Leading distribution companies Australian Visual Solutions (AVS), Amari Plastics and Chief Media have joined forces to offer their customers an expanded range of options following a strategic merger this week.

International parent company MM Plastics announced the merger today, with General Manager Steve Baker saying the resulting entity, Amari Visual Solutions, will bring the best of all worlds to its customers through an expanded product range and wider distribution network.

“We’ve been laying the groundwork for this since mid-2018, following the acquisition of Chief Media in 2015 and AVS in 2017,” he says. 

“With our customers needing access to a more diverse range of media and substrates to meet the demands of a dynamic market, it simply makes sense to offer our whole product range through every outlet.

“Also, while operating independently, the three companies have always shared a similar commitment to delivering a total solution to customers; quality products, responsive and knowledgeable support and excellent value for money. So, it’s a great fit.”

The combined product portfolio will give customers of all three original companies a single source of supply for a wide selection of high-quality substrates, signage media, printers, inks and accessories.

“AVS customers will now have access to an extensive range of quality substrates including Aluminium Composite Panels, PVC, Acrylic, Polycarbonate and Flute” Steve explains.

“Amari Plastics and Chief Media customers, in turn, will benefit from access to the huge range of wide format media, cut graphics and display media, as well as hardware, tools, accessories, inks and finishing solutions which were previously only available through AVS.”

Amari Visual Solutions will operate out of seven sites in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, servicing clients including sign, display and POS companies, digital wide-format printers, screen and offset printers, commercial shop fitters, truck and trailer builders, industrial and manufacturing companies and acrylic fabricators.

“This combined network gives us an excellent supply base for customers around the country, providing not only fast and efficient local delivery, but access to the technical expertise and support of local product specialists.”

While the merger officially comes into effect on the 4th of March, Steve says the transition will be staged to avoid any disruption to customers. Rebranding of buildings and delivery vehicles will take place over the coming months.

“In the meantime, though, all local reps will be able to help with products from across the entire portfolio and, in the next few months, we’ll be releasing a new, combined product catalogue and launching our new website, www.amarivisual.com.au,” 

“We are really encouraged by the enthusiastic response to this merge by our customers and look forward to providing a great portfolio of quality products accompanied by fast and reliable service to the market that has been so supportive of our activities in the past.”

Screen today announces that Campaign, a Bertelsmann Printing Group subsidiary, specialising in one2one customer communications, has invested in a second Truepress Jet520HD press to support the growth of its direct mail services. The investment brings the total number of Screen high-speed inkjet systems to three following earlier installations of the Truepress Jet520ZZ and its first Truepress Jet520HD.

Headquartered in Gütersloh, Germany, Campaign believes that this latest investment will create new business opportunities and strengthen its competitive position. With the help of the Truepress Jet520HD, Campaign is able to send high-quality personalised mail to its customers. In combination with shorter turnaround times, a significant increase in conversion rates has been achieved per campaign.

Engineered for short print runs, the Truepress Jet520HD is designed with personalisation in mind. The press is fully integrated with Screen’s workflow software, EQUIOS, boasting a vast gallery of preloaded templates. This, along with the system’s rapid start time, enables Campaign to optimise uptime, maximise throughput and increase profit margins.

According to Nik Bockmann, Managing Director at Campaign, this efficiency-enhancing capability was an integral factor in deciding to invest in the systems.

He explains: “As a print provider, we need the flexibility to react to diverse customer demands the very same day. The Screen presses offer us this and so much more. For example, we have the versatility to print on a wide range of substrates. This opens the door to a vast gamut of different applications.

“In regard to direct mail, we can produce highly customised, premium prints, cost-effectively and extremely quickly. When our customers can transform an idea into a flawless printed product in their customer’s hand in very little time, there’s a significant positive impact on their conversion rates, which in turn helps us secure repeat business.”

Bockmann explains: “Screen’s presses allow us to achieve near-offset quality and production costs while delivering the inherit benefits of digital printing. Our latest additions further cement our position as a leading innovator and expert in direct mail and one-to-one communications.”

Bui Burke, Screen Europe Senior Vice President Sales, concludes: “We are delighted that Campaign has invested in its second and third Screen presses. The company’s continued adoption of our solutions demonstrates how our presses are empowering print providers to realise their business objectives. Offering enhanced production, high-quality prints and consistent productivity, we are seeing more and more companies successfully integrating our solutions within their businesses.”

www.screenaust.com.au

There's always something new in the printing world. In the US, Overnight Prints introduced cookie printing. The online print provider will be serving an assortment of ready-to-eat custom printed cookie products as part of its print marketing materials and services. Adding the baked treat to its menu provides a sweet edible option for gift giving, event catering, party favors and promotional giveaways just in time for Easter and Mother’s Day.

“Custom printed cookies make any event even more meaningful and memorable, especially a once-in-a-lifetime occasion like a first birthday or 50th wedding anniversary,” said Janell Awong, brand manager, Overnight Prints. “What makes everyone’s favorite sweet treat even better is adding that personal touch like a unique photo or special message.”

Home baked style cookies can be personalized with edible images, photos, logos and short messages in full color. Each gourmet vanilla-flavored sugar cookie is hand-decorated with royal icing. Cookies are individually wrapped and delivered fresh from the bakery in quantities of 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 or 120.

Custom printed cookies are offered in 16 assorted shapes and sizes. Ranging from 3˝ to 8˝, circle and square shapes can be ordered in 3-inch, 3.5-inch, 4-inch and 8-inch sizes. Rectangle-shaped portrait cookies are available in 3-by-4, 3-by-5, 4-by-6, 5-by-7 and 8-by-10-inch sizes. Heart-shaped cookies come in either 3-inch, 3.5-inch or 4-inch sizes.

The personalised pastries cater to food menus at personal and professional functions, such as family gatherings and celebrations, holiday parties and for corporate gifting. Cookie printing is also ideal for promotional events like conferences, meetings and trade shows, and as party favours at weddings, anniversaries, graduations, birthdays, baptisms and retirement parties, etc.

www.overnightprints.com

A new robotic system to make aircraft painting quicker, cheaper and more environmentally friendly has just made its debut at ZAL Innovation Days.

Dutch robotics specialist Xyrec, which has developed the Automated Paint Robot (APR) in collaboration with Airbus and Southwest Research Institute, gave a live demonstration of the system that it says can reduce time in the paint shop from 16 days to 5 days.

The APR is able to print any aircraft livery design on an aircraft fuselage by automatically orienting itself during the painting process. According to Xyrec, the end-to-end painting process can sand the fuselage, clean it after paint has been stripped, spray primer and clear coatings, dry clear coatings in a mere two hours (compared to the 14 hours it currently takes) and then direct print a new design. Xyrec says the cleaning process can also be used for cleaning of aircraft during A and B checks.



Due to the APR’s ability to significantly reduce overall painting time, Xyrec says the robot can reduce labor costs by 80% while also saving up to 30% of paint, which provides environmental benefits. In addition, the company says the robot ensures higher predictability and paint quality.

During the demonstration at ZAL Innovation Days, Xyrec showed off the APR’s newest feature, which uses inkjet technology for digital printing rather than paint. The technology was illustrated by printing a large digital image on an Airbus A320 fuselage. According to the company, the printer technology enables airlines to be more creative with livery designs because it allows intricate decoration of a full aircraft faster and more efficiently than via manual masking and spray guns.

The APR began development three years ago and Xyrec says it will be available commercially in 2020, with a direct print feature coming in 2021.

E Ink, innovator of electronic ink technology, announced its Advanced Colour ePaper (ACeP) has been used by TOPPAN Printing Co. Ltd. and Isetan Mitsukoshi to develop the world’s first digital point-of-purchase (POP) sign using a full-colour Electronic Paper Display (EPD).

E Ink’s first generation ACeP display is capable of displaying more than 32,000 colours, making the solution an attractive and sustainable alternative to paper POP.

E Ink’s ACeP display achieves a full colour gamut, including all eight primary colours, using a proprietary four pigment microencapsulated electronic ink containing cyan, magenta, yellow and white. Rich colour is achieved by having all the coloured pigments in every pixel as opposed to the side-by-side pixel colours achieved with a colour filter array (CFA). Like other E Ink ePaper technology, ACeP is low-power with paper-like readability under virtually all lighting conditions.


Isetan Mitsukoshi Ltd., which has been promoting initiatives for the reform of working practices and from ESG, or Environment, Social, and Governance, perspectives, worked with TOPPAN to develop POP signage to reduce paper waste from in-store promotions, and to enhance worker efficiencies. Isetan Mitsukoshi will install a prototype in the Isetan Shinjuku store for their “HANABANASAI” campaign that launches on February 20, 2019.


The POP product developed by TOPPAN and Isetan Mitsukoshi enables a simple content update process through a PC or smartphone for greater operating efficiency and reduced environmental waste. The signage does not require any power at the location of installation for easy mobility around stores when layout changes are needed. The addition of E Ink’s ACeP display brings an enhanced visual appeal to the in-store promotions, with the ability to update information wirelessly.


“E Ink appreciates TOPPAN’s initiative to drive the ACeP POP business at a top tier Japanese department store. As technology guides our world in becoming increasingly connected, it’s imperative that we find sustainable solutions that help our workers and the environment,” says Naoki Sumita, GM of E Ink Japan. “We look forward to working together with TOPPAN to continue efforts to expand ACeP in the POP market and in other potential markets.”


“We are pleased to jointly test the potential of full-colour ACeP from E Ink, and look forward to the collaboration toward a digital POP product that contributes to solving the efficiency & waste challenges in the retail sector,” says Heeday Danjo, GM, TOPPAN Printing Co., Ltd.


A pilot of the solution is scheduled to be on display at the Front Entrance of Isetan Shinjuku Main Store in Tokyo, Japan, from Wednesday, February 20 to Tuesday, March 26.

Four of Epson’s inkjet printer designs and two of its 3LCD projector designs have been named iF Design Award 2019 winners by iF International Forum Design.

Created in 1953, the iF Design Award is recognised around the world as one of the most prestigious awards for innovative industrial product design excellence. Products are evaluated based on a wide range of criteria, including factors such as practicability, workmanship, consideration of environmental standards, degree of elaboration and innovation, functionality, usability, safety, aesthetics, and universal design. This year's winners were selected from more than 6,375 entries from 52 countries by a 67-member jury comprised of experts from around the world.

EV-100/ EV-105 projectors



A projector to be used for lighting or video performances of products or exhibits in shopping centers or museums. To better show off the appeal of the product or exhibit, we focused on a simple design that melts into the surroundings. We removed all holes and wiring from the unit sides, which customers notice, for a clean design. The vents, which any projector requires, were hidden in the design as slits with identical patterns on the unit's front and rear. The cylindrical design, made to resemble a spotlight, enables you to install it on the ceiling without negatively affecting the atmosphere.

ET-M1140/ ET-M1180/ ET-M2140/ ET-M3140/ ET-M3170 inkjet printers



A4-sized monochrome inkjet machine with a high capacity eco tank that enables up to 6,000 sheets on a single ink refill. The new eco tank design puts a single slit through a simple and clean exterior. You can intuitively check the ink level or open and close the tank cover. A unique shape was used for the bottle tip and inlet to prevent filling mistakes. Just insert the bottle - the printer automatically refills ink then stops, giving you comfort and reassurance. While low cost, it lets you easily perform various printing and reduces downtime and waste to support your daily work. 

ET-2710/ ET-4700/ L1110/ L3100/ L3110/ L3150/ L5190 inkjet printers




A4-sized colour inkjet machine with a high capacity eco tank that lets you easily perform various printing at low cost. We focused on operability to eliminate hassle and concerns about stains when refilling ink. Not only did we improve front access and the visibility of the remaining ink, we also used a unique shape for the bottle tip and inlet of each colour to prevent filling mistakes for unprecedented comfort and reassurance. The protruding shape expresses the performance of the high capacity eco tank, and the simple, round design around the tank gives an approachable and familiar feeling.

SC-T5150/ SC-T5150N/ SC-T3150/ SC-T3150N/ SC-T3100/ SC-T3100N/ SC-T5100/ SC-T5100N inkjet printers



Full-colour large format printer (LFP) among the smallest in the world for use in offices, architect studios, schools, and retail shops. LFPs are conventionally used for special applications, but with UI identical to business printers and a simple and clean look that fits any office, we designed printers that make it easy for customers to buy their first LFP. For schools in particular we prioritised safety, reducing the outlet port to ten mm so that children cannot fit their fingers inside. The large touch panel and buzzer let you see the status at a glance and give guidance for easy use.

SC-T5450/ SC-T3450/ SC-T3450N/ SC-T3400/ SC-T3400N/ SC-T5400 inkjet printers



High-speed, high-resolution large format printer (LFP) for printing drawings in official bureaus and architect studios or PoP printing in retail shops. We redesigned the LFP, conventionally used for special applications, with UI identical to business printers and a simple and clean look that fits any office. It provides intuitive operation and maintains a clean office atmosphere. 
The large touch panel, warning LEDs, and buzzer let you see the status at a glance and give guidance for easy use. We also strived to cut assembly time, streamlining work by developing new legs assembled in three steps.

EB-L610U/ EB-L615U projectors



A projector to be installed in classrooms and lecture halls or offices for meetings and presentations. A new laser light source allows for a very compact size while achieving a bright screen up to 6,000 lm and eliminating the need for maintenance. The exterior design consists of vertical and horizontal elements in order to blend into the interior space, and the vents use a louver shape to hide the noisy internal parts. The emphasised thinness and the rounded corners give off a simple and clean feel when looked at from any angle, allowing you to install the product naturally on desktops or ceilings.

global.epson.com

Barberán, a leader in the design and development of digital Single Pass presses, and Esko, a global supplier of integrated hardware and software solutions for the packaging, label and wide format sectors, have reached an agreement to work together on a solution that will automate the pre-press workflow for the Jetmaster Series digital printer.

The relationship was consolidated during the recent Barberán Open House where, according to Chris Rogers, Esko Solutions Marketing Manager, Barberán demonstrated leading edge technology to a highly receptive audience of corrugated converters. This collaboration will combine the expertise of both companies and exploit the synergy between their respective product portfolios.

Neopost Australia, a state-of-the art graphics solutions enterprise offering wide-format print technology, equipment, and consumables to the graphics industry and Arlon Graphics, a leading cast vinyl manufacturer offering innovative product solutions with unparalleled customer support to the sign and graphics industry, announce a new distribution partnership for the Australia region. 

Arlon and Neopost are both committed to providing exceptional customer support, technical expertise, and a diverse product portfolio to the Australian market. Neopost will bring their experience and energy to give greater accessibility to Arlon products. 

“Neopost is delighted to be announced as distributor for the Arlon product range in Australia. This partnership cements Neopost’s resolve to continue with our strategy to become THE leading partner to the sign & display industry, providing the widest range of media and print solutions to our customers that offer the highest quality, every single time,” says Stuart Macdonald, Managing Director, Neopost Australian. “We are excited to move forward as a key supplier of the Arlon range, which will no doubt help Neopost grow our product range in the sign & display space and allow us to expand our offering to our customers across the widest range of product.”

About Neopost
Neopost is a leading partner to the Australian Print Industry, working with the world’s leading manufacturers of print technology to deliver the very latest innovation to our customers. We deliver market leading technology through an extensive network of dedicated account managers and service representatives to deliver world class solutions to the Australian print sector. We have been supporting the Australian Print Sector for over 60 years and continue to innovate and partner with leading brands to offer the very best in equipment, media and support solutions to help Australian print businesses achieve growth.

About Arlon Graphics
Arlon Graphics, LLC is a cast vinyl manufacturing company in the business of creating innovative material for visual expression. Founded in 1958, Arlon Graphics manufactures and markets high-quality pressure-sensitive materials for the fleet, architectural, digital imaging, and signage markets. Through more than 180 distribution partners across the globe, a growing number of strategically-positioned sales offices and warehouses, and customer-centric operations, Arlon is recognized as a global leader in graphic films. Join the Arlon Graphics conversation and follow us at @arlongraphics on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn. For more information, visit www.arlon.com.

Roland DG would like to extend its thoughts and best wishes to those who have been affected by the recent flooding in Queensland. Roland DG would like to offer assistance and provide the following information on how to best handle your electronic and production equipment in this situation to customers affected.

Water exposure can make equipment dangerous to inspect, test and operate so please use extreme caution in doing so.  

• Equipment can short out when powered on as the chassis could become 'live' and endanger lives.
• Always get professional advice before attempting to powering on electrical devices if unsure

Water damage and the after effects of water damage will impact on a machines ability to operate. 

• Water can damage production equipment, from gears to bearings, rail assemblies, motors, rollers, electronic circuitry and more.
• Rust can settle in either immediately or within a short amount of time, this is exacerbated because the water is not 'clean' and can leave residue over components and potentially create electrical shorts.
• High levels of humidity and moisture can enter your equipment.  This can, like water itself, cause issues outlined above.

Power outages and fluctuations can also have a major impact on electrical and electro-mechanical products. Over both the short and long term there are procedures that can assist you when expecting outages that should be implemented, our service people are available to advise specifically for your type of machine/s.

If you require assistance or your business has been affected, please contact our service team through service@rolanddg.com.au or call 1-800-500-119. Roland DG will provide assistance at reduced service rates to review damaged or moisture affected Roland equipment and advise condition reports for any insurance claim requirements.
 
We will endeavour to find additional ways to assist those affected from providing special disaster pricing for replacement products so please contact Roland DG for more details on how we can help get your business back up and running.
 
The Roland DG Care service team will be scheduling service runs in the affected regions from mid to late February. Should there be any questions please do not hesitate to contact Roland DG directly for assistance on 1-800-500-119. One of our staff will be more than willing to arrange assistance or offer advice.

Roland DG Australia, a leading manufacturer of wide format inkjet printers and 3D devices, today announced the launch of a new $5,000 cash back Trade-In program for the TrueVIS VG Series Printer Cutters.

Recently, the TrueVIS VG Series was awarded the BLI Buyers Lab top choice for image quality and productivity through its unparalleled colour output, reliability and integrated print and cut versatility. To celebrate this honour Roland DG are offering customers the opportunity to upgrade to the latest TrueVIS VG Series Printer Cutter, and receive $5,000 cash back when trading in their old wide format printer.

To qualify for the $5,000 cash back offer, purchase a TrueVIS VG-540 or VG-640 wide format printer cutter before March 8th 2019, then register the old printer for trade-in, it’s that easy. Roland DG will verify and arrange for the collection of the old printer and provide the cash back*.

For more details and to register your trade-in, visit www.rolanddg.com.au/vgtrade-in, or contact Roland DG on 1800 500 119. 

Vale – Jeff Gittus 1959 – 2019

The Active family, and much of the Australian print and manufacturing industry is mourning the loss of Jeff Gittus, founder of Active Display Group.

Jeff passed away peacefully on Friday after undergoing his second lung transplant a little over 2 weeks earlier.

Jeff founded Active Sites Alive in 1985 after establishing his own signage business from home only 5 years earlier.

Through Jeff’s vision, personality and nature, Active has provided employment for thousands of people for over 30 years.

It’s an extremely sad time for the people at Active, their clients and the retail marketing industry at large.

Jeff was part of many industry organisations, including a pioneering founder of POPAI (now Shop!) in Australia. 

Jeff considered everyone at Active to be his family, and family was at the heart of what he valued most.

On behalf of all the industry, we pass on our condolences to Jeff's family and the team at Active. 

Epson has again been recognised this year as one of the 2018-19 Derwent Top 100 Global Innovators. They are also amongst the best of the best being one of only 35 organisations to have been recognised for the eighth year in a row since the inception of the program in 2011. These innovators exhibit consistently strong performance in successfully obtaining rights to their innovation, seeking wide protection and global markets for potential products and services based on that innovation and are recognised by their peers as creating leading innovation for others to build on.

Clarivate Analytics cited reasons for Epson’s inclusion in the top innovators list including the fact that Epson regularly files high volumes of patent applications and had good success this year in converting these to granted patent rights. 

They also showed improved performance in global filing of inventions filing more within the Quadrilateral authorities (US, Japan, China and Europe) than last year. 

Epson holds many patents globally and is working with patent agencies in 20 countries or more at any given time. 
 
“It is an honour to be selected as one of the Top 100 Global Innovators for the eighth consecutive year,” said Toshiya Takahata, executive officer and general administrative manager at Epson. As stated in its Management Philosophy, Epson seeks to become an indispensable company, an ambition that Epson considers to be consistent with the realisation of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. We will continue to conduct our business and pursue intellectual property activities with the aim of creating a sustainable society.”

For more details about Epson's intellectual property activities go to: https://global.epson.com/innovation/intellectual_property/ 

In a move which expands the sales and supply options available to i ts customers in Queensland, Océ Australia has announced the appointment of Charti as an Océ Partner for Brisbane and the Gold Coast.

Charti, large format printing specialists and long-term supplier of printers, media, ink, display systems and supplies, will now be a reseller for Océ’s Technical Document System (TDS) printers in these key Queensland markets, supplying not only the ColorWave and PlotWave series, but also associated toner and consumables.

According to Dale Hawkins, Senior Manager – Indirect & Marketing for Océ Australia, the move will enhance our local supply options for ColorWave and PlotWave customers in these areas, “Charti is a Melbourne-based supplier which offers an extensive range of large format printing equipment, media, ink, display systems and supplies,” Hawkins says. “More importantly for our Queensland customers, the company has support offices throughout Australia which include an extensive warehousing facility in Capalaba, Brisbane.”

Charti will provide the market leading Océ ColorWave and PlotWave series of printers to the Brisbane and Gold Coast markets. While customers are still ‘most welcome’ to order supplies for these printers direct through Océ Australia, which delivers overnight from its extensive warehouse in Sydney, Hawkins says the appointment of Charti means TDS printers in these key Queensland markets have a second source of supply, providing greater convenience, and the option of local supply for even faster turnaround and delivery times.

“Charti has an excellent reputation for both expertise and product quality and we are delighted to partner with them to provide our customers in Queensland with expanded sales and support options,” he says.

“We have a strong and long-standing relationship with the company as a supplier of products from Océ parent company, Canon, and are confident they will be a responsive and reliable business partner for our customers in Queensland, providing the high level of support they need to build their business success.”

Charti’s Managing Director David Cheng has also welcomed the new agreement with Océ with open arms saying, “It’s a perfect strategic fit having two quality brands working side by side to serve our industry.

“The Océ brand and product line-up perfectly complements the Charti offer, making Charti a ‘one stop shop’ for the large format printing industry,” Cheng says. Businesses in Brisbane or the Gold Coast can contact the local Charti team on 07 3914 9900 to start ordering toner and consumables.

 www.oce.com.au 

The ATO is running a series of free workshops and webinars for small businesses that will cover tax essentials, good record-keeping and employer essentials – all to support your business.

Small business owners and professionals will learn to free up valuable time to spend on their business and not on their books!

Click on the State links below to view our current offers:

Australian Capital Territory 
New South Wales 
Northern Territory 
Queensland 
South Australia 
Tasmania 
Victoria 
Western Australia 

You'll benefit by:
•    finding out where to go when you need help and more information
•    learning how to use the ATO’s online tools and resources to make things easier and free up your valuable time. 

For enquiries, email us at sbtalk@ato.gov.au

Meet Brett Burns. Ricky Richards Print Media Sales Manager.

Brett has been in this industry for over 20 years and hosts a wealth of knowledge when it comes to choosing the right products to use to enhance your designs and printing. He joined the Ricky team last year and has a huge 2019 planned for that division.

If you would like to chat to Brett or the Print Media experts in the Ricky team contact them on 029735 3333 or head over to www.rickyrichards.com.au

Massivit 3D Printing Technologies, the leading provider of large format 3D printing solutions, in partnership with Marie 3D – large format 3D printing specialists– and renowned car designer, Takumi Yamamoto, will unveil the world’s first 3D printed, full-scale concept car. The tribute to David Bowie will be a star attraction at this year’s prestigious Festival Automobile International (FAI) taking place in Paris from January 31 to February 3.

FAI President, Rémi Depoix, said: “It is the first time in our 34-year history that we are exhibiting a full-scale car that has been entirely produced with 3D printing. Yamamoto’s concept car demonstrates immense creativity. We were keen to support this project and present the car almost as a piece of art, very much like a sculpture. I am very impressed with this new technology. It opens up new opportunities in terms of creativity and design for the automotive industry.”

Takumi Yamamoto, designer of the esteemed GT by Citroen and a former leading designer at the PSA Peugeot Advanced Design Studio, is the creative force behind this concept car which is a consummation of his life-long passions for car design and David Bowie.

Paris-based Marie 3D identified that 3D printing was the only feasible production method for implementing the concept car due to its capability to produce complex and creative geometry forms. Traditional manufacturing methods, including CNC routing, would have proven limited in terms of realizing Takumi Yamamoto’s vision. Furthermore, 3D printing turned out to be more cost-effective, having a faster production speed and less waste production.

The car has been 3D printed on Marie 3D’s Massivit 1800 large format 3D printer. The company has an established standing in the automobile industry and this innovative project, leveraging Managing Director Philippe Marie’s expertise in prototyping as well as his timely adoption of a Massivit 3D printer, has paved the way for an entirely new approach to producing concept prototypes.

This new concept prototype production method has provided the perfect expression of Yamamoto’s imaginative and emotive dream to build a David Bowie-inspired concept car that embodies Bowie’s key personal and physical traits. The design incorporates a core body that represents and ‘protects’ the inner Bowie while the intricate, outer body is designed with different looks from various perspectives in homage to the singer’s chameleon-like personality. Crystals were chosen to reflect the purity of Bowie’s lyrical and musical message.

Marie 3D’s Managing Director, Philippe Marie, said: “This was an exciting challenge combining a work of art with a prototype. We especially enjoyed the fact that this is the first project that has allowed us complete creative control, independent of serving a car manufacturer. We have made the most of this total creative freedom. We embarked on the project to demonstrate the capabilities of our Massivit 3D printer in terms of size, speed and reliability. This technology provides a faster and significantly more cost-effective alternative to the conventional processes, supports design creativity, geometric freedom and smoother production.”

He added: “This concept car exposes a completely new method and capabilities for prototyping through 3D printing. Our goal now is to expose the possibilities to the automotive world.”

Amir Veresh, VP Business Development and Marketing at Massivit 3D, confirmed: “This project highlights how Massivit 3D’s large format 3D printing technology facilitates fresh opportunities for scale 1:1 concept prototyping and is sure to fuel the imagination of tomorrow’s car designers and manufacturers. We are absolutely thrilled to partner in this inspirational project.”

Other important players in the project include Cyrille Ancely and Alexandre Larnac.

Industrial designer, Cyrille Ancelly, worked on bringing Yamamoto’s dream to life by developing the design and transforming the concept into a 3D model. CG artist, Alexandre Larnac, turned the concept car’s screen-based 3D model into realistic renderings and animations giving the impression that the car was actually driving on the road.

Find out all about the project on the Massivit 3D YouTube Channel.

Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG (Heidelberg) is looking to further improve its market position in the growing packaging printing segment by taking its long-standing sales partnership with Masterwork Group Co., Ltd. (Masterwork), China’s largest manufacturer of die-cutters and hot-foil embossing machines, to a whole new level. Based in the Chinese city of Tianjin, Masterwork is to obtain around 8.5 percent of the Heidelberg share capital under a cash capital increase from authorised capital excluding shareholder subscription rights. The implementation of such capital measure is subject to approval by Heidelberger Druckmaschinen AG's supervisory board.

The proposed capital increase provides the opportunity for Heidelberg to acquire a further strategic anchor shareholder with a long-term investment horizon as well as to strengthen its equity. Subject to approval by the relevant bodies on both sides and the Chinese authorities, the capital measure should provisionally take place by the end of the first calendar quarter of 2019. The issue price of the new shares is set to be EUR 2.68. If the market price significantly outstrips the envisaged issue price, this will be renegotiated in line with statutory requirements. The funds Heidelberg generates with the capital increase are to be used to accelerate its digital agenda (digitising products, processes, and business models, for example) and for general business financing. Masterwork supports the Heidelberg strategy and is demonstrating its clear commitment to long-term collaboration. Heidelberg is currently considering and discussing whether it will seek to obtain a shareholding in Masterwork.

“The Heidelberg Management Board and Supervisory Board are delighted that our long-standing, successful collaboration with Masterwork is to become much closer. This opens up further potential in the growing packaging printing segment, especially in China – the world’s largest individual market. We are expecting better capacity utilisation at our plants across the globe to make us far more efficient, but I would like to stress that this will not weaken our sites in Germany. We are delighted that in Masterwork we are obtaining another long-term investor that firmly believes in the company’s innovative prowess, strategy, and potential for the future,” comments Heidelberg CEO Rainer Hundsdörfer.

“Heidelberg is our ideal partner for jointly leveraging growth potential in the packaging printing market. The stake we are obtaining in this long-established company and world market leader underlines that we are in it for the long haul and are confident Heidelberg has adopted the right strategy,” says Masterwork President Li Li.

Building on leading market position in growing packaging printing segment

Heidelberg and Masterwork, which is listed on China’s Shenzhen stock exchange, have operated a close postpress partnership for a number of years, turning print products into folding cartons for the packaging market. They also benefit from a long-standing, successful sales collaboration. Masterwork specialises in postpress equipment for the folding carton industry. Back in 2014, it acquired the postpress packaging technologies of Heidelberg, which retains responsibility for global sales and digital customer relations. The possibility of linking Masterwork’s postpress machines to the Heidelberg cloud is a big advantage when it comes to realising the value proposition of using production data to boost customers’ productivity. Packaging printing is expected to enjoy above-average growth in the coming years. Heidelberg already holds a leading position in this segment in Europe and the Americas, while Masterwork is one of China’s leading postpress suppliers for packaging. The closer ties are set to significantly strengthen this position in China – the world’s largest packaging market – and in other regions, too.

Creating shared value and stepping up sales of Heidelberg products in China

What’s more, there are plans for closer collaboration focusing on the two companies’ value chains. Heidelberg will continue to supply the dynamic markets in China and the rest of Asia from the site in Qingpu, near Shanghai, that it established back in 2006. As a result of the closer working relationship with Masterwork, it will also benefit from joint component manufacturing operations at the Masterwork site in Tianjin in the future. This will provide both companies with a whole host of possibilities for improving their efficiency.

Caldera Software Company announces a Management Change

Caldera, an industry leader in the RIP software market, announces the departure of Joseph Mergui, founder and president. 

After having grown Caldera into a very successful company and gained international recognition, Joseph Mergui has decided to entrust Dover Digital Printing with taking Caldera to new growth levels and transforming the company from a ‘family-owned’ operation to a multinational company.  

As a market leader in digital inkjet software, Caldera will continue to invest in innovative technology, and meet the expectations of an expanding customer base.

Samin Sarkar will serve as General Manager of the company, supported by a dynamic and experienced management team. 

“It has been a privilege to lead and grow Caldera for 28 years and a pleasure to have worked with an extremely strong, talented and dedicated team. I have no doubt on the fact that Caldera will continue growing and being a key player in the digital printing market. I personally have decided to move on to pursue new projects,” Joseph Mergui - Founder, Caldera.

Skyrocketing demand from a multitude of industries, ranging from architecture to automotive, is a key factor fuelling coating additives sales. According to the study, growing focus on quality is driving demand for coating additives in manufacturing processes. These insights are according to a latest Fact.MR study that projects a bullish run for coating additives market. According to the study, demand for coating additives is likely to reach 1.37 Mn tons by 2019-end, up from 1.35 Mn tons in 2018.

Acrylic Based Coating Retains its Buoyancy Owing to Performance-driven Requirements

As per the report, acrylic based coating additives will remain the top-selling product type. The popularity of acrylic based coating additive can be accredited to its competency in enhancing product properties and optimising production processes. Urethane and fluoropolymer are the other top-selling additive types.

Demand for rheology coating additives is likely to reach 449,000 tons in 2018. With the rising demand for low-VOC or VOC-free waterborne coating systems, the rheological additives are witnessing revved up adoption. Dispersant additives trail the former as the second most preferred function type and offering prime opportunities for the market players to take into consideration.

The waterborne coating remains the highly sought-after formulation, followed by solvent based coating and powder coating. Waterborne coatings are being increasingly sought on the back of their competency to offer great resistance to heat as well as abrasion. Moreover, architectural coatings maintain their lead as the largest application segment and the booming number of infrastructure-related projects extrapolate the same.

“Robust demand for coatings is poised to be registered from the architectural and industrial applications over the upcoming years. This, in turn, will translate into a significant surge in demand for additives in terms of performance enhancement requirements”, says, research consultant Pratik Kumar from, Fact.MR

The thriving commercial and residential construction activities in Asia-Pacific have been spurring the sales of coating additives, making it the most remunerative region for the market stakeholders from an investment-making standpoint. The flourishing automotive sector in the region is also triggering the clamour for high-performance coating additives, finds the Fact.MR study.

Coating Additives Market Remains a Consolidated Landscape

The report also indicates that innovative products such as multifunctional additives, silicone based additives, and green coating additives are expected to witness a spike in demand, giving a major boost to the overall growth of coating additives market. According to the research study, product developments and technological innovations remain the key facets boosting the bottom lines of companies operating in the market space. Moreover, moderate pricing and diverse product portfolio are anticipated to be the major factors driving the industry over the foreseeable future.

The study envisages, the coating additives market remains a consolidated landscape and portrays the reign of leading players with strong product portfolios. The tier 1 players in the coating additives market have been identified to hold approximately 45-50% revenue share and remain highly focused on go-to market strategies aimed for reaching out to the customer segments in a much more efficient manner.

Tier 2 players are focused on development of unique and exclusive products and commercialisation of the same at competitive price points to gain substantial revenue benefits. The market players falling into the tier 3 category are shifting their focus toward strategic alliances and partnerships with leading industry giants for affluent expansion. In addition to that, long-term contracts with the domestic manufacturers or suppliers have also been identified to be a key differential move to tackle volatile pricing as well as uninterrupted supply.

As per the report, the coating additives market is poised to expand at a volume CAGR of more than 3.5% over the forecast period, 2018-2027.

The insights presented here are from a research study on www.factmr.com/report/2427/coating-additives-market

Massivit 3D has announced that Academy Award®-winning design studio and manufacturing facility, Weta Workshop, has installed a Massivit 1800 3D Printing Solution at its Wellington, New Zealand-based premises. 

The company is recognised for its work on blockbuster films such as The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit motion picture trilogies, Avatar, King Kong, Ghost in the Shell, and Blade Runner 2049. The installation of this Massivit 1800 was made possible by Massivit 3D’s local Australian and New Zealand distributor, Stick on Signs.
 
Richard Taylor, Weta Workshop Co-founder, CEO and Creative Director, says, “We manufacture super-sized, hyper-realistic human figures, creatures, vehicles, and other huge props for film and television and have always been on the search for technology that can produce large parts at a high speed.

“For 15 years, we have dreamed of a day when a printer would provide super large scale, speed, and build strength at low print costs, in equal measure. The Massivit 1800 has delivered this for us.” 

Taylor adds, “With the Massivit 1800, our team has been able to redefine what is creatively possible for our large-scale manufacturing projects. It is a powerful and versatile machine that has transformed the way we work and has supercharged our output. It really is a dream come true.”

According to Pietro Marson, Workshop Operations Analyst at Weta Workshop, the company’s manufacturing teams have until now deployed a range of technologies for their fabrication processes, including CNC routers, industrial robots, and smaller 3D printers. Many of these technologies have presented limitations when it comes to manufacturing bigger props. 

“We’re often required to create 8- or 9-meter-tall (26.2 or 29.5-foot) sculptures and mannequins, which means we need to print multiple parts and then manually fit them together,” he explains. “Needless to say, this is both time-consuming and expensive. 

“The largest commercially available SLA 3D printer in the country has a maximum print volume of 60 x 60 x 40 centimeters, whereas the Massivit 1800 allows us to print up to 1.8-meter-high [5.9-foot] components,” he continues. “We can also print much more quickly and with far greater geometry freedom than with CNC machining.” 

Weta Workshop expects to be able to save thousands of dollars by printing larger components. The Massivit 1800’s print volume has proven particularly useful for one of the company’s latest projects which requires the production of large-scale molds. Producing these molds with CNC technology would have been challenging due to their size and the inability of CNC routers to create complex, deep intrusions.

“The Massivit 1800 has surpassed our expectations insofar as the added capabilities and extra efficiency it delivers our operations,” says Richard Taylor. “Since its installation, it has stimulated a lot of creative thought and our teams are buzzing with what we will be able to achieve with it moving forward,” he concludes.