PrintWeekMENA

PRINTALK 2025: A Defining Moment for the UAE’s Printing Ind…

By Bazil Cassim, FESPA Regional Manager, Middle East and Africa In less than two months, we’ll be opening the doors to the inaugural FESPA Middle East 2024 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, UAE (29 - 31 January 2024). Many global suppliers and regional distributors are already confirmed for the event and, as of November 2023, over 130 brands are already being represented. Delegates will see print and signage solutions from event sponsors Signtrade, Epson and CMYK and hardware from leading exhibiting brands including Brother, IECHO, Mimaki, Roland DG and Vanklaser. Aerolam, Avery Dennison, BestSub, Boyang, MacTac and Mecolour are among the companies presenting media and consumables. Confirmed distributors include Flex Europa, Blue Rhine, ADS, Strings International, Quantum Digital, Al Shabak, Desert Sign, Helios Business Systems, Magic Trading Co., and Wellcare Advertising, representing global brands, including HP, 3M, Metamark, Graphtec, Mutoh, Onyx, Orafol, Philips Digital Signage, Pongs, Rhino, SwissQprint, Valiani and many more. I’m confident that FESPA Middle East will offer our visitors access to a wealth of product innovations for digital wide format, screen and textile printing, as well as signage and visual communications. I’m looking forward to seeing the products on display throughout the exhibition halls. Educational and networking opportunities Supporting our community with educational and inspirational guidance to aid their business growth is at the heart of what we do at FESPA, so we’re pleased to offer our visitors a range of educational features, as well as networking opportunities with global industry experts. Hosted by ColorBase and its founder and CEO, Marco Roos, we’re running free, interactive Colour Confidence workshops on colour management on 29 January. The first session (10:30 – 12:30) will be aimed at print operators and will cover insights and practical guidance on colour management with the view to enhance consistency, diagnose issues, and implement effective colour management solutions. The second session (14:30 – 16:30) will address sales professionals and offer actionable advice on effectively communicating with and navigating customer expectations around colour quality and repeatability. We’re also hosting the second edition of our FESPA Leadership Exchange (FLEX) on 30 January 2024 at FESPA Middle East. The first FLEX we hosted in Dubai in March 2023 was a huge success so we’re pleased to be back with this format. Our very own FESPA Board Members Christophe Aussenac, Christian Duyckaerts, Alberto Masserdotti and FESPA CEO Neil Felton will facilitate a knowledge exchange to share their specialist expertise and global market insights. The sessions are free to attend for visitors and will cover sustainability, new technologies in AI, personalisation, automation and market trends highlighted in the recent FESPA Print Census. I’m thrilled to share that the Sustainability Spotlight feature, which is always very popular with visitors to our global events, will be hosted in North Hall 1B of the Dubai Exhibition Centre. The material showcase will provide actionable and educational advice on sustainable production and material alternatives with a display of environmentally responsible graphics and textile samples. Each substrate will feature an information card so you can learn more about its sustainable attributes. As an exhibitions organiser, using sustainable materials is a huge focus for us so the entire showcase area will be built using recyclable and reusable materials, in partnership with ReBoard Technology. For anyone interested in vehicle wrapping, we will also host our first-ever World Wrap Masters Middle East regional competition. Vehicle wrappers will compete for the champion title and a spot in the 2024 World Wrap Masters Final at FESPA Global Print Expo 2024 (Amsterdam, The Netherlands). The competition will feature a series of timed events requiring our competitors to wrap cars and surprise objects against the clock. Wrap Masters will be sponsored by Avery Dennison, Mactac and Wrapstock and judged by vehicle wrap experts Ole Solskin, Kiss Lajos and Ivan Tenchev. In conjunction with our sponsors and experts, we’re also running free daily training workshops and demonstrations for our visitors to get involved with. Registration and membership benefits We’re pleased to offer Members of FESPA’s national Associations and FESPA Direct members free access to the Club FESPA lounge. Located on stand B50, the lounge offers networking opportunities with regional and global printers and signmakers, and includes all-day refreshments. If you’re interested in becoming a FESPA Direct member, visit https://www.fespa.com/en/become-a-member/fespa-direct to find out more about the benefits. Make sure you register soon to not miss out on discovering hundreds of solutions, firming up your investment plans, networking with like-minded individuals and exploring our educational opportunities. For more information and to register, visit https://www.fespamiddleeast.com/ and use code FMEM412. I look forward to welcoming the readers of PrintWeek MEA to Dubai in January!

PRINTALK 2025: A Defining Moment for the UAE’s Printing Ind…

The UAE’s printing community marked a historic milestone with the grand success of PRINTALK 2025, hosted by the IGSA UAE Alumni Association at Dusit Thani Hotel, Dubai. The seminar brought together global experts, regional professionals, and industry leaders for a full day of insight, dialogue, and collaboration dedicated to advancing colour management, process standardization, and print excellence. Opening the event, Mr. Vinod Kandanath, General Convenor of PRINTALK 2025, delivered a warm welcome address emphasizing the importance of continuous learning and technical innovation. This was followed by felicitations from Mr. Vikrant Chhabra (SONA Signature Papers), Mr. Vinay Krishnan (AFRA Printechnik), and Mr. Sinoj George (Victory Printing Press) Mr.Lakshmanan Ganapathy ( Al Ghurair Printing & Publishing LLC ) , Mr Anand TN ( SONA Signature Papers ) — all of whom commended IGSA UAE for fostering an environment of professional growth and industry unity. The knowledge sessions featured international experts including Dr. Andreas Kraushaar (FOGRA, Germany) on emerging colour standards and visual reliability, Mr. Jose Thomas (Future Schoolz, India) on pre-press challenges and accurate colour reproduction, and Mr. Kulakkada Pradeep (CEO, Future Schoolz) on press-related challenges and print efficiency. Their sessions provided invaluable insights that resonated deeply with attendees across every segment of the printing sector. Engaging Sessions, Expert Moderation, and Industry Collaboration The event was defined by its interactive format and high level of audience participation. Moderators Mr.Sabarish Ramanunni, Mr. Bhaskar, Mr. Hareesh, Mr. Dipu M Ravi, and Mr.Suresh played a vital role in seamlessly connecting speakers and delegates, ensuring the discussions remained both informative and practical. The audience engagement throughout the seminar highlighted the value of PRINTALK as a true knowledge-exchange platform — one that transforms complex technical topics into real-world learning. The day concluded with a heartfelt vote of thanks by Mr. Ancil Antony, Secretary of IGSA UAE, expressing gratitude to all speakers, participants, and sponsors for their contribution to the event’s remarkable success. Special appreciation was extended to the event’s key sponsors — SONA Signature Papers, AFRA Printechnik , Super Sign LLC, RSG, Victory Printing Press, Silver Star , Silver Point Print House, Accurate Label, Anoop Plastics , Dubai Printing Press , Sigma Middle East Labels , Classic Printing Press and Century Printing Press — The event was organized by Avocado Advertising, with PrintPac as the Print Partner and Mithra Digital as the Marketing Partner. whose support and partnership played a crucial role in making PRINTALK 2025 possible. Their collaboration reflects the collective strength and shared commitment of the UAE’s printing industry towards innovation and excellence. Takeaways, Legacy, and the Road Ahead Delegates left the seminar with powerful insights, new professional connections, and practical takeaways on topics ranging from colour standardization and proofing alignment to improving press efficiency and sustainability. The event reinforced PRINTALK’s purpose — to serve as a continued learning and knowledge-sharing initiative for professionals across the UAE and beyond. As the discussions drew to a close, one sentiment echoed through the hall — PRINTALK 2025 was more than a seminar; it was a movement. It united the print fraternity in its shared vision of progress, quality, and technological advancement. Building on this momentum, IGSA UAE announced plans to make PRINTALK a continuing annual series, ensuring that each edition pushes the boundaries of technical education, innovation, and professional development in the regional print sector. With over 500 members and an 18-year legacy, IGSA UAE continues to serve as the backbone of the printing community — connecting professionals, nurturing talent, and driving the industry’s growth.

PRINTALK 2025: A Defining Moment for the UAE’s Printing Industry

How to implement automation in printing operations

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

admin in News July 22, 2022

Estimable estimators

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

admin in News July 22, 2022

Agfa Avinci CX3200

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

Aug. 2, 2022

Epson – SureColor SC V7000 Flatbed Printer

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

Aug. 2, 2022

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