Page 25 - PWM2025_JULY EBOOK
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GLOBAL NEWS


      Paper Gold Medal to                                                 Walstead has confirmed
                                                                          IN BRIEF

      Robert McClements                                                   what it plans to do with
                                                                          the fire-damaged 64pp
                                                                          short-grain press at its
                                                                          Bicester facility. The huge
                                                                          press, which has a maxi-
        Representatives from                      Paper Gold Medal        mum web width of 2.64m,
      across the UK’s paper-based                 Association, which was dis-  has been out of action
      industries gathered at                      solved in March 2025. It is   since early May when a fire
                                                                          broke out on its folder
      Stationers’ Hall, London ear-                                       during a night shift.  Assessing the best route forward has
      lier this week to celebrate the             now under the stewardship   proved a complex process, not least because the 64pp Goss
      achievements of the industry   McClements receiving medal  of the Stationers’ Livery   International Sunday 5000 is effectively a unique press and
      – with Robert McClements                    Company.                the model is not manufactured anymore, which means
                                                                          bespoke replacement parts need to be sourced. Manroland
      awarded the prestigious   ment across seven catego-  The Paper Gold Medal   Web Systems and Goss International merged in 2018. All of
      Paper Gold Medal. The Paper   ries: Recycling, Net Zero &           the manufacturer’s current web offset presses are based on
      Industry Gold Awards were   Sustainable Innovation,   judging panel, representing   Manroland tech.  Walstead’s group sales director Jon
      hosted on 17 June by Andrew   Community Engagement,   many sectors of the industry,   Hearnden told Printweek that the firm would relocate a
      Large, director general of                  received a wide array of nom-  smaller 48pp Manroland short-grain to the Oxfordshire
                                                                          site.
      trade  association  the   Health & Safety, Skills,   inations this year.
      Confederation of Paper   Young Talent, and EDI. Two                 Metsä Board, part of Metsä
      Industries (CPI), who will   winners were honoured in  Established in the late 1960s,   Group, concluded produc-
      step down in July after nine   the Young Talent category,  this award is presented to a   tion at its Tako board mill
                                                                          on 17 June, when the mill’s
      years in post.        alongside two highly com-  person who has demon-  board machine BM1 was
        The awards were pre-  mended entries.     strated excellence and dedi-  shut down. Metsä Board
      sented by Jonathan      Each winner received a   cation well beyond their   said it had decided to close
                                                                          the Tako mill, in Tampere,
      Ashworth, chief executive of   trophy, with additional com-         Finland, earlier this year
      Labour Together and former   mendations made in recogni-  day-to-day role, making a   following change negotiations and as part of efforts to
      Labour shadow cabinet min-  tion of exceptional entries.   lasting and unique contribu-  improve the company’s profitability and cost competitive-
                                                                          ness. The mill had previously operated two folding box-
      ister.                Until 2024, the Paper Gold  tion to the broader UK’s   board machines, with annual production capacities of
        They recognised achieve-  Medal was awarded by the  paper-based industries.  70,000 and 140,000 tonnes. Since the decision was made
                                                                          to close Tako, Metsä Board said it has supported the re-
      Affinity Packaging files for CVA                                    employment of the mill’s 191 employees through a compre-
                                                                          hensive support programme.  This has included internal
                                                                          recruitment days in cooperation with other Metsä Group
                                                                          mills.
        Affinity Packaging has  from his former Polestar col-  business, and we assumed
      filed an Application for a  league Chris Dew.  that our [existing] cartons   Premier and Drytac have
      Company Voluntary       Andreou told Printweek   business would continue at a   collaborated on the launch
                                                                          of PaperTac, a new fully
      Arrangement (CVA) after a  the background to the move:   stable level.”  recyclable, self-adhesive,
                                                    He said that despite suc-
      downturn in its core busi-  “Last year we decided as a   cess in growing the new cup   premium coated paper
      ness. The Leyland-based firm  team to prepare for growth,   and trays side of the business,   developed for the wide-
                                                                          format sign and display
      filed the application on 23  and we invested quite heavily   a retail slowdown that   market. Available immedi-
      June, through Begbies  in the food packaging sector,   became noticeable in   ately and exclusively
      Traynor.              which was pretty new to us.   autumn 2024 had hit the   through Premier in the UK and Ireland with next-day deliv-
                                                                          ery, the company said PaperTac would help users to reduce
        The business was acquired  We invested in branded cups  firm’s core cartons business,   their signage waste and meet their sustainability targets.
      by Peter Andreou in 2023  and our food packaging tray   which contracted.  PaperTac features a 140gsm white matt coated paper with a
                                                                          clear permanent adhesive and is compatible with aqueous,
      Sign & Digital UK dates revealed                                    latex, and UV print technologies. The product can be
                                                                          mounted to a rigid fibre-based display board and, because
                                                                          it is 100% recyclable, the entire product can be recycled in
                                                                          a single waste stream.
        The organiser of Sign &                    launches, inspiring talks
      Digital UK has confirmed                     from industry leaders, and   Bluetree Group has taken on a second JWEI JCUT-3230 digi-
      the dates for the 2026 edi-                  countless opportunities to   tal cutting table to enhance its wide-format offering. The
                                                                          machine was supplied by CMYUK and installed at the
      tion, which will be co-                                             Rotherham, South Yorkshire-based business in early May. It
      located for the third time                   network and do business   followed a major investment with CMYUK by Bluetree last
      with Printwear & Promotion                   face-to-face at the show,   year in its first JWEI JCUT-3230 and a Neolt XY Matic Plus 165
      Live! Sign & Digital UK will   The NEC in Birmingham, UK  which has been running for   Trimmer Plus – both installed last August, and a High Roller
                                                                          Carousel roll storage system installed in October. Bluetree
      be held in Hall 6 of the NEC   display, décor and design,   over 35 years.   ramped up its wide-format offering last year. It had first
      in Birmingham from Sunday   show organiser Datateam                 looked to move into the sector in 2018, and then in late
      22 February to Tuesday 24   Business Media said visitors   Printwear & Promotion   2019 the company acquired the unit next door for its wide-
                                                                          format operations but, almost immediately, the Covid pan-
      February 2026.        could expect live demonstra-  Live! will take place in Halls   demic hit, delaying proceedings until last year.
        Covering signage, print,   tions, exclusive product   6 and 8 at the NEC.
      www.printweekmena.com                                                                      July 2025 PrintWeek MENA 23
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