Flint Group

CLEMSON, N.C.—Newly updated for 2008, The FFTA/Clemson Seminar: Optimizing the Digital Plate for Flexography will be held August 7-8. In a series of lectures, demonstrations, and hands-on sessions, attendees will learn to uncomplicate digital plate prepress and production in order to achieve optimal results from their investments. The updates bring the total number of breakout sessions to six over the 1-1/2 day seminar. Led by industry leaders in digital plate technology the program features best workflow practices and valuable networking opportunities with both the panel of experts, as well as fellow practitioners. The topics discussed are recommended for: • Those wishing to maximize their

More than 20 years before “sustainability” became the buzz word it is today, Flower City Printing (FCP) was already rethinking the inks it was using in its pressroom. In 1985, Executive Vice President Bill Oliveri began replacing petroleum-based inks with vegetable-based inks, as well as eliminating alcohol in press fountain solutions. “Inks made from renewable resources were already in existence, but mainly used for newspaper production,” Oliveri reflects. “FCP was one of the first printers to experiment with vegetable-based inks for the offset sheetfed industry. Switching to vegetable-based inks [resulted in] a reduction in VOCs (volatile organic compounds), less ink [required] in the

LUXEMBOURG—Flint Group is preparing for its drupa debut. The company will be presenting its product offerings with the theme “Always imPRESSive!” The Printing Inks Divisions, as well as the Flint Group Flexographic Products, Flint Group Narrow Web, and Flint Group Pigments Divisions, will showcase their portfolio and service solutions at stand C38 in Hall 5. Day International and Flint Group Flexographic Products will be demonstrating high-performance products and services at stand A21 in Hall 16. An overview of innovations: Printing plates and sleeve systems • New ready-to-image photopolymer sleeves, nyloflex® ITR Thin and nyloflex® ITR Classic for high-quality flexographic printing, which were launched in

LUXEMBOURG—Flint Group has signed an agreement with Siegwerk Group on the acquisition of Siegwerks’s packaging ink business in Australia and New Zealand. The agreement in-cludes the intangible assets, sales, marketing and distribution channels of Siegwerk in both countries. The product range embraces flexible packaging (film and foil), sheet-fed, decorating inks and coatings. The acquired business in Australia and New Zealand has annual sales of around $39.6 million. The transaction is expected to close end of April 2008, subject to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission approval. Financial terms have not been disclosed.

LUXEMBOURG—Flint Group announced the formation of its new global business unit, Flint Group Flexographic Products. It combines the Flint Group Printing Plates activities with the rotec sleeve business, which was included in the Flint Group acquisition of Day International in 2007. Flint Group Printing Plates supplies photopolymer plates for flexography and letterpress. rotec is a supplier of sleeves and adapter systems for flexo applications. “The new business unit is a logical step following the acquisition of Day International in 2007 in order to create real added value from the combined businesses,” commented Charles Knott, CEO of Flint Group. “This is what our customers expect

Xaar and EFI-Jetrion announced an agreement whereby Xaar’s 1001 piezoelectric printheads will be supplied for use in EFI-Jetrion’s 4000 Series full color UV label printers. First shown last fall at Labelexpo Europe, the Jetrion 4000 Series of UV inkjet printers bring narrow web converters an affordable, full-color alternative to toner-based printers. By incorporating Xaar inkjet technology into the Jetrion 4000 series printers, converters will benefit from added flexibility and cost-effectiveness for applications such as labels, tags, forms and tickets on a variety of substrates. Available in web widths of 5.5˝ (139 mm) or 8.3˝ (210 mm), the printer uses 8 or 12 Xaar 1001

LUXEMBOURG—Flint Group announced the formation of its new global business unit, Flint Group Flexographic Products. It combines the Flint Group Printing Plates activities with the rotec sleeve business, which was included in the Flint Group acquisition of Day International in 2007. Flint Group Printing Plates supplies photopolymer plates for flexography and letterpress. rotec is a supplier of sleeves and adapter systems for flexo applications. “The new business unit is a logical step following the acquisition of Day International in 2007 in order to create real added value from the combined businesses,” commented Charles Knott, CEO of Flint Group. “This is what our customers expect

CLEMSON, S.C.—This seminar has been developed by collaborators from consumer product groups, prepress vendors, package printers, and Clemson University to bring together, discuss, and educate the package-printing industry and its allied vendors about brand color management. This seminar outlines the opportunities and challenges for creating state-of-the-art brand color management programs, and presents the value of creating and sustaining quality color standards, as well as offering the tools and questions needed to understand, initiate, and monitor your brand color management program. Featured presenters include: • Kevin Chop, Diageo Consumer Goods • Shannon Steele, The Coca-Cola Company • Hazel Van Buren, The Coca-Cola Company • Iain

PLYMOUTH, Mich.—Flint Group has announced the following price increases on inks in North America, effective October 1, 2007. The increases come as a result of a continuing and unprecedented rise in raw material, transportation and energy costs. Publication Gravure — 10% Publication Heatset — 8% News Ink — 6% Sheetfed — 5 to 7 percent depending on product technology and color. Packaging — up to 12% depending on product technology and color Bill Miller, president, Flint Group North America, commented that the increased global consumption of petroleum and petroleum derivatives, along with limited refinery capacity, continue to be the key drivers in the cost

LUXEMBOURG—Flint Group, the world’s largest privately-owned supplier to the printing, converting, and colorant industries, has announced that Charles Knott will assume the role of chief executive officer effective on Sept. 1, 2007. He will succeed Dave Frescoln, who will become deputy chairman of the company’s boards. Knott has had a successful career leading and developing global speciality chemical companies within Unilever plc and ICI. Key positions that he has held include president and chief operating officer of National Starch & Chemical, based in North America, and executive vice president Asia-Pacific, based for six years in Singapore where he developed business in all areas of