the bad guy and they will happily take on the good guy role with the customer. For example, I listened to a very talented prepress and workflow resource at a printer describe in great detail to a customer how to prepare their files as printready PDFs and then how to upload them into their proofing system. The prepress resource left the room and the sales representative said, “you can just send us native files via email.” URG.Don’t train, sell. If you have customer facing technology solutions that require training, they have missed the mark. The iPhone comes without a user manual and it might be the most complicated device the general public has ever used. Why did it achieve such wide spread adoption? It is easy to use. Your customer facing solutions have to be 10x easier to use than the systems you use behind the curtains. Most webtoprint solutions fail to understand the importance of the customer facing UI on adoption because they are selling to printers.

Don’t train customers, sell them on how behavior changes are good for them. n

Courtesy : www.whattheythink.com


Xerox gets DTPS to India, paper-less office soon a reality

DTPS help businesses to print less, thus reducing costs by up to 30 per cent.

Xerox had announced the expansion of its services portfolio in India and launched its DTPS services. Document Transaction Processing Services (DTPS) is basically designed to deliver higher e††ciency and reduce printing costs. The process involves streamlining, digitizing and automation of document-driven business processes.

Xerox has pushed three main strategies with the launch of the new services in India. ‘Access and optimize’, which will help businesses, both small and big, to understand the entire scope of the printing environment. ‘Secure and Integrate’, a solution where the existing IT environment and network will be used with minimal disruption to optimize and implement secure printing. Lastly, ‘Automate and Simplify’ which will help customers migrate to higher levels of printing a n d d o c u m e n t m a n a g e m e n t escalating the process of converting paper-based work††ows into digital processes.

The main motive of DTPS is to automate back-o††ce functions. This includes management of incoming documents and digitizing them,

indexing and routing the information to electronic document management and storage services. This can further help with reducing transaction costs and increase accuracy and e††ciency of all ††nancial processes and also help simplify the communication processes.

DTPS is aimed to help businesses increase productivity and reduce the e-†ect on the environment by taking the green initiative seriously. DTPS is aimed for an eco-friendly road towards the future of business operations by reducing costs by up to 30 per cent, or more. DTPS helps businesses print less, resulting to reduced account management and servicing costs. The service can hugely bene††t businesses such as manufacturing, telecom and banking sectors.

At the launch in India, Sushant Dwivedy, Director of Global Document Outsourcing at Xerox India, spoke about DTPS and its implementations, as well as the bene††ts to existing customers and businesses in India. He also stresses on the benefits of the new service on both the business and the environment.

Q: What is the current size of t h e m a n a g e d print market and what are your predictions for its future growth?Sushant Dwivedy: M a n a g e d P r i n t

Services market in India is projected to grow at a rate of 30%, making it one of the fastest growing MPS market globally, and a signi††cant growth opportunity for Xerox. In comparison, Asia-Pacific region is growing @17-20% and the global average growth rate is 10-12% (source: E&Y MPS study).

If you look at enterprises today, each year improper document management costs organizations millions of dollars in liability, reduced e††c iency and los t productivity. These costs only increase in future with expansion in business operat ions , and ever increasing regulatory and compliance related requirements. Maintaining proper document management infrastructure/program to ensure data privacy and security, regulatory, compliance, control and access to information and cost control associated with information processing is only getting more critical by the day.

The incumbent need is to outsource these services to a service provider that specializes in the domain and is capable of providing the desired turn-around times and Service Levels backed by tangible and measurable Key Performance Indicators, continuous monitoring and proactive support for the print environment. This trend has already begun and in future we see more and more enterprises and corporates outsourcing their document management needs to leading global players like us for whom it is a core business.

Q: What are the latest managed print market developments?SD: There are umpteen number of service providers (including


OEMs, System Integrators, Channel partners etc.) in the market who o-†er managed print services, each having their own de††nition of what managed print services means. This is where Xerox is heads and shoulders above any other provider globally with its vision of Next Generation MPS, its o-†erings and its ability to execute which has earned it the leadership position in MPS globally, endorsed by several independent analysts consistently over past few years. The leadership position is not only limited to what analysts say, it is in-fact re††ected in the market share that Xerox commands today.

Xerox Next Generation MPS offerings extend far beyond managing a ††eet of output devices, providing an OPEX business modeland driving down TCO for organizations, it penetrates into areas which directly has impact on core businesses and sustainability objectives of o r g a n i z a t i o n s . X e r o x h e l p s organizations through an entire journey, right from printing for less to printing less altogether targeting slow, ine††cient paper based process and moving them to a digital platform enables organizations to be more productive and more responsive to their customer’s needs while reducing print needs.

The market today is relatively b u o y a n t w i t h 5 1 % o f t h e

organizations (either already using or planning to use MPS) indicating that more organizations will adopt the OPEX based Managed Print Services over the next few years. Besides reaping the benefits of lower TCO, enhanced productivity, mobile/cloud printing, user-based accounting and security features, e-†ective print governance via SLA assurance and single point of accountability, the organizations will also embark on a journey of digitization.

Each organization could have a di-†erent start point on this journey, eventually they will transform to more productive, sustainable and cost e-†ective processes without compromising on security.

For the next few years, some of the emerging trends will be increasing integration of work-processes and workflow in organizations. Xerox managed print services offers a comprehensive assessment of a company’s current ††eet of multi-vendor copiers, printers and other hardware and then creates a print environment that best meets the needs of the workplace. Xerox has also come up with couple of innovative services which makes adoption of MPS easy for organizations, unlike any other player -- who would ask prospect organization to completely remove their existing assets (with economic

value still left) and get all new equipment in, whereby making their internal business case di††cult – Xerox o-†ers multi-vendor ††eet management service, where it takes on the existing usable assets of the organization and sweats them out before migrating to new assets, this helps organizations reduce their TCO and make most of their investments. Further value is added when Xerox brings to such organization the Xerox Replaceable Cartridges (XRC), XRC are supplies for other OEM equipment, typically around 30% lower in cost. XRC is manufactured by Xerox, provides similar or better yield compared to OEM cartridges and are perfectly legitimate.

While complexities of technology continue to increase with the evolution of technology, we have been fairly successful developing mutually complementary solutions that not only address various technological needs but also in turn generate new opportunities.

The Next Generation MPS is designed to build momentum and deliver new value that help organizations of all sizes realize cost savings up to 30% with increased efficiencies. It is designed to:

• A n a l y z e h o w a n d w h y documents are printed, and use that analytical intelligence


Published by B. G. Kukillaya on behalf of The Printing Technologists Forum from No. 2 Venu Reddy Street, Guindy Chennai 600 032 & Designed by R.Venkatasubramanian at Industrial Prints, 23 Second Cross Street, Trustpuram, Chennai 600 024 Edited by P. Chellappan

to change the way information is accessed. It is way beyond merely managing customers’ existing fleet

• Enhance information security without disrupting the IT infrastructure

• Make mobile/cloud printing easier and more convenient

• Evaluate, simplify and improve everyday document-intensive business processes through work††ow automation.

Q: According to you, what kinds of challenges exist in the growth of this technology?SD: India is an emerging market for ‘services’ business and represents significant growth opportunities

for Xerox Corporation. We see a fundamental structural change happening in the enterprise landscape where more and more customers are shifting from a Cap-Ex driven captive print infrastructure to an Op-Ex led Managed Print Services.

We believe that our Document Management Services have huge potential to grow! We are constantly educating enterprises and making them realize the potential savings and productivity enhancement through optimized document workflow possible through Xerox Document Management Services. However, what most enterprises do not realize is that the costs and risks of having a fragmented, decentralized document strategy are staggering. It’s more than

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Courtesy : www.deccanchronicle.com

Printing, ad industry face trouble

With Madras high court and Election Commission issuing strict guidelines banning political banners, posters and advertisement hoardings, traders into printing and ††ex hoardings are winding up business units in Chennai. Sources into commercial printing trade at Triplicane and Chindatripet admit business has been a-†ected by more than 70 per cent in the past two years.

“Since 2014, the printing of posters and banners has been badly a-†ected

usually poor printing business is now in th doldrums,” he adds.

The entire industry is a-†ected and those who have invested in stocks are now running into ††nancial constraints. The election commission should be liberal as advertisements are not a major crime like cash for votes, he opines. “For every 100 posters, I get Rs 300 and have been pasting posters in Kancheepuram district for the past 28 years, but now the scenario for casual workers is worst a-†ected,” says D. Sekar of west Tambaram.n

Courtesy : www.deccanchronicle.com

A worker sits near the digital printer in the city on Wednesday. After the ban on political banners and hoardings by the EC and Madras High Court, the digital printing business has turned dull this election season.

in Chennai. Even the 2014 Lok Sabha polls failed to bring in any additional business”, laments N. Santhosh, proprietor, Digital World, displaying his printing machine bought last year and now kept idle. “Eyeing the 2016 assembly polls, I purchased this machine under installment, but now paying salaries for my six workers is an issue. Posters and banner orders during the wedding seasons are the only lifeline and election times are no longer a bonanza for the outdoor advertisement industry,” he adds.

“Earlier, customers from Chennai will throng the suburbs to place printing orders, but now there is hardly any business”, says R. Gunasekaran of Mercury Communications, Krishna Nagar, Tambaram. “I stocked 80 GSM paper reams fearing that the material cost will surge from Rs 1,550 to Rs 2,500 during polls, but now there is no much business orders. Due to the strict model code of conduct the

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pf mar april 2016 issue

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