Rising demand for high-end POP signage brings an EFI VUTEk HS100 Pro to The Garvey Group

EFI  and The Garvey Group today announced the installation of a new EFI VUTEk HS100 Pro UV inkjet press at The Garvey Group's Los Angeles production facility. The two companies made the announcement during the GlobalShop 2014 retail, design and visual merchandising show in Las Vegas.

Installed earlier this month, the new, high-volume press gives The Garvey Group increased capacity to meet growing entertainment and national retailer demand for premium, point-of-purchase (POP) signage. The 3.2-metre wide press also strengthens The Garvey Group's service capabilities in high-end indoor and outdoor promotional graphics for Hollywood TV and film studios.

The press purchase puts The Garvey Group at the forefront of superwide-format imaging capabilities, expanding the capacity and quality the company offers through its national fleet of digital and litho production presses.

"Quality and speed are essential to our retail and entertainment industry customers, and they need suppliers who are proactive in their ability to consistently produce accurate, high-end work under tight deadlines," said Ed Garvey, CEO of The Garvey Group. "Our talented teams partnered with EFI several years ago to establish an advanced graphic imaging platform that helps our customers build their brands. Now, the faster, higher-volume EFI VUTEk HS100 Pro is taking The Garvey Group's reliability, quality and support offering to new heights."

The VUTEk HS100 Pro prints on a wide variety of roll and rigid media. It also offers throughput comparable to screen printing, with print quality that approaches offset. Operating at speeds up to 100 boards per hour, the press has a number of imaging- and productivity-enhancing features including:

• Printing in up to eight colours, including the industry's best white ink and a unique, multi-layer printing capability for superior visual appeal on backlit displays and other applications.
• EFI's Pin & Cure imaging technology, which offers precise ink lay-down for critical colour accuracy and consistency, gloss control and an increased colour gamut.
• True, variable-dot greyscale inkjet head technology for higher image quality and better matching of brand colours.

"EFI has a long and successful history of working with The Garvey Group and we are excited about arming this valued customer with the best-in-class capabilities of our high end EFI VUTEk HS100 Pro inkjet press," said Frank Mallozzi, senior vice president, worldwide sales and marketing, EFI. "With this press, The Garvey Group can offer a higher level of speed and quality to businesses in the retail and entertainment industries."

 

Digital Information to launch SpectroPocket for Android at IPEX 2014

Swiss manufacturer Digital Information will be unveiling its new SpectroPocket for Android, the world’s first system for measuring single colour patches on different substrates using commercially available spectrocolorimetry and displaying the recorded colour values on any mobile Android device, at IPEX 2014,  on booth N4-B359.

Prior to the release of the SpectroPocket, PC hardware and operating systems such as MS Windows or Mac OS restricted flexibility and mobility when measuring colour. The introduction of Digital Information’s SpectroPocket for Android represents a great stride in the portability and functionality of colour measurement technology. For the first time, it is possible for smartphones or tablet computers to connect directly to scanning spectrophotometers via an external USB interface. Users can now measure colour virtually anywhere with lightweight equipment â€" on-site at a customer facility, in the office, at the laboratory, on press â€" or, wherever your business takes you.

SpectroPocket for Android is a compact, portable, box-shaped device with integrated software and rechargeable USB battery which connects directly to the spectral measuring device via USB. Communication between the SpectroPocket and the mobile Android device is transferred via Bluetooth technology. Spectral values are then interpreted and displayed on the Android smartphone or tablet computer using an Android App.

All display modes necessary can be viewed on the Android device: spectral remission values as figures and curves, as well as LAB, density, XYZ and RGB values. Colour differences between two measurements are shown as Delta E. Perfect colour densities derived from spectral measurements are calculated by the BestMatch function. For further use on the web or in the Cloud, the entire series of measurements can be easily exported or imported as standard CxFâ„¢ (Color Exchange Format) format files, or transmitted to another Android device. Currently, SpectroPocket for Android supports the i1 Proâ„¢, i1Pro 2, and ColorMunkiâ„¢ Design scanning spectrophotometers from X-Rite.

The cost-effectiveness of purchasing the complete SpectroPocket for Android solution bundle including the SpectroPocket hardware and software, supported spectrophotometer, Android-enabled device, and SpectroPocket App represents a significant savings over the purchase of far more costly portable measuring instruments currently available on the market.

Looking ahead, Digital Information will be launching SpectroPocket Report, an Internet-based database. Evolving from Digital Information’s world-class InkZone Report, SpectroPocket Report is a colour database developed to enable customers to view and manage the color data from their SpectroPocket on the web.

SpectroPocket for Androidâ„¢ Technical Specifications:

• Supports i1Pro, i1Pro 2 and ColorMunki Design from X-Rite via USB.
• Runs on Android from version 4.1
• Delta E calculated from CIE 1976, CIE 2000, CIE 1994 and CMC 2:1

SpectroPocket for Androidâ„¢ will be available in the second quarter of 2014.

ISOFrame Wave versatility proves a success for ICT Direct

In the past few years educational IT specialist, ICT Direct, has used its ISOFrame Wave stand from Paul Turner Displays at six major exhibitions as well as at several smaller events. The space taken at each event has varied considerably requiring the stand to work in many different configurations.

Some of the graphics have been updated and added to, as ICT Direct has developed its product range.  However, the core system originally purchased is still very much at the heart of the stand. There are now several large fabric panels incorporated into the system, which enable the stand to cover a much greater space at an exhibition.

The stand’s most recent outing was to Excel in London for the largest educational technology show in Europe, BETT. John Graham of ICT Direct comments, “I know Paul Turner, from Paul Turner Displays told us the system would be versatile when he first came to talk to us some years ago, but I didn’t really imagine we’d still be using it after all this time.

"We’ve expanded so much as a company and we now take a much larger space at the main shows, but the ISOFrame Wave system has always kept up with us. Whilst we’ve changed some of the original graphics, the main way we’ve expanded the stand is by adding fabric panels. They’re brilliant, they weigh next to nothing and provide a massive, seamless panel - there isn’t really a visible framework. Not only that, I can take them home and put them in the washing machine!” 

A lot of exhibitors at BETT are large organisations and so have space only, custom built stands, but there are also plenty of smaller companies who book shell schemes. ICT Direct would fall somewhere in the middle; they don’t want a simple shell scheme but don’t need a custom built stand either. Sometimes it isn’t easy being ‘middle sized’.

John continues, “A lot of the smaller companies had pop ups or roller banners put up within a shell scheme. The problem with this was that there’s always a bit of shell scheme sticking up above their roller banner. To be frank, it doesn’t look that professional. With our ISOFrame Wave stand, it’s that bit taller so we can often make ourselves more visible to visitors from a distance.”

John concludes, “The versatility of the ISOFrame Wave stand has made it a brilliant promotional tool for us, and exceptional value for money too. Paul Turner Displays have been extremely supportive in making sure it has worked to its optimum at every show we’ve attended.”

PaperlinX partners with UKSG to provide expert vehicle wrapping training courses

PaperlinX has partnered with UK Sign Group (UKSG) to provide expert vehicle wrapping training courses around the country. All courses are wholly independent and endorsed by the British Sign and Graphics Association.

PaperlinX has just announced the dates and venues for the latest wave of courses. These are: Manchester from 18 March, Northampton from 8 April, London from 29 April, Shoreham-by-Sea 13-16 May and Bristol from 19 May. For more information or to register, please visit www.ppxtraining.com

Courses on offer include a two-day Vehicle Wrap Training course, suitable for people who can already apply vinyl to a reasonable standard and want to take it further and learn to wrap. The course takes delegates through the full process of wrapping a vehicle step-by-step and uses three of the best brands of vinyl available in the industry - Orafol, 3M and Avery. 

There’s also a one-day Vinyl Application course available at novice and advanced levels. The novice course teaches the basic skills and practical techniques needed for vinyl application. While the advanced course is designed for people confident in applying simple graphics but who want to learn about more difficult applications such as etched glass on windows for example; the day also covers some wrapping techniques.

A one-day accreditation programme is also on offer for experienced Vinyl & Wrap Technicians. This consists of a wrap assessment exam designed to test knowledge of wrapping and understanding of the media and also includes a hands-on assessment of the vehicle wrapping process. Those who pass the exam will be recognised as an Accredited Vinyl & Wrap Technician and become part of a nationally acknowledged network of elite vehicle wrappers and vinyl technicians within the UK.

All of the UKSG courses are conducted on a specially customised articulated lorry, that’s been kitted out to include vinyl application facilities, a rapid air room temperature control system and a six-man lecture room complete with computers and a plasma TV for training.

“With several conveniently located course venues around the UK, the benefits to sign makers are numerous,” says Frank Moran Managing Director PaperlinX Visual Technology Solutions.  “When it comes to value, official recognition, convenience and quality of training, these courses really do provide you with a competitive edge and a tangible opportunity to grow your business.”

PaperlinX has also pledged to drive orders to accredited wrappers. Established last year, www.thecarwrapclub.com is a one-stop-shop for car owners looking for information on how to personalise their vehicles. All enquires received via the consumer facing site are passed onto accredited partners to fulfil.

Sussex Sign Company opts for ‘faultless’ Nazdar inks from QPS

Brighton and Hove, UK-based Sussex Sign Company offers a full signage service from design to manufacture and installation.  The company has been in operation for nearly 20 years and employs 21 people.

Eleven years ago, Sussex Sign Company added digital printing services to its portfolio with a Tiara Opal, appointing Quality Print Services (QPS) as equipment and maintenance supplier a year later. 
Despite being based across the country in Burscough in Lancashire, the QPS team, led by Managing Director Chris Bailey, has become a key contact for Sussex Sign Company.  "Chris has been keeping us running and keeping us turning over for ten years," explains Norman Mayhew, Managing Director of the signage company. "We trust him."

This trust soon led to a switch from OEM digital printing inks to Nazdar premium alternative inks; Bailey recommended the brand for its value and reliability, and Mayhew was convinced to try it. In the past decade, Sussex Sign Company has run Nazdar inks supplied by QPS on a Mimaki JV3 and, since its installation by QPS last May, a Roland VersaArt RE-640.

Nazdar 1302 Series and 2000 Series, for the Mimaki JV3 and Roland VersaArt respectively, are colour-matched and chemically compatible with original equipment manufacturers’ (OEM) inks.  This enables users to avoid the cost of waste ink and reprofiling when changing to Nazdar products.  In order to make the swap, simply insert a Nazdar cartridge into the relevant printer when the OEM cartridge runs out and enjoy continuity of print, yet with an added bonus of an increase in profit.

“The Nazdar ink has been faultless," says Norman Mayhew.  "Businesses often switch to alternative inks because they're cheaper.  Whilst Nazdar ink is cost effective, it's also reliable with really good colourfastness - essential attributes for our company.”

Nazdar’s ink portfolio includes solvent, UV-curable, aqueous and dye-sublimation inks designed specifically for many of the most popular machines on the market.  QPS is a main distributor of Nazdar digital inkjet ink products, offering the widest range of high performance inks for today’s commercial inkjet printers.

"During our decade-long relationship with Sussex Sign Company we've supplied both second-user and new printers, and the ideal alternative inks from Nazdar to help them run reliably and at a lower cost," says Chris Bailey, Managing Director, QPS.  “We're always happy to make the trip down to Sussex to work with Norman and his team and are looking forward to helping them expand further this year.” 

For more information on Nazdar, please visit www.nazdar.com

For more information on Sussex Sign Company, please visit www.sussexsigns.com

For more information on QPS, please visit www.qualityprintservices.com

Fujifilm launches Uvijet KV ink for light industrial applications

Fujifilm has launched a new thermo forming UV-cured inkjet ink, Uvijet KV, for light industrial applications. Continual investment in R&D at its award-winning ink manufacturing plant in Broadstairs, UK, has enabled the company to act on the recognised need for a high quality digital ink targeted at these applications.

The new ink system has been designed specifically for use with the company’s renowned mid-range flatbed printers, the Acuity Advance Select and Acuity Advance Select HS. The new formulation maintains the high quality, vivid colours and excellent performance expected from a Fujifilm ink, with no compromise to the print speed. Once the printing of a flat plastic sheet is completed, it is removed to a mould where it is heated up to take on the shape of the mould, and then cooled. The ink has outstanding elongation properties of 300-400% when heated, returning to a ‘normal’ state when cool.

“The Acuity is a platform that has become established as the industry benchmark for print quality in its category, and now with the addition of Uvijet KV to the ink range, we are able to help our customers take advantage of profitable new applications,” comments Mike Battersby, marketing manager, Large Format at Fujifilm Speciality Ink Systems.

He continues, “Large format printing has for some time been expanding away from the ‘traditional’ graphics markets, so we’ve been using our extensive ink and application knowledge to develop solutions which allow these systems to be used for different light industrial applications. The use of inkjet printing in thermo forming is not well established, but there is an opportunity for early adopters to use their creativity and innovation to open up and develop exciting new markets.”

“Uvijet KV ink is extremely flexible so that it can heat and cool without cracking or flaking. Other UV-cured digital inks simply would not be able to achieve this level of flexibility.” He continues, “Thermo forming is an ever more popular process in industrial applications, with a variety of plastics being used. Typical substrates that could be printed include polystyrene and PETG, both of which mould easily into new shapes when hot. We are very excited about the new ink, as it opens up new business opportunities for our prospects and customers.”

Tismo Products BV in The Netherlands has been one of the early adopters of this technology. Co-owner, Mr Jeroen Maessen comments, “I have been particularly impressed by the print quality that we have been able to achieve with the Acuity Select 4006 and the thermo forming properties of Uvijet KV. We have plans to bring these benefits to market in a new concept based around the personalisation characteristics of a digital solution.”

Uvijet KV ink is commercially available now, and will be featured on Fujifilm stands at InPrint in Hannover, Sign & Digital UK in Birmingham, and FESPA Digital in Munich. This inkjet set can be used in conjunction with Fujifilm’s UV-cured screen white, Omniplus UL.

Harrisons Signs invests in Mimaki SUV wide format printer to optimise workflow and productivity

In order to support future growth and meet increasing customer demand for fast turnaround jobs, York-based Harrisons Signs recently made the decision to invest in a new Mimaki SUV wide format printer to optimise workflow and productivity.

Peter Robinson of Harrisons Signs explains, "With our current high workload, we were starting to see production bottle necks which we were keen to eliminate. Having used Mimaki printers since the early years of this century (a JV3 followed by a JV33 that is still providing great service) we eagerly accepted an invitation from PaperlinX to test drive the latest technology in its demonstration suite.” The sheer quality of the output from the Mimaki SUV, coupled with the company's experience of the brand saw an order placed on the day.

Robinson said that the potential for cost and efficiency savings in all areas of production was one of the main reasons for its investment. “Whilst the new machine has only been in use for a couple of months, we are already reaping the rewards and expect a very early return on investment," he said.

Ease of use was a key factor in the decision. “With similar technology and interface coupled with valuable onsite training from PaperlinX, the transition was virtually seamless and delivered almost immediate production benefits," he added.

Of particular interest to Harrisons was the instantly dry print delivered by the new printer. "The speed of the whole job is an essential real-world calculation and with this we’ve got new found flexibility. Much of the time, we're cutting out post-print processes such as laminating which makes us more competitive and efficient.”

Robinson estimates that the business has realised an efficiency gain of around 25% and the new technology has enabled it to offer customers additional services. “A 30m print run might previously have taken as long as 4½ hours to output; the new SUV reduces this to around 3-3½ hours, which is a significant time saving,” he said.  “And, we've got new products coming off the Mimaki SUV such as 1.5m pull-up banners. We don't need to laminate because of the toughness of the inks; the colours jump off the media and they’re quick to produce. In addition, without the need for drying or degassing of the print output, it gets trimmed and fitted into the cartridge, the instant it comes off the printer."

According to Robinson, these new found efficiencies have become a key factor in customer retention, something he sees up his supply chain as well down. "We've worked with PaperlinX for 13 years as a preferred supplier and the relationship we have with them is similar to what we strive for with our own customers," he said. "Their 'can do' attitude, competitive pricing and the level of service and tech support we receive matches our expectations - it's nice to feel properly looked after!"

PaperlinX return to Sign & Digital UK in 2014 with a stand promoting its range of digital print solutions, including products from the Mimaki range. For more information or to pre-book a demo on stand, please email digital.uk@paperlinx.com.

The complete range of Mimaki products can be found at www.hybridservices.co.uk - the homepage of its exclusive UK and Irish distributor, Hybrid Services Ltd who also have a strong presence at the exhibition.

For more information on Harrisons Signs, please visit www.harrisonsigns.co.uk.