PrintWeekMENA

FESPA Completes First-Ever MEASA Regional Education Tour

From 27 to 30 May, Koenig & Bauer showcased its comprehensive expertise in packaging production at the Print4All trade fair in Milan. At two locations, a well-attended exhibition stand in Hall 11 and the Corrugated Experience Hub in Hall 9, trade visitors experienced the company's broad portfolio, from folding carton and label production to commercial and corrugated cardboard applications. The company thus appeared as one of the market leaders in Italy. Live production and end-to-end expertise At the stand, Koenig & Bauer highlighted its role as an end-to-end solution provider for packaging production. Trade visitors gained insight into Koenig & Bauer's extended expertise along the entire value chain of folding carton production: with technology, equipment, and services from prepress, printing, and die-cutting to folding carton gluing. This process also includes continuous workflows from job preparation to post-calculation with systems such as LogoTronic, JobOptimiser, Optimus Dash, and PrintFusion, the Koenig & Bauer Ecosystem myKyana, as well as extensive features for fully automatic quality management – from register measurement and colour control to quality regulation and inline sheet inspection. The centerpiece was on an Omega Allpro 55 folder gluer, which produced universally applicable longitudinal seam cartons live at a high speed of 400 m/min. Corrugated cardboard expertise at the Corrugated Experience Hub In parallel, Koenig & Bauer bundled its entire range of services for corrugated cardboard production at the Corrugated Experience Hub at Print4All. Experts from Koenig & Bauer Celmacch guided trade fair guests through the Chroma series for printing and die-cutting corrugated cardboard. This technology covers the entire spectrum, from standard applications to the highest levels of automation with the fastest job changes, exceptional print quality, and maximum productivity. CI flexo and webfed digital printing: versatile solutions for modern packaging printing The experts from Koenig & Bauer also provided insights into the extensive portfolio of CI flexo machines and their application on films, paper, and board – for example, for the production of shopping bags, gift packaging, or, of course, folding cartons. With high flexibility, environmental friendliness, quality, and efficiency, the technology meets the requirements of modern packaging printing. Koenig & Bauer as well provided information about the RotaJET, a powerful solution for the high-quality, economical production of folding cartons, especially for customised motifs and variable print runs, in the webfed digital printing sector. Vision & Protection: innovative solutions for effective brand protection With the innovative technologies from Koenig & Bauer Vision & Protection, visitors were able to gain an insight into how packaging becomes intelligent value carriers. The focus was on innovative product protection solutions that can be seamlessly integrated into the printing process to protect brands from counterfeiting and strengthen customer loyalty. The technologies presented included Stegano, a method that invisibly conceals data in the artwork or varnish and can be checked via a smartphone app, as well as Ovjera for clear product identification and Daktylo for the unique characterisation of individual features. These non-invasive and sustainable solutions offer multi-layered security without changing the optical appearance and open up new business models for printing units as security experts. The forward-looking initiative 'Protected at Print' was also presented at the fair. It aims to return value creation to printing companies. Participation in this initiative enables printing companies to significantly expand their business models by offering their customers state-of-the-art, non-invasive product protection solutions. Thanks to the industry-wide concept, printing companies of all sizes can take their business model to a new level and thus gain independence from third-party suppliers for consumables. Above all, they thereby create inherent value by integrating product protection directly at the point of printing, thus freeing themselves from a mere integration or assembly function within the packaging industry. Excellent reputation in Italy boosts interest Both presentation areas experienced strong demand and an extremely positive response from trade visitors. Koenig & Bauer's excellent reputation in Italy plays a decisive role here, which, in addition to decades of trusting cooperation with users, is shaped by Koenig & Bauer Celmacch's own production site in Desenzano del Garda. Among the long-standing Rapida users who opted for the latest technology directly at Print4All was Grafica Artistica Meridionale (G.A.M.) from Salerno. The company ordered a Rapida 106 with eight printing units and a coating tower, which will be installed in October. At the same time, G.A.M. spontaneously took over the Omega Allpro 55 directly from the exhibition stand into its own production. Furthermore, various packaging companies purchased two medium-format and one large-format Rapida at the trade fair. The attractive investment incentives of state-funded programmes, such as the Italian economic promotion programme PNRR relaunched in January 2025, contributed to the positive trade fair result. This programme, based on European funds, already led to an exceptional order intake of over 50 million euros from Italy in the first few months of this year. The high interest of printing professionals, interesting discussions, and contacts suggest further orders in the context of post-fair business.

FESPA Completes First-Ever MEASA Regional Education Tour

The print and visual communications sector across MEASA witnessed a landmark moment as FESPA successfully wrapped up its first-ever regional education series recently, an ambitious four-day tour spanning three countries and four dynamic cities. Designed to strengthen industry knowledge and inspire innovation, the series brought together print leaders, manufacturers, brand specialists, and technology experts from across the MENA region. The FESPA Leadership Exchange (FLEX) MENA 2025 series concluded in Cairo, Egypt, where the Egyptian visual communications community welcomed the programme with overwhelming enthusiasm. The event delivered a rich blend of insights, from the latest Print Census findings and the evolving expectations of retail brands to the future of textile printing, colour management, brand identity, sustainability, and regional market opportunities. Across every stop, participants engaged in high-level discussions, debates, practical frameworks, and factory visits with C-suite leaders—an immersive experience that highlighted both the challenges and the immense potential shaping the future of print in the region. A Region Energised for FESPA Middle East 2026 The impressive turnout throughout the MENA tour underscored growing momentum as the industry looks ahead to FESPA Middle East 2026, taking place in January 2026 in Dubai. Attendees expressed strong interest in exploring the event’s standout features, including: The FESPA Conference, offering deep dives into technology, trends, and strategy The Club FESPA Lounge, designed for premium networking Sustainability Spotlight, highlighting environmentally responsible innovations The World Wrap Masters Middle East, celebrating skill and creativity in vehicle wrapping Engagement opportunities with leading global suppliers showcasing next-generation print technology Leadership, Insight, and Regional Collaboration The series’ success reflects the dedication of FESPA’s global leadership and contributors. Special thanks were extended to Christian Duyckaerts, Debbie McKeegan, Alberto Masserdotti, and Neil Felton, whose strategic insights shaped the programme. Guest speakers Amit Radia and Dr. George Simonian added valuable regional perspectives, enriching discussions around innovation, market direction, and the future of visual communications across MEASA. Looking Ahead: A Long-Term Commitment to MEASA With FLEX and the upcoming FESPA Middle East exhibition, FESPA reaffirmed its commitment to empowering the print and signage community across the region. The organisation continues to champion education, collaboration, and technological advancement—ensuring that MEASA’s fast-evolving print ecosystem remains connected to global best practice and future-ready innovation. FESPA Middle East 2026 will take place from 13–15 January 2026 at the Dubai Exhibition Centre, Expo City Dubai. The event is set to welcome professionals from print, signage, textile printing, and visual communications, uniting the region’s talent to shape the next chapter of the industry.

FESPA Completes First-Ever MEASA Regional Education Tour

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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