The requirement for fresher, individually-adapted publications has led to increased calls for ‘print-on-demand’ technology. Strålfors AB, International Division, has developed an extensive POD system as part of its Lasermax product line, fulfilling a new EU directive. This development will permit efficient and reliable production of short, fast editions of a number of different publications.

The Greek company Papastratos will become the first tobacco producer in the world to use the light-weight paperboard, Enso Performa, for completepackaging for cigarettes. The outer boxes are already produced in grammeweights of 180 g/m2, while the hard flip top boxes are currently made of 195 g/m2 paperboard. According to the manufacturer, Enso Paperboards in Imatra, Finland, the results of stiffness tests, and other properties of Enso Performa were so promising that the company has decided to gradually convert to a lower gramme weight when producing material for flip top boxes.

Practical and wear-resistant ID cardholders are now being introduced on the U.S. market. The holders help facilitate the handling of cards, which often serve both as identification and as an electronic key to open doors. The cardholders, which are made of environment-friendly plastic, increase the life of the cards and help to ward off the detrimental effects of static electricity and electromagnetic interference.

Flexible, compact and inexpensive. According to industrial vacuum equipment manufacturer, Piab AB, that’s the best way to describe its new VacuProcessor control units for multi-channel instal-lations. They are available in two versions; electronically or pneumatically switched. The units have been designed to eliminate leakages in vacuum handling systems by monitoring each individual channel for excessive in-flows of air, shutting down the leaking channel. Replacing expensive to run multi-pump systems, the new units are said to provide high efficiency, thus reducing investment costs.

A new method of studying English via the Internet is about to be launched in Europe and Japan. It is a virtual language school, where everyone can talk to anyone else, just as in a normal classroom, and where a teacher is constantly available. This is the first school of its type, according to EF Education, the language-teaching company that is developing it. The students are represented on screen by graphic figures, and can raise their hands, or express thoughts and feelings through facial expressions. Dialogue takes place over the Internet using a microphone.

A light but robust instrument that can be used to measure resistivity and induced polarisation (IP) during prospecting — that is how the Swedish company ABEM Instrument AB describes the latest addition to its Terrameter range, the SAS 4000. The instrument makes it possible to distinguish between, among other things, clay and water, thus increasing the probability of identifying usable water sources. The company also claims that the instrument can be used for detecting leaks from waste deposits, as well as in geotechnical surveying and mineral prospecting.

The Swedish company Leine & Linde has extended its product range to incorporate absolute 25-bit multi-turn encoders for industry. Accuracy is claimed to be very high. Production hold-ups can be avoided or minimised due to advanced diagnostics and error-handling functions, thus saving time and money. The encoder, which is bus-connected, supports the standard SSI, PROFIBUS-DP, and CAN-bus interfaces.

During the past few years Finland has emerged as a vital hub for European companies who require reliable rail and land transport connections with Russia and the other CIS countries. Finland is the only EU country having a common border with Russia. Both countries also share the same rail gauge. No other west European country can match Finland’s experience of direct transportation to Russia.