Page 22 - PWM2025_February Ebook

NEWS GLOBAL

IN BRIEF Konica Minolta

Intelligent Finishing
Systems has added two
key hires on the back of industry round table
growing demand for com-
plex, automated post-
press systems. The Hemel Konica Minolta welcomed as manufacturers of [print]
Hempstead business has
taken on Tim Clifton in the guests from across the profes- technology and users of that
new role of technical director, while Chris Page joins the sion at its Luton customer technology, to address the
team as business development manager. Clifton has experience centre last
worked in the industry for more than 35 years, and was the challenges we face,” said Jon
founder of Cliftons Bookbinders. After the trade finishing Thursday (30 January) to dis- Hiscock, head of Konica
side of the business was sold to Precision Proco Group in cuss how the print industry IPIA general manager Brendan
2021 he stayed on as a consultant and technical lead, work- might raise its public profile, vice provider CarbonQuota. Minolta’s UK professional
ing on group projects. Page also has decades of experience, print business, introducing
including roles at Watkiss Automation, Konica Minolta, and bring in younger talent, and The main discussion topic
most recently at Morgana Systems. IFS managing director best approach sustainability. was how the industry can get the session.
Eric Keane said customer demands had evolved as the Part of the manufacturer’s to grips with the challenging
industry increasingly moves to more automated, integrated Brendan Perring, general
systems. IFS had sales of £7.5m last year, and employs 28. broader ‘Discover Your task of educating people out- manager of the IPIA, chaired
Potential’ open house event, side the industry on its poten- the discussion, which cen-
Print employment in Wales the round table featured tial.
has been dealt another “We’re trying to do our bit tred around the association’s
blow with news that print leaders and representa- ‘New Narrative for Print’
Multi-Color Corporation tives from the IPIA, BPIF, to ensure the industry sur-
plans to close its loss- The Printing Charity and vives and thrives. We need to white paper and market
making site in Cwmbran.
The ac quisit i v e industry sustainability ser- start coming together, both research.
US-headquartered labels
giant is known as MCC. Its Hollywood Monster’s new deal
Cwmbran site prints pressure-sensitive labels for the bever-
age industry. The BBC reported that MCC EMEA president
Frederic Noel told staff in an email that the site was no Hollywood Monster has 2.3 million visitors and Monster said it would be able
longer viable, and work would be moved to other plants in secured a new print and sig- 45,000 exhibition compa- to provide fast turnarounds
Eastern Europe. In its most recent accounts, for calendar nies to over 500 events every for exhibitors, as well as
year 2023, Multi-Color Cwmbran Ltd posted a 21% slump in nage partnership with the
sales to ¤59.¤4m (£49.7m), and an operating loss of ¤895k NEC Group, which manages year, and which has now innovative print and creative
compared to an operating profit of ¤2.5m the prior year. multiple venues across the selected Hollywood designs. It can meet urgent
Most of the firm’s output was bound for Europe at that Midlands including the UK’s Monster to be its official needs, such as last-minute
time, although European sales of ¤34.7m were down by print partner for future support for stands at the
more than ¤13.5m year-on-year. UK sales nudged up at largest exhibition venue, the events.
¤21.4m (2022: £20.8m). NEC.The Birmingham- NEC, as it operates 24/7m.
based wide-format print spe- From this month, exhibi- Under the agreement,
Acorn Press Swindon and cialist has been working tors and customers at the Hollywood Monster will
MPD Offset have ceased NEC event spaces will be
trading, with all 59 closely with the NEC Group able to use Hollywood deliver print including ban-
employees made redun- to provide branding for its Monster for their printing ners, signage, wayfinding,
dant. The two Swindon event and exhibition spaces. needs when exhibiting at the and bespoke event graphics,
businesses completed a This includes the city’s group’s venues. As the pre- tailored to exhibitors’
merger in September 2024
that they had hoped NEC, a venue that welcomes ferred supplier, Hollywood requirements
would set the combined
entity on a strong growth path. But the companies ceased
trading on 31 January, with the loss of all jobs. Printweek Pollards and BCQ to consolidate
understands work in progress was not completed. Acorn
Press Swindon was the bigger of the two businesses; The Pollards Group is set Exeter while creative ser-
Printweek understands it had employed around 45 staff. to consolidate its operations vices, national sales, wide-
Managing director Simon Evers told Printweek in a state-
ment: “It is a difficult day for everyone involved with Acorn under a single Pollards brand format, and mailing will be
Press Swindon and MPD Offset. “Despite substantial invest- and rationalise production led from Buckingham.
ment in many areas it has not been possible for Acorn or facilities across the group.
MPD to achieve the required sales volumes. A weakening Redrok, which offers a wide
market in the last 12 months materially impacted the busi- Pollards comprises Exeter- range of services to custom-
ness. It is therefore with great sadness we have reached the based 240-year-old family Changes to end by May 2025 ers via its tech platform
conclusion that there was no viable alternative to this business William Pollard &
action.” He added the directors are taking steps to place Company; Redrok, a mer- which was sold to Pollards BrandHub 360, will remain
the companies into liquidation. Some Acorn staff have out of administration via a based in Plymouth.
posted on LinkedIn that they are actively looking for work. chandise and workwear com-
The B1 printer ran a Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106 B1 five- pany based in Plymouth that pre-pack deal in August The group currently
colour plus coater and Ricoh wide-format kit. It also offered was acquired by Pollards 2023. employs just over 150 staff,
various digital printing services. MPD had B2 litho capabili- around four months ago; and Litho and digital produc- with just under 100 of those
ties and operated digital kit from Xerox.
Buckingham-based BCQ, tion will be concentrated in working in Buckingham.
22 PrintWeek MENA February 2025 www.printweekmena.com