Typically it is expressed as being "Health, wealth and happiness." This statement may be attributed to James Allen the British philosophical writer from the quotation; "A man is not rightly conditioned until he is a happy, healthy, and prosperous being; and happiness, health, and prosperity are the result of a harmonious adjustment of the inner with the outer of the man with his surroundings." But what does this mean to the everyday person and particularly the printer?

Visitors to FESPA Digital 2012 in Barcelona will find an action-packed programme of educational activities and live features that invite printers to explore the wider opportunities, bringing to life the central message of the event campaign.

FESPA's reputation as a global conference organiser for the digital wide format community will be reinforced in Barcelona with the Explore Conference at FESPA Digital. This series of free half-day conference and workshop sessions will run within the main exhibition centre, making it easy for printers to structure their day and mix visits to exhibitors with participation in the conference sessions that appeal to them. Delivered by world experts, the conference is structured around topics such as Business Building, Technology Issues, Narrow Format Print, Sustainability, Digital Signage, Customer Insight, and Printed Electronics, and will deliver a rich mix of information and inspiration. (Note to editors: see separate release re FESPA Explore Conference).

Back in the exhibition, a series of Explore Routes will offer visitors mini-maps highlighting different technologies or consumables on display around the show, helping them to optimise their time if their interest is specific to a particular product or technology.

Visitors looking for a more hands-on technical experience will want to factor in time for Print Shop Live!, an exciting new feature within a European FESPA event. Print Shop Live! allows the visitor to experience each element of the production process first-hand in a live and interactive forum, moderated by technical consultant Sophie Matthews-Paul. Here printers can test and try their own artwork file on wide and narrow format technologies, from pre-press through to finishing, and on a range of substrates. The aim of Print Shop Live! is for visitors to build their technical know-how and seize the commercial opportunities that come from boosting productivity and extending the capabilities of their digital production equipment.

Diversification is one of the 'wider opportunities' referenced in the event campaign, and there are several areas of the show which look at new applications or formats to offer food for thought for printers considering breaking away from the tried and tested. The Narrow Format Zone invites visitors to investigate how adding smaller format digital output to their service portfolio could help them tap into new revenue streams from new and established customers, while FESPA Fabric, the 'show within a show' for garment printing and decoration will interest printers considering a move into promotional wear or other garment applications. (Note to editors: see separate release re FESPA Fabric).

Fresh opportunities also come in the form of creative and innovative print applications that optimise the capabilities of digital output and take advantage of the latest substrates and inks. A coffee break in Big Buck's Cafe at FESPA Digital 2012 will open the visitor's eyes to the full spectrum of applications now possible using digital output technology. This 'pop-up' cafe will showcase everything from signage, to promotional and point-of-sale graphics, to interior decor, to printed furniture, to soft signage, to furnishings, to fine art, to garments. The Big Buck's Cafe 'menu' will tempt the visitor to explore further, with simple explanations of the applications on display and how they were produced.

FESPA Marketing Manager Lynda Sutton comments: "Our campaign for FESPA Digital 2012 challenges printers to explore the wider opportunities, but it's not just a marketing strapline, it's the essence of the event. Of course, technology is fundamental, and visitors to the show will find several hundred exhibitors on hand to share their innovations and offer advice. But being a print entrepreneur requires a spirit of adventure, and successful PSPs tell us that there's a wealth of opportunity if you open your eyes to the products and services your customers want from you. We want to stimulate visitors to FESPA Digital to look at how to use software, printing and finishing equipment, substrates and inks to expand their horizons and develop new products and services that match customers' needs and help them to be more profitable."

More details about all the Explore themed visitor features will become available between now and the show, so printers planning to attend should pre-register at www.fespadigital.com to ensure they are kept up to date and can plan in detail to make the most of their time in Barcelona.

Those who read my energy blog earlier this year will not be surprised that the EU Commission now does not believe that the EU will meet its energy reduction target of 20% by 2020. In fact the latest projection (see below) would indicate only a 9% reduction.

The title is a quote from Thomas Edison (1847 – 1931), the American inventor. To complete the quotation; "The time is coming when every person who lays claim to ability will keep the question of waste before him constantly. The scope of thrift is limitless."

The environment is a hot topic, especially in light of the natural disasters that have happened this year.

 

The print and paper industry has a reputation for being un-environmentally friendly and the perception is that, if you print on paper, you are "killing a tree".

The countdown has begun. It’s less than a year until the 2012 Olympic Games in London gets underway and over the course of the next few months a raft of printed paraphernalia will be produced for games organisers and official sponsors alike, providing a welcome shot in the arm for the UK printing industry. The intensity of activity will continue to build as the Games approaches with the weeks leading up to the event itself set to see the nation’s printers involved in a whirlwind of activity.

Can wide-format printing companies still use the ‘sustainability’ badge as a point of differentiation to win new business? Over the last few years it’s been a subject that’s sparked a heated debate. After all, every printer worth his (or her) salt has by now latched onto the fact that offering an environmentally-friendly printing service is right up there at the top of the list of client demands.

Launched in 2009 in Amsterdam the revised FESPA Planet Friendly Guide is an essential resource for all screen and wide-format digital printers and is the most comprehensive one-source document available, containing up-to-date relevant European environmental legislation.

Authored by FESPA's Michel Caza, in collaboration with environmental consultant, Paul Machin, the Guide offers over 100 pages of expert content, including information and advice on water and air emissions, waste control, energy management and environmental best practice.

Reasons for the Planet Friendly Guide

During the first decade of this century there was clear evidence that climate change was becoming an international issue. At that time there was no comprehensive guide on all environmental issues that was available to the screen or digital printer. Whether it is believed that Climate Change and Global Warming is taking place or not, it is a subject that printers must be aware of if they wish to continue in business over the next decade. Why? Because the European Union (EU) Commission believes it is an issue that needs addressing. They will be taking potential punitive action to ensure corrective measures are implemented. This action will have a direct impact upon printers and their customers. What is the European approach? The European Union (EU) is committed to working constructively for a global agreement to control climate change, and is leading the way by taking an ambitious action of its own. Following the Kyoto Protocol the EU have generated a number of Directives. Further action has been taken following the Copenhagen Climate Conference in 2009 and the Durban Climate Conference in 2011. The more important actions are: Directive 2004/101/EC establishing a scheme for greenhouse gas emission allowance trading within the Community, Directive 2001/77/EC on the promotion of the electricity produced from renewable energy source in the internal electricity market and Directive 2002/91/EC on the energy performance of buildings. This Directive will directly affect every printer across Europe in due course. Other environmental based Directives include; Directive 2010/75/EU Industrial Emissions from printing sites, Directive 2000/60/EC Community action in the field of water policy, Directive 2008/99/EC Protection of the Environment through Criminal Law and Hazardous Waste Directive 91/689/EEC affecting a sizeable proportion of printer’s waste. Regulation (EC) No 1005/2009 on substances that deplete the ozone layer. Following the Bali Roadmap the EU is determined to proceed with major reductions in emission levels of greenhouse gases following the Copenhagen Summit in 2009 and the Durban Climate Conference in 2011. Many printers do not have the time (or in some cases the ability) to fully understand the implications of environmental best practice and policy so FESPA has produced this guide in plain English to enable all printers understand the regulations better and what they need to do to ensure compliance with the many different aspects of the legislation.



Hear more about the guide from Paul Machin here

There are also links to external websites for additional information and guidance and the Guide is regularly updated to reflect ongoing changes to legislation, ensuring that FESPA’s Association members can keep up to date with any new information, regarding the environmental issues that affect them.


The Planet Friendly Guide is available to all printers, please click here to register and be sent the guide.

The most recent Planet Friendly Guide with the new legislation changes remains exlusive to members of FESPA National Associations for a limited time.

If you are a member, already have a password and would like to access the most recent Planet Friendly Guide click here

If you would like information on how to become a FESPA member, please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Is the environment important? Do you care? Perhaps not! Forty years ago only Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, World Wildlife Fund and a few tree-huggers were interested. If you are concerned what changed your mind? Was it the reports of global warming or climate change? Was it the potential marketing opportunities, financial benefits or concern about the legacy that you would be leaving your children or grandchildren? These are all valid reasons. My reason was based on a more scientific bias. Although not the blinding light on the road to Damascus nevertheless it was significantly serious to warrant a radical re-think.

In the last week of March we had the global energy saving Earth Hour event from the WNF. The idea is to turn off all lights for one hour to show your solidarity with the world. It should save energy or at least make people aware of energy conservation. The project has been running for some years now and is getting more and more acceptance. In Sydney the Harbor Bridge lights are turned off and in Kuala Lumpur the PETRONAS towers are dimmed. Many more buildings around the world participate in this great event and turn off their lighting systems. The sight of these monuments in the dark is impressive, but does it really save and change the world?

This is a difficult question as it has two sides, a yes and a no. On the positive side it’s a great way to educate children, my kids for example were ready to turn off all lights in the house and make sure we as a family were doing our part. The disadvantage was they wanted to replace the missed lights and television with multiple candles.  The CO2 emissions these candles give off, are as bad for the environment as the lights we just put out. But it was a learning experience and they were part of a worldwide event, that was fun. The whole idea of the Earth Hour is the learning experience. Maybe the next time you turn on a light you will remember the event.

We are now getting ready for summer, we are moving the clock to summertime and the warm summer days are going to come soon.  Some of you might argue that because of the earlier light (moving the clock) we need less light in the production buildings, more natural light is better, nicer  and cheaper.  It’s also good for our nature so that is a good thing right?

It is good if you forget about the issues at hand, summertime clock movement does not do as much as we all might think, it has been proven that because of it we use more power than if we don’t move the clock.  Due to our new working times and the flexibility of our current work force we see little energy savings or improvements in changing the clock to summer- or winter-time. We do notice that the Biorhythms of many Europeans are thrown off and because of this it kills a lot of productivity on the first days of the clock change. The earlier wakeup call makes you turn on more lights and you tend to stay up longer at night in the first weeks of the change.  

So the result is less productivity more energy consumption and a false feeling of doing something green. Even governments are not seeing the benefit anymore. But even if we don’t change the clock the extra light in Scandinavia during the summer is as bad as the long dark winter nights. The added daylight time acts up as sleep deprivation and this means that most Scandinavians have dark rooms to sleep in in summer time.

But summer also brings in another problem, HEAT! We tend to like and love the sun and the warm feeling it gives but in the print-shop we dislike the sun, the humidity changes, so we need to inject humidity into the shop to keep the same predictable output, the sun heats our buildings so we need to cool them as nobody wants to work in 27+ degrees, and our staff start thinking and start talking of their holiday plans and are already using google to check out  the next holiday location, on your clock. So going to the summertime is not good for our business if we don’t act on it. 

Our European summers also brings indecisiveness. Our customers are having the same strange summer feelings and are not ordering as much as we would like them to. Why? It’s because they also go into holiday mode. The result is a hot and long summer brings less commercial gain for the printshop. So lets look at what would be the best time of the year. SPRING!

Spring, it’s the time of the open mind. It’s the time of the new developments and new fresh ideas. So it’s time to gain on your competitor and work long hours to make the best there is. Your customers have new projects and you are hunting down the newest technologies for your business. We are all busy like ants getting our jobs done. We are going the distance, but this can mean that you are forgetting to look at your environment. You are so busy working on the new projects that you are forgetting your ideals. Before you invest into new technology, people or buildings, look around and see if you can still implement some green features into your decision.  What’s the lighting look like in the new building, how is the building located in comparison to the sun. If the light is coming in from the north it’s the best light and you will have less heat in the shop. You could look at greener inks or more efficient machines, could save energy with your current staff or at least just bear it in mind.

Going green is not easy but if you think of it today, you will benefit this summer and long after that

Not being negative, make sure that your business is ready for the summer or you will be the last to turn of the lights.  I wish you all a great green spring.