printability, such as runnability, or dot gain.
Some publishers, for example, the Conde
Nast Group and The Economist use the
existing structure, but also do their own
research into paper types and press
runnability to satisfy their high quality and
tight time line requirements respectively.
needs, we are now also printing onto non
paper substrates, for exhibition and signage,
we are printing onto plastics, board and
other products such as rubber paper, stone
paper and all sorts of clingy papers and
plastics to give different effects.
there is much benefit from discussions
and joint projects with different members
of the supply chain, for example the
printer having discussions with the paper
maker, the advertisers and publishers,
about what is really useful and necessary
to improve the value proposition. These
should ideally encompass a number of
different people within the company, such
as the marketing department, rather than
just the procurement section.
runnability with time?
presses are now common. The big needs
are to reduce waste and energy
consumption. In this high speed printing
world, the water levels and balance
become critical factors in waste creation.
The water uptake and distribution will
impact the sheet registration and image
stability, especially across a 1,987 cm
sheet On perfecting sheet-fed presses
(printing both sides simultaneously),
water absorption is really critical. Here
there may be up to 12 passes, before the
paper can relax, so the paper doesn't have
time to absorb it before the next water hit.
All of this puts significant stress on the paper.
Are any paper types especially
problematic?
increased. Dot frequency and image
resolution has improved, changing from
150 dpi to 300 dpi. These smaller dots
(~2m) are far less forgiving to piling
and mottle. There is also more water
associated with each tiny dot. Therefore,
many of the dots may wash off onto the
blankets increasing the blanket wash
frequency.
targeted waste allowances. Trends towards
levels are perceived by printers as giving a
more water absorbent sheet, which suffers
from more piling and picking. This may lead
to problems with vanishing dots, blanket
piling and requires more shampooing of the
rollers. In the past washing was required
every four reels, now every two and
sometimes every one. Calcium build-up in
the fount solution can also occur and this
may lead to more ghosting and vanishing
dots problems. This is especially problematic
with presses which contain copper rollers.
However, the publishers who select the
papers often want a nice bright white sheet
and don't think about the press runnability,
or waste, we the printer are fixed
commercially to a waste allowance. A poorly
running paper will exceed this allowance and
then this becomes a commercial discussion.
more variable print runs?
moving to shorter runs, as you bring the
run length down, digital printing becomes
cost effective and faster, but it is a
different kind of market to offset. We are
now one of Europe's largest digital printers
and we are definitely seeing changing
requirements for digital machines,
especially inkjet. From five years ago, the
quality and speed is going up and up,
need for different paper properties.
to get most up to date information and
personalised, targeted products, which give
higher value to the publisher/advertiser.
For example:-
responses etc.
regions of the country, or world.
example, there are a number of readers of
Cosmopolitan who will buy the new issue
directly after it is printed. There are other
consumers who might casually pick up an
issue of Cosmopolitan several weeks after
it has been released. The publishers /
advertisers can target these readers more
effectively in the different versions.
the printing and paper industry have to
`own up' to their environmental credentials
media; the amount of energy that the
internet uses, the amount of landfill that
computers create etc. and the carbon
footprint of having large format screens in
a store running 24/7 and 50 of them
compared to printing a poster and replacing
them every week, it is likely that the printed
product is the more environmentally
friendly option. But the industry needs to
prove this to its customers.
improved include things like the large
printed vinyl wraps used, for example, to
cover buildings which currently go to
landfill when we have finished with them
however, St Ives is working to find
recyclable alternatives. As one of the
printers on the Olympic rosta we hope
to provide these as sustainability is a
major consideration.
environmentally friendly and has
ISO14001 environmental accreditation.
St Ives Roche has installed the most
energy efficient drying system in the
world in their press room. This will give
them the lowest carbon footprint / page
in the country.
important and some customers /
publishers will only use this despite the
fact that this paper is sold at a premium
and may also be difficult to source, if a
large amount is needed quickly. It is the
`Environmental Badge', which is desirable,
especially for customers such as Marks &
Spencer who have declared themselves to
be a leader in green issues.
media. What are your views?
digital catalogues however, I personally
have a view that it will be a hybrid
environment for a very long period of
time. Yes, there will be electronic
solutions and if the paper product does
not add enough value, then people will
migrate from paper to electronic. There
will also be some electronic products that
will want real world creditability, for
example we did a campaign for Google
which was a personalised envelope with
the Google map of the addressee printed
on the front of it, a wonderful example of
the internet using traditional print!
printer has the perfect opportunity to
offer both the electronic and the
conventional so in future St Ives could
do your shop posters and fittings, but also
offer LCD screens as a service provider.
Paper consumption however has to
decrease and the printing industry has to
realise that it is no longer the mass
communicator. Paper and print is a
fantastic reinforcer but the primary
TV and internet. Chasing volume will not
be an option, adding value will be, for
example with higher quality attributes,
targeted at the specific need.
think the electronic world cannot
replicate. In packaging for example, if you
want to promote a really nice hair care
product, you want a nice boxed product
that gives the message of the brand.
Similarly web advertising doesn't give as
good an impression as a really high quality
magazine such as Vogue or World of
Interiors. Print as a reinforcer is wonderful
it is nicer to receive a birthday card than
an email. There is something about a
physical product that says you care.
appropriate, when do you send it, timing,
linking it with an email is absolutely where
we need to be. For example, getting an
email saying "tomorrow morning you
are going to have a yellow envelope land
on your doormat" and then tomorrow
morning a yellow envelope does land on
your doormat, means that you will
probably open it. Just a yellow envelope
landing on your doormat won't work; just
an email won't work, put the two together
and get effectiveness.
believe that paper and printing have
a strong future, providing they adapt
and embrace some of the advances
in media exchange. They have
implemented a new business model
and set an example of how to
successfully satisfy the changing
demands of their customers and
create new opportunities. Through
listening to and working with Groups
like St. Ives, we can understand their
challenges and provide the most
optimum mineral developments and
solutions to the Paper Industry.