September started with the rock group Queen closing out this year’s classical music Proms. The remainder of the month saw plenty of chancers dancing the fandango on the world stage while auditioning for the role of Scaramouche. Unfortunately, the rest of us have been caught in the landslide with no escape from reality.
Most of the news cycle has been dominated by a little silhouette of a man. The US President Donald Trump criticized other world leaders at the UN for trying to contain climate change instead of exploiting it, noting, “I’m really good at this stuff. Your countries are going to hell.” It fell to Pope Leo XIV to chastise those who minimise the “increasingly evident” impact of rising temperatures and call for citizens to put more pressure on politicians to “mitigate the damage done to the environment”.
A UN Commission of Inquiry has concluded that Israel has intentionally committed genocide against the Palestinians in Gaza. Several Western countries, including Britain, France and Canada, recognised Palestinian statehood. Trump has proposed a new peace plan – more of a loose framework – that could provide for a way forward. This would see the return of the hostages and an end to the fighting with a new civilian administration that might ultimately evolve into some form of Palestinian government in five years or so. The Hamas leaders are said to be reviewing the proposals, though the last time they met in Doha to discuss an American-led peace plan, the Israelis bombed them. Then again, Hamas can’t really claim any right to exist as an organisation after the 7th October attacks. It’s not at all clear that Israel will accept this deal, with some Israeli cabinet ministers having already rejected parts of it.
As for the conflict in Ukraine, it’s now clear that Trump is unwilling to take any further steps to pressure Russia into ending the war despite his previous threats. The Russians have ramped up drone attacks across Ukraine, and also started aggressively testing European defences, flying drones into Polish airspace and fighter jets over Estonia. Denmark has blamed Russia for a number of drones that have disrupted civilian airports and buzzed Danish military bases. All of this is adding to the growing sense of fear across Europe that war might be coming.
Some reports suggest that Taiwan has resisted pressure from the US to move half of its semiconductor supply chain to the US in exchange for some kind of security guarantee. South Korea did promise to invest more into manufacturing in the US and was in the process of building new factories in America, but the staff it had sent to get these factories up and running were arrested and chained up. The US has now set up a visa waiver program for such workers, but the incident did not go down well in Seoul.
Trump has publicly called on his attorney general Pam Bondi to prosecute those he considers his political enemies. That appeared to lead directly to the arrest of the former FBI director James Comey. Others on his list include New York Attorney General Letitia James and Democratic Senator Adam Schiff, who oversaw his first impeachment trial. It is a dramatic turn towards authoritarianism, and yet there is no real pushback against this in the US.
In Britain, there was a brief celebration of the 200th anniversary of the world’s first fare-paying passenger train service, from Shildon to Stockton via Darlington, in what was then the industrial heart of the UK. Very few people believe that modern Britain is capable of such a groundbreaking infrastructure project. The Office of National Statistics warned that the UK economy saw zero growth in July, having only grown by 0.2 percent in the previous three months. The chancellor Rachel Reeves is continuing to bet that economic growth will fill the holes in the government’s finances, but so far this bet is not paying off.
The government is deeply unpopular, though so far most of the many protests have been directed against migrants, fuelled by the political right, though this is really driven by fear that there won’t be any money left to help British people. The majority of voters feel poorer even though Britain is one of the richest countries in the world. Everyone is fearful about the rising energy prices and the heating bills that winter will bring, while businesses worry about further taxes pushing up labour costs. The result is that everyone is holding back on spending and investment, which is further undermining the economy, just as the summer weather is giving way to winter.
You can find a longer summary of the geopolitical situation from September under Notes from the Gallery. Elsewhere in the graphic arts, September saw some resolution in the Landa Digital Print saga with the private equity FIMI fund taking over the company in a US$80 million deal. Most of the news relating to printing was dominated by the European Label Expo, which I will write about over the next few weeks.
In the meantime, Messe Frankfurt has set up a new subsidiary, Messe Frankfurt Saudi Arabia, as part of its long-term investment strategy in the region. This ties in with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 project to modernise the Kingdom and diversify its economy. This new subsidiary will work alongside the existing Messe Frankfurt Middle East, which is based in Dubai. The hope is that it will lead to strategic partnerships with government bodies, associations, and other industry stakeholders in Saudi Arabia. Messe Frankfurt already operates a number of trade fairs in Saudi Arabia, including Beautyworld Saudi Arabia, Automechanika Riyadh and Intersec Saudi Arabia. The company is planning to launch the Achema Middle East trade fair in the country in 2026 together with the Dechema association.
AB Graphic International, or ABG, which produces label converting equipment, has partnered with the Indian firm Galaxy Packtech to establish a new division, ABG Flex Pack. This will sell ABG’s ThermoLam compact thermal laminator in combination with Galaxy Packtech’s pouch-making machine.
Advanced Vision Technology, or AVT, which is now a standalone company after separating from Esko earlier this year, has reduced spare parts prices for its print inspection solutions following feedback from customer research. The new AVT pricing model has been developed to build and retain customer trust by making ongoing maintenance and support more accessible and affordable.
Roy Porat, CEO of AVT, commented, “This is a totally new direction for AVT. The spare parts pricing shift is part of a broader transformation at AVT as we focus on building a customer-centric future, such as investing in connectivity and AI-driven analytics to maximize uptime and reduce unplanned downtime.” He added: “We’re expanding our customer success programs to deliver more proactive and personalized support, and enhancing transparency and responsiveness in every customer interaction.”
Fiery and Esko have worked together to integrate the Esko Color Engine and Fiery Impress DFE. This will allow the print server to fit into existing Esko workflows. Toby Weiss, CEO of Fiery, commented: “Workflows are key to success for digital industrial printing, especially in complex, variable data-intensive applications like labels and packaging. Print providers need integrated, easy-to-use processes that deliver streamlined automation while maximizing both power and colour quality.
Scodix has updated its software to the latest version 7 of Adobe’s PDF Print Engine, which will particularly benefit Scodix’s Ultra 6500 SHD and Ultra 2500 SHD Digital Enhancement presses. This should cut RIP processing times by up to 40 percent. Eli Grinberg, CEO of Scodix, stated: “Our RIP update isn’t just about speed; it’s about providing our customers with the most robust, reliable, and future-proof digital enhancement solution on the market.”
Color-Logic has also announced support for the PDF Print Engine v7, noting that it includes a new feature that eliminates the need for a designer to manually create a white mask. This fits very neatly into the Color-Logic workflow and the 924 metallic colours and unlimited embellishments that it enables.
Xerox has announced a new cut-sheet inkjet press, the IPJ900, following on from signing a new partnership earlier this summer with Kyocera Document Solutions. The new printer is a rebadged Kyocera Task Alfa 15000c, which is capable of producing 150 A4 pages per minute with a resolution of 600 x 600dpi. Xerox will add a Fiery-based server, the EX IPJ900, as well as its own FreeFlow workflow tools.
SwissQprint is on a roll. The company’s US subsidiary moved to larger premises earlier this year and now SwissQprint Spain has also announced that it has relocated to a larger facility at Parque Empresarial Granland in Barcelona. The new facility spans 500m² across two floors and includes a 185m² showroom that is more than double the current size, enabling swissQprint Spain to showcase up to three printers simultaneously. The new site will allow SwissQ to refurbish second-hand printers and to store more consumables.
Additive manufacturing
Ultimaker has introduced Secure versions of its S6 and S8 3D printers for use in sensitive areas such as military environments. These Secure versions eliminate the WiFi network connections so that data can only be transferred via USB, and there are no cameras that could be compromised for espionage or data theft. The Secure Line is only available to qualified defense and aerospace organizations.
Andy Middleton, SVP EMEA and Global Marketing at UltiMaker. “By combining industrial-grade 3D printing with uncompromising security, the Secure Line enables the production of mission-critical components at the point of need, safely, reliably, and with full control over their data and infrastructure.”
The Japanese construction company Lib Work has 3D-printed a residential house in Japan, using soil as the primary construction material. The Lib Earth House Model B, which is 100sqm in size, is said to be the first fully operational residential house built through additive manufacturing using natural materials. It includes all traditional living spaces – kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living room – providing a comfortable living environment that blends traditional architecture with 3D-printed construction.
The walls were printed with a Crane Wasp construction 3D printer from the Italian company Wasp. The Crane Wasp was designed to make use of locally available materials, such as soil, instead of using cement. The walls feature cutting-edge sensors as part of a wall condensation monitoring system that tracks temperature and humidity inside the walls in real time. The house also features solar panels combined with a Tesla Powerwall battery, making the house electrically independent.
News of installations
SA Litho, based in Cape Town, South Africa, has invested in a Nilpeter FA-26 narrow web flexo press – the first of its kind to be installed on the African continent. The company already operates a number of Nilpeter presses.
Dawrian Salies, General Manager at SA Litho, explained, “We see the FA-26 as an opportunity to stay ahead of the curve, offering innovative solutions that exceed our customers’ expectations. The growing demand for broader printing capabilities, particularly in the wine & spirits, food, and pharma markets, played a key role in this decision. The FA-26 allows us to do things that even our customers haven’t thought of yet – and that’s where we want to be.”
XDP Digital, a commercial printer based in Christchurch on the south coast of England, has installed a Fujifilm Revoria SC285S. The company serves local businesses and long-standing blue-chip clients across the UK and needed something new to offer its clients.
Robert Jupp, Director at XDP Digital, says that the fifth color capability fitted the bill, “When we showed customers the samples, they were blown away – especially with the metallics and the pink. A lot of our clients are always looking for that ‘wow factor’ without paying a high price point for specialist finishes. Now, we can offer striking effects in-house, with no extra hassle or outsourcing. It’s truly a game-changer for us and for them.
Obituaries
Michel Hunkeler, the former CEO of Hunkeler AG, passed away in September at just 54 years old. A brief statement from the Hunkeler company read: “Michel led and developed our company during an important time as owner and CEO. He was an exceptionally competent and dedicated CEO, an approachable colleague, and an inspiring owner.”
He led the company for seven years from 2016 to 2022, expanding its global presence. In his own words, he noted, “ I have cultivated a collaborative and innovative culture that fosters creativity, excellence, and customer satisfaction. It’s a fitting epitaph for an unpretentious man who will be fondly remembered by just about everyone who came into contact with him throughout the printing industry.”
Upcoming events
A number of shows are coming up in October, including London Packaging Week and the K 2025 show, covering plastics and rubber, including some packaging, in Dusseldorf, Germany. I shall be in Singapore for ITMA Asia, so if anyone wants to meet with me at that show, then do get in touch here.
First published in the Print and Manufacturing Journal. Republished with permission
