Covid impact and good news grab the August headlines

Our round-up of the most read news from August, where investments and, unsurprisingly, the impact of Covid-19 were the hottest topics.

1 Solopress pivots with inkjet web install 3,122 clicks
Solopress has bought the world’s first HP PageWide T250 HD inkjet web press and will use it for commercial – and publishing – print applications as part of a radical £3.3m revamp of its production setup.

2 Browns Print buys hi-spec press from Brazil 2,506 clicks
Browns Print has made a pivotal investment in a highly specified Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 that has come all the way from Brazil during the Covid-19 pandemic.

3 Paper manufacturers cull capacity as Covid bites 2,304 clicks
Two major European paper manufacturers have unveiled restructuring plans that will strip out almost 2 million tonnes of paper capacity and potentially cost well over 1,500 jobs.

4 Former Latimer staff win consultation payout 2,114 clicks
Close to 50 former employees of Latimer Trend & Company, which collapsed just under a year ago, have won their ‘failure to consult’ compensation claims and their lawyer has warned directors to ensure they properly consult with staff over redundancies.

5 Bell & Bain installs first of pandemic-delayed K&B presses 1,832 clicks
Bell & Bain has started the installation of the first of its two new Rapida 145 large-format presses from Koenig & Bauer – following a decision to delay the process due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

6 Covid boon for mail effectiveness 1,704 clicks
The latest findings from JICMail have reported record-breaking double digit increases in the effectiveness of direct mail and door drops during the Covid crisis.

7 Firm fined after paper punch amputation 1,587 clicks
A West Country supplier of paper products to the crafting market has been fined nearly £90,000 after an employee’s fingers were severed in a punching machine.

8 Tributes paid to Andrew Garnham 1,521 clicks
Former industry colleagues are mourning Andrew Garnham, who has died aged 62 after a short illness

9 Industry output and orders sink to new depths in Q2 1,336 clicks
The UK print and printed packaging industry hit a record low in the second quarter of 2020, but some improvement is expected in Q3.

10 Heidelberg backs new open platform venture 1,335 clicks
Heidelberg has shared what it hopes will become a “universal platform” for the printing industry.