Print Solutions Green Solutions Stephens & George has announced that it has successfully been recertified for ISO 14001 environmental accreditation. Working sustainably is very important to the company. Both its FSC and PEFC certifications are valid until 2022 and it makes a conscious effort to ensure it offers clients the opportunity to take advantageof these options within their publications. The company also offers the carbon balancing of paper.

Packaging Solutions Luxury packaging business, Delta Global, has created an innovative, eco friendly packaging solution for high end fashion mystery box service, Heat. With sustainability and innovation taking centre stage, the partnership aims to strengthen both brands’ commitment to responsible practices and mitigating the fashion industry’s impact to climate change. The move is the most recent in a growing list of designer brands that recognise the urgency of taking action. The focus on eco friendly packaging has typically included the elimination of plastic lamination and the introduction of compostable materials, but Delta Global’s innovative design for Heat takes sustainable luxury pac

Print Solutions Xaar has launched a highly advanced, simple to install printhead, following close collaboration with its global OEMs. Designed to deliver exceptional 720 dpi print resolution quality and performance across a range of applications including ceramics, glass, packaging and label applications, the new Xaar 2002 has been developed specifically to provide fast and easy integration and is ready to use straight out of the box. Using drop-in printhead alignment, mechanical tolerance improvements allow the printheads to be dropped into the printbar more easily, making set up times faster, and machine builds quicker. Developed following OEM and customer feedback, the ‘plug and print’ ca

Packaging Solutions Westbury Packaging has received an A grade rating in its first BRCGS audit. This global standard for packaging materials was designed to protect the consumer by providing a common basis for the certification of companies supplying packaging to food producers. It means that our customers have security in the safe and legal production of our corrugated packaging. BRCGS is used by over 29,000 certificated suppliers in 130 countries and is often a fundamental requirement of leading retailers, manufacturers and food service organisations. This standard specifies the product safety, quality and operational criteria that Westbury Packaging must adhere to in order to fulfil its o

Packaging Solutions Parkside Flexibles has invested in Troika AniCam, a 3D digital scanning microscope, along with AMS software to measure its flexographic plates and anilox rolls. Mark Benson, print and lamination specialist at Parkside, stated: ‘Parkside has a continuous programme of investment underway. We are committed to employing the latest technologies within the business to assure our customers of best in class print performance.’ The AniCam and AMS software have been installed in a dedicated pre-press area on the shop floor. Mark added, ‘What we wanted to ensure was ease of use and clear integration into our pre-press process. This allows an anilox to be delivered to the pre-press a

Print Solutions Oxford based printer, Seacourt, has extended into the wide format market with the addition of an HP Latex 365, creating a new branch to its business – Seacourt XL – while retaining its green credentials. Seacourt, founded in 1946, is renowned for sustainable printing solutions. An exponent of ‘Planet Positive Printing', its stance on environmental concerns has always been central to its operations and purchasing decisions. This approach has resulted in numerous awards, year after year, including three Queen's awards for sustainable development, and – in 2017 – being recognised as Europe's most sustainable SME by the European Union. This forward thinking company looked to the

Print Solutions As consumers and brands become increasingly conscious of the origins of the clothing and fabrics they purchase, textile manufacturers need to be able to prove their eco credentials. Epson is pleased to confirm that its Ultrachrome DG inks and cotton pre-treatment liquid have been approved by the Global Organic Textile Standard (GOTS). Both are available as standard for Epson’s newly launched SC-F3000 direct to garment printer and are also used on the smaller SC-F2100 printer in the same range. GOTS is the worldwide leading textile processing standard for organic fibres. The aim of the standard is to define worldwide recognised requirements that ensure the organic status of t

Print Solutions Banner Box has reaffirmed its environmental focus with an attention grabbing eco mesh hoarding outside its Chesterfield premises that reads: ‘Proudly sourcing sustainable material’. Just over a year ago, Banner Box partnered with CMYUK to offer the latest and best performing eco materials to its customers, although lockdown interrupted the gathering momentum. ‘Prior to Covid-19 sustainable materials were gaining traction. We were starting to get lots of enquiries and requests for them. Then Covid-19 came along and everyone wanted PVC and acrylics fast,’ said Ryan Shelton, director, Banner Box. ‘Now it is settling down again, we will be concentrating on far more sustainable fa

Packaging Solutions Adding to its digital capabilities, Direct Labels UK in Nottingham has installed a Konica Minolta AccurioLabel 230 toner press to work alongside an established inkjet machine. The new press will ensure that the label specialist can offer the flexibility needed in the current climate and deliver any quantity of high quality labels in just a few days. In response to changing label buying trends, Direct Labels UK has continued to invest in more printing and finishing equipment. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the company has seen demand for more flexibility grow, with customers reducing the number of labels in each order but ordering more frequently. By adding the Konica Minol

Print Solutions Vpress Ltd has announced an exciting new partnership with South African company JLConsulting. The agreement involves the distribution of Coreprint Pro, Vpress’s web to print platform, and strengthens the company’s presence in Southern Africa and the Middle East. Jean Lloyd, the founder of JLConsulting, commented: ‘We are looking forward to the latest development and our partnership with Vpress. Its web to print solution fits perfectly with our product portfolio and will complement our offering.’ Through seamless integration with any ERP/MIS, Coreprint Pro provides a fantastic range of tools to support automation of all key printing processes. It not only allows the building o

Print Solutions Close Brothers Asset Finance has funded the purchase of a new Komori GL29 press for RAP Spiderweb – one of Greater Manchester's longest established commercial printers – using the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). ‘RAP Spiderweb has been a Close Brothers Asset Finance customer for nearly 15 years,’ said Joe Hall, relationship manager for Close Brothers Asset Finance’s Print team. ‘We have previously helped fund a management buy out in 2017 and have been part of its investment plans ever since. ‘This new Komori machine saves a minimum of 30 minutes per job in makeready time and has already had a significant impact on reducing the number of waste sheets. ‘H

Print Solutions Ipswich based PJ Print has elevated responsiveness in its digital print department with a Horizon PF-40L folder from Intelligent Finishing Systems. The new addition was chosen to enhance the fast and flexible production of short run jobs. It is handling digital print from Ricoh Pro C7200 and Ricoh Pro 8320 digital presses. Ben Perkins, managing director, explained: ‘We are being asked to handle smaller runs and meet faster turnaround times. After reviewing our digital print department we decided a small dedicated folder would be perfect to manage the workload in a streamlined way.’ He continued, ‘We recently installed a Horizon BQ-270V perfect binder so we know Horizon well a

Packaging Solutions Pro Carton, the European Association of Carton and Cartonboard manufacturers, has revealed the latest episode in the Carton Campaigners animation series. With over one million online views of the Carton Campaigners’ videos this year, Pro Carton is launching the next in the series to educate young and old about their personal responsibilities when it comes to protecting the planet and its vital resources. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused this year’s expected overshoot date to be extended to the latest it has been since 2005. However, humanity’s demand on natural resources continues to exceed what Earth's ecosystems can regenerate in a year. In the new video, cartoon charac

Print Solutions The Strategic Mailing Partnership has applauded a decision by Royal Mail to launch two new ‘back to business’ incentives to help companies hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic. Running until the end of the year, the two advertising mail deals can play a key role in helping businesses to get back on their feet following lockdown, said SMP chair Judith Donovan CBE. Royal Mail launched its initial Covid-19 Open for Business incentive back in May to support sectors such as hospitality and charity that were hardest hit by coronavirus restrictions. Since then, hundreds of approved applications have supported the creation of millions of addition mail items. The new advertising mail inc

Packaging Solutions Schoeller Allibert, a European leader in the production of recyclable, reusable and returnable plastic packaging solutions, has confirmed a multi-million investment programme is underway at its Winsford, Cheshire site. Graeme Robinson, senior regional director, North West Europe, said: ‘With the increased adoption of e-commerce and the complex retail supply chains in the UK today, it is clear that our customers are seeking new, innovative and sustainable solutions to drive efficiencies in their warehousing and logistics operations. ‘This investment in patented, fully automated injection moulding technology, coupled with our market leading NPD programme, ensures we are pro

Print Solutions Packaging Solutions Denmaur Paper Media has announced the launch of its carton board division after an agreement reached with Townsend Board. Townsend Board has been selling into the carton board sector for several years, and now Clive and Michael Townsend join the Denmaur group with an established customer base and a remit to develop the sales whilst working closely with Denmaur’s Print and Media divisions. Their appointment will also come with the addition of three new stock lines for the group: white, cream and kraft back folding box boards, along with a new Revive branded graphical quality grey board. All of the new products will be sold as FSC certified and the white, c

Print Solutions Zund UK and Inca Digital have announced a new innovation based partnership that sees both companies working together to offer customers in the signage, graphics and packaging industries fully automated print, cut and robotic offload workflow solutions. As part of the Screen Graphic Solutions Group, Inca Digital is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of inkjet printers and automation solutions. Zund is a globally respected manufacturer of digital cutting equipment, whose modular cutting systems are highly sought after solutions for processing a wide variety of materials. The synergy of both companies’ technology will enable customers and end users to further enhance effic

Packaging Solutions When coffee company Aroma Coffee Roastery wanted to create standout packaging for its range of lightly toasted granola, it took a shine to Invercote Metalprint Digital. The paperboard, available from Antalis, has a metallic sliver PET laminate to the print side, which provides an exceptionally good printing surface that requires no pre-print treatment. The product leant itself beautifully to the Aroma Coffee Roastery’s new packaging. Using HP Mosaic to create 500 unique designs and using Scodix digital embossing to highlight details in the pattern, the result is an eye catching range of packs with a luxurious metallic finish, but without the costs associated with traditio

Packaging Solutions WaveGrip, a brand of Berry Global, has launched a new style of multi-pack carrier for cans which contains over 50% recycled plastic and delivers the latest on-pack marketing messages direct into consumers hands. Recyclable with polyethylene (PE) film collection schemes and weighing less than 4g for a standard six pack, WaveGrip is already one of the lightest and multi-packing solutions available. Now, by incorporating over 50% Sustane NXG post consumer recycled (PCR) polymer, each carrier not only minimises material use but also supports a circular economy through the use of recycled plastic and a reduced dependency on fossil fuel derived polymers. The company is also co

Packaging Solutions IAE, a leading UK manufacturer of livestock handling equipment, equestrian stabling, steel fencing and shelters, has implemented Label Cloud from NiceLabel. IAE is using NiceLabel’s cloud based label management system Label Cloud to simplify and streamline its labelling and work order documentation production, enabling it in turn to save time and resource. IAE decided to modernise its label management process to make updating this documentation easier, and to ensure it could produce labels in parallel with the documentation. Jeremy Annable, business systems manager at IAE, said: ‘We were looking for a solution that could simplify the production process for users to print