Statistics and damn lies
It is often said that one of the first rules in research is to decide on an outcome then set about establishing findings that point to it. Which is why it pays to be wary of top-level statistics such as the latest unemployment figures. They would have us believe employment is on the way up. But a recent Roy Morgan study has shown that over the past couple of years, most of the employment growth has been in part-time work. Those part-timers are also working less and less as each month goes by. It’s true that although during the GFC, full-time workers were putting in less time, those hours are heading back up as that the economy starts to grow again. But the slide in hours worked by part-timers continues unabated so the message you could take away if that we’re seeing more people in part-time work, being paid for fewer hours, which would mean the situation was getting worse by the month. So much for statistics…
To B2 or not to B2
Industry chatter has it that the B2 sheetfed digital presses debuting later this year may not be all the sayers of sooth are promising, given that the all-encompassing B3 digital press family is doing sterling work around the world. Plus more work is being done to increase the efficiency of B2 offset presses, while Presstek used Ipex to launch its new direct imaging press, the 75DI.
Why not more such recognition?
Queensland’s Energex recently hosted its annual Supplier Quality Awards earlier this year, recognising the achievements of its suppliers. They gave the gong to Fuji Xerox for its business support, citing a 23% cost reduction achievement while increasing print efficiency, reducing paper wastage and lowering the carbon footprint and energy usage of multifunction printing devices by 10% over a five-year period.
Big Brother is watching you
It’s one thing for an employer to ask a couple of questions now and then to make sure staff are doing the right thing. It’s another to buy software in a box which calls itself an “Employee Monitoring, Surveillance and Investigation program”. This over-the-shoulder-looking doozie is an all-intrusive reporting system that tracks websites visited by staff, emails sent and received, chats and instant messages – on the job, working from home or on the road. No doubt it would have made the Stasi or KGB lick their chops. According to developers SpectorSoft, more, than 50,000 firms now use its Spector 360.
Seconds out of the ring!
It’s the heavyweight bout of the era. In the red corner: KBA’s Rapida 106 with a record-breaking 15 jobs of 520 sheets each in 59 minutes. KBA has claimed the title of sheetfed offset makeready champion of the world. The 106’s little sister, the half-format Rapida 75, is determined to occupy the blue corner and challenge the title holder. A print test in Germany saw a five-colour version of the press with coater and extended delivery take just 55 minutes to print seven 300-sheet jobs back in March. All this with semi-automatic plate changing and not a drop of blood on the floor.
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