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Virtual.Drupa 2021: Asahi, Esko unveil automated flexo platemaking solution

Rahul Kumar — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 12:53:00

“With CrystalCleanConnect, we have brought together key hardware and software technologies from both organisations to deliver a number of breakthrough advantages from design to print,” said Pascal Thomas, director of Flexo Business with Esko. “CrystalCleanConnect delivers a cleaner, more environmentally balanced operation that simplifies the flexo platemaking process, improves safety and boosts print quality consistency.”

According to Pascal, CrystalCleanConnect offers operational as well as environmental benefits to businesses. “With the removal of so many process steps, there’s an immediate 90% reduction in required operator time, which not only eliminates the potential for human error but also delivers immediate efficiency gains. Quality is assured through Asahi and Esko technologies working in complete harmony, and the combination of improved efficiency and quality delivers an average increase of 25% in press OEE.”

Dieter Niederstadt, technical marketing manager for Asahi Photoproducts stated, “Flexo needs to simplify its processes while improving quality, consistency and profitability. In doing so, flexo can create new business opportunities and positively transform into a printing technology in balance with the environment. This breakthrough innovation is different in many ways to other solutions on the market. It is not just an assembly of available plate making processes delivered inline, but rather a holistic approach to connecting technologies, up and downstream of the prepress value chain, using an intelligent automation hub as the backbone and heart of the solution. CCC is truly pushing boundaries to the current scope of plate automation delivering a mount-ready plate as well as being the first automated production solution without the need of VOC based washout solvents in the plate making process.”

Pascal Thomas added: “At Esko, we have long been dedicated to improving the platemaking experience, in terms of quality, productivity and connectivity. Together with Asahi Photoproducts, we are taking the flexo platemaking process to a brand-new level, enabling our customers to be even more competitive while also ensuring they can meet today’s demands for flexible and sustainable supply. With CrystalCleanConnect, our ultimate objective is to improve our customers’ overall business performance and profitability.”

Global print industry faces economic, environmental challenges: 7th Drupa Global Trends Report

Dibyajyoti Sarma — Mon, 06 Apr 2020 11:01:00

North America remains buoyant but confidence has slipped in Europe and across all other regions. Developing regions are held back by concerns about political instability and corruption, while developed regions are nervous of an inevitable cyclical economic downturn. There is constant pressure on margins but increasingly the better companies counter this by continual innovation. Investment plans remain strong, as printers and suppliers all recognise the need to remain competitive.

The findings come from the 7th major annual survey issued last November to the Drupa Expert Panel of senior decision takers recruited from printers and exhibitors at Drupa 2016 and run by Printfuture (UK) and Wissler & Partner (CH). Almost 600 printers and almost 200 suppliers participated with all regions well represented.

Globally, 17% more printers described their company’s economic condition as ‘good’ compared with those who reported it as ‘poor’. For suppliers the net positive balance was even stronger at +32%. However, there is a clear trend with confidence peaking in 2017 after the long slow recovery following the 2007/8 recession and a more cautious approach developing since. As always, conditions vary between markets and regions.

The packaging market sector thrives best with functional, commercial and publishing following in that order. Indeed, an increasing number of commercial and publishing printers are attempting to diversify into the other two markets. Financial measures confirm these trends with margins struggling in all market sectors, but publishing showing the clearest evidence of active decline in revenues.

North America stands out as buoyant over the whole seven years of the Drupa Global Trends Reports. Europe showed increasing confidence until 2018 but has declined since, while all other regions are in decline. Suppliers’ fortunes follow those of their customers both regionally and by market, although in many cases they have the advantage of serving a wider range of markets and regions.

For several years printers have responded to the constant pressure on margins by increasing turnover and keeping costs to a minimum. Sabine Geldermann, director, Drupa and global head print technologies at Messe Düsseldorf, said, “Increasingly we are seeing clear evidence that whilst cost reducing steps will continue, printers are recognising the need to innovate — by launching new products and services in their existing markets or by entering new markets.”

Hence, investment plans remain strong with more printers in all regions reporting they will raise capital expenditure next year than those reporting a decrease. Again, the balance of those increasing investment by market was positive for all, but strongest in packaging then functional, commercial and finally publishing.

Finishing is the most popular investment target followed by print technology and then pre-press/ workflow/ MIS. While finishing plans vary too greatly to allow any forecasting, we can comment on planned Print technology investments. Digital toner cutsheet colour is most popular, followed by sheetfed offset, but there are significant variations by market.

Richard Gray, operations director at Printfuture, stated: “For the first time we asked specifically about the broader socio-economic pressures and there were two clear patterns reported across the globe. For the developed regions the focus was concern about the risk of, or reality of, economic recession in the country or region, followed by concern about global trade wars and the impact of global warming/ environmental pressures. For the developing regions, it was corruption and political instability creating economic recession that dominated. Clearly, we must now add the impact of the corona virus, a concern for all which, however, is not yet represented by the report.”

The industry coped with the last severe recession and will cope well enough with a global slowdown, even though now it will be exaggerated by the impact of the coronavirus. The crucial difference is that, in most markets, the industry has adapted their business models to the challenge of digital communications. Investment is the key to keeping ahead of the curve.

Fifth Drupa Global Trends Report reflects positive mood

Rahul Kumar — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 11:04:00

Sabine Geldermann, director, Drupa, Messe Duesseldorf, said, “The report indicates that print can be optimistic about the future. After the double blow of the 2008 global recession and the consumer shift to digital communications, printers and suppliers are taking full advantage of the slow but clear global economic revival and finding new ways to exploit emerging technologies so as to place print as a central tool for consumers.”

Recruited from senior managers who visited Drupa in 2016, over 700 printers and almost 250 suppliers participated in the survey run by Printfuture (UK) and Wissler & Partner (CH). Richard Gray, operations director at Printfuture, said, “Both printers and suppliers clearly understand the strategic challenges that print faces. However there is increasing confidence in a strong future for printers in most markets and regions, as long as they analyse their target markets carefully and make suitable innovations to meet the future needs of their clients’ customers.”

Some challenges but strong growth

In regional terms again the picture is positive in general but with clear exceptions. North America has been consistently the strongest region over time, although Europe has shown steadily increasing confidence. Sadly Africa and the Middle East see clear decline in confidence over time.

Globally this is the fourth year of increasing confidence reported by suppliers. What is striking this year is the surge in sales of core equipment/ software/ materials (+29% net balance). Indeed all supplier revenue streams showed their best ever net positive balance.

Printers globally report that the squeeze on prices and margins continues and is coped with best by ever increasing utilization and hence revenues, whilst holding costs as steady as possible. There is evidence that over time the squeeze on prices and margins is somewhat lessening globally. However the regional picture is far more patchy. For example, whille North America reported some increase in prices, Australia/ Oceania reported a clear drop in pricing. Equally, packaging prices are holding up globally while publishing and to a lesser degree commercial prices continue to decline.

Digital print grows but conventional print still dominates

The transition to digital print continues but slowly, with Functional printers now largely dependent on digital print but few packaging printers reporting significant digital sales as yet. (60% of Functional printers report more that 50% of turnover is digital, whilst just 12% of packaging printers report more than 25% of turnover is digital.) It is striking to report that only 27% of all printer participants operate a Web to Print /Storefront installation, up just 2% from 2014.

Globally printers were more willing to invest: 42% reported an increase in capital expenditure compared to the previous year while 9% a decline – a positive net balance of 33%. North America performed best with a net balance increase of 51% while Australia/Oceania lagged farthest behind with a net increase of only 18 percent. Not surprisingly packaging printers reported the biggest positive net balance at +45%, functional at +42%, commercial at +30% and Publishing at +20%. Finishing is the most popular focus for investment for the second year running, followed by print technology and then prepress/workflow/MIS.

Plans for print investment in 2018 depend on the market sector, with Flexo the most popular choice in packaging, followed by sheetfed offset. In commercial it is digital toner cutsheet colour that leads followed closely by sheetfed offset and digital inkjet wide-format. In publishing, it is sheetfed offset that leads and Digital toner cutsheet colour in second. While in functional, it is digital toner cutsheet colour that leads and digital inkjet wide format in second.

Drupa 2020 to begin one week ahead of the previous schedule

Rahul Kumar — Fri, 17 Feb 2017 11:26:00

This was declared by the Drupa Committee and Messe Düsseldorf on 15 February 2017.

According to recent almanac, in most European countries, including Germany, summer holidays will already start during the initially planned dates (23 June to 3 July 2020). Thus, by changing the dates, Messe Düsseldorf responded to the requests voiced by exhibitors and visitors alike.

Explaining the move, Werner Dornscheidt, president and CEO of Messe Düsseldorf, said, “When we decided to stick to the four-year cycle of Drupa in consultation with the leading representatives of the industry during Drupa 2016, the majority of holiday dates had not been published yet. Therefore, the change of dates. The fact that we agreed on a more compact stand construction period also contributes to holding the entire trade fair in June. And we are delighted to be able to act in our customers’ interest by kicking off one week earlier than originally planned.”