Page 57 - Print21 magazine Mar-Apr 2023

SUPPLIERS | PRINTER PROFILE |
THEN CAME SCREEN
Following the early passing of
Gianni Smaniotto, the larger than
life owner of Hyphen International, Scott moved on to join Screen (then known as Dainippon Screen) in
1999 where well-known industry figure, Gary Seidel, was the long- term general manager. At the time Screen was delivering an industry- defining range of scanners, software and image setting products for both film and computer-to-plate (CTP). Much of this was delivered straight
to the customer, although even
then there were a number of agents representing the brand to the market.
Scott was a natural fit for
Screen with his expertise in rips and workflow. He relished the opportunity of expanding his technical knowledge, mastering
the Truflow rip for TaigaSpace,
as well as early thermal CTP and filmsetting. Among the many major installations he recalls working
on, the headland Truflow system into McMillan’s Printing in South Granville deserves mention. But the technology was moving on.
“When I joined Screen, TaigaSpace was in decline. Truflow was a Windows-based rip with Screen’s automatic trapping, colour management, auto imposition, and an Adobe-based interpreter.”
His experience saw him seconded to work with Screen USA at the fateful Chicago Print Show in 2001, whose fifth day was 11 September. However being in the US was to be the forerunner of the next phase of his international experience, with three years at Screen USA.
He then made the phone call to managing director, Hakea Yukawa, telling him he’d like to return to Australia. It so happened that
Peter Moffatt, one of the local salesmen, had just left. Scott told of his experience working with sales people in the US and so came home to a vastly different destiny, in sales
Soon promoted to national sales manager, on his regular trips to Kyoto he was able to renew
his acquaintance with people he worked with in the US, notably Eiji Kakiuchi, who was destined to become chairman of the board.
MAIN
Celebrating a career founded on innovation: Peter Scott
ABOVE
Peter Scott with Graham Blackall and Masao Tomonaga, former MD of Dainippon Screen Australia, at Screen HQ, Japan
MASTER AND COMMANDER
In 2012 when Hakea Yukawa returned to Japan, Scott was asked to step up as managing director of Screen Australia, the position he still holds and enjoys. Open about the challenges that came in the new role and its new responsibilities,
he takes pains to recognise and honour the team he inherited and to which he attributes much of his success. It’s notable that some of his most trusted employees have been with the company for as long, if not longer, than him.
“It was difficult at first, if I
only known, but it was a fantastic opportunity. At the beginning
you don’t really understand the responsibility and the sorts of things you have to take care of. Problems come up in any new role and you have to gain experience. I learned about managing people. In sales you’re managing people and clients, sales, installations, but now it’s everything.”
At the time CTP still provided the bread and butter. But change was in the air with the introduction of the Truepress Jet520HD Series of high- speed digital inkjet presses.
“Released in 2006, the Trupress 344, DI offset was a big change. We sold six or seven of those, the first one in 2009 to Astra Print, now PrintStop, in Christchurch with Hunkeler finishing. It’s still running today. Then came the Trupress 520, the first high-speed inkjet, which was successful.”
PACKAGING AND LABELS
Another defining change came with Screen’s entry into label printing. “We quickly came to understand that with the label printing business, we couldn’t speak the language.
And that’s when I first met Jet Technologies, Darryl Wilson and then Jack Malki. We had agents
for commercial offset thermal CTP, and Jet Technologies became our agent for flexo. It wasn’t until then that we started to get some sales. Jet Technologies understands the narrow web market. They could supply the plates, the chemistry, the processes; all the different things you need to make flexo plates. They’d go in and talk to the customer, provide the whole thing and we’d go in and install the CTP.”
Then at PacPrint 2013 Scott was instrumental in presenting a world first when he organised to have a Truepress L350, label digital press, flown in for the show. Australians saw the press before it was released worldwide the following year. Since then the Truepress Jet L350 series has become the mainstay of Screen’s success. Jet Technologies became the distributor for the press. “We’ve had great success with it working with Jet Technologies”, says Scott.
When asked about the future, Scott is happy to aim for “more
of the same.” What he wants to maintain is the reputation for service that he believes underwrites Screen’s reputation. Secure in his role, he is keenly looking forward, “I’m very lucky”, he says.
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