Are you organizing an event or would you like to share an advance in your business, whether it involves innovations, ecological initiatives or new trainingâeuros¯? Keep us informed of your news so that we can relay it to the community of printing and graphic arts professionals. Send us your news...
Siegwerk expands its offering with nitrocellulose-free inks for packaging
Ink manufacturer Siegwerk now offers a complete toolbox dedicated to nitrocellulose-free (NC free) inks and varnishes, a major step forward in meeting Europe's growing environmental demands. Developed from polyurethane bases, nitrocellulose-free inks offer a recyclable alternative for flexible packaging, including PE and PP structures. The range includes flexo, gravure and laminating inks, as well as varnishes, to meet performance and durability requirements.
GF Smith becomes exclusive distributor of Gmund papers in the UK
GF Smith adds the entire Gmund range, renowned for its creative, eco-friendly papers, to its portfolio. The distributor thus becomes the sole UK supplier of these colorful, textured papers, featuring innovative materials such as bier paper made from waste from the brewing industry.
With 77 textures, 50 colors and 9 grammages, the range offers over 30,000 combinations, as well as made-to-measure products from 200 kg upwards. This partnership facilitates access to these products for British designers and printers, while strengthening the visibility of Gmund, already boasting a 200-year history.
Adobe: record sales of $21.51 billion in 2024
Adobe has announced historic sales of $21.51 billion for fiscal 2024, marking 11% year-on-year growth. The company also generated $8.06 billion in operating cash flow. This success is underpinned by strong demand for its flagship solutions, including Creative Cloud, Document Cloud and Experience Cloud, which are essential for the print and graphics industry. Despite tensions with Pantone in 2024, Adobe continues to dominate the market with its benchmark software: Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.
Alternative to bubble wrap: 100% recyclable envelopes
The Lemu Group, a Spanish industrial conglomerate specializing in machinery for the tube, cable and technical textile industries, has teamed up with German paper manufacturer Koehler Paper to develop an all-paper postal envelope. Made from Koehler Eco Paper recycled paper, available in weights from 120 to 350 g/m 2 this solution would guarantee optimum protection for goods, while at the same time being fully recyclable.
Lemu Group has adapted its machinery to enable industrial production of these lightweight, robust envelopes. Designed to meet the needs of e-commerce, they represent an environmentally-friendly alternative to plastic packaging.
Strasbourg: a cultural project for the Geistel printing works
The Geistel printing works, founded in Strasbourg in 1912 and closed since 1952, could be given a second life, according to Actu.fr. Preserving all its original equipment, this historic site is the subject of a rehabilitation project supported by an endowment fund. The aim? To transform the printing works into a cultural space, called Litho Geistel, dedicated to lithography and artistic creation.
The project would include a museum, workshop, showroom and artist's residence, but requires an investment of 340,000 euros. Pending approval of a building permit submitted at the end of 2024, the site will welcome visitors from time to time, offering a glimpse of its unique heritage.
One in five adults injured when opening Christmas wrapping
According to a survey of 2,000 UK adults carried out by the DS Smith paper group, 12 million people are injured every year when trying to open packaging during the Christmas holidays. Nearly a quarter of them even end up in the emergency room.
The study reveals that 74% of those surveyed feel frustrated by difficult packaging, and 45% suffer from hand pain or illnesses such as arthritis or carpal tunnel syndrome. For 30% of them, regular assistance is needed to open these packages.
With over 1.2 billion parcels shipped during this period in the UK, the issue of accessible packaging becomes crucial. "For people with more limited hand mobility, hard-to-open packaging can be a significant barrier to independence. These difficulties are often overlooked but are very real," concludes DS smith.
Metsä Board: possible closure of Tako plant and restructuring at Kyro
Paper and board producer Metsä Board is considering closing its Tako board mill in Tampere, Finland, due to insufficient profitability. This decision could result in the loss of 215 of the 360 jobs involved in the current negotiations, which are expected to last at least six weeks.
Equipped with two production lines, the Tako plant can produce up to 210,000 tons of high-quality folding cartons, or 13% of the Group's overall capacity. High energy costs and limited plant size compromise its competitiveness, according to Metsa.
At the same time, the Kyro plant will undergo rationalization measures to improve profitability. Metsä Board estimates that these adjustments could increase EBITDA by 30 million euros per year. The financial impacts, including an impairment of 30 million euros, will be reflected in the results for the first quarter of 2025.
