November has been a month of nervous uncertainty; not so much a sense of the calm before a storm, but more like a rabbit caught in the oncoming headlights of a large bulldozer.
A curious kind of peace has settled over Gaza, where shops and banks are starting to reopen. Yet the Israelis are still bombing some targets in Gaza, and have also hit targets in Lebanon. The border dispute between Thailand and Cambodia has flared up again, with some shots exchanged. Most commentators believe that it is only a matter of time before it descends once again into open conflict, as neither side seems willing to back down.
Taiwan’s vice president Hsiao Bi-khim travelled to Belgium to speak with politicians at the European Parliament. European countries are increasingly ignoring China’s efforts to isolate Taiwan in an effort to gently remind China that snuffing out a democracy would mean crossing a red line for the EU nations.
It’s not clear how far those European nations would go, though Britain has sent warships to patrol the international waters around Taiwan. The Japanese prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, went a step further and sparked a diplomatic crisis with China by suggesting that Japan would respond militarily if China were to seize control of Taiwan by force.
Elsewhere, there’s some excitement over a possible peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. This appears to have started exactly as with all the previous efforts, with the Americans attempting to force Ukraine to sign up to a list of Russian demands. However, by now the European leaders are well-versed in this particular diplomatic dance, praising the American president Donald Trump for his efforts whilst trying not to get sick, and then reshaping the ‘peace plan’ into something more pragmatic.
European leaders fear that Russia views peace in Ukraine as merely a pause before a wider conflict that could engulf other European nations. We are already seeing the first signs of skirmishes around the borders, with Russian military aircraft and drones repeatedly testing European airspace. This has led to a rapid increase in military spending. France has announced a limited return to national service, starting with 3,000 volunteers next year but rising to 50,000 by 2035. Belgium and the Netherlands already have similar voluntary military service schemes and Germany is reported to be planning its own scheme.
Separately, the Bank of England opted to hold interest rates at 4% but noted that inflation, currently at 3.6%, was still a persistent problem, particularly for food costs. Nonetheless, the bank is predicting that inflation will fall back to 2 percent in the near term and that this will lead to further rate cuts, but noted that these global conflicts might derail this.
After months of speculation amid hints, the British chancellor, Rachel Reeves, delivered a budget with an eye-watering £26 billion in tax rises. Overall, most commentators feel that the budget introduced more costs and more uncertainty for businesses, which will translate into lower economic growth for the country as a whole. The Office for Budget Responsibility has predicted that the UK economy will grow by just 1.5% this year, falling slightly to 1.4% in 2026. The OBR described UK business and consumer confidence as “subdued”.
Elsewhere, Trump has threatened to sue the BBC for US$1 billion after a leaked internal BBC memo highlighted poor editing choices in a BBC Panorama documentary on the attempted insurrection of 6 January 2021 in the American capital. This edit combined two separate parts of a speech by Trump into an apparently single statement inciting his followers to violently overrun the Capitol and prevent the elected officials within from formally certifying Joe Biden as the next US president. There is an argument that Trump’s speeches are often rambling and incoherent, full of tangents and dog whistles, and that the edit captured the meaning of the speech in a short clip.
This is a common problem in journalism where we are trying to convey someone’s views from a longer interview, and possibly other sources, into a short, digestible format. The golden rule is to give the audience an accurate report, including, where necessary, any caveats or alternative readings. I can only hope that I have managed to do this, and I would encourage readers to get in touch if they feel that I have fallen short in this. It’s not always easy, but then that’s the skill that separates journalists from influencers and other social media commentators.
Industry updates
Well, that and producing a regular flow of news. You can find a longer analysis on these issues under Notes from the Gallery. I have spent the first part of November in Japan covering the annual Japan Inkjet Technology Forum, which I will write about in more detail over the next few weeks. I attended the Advances in Printing Technology conference in Tokyo and will report later on this.
In other news, the Dutch press manufacturer MPS Systems has restarted, having fallen briefly into bankruptcy. MPS makes narrow web flexo presses, with some 800 installed worldwide. The company was made up of four elements – MPS Holding, MPS Systems, MPS Service and Commissioning, and MPS Supply Chain – which had all filed for a provisional suspension of payments. There are also three international subsidiaries in the UK, Asia, and the US.
However, a management-led buy-out has now given the company a new lease of life as MPS Printing. The company has said that it will develop a more resilient business model, with a more efficient and transparent organizational structure. This will include a renewed investment in service, technical support, and customer care, and a look at the lifecycle development of the product portfolio.
Esko has partnered with io.tt to integrate io.tt’s digital engagement tools into Esko’s software. Jan De Roeck, marketing director at Esko, commented, “This exciting collaboration with io.tt represents a big step forward in how packaging workflows can serve both operational and strategic business goals. By embedding connected packaging capabilities directly into ArtPro+, Automation Engine, WebCenter, and Comply, we are helping brands to build digital experiences into their packaging from the design stage, not as an afterthought. This means faster go-to-market and seamless compliance with emerging regulations, and more meaningful consumer engagement. It’s exactly the kind of integration our customers need to stay ahead in an ever-more connected marketplace.”
Meteor Inkjet has partnered with Quantica. This will see Meteor develop drive electronics for Quantica’s NovoJet printhead. The NovoJet is a brand new printhead, developed from scratch for additive manufacturing but with the capability to jet complex functional materials, such as high-viscosity adhesives, advanced coatings, and micron-scale particle inks. The Meteor technology will be used in the Quantica Print Engine, which is a production-ready platform designed for seamless integration into industrial manufacturing environments. This should be available at some point next year.
Clive Ayling, Meteor’s managing director, commented, “Meteor is proud to be working alongside Quantica to help bring their groundbreaking NovoJet printhead technology to market. Additive manufacturing is rapidly evolving, and the ability to jet a wider range of functional materials opens up enormous opportunities for innovation. By combining Quantica’s materials expertise with Meteor’s proven electronics and software, we’re enabling the next generation of high-performance, digital manufacturing systems.”
The Spanish 3D printer manufacturer, BCN3D, has updated its Omega printer with a new Omega G2. This gains AI-assisted XYZ Calibration and an active Spool Control System. There’s also a new Cloud Platform and Slicer, and the online security has also been beefed up.
The American firm 6K Additive, which makes metal powders for 3D printing, has benefited from a US$27.4 million strategic financing package from the US Export-Import Bank, or EXIM, to bolster domestic production of metal powder for additive manufacturing and traditional powder metallurgical processes used in component production. This is for defense, hypersonic, nuclear, and other critical applications used by the Department of War and its supply chain partners, along with commercial organizations. This will increase 6K Additive’s powder capacity in Burgettstown, PA, from 200 metric tons to over 1,000 metric tons per year. The EXIM loan complements 6K Additive’s US$23.4 million Defense Production Act grant award in supporting the Pennsylvania plant expansion.
Frank Roberts, CEO of 6K Additive, commented, “We are experiencing growth in demand for our refractory, titanium, and nickel powders for additive manufacturing, and the EXIM financing supports scaling to meet this growth by expanding our state-of-the-art powder and alloy footprints. We also intend to expand our product offerings with ingot production for forging and castings.”
Formnext, the annual European show for the 3D printing industry, has named the UK as its partner country for next year’s event. Formnext chooses a different country each year based on a comprehensive assessment of global additive manufacturing activity, considering factors such as the size of the AM industry, user industries, and the scale of R&D and innovation. This will be led by Additive Manufacturing UK as the main trade body representing the British 3D printing industry.
Joshua Dugdale, head of AMUK, said, “Additive manufacturing has enormous potential to transform the way we design and produce parts and products. That’s why we support our members and the wider UK industry across the entire AM value chain, whilst also educating potential users about the opportunities this technology offers. The UK AM industry is set for significant growth, driven by benefits such as reduced waste, greater efficiency, and lower production costs for small-batch manufacturing.”
The Shanghai World of Packaging trade show has changed its name to Interpack China, having already been part of Messe Düsseldorf’s Interpack Alliance for the last ten years. The Interpack Alliance is made up of Messe Düsseldorf’s portfolio of processing and packaging-related trade shows and includes events in China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and India as well as the main Interpack show in Germany.
Thomas Dohse, Director of interpack and interpack alliance, commented, “As part of a global brand, interpack China brings together international and Chinese companies, granting exhibitors direct access to one of the most exciting and rapidly-growing packaging markets in the world.” The first interpack China will take place from 16-18 November 2026.
Installations
Micropress, based near Southwold on the Suffolk coast, has become the first British printer to buy a Heidelberg Jetfire 50 B3 inkjet press. Micropress is still a family-run business, having been founded in 1974 by Mike Cross, who is now the company chairman. Joint managing director Rob Cross explained, “We needed an additional machine to cope with growing demand, and the Jetfire 50 fits that need perfectly.” He added, “We have no concerns about the Jetfire 50 performing for us. Heidelberg is also a key partner to our business – their service track record speaks for itself, and we’re confident they’ll deliver the same reliability and support we’ve come to expect.”
Although litho printing still accounts for the bulk of the work at Micropress, the company has also had to cope with demand for smaller, more frequent print runs. Cross noted. “The digital inkjet area had become a bottleneck in recent months, so this investment directly helps the team. There’s also genuine excitement about being early adopters of the Jetfire 50 and pride in being the first UK business to bring it online.”
Micropress is about to launch a new online print platform, Press Print, to help it reach a broader customer base.
In another UK first, Green Hippo, a printer based in Tunbridge Wells, has installed a Morgana Systems’ DigiFold Ultra creaser/folder to work alongside a new Canon ImagePress V1350 production press. The DigiFold Ultra offers full-bleed trim and can process up to 6,000 A4 sheets per hour. In a single pass, it can slit, cut, crease, perforate, and fold, making it an ideal solution for mid to high volume digital and offset production environments.
Adam Jones, joint director of Green Hippo, noted, “Our operators love it because it ticks all the boxes. It is already bringing in new orders for Christmas cards and menus for restaurants and other venues. Before installation, around 30 percent of our finishing work was outsourced. Now, with the resources in-house, we can respond faster to client needs and maintain far greater control.”
Appointments
Mondi has hired Gavin Mounce as eCommerce Innovation and Application Director to reinforce its commitment to eCommerce packaging. He has extensive experience in packaging design and innovation management on the retailer and supplier side. The role will include leading the team in driving forward new ideas and strengthening collaboration between Mondi’s paper, product design, and converting expertise.
Armand Schoonbrood, COO of Mondi eCommerce, commented, “Gavin brings a retailer’s perspective to innovation, helping us design packaging that works for both people and planet.” Mounce added: “I’m excited to lead a team that turns groundbreaking ideas into real-world, tried and tested solutions – from concept to the customer’s door.”
Callas Software has appointed Elahe Saberinia as channel manager, where she will be responsible for helping the channel partners to implement the Callas technology with printers, publishers, and other applications worldwide. Saberinia is experienced in B2B business development in an international context, having previously worked in Iran, Spain, and Germany, managing channel partners spanning Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
David van Driessche, Chief Evangelist at Callas Software, explains, “Over the years, Callas has built a channel with resellers, integrators, and consultants who deliver superior value to their customers. Supporting those people is incredibly important, and Elahe reinforces our team to make that happen.”
Saberinia added, ”At a recent Callas PDFcamp event, I already had the opportunity to see the reactions of end-users and resellers while discussing and working with the Callas products, and that was a real eye-opener. I can’t wait to meet more partners and help them get our products in the hands of more printers and publishers.”
Inkcups has taken on Sebastian Teichmann as its new service manager for Europe. He will oversee technical installations in Europe and provide backup and technical escalation support to Inkcups’ European team of field service engineers. He has previously worked as a tier 3 remote support lead EMEA for Kornit Digital, as well as in roles at EFI and Fujifilm.
Gregg Harwood, director of Digital Product Management & Global Service at Inkcups, says, “Sebastian’s expertise in the inkjet printing industry means he is already contributing significantly to strengthening Inkcups’ dedicated support and service in his new role as Service Manager Europe.
