Heading to

HONG
KONG & CHINA
Print suppliers
are retooling
responses and
pushing the
reset button
amid changes
and challenges

echnology has taken much of the guesswork out of the print manufacturing
process, in which most workflows can now be accomplished with push-button
or point-and-click simplicity. Efficiency, quality, and speed are constantly
improving with each new plating system, press model, ink additive, or paper
coating. But with every advantage that comes from these betteralbeit commoditizedgoods and tools, the need for business differentiation and service
personalization looms larger and more urgent than before. This makes business conditions
both easier and harder.
Running a print business nowadays is essentially a battle with rising costs, shorter runs,
and the demands of faster time to market and increased regulation. It is a top-of-mind
branding and marketing competition. And, in recent months, geopolitical events have also
had major business consequences for many print suppliers in Hong Kong and China.

Disruptive Market Forces

By Teri Tan

Fallout from the Brexit referendum, especially a devalued British pound, is one immediate
challenge for print suppliers that service U.K. publishers. Certain segments of book production will revert to the U.K., following a similar path taken by European publishers
when the euro declined last year, CTPS global business director John Currie says.
On the other hand, Currie says, the sliding Australian dollar does not have a severe
impact on educational book projects, since their domestic production costs are traditionally
on the higher side. However, he adds, the potential move by the Australian government
to lift parallel import restrictions may have far-reaching ramifications, with low-cost
imports and piracy problems coming to mind.
The wider scope of requests for proposals initiated by multinational publishers has also
given large printing entities the leeway to drive down global manufacturing prices.
Overcapacity in the U.S. and China, Currie says, is another contributing factor. It is just
as well that CTPS has taken these potential market changes into consideration and adapted

40 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 6

PHOTOS TERRY SZE / ISTOCK

for Print Manufacturing

Printing in Hong Kong & China

its operations to specialize in short-to-medium runs, he says.
The shift to digital printing, as evidenced by the focus at the
recent Drupa exhibition, further supports our repositioning
and adoption of ink-jet printing.
Meanwhile, book manufacturing is becoming more commoditized. Publishers are merging, and leveraging their purchasing
power to solicit better prices, says Matthew Yum, the executive
chairman of Hung Hing. Often, they are consolidating their
print supplier base while allocating volumes to fewer printers.
For conventional trade books and basic childrens titles, the
pricing levels have less room to move up, therefore resulting in
thinner margins for printers.
And, with publishers asking for more regulatory compliance
in areas such as safety, environmental protection, sustainability,
and recycling, there are additional financial burdens on
printers. Smaller suppliers are finding it hard to comply, with
many exiting the printing industry after financial investments
far outweigh potential returns, Yum says. So now there are
fewer big, reliable, and quality print manufacturers around.

Digital World Beckons

Any print supplier, big or small, in Hong Kong, China, or
elsewhere, would be shortsighted to disregard the unstoppable
digital (and mobile) movement. Across the globe, people are
toting their smartphones and tablets everywhere. They play
Angry Birds, Candy Crush Saga, and now Pokmon Go. They
also read e-books and digest information on their devices.
So the print business of today (and tomorrow) has to move
forward, and into digitalbe it producing hybrid print-digital
products and solutions, or adopting digital printing technology to some degree. It is unavoidable, and therefore futile,
to resist.
Digital and mobile offer new opportunities that are always
expanding and changing. For Hung Hing, enhancing client
engagement and collaboration to generate new product ideas
has led to the establishment of an innovation hub, where
designers and paper and construction engineers create unique
book and packaging concepts to suit customers needs and
preferences. Several patented technologiessuch as Touchcode
and Bridging Bookhave emerged from this hub, and these are
now driving a host of new product offerings from Hung Hing,
Yum says.
The basic game plan, Yum says, is to merge physical and
digital to attract children and help them retain their learning
experiences. As a major producer of complex childrens books
and novelty titles, we remain confident that the childrens
segment will continue to expand. Bridging Book gives us the
avenues to parlay our printing and packaging expertise into an
exciting melding of the paper-and-pulp and digital worlds that
will significantly enhance the values of our clients products for
children.
The CTPS game plan is to leverage the proven and widely
accepted QR code technology to provide a secure and seamless

link between printed content and online learning management

systems while collecting consumer data and protecting
copyright. It is about helping publishers add digital elements
and segue into online learning without doing away with the old
standby, the printed book. (For more on this patented technology, see Introducing Phygitalbook, p. 46.)
Augmented reality (AR) has received a tremendous boost
from the Pokmon Go craze, which has fueled imaginations,
pushed AR into the mainstream, and revved up development
of such technology. C&C Offset, for instance, has focused on
this in recent months, offering publishers sophisticated AR
content and app bundling solutions to further jazz up story
lines.

Domestic Market Growth

For now, the U.S. economy is holding steady and there is optimism that it will remain positive for the foreseeable future.
But the forecast for many pockets of Europe remains pretty
gloomy.
Despite its slowing economy, China is the in place for many
print suppliers and publishers. With higher education, income,
and living standards, Chinese consumersespecially young
parentsare becoming more demanding on products they
purchased for their kids, says Leo Paper director Alvin Lai,
whose company has already started taking a proactive approach
to penetrating Chinas domestic market. They want products
that are not just functional, but also safe for use, value-added,
licensed from brand names, and educational. Most of these
demands and expectations now rest on the manufacturers
shoulders.
The childrens segment, Lai says, is set to grow aggressively
now that the governments two-child policy is in place, and the
emphasis on education remains stronger than ever. He adds:
The sheer size of the market, its purchasing power, and the
large print runs followed by quick reprints are magnets for
publishers and manufacturers, or anyone thinking of entering
the Chinese market. Of course, turnaround times are much
shorter than those for the export destinationsbut we are prepared for that. Our long-established relationship with overseas
publishers and brands means that we are well placed to serve as
a bridge for local Chinese publishers wanting to explore and
connect with these overseas publishers for licensing and copublishing opportunities, and vice versa.
In other words, local knowledge coupled with global capability draw the best of both worlds. For Leo Paper and eight
other major exporters featured in this report, decades in the
business have proven their dexterity and success in plying their
trade and navigating economic hiccups, geopolitical risks, and
industry bumps. The current shifts and challenges are simply
opportunities for them to reshape operations and retool strategies to remain relevant, stay competitive, and keep ahead of
the pack. These suppliers have already considered the best paths
and marked their road maps, and they are raring to go.
W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M

41

Printing in Hong Kong & China

Artron

Pr ojec t Sh owc as e

a stationery design competition while

Shenzhen-based Artron (a play on the
Steinway Spirio held its China launch
words art and electron) was established in
press conference at the facility.)
1993 to serve the arts industry through
Given the companys specialization in
digital technology. Currently, it has
art titles, large-format books are nothing
3,000 employees, eight sales offices,
new. But its large-format print-onthree production facilities (in Beijing,
demand service delivered via Screens
Shanghai, and Shenzhen), 31 printing
TruePress Jet SX digital inkjet press is
presses, and 108 postpress machines.
unique. Showcased POD titles at this
Even though only 20% of sales come
years London Book Fair included a colfrom overseas markets, Artron is the
lection of works by the renowned phoprint supplier of choice for many intertographer Peter Lik (see Project
national publishers of coffee-table and
Showcase).
illustrated books, museums, art galleries,
Our operation revolves around the
photography agencies, architectural
slogan Beauty of Art, and the inclusion
firms, and luxury goods companies. It
of large-format POD service is just
has garnered nearly 500 international
another way to deliver that beauty to all
printing awards, including 57 Bennys,
walks of life, overseas sales manager Jim
over the years.
Gao says, adding that e-books and
But Artron does much more than print Jim Gao (l.) and Ivan Lee of Artron
changing reading habits have certainly
books. Art+, for instance, conducts digital asset management
affected the art book segment. With the Internet, readers do
for Chinese artists and their works and offers artwork authentinot have to rely on printed books to obtain their information.
cation and online and offline exhibitions. Then there is Artron.
But while we see lower print runsand this occurs across all
net, a platform for the Chinese arts industry that boasts two
book segmentswe are also seeing clients such as Taschen and
million members and eight million daily visitors. Another busiPhaidon coming in with more new titles. So there is a balance
ness unit focuses on high-fidelity replication services for calsomehow.
ligraphy, paintings, and various artworks. In fact, Artron has
Over the next 12 months, Artron is focusing on several
well over 100 art experts and advisers on call to help with its
expansion plans, including cross-border mergers and acquisivarious units.
tions to grow its international presence. Then there are internal
Arts incubator is perhaps a label more suitable for Artron.
exercises to increase automation and tighten overhead controls
Aside from the print manufacturing floors at its purpose-built
so as to be more efficient and leaner to fit the shifting marketShenzhen headquarters, there are unique spaces dedicated to an
place, overseas business development director Ivan Lee says.
art library (50,000 titles and counting), a bookshop (with a
We are expanding our overseas business, and we are looking
special Taschen section), a caf, a mobile art gallery, lecture halls,
into different methods of achieving that, including partnership
and theaters. (During PWs visit, Conqueror Paper was holding
deals with like-minded companies.

Peter Lik: Equation of Time

This photography book was Artrons most challenging
project to date. At 528 pages and measuring 50 68 cm,
it was also Artrons largest title to go print on demand.
Nearly six months were spent studying the content and
testing various materials for the book. In the end, two inhouse printing techniques were deployed: Chroma Centric
to significantly increase the color quality, and Sepiana
Showing, which uses black, white, and four different shades
of gray for the black-and-white photos. We combined these
with a mix of gloss and matte varnishing to bring out the
essence of each photography work by Peter Lik, says
overseas sales manager Jim Gao, adding that the thick volume provided ample challenges in color management
and binding solutions for the team.

42 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 6

Artron Graphic Arts

Creating the most beautiful art books

Artron.Net

Spreading the most abundant art information

Artron Books

Selling the most stunning art books

7 Benny Award in 2016

57 Benny Award in total (2003-2016)

The picture come from Artron (Shenzhen) Art Center

The Greatest Art Book Wall in the World

Printing in Hong Kong & China

C&C Offset

P roje ct Show ca s e

Despite the popularity of mobile apps and online platforms,

adopting new technologies is always a daunting task for printers
and publishers, assistant general manager Kit Wong says. We
need to go digitalto be in step with changing times and
tech-savvy consumersbut we also want to keep printed books
and retain the habit of reading content in such format. A deft
balancing act is required, and it needs to be done.
C&Cs digital shift is focused on furthering consumer engagement by enriching user experience. Our first step is to unlock
the potential of interactive print products using augmented
reality (AR), which is not something new that has just appeared
on the horizon, Wong says. But the technology itself has moved
beyond those early days of 3-D flying dragons or creatures.
Recent AR developments have enabled it to work with iBeacon,
sound and object recognition, as well as GPS. In recent months,
interactive print applications using AR have become more
sophisticated, and so has AR-related content.
With publishers keen on extending the shelf life of their
titles, the applications of multimedia and transmedia content
are in play. This mindset has helped usand other printers
in offering suggestions to mix technology with print, Wong
says, pointing out that a good story can be told in different
ways that are complementary: in printed format, as films or
games, or recreated as theme parks. More can, and should, be

Harry Potter and the Philosophers

Stone: Illustrated Edition
Producing multiple co-editions of this title for
Bloomsbury and their customers is an honor
for us at C&C Offset, says assistant general manager Kit Wong. The copies were printed in a secure
area of our printing plant with restricted access
extended only to a limited number of people. No
phones or cameras were allowed into this area,
apart from the clients own designated photographer. For this 256-page project, Bloomsbury
created a YouTube video of the press pass, which
was uploaded during the book launch along with a
film made by the illustrator, Jim Kay, about the creation of the artwork.
Our senior press
minder worked very
well with Bloomsburys
art director, and together
they produced a really
stunning book that is
delighting old and new
Harry Potter fans.

44 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 6

done to printed books to give them a new lease of life to attract

a whole new audience.
Childrens book publishers in Hong Kong, Wong says, are
eager to try out innovative storytelling style. The 72-page Hong
Kongs Hundred-Year Transformation board book (by Sunya
Publications), for instance, incorporates AR onto selected
spreads to relate the stories of the islands historical buildings.
It is essentially a journey through old Hong Kong that combines print and interactivity, Wong says. The warm response
from readers and educators has turned this title into a bestseller,
and this tells us that we are on the right track with regards to
AR applications.
Responding quickly to customer inquiries is yet another way
to increase engagement and enhance experience. It is not just
about fast turnaround in printing production any more. The
demand for fast and immediate quotation is also increasing, and
so C&C Offset is responding to this by working on a mobilebased quotation app that will fulfill initial inquiry for offset
printing of hardcovers, paperbacks, and magazines. We will
further develop the app to address other project types and
more complex inquiries, says Wong, whose company is now
an official Lego supplier.

CTPS
The push to enhance solutions offerings has seen CTPS recently
launch Phygitalbook, a patented technology to seamlessly link
printed books with online and digital learning. Through our
partnership with i-Sprint Innovations, a Hong Kongbased
technology company specializing in banking and financial
information security, we now have a scalable and cloud-based
solution to prevent counterfeiting, detect parallel importing,
and personalize learning, CEO Peter Tse says.
In the past few months, Tse and his team have worked with
several publishers to beta test Phygitalbook on learning
management system (LMS) interfacing and piracy. The initial
results are promising, with scaled-up adoptions expected by the
end of this year, Tse says. Publishers especially are drawn to
the back-end data analytics part of the solution, where we can
offer customized reports based on purchase behaviors, access
patterns, geolocation,
and so much more.
POD and short-run
programs for regional
educational publishers,
which are based on the
reduced-inventory model,
are gaining traction.
This has given us a 30%
growth in our digital
book printing business.
By combining cover
printing on Indigo presses
with inkjet Web printing Johnny Currie (l.) and Peter Tse of CTPS

Introducing Phygitalbook

Printing in Hong Kong & China

Embedded QR codes
on book covers and
content pages are the
main components of
CTPSs patented Phygitalbook technology.
Digital printing
gives us the ability to differentiate the cover code on
each copy to make them copy-specific. The content
codes, on the other hand, remain the same for each title
or batch, says Peter Tse, the CEO of CTPS. The
encryption behind the codes, backed by analytics, provides a high degree of rights protection while offering
insights into user behaviors, LMS access patterns, and
other pertinent information helpful in further engaging
the consumer and pushing content discoverability.
Phygitalbook, which uses QR codes, is an alternative
to the access cards inserted into textbooks or sold individually. Replacing access cards with Phygitalbook
means a 30% savings in production costs, which makes
this an attractive option, especially when publishers are
striving to keep costs down, global business director
John Currie says. The diversity and flexibility of QR
code technology also enables the ability to personalize
user access, facilitate the print-to-online learning processes, and allow product tracking.
Though some publishers use RFID tags to combat
piracy and parallel imports, the exercise is costly and
offers limited data feedback. Phygitalbooks QR codes,
in comparison, are printed digitally, and making them
work requires only our free app and a mobile device,
Currie says. For RFID, there are outlay costs for the
software, handling, antenna, and reader. Phygitalbook,
in short, offers a much wider scope of applications at a
reasonable cost. The datacollected and stored with
bank-grade protection on our cloud serverenables
publishers to better understand their end consumers,
optimize direct engagement, and maximize monetization
opportunities. 
T.T.

for text pages, we have shortened the average manufacturing

period for perfect-bound and section-sewn case-bound books
from about three weeks to a maximum of seven days, global
business director John Currie says. This growth and the increasing
file traffic have resulted in a continuous upgrading of our ERP
[enterprise resource planning] and cloud-based interface.
Now equipped with electronic data interchange, inventory
control, and end-to-end project tracking, CTPSs year-old
cloud platform gives complete visibility of content feed (down
to specific service and content suppliers), production flow,
lettershopping, and logistics. The on-demand process, Currie
says, is now extended to extracting specific content for customized titles, a service that perfectly fits journal publishing.
So, though lightweight printing has always been the niche
46 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 6

segment at CTPS, the extended solutions have enabled it to

delve into sensitive and time-critical commercial and financial
print projects. There are now fewer lightweight print suppliers capable of special binding and finishing that are essential
to highpage count STM books and Bibles, and we are leveraging on this expertise while building our POD and short-run
capabilities, Currie says.
Addressing critical shifts in the print supply chainincreased
manufacturing costs, lower print runs, and shorter delivery
times, for instanceis the goal for the companys next phase of
operational changes. The emphasis is on achieving a much
more streamlined and vastly improved printing/binding
workflow, where manual finishing tasks will be reduced by
30%, Tse says, pointing out that replacing older printing
presses with newer and more efficient ones has given us the
same level of output but with significantly less resources. Add
key performance indicators coupled with incentive schemes, and
we are able to support our companys growth despite continuing
macroeconomic challenges.

Hung Hing
Bridging Book, Hung Hings patented technology in merging
print with digital elements, has been winning clients near
and far. The first Bridging Book title, Meet the Animals, launched
at the 2015 Hong Kong Education Expo, is now a part of a
five-volume English language-learning series. The same concept
has been adopted by California-based Stages Learning Center
for the series Link4Fun. Bridging Book brings technology into
the learning field by integrating iPad apps with print books,
product development manager Nicholas Yum says, adding that
every turn of a page in Link4Fun brings a childs imagination
to life. Whether it is about animals, colors, or food, the interactive nature of this series helps the child to master words quickly
while enjoying the learning process.
Beluga, the brand behind Bridging Book, also teamed up
with Listen Culture, the exclusive licensee for National
Geographic DVDs and Blu-ray discs in Taiwan, to combine
reading with videos. The first title, Flying Monsters, is on ptero-

Matthew Yum, executive chairman of Hung Hing

Proje c t Show c ase

Printing in Hong Kong & China

Explore the English Language series

After the first Bridging Book title, Meet the Animals, was
successfully launched last July, the client, I-Square
Education, wanted to expand the series by adding four new
titles with more vocabulary words accompanied by longer
and more exciting content. With the new launch set for
last Julys Hong Kong Book Fair, we had around six months
to complete the whole series, says product development
manager Nicholas Yum, whose team was given rough
scripts and had to create every component from scratch,
including the app, animation, graphics, and games. Each
title is a boxed set containing a Bridging Book, an app, an activity book, and paper-based games. Every set is unique
while retaining the same style. So, Fun Trips has pop-ups on every Bridging Book page and a swipe-and-clean board,
while touch-and-feel Meet the Animals comes with puzzles. Keeping the same price point as the first title despite
additional development and manufacturing processes was one of the biggest challenges. But we delivered the
series on time and budget, and to rave reviews.

saurs. Each page offers interesting facts about the reptile while
the synchronized video plays on the iPad. There is also a 3-D
augmented-reality coloring page at the end. More titlescovering subjects such as classical music, wildlife, and natureare
on the drawing board.
On the packaging side, Hung Hings partnership with shareholder Rengo Japan continues to gather momentum. Employee
exchange program between Rengo Japan and our office has
accelerated ideation for product innovation for the Japanese
market, and we have brought some of these unique ideas to our
international clients, as well, executive chairman Matthew
Yum says. (Hung Hing, by the way, has business units dealing
with book printing, product packaging, corrugating, and paper
trading, and remains one of the very few print suppliers to offer
such integrated services.)
Last year, Rengo launched its patented one-touch point-ofsale (POS) design, Rakkupa, with Hung Hing handling sales,
manufacturing, and distribution for markets outside of Japan.
One early breakthrough came when Nissin Food adopted
Rakkupa as their key POS displays for launching their new
instant noodles in Hong Kong, Yum says. They saw the
advantages of being able to set up Rakkupa POS displays from
flat packs within minutes at retail shops and promotional sites.
We have received many favorable responses to the Rakkupa
concept from our international clients.
Meanwhile, the need for faster time to market has seen the
establishment of an in-house design team at Hung Hings
Eastleigh, U.K., office. This setup enables prompt response to
clients design requests and faster prototyping, which in turn
has given us a bigger foothold in the U.K. luxury packaging
business. New clients such as Lush Cosmetics have definitely
benefited from the shorter turnaround, with our onshore prototyping team offering services such as box cutting, laser cutting,
48 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 6

and hot stamping, says commercial director Christopher Yum,

who is closely monitoring potential fallout from the Brexit
referendum on sales and costs.

Imago
The slow and steady U.S. economic growth in the past few
years has been good for
Imago. Industry statistics
and our clients are telling us
that print is on an upswing,
and we do see it with publishers looking to make their
books more interesting with
unusual cover treatments or
interactive elements for content pages. These requirements really play to our
strengths as a production services company, president Howark Musk, president and
CEO of Imago
and CEO Howard Musk says.
There is some digital fatigue going around, because we are
seeing nonpublishing clients wanting to create unique promotional products in print, he adds. In fact, we are currently
producing a pop-up book for a software company!
Imagos goal, Musk says, is to provide a complete range of
products and manufacturing services, from illustrated books,
kids novelty, kits, and sourcing all the way through to lightweight printing for reference works and Bibles. The wideranging products that we produce, as well as the many locations
that we operate inboth from sales and production standpointsgive us a deep knowledge base to draw on to provide
clients with creative solutions, he says. We have never thought

Proje c t Sh ow c ase

Printing in Hong Kong & China

Hamilton: The Revolution

The goal was to give this behind-the-scenes
volume for the groundbreaking musical Hamilton
the look and feel of the Revolutionary era by using
the right combination of materials and binding
technique. We used a 120 gsmuncoated paper
that has the right shade of cream, bulk, and slight
texture but can take full-color printing well, says
Imago president and CEO Howard Musk . The
leather spine was ridged, the front cover rough,
and the text pages deckle-edged. We also added
a case made of a smooth uncoated stock with
PU imitation-leather
spine. Manufactured
for Melcher Media,
which produced the
book for Grand Central
Publishing, the first
printing of 60,000
copies was sold out
almost immediately.
The book is now in its sixth printing, bringing the
total to 775,000 copies.

of ourselves as just a printer. We are an extension and additional

resource to a publishers production department.
As for trends and gimmicks, Musk finds that, with cookbooks and graphic novels continuing to favor uncoated stocks,
his team is starting to offer UV printing for better impact and
a cleaner look. We have also been doing a lot of books with
electronic modules, and we continue to explore the latest concepts such as applying conductive inks and capacitive touch to
merge print, paper, and electronics without deploying an
external device, he says.
This year, Imago is introducing a quality-checking service.
We have our own team in Shenzhen to monitor quality all
along, but now we are rolling this out to publishers as a standalone service for projects at other vendors, Musk says. With
schedules getting increasingly tighter, there is simply no time
to rectify mistakes without lost sales if the problem is only
noticed upon receipt of goods at the warehouse. Our staff, with
the training and experience specific to the publishing industry,
is able to help to avoid such incidences.
The Imago team in China also offers local print suppliers
assistance in preparing themselves for export work. Prepress,
which is one area where many of these factories have little experience, is our strong suit, Musk says. Our Shenzhen-based
technical director has done a lot of work in ensuring our suppliers are up to speed with ISO proofing and printing standards.
50 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 6

And, as the U.S. agent for Bright Arts, we can provide color
correction and both digital and traditional wet proofing for
projects requiring stringent color management.

Jade Productions
The Internet, which has turned the world into a global village
and made it smaller, is also changing my client profile, managing director Ken Kong says. In the early days, only major
overseas publishers armed with big orders sourced from Hong
Kong. Now, they place big volumes only if the total savings are
considerable. But, thanks to the Internet, even smaller clients are
open to offshore manufacturing as long as they are getting the
same, or even better, quality offered by their domestic suppliers,
and the savings are well worth the longer shipping lead time.

Chan Hon Kwong (l.) and Ken Kong of Jade Productions

The Internet has also helped attract new types of clients to

the print management company. Previously, almost all of our
projects came from established clients with fixed publishing
programs requiring standard formats, Kong says. But we are
now seeing more work from self-publishers or corporations that
want products for public relations marketing. They have sporadic publishing schedules with unique titles that are irregular
in formats and material usage. These potential clients with no
standardized buying patternsseason- and formatwiseare
not those that big printing companies are interested in courting.
So this is a niche market, and we are putting more attention in
this direction where a smaller operation with a flat hierarchy
has a major competitive advantage. Overall, such interesting
client combination warrants the need to continuously refresh
our ideas and realign our operations. It certainly keeps us nimble
and focusedand that is good for the growth of this company
and our staff.
Even as print runs continue to shrink, Kong does not see the
need to source for digital printing yet. Over here in Hong
Kong and China, if you know where to go, there is no price
advantage in printing digitally for quantities above 150 copies,
Kong says. Conventional and smaller printers are getting more
aggressive with their pricing for smaller runs all the time. But
digital print suppliers are looking to lower the running costs.

MAGNUM

CREATIVE PRINTING

WE
BOOKS
printing is our passion

ART BOOKS I MAGAZINES I PACKAGING PRINTING

Untitled-1 1

11/17/09 6:23:40 PM

Another year, another award. It is our pleasure to be your printing team,

with our expertise and your ideas, we will only do better and better every year.

Tel: (852) 2555 2438

Email:

Fax: (852) 2814 0524

ART BOOKS
I MAGAZINES I PACKAGING PRINTING
info@magnumoffset.com.hk
Website: http://www.magnumoffset.com.hk

Proje c t Sh ow c ase

Printing in Hong Kong & China

Owl Virtual Reality Smartphone Kit and Lite Owl Viewer

When the astrophysicist Brian May (better known as the guitarist
for the rock band Queen) wanted to do a virtual reality kit for viewing
stereoscopic images on smartphones, the Jade Productions team
came out with an alternative packaging suggestion. Instead of putting
additional elementsthe magnetic holding plate and steel shim adaptor,
for instancein a standard sleeve, we proposed another idea, says
managing director Ken Kong. We ended up using a window box to show
a printed image of a smartphone. It clearly demonstrates how the
product is used while taking away the hassles of assembling the kit.
As for the Lite Viewer, Kong says: It was a response to Brians request for a less-expensive viewer for stereoscopic
images. While this is basically a product to test the market, the next step is to produce different versions of the viewer
to suit different categories of Brians stereoscopic-themed products. The Lite Viewer will enable more people to enjoy the
fun of the stereoscopic images without having to purchase collectors editions.

If they can achieve that for the 150-to-500-copy range, then the
impact on conventional printers would be considerable.
A personal touch and long-term relationships continue to
define Jades business. Each project that comes through our
door is something unique and deserving of our utmost
attention, production director Chan Hon Kwong says. We

are here to offer advice and tips, to hold hands, and to steer a
project to its completion. Along the way, we make friends, and
establish relationships and great collaborations. While making
money is the purpose of a businessand ours is no different
nothing is more satisfying than seeing a finished project in a
bookstore or a happy customer holding a quality product.

A: Flat B, 6/F., Tung Chong Fty., Bldg., 655 Kings Road, North Point, Hong Kong
T: (852) 2967 9360
E: jadepro@jadeproductions.com.hk
: jadeproductionsprinting

W: www.jadeproductions.com.hk

Sharing The Future

Come visit our stand at the 2016 Frankfurt Book Fair on October 19-23

Printing in Hong Kong & China

Leo Paper Group
Market challenges are conspiring to drive Leo Paper to transform its labor-intensive production into one that is focused on
technology-based smart manufacturing. We are targeting
different aspects of continuous workflow across the production
floor to enhance efficiencies while gearing up for a highly
flexible production model. The result is a higher production
capacity despite having fewer machines and workers around,
director Alvin Lai says, adding that capital investment and
equipment upgrading is essential to reducing long-term
reliance on labor and hand-assembly tasks.
To that end, the company has replaced seven outdated
printing presses with five new ones, increasing production
efficiency by nearly 50%. We also invested in new folding
machines with higher capacity, which doubled the efficiencies,
Lai says. At the same time, quality has picked up significantly,
thereby reducing errors and rework. Our upgraded board book

Projec t Sho wc a se

(L. to r.) Alvin Lai, Henry Woo, and Andy Lau of Leo Paper Group

production line with enhanced gluing process, for instance, has

reduced the probability of warping issues.
In 2014, Leo Paper adopted leagility, the integration of
lean thinking and agile manufacturing, with the whole factory
strategically laid out to meet specific client and product needs.
The best part of leagility is that now we have shorter makeready
time and improved production speed and efficiencies, says
Henry Woo, general manager of the OEM business department. Wastage from rework is further reduced with the implementation of new technologies and better materialmatching processes. By customizing the production workflow
and mixing and matching equipment usage, our response time
to specific client requirements or product needs is much faster,
he adds.
The next step toward being a smart factory is to enhance the
agility and data interconnectivity across production lines and
logistics in the supply chain. We have been streamlining and
enhancing our operations by the application of sensing technology and the Internet of things, Lai says. It means having
data-driven operations that are capable of exchanging information, triggering actions, and independently controlling each
other. In the longer term, this transformation goal will be based
on product characteristics that will in turn drive various levels
of operational implementation to achieve optimal overall production. The strategies include upgrading the companys IT
system to facilitate real-time data capture for driving corresponding actions and decisions promptly, intensifying the implementation of standardization, and continuing to reduce dependency on manual labor.
Lai says the companys slogan, Transforming the Future, is
as much about addressing product innovation as it is about
enhancing and changing everything to do with managing the
supply chain. Swift market and product changes require
equally swift response on our part, Lai says. Being a smart
company that focuses on innovation and supply chain efficiencies is a big part in meeting those challenges.

Listen and Learn First English Words

Enhancing Usbornes original idea of learning-by-touch with fun
activities was Leo Papers goal for this particular project. We ended
up with an interactive product in a unique format for listening,
learning, and logical thinking that can be applied to different subject
matters in different languages, says general manager for sales Andy
Lau. In this case, our Haptic Magic technologycovering sound,
light, and motion for printallows children to select a card, slot it
into the books special frame, and press on any illustration to hear
the word read aloud. We enhanced the touch-button sensitivity of the printed cards to suit young kids and their
light touch. Aside from optimizing the product value, we turn the concept and application into one that is easily
adapted to suit different titles and quickly produced to increase speed to market.

54 P U B L I S H E R S W E E K L Y A U G U S T 2 9 , 2 0 1 6

Printing in Hong Kong & China

Magnum Offset

Proj ect Show case

Traditional business principles are the heart of Magnum Offset.

First and foremost, we are here to meet and exceed client expectations, and to retain their loyalty. For our suppliers, we advocate
win-win collaborations to obtain their continuous support.
Internally, we strive to retain our employeeswho have been
with us for 10 years or moreby protecting their rights and
welfare while giving them room to learn and grow within the
company. This will help to attract new talents to join us, overseas
sales manager Alice Fan says. Building a solid reputation in the
industry through high standards of business conduct has been our
mantra for the past 30 years, and this will remain unchanged.

The Rodders Journal Vintage Catalog

Collection
From receipt of files to a delivery deadline of less than
two weeks, this project was one that put the Magnum
Offset team to the test. We needed to reprint 25
cataloguestotaling 500 pagesand fit them into a box
that the exact dimension was unknown till we finished,
says Percy Leung of the
overseas sales team.
But we had complete
trust in our technical
department to carry
through the project. We
delivered the box and its
content, weighing 3.4
kg per set, well on time
to meet the Christmas
sales period.

Ethics and fairness permeate Magnums operations. These

are not just about quoting fair prices to clients and suppliers,
but also about supporting our workers and community welfare,
and protecting the environment, Fan says. Although business
is tough, there is no need to offer cut-throat prices to beat the
competition. Delivering top quality, fast turnaround, and
unwavering reliability makes the business.
That reliability is one reason behind Magnums booming exhibition and financial business. Event newsletters, annual reports,
and IPO brochures, for instance, account for nearly half of its
sales. March to mid-June, and then July to September, are our
peak seasons, where most projects call for 24-hour turnaround,
utmost confidentiality, and tight security. Many of these also
require multilanguage editions per order, usually with personalization services, Fan says. These clients have been with us for
more than a decade, and it is not just because of our reasonable
prices. Our ability to provide accurate delivery date and logistical

support, pertinent answers to technical questions, and concise

prediction of process outcomes eliminate a lot of their worries.
That goes a long way in building a loyal clientele.
Ideation to help clients create new products is part of the deal.
Our China factory, which is focused on consumer goods packaging, is known for delivering sophisticated packaging to help
clients elevate their product positioning and pricing, Fan says.
We have leveraged our print and packaging expertise to incorporate elements such as LED lighting, music, and semiprecious
stones into our ideas. One recent packaging project with intricate laser die cutting and LED lighting, for instance, can be
reused as lanterns. So it was about producing environmentfriendly and multipurpose products. This is what being a reliable print partner is all about: to further enhance and develop a
clients idea to create and make an even better product.

Regal Printing
The biggest news out of Regal is its installation of Scodix Ultra
Pro in April. The first of its type in Asia, it puts Regal at the
forefront of the regions adoption of digital postpress enhancement technology. Since the cover is the first thing that you see
of a book, it should immediately jump out at you, making it
irresistible and leave a lasting impression, managing director
Maurice Kwan says. By using the Scodix press, I want to ramp
up the oomp and wow factors of a book cover or a dust jacket,
and help publishers enhance their titles and increase book sales.
Kwan adds: We can enhance postpress effects that cannot be
done with traditional technology, and accomplish that with
better efficiency, quality, accuracy, and consistency. We can have
3-D spot UV, spot gloss, and spot matte UV in one pass. Or 3-D
gold or silver foil-stamping, and even Braille printing with
Scodix Ultra Pro. Best of all, these treatments are done digitally
without the usual rounds of manual handling, which translates
into significantly reduced setup time and production cost.
But, more importantly, Kwan says, this press can print on
paper, PVC, and cardboardup to B2 sizemaking it an ideal
solution for books and packaging. Personalization is another
advantage, given its variable-data printing capability. Just

Maurice Kwan, managing director of Regal Printing

W W W . P U B L I S H E R S W E E K LY. C O M

55

Printing in Hong Kong & China

STARWATCH

Project Showcase

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Origami Horses for an Art Installation

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PARTY

This unique project required Regal Printing to provide 15,000 glittering origami
horses for the Belgian artist Charles Kaisins installation in Hong Kong. Aside
from having to hand fold every single piece, the major challenge was also in
getting the raight kind of reflective golden foil in sufficient amount, says managingThursday,
6:00
director Maurice Kwan. We ended up with PET paper for its strength, light weight,
and recyclability, and then we electroplated it in silver and gold to achieve the
required effect. Then came the tedious hand-folding part where creasing the foil
was a strict no-no. The delivery of the project, Kwan adds, was a celebration of
accomplishing something unconventional, as well as a celebration of paper art.

imagine:
we can personalize foil 1stamping
of names
on1 book
STARWATCH_FULL_0816.qxp_Layout
8/16/16 1:46
PM Page
covers or cards. So whats not to like? In addition to book
covers, Kwan and his team have used the Scodix press for marketing collaterals, luxury packaging, and posters.
Meanwhile, ultrashort projects requiring overnight production continue to arrive at Regal. Files for the daily newsletter
for Art Basel Hong Kong 2016, for instance, started arriving
between eight p.m. and one a.m. just before the show. The team
printed 10,000 copies of the broadsheetsplit equally between
English and Chinese editionsand delivered them to the exhi-

September 15
8:00 p.m.

bition center before 9 a.m.

Though his business is about print production, ultimately,
it is about helping clients to solve their problems, Kwan says.
As long as it deals with paper, glue, and ink, we will figure it
out, and we will deliveron time, within budget, and at the
highest quality possible.
AtS the
time, we continue to look
IN A
S O Csame
I AT I O N W I T
H help us to
out for new machinery and technology
that can
deliver on our promises and meet our clients expectations. Be
innovative and creative and do the impossiblethat is our
motto, and it speaks of our love and passion for printing.

PA R T Y

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1:55 PM Page
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For Tic
PublishersWeekkets Visit
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Thursday, September
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in addition rece
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trip to the Fran
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2 0 1 6 PA R T I
C I PAT I N G S
PONSORS

6:00 8:00 p.m.

mber 15
Thursday, Septe
.
6:00 8:00 p.m

TIO
IN ASSOCIA

N W I T H I N A S S O C I AT I O N W I T H

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