I’ve been told my company could reduce consumption of anti-set-off powders by moving to a new coated paper grade, but wouldn’t such a switch also mean lower press productivity? Are there any other ways we could reduce spray powder use and cut cleaning times?

At least one company has claimed it can offer paper that can dramatically reduce and even eliminate the use of spray powder in litho. We have not seen any reports of the practicality of this, or on what grounds the claims are made. However, it is possible to print a job without powder if the paper is absorbent by running the press slowly and producing a small stack from a short press run. But, in today’s world, workflow and productivity demands the press runs at its optimum speed. A B1 press running at 18,000 sheets per hour adds five sheets per second to the stack.

Similarly, the use of UV-curable inks was predicted to be the end of powder. UV certainly has its benefits, but this is, in many cases, balanced by the cost of the inks compared with conventional inks. There is also the high cost of running and maintaining UV lamps.

One-fifth of a second is not enough time for the ink to dry, so there is an need to keep the sheets apart to avoid set-off. The press minder is only too aware of this, and only gets one chance to print the job, so often errs on the side of caution by using too much powder.

On the latest high-speed presses, the spray head manufacturers have engineered a solution to enable the spray to be laid down accurately at high speed, with an optimum coverage using 20-micron powder of one particle every 600 microns. This even spread offers the minder an even stack with just enough air between the sheets to let the ink dry naturally.
These enhancements are only useful if they are partnered by an ultra-low dust powder. Influential association BG Print and Paper’s highest targets are for sub-10-micron particles, which they believe – and what could become EU policy – are essential for long-term health and safety in the pressroom.

These issues are important, but for the hard-headed businessperson, the important thing is using less powder. Less dust makes for less cleaning time and less downtime, which means more time for printing. This makes the upgrade to an ultra-low dust anti-set-off spray powder an obvious choice if you want to run the press at or near to its maximum speed.

Martyn Elmy, Sales director, Russell Webb

What is an operating lease and what are its advantages or disadvantages over opting for hire purchase? Under what circumstances should I consider an operating lease for equipment finance?

Printers have long been aware of the benefits of using asset finance products to fund capital equipment. It’s also true that for many print businesses, the asset finance product of choice has been hire purchase. Regular, structured repayments and ownership of the asset at the end of the agreement are just a few benefits hire purchase can offer a print business. However, some printers are now turning to operating lease when financing assets.

Hire purchase and operating leases share many of the same product features: both allow you to select the supplier of the asset and negotiate the purchase as if it was a cash deal. Both allow you to structure repayments. A key difference between these two products is in how payments are calculated. With operating lease, rentals are calculated on the difference between the purchase price of the press and the expected value of the press at the end of the agreement, known as the residual value. With hire purchase, instalments are calculated on the purchase price and do not take account of the likely residual value. The obvious benefit here is that rentals can be lower when compared against other asset finance products.

Other features of an operating lease:
• Rentals can normally be treated as a revenue expense, avoiding the need to include these within your capital expenditure budgets;
• A properly structured operating lease would not normally need to be shown on your balance sheet, thus improving financial ratios, such as gearing and return on assets employed;
• The finance company would also claim back the available capital allowances and reflect the benefit in reduced rentals;
• You can normally offset rentals against taxable profits;
• At the end of the lease term, you would return the press to the finance company. However, if you still require it you will normally be able to extend the lease at a fair market rental.

Printers should consider operating lease where the use of the asset itself and/or lowest monthly repayments are more important than having ownership of the press at the end of the agreement.

Simon France, head of sales, HSBC Equipment Finance, Print Division

I’ve seen reports that some internet service providers may be providing less bandwidth than promised in the contract. How can I check my connection speed and make sure I am getting what I pay for?

In an internet-based economy, unreliable broadband speeds are truly a thorny problem for many businesses and consumers. For a start, don’t believe what your internet service provider (ISP) promises. The easiest way is to use one of the many online broadband speed checkers. One of the most reliable is www.broadbandspeedchecker.co.uk.

This and other online checkers perform a simple download and upload test and give you an overall speed figure, which will invariably be lower than that promised by your ISP. This is because they always offer speeds up to and not a constant figure. Read the small print.

The majority of SME and consumer internet providers still use the BT phone network. The speed you get is heavily dependent on how far you are from the nearest BT exchange and the usage levels in your location at any particular time. Even the technically superior cable-based access from Virgin is still heavily dependent on usage levels and is mostly aimed at the consumer market anyway. Geographical location is also crucial – urban dwellers tend to fare better than those out in the sticks as they are so much further away from exchanges.

Paul Fisher, editor, SC magazine