Text and cover paper

The visual and tactile appeal of text and cover papers make them a vital weapon in the publishers' armoury, discovers Nosmot Gbadamosi

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"To those who believe that paper and print will disappear, I have only one word - nonsense." That robust view belongs to Condé Nast's international chairman Jonathan Newhouse. Speaking at this month's FIPP World Magazine Conference, he argued that print and paper was here to stay. "There is a pleasure in the tactile sensation of pages and holding the world in one's hands that can never be replaced," he said. It's this kind of emotional response that makes text and cover paper an important tool for the publisher. The feel of a title can be a factor for the customer at the newsstand or bookshop. For the magazine sector, though, it's difficult to predict who will stick around over the coming months - the market has certainly had its ups and downs with several titles biting the dust. Condé Nast itself closed its luxury US business title Portfolio. On the other hand, the publisher recently unveiled new titles Wired and Love in the UK. While some titles are disappearing in their print form, ­others are moving in the opposite direction. It's Nice That, an online design blog, published its first print issue this month as a biannual publication. The covers are printed on Colorset Ash 270gsm paper, while text pages are on Redeem 100% Recycled 100gsm. Both were supplied by Fenner Paper. As you'd expect, the environment is the driving issue for text and cover papers. Paper manufacturer UPM has recorded a shift in customer recognition and understanding of sustainable forest management and certification. "Several of our customers have adopted an all-inclusive policy," says Phillippe Riebel, UPM vice president for environmental affairs. This means that all of a publisher's stable of titles will be FSC or PEFC accredited. "The text and cover market continues to be heavily influenced by the green agenda," adds Angela De Vorchik, operational marketing manager at Arjowiggins Graphic. "Product launches are focused on sustainability and existing ranges are being refreshed to improve environmental credentials." At the same time, the growth in on-demand digital book printing has meant that new papers are better equipped for digital presses. UPM launched a grade for high-speed digital inkjet printing, which claims to offer fast ink absorption and low bleed. UPM's Digi is available in reel and sheet format.  This chimes with book publisher Penguin's view that book publishers are shying away from long runs and producing more ultra short-run teaser editions to test the market. Penguin has increased its volumes of 12-16pp basic layout and design teaser titles. Trends are being driven by designers, who are keen to come up with highly individual products, where visual and tactile properties are a major weapon to attract consumers to part with their money.

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WHAT'S NEW IN TEXT AND COVER PAPER

• Random House blamed a lack of supply for its decision in February to stop using FSC-certified paper for its mass-market paperbacks. The book publisher will still print hardbacks and some paperbacks on FSC

• German start-up PediaPress is offering custom-made, on-demand books with content from Wikipedia. The titles are printed by Lightning Source and are 200x140mm perfect-bound books with colour covers and black-and-white text pages

• UPM launched its Digi paper at Hunkeler Innovation Days in Lucerne in February. The woodfree uncoated stock can be used for printing transactional documents and books

•  Wired, published by Condé Nast, launched last month with Novapress Silk 80gsm for the text paper and 170gsm Lumipress Art, with a matt finish for the cover

• Paperback is now manufacturing the Metaphor paper range following the closure of Curtis Fine Papers last year

• Fenner paper has supplied the paper for It’s Nice That, a biannual 128pp design publication printed by Push and designed by HudsonBec

Click here to view this week's text and cover paperBuyers' Guide tables.

Digital Plus installs UK's first Océ Arizona 350 XT

Digital Plus has taken delivery of the UK's first Océ Arizona 350 XT flatbed printer in a push to open up new revenue streams and increase its maximum sheet size offering.

The Leeds-based, large-format printer is installing the new £200,000-plus machine this week in a move that will allow it to print on a bed up to 3050x2500mm. Its new Arizona, which was flown over from Canada, replaces an outgoing Océ 250 GT model and comes specified with a white ink option that will give Digital Plus the ability to print direct onto substrates such as MDF, aluminium, acrylics, PVC, glass, plastic and sheet metal. The 1440dpi print resolutions available also mean that the 16-staff company can print a variety of display applications at high definitions.  According to Chris Stringwell, joint director of the £1m-turnover company, the new machine will help the company develop its range of printed furniture. He said: "While there are faster machines on the market, the ability to place two sheets on the bed at the same time will actually speed up our workflow." The increased bed size of the Arizona means two 8ft by 4ft sheets can be run on the UV printer at once – one printed on with the other being prepared for production. Stringwell anticipates the latest piece of equipment, which joins HP and Roland printers at the company's Bramley site, will increase its flexibility. "Our clients have been doing well which has helped keep us swimming. We can handle a greater range of size requirements now," he said. The customer base at Digital Plus includes those in retail and museum displays. The company was established 10 years ago.

St Ives moots Andover closure, 100 jobs at risk

St Ives has proposed the closure of its Andover web offset site, which could result in up to 100 job losses.

"It's a bolt out of the blue in terms of the site, but in all honesty the way things are this announcement could have come from any of the major groups," said Unite national officer Vernon Robson.

Staff and customers were informed of the proposal on Thursday (22 May) and the 90 day consultation will officially start on 3 June. Should the proposal go ahead, it is understood that the firm will attempt to transfer Andover's work to other sites within the Web division.

"At this stage it's a proposal and we don't comment on HR issues," said St Ives chief executive Patrick Martell,who officially took charge last month.

Robson added: "We're not saying it's doomed or we are accepting the closure. We will be looking at anything and everything [with the company] we can do to keep it going, it has an efficient and effective workforce and there may be avenues we can look [down] to save it."

The leased Hampshire site, which in 2007 was PrintWeek's 2007 Business Magazine Printer of the Year, is equipped with a bindery and two 16pp Heidelberg M600 presses.

This latest proposal by the £439m turnover group follows100 job cuts in January at the its Andover, Peterborough, Plymouth and Roche Web division sites, which were blamed on unsustainable pricing in the magazine sector, and last month's proposal to close it's Crayford multimedia packaging site.

"The worrying thing is that I don't think that this [Andover] is the last of the disasters of closures [in the industry], we know it won't be," said Robson.

Magazines count the cost of survival

The sector has been hit by falling sales and rising paper costs, but Philip Chadwick finds printers are helping publishers find ways of cutting costs
Magazines are feeling the squeeze right now. With dwindling circulations and advertising at an all-time low, publishers are having to take tough decisions on titles' futures and there have been some high-profile casualties over the past few months. That trend is likely to continue as the market continues to struggle and the print industry is already feeling the knock-on effect.

A snapshot of the sector doesn't make for comfortable reading. One of the highest profile losses was men's glossy Arena, which was suspended in March. The title's circulation was falling and a sharp decline in advertising was one of the reasons for Bauer Media's decision to cease publication. Meanwhile, Dennis Publishing made the decision to shut men's lifestyle magazine Maxim in April. Circulation of the title had dipped by more than 40% and Dennis decided that the future of the brand was online.

In the same month, the free commuter magazine Sport ceased publication after its French parent company Sport Media & Strategy went into administration. St Ives printed 300,000 copies of the weekly title, although there are hopes that it could return in the future, with directors in the UK rethinking the business model and looking for
further investment.

With advertising down and sales on the wane, the situation looks bleak, but publishers and printers are collaborating to ensure that their magazines survive. And some sectors aren't as adversely affected as you might think - there are plenty of signs of life in contract publishing, for example.

Data evidence
The latest set of ABC figures confirm the anomalous activity of customer magazines. In the last six months of 2008, there was a 16% rise in customer publishing titles' circulations and these titles accounted for 12 of the top 20 magazines in terms of circulation. In contrast, consumer magazines experienced a 6.8% circulation drop in the period.

There are also some sectors in the consumer market that are performing better than others. Personal finance titles performed well, as did those in the hobbies sector. But the recession has bitten into reader numbers for men's magazines Nuts and Zoo, while issue circulation for the women's weeklies have dropped 2.6%.

Despite these conflicting fortunes, there were still two notable launches this year, both from the Condé Nast stable. Printed by St Ives Plymouth, monthly Wired and 334pp luxury biannual title Love both hit the newsstands last month. So, while there is no doubt that the recession has taken its hold on magazines, some sectors look like they are coping better than others.

"We see a whole cross-section of the market - we're not a bad barometer," explains Tony Jones, chief executive at Pensord, which prints more than 300 titles, predominately in the B2B sector. "Not all sectors are underperforming but, by our calculations, the titles we have been printing year-on-year are underperforming as a whole."

He adds that smaller publishers appear to be more vulnerable to market fluctuations. "It is almost certain that they do not have much of an asset base and the last thing a printer wants is to effectively become their bankers. As we approach the summer, it seems increasingly likely that there will be more casualties," says Jones.

Helping hand
Pensord is doing its hardest to help publishers so that they can keep hold of the titles they've got. It's all about saving money in areas such as the design or the paper grammage, according to Jones.

"These days, it appears there are fewer experienced print buyers, particularly in smaller publishing companies. Therefore, many of the communications we receive start with ‘Can you reduce your prices?'," says Jones. "Our responses are often far more detailed than just a yes or a no. Long before the recession started, we made a conscious decision to put in place a print buyers' health check service to make sure publishers are buying cost effectively and efficiently in all areas."

Polestar is another print firm that handles both production and mailing for a number of its magazine clients. The company feels that it is well placed to work with clients on areas where cost savings can be made.

"With recent changes to the postal tariff, we have seen a move towards a lighter grade of paper being used for subscription copies of magazines to help reduce mailing costs," explains Polestar UK print key account director Avril Jenkins. "We have worked with our customers to trial various weights and brands of paper to ensure we achieve the best results."

The importance of paper isn't lost on the publishers themselves. Emap manufacturing director Richard Hunt recently outlined how the company's Inform stable of B2B magazines had cut paper and production costs. Speaking at Publishing Expo, he said that optimum manufacturing efficiency was the way to overcome increasing paper prices.

Emap's solution has been to implement back-to-back printing across the portfolio of 13 weeklies and 12 monthlies plus supplements. This means that sections are printed in one run, with only one makeready, on the same stock.
"We're maximising print efficiencies, minimising grammages, minimising reel sizes, bulk purchasing, reducing
makereadies and plate changes with the environmental benefits of paper and ink reduction," said Hunt.

Times have changed and priorities have shifted, according to Chris King, production director at PrintWeek's publisher Haymarket Media. "Previously, we concentrated on quality as number one, followed by the environment and costs. Now all our energies are focused on costs. In the past two years, we have conducted a bottom-up review of our supply chain," explains King.

There are plenty of areas in the production process that can be considered in such a review, paper choice being just the tip of the iceberg. "Changing trim sizes and schedules for maximum press utilisation has also been a successful way for our customers to reduce their production costs," says Polestar's Jenkins.

"We encourage our customers to carefully consider paginations to ensure the maximum number of pages on a sheet with minimum waste," explains Jones. "Ideally, for a sheetfed process, a job would be made up of 16pp sections. Other straightforward considerations include whether the title should be perfect bound or saddle stitched and could the magazine be a self-cover publication."

Cover savings
Cover changes can also help save the pennies. A high-gloss aqueous machine seal can replace a UV varnish; it may have 20% less gloss but it is an acceptable replacement plus it can reduce costs.

"Another example of potential cost saving is polywrapping and mailing," says Pensord's Jones. "Lower micron polyester
is more robust and generates more impressions per kilogram, which has a positive impact on both the environment
and cost."

Mailing can represent a significant chunk of savings, especially with several alternative postal operators. "We are also able to offer ‘downstream access' for publishers to further reduce their mailing costs and we have worked extensively with our B2B customers on this initiative," explains Polestar's Jenkins.

"There are far more postal options available now and it is possible to gain substantial savings from alternative providers to the Royal Mail," adds Jones. "However, as there are minimum restrictions to qualify, this may not benefit all publishers' mailings."

It all adds up to a pretty significant chunk of savings. Hay­market's King claims the publisher has saved in excess of £1m as a result of the firm's review. "If you look after the pennies, you are sure to save the pounds and there are a lot more savings in the pipeline," he explains. "A good production team can make the difference between magazine survival and closure."

But when the recession ends, will everything go back to how they were? Not necessarily, says King. "In my experience, if you make that many cost savings then around 75% of those changes will be permanent - you've taken the cost base down to a new level and you won't go back. That said, when the recession is over, I would like to upgrade the paper. In my opinion, 25% of those savings should be reinvested in improving the quality of the product."

The recession looks set to leave a different magazine market in its wake. Publishers have cut costs to keep many of their titles going, but how many of these measures will remain when things pick up remains to be seen.
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COST CUTTING: KEY AREAS

• Simply changing the day a magazine is printed on can save publishers money - for example, switching production to a Sunday or a Monday instead of a Tuesday. Also some publishers have found that by paying their printers upfront and early, they have been able to secure discounts

• Paginations need to be carefully considered to ensure the maximum number of pages on a sheet. The reduction in print runs can also result in a change in the way a job is done. A print run of 15,000 could be printed using web offset. If that run goes down to around 10,000 then it can go on a sheetfed press. The process changes as well as the specification of the magazines

• Press days on weekly and monthly titles can be consolidated. For example, Emap has switched to back-to-back printing; titles are printed in one run with only one makeready on the same stock

• Publishers are aiming to minimise the grammages on titles, as well as lowering the trim size

• Finishing can save the pennies. By switching from perfect-bound to saddlestitch, costs can be halved. Also, covers can be a factor. While people generally might not be able to tell the difference between a UV varnish and a gloss laminate, there is a difference in price. UV varnish can be replaced with a high-gloss aqueous machine seal; it may have 20% less gloss, but it is a cheaper and, for many, an acceptable replacement

• Lower micron poly is more robust and generates more impressions per kilogram - this benefits not only the bank balance, but also the environment

• Mailing costs can come down by looking at alternatives to Royal Mail. By shopping around for deals from the likes of DX, CitiPost, TNT and DHL, savings can be made. Also, by physically reducing the size of the magazine, savings can be made on Royal Mail's size-based pricing policy. For example, Haymarket Publishing switched Marketing to A4 from A3 to take advantage of this

• In pre-press, soft proofing can help publishers make further savings in paper and ink

Fujifilm FLH-Z 125

Phil Ashcroft, pre-press manager at Boxes GH, has reduced his use of replenisher by 87.5% and has saved time with this CTP plate processor ____________________________________________________________________

What does the machine do?
The FLH-Z 125 is a CTP plate processor designed primarily for use with Fujifilm Brillia HD LH-PJE positive working thermal CTP plates. It incorporates Fujifilm's latest intelligent ZAC microprocessor control system, which helps to achieve consistent, high-quality plate production while minimising chemistry and water use.

Why did you choose this particular machine?
We decided to implement CTP in order to meet customer demands for faster turnaround and to cater for decreasing run-lengths. The fantastic result in terms of quality and dot sharpness, together with Fujifilm's good reputation for reliability and after-sales service, made it the obvious choice.

Did you look at any other similar machines?
We had a look to see what other processors were available on the market, but were drawn to Fujifilm from the outset.

Why did you make the purchase?
The equipment we had on site at the time was not sufficient to keep up with rising customer demand and we did not want to fall behind any of our competitors.

What features do you particularly like?
The ZAC processor produces a perfect plate every time. It is also easy-to-use and very easy to maintain. In addition, we like the fact that it tells you about any problems through the ‘developer alarms' on the machine.

Is there anything that you dislike?
There is nothing to dislike.

Is there anything that you wish it had that it doesn't?
The processor does everything that it is supposed to do at a very high-quality - it doesn't need additional options.

How fast is it?
The processor more than keeps up with our current platesetter, which images eight large plates per hour.

How reliable is it?
It has been very reliable so far, with no problems.

What's the quality like?
Exceptional - the plates are always consistently high quality.

How easy is it to use?
The processor is very user-friendly and easy to use. The operators also received thorough training when it was first installed.

How much time or money has it saved?
With our previous processor, we used 80 litres of replenisher per month. Now we only use 10 litres per month - providing a saving of 87.5%. Also, it used to take around 10 minutes to develop a plate with our previous processor - now it takes two.

Has it won you any new work?
It hasn't yet won us any new work, although we can now take on more due to faster makeready times.

Would you say that it offers value for money?
Yes, definitely.
None whatsoever.

What about the pre- and after-sale service?
Fujifilm provided us with all the necessary information beforehand and were always just a phone call away.

Who do you think the machine is right for?
The processor is perfect for any printer using CTP. Our plates are for wide-format, but we also put our smaller plates through the processor.

Under what circumstances would you buy another?
We do not have the capacity at the moment to buy new presses [and increase capacity], so we will replace this processor at the end of its lifespan. __________________________________________________________________

Conclusion User's verdict
Speed 4/5 Quality 4/5 Reliability 4/5 Value for money 4/5

Supplier's response
Graham Leeson, Fujifilm marketing manager, says: "For a relatively low investment, the combination of our ‘ZAC' processor with the Brillia HD LH-PJE plate can make a real impact for printers in terms of reducing costs and improving their environmental footprint. The large reductions in chemistry that can be achieved, as highlighted by Boxes GH, together with a much simpler maintenance regime tick all the right boxes for printers, particularly in the current climate."

Price From £20,000 Contact Fujifilm UK 01234 245245

KBA Rapida 105

This B1 press set the benchmark for frame design and incorporated a range of high-tech features that ensured its success, finds Nosmot Gbadamosi
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Sticking to its tried and tested blueprint was KBA's strategy when designing the Rapida 105. The single piece printing unit frame, now an industry standard, was based on a design from 1965, but underneath the skin was a B1 press that featured some of the most cutting edge technology available at the time.

"When KBA developed the Rapida 105, it created the first genuine B1 hybrid - a highly productive core machine with sophisticated technical options that could be configured to excel in particular work profiles, such as commercial, packaging, labels, magazine and book printing," says KBA UK executive sales director Mark Nixon.

Introduced to coincide with the German manufacturer's centenary in 1998, the 105 boasted full automation, ­including gripper and format changes. To date, there have been 40 machines installed in the UK and more than 500 worldwide.
"It achieved worldwide success and high-quality used models can be sourced globally," says Dean Beckett, sales director of Direct Press Marketing (DPM), a UK-based used press dealer. "When you take into account the reliability, productivity and energy-efficiency of these machines, you have to rate them as excellent value and sound investments."

Additional options
The press could be configured with up to 12 printing units and additional single or multiple anilox coating units were available, along with a full suite of automation options. These ranged from program and format pre-selection at the console to fully automatic plate changing.

A comprehensive range of optional extras allowed the user to handle a full range of substrates and applications. These included: non-stop pile-changing for the feeder and delivery; semi- or fully-automatic plate changing; plinths and raised foundations; various integrated washing and drying systems to suit a whole range of inks; advanced cooling and temperature control systems; and the option of perfecting stocks up to 0.7mm.

At Drupa 2004, the 105 was radically redeveloped in a bid to stay at the forefront of press technology. The original became known as the 105 Universal, while the new Rapida 105 was the world's first press without sidelays in the feeder. Sidelay action was carried out by the grippers on the feed drum and a single wide-suction belt allowed for the reverse gathering of sheets back to the pile.

Shorter makeready
A console program on the machine allowed unused inking units to be mechanically disengaged from the press drive. This resulted in shorter wash-up times, longer service life for the rollers and more efficient makeready.

Although the 105 has been superseded by the Rapida 106, which was launched at Drupa last year, KBA still ­manufactures the press. "The next-generation Rapida 106 has become KBA's new technology trail-blazer, with Drivetronic SPC direct plate cylinder drives, but the refined version of the 105 is still in production because it is a highly competitive B1 printing press by any standards," says Nixon.

A full range of spare parts and many ancillaries are readily available direct from KBA or via secondhand dealers such
as DPM.

"DPM's sister company DMD Graphic Services has been working closely with KBA in the UK and Europe over the past six years, building expertise in both young and older models," explains DPM's Beckett.
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Specifications
Max printing speed
15,000sph/16,500sph (DOC)
Max sheet size
720x1,050mm (DOC)
Max printing area
730x1,030mm (DOC)
Feeder pile height
1,300mm
Substrate thickness
0.06-1.6 mm
Price
New Rapida 105 5-colour £700,000
2001 Rapida 105 5-colour £300,000
What to look for
· Coating unit represents a better investment
· Temperature control for resale overseas

Adare wins 'more work than ever'

Communications giant Adare has secured new contracts worth more than £50m a year, as its strategy to diversify its client base to meet the demands of the economic downturn pays dividends.

The contract wins include government bodies, such as the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), and hospitality and leisure companies, including pub giant Mitchell and Butlers.

Adare chief executive Robert Whiteside said that there had "never been a time when we have won so much new business".
He said it had put the company in a position for "exponential growth" when the economy recovers.

The Huddersfield-based group has also restructured its debt facilities, having paid off £75m in three years since Whiteside acquired the company in a secondary buyout, backed by HBOS.

In addition, it has completed a £2m capital investment programme that included the installation of three CMC intelligent enclosing machines and two Xerox Torino printers, as well as Emtex software.