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GLOBAL NEWS

‘Printed in Dunstable’ SwissQprint has started on
IN BRIEF

credit on books the construction of new
premises in the US, sup-
porting its growth there.
The manufacturer said the
Amazon has introduced a “Now every year millions new facility will enhance
new ‘Printed in Dunstable, of books will say that they’re its ability to serve its cus-
tomers and showcase its
United Kingdom’ imprint to printed in Dunstable, a bril- technology. The ground-
its books, in recognition of liant way to put the town and breaking ceremony for the new building took place last
the area’s continued contri- its people on the map.” Wednesday (9 July) and the facility is scheduled to be com-
pleted by mid-2026. Kilian Hintermann, CEO of SwissQprint,
bution to the UK publishing Roughly 200 people are said: “We continue to see North America as a growth mar-
industry. All paperback MP Alex Mayer employed at Amazon’s LTN5 ket. This new facility for our US subsidiary is a testament to
books by Amazon that are Bedfordshire, and I’m on-demand Dunstable site our commitment to serving our North American customers
produced in the company’s thrilled that Dunstable’s vital where the company has been even better.” SwissQprint America is currently headquar-
tered in Elgin, Illinois, providing sales and after-sales ser-
print-on-demand facility in role is now going to be recog- printing books since 2018. vices, with an additional demo centre located in Irvine,
Dunstable will feature the nised,” said Mayer. The facility blends traditional California. The new facility will be situated in West Dundee,
credit. She continued: “Earlier Illinois.
The move followed a sug- this year, I wrote a story bookmaking craftsmanship SP Print Solutions has
gestion from the MP for about a book with an identity with cutting-edge technol- launched itself into busi-
Dunstable and Leighton crisis. With no clues on his ogy, according to the multi- ness with an investment in
Buzzard, Alex Mayer, who pages, he didn’t know where national company, and can a Mimaki LED printer and
JWEI digital cutting table
was “thrilled” that the area he was printed, until the local produce up to 120,000 books from CMYUK. Currently, the
will now be celebrated for its MP stepped in. I challenged a day. business is run solely by
owner Steve Partington,
contribution to the printing Amazon to make my story Zak Watts, Amazon Books who took the leap to
sector. come true, and I’m really UK country manager said establish the Tewkesbury,
“There’s a printing revolu- delighted they have done just Amazon had a “proud his- Gloucestershire-based company four months ago. “I
thought about it for a long time,” Partington told
tion happening in that. tory” in Dunstable. Printweek, “and I thought, I can do this myself and now’s
the time, if I don’t do it, I’ll regret it”. Partington started his
Creditors approve Affinity CVA printing journey 30 years ago initially working in newspa-
pers, magazines and books, with almost 20 years in large-
format digital print and finishing. SP Print Solutions already
Affinity Packaging’s appli- lowing a retail slowdown that means that in years one and has clients across the country, with new and old.
cation for a CVA has been hit its core cartons business. two unsecured creditors will Heidelberg’s long-stand-
approved by a majority of A virtual meeting of creditors receive nothing. They should ing relationship with post-
creditors, with the business held on 8 July resulted in suf- press manufacturer Polar
able to continue to trade ficient votes in favour. receive 2p in the £ in year Group is entering a new
under the terms of the The Begbies report stated three; 9p/£ in year four, and era, with Heidelberg set to
acquire Polar Mohr’s intel-
arrangement. that actual votes cast in 10p/£ in year five – giving a lectual property and brand
The Leyland-based packag- favour totalled creditors total of 21p in the pound. rights. The deal has been
ing specialist applied for a owed £1,128,638; while signed off by the two firms
Company Voluntary abstentions, invalid and not Affinity Packaging was and is expected to be finalised in the next few weeks. It
also includes patents and “further assets” such as parts
Arrangement (CVA) through known votes came to just acquired by Peter Andreou and stock equipment. Heidelberg was already responsible
Begbies Traynor in June, fol- under £146,140.The CVA and Gareth Davies in 2023. for sales and service of Polar Mohr products in many major
markets worldwide, including the UK, with the manufac-
Fujifilm vs Kodak patent case turers having a partnership that dates back to the 1950s.
Once the transaction is concluded, Heidelberg will have
exclusive worldwide sales, service and marketing rights for
The latest decisions in the in April applied to Germany Polar’s post-press products.
multimillion euro printing and required Kodak to stop A company that makes chemicals used in the printing
plate patent dispute selling XTRA-3 there. industry has been fined £100,000 for having inadequate
between Fujifilm and Kodak measures in place to prevent Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome
means that two earlier rul- The latest ruling by judges (HAVS). Robinson Brothers Ltd makes chemical ingredients
used in a wide range of industries. Its products are used in
ings now also apply in the Fresh ruling in the patent case at the Mannheim division of water and solvent-based adhesives, printing industry
UK. Fujifilm had sued a litho printing plates. the Unified Patent Court coatings, and for glow-in-the-dark effects. The Health
number of Kodak’s German (UPC) determined that the and Safety Executive began an investigation after nine
reports of HAVS at the business were made to the regulator.
entities over European Fujifilm claimed that “The investigation found that workers at Robinson Brothers
Patent (EP) 35 11 174 and EP Kodak’s Sonora XTRA-3 UPC does have jurisdiction Ltd had been using vibrating equipment over a 14-year
34 76 616, which refer to process-free plate infringed over the UK part of a period without adequate measures in place to manage the
risk of developing the condition,” HSE stated.
methods for manufacturing its patents. An earlier ruling European patent.
www.printweekmena.com August 2025 PrintWeek MENA 23