Win a trip to the 2014 NASCAR event in LA courtesy of 3M

3M Commercial Graphics is offering purchasers of its signage and vehicle wrapping films the chance to win an all expenses-paid trip to the 2014 NASCAR (National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing) motor sports event in Los Angeles. This will be a high-octane trip of a lifetime to the home of the stars, with the experience and thrill of seeing one of the world’s most viewed sporting events in VIP style.

The main prize includes return flights from London to Los Angeles (including travel insurance), five nights accommodation at a four-star hotel in LA, courtesy car for the duration of the visit, VIP tickets for the NASCAR event and £250 spending money. Other attractions provided by 3M will be a 55-minute helicopter flight over Hollywood and the chance to mingle trackside with the 3M-sponsored NASCAR racing team and other celebrities. Adding a final magical touch to the whole NASCAR experience will be the provision by 3M of a state-of-the-art filming and editing kit to enable the winning company to promote its own stars and future business success.

The 3M/NASCAR competition is open to all purchasers of 3M qualifying products supplied in the UK from either of 3M’s primary distributors William Smith or Spandex. Entries will be accepted and acknowledged up to 2 March 2014. To enter, simply:

1. Buy any roll of a 3M qualifying product listed below
2. Visit the 3M facebook page at www.facebook.com/3MgraphicsUK
3. Visit the ‘Film Star’ tab and enter a unique code as directed (note every code entered provides another chance to win the ultimate prize).

Qualifying 3M vehicle wrapping products are:

• 3M Scotchcal Graphic Film IJ170Cv3
• 3M Controltac Graphic Film IJ180Cv3
• 3M Controltac Graphic Film IJ380
• 3M Envision Print Wrap Film 480Cv3
• 3M Wrap Film Series 1080
• 3M Scotchlite Flexible Reflective Graphic Film IJ680-10

Qualifying 3M signage products are:

• 3M Scotchcal Opaque Graphic Film Series 80
• 3M Scotchcal Opaque Graphic Film Series 100
• 3M Scotchcal Clear View Graphic Film 8150
• 3M Scotchcal Graphic Film for Textured Surfaces IJ8624
• 3M Envision Translucent Film Series 3730, Translucent Films IJ3730-50, IJ3730-60 and Diffuser Films 3735-50/60

For full terms and conditions, please visit www.facebook.com/3MgraphicsUK

Landa and Komori strengthen strategic relationship

Landa Corporation and Komori Corporation have announced the strengthening of their strategic relationship. The companies had collaborated during Landa’s development of Nanography, with Komori providing sheetfed platforms for Landa’s launch of Nanographic Printing at Drupa 2012. The companies have now formalised their long-term strategic alliance by entering into multi-faceted agreements in which Komori will be the global supplier of all sheetfed Landa Nanographic Printing Press platforms to Landa and Landa will provide Komori with Nanographic Printing technology and Landa NanoInk Colorants for incorporation into Komori-branded Nanographic Printing presses.

Since Drupa, Landa engineers have been evaluating proposals from the industry’s leading press vendors, both European and Asian, for the supply of sheetfed platforms for Landa Nanographic Printing Presses. In making its assessment, Landa took into account the caliber of engineering, robustness of design, automation, reliability and cost effectiveness. The vendor’s culture of innovation, technical resources, commercial success and financial stability were also important criteria. The conclusion of this year-long pursuit left no doubt: Komori is in a class of its own and the clear partner of choice for Landa. The outcome led Landa to place orders with Komori for sheetfed platforms for Landa’s S10 Nanographic Printing Presses, which will start to be delivered to customers in the fourth quarter of 2014.

Following a lengthy technology diligence period, during which Komori scientists and engineers studied, evaluated and tested Landa Nanographic Printing technology, Komori concluded that Nanography has the potential to deliver on its promise of matching the quality and speed of offset printing at the lowest cost per page in the digital printing industry. Komori therefore formalised its license agreement with Landa, cementing the long-term strategic alliance between the companies.

Landa Founder, Chairman and CEO Benny Landa says, “Since we first started our collaboration with Komori, we have been deeply impressed by the company, its people and its culture. Komori is an outstanding partner for Landa, bringing an extremely high caliber of engineering expertise, second-to-none quality and performance, together with a fervent commitment and willingness to invest in the future. It is gratifying to have as our strategic partner the one global press vendor that continues to thrive despite the challenges faced by the industry.”

Yoshiharu Komori, Komori President, Chairman and CEO, says, “It is a great honour to be able to cooperate with Landa in bringing Nanography to market. Our teams have been closely monitoring Landa’s development and have been amazed with the progress made so far, which exceeds our expectations. We believe that the impact of Benny Landa’s new invention, Nanographyâ€"with the Komori platformâ€"will have a far greater impact even than his introduction of the first digital printing press.“

Pre-registered Ipex 2014 visitors eligible for BAPC annual conference discount

Visitors who pre-register to Ipex 2014 will be eligible for an exclusive discount to the BAPC’s annual conference. Taking place on 17th and 18th January 2014, the BAPC’s conference features a host of acclaimed speakers on the future of business and a line-up of highly respected figures from the print industry â€" including Ipex 2014 Event Director, Trevor Crawford. The BAPC is run by printers for printers, and is the leading trade association for the creative industry â€" which includes the graphic arts, print and communication sectors.

Sidney Bobb, Chairman of the BAPC, comments, “The BAPC’s annual conference is renowned for providing insightful and stimulating presentations that shed light on a whole range of issues to help print businesses be more efficient, effective and profitable. Trevor’s experience and understanding of the industry makes him an ideal candidate to speak at the event. By pre-registering for Ipex 2014 for free, UK printers not only book their attendance to Ipex â€" 2014’s must-attend international print event â€" but receive a discounted deal to attend our ever popular conference. It’s a win-win situation.”

Trevor Crawford, Ipex 2014 Event Director, adds, “Ipex 2014 has always had a strong affinity with the BAPC. The organisations are two aligning synergies that work tirelessly to help and promote the print industry and I am looking forward to discussing this first hand with the BAPC’s members in January alongside an impressive line-up of speakers. As always, it promises to be a productive and exciting event that puts print at the core of its agenda.”

For further details on the BAPC conference and Ipex 2014, please visit www.bapc.co.uk and www.ipex.org respectively.

Fespa promotions target global growth

Michael Ryan and James Ford will handle events from the group's worldwide event calendar. The former will head up next year's launch of Fespa Africa. He will also drive growth for Fespa's Brasil and Eurasia shows, launched this year, and Fespa Mexico, which has been running for five years.

Ford will cover the main European exhibitions including Fespa Digital as well as Asian events including Fespa China. Ryan has been with Fespa over a decade and Ford has been with the group for eight years. They are part of a seven-strong sales team at the UK base in Reigate, Surrey.

Ryan said: "Our goal is to increase numbers of international exhibitors and visitors through the various regions. This involves looking at what the market wants and where the industry is going. These markets have such potential for global manufacturers.

"Everyone is still very focused on the European and US markets but I would like to see increasing numbers of international products that we can bring to the other markets. At the Eurasia show, for example, there were direct partnerships with HP, Fujifilm and Roland.

"The key thing is getting the right balance of improving visitor numbers but ensuring they get to see the best technology. Fespa is a not-for-profit organisation but it would be good if the shows prompted investment in seminars and sharing knowledge to help growth in the industry."

Fespa managing director Neil Felton said: "In less than a decade Fespa has transformed itself from an international trade association with a single, three-yearly European event, to a global event brand with a footprint on four continents.

"It has a growing reputation for content-rich business events attracting senior decision makers. Mike and James have been instrumental in this development and their promotion now gives them full ownership of sales and exhibitor account management for the events they work on."

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Canon launches Océ PlotWave 340 and Océ PlotWave 360 wide format printers

Canon has added two new wide format printers to its wide format portfolio.  The new Océ PlotWave 340 and Océ PlotWave 360 printers aim to help technical users working on projects with other parties via online portals, or the cloud, and who require more flexibility from their multifunctional printing system.

The Océ PlotWave 340 and Océ PlotWave 360 feature the new Océ ClearConnect multi-touch user panel, which is similar to tablet technology and enables operators to open a document, zoom in and out and pan to specific areas to check critical details. Operators are able to view a live “what you see is what you print” preview while scanning or copying, helping to avoid costly errors.

Files can be pulled to the new Océ PlotWave printers from cloud-enabled workflows and scanned to the cloud of choice â€" simplifying workflows with remote project members. Users can also print files from a USB stick or other network locations.

Those that need to access the new printers and print via a mobile device can do so using the Océ Publisher Mobile App. For more complex document sets, users can print from a desktop PC via Océ Publisher Select.

The Océ PlotWave 340 and Océ PlotWave 360 can print up to six plots in one minute, with virtually no warm-up time, thanks to Océ Radiant Fusing technology. From cold click to print-in-hand takes less than 40 seconds, compared to the four minutes typical of conventional printers. Both devices offer a high print resolution of 600 x 1200 dpi.

Concurrent operation capabilities enable the Océ PlotWave 340 and Océ PlotWave 360 to be used for printing while simultaneously copying or scanning.

Duncan Smith, Wide Format Group Director, Canon UK, comments, “The new Océ PlotWave printers provide users with the means to save time and money when printing, copying and scanning low volumes of technical documents. They offer a new standard in user interaction and cloud integration, along with excellent print quality and speed.”

[Image shows Canon Océ PlotWave 360]

Mimaki adds to digital textile range with Tx500-1800B launch

The new machine, which is sold in the UK by Mimaki's distributor Hybrid Services, joins the TX400-1800D direct-to-fabric and the TS500-1800 and TS34-1800A transfer paper printers in Mimaki's textile printing range.

Like its predecessor, the TX400-1800D, Mimaki's TX500-1800B can print reactive dye, sublimation dye, acid dye and pigment inks, making it compatible with a range of pre-treated fabrics, including: cotton; silk, nylon and wool; polyester or transfer paper. All inks come in two litre ink bottles.

The machine's have similar print widths with the TX500 marginally narrower at 1,820mm to the TX400's 1,850mm. Minimum print width on the TX500 is 210mm and it can handle media weights of up to 60kg and thicknesses up to 5mm.

One of the main differences is in speed, where the TX500 is almost 1.5x as fast as the TX400 in comparable print modes (eight-colour, 600x600dpi, eight pass bi-directional printing) with an output of 60sqm.

In four-colour printing, the TX500 has a maximum print speed of 140sqm/hr (in 300x300dpi draft mode), dropping to a maximum eight-colour print speed of 85sqm/hr at the same resolution.

At its highest 600x1,200dpi resolution, the TX500 has a maximum four-colour print speed of 45sqm/hr and a maximum eight-colour speed of 22sqm/hr.

Features include a conveyor belt that feeds the fabric without tension, enabling high-quality printing on elastic materials, and a variable dot function that is said to deliver "rich gradation without banding" and "accurate printing of fine lines".

Mimaki Europe general marketing manager, EMEA, Mike Horsten said: "We believe that the TX500-1800B will speed up the gradually growing transition to digital printing in the worlds of textile and apparel.

"Fashion designers and others in the industry will be able to produce vibrant small lot products on unique materials that were not readily available for digital printing in the past. This includes cotton, silk, hemp and rayon."

He added that the TX500 used less ink and water, resulting in less waste, than other printing methods.

Pricing was unavailable at the time of writing, but is expected to be announced before the end of the year. The TX400-1800D costs from £55,000.

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Allen Signs installs new signage at University of Lincoln

The University of Lincoln’s city centre campus is being rebranded with the institution’s new logo, with help from Lincolnshire based signage and vehicle livery specialist Allen Signs.  The university rebranded in 2012 and, following a competitive tendering process, appointed Allen Signs to replace the old signage.

Allen Signs' account manager, Glen Merryweather, worked closely with the Marketing and Estates departments at the University to develop the signs so that they are not only functional but also demonstrate the gravitas of the university’s new branding.

The design and concepts went in for planning at the end of April and so far Allen Signs has installed a 3m x 3m sign on the main administrative building, an illuminated monolith at the entrance to the main car park and a way-finding signage system to help students, staff and visitors easily navigate their way around the Brayford Pool Campus.

The firm has also printed the graphics for hoardings which currently surround the construction work underway at the university’s GCW Library and in the Main Administration Building, and large banner displays which were used to welcome guests to Lincoln Castle during the recent graduation ceremonies.
Having installed one sign on the west elevation of the Main Administration Building, Allen Signs is now finalising the planning for the production and installation of five other signs which will be positioned at the campus’ main entrance points.

Glen explains, “Part of the brief was to raise the visual profile of the University in Lincoln and to highlight key sites around the campus by installing signs at strategic locations.  We are honoured to be working with the university on such a major project, building on our experience within the education sector. We are looking forward to continuing working with the university to improve its visibility and reflect the on-going developments and improvements across the campus.”