North Print & Pack exhibitors reveal kit line-ups

Our essential stand-by-stand guide of who's showing what at the Harrogate International Centre in May

PRE-MEDIA

Accura-MIS, M116
Accura-MIS will showcase Accura, its integrated modular system, including CRM, estimating, production, job costing, stock control, remote data capture, purchasing and web-to-print/e-commerce. The company says it intends to demonstrate how the system can benefit a wide range of SME printers, whether they are in the litho, digital, wide-format, labels or web offset sectors. At its North Print & Pack stand, the company will present a demo of online artwork-editing to print-ready PDF files, and will offer previews of its Production Scheduling module.

Crawford Technologies, A316
Crawford Technologies has announced that it will be launching the world’s first software able to automatically convert files into PDF/UA, accessible PDFs at North Print & Pack. This new solution is the first available software of its kind, says the vendor, enabling organisations across the globe to more easily communicate with their visually impaired customers.

DirectSmile, C200
Cross-media marketing software provider DirectSmile will be demonstrating how its software can help printers, corporates and agencies create, personalise, automate and track marketing campaigns, including printed media, websites, emails, mobile and social media. The aim will be to show visitors that they don’t need programming skills to use this software.

EFI, A210
The full gamut of MIS and software solutions will greet visitors to the EFI stand, including the PrintSmith, Pace, Monarch, Radius, Technique and Fiery FS100 software. Meanwhile, a video of the vendor’s Jetrion 4900M and Jetrion 4900ML UV inkjet label presses, launched last September, will demonstrate the advantages of this modular system’s ability to produce one-pass labels.

Exile Technologies, B106
Exile Technologies will show the new processless and chemistry-free TechSetter 2 thermal imagesetter, which is designed to produce film positives and negatives for flexo, PAD and screenprinting applications. Exile will be demonstrating its product’s ability to deliver black density in excess of 4.0 UV, high-dimensional stability for "perfect registration from film to film," and "the smallest and smoothest dot size to date for a thermal printhead-based film system". Exile will also be highlighting its other products, the Liberator and TechStyler ThermoImpression environmentally friendly imagesetters, designed for specialist areas such as POS, posters, banners, textile and labels.

GMG, A240
The jewel in the GMG stand crown will be the GMG OpenColor packaging proofing solution demonstrated for the first time at this show. The software is a spot colour tool for the packaging market, designed to greatly extend colour control and repeatability by analysing ink behaviour in relation to the substrate’s colorimetric properties. Visitors can find out about this package both on-stand, but also at the ‘How will GMG OpenColor impact the Packaging Industry?’ seminar taking place at 3.15pm on 16 May. Also on-stand will be the latest versions of GMG’s proofing and colour management software GMG ColorProof and GMG ColorServer, and the all-in-one production solution for wide-format printing, GMG ProductionSuite.

Imprint Business Systems, M420
MIS developer Imprint Business Systems will be showcasing how its eXpert Estimating can help to speed up the estimating process and increase its accuracy, how its live Sentinel Machine Monitoring System can monitor performance and costs directly from shopfloor machines, and how, with all modules linked to the MyData Report Generator, live information can help printers to act before a problem becomes a crisis.

Pantone, C310
Subsidiary of X-Rite, Pantone will be using North Print & Pack, and the fact that this year marks the company’s 50th anniversary, to showcase its Pantone Plus Series. On-stand demos and special 50th anniversary packaging will highlight the advantages of the series’ various components. The vendor will be demonstrating how Pantone Color Manager software integrates Pantone colours into popular design software, including Adobe Creative Suite 6 and QuarkXPress 9, while also giving users the ability to create custom Pantone colour profiles for accurate colour reproduction and visualisation. The vendor will be demonstrating how a Lighting Indicator page, reformulated for better performance, ensures ideal lighting conditions for colour evaluation while the ColorChecker Photography Target, included in Color Bridge, helps with digital image colour correction.

Taopix, C200
Visitors to stand C200 will be shown how a Taopix photo product creation package could be the perfect way into offering these B2C products. The software vendor will be highlighting all features contained within the package, including smart dynamic template design, built-in tools to drive revenue and grow profits, send-to-a-friend technology, and a choice of three different models to suit your business.

Tharstern, C300
MIS provider Tharstern will highlight the benefits of its Primo Print MIS, its package for small printing organisations. It will also show Primo Lite and its e-commerce solution e4print 2009, which, when combined with Primo, offers an MIS front-end over the internet.


PRESSES
Domino, B236
Domino will be expounding the benefits of its next-generation N600i colour digital label press, a printer which, says Domino, combines the productivity of flexo with the flexibility of digital printing in order to deliver a 600dpi resolution on to a variety of coated paper and plastic label stocks. While ensuring that it is staying true to North Print & Pack’s roots, it will also be addressing commercial printers by highlighting its range of single-colour printers for the delivery of personalised, variable and graphic data for a host of applications. It will place particular emphasis on the K600i, which integrates variable data printing, as well as linear, 2D, numbers and graphics, logos and personalised data into existing sheet and web-fed presses and finishing lines.

Edale, B112
Edale’s stand will comprise this year more of an information-style booth rather than a platform for live kit demos. The company will, however, be focusing on its new FL-3 labels and flexible packaging machine, as well as its Folding Carton production line. The vendor says it will be keen to arrange visits off the back of the show for printers to see the products in action, either at existing customers’ factories, Edale’s northern office or its South Coast showroom.

Konica Minolta, C200
After speculation that Konica might not be at the show, the vendor confirmed back in March that it would be taking a larger footprint in 2013 (162sqm) than it did at Northprint in 2011, making it the second biggest exhibitor after Ricoh at this year’s show. During this event, the vendor will be demonstrating how its Digital 1234 business development programme is designed to encourage print businesses to focus on opportunities to save money, increase profits, add new services and to improve productivity. Using four practical steps, the customer is guided and coached on how to identify, assess, justify and implement new business opportunities.

Nilpeter, B236
Following a successful reception of the product back in February at Graphics of Americas, Nilpeter
will be demonstrating its FB-3 flexo press. The press features printing stations, each with five servos
for complete automation of all adjustments, including job save, job load and job change, as well as pre-setting, impression settings, and side-register load. It also boasts Nilpeter’s Cleaninking system, quick-release anilox rollers and plate cylinders.

Ricoh, A100 and A200
Holding the largest stand presence at the event, Ricoh has plenty of space for showcasing its wares. On show for the first time in the UK will be the recently launched Pro C901 Graphic Arts +, which is commercially available in the UK in the summer and incorporates the new EFI E42 or E82 print servers. Ricoh will also be exhibiting a Ricoh Pro C751, a Ricoh Pro 1357 high-volume black-and-white press and the company’s new wide-format solution, the MP CW2200SP, in addition to a range of new software products, from its growing TotalFlow workflow portfolio, including Barr EOM and Commercial Marcom Central from PTI Technologies. The company will also be promoting its Business Driver Programme, an online portal providing business tools and support.

Screen, C256
At North Print & Pack, Screen is focusing on its flagship model, the Truepress Jet SX B2 digital inkjet press, to showcase how well-suited the press is to the gift packaging market. The company will also be promoting its recently introduced inkjet label press, the Truepress Jet L350uv. The emphasis will also be on a 360 degree service approach, which delivers total solutions spanning workflow automation, digital printing devices, finishing partnerships, ink and substrate expertise.

Tecnico Solutions, A110
At this year’s show, Tecnico Solutions will be showcasing the Ilumina GS digital production press from Xante. Incorporating iQueue Color Smart workflow and print management software, the Ilumina GS range promises to deliver fast full-colour envelopes, sheets and cards, as well as offering full-colour printing on a wide variety of media and sheet sizes, with the Ilumina 650 GS IDPP able to print on media up to 650gsm. Also on show will be the UBS APLink Series Inkjet addressing and coding system, and the vendor says it will be keen to discuss options on machine vision and camera systems for mailing and packaging applications, and refurbished machinery.


POST-PRESS
AMS, A112
Reflecting the difficulty yet high importance of having the correct data matching high volumes of personalised mail pieces, mailing equipment supplier AMS will launch its intelligent mailing applications at North Print & Pack. This will include software to ensure accuracy and integrity, where personalised documents are enclosed in the same envelope, which can store variable data, giving users the ability to perform both simple and complex code-verification tasks. AMS will also exhibit its M1C Labelmaxer printer, designed to print full colour on demand at low cost, eliminating the need to hold stock.

Ashgate Automation, C200
Ashgate Automation has been invited by Konica Minolta to partner it on stand C200 to exhibit Ashgate’s Fastbind range of binding, photobook making and casemaking machines. Working alongside Konica Minolta and Taopix, Ashgate will be showing live production of lay-flat and perfect-bound photobooks. The company will also be showcasing the Fastbind Casematic hardcover maker, the Fastbind Fotomount lay-flat photobook maker and the Fastbind Elite perfect binder.

Autobond, M400
Visitors to the Autobond stand will see demonstrated for the first time at a UK print show the company’s entry-level laminator with in-line digital inkjet spot UV machine – the Micro 52 SD TP and 52 SUV – plus the debut of the Micro 52 MF laminator for ultra-short runs, and a modular feeder. Also being exhibited is the 52 SUV, Autobond’s B2 portrait inkjet spot UV machine.

B&R Moll International, M318
Folding, gluing, inserting and taping finishing machine specialists B&R Moll International will be showcasing its dual converting machine, as well as its tearstrip applicator and double-sided tape application.

Bobst, B105
Greeting visitors to stand B105 will be a diverse range of products and services, ranging from oil cleaners, smartphone and tablet apps that provide real-time production information to staff wherever they are, training courses and in-line print-quality checking equipment Accucheck, a retro-fit unit for Bobst Masterfold and Expertfold folder-gluer lines. Also on display will be Plasmatreat, a unit which improves the bonding of paper or synthetics. Bobst will also present one of the Packaging Theatre seminars entitled ‘Fitting into the customer’s business plan’.

Clinical Print Finishers, A108
Clinical Miniature and pharmaceutical trade finisher will be showcasing its range of small-format finishing solutions at North Print & Pack. Other specialities include spine-glued and stitched booklets, which can also be die-cut inline, multi-concertina folding, ‘Tagserts’, pick-and-place products, perfect binding, tabbing, drilling, ram punching, greetings card folding and Z-fold-style cards. Examples of all of these services will be available on the stand for customers to take away.

Compact Foilers, B306
Taunton-based Compact Foilers will be partnering with product dealer Swemko, to detail how Compact’s latest CF1000 floor- mounted, portable, Compact Foiler modules with docking stations can be used in multiple locations and on most printing presses in order to create cold foiling and holographic effects. The vendors will be highlighting how cold foils can add a competitive edge to labels and packaging, through smallest font reverse-outs to full-sheet solid coverage, all without affecting press speeds. Furthermore, they will be showing how 3D holographic effects can be created by feeding embossed film into the print station, generating a 3D image in the lacquer, which is then UV dried before rewinding the film for multiple passes.

D&K Europe, C240
D&K will be showcasing two new laminators at the show, both refinements of current models. Europa has more than 150 installations worldwide, and will now be made available with an in-line embossing unit for high-end short-run digital work. Embossing will be carried out after lamination and before separation, while there will be the facility to disengage it, in order to laminate conventionally. The faster Jupiter B2 range has now been developed with a landscape option to help with issues of grain direction and laminating varnished prints, and is now available in four main configurations. Details of the rest of D&K’s mounting, laminating and encapsulating equipment and materials will also be available.

Highcon, C256
On a shared stand with Coversion UK, RCS and Scodix, Highcon will be showcasing the Highcon Euclid digital die-cutting and creasing system, which promises a from-file-to-cut/crease carton time of just 14 minutes, regardless of complexity, variable cutting, sheet by sheet, and production speed output of up to 3,000sph.

Intelligent Finishing Systems, B220
At the show, this exclusive distributor of Horizon post-press equipment in the UK and Ireland will demonstrate the "business-winning" capabilities of a number of Horizon’s market-leading products. This will include its newest addition, the Horizon SPF-FC200L commercial landscape A4 booklet production line. Featuring the automated features of the SPF/FC-200A bookletmaker and the ability to feed A4 landscape sheets up to 640mm in length, the 4,500bph, JDF-ready, the system offers instant set-ups via a large icon-based colour touchscreen for user-friendly operation. Also on show will be Foliant’s Taurus and Gemini laminators, designed for fast turnaround work.

KAS Paper Systems, C312
Manufacturer of mailing and addressing solutions, paper handling systems and print finishing equipment, KAS Paper Systems will be giving live demonstrations of its mailroom inserting and poly-wrapping machines on stand. The vendor will also be hoping to highlight that, along with its standard range of paper handling products, the company also design and manufacture bespoke systems.

Kern, C200
One of several vendors to partner with Konica Minolta on stand C200, Kern will be offering live demonstrations of its Self-Mailer entry-level desktop mailing system. Pieces printed on Konica kit will be put through the Self-Mailer, shown for the first time at this show, to highlight the benefits of a white paper solution. Kern will also be keen to offer details on its other mailing systems, which range from this entry-level machine up to full mainline production kit.

Morgana Systems, M424
Deciding to take its own stand as well as having a presence on the Konica Minolta and Ricoh stands, Morgana will be displaying for the first time its new 2000 bookletmaking line, including the ACF 510 feeder. The line can produce booklets from pre-collated digital output as well as litho output for collating, and also includes the CST2000 side-trimming and creasing module, which eliminates the need for pre-production guillotine cutting.

Renz, A256
Making its UK debut at the show will be the new brand guillotine from Adolf Mohr Maschinenfabrik, more commonly known under the brand name Polar. There will also be on-stand production of wire-bound books, and calendars using the latest Renz punching and binding machines, and demonstrating the key features of Renz’s product range for the digital printer, print finisher, professional bindery, inplant, copyshop and bind on demand markets.

Scodix C256
Visitors to the Coversion UK, Highcon, RCS and Scodix joint stand will be able to see, and of course feel, some of the innovative spot UV varnish effects possible to create with a Scodix machine. The company will be showcasing the 1 to 250 micron variable thickness of its varnish printed in one pass, with printers RCS on-hand to discuss how this machine has allowed their company to offer innovative marketing materials and business cards and even Braille playing cards. Scodix will also be highlighting the new metallic lens effect that can be created with a Scodix, as well as glitter/flitter effects.

Terry Cooper Services, A244
The UK premiere of the new CP Bourg BB3102 Perfect Binder with BBL Book Loader will be the centre of attention at the Terry Cooper Services stand. Also vying for attention will be the new Bagel B2 DigiFav laminator and a Bourg Sheet Feeder (BSF), CCM 78M5 Guillotine with new touchscreen facility and a Premier creasing machine. As well as running regular demonstrations, the vendor also invites visitors to pre-book appointments, where their own samples can be run through.

Watkiss, B200
Not one but three UK debuts will be on display for the benefit of visitors to the Watkiss stand. Showcased here will be the new PowerSquare 200 with the new P2T trimmer for the colour digital print market, the Mohr 66NET guillotine and the Tauler SmartMatic laminator. Also on the stand will be plenty of information about the rest of the Watkiss range, including the Watkiss PowerSquare 200 SquareBack book maker, and the Watkiss DigiVAC and Watkiss Vario Collating and Finishing System, Watkiss BookMaster bookletmakers and the Watkiss SpineMaster SquareBack book finisher.


CONSUMABLES AND ANCILLARIES
Alphasonics, B236
As part of the Labelcity booth, Alphasonics will be showcasing anilox roll cleaning equipment for flexo printers, offering information on Betasound, the company’s new ultrasonic cleaning method. Betasound is tailored specifically to HD flexographic printers and is described by the company as "a quantum leap in pressroom cleaning, delivering unrivalled even cleaning that is simply unmatched anywhere in the worldwide".

Antalis, C200
Antalis will be showing its range of digital stocks by supplying paper for Konica Minolta demos on C200. The paper merchant is partnering with Konica on a prize draw for a Konica Minolta bizhub Pro C6000L.

Flexo Wash, A324
North Print & Pack will be the platform for supplier of print cleaning technology Flexo Wash exhibiting its new Handy 2x2 narrow web anilox cleaning machine and the new PK Eco WR XL parts washer for the first time. Also on show will be the FW 2500M Anilox cleaning machine (also for offset coating unit aniloxes), and Flexo Wash’s bestseller, the PW45 Plate Washer, with the vendor keen to demonstrate that their solutions encompass the whole print industry, including flexo, rotogravure, rotary screen and, of particular interest for North Print & Pack visitors, offset coating unit anilox rolls.

GEW, B314
Manufacturer of UV curing systems GEW will launch its new E2C "low-energy" UV-curing solutions for narrow-web presses. The new technology reduces energy consumption by 42% compared with conventional UV systems, says the vendor, and enables maximum productivity on the widest range of heat-sensitive substrates. It claims E2C is also the most environmentally sustainable choice, saving more than 320 tonnes of carbon emmission over the life of
a typical eight-colour press.

Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper UK, A308
Mondi Uncoated Fine Paper UK will present its newly expanded digital printing portfolio at North Print & Pack 2013. The show will see the UK launch of DNS Color Print, designed, with a "super smooth surface" and higher whiteness level (170 CIE), especially for colour laser printers, copiers and digital colour presses, particularly marketing collateral. Mondi will also be showcasing  digital printing papers Color Copy and Nautilus SuperWhite and DNS high-speed inkjet.

Technotrans, B302
Technotrans will announce a new product for the heatset web offset market at North Print & Pack. The new loop 40 system promises a consumable-free approach to dampening solution filtration using tried and tested technology. The company will also launch its ink.dos m manual and ink.dos auto automatic ink dispensing systems, which allow printers to match up to 30,000 Pantone colours in-house. Either will dispense and/or mix both conventional and UV inks.

Verivide, C310
Specialist lighting equipment supplier Verivide will be highlighting the benefits if its Fenestra proofing console and colour control cabinets. As an official Pantone distributor, they will also be offering advice on the best Pantone products to match your needs and budget. Monitor calibration and colour identification tools will also be available to purchase on stand.


OTHER
Fastsigns, B312
Worldwide franchisor Fastsigns will be promoting its co-branding programme to independent print business owners. It will be expounding the advantages of printers retaining their individual business identities while benefitting from central marketing, training and technology support, for an initial down payment, starting from £5,000.