The world's oldest roller and pressroom products manufacturer is pioneering a new green trail, says its Australia boss Mitch Mulligan.
For the past 282 years Böttcher scientists have been beavering away at the company's German headquarters, intent on using their chemistry and physics training to develop industrial solutions, and for most of that time the graphic arts industry has been its primary market with its range of rollers, blankets and pressroom chemicals finding favour with some 80,000 print companies around the world.
Böttcher is now at the forefront of the green revolution that will impact the print industry over the next few years, and those scientists have, according to Australian boss Mitch Mulligan, developed products that will not only enable printers to claim their green credentials authoritatively, but will add to the bottom line.
Böttcher is still, incredibly, in the hands of the same family that began the business in the year 1725, with the company now in the hands of the eighth generation, and right now the focus as never before is on the environment. Located in the heart of Germany ecological issues are top of the agenda, for Böttcher, as for everyone in Europe. That environmental concern is now set to benefit Australian printers, according to Mulligan, who says, "The environment is rightly the key issue in business right now. The world has woken up to its responsibilities, and Böttcher is providing the means for printers to become environmentally friendly in the pressroom, while adding to their bottom line" making clear, he says, "our goal is to demonstrate that being good to the environment is not bad for business, we're confident that customer who take on these products will soon release the benefits both to the environment and their bottom line."
Environmental programme
Visitors to the Böttcher PrintEx stand will have been the first in the country to see the new Böttcher environmental progamme, Print + Environment, which is part of its new four-strong Print + Systems campaign.
Reducing the environmental impact of the industry is a key focus of the Print + approach. Böttcher products have long had a reputation for promoting harm minimisation through reduced waste, longer running life, re-use and recycling of products and the introduction of low-odour, high flashpoint washes and solvents. Now customers are being encouraged to take up the application of these products through the Print + Rewards scheme that will reward printers who switch from using more harmful products. That reward will come in direct cash form by way of a ten per cent discount on Böttcher green products. Mulligan says, "Böttcher is putting its money where its mouth is, and saying to printers, make the switch to green and it will pay, and here's the first way it does."
Green Guide
Böttcher has just released its Green Guide as part of its Print + Environment, which graphically illustrates the effects of solvents and particularly Iso Propyl Alcohol that is used as part of the fount solution, and which lists the Böttcher green products. According to the Green Guide unchecked levels of IPA on the human body may lead to serious issues including distortion of the central nervous system, headaches, lack of concentration, together with renal and hepatic damage. Böttcher says its Print + Systems provide guaranteed environmental benefits, specifically they are non-flammable, VOC free, deliver IPA reduction, are free of aromatics and hydrocarbons, lead to a reduction in water consumption and power consumption, lead to less waste, improvements in roller life, a reduction in press wear, and provide a value add to your sales argument.
Bold claims, but Mulligan says, "Böttcher is committed to progress, and always has been, which is why we have been at the forefront of the global printing industry for more than a century. Progress, as defined by Böttcher, also means environmentally safe production and recycling. The reprocessing and recycling of used rollers, for example, contributes significantly to resource conservation and reduce environmental impact. This sensitive approach to the use of technology throughout the entire product cycle reflects the basic philosophy of our company:"
Reduced impact
The printing industry has significantly reduced its environmental impact over the past 20 years, this though is thanks almost entirely to the efforts of the inks, paper, and pressroom consumables companies, rather than the printers themselves who have for the most part been beneficial recipients. Mulligan says, "A major part of our job is to educate, which is a large part of what our Green Guide is about. There has been resistance in the past for instance to washes with lower flash levels because they had a greasy feel, press operators simply did not want the hassle of cleaning the residue off the rollers, however the eco products we have today are a million miles from that."
Print + Environment is just one of the four points in Böttcher's new campaign the others include Print+ Technical Advice, Print + Profits, and Print + Rewards.
Böttcher's mission of course is to try and get printers to listen to it. Its products account for less than one per cent of the total spend of a typical print company, but says Mulligan the choice of pressroom products can make a big difference to quality, waste and productivity outcomes. Böttcher's products are also, as you would expect, in a higher price bracket to many others, but Mulligan says Australian printers are pretty savvy to pricing these days and release that the initial bald price of say a 20 litre fountain solution has to go into a value proposition and not just be compared with any product, but first with the actual usage, quality, waste and other benefits that the solution will provide. Mulligan says, "With 80,000 customers around the world we have the data on virtually every combination possible, and can certainly provide clear indications on the way Böttcher can make a difference."
The multi-benefits / pay off |
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• You use less due to less evaporation • You release less • You breathe less • Higher cleaning action • Longer roller & blanket life • Longer service intervals • You save money |
