Asia

TetraPak reports sales growth driven by demand in Asia

2010-03-18T03:00:00+01:00

Tetra Pak has reported an unexpected jump in net sales to €8.95bn – an increase of 1.2 per cent over 2008 – driven by double digit growth in South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Sub-Sahara Africa.

Toppan plans to cut costs in response price decline

2010-03-17T03:00:00+01:00

Toppan Printing plans to cut more than ¥100bn (A$1.2bn) in costs over three years to keep expenses in line with the declining prices of its printed materials and electronic components, the Nikkei business daily reported.

Kodak awards Starleaton best partner in Asia-Pacific

2010-03-16T13:00:00+01:00

Peter Eaton, co-founder of Starleaton Digital Solutions, a supplier to Australia’s wide-format signage and display market, was in Bangkok recently to attend Kodak Asia-Pacific’s annual dealer conference and has received the number one award as Best Partner for the whole region.

New For Ipex

2010-03-15T13:00:00+01:00

In recent weeks there have a number of press events announcing new products to be seen at the forthcoming Ipex exhibition in May. The following is a summary of announcements from Atlantic Zeiser, EskoArtwork and Kodak. In following weeks I will also be covering announcements from HP and Xeikon.

Presstek promises new digital offset press at Ipex

2010-03-14T13:00:00+01:00

Digital offset supplier Presstek says it will demonstrate its new 75DI press at Ipex in May. The company says the new press will deliver the same level of quality as its 52DI press, but in a larger format size and with the ability to add additional print towers with inline coating.

Inca launches excellence awards for customers

2010-03-13T13:00:00+01:00

Inca Digital has launched its own awards to recognise outstanding printing on Inca machines, which have been created to coincide with the company’s 10th anniversary.

Shanghai to host 11th RISI outlook conference

2010-03-12T03:30:00+01:00

Paper industry information provider RISI has announced plans for their 2010 Asian pulp and paper industry conference. The 11th Asian Pulp and Paper Outlook Conference is set to take place June 7-9 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Shanghai.

Fujifilm launches new anti-counterfeiting label

2010-03-11T13:00:00+01:00

Fujifilm has launched what it claims is the world's first anti-counterfeit label which supports full colour images. The ForgeGuard system regulates light wavelengths on the nano-optic level, so those with special viewers can see hidden full-colour images.

Konica Minolta outlines Ipex plans

2010-03-10T13:00:00+01:00

At Ipex, Konica Minolta will highlight its bizhub PRO C6501 series with a focus on colour quality as well as the bizhub PRO 1200 series with a focus on its black and white performance.

Pentawards announces jury

2010-03-09T13:00:00+01:00

Pentawards organisers have announced the composition of an international jury, composed of designers and marketing specialists, to judge the packaging design competition, devoted to packaging design.

Tribute Tuesday: Heidelberg at Ipex

2010-03-08T13:00:00+01:00

This year at Ipex Heidelberg will not be introducing any ground breaking new products, nor will it be announcing its re-entry into the digital printing market. That re-entry should be announced later this year. Instead Heidelberg will introduce a wide range of updates in the move to improve the efficiency and cost effectiveness of its products.

Kodak releases new Nexpress

2010-03-07T13:00:00+01:00

Aimed at commercial, photo and inplant printers Kodak says its new NexPress SE Platform delivers the best digital colour production on the market for commercial, photo, and in-plant printers.

Chilean devastation could affect world’s pulp supply

2010-03-06T13:00:00+01:00

Experts are predicting a sizeable impact on the pulp industry following the 8.8 magnitude February 27 earthquake that has devastated much of Chile, with transport systems seriously disrupted, power supplies damaged and a rising death toll.

Bobst says new hologram press foils counterfeiters

2010-03-05T03:00:00+01:00

Bobst has launched a new version of its Visionfoil press, specifically dedicated to security hologram application and designed to help brand owners make a clear difference between originals and forgeries and to protect assets by deterring counterfeiters.

Henan Daily orders third Comet press

2010-03-04T03:00:00+01:00

Henan Daily Newspaper Group in Zhengzhou, China has singed a contract for a third Comet press line. The order follows the installation in 2001 and 2005 of two Comet press lines with a total of eight towers and four folders.

HP claims world first for digital sheetfed white ink

2010-03-03T13:00:00+01:00

HP says that its HP ElectroInk White, available worldwide this month, is the industry’s first white ink for sheetfed digital presses.

Flint Group launches latest plate making system

2010-03-02T13:00:00+01:00

Flint Group has launched the nyloprint Combi 96 x 120 ED for the main exposure, drying and post exposure of nyloprint printing plates. Meanwhile the company has also undertaken a major acquisition.

Mimaki releases latest inkjet printer to market

2010-03-02T03:00:00+01:00

Japanese press maker Mimaki has launched its new direct-to-textile and dye sublimation inkjet printer. The company says its TX400-1800B features a newly developed adhesive belt carrier system, which stabilises flexible materials that tend to stretch and contract during printing.

Offset holding its own at Ipex

2010-03-01T13:00:00+01:00

Despite tough competition from other printing technologies offset will still have strong representation at Ipex 2010, with around 150 lithographic technology companies taking up a third of the show’s 60,000sqm floor space.

Swiss press maker Wifag to be bought by manroland

2010-02-28T13:00:00+01:00

The world’s largest web offset manufacturer manroland is negotiating the purchase of Swiss newspaper press maker Wifag, with the deal expected to be finalised later this year. No details have been given on the terms, which are likely to be favourable to manroland. Wifag’s turnover in 2008 was around CHF500m, (A$520m) but the 2009 figure is likely to be substantially reduced.

HP launches awards for Asia Pacific PSPs

2010-02-27T03:00:00+01:00

HP has launched the HP Digital Print Awards 2010 (Asia Pacific & Japan) – HP Scitex. The awards will serve to recognise the outstanding achievements and contributions of Print Service Providers (PSPs) in the signage industry across Asia Pacific and Japan, according to HP.

Duoyuan Printing sees jump in revenue as multicolor sales increase

2010-02-26T03:00:00+01:00

Chinese offset equipment supplier Duoyuan Printing has reported a 15.1 per cent revenue increase to US$42.4m for the second quarter ended December 31, 2009 compared with US$36.8 million for the same period last year. The company says the increase was primarily due to the growth in sales of multicolor presses.

HP opens new solutions centre in Hong Kong

2010-02-25T03:30:00+01:00

HP has opened its expanded Scitex Regional Solution Centre in Hong Kong, which the company says has successfully shipped more than 100 HP Designjet L65500 printers since its launch in February 2009.

ASX takes aim as Gunns reports massive drop in profits

2010-02-24T13:00:00+01:00

Gunns has reported a shocking 98.7 per cent drop in profits in its half year results to $400,000, compared with $22m in the second half of 2009. The troubled company says its woodfibre business was severely impacted by the strong Australian dollar and declining volumes.

3M acquires Japanese label maker

2010-02-24T03:00:00+01:00

Adhesive and film manufacturer 3M has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a majority stake in Japanese label producer A-One’s branded consumer and office label business and related operations. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Tribute Tuesday: the B2 digital press market

2010-02-22T13:00:00+01:00

It appears that the B2 format sheet fed digital press may be the Holy Grail for press manufacturers. In the 1990s Indigo regularly brought a mock up of a future B2 format press to the different trade shows.

Pentawards to be presented at Luxepack Shanghai

2010-02-21T03:00:00+01:00

Luxury packaging tradeshow Luxepack has joined forces with Pentawards for the third time with the winners of the Pentawards design competition to be presented in Shanghai next month.

PaperlinX in red as sales tumble

2010-02-20T13:00:00+01:00

The buffeting the global print industry suffered in the latter half of last year has been reflected in the latest set of figures from merchanting giant PaperlinX. The company’s merchanting sales for the six months to December 09 fell across the board, with Australian, New Zealand, European and North American operations showing double digit declines, making a volumes increase in Asia the only bright spot for the company.

OPUS making bold expansions in Asia

2010-02-19T03:30:00+01:00

OPUS Print Group is expanding its print network into Singapore and China by forging a strategic alliance with printers in Singapore and China. Meanwhile the group is also strengthening its domestic New Zealand operations with the establishment of Ligare New Zealand.

ContiTech opens service centre for printing blankets in Singapore

2010-02-18T03:00:00+01:00

ContiTech has announced it is expanding its involvement in the Asian printing industry with the recent opening of an autonomous service centre in Singapore.