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| P2P Magazine | Spring 2017
01732 759725
BULLETIN
Postal packaging expert Blake is continuing
to diversify its product offering with the
launch of its first polythene packaging
products, a range of high quality polythene
bags for financial and banking institutions.
Designed to be resilient and secure, the
quick pay deposit bags are constructed from
reinforced polythene, include tamper evident
seals and provide easy visibility of bag contents.
As the company continues to expand its
product range, it is opening a number of ‘Hubs
of Excellence’ where customers can find out
more about its offering.
It opened its first hub in Edinburgh in
October 2016 and has just opened its second
in Leeds, under the management of Richard
Pennie who has extensive knowledge of the
envelope and postal packaging industry.
Managing Director Michael Barter said:
“The primary reason for creating the Hubs of
Excellence was to ensure Blake is geographically
available in some of the most strategic business
locations across the UK. Being ‘on-site’ ensures
we can develop relationships with those in-
the-know with regards to print, envelopes and
postal packaging.
“Although envelopes are still a large part of
our business, securing top talent like Richard
helps in our move to diversify into postal
packaging solutions, an area that is very much
in growth and is likely to be for many years to
come.”
Wacom has developed a system that
embeds brainwave data into handwritten
digital ink and presents a visual display of
the user’s emotional state.
The software analyses EEG data using
Emotional Spectrum, an algorithm developed
by the California-based biosensor technology
company NeuroSky to measure the intensity
and pleasure of emotional activity.
This data is then combined with digital ink
data captured byWacom’s Bamboo Slate, a
digital device that digitises notes written in
longhand on any type of paper.
Nobu Ide, SVP in charge of Wacom’s
Technology Solution Business Unit, said: “As far
as we know, this is the first attempt to combine
emotional data with digital ink, analyse that
data in real time, and present the feedback in a
visual display.We have set up the system using
readily available hardware – a brainwave sensing
headset, a notebook PC and a digital pen –
which makes this technology very accessible.
We are very excited about the potential
applications in many different fields, from
education to psychology and medicine.”
Local authorities leaving
print behind as they move
to the cloud
As local authorities move to the
cloud, their print estates are being left
behind with worrying consequences
for productivity and efficiency warns
managed services provider (MSP)
Annodata.
Results of a Freedom of Information
(FoI) request issued to 79 local authorities
throughout England show that while 58% of
councils are using cloud-based solutions to
some extent, only 6% have implemented any
form of cloud-based printing.
Rod Tonna-Barthet, chief executive
officer at Annodata, said: “Cloud has a great
deal to offer the UK’s public sector, due to
its ability to improve efficiencies, drive cost
savings and increase flexibility. Although
there seems to be mounting interest
amongst councils in the cloud delivery
model for certain aspects of the IT estate,
there are still great strides to be made when
it comes to migrating the print estates
over to a cloud-based environment. The
printed page is, undoubtedly, still an integral
element for the day-to-day functions of
England’s councils, but with inefficient
printer estates that often consist of many
different devices, these organisations
may well be leaving themselves open to a
deficiency in cost savings and productivity.”
Emotions meet digital ink
New digital printing papers
Antalis has launched digital versions of its popular range of Arjowiggins Creative Papers.
Branded Arjowiggins Digital, this colourful collection brings together best sellers from
Arjowiggins Creative Papers’ iconic brands – Conqueror, Curious Collection, Keaykolour,
Rives and Pop’Set – as well as its Delos and Butterfly papers for creative packaging.
The extended range is compatible with the very latest liquid and dry toner printing
technologies and has been put together to make it easier for customers to fulfil quick
turnaround projects requiring small runs with a high quality print finish.
There are new weights, colours, textures and finishes, as well as an extended range of
sizes to take advantage of new large-format digital presses used for packaging and creative
applications.
Labels to go
Royal Mail has announced plans to make it easier for
customers to post and return parcels at Customer Service
Points in Delivery Offices nationwide. FromApril 2017, they
will be able to print delivery and return labels at all of Royal
Mail’s 1,200 Customer Service Points.
Royal Mail’s new self-service Labels to Go solution sends an
email containing a unique QR code to any customer wanting to
return items online or buy online postage.When scanned at a
Customer Service Point, the QR code produces a postage label
which can be applied to the parcel.
Blake continues to expand and diversify
