ILFORD's BioMedia announced as substrate partner at FESPA Digital Print Shop Live

Ilford's BioMedia range has been announced as the exclusive substrate partner at FESPA Digital Print Shop Live. As the first ever FESPA Print Shop Live in Europe, Ilford has chosen the event to mark the European launch of its BioMedia range, the recyclable and biodegradable alternative for today’s commercial vinyl products.

Print Shop Live at FESPA Digital 2012 is an interactive event that recreates a fully functional, live print shop environment. With Print Shop Live tours taking place over four days throughout the FESPA trade show, visitors will be able to see a real production workflow close up, with expert commentary from global industry experts including Sophie Matthews-Paul, Juan Diaz Diaz, and Ilford Technical Support Specialist Martin Lannon.

For FESPA Print Shop Live, Ilford has chosen to focus on demonstrating the BioMedia Display Film, which was recently nominated for the prestigious 2012 Wide-Format Imaging Magazine Readers’ Choice Top Product Awards. The BioMedia Display Film employs the renowned coating technologies of Ilford to create a universally compatible layer, producing high-quality image results across a wide range of commercial printing equipment including Aqueous, Ecosolvent, Solvent and Latex printers. Working with a live audience, Ilford expert Martin Lannon and the Print Shop Live team will demonstrate the professional quality results produced by BioMedia Universal Display Film, which is suitable for a diverse range of applications.

The prepress workflow on show at Print Shop Live will include colour management software from GMG, together with ripping and preflighting tools from Onyx. Output will be demonstrated across multiple print devices from suppliers including Epson, HP and Mutoh, showcasing a wide array of print technologies for conventional and textile applications. FESPA’s Global Finishing Partner Esko Graphics will contribute its Kongsberg cutting solutions to demonstrate this aspect of wide format print finishing.

Visitors wishing to take part in Print Shop Live can register free of charge online to take fully hosted tours, with regular tours available in English and Spanish. Printers may also choose to submit their own artwork in advance to be printed live during their tour.

For more detail on all the individual solutions on show within Print Shop Live!, to register for tours, or to find out about submitting your own artwork, visit www.printshoplive.net

The Ilford BioMedia range includes:

• BioMedia Display Film: A flexible printing substrate available in standard roll sizes and in 300, 400 and 550 micron. Using a microporous imaging front layer, BioMedia Display Film is compatible with aqueous, eco-solvent, solvent and latex technology and is certified by HP for use with their latex printers. It is suitable for indoor applications as a direct replacement for coated vinyl or polyester media and can be used in a variety of applications from pop-ups and point of sale displays to posters and exhibition panels.
• BioMedia Display Film UV: Compatible with UV printers, the range is suitable for outdoor display applications including poster displays or banners. The product range is available in a range of weights and roll sizes to meet the different application requirements.
• BioMedia Rigid Display Board: These direct-to-print boards are suitable for all UV print platforms and, at 750 microns, 1.5mm and 2.7mm thicknesses, offer durable replacements for traditional mounting boards such as Foamex. They are perfect for heavy-duty signage, internal cladding or displays.
• BioMedia Laminate: For a biodegradable satin finish, the BioMedia line includes 75, 125 and 250 micron laminates. These have similar properties to traditional polyester laminates yet are biodegradable as well as recyclable and can be used with a variety of substrates for indoor or outdoor applications.
• Photo Realistic: A paper-based media that has been certified as responsibly sourced in compliance with the requirements of the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC® C107238). Available in gloss and satin finishes and compatible with aqueous printers, the product features an instant dry porous ink receiving layer and is suitable for printing posters, exhibition panels and graphic displays.

For more information on the ILFORD BioMedia range, please visit www.ilford.com