'Afourdable' media for signmakers from William Smith

William Smith is giving signmakers a helping hand by reducing the price of the four most popular films in 3M’s portfolio. Signmakers can now more easily meet their customers’ budgets across a wide range of signage applications, without compromising on the quality of service they offer.  Dubbed ‘The Afourdables’, the 3M products include 30 Series, 50 Series, 2330 Series and IJ20 Series.

30 Series

30 Series is a three to five year monomeric opaque film for interior and exterior use. Available in 39 gloss and 35 matt colours, it is suitable for application to flat surfaces on windows, signage, display graphics and vehicles.

Trek Highway Services uses 3M 30 Series for temporary traffic management signage. “It was chosen for its performance as it is easy to cut, handles well and meets the requirements of our markets. Pricing is also very reasonable,” says Paul Manning

DS Signs’ Robert Cook adds, “We use 3M 30 Series for most of our work, which is temporary For Sale/To Let boards. It was chosen on the basis of price and does a good job for the cost of the material.”

50 Series

50 Series is a five to seven year polymeric opaque general purpose film for a wide range of signage and marking applications. It comes in a choice of 60 colours and is suitable for application to flat surfaces without rivets.

Stripes Bournemouth uses 3M 50 Series for vehicle graphics and general signage. Malcolm Parker says, “It’s a brilliant material, easy to weed out and easy to apply. We chose 50 Series because most customers know 3M and recognise the quality of their products. It has never let us down and lasts well”

2330 Series

2330 Series is a five to seven year translucent polymeric film, available in 34 colours, and offers an affordable solution for internally illuminated signs as well as window graphics. With a low surface gloss to eliminate glare, it provides uniform colour in both reflected and transmitted light.

Laura Hoult, NCS Fabrications, says, “3M 2330 Series was specified by our client and is used to plot text and apply to acrylic panels, which are illuminated. The quality of the material is excellent and the price is very reasonable for a 3M product,”

IJ20 Series

IJ20 Series is a one to two year monomeric digital print film that offers a high quality image with solvent based piezo inkjet and electrostatic printers. It is available in white gloss, white matt and transparent gloss, all with removable adhesive and suitable for a wide range of signage applications.

‘The Afourdables’ are all available from William Smith ex-stock as full, part or split rolls, with next day delivery of full or part rolls on orders placed before 6pm.

For more information, please visit www.williamsmith.co.uk

[picture shows signage created by DS Signs using 3M 30 series media]

LFR on the Money: Managing late paying customers

LFR's latest ‘On the Money’ feature focuses on how businesses can manage the problem of late paying customers.  With the problem of late payment showing few signs of subsiding, Alex Hilton-Baird, Managing Director of commercial debt collection agency Hilton-Baird Collection Services, looks at the measures businesses should take to safeguard their cash flow.

“The issue of late payment remains a constant thorn in the sides of businesses large and small.

Research from Bacs Payment Schemes has highlighted just how difficult things are at present. It found that there was £36.4 billion owed to UK businesses in overdue payments at the end of June. This equates to the average business being owed a shocking £36,000.

But while the debate surrounding what can be done to reduce the problem continues, it’s important for businesses themselves to do all they can to ensure their processes are as watertight as possible:

Set clear procedures

Often overlooked, it is important for businesses to implement and stick to a credit policy. This should define the step-by-step set of procedures across the business that should be followed from the moment a customer places an order, ending only once the invoice has been paid in full. This will ultimately improve efficiency and reduce the likelihood of an invoice slipping through the net.

Know your customers

As soon as an order is received, perform credit checks to ascertain whether the customer is creditworthy or has a history of paying late. Hilton-Baird Collection Services’ Late Payment Survey found that just 47% of businesses credit check new customers, with only 30% regularly assessing the creditworthiness of existing customers. This information can then be used to determine the length of the credit terms offered, or whether payment is requested up front.

Invoice on time

It may sound obvious, but invoicing immediately will help to speed up payment times as many customers won't pay until the invoice is received. Just as important is the accuracy of the information on the invoice; any mistakes and customers could well delay payment further. A quick call to confirm receipt of the invoice and to check there are no disputes can help to identify any problems early on.

Make payment easy

Just one in five businesses cite cheques as a preferred payment method according to the British Chambers of Commerce, yet two in three accept them as a form of payment. Cheques are susceptible to a range of excuses, so offer customers fast and simple payment methods such as direct debits, standing orders and BACS payment. Clearly display the accepted payment methods and details on invoices and note it can also be beneficial to offer early settlement discounts.

Be proactive

Make sure you’re aware of when each invoice is due. Chasing payments as soon as they exceed terms will mop up any genuine mistakes from customers, but also serve the purpose of demonstrating that you are in control. Should reminders continue to go unanswered, consider the benefits of using an outsourced debt collection agency. This will increase the likelihood of a full recovery and enable the accounts receivable team to focus on ensuring other invoices don’t follow down the same route.

Exercise your rights

Did you know businesses have a right to charge compensation and statutory interest on overdue debts? While this will help cover the cost of an invoice not being settled on time, it can also act as a useful deterrent to prevent customers from delaying payment beyond terms in the first place.

Focus on what you do best

Chasing a single customer for payment can be a drain on internal resource and also detract from the rest of the sales ledger. It also takes the attention away from identifying and securing new business. For this reason it can be useful to enlist the help of specialists who can assume control of your credit management, providing additional peace of mind.

Say thank you

Show appreciation to those who pay on time. This will make customers feel valued and being polite can go a long way towards securing repeat business.”

About Alex Hilton-Baird: Alex Hilton-Baird is Managing Director of Hilton-Baird Collection Services, which is part of the Hilton-Baird Group of companies. Established in 2001, Hilton-Baird Collection Services provides award-winning outsourced debt collection services to the UK's SME and corporate markets, as well as some of the most respected invoice financiers, leading banks and insolvency practitioners.

Hilton-Baird Collection Services was voted Commercial Debt Collection Agency of the Year in 2008, 2010 and 2011 by Credit Today magazine. In addition, two of its employees have been awarded the Commercial Collector of the Year title, with Team Leader, Charlotte Christie, winning in 2010 and Senior Collections Advisor, Peter Hepburn, winning in 2012.

Find out more about Hilton-Baird Collection Services’ range of debt collection services at www.hiltonbaird.co.uk/CS.

For more information, please contact:
Alex Hilton-Baird
Managing Director, Hilton-Baird Collection Services
Tel: 0800 9774848
Email: LFRCollections@hiltonbaird.co.uk

New tandem print function from swissQprint enables 'efficiency boosting' print mode

swissQprint has announced its latest innovation - a new Tandem Printing function that has been developed to keep the machine running non-stop and makes waiting times a thing of the past.  This new efficiency-boosting print mode is now available for all three of swissQprint's models - the Nyala, the Impala and the Oryx.

The tandem function is the ideal solution for anyone who requires the greatest possible output for continuous production. The principle is straightforward: load your precut sheets on the front of the flatbed table and start the print job. Immediately, while the machine is printing the first row of sheets, the operator loads more sheets on the rear half of the table. Once the first sheets are printed, the print carriage moves to the rear and continues printing. The operator unloads the printed sheets at the front of the work area and loads the next sheets. Production continues until the print run is complete - the machine works non-stop without interruption.

The new tandem function from swissQprint is designed for high production of precut substrates up to 760mm in height making it ideal for standard sizes such A4 ~ A1 or 600x900. The print job could be large runs of the same image, or differing images on every sheet such as in the case of variable data printing. Tandem is ideal when combining the digital process with screen or offset â€" allowing you to easily personalize large prints runs or apply special features like spot varnish.

The technology behind the application

To achieve such productivity and ensure the process would be simple to use and seamless required rethinking the manufacturing process and developing new automation features in the swissQprint Amber software. The printing table was divided into a front and rear vacuum zone. The front zone is active when a print job is running at the front; the same applies to the rear zone. Both zones can work completely independently or simultaneously, ensuring that precut sheets in Tandem mode, large panels of up to 3.2 x 4 metres in standard mode, or roll stock up to 3.2 metres wide in roll-to-roll mode can be processed easily.

Significantly more output

A practical test of a 1,000 panels carried out by an end user delivered a time saving equating to 37%.

Tandem operation comes as standard with the Nyala model from swissQprint and is available as an option for the Oryx and Impala models.

[photo shows swissQprint's Nyala machine]

Memjet stakes out ambitions in commercial print

Speaking at the UK launch of the Lomond EvoJet 2, billed as "the world's fastest office printing technology", Memjet Office president Bill McGlynn said: "We are working on getting the life of the printheads up so we can put them into large commercial presses. We have a lot of gaps in commercial print that we'd like to fill."

McGlynn described the new Delphax Elan 500, which uses Memjet heads, as "very cool", and said Memjet would also be looking at other applications for its technology, including imprinting.

"In a couple of years we'll have pigment inks and a longer head life. That will give us more gamut and durability, so that door will open for us nicely," he said. "Once our customers experience how simple it is to print really fast, they never go back."

Memjet also has ambitions in the area of nano printing technology for functional printing. "We are excited about splitting nano particles in the future. Our heads could be used for all sorts of other things, for example 'printed' lithium batteries," stated McGlynn.

"A number of applications are becoming possible because of nano particles that are as interesting to us as printing, but printing is interesting to us now," he added.

McGlynn formerly worked at HP and was involved in HP's acquisition of Indigo from Benny Landa in 2001. Speaking of Landa's new Nanography printing venture he quipped: "We would love for our printheads to be in Benny Landa's presses and believe that could be more economically attractive!"

At the launch event Memjet also showed the high-speed wide-format WideStar printer, manufactured by Own-X.

The 106.7cm wide device can print at 30cm/sec at 1,600x800dpi, or 15cm/sec at 1,600x1,600dpi. It prints onto plain, matt, and glossy inkjet papers and is aimed at technical drawing and graphics applications. It is driven by a Caldera RIP.

Own-X technical director Jack Armstrong said the company was looking for potential UK resellers for the device, which has a list price of €79,000 (£64,000).

For its push into the office printing market Memjet has opted for an all-inclusive colour printing pricing model that involves a flat monthly leasing fee of between £49-£149, to include the cost of the printer, ink, and service.

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Hollywood Monster recruits Richard Hinckley to focus on new sectors

Richard Hinckley has been appointed by Hollywood Monster as the company's new national business development manager.  Richard will be tasked with developing business across the UK in new target sectors including the construction, property and facilities industries.

Prior to joining West Midlands-based Hollywood Monster, Richard worked as the sales director of Total Access UK Ltd â€" the UK's leading provider of height safety support services â€" and has been involved with projects both in the UK and overseas.

Hollywood Monster is currently celebrating its 21st anniversary during a year that has seen the company welcome 20 new employees and invest more than £1 million in new equipment to help it develop and grow the digital print side of the business.  During 2012 the company won its largest ever contract, producing more than £1 million of banners, signs, graphics and wayfinding for retail giants Westfield at its huge shopping centre site adjacent to the Olympic park in London.

On his appointment, Richard Hinckley comments, “I am thrilled to be joining Hollywood Monster’s dynamic team. The company has had an exciting year and has an excellent reputation in the industry. I hope to add to this success in my new role as business development manager by securing new business to drive Hollywood Monster forward. I was involved with the business when it started 21 years ago and I’m over the moon to be rejoining Hollywood Monster during these exciting times.”

Tim Andrews, managing director of Hollywood Monster, adds, “We are really pleased to welcome Richard to the team and I look forward to working alongside him while developing our client list within a range of sectors.”

For more information on Hollywood Monster, please visit www.hollywoodmonster.co.uk

 

HP Designjet L26500 printer installed by 4walls to meet demand for wall coverings

Cleveland, Ohio-based 4walls has purchased HP's Designjet L26500 Printer to meet increasing demand in the wall coverings sector.  The printer was installed in June 2012 and provides accurate, consistent colour reproduction across 4walls’ commercial and residential wall covering offerings.

Established in 1998, 4walls serves retailers, distributors, Fortune 500 companies and universities throughout North America as well as local small businesses for wall covering needs. The company offers an extensive library of proprietary designs and custom creations on a variety of substrates, including HP PVC-free Wall Paper.

The new system adds to 4walls’ existing portfolio of HP equipment, including HP Designjet 5500 and 9000 Printers, and helps the company meet demand from environmentally conscious clients.

“In only a few months, we secured new business with global brands as well as grown existing business with the impressive image quality and environmental benefits of the HP Designjet L26500 Printer,” said Patrick Walker, president, 4walls. “In today’s market, sustainable offerings are highly valued by our core customers. The HP Latex system helps us exceed these client expectations while also providing color fidelity.”

Delivering high-quality outdoor and indoor applications, the HP Designjet L26500 Printer offers unrivaled application versatility for projects from retail ad campaigns to interior decor. Water-based HP Latex Inks produce odourless prints and require no special ventilation. Wall coverings produced on FSC®-certified HP PVC-free Wall Paper are GREENGUARD Children & Schools Certified, allowing customers like 4walls to offer bold, colourful indoor murals without distracting odours.

“The HP Latex technology will be increasingly important for our company in the next few years as we grow our business,” said Walker. “We’re excited to see how it will continue to help us achieve our goals.” 

For more information on 4walls, please visit www.4walls.com

The Green Trail returns for Sign & Digital UK 2013

The Green Trail, which highlights products from exhibitors that can display either an eco-friendly, environmental or ethical element, will return to Sign & Digital UK in 2013, following its successful launch at the event in 2012.

Alan Caddick, marketing manager of Sign & Digital UK explains, “The Green Trail was very successful at Sign & Digital UK 2012 with exhibitors noticing an increase in discussions around eco-friendly products and visitors now actively enquiring about energy consumption and recycled materials. It was only the first year last year and it went really well â€" so much so that we are running it again for 2013 and this year we will be making more of it. We invite our exhibitors to make us aware of any products being shown at the event that will fit this initiative.”

“There will be a good mix of products on the Green Trail list including ink and media manufacturers, printers, and recyclable display products,” adds Caddick. “Not to mention sustainable solutions from the digital signage sector.”

The Green Trail will be heavily promoted through the extensive marketing campaign leading up to the show and highlighted in the Show Guide and floorplan so visitors can easily identify which stands are taking part.  All applications for the Green Trail will be vetted to ensure that they actually do display either an eco-friendly, environmentally aware or ethical element to the product, so it’s important that exhibitors wishing to partake can demonstrate this side of their product to the organisers.

Exhibitors can register their products now for the inclusion by emailing signanddigitaluk@fav-house.com and including “Green Trail” in the subject.

For more information on Sign & Digital UK 2013, please visit www.signanddigitaluk.com or follow us on twitter @signanddigitaluk

Hybrid adds TeamViewer remote support to its technical services tool set

Hybrid Services has added TeamViewer remote support software to its Technical Services tool set.  Hybrid's technical support team is now be able to make ‘virtual visits’ to customer computers and resolve many software or computer related issues remotely - thus ensuring faster problem solving and getting customers back printing as quickly as possible.

The fast and easy access offered by the new system ensures quick diagnosis and enables the resolution of problems by allowing remote access to the customers’ computer. This saves the time involved in getting an engineer to visit the customers’ premises and - with TeamViewer being secure and safe to use - customers’ files are protected at all times.

In addition to the technical team being able to access remote computers, Hybrid’s setup allows for a two way dialogue, where files can be shared by Hybrid and accessed by the customer for testing or evaluation purposes.  With the additional feature of remote screen capture, Hybrid can analyse more complex tasks offline.

Hybrid’s technical services manager, Andy Lewis considers this latest addition to the company’s support capability to be a powerful tool. “The ability to rapidly respond to a customer is core to the service we offer at Hybrid. We have been pioneering remote software support for a number of years, but this latest addition ensures we’re providing our customers with the best backup possible.”

Offered free as part of Hybrid’s Technical Services function â€" available to in-warranty Mimaki users and those with Customer Care packages â€" the TeamViewer application is downloaded from Hybrid’s website in conjunction with instruction from a technician.

For further information on Hybrid’s complete support and technical capabilities, please visit www.hybridservices.co.uk/technical.

ILFORD launches two new products for sign and display sector

ILFORD launched two new product ranges for the sign and display market at SGIA in Las Vegas - ILFORD OMNIJET Trans and ILFORD OMNIJET NanoSolvent.

ILFORD OMNIJET Trans is an inkjet alternative to traditional backlit silver halide products. The new product has been developed for use with all wide-format aqueous printers including the popular wide-format Epson Stylus Pro 11880. Competitively priced against traditional silver halide products, ILFORD OMNIJET Trans also leaves a smaller environmental footprint by eliminating wet chemical processing.  Without the need of a darkroom, the inkjet product allows for a more efficient and cost-effective workflow.

ILFORD OMNIJET Trans produces impeccable image quality even in dense black areas and skin tones and is perfectly adapted for use in the latest generation of backlit display devices.  The new offering will be available in early 2013.

ILFORD OMNIJET NanoSolvent is a new layer offering increased productivity with solvent and eco-solvent printing. The OMNIJET NanoSolvent layer meets the highest demands for image quality and offers a very fast printing and drying speed, enabling print service providers to laminate quickly and avoid  ink transfer when the material is rolled up.

The new ILFORD OMNIJET NanoSolvent layer will be coated onto a variety of PVC-free substrates including clear and translucent film and pop-up display, self-adhesive and banner printing materials. ILFORD OMNIJET NanoSolvent versions of the FSC ® (C107238)-certified and PEFC-certified OMNIJET photo papers will also be available.  ILFORD OMNIJET NanoSolvent products will be rolled out during the first half of 2013.

“Throughout our history of activity in the commercial wide-format printing market, we have continually been a driving force in the industry’s advancement,” says Tim Maher, President of ILFORD America. “With these latest introductions, ILFORD is continuing to push the technological boundaries of our industry by developing solutions for sign and display printing that offer increased productivity and, in many cases, a reduced environmental footprint.”

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

Glossip Cartons is first UK customer of Fujifilm’s Acuity LED 1600 inkjet printer

Glossop Cartons, a printed packaging specialist, has been announced as the first UK based customer to invest in Fujifilm’s Acuity LED 1600 UV LED inkjet printer.  The solution achieves a best-in-class combination of 20m2 per hour productivity and excellent image quality and supports substrates up to 1,610mm in width.  It is designed to print on wide-format roll media, and rigid sheet substrates up to 13mm thick.

Established 30 years ago, Glossop Cartons is an SME with a solid reputation in quality litho printed cartons, wallets, blister cards, skin pack cards and packaging for the promotional, cosmetics, car accessories and luxury food business areas.  Jacky Sidebottom, director at Glossop Cartons, explains, “We work with brand owners who in turn supply large high street retailers who demand accurate printed samples of their end products. We have to submit high quality prototypes to ensure that what they see is truly what they will get.”

She continues, “Producing prototypes pre-press is both expensive and time consuming due to the different production steps involved, so when we came across Fujifilm’s Acuity LED 1600 at drupa, we immediately recognised that it would allow us to become more competitive, and enhance our service level to our clients. We had been looking at similar devices for a while and we were impressed by the quality and value for money of the Acuity LED 1600. Those features struck us as unique selling points.”

The printer features six ink colours plus white and clear ink as standard and can apply these in a single pass to produce a premium high gloss finish with a much higher efficiency than a conventional printer (where coloured and clear inks are applied in separate passes). The Acuity LED 1600 is ideal for many large format applications such as posters, in-store POP and retail displays, as well as packaging.

“There is an increasing demand for short run and bespoke packaging, and digital technology perfectly suits this requirement. Fujifilm’s Acuity LED 1600 fills a gap in the market through its ability to produce outstanding prototypes in an effective way. Thanks to the Acuity LED 1600 we can now print, and subsequently cut out, a diverse range of substrates quickly and efficiently, and also create packaging solutions distinguished by special varnishing effects. The use of this technology improves our turnaround time and removes the traditional costs of litho print and die-cutting, both of which are costly for short proof print runs,” adds Jacky.  “Fujifilm’s Acuity LED 1600 has enabled us to take our first steps into digital packaging and smoothly integrate it within our conventional production environment.”

Together with the performance of the Acuity LED 1600, Glossop Cartons is also pleased with the level of service offered by Fujifilm. Jacky concludes, “We’d already been working with Fujifilm in the pre-press area and have always found them to be a reliable supplier. All our contacts offer valuable consultancy and the company is a hassle-free and supportive partner.”

Graham Leeson, marketing communications manager Graphic Systems FUJIFILM Europe, comments, “The Acuity LED 1600 is a wide-format device which boasts unique features and raises the bar in terms of application versatility for this type of device. We are happy that print service providers such as Glossop Cartons acknowledge its value in the packaging environment and are confident that this installation is just the beginning of a successful path in this area for Fujifilm.”

[photo shows Jacky Sidebottom, director at Glossop Cartons, with the new Fujifilm Acuity LED 1600 printer]

Farndon House's diverse range of products key to its success

Chester-based Farndon House's wide-ranging production capabilities and focus on product quality rather than pure price have seen it go from strength to strength â€" even in tough economic times.  The promotional products company is visibly benefiting from a refreshing approach to product diversification with a strong customer base and hard won trade work contracts bolstering its turnover.

“I’m confident in saying that Farndon House offers as comprehensive a range of garment products as you’ll find anywhere else in the North West,” states Mark Ford, the company’s managing director. “The diversity of what we offer sets us apart from our competitors and helps iron out the trading peaks and troughs.”

With screenprint, embroidery, direct to garment and digital print capabilities in house, and the majority of jobs arriving in to Ford’s production team requiring some sort of artworking, the workflow begins with assessing the best route for the production to take.

“We look at each job individually,” he says. “Working out the best way to produce it ultimately benefits the customer as we have such a broad range of techniques available to us.”

The company’s Mimaki CJV30 printer/cutter sits at the heart of its digital print operation and enables it to not only produce the core full colour print and cut garment decoration but is a solution that has taken them into new areas too. Banners, stickers, printed bags and posters are all value adding goods that Ford’s team has added to Farndon House’s product portfolio. “If a retailer comes to us for one requirement, we can offer other merchandise too,” he confirms. “They get to deal with one supplier, making life easier for them and ensuring a consistency of design throughout.”

Ford has grown the business through a combination of strong customer retention, local exhibitions, B2B networking but most importantly, recommendations from his existing clients. “Some of our biggest contracts have come about through word of mouth,” he states, pointing to the power of a positive reputation. “It’s no secret that the way we work with our customers has brought us new business, “he continues. “Providing our customers with a ‘one stop shop’, respecting their trading relationships and regularly looking to introduce them to new products has benefitted both parties in the long run.”

Working with big name clients such as Umbro, Aldi and Sega, the company produces a broad gamut of tools to formulate integrated promotional marketing campaigns. Aldi for example, makes use of PVC banners, posters and t-shirts for its “car park sales” and new store openings. Farndon House works directly with the store group’s Northern office tailoring campaigns to specific stores, delivering a personalised and strongly branded solution.

Taking a different approach, sportswear brand Umbro makes use of Farndon House’s on-demand service, shipping boxes of hundreds of ready made garments at a time, which are then imprinted by the company with specific promotional messages and branding.

Farndon House invested in its latest wide format inkjet printer through Mimaki reseller, Signmaster Systems, and runs it in a well equipped studio alongside direct to garment inkjet technology, additional print and cut kit as well as smaller format desktop solutions for its dye sub work. Using Mimaki SS21 ink on the CJV30 the company not only benefits from the rebate linked recycling scheme run by Mimaki distributor, Hybrid Services Ltd, but achieves the quality of output its become synonymous with.

For more information, please visit www.farndonhouse.com

[photo shows Mark Ford]

Fujifilm launches Acuity Advance Select UV

The Acuity Advance Select features the same eight-channel inkset as the Océ Arizona 480 on which it is based, including two each for cyan and magenta, but with a different RIP and inks.

Whereas Océ's machine is kitted out with the ONYX Thrive workflow, Fujifilm said that it would offer the Acuity with a ColorGate RIP and its own Fuji Sericol Uvijet KO inks.

Gary Barnes, digital systems marketing manager at Fujifilm, said: "We feel the ColorGate RIP gives better image quality, turnaround time and colour control.

"The kind of companies we deal with tend to have other analogue and digital print technology so being able to print to a standard like ISO 12647, which you can do with ColorGate, and have conformity across the different processes is important."

He added that ultimately Fujifilm would be able to provide its own colour management capability through the soon-to-be-released XMF ColorPath web-based tool.

"One of the big drivers of that is being able to tune inkjet devices into screen printed work, so that you get the same colour regardless of what it's been printed on," said Barnes.

"That is going to be really attrative for printers who are working on campaigns that are printed across a mix of different media, such as banners, packaging, posters and point of sale.

"At the moment we can do that through the RIP, but the next step forward is to do it independently of the RIP and then all that colour management and colour control is defined within the cloud."

Users will be able to define a target using LAB values and then scan prints and upload the data to the cloud, which will return any adjustments that need to be made to bring the press within tolerance.

Fujifilm uses an OEM strategy in wide format and its partners include Inca, Océ and Mimaki. However, Barnes stressed that the company added value by incorporating its own technology, including some or all of software, ink and curing systems and printheads, depending on the device.

"We work with what we feel are market leaders," he said. "That allows us to choose the right machine for the right market and to focus on what we feel is important, which is the 'Fujifilm inside' if you like - all the technology in the box that makes the difference."

The flatbed UV printer is available in two models, the standard 1.2x2.5m Acuity Advance Select 4008, which costs €165,000 and the 3.05x2.5 Acuity Advance Select X2 4228, which costs €199,900.

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The Royal Academy Schools appoints two Epson Digital Print Media Tutors

Guler Ates and Barton Hargreaves have been appointed as Epson Digital Print Media Tutors at The Royal Academy Schools.  In their roles, Guler and Barton will supervise all the work in the purpose-built Epson Digital Media Suite, guiding students through the possibilities of a project, instructing on related software, facilitating projects and teaching how to use the equipment

The Royal Academy Schools is the only independent three year postgraduate art school in the world and has had a long and fruitful collaborative relationship with Epson including sponsorship of digital media with the RA Schools, and for the last 12 years, the unique luxury of its own purpose-built Epson Digital Media Suite.

This Suite is equipped with Epson’s full range of Stylus Pro large format inkjet printers, Epson inks and media and is used by students to produce high-end and experimental artworks using digital technologies, often in an unexpected or alternative ways.  Students are encouraged to take responsibility for the creation of their own digital prints, banners, photos and light box imagery as well as supplying post-production film positives, which supports the other traditional printmaking mediums such as etching and screen printing.

Before becoming Epson Tutors, Guler and Barton both worked as Digital Fellows within the Academy, gaining valuable experience in advanced digital technologies and researching the potential of the Epson printers. Prior to this they both graduated from the Royal College of Art’s specialist MA Fine Art printmaking department and have since developed respected reputations as young professional artists.

They have both had important solo exhibitions: Guler has exhibited at Art First Gallery, London, Marian Cramer Projects in Amsterdam, Fusion at Gallery Point-1 in Japan and in her native Istanbul. She was also artist in residence at Leighton House Museum, London in 2010. Barton has had solo shows at Playground Space, London and The Brook Gallery. He was included in the Northern Print Biennale and Originals at the Mall Gallery, and was commissioned by the Jerwood Foundation for which he produced ‘In Situ’, a massive site responsive digital print for the exterior of their London Gallery Space.

“Guler and Barton create artworks made within the Epson Suite and their shared knowledge, expertise and enthusiasm for the use of digital technologies within fine art practice plays an essential role in the delivery of the school’s contemporary art programme. Since their appointments the number of students working in this area and the range of applications and experimentation has increased dramatically. This has all been made possible by the on-going support of Epson,” says Mark Hampson, Head of Material Processes, Royal Academy Schools.

“The close collaboration between the Royal Academy Schools and Epson has benefited us both on many levels,” says Nick White, Business Manager, Professional Graphics, Epson UK. “The experience of working closely with artists who continually explore new horizons using digital print technologies is valuable. They learn from us and we learn from them.”

CMYUK to stage series of retail print production Open Days

CMYUK is holding a series of retail print production Open Days at its St Alban's based premises between 19th November and 14th December 2012.  The Open Days will provide a 'unique opportunity' for attendees to view the latest wide-format printing and finishing solutions from EFI VUTEk and Zünd, complemented by materials from Antalis McNaughton and framing systems from Spirit Displays.

The CMYUK Open Days are designed to show attendees, in detail, how to benefit from creating the most highly efficient integrated production environment. Technical and practical demonstrations will cover everything from design and colour handling, through print-and-cut workflows, and material handling., all leading to high quality point-of-sale and retail applications.

As the UK distributor for EFI VUTEk printers and a Premier Solution Integrator for Zünd professional finishing solutions, CMYUK Digital is holding its open days to respond to the rapidly growing demand for wide-format digital print in the display and retail graphics sectors. The company’s consultancy expertise enables it to offer the best combination of commercial production solutions, complemented by its alliance with Antalis McNaughton for expert colour matching across different substrates and application types.

The new EFI VUTEk QS2 Pro UV-curable solution will be making its UK début at the event. This latest platform incorporates true greyscale print quality, six colours plus white and sophisticated colour consistency and accuracy. The newest Zünd digital cutting systems are also on show, represented by the G3 for high volumes and the S3 entry-level product. Both will be demonstrating their fast precision capabilities using the latest Cut Centre software.

Visitors to the CMYUK Open Days will learn about all workflow elements for full point-of-sale production from design to final in-store product, and how to match accurately and consistently the colour expectations of customers. There is also the opportunity to discover how to streamline throughput, from file creation and colour control, through to fully integrated print-and-cut capabilities, showing the full potential of multi-job nesting and step-and-repeat to optimise material usage and minimise waste.

“No-one interested in the point-of-sale production environment can afford to miss this series of open days as it is the unique opportunity for learning about all the processes essential for creating innovative, high quality graphics,” states CMYUK Digital’s Robin East. “Printing and finishing technologies have progressed radically during the past five years, with particular emphasis on the last twelve months, and businesses from all sectors of the graphic arts industry can now benefit from our commercial solutions.”

As well as the latest printing and cutting technologies being demonstrated at the CMYUK Open Days, Antalis McNaughton will be showing a broad range of materials, including Nustone’s eco-friendly alternative to plastics, Dibond aluminium composite, Forex, SmartX, Kapa boards, Coala vinyls and banner media and the fully recyclable and lightweight Antacote Lite. For framing solutions, Spirit Displays is featuring products from its family of tensioned aluminium banner systems, including Spirit-Flex.

As the UK distributor for Berger textiles, CMYUK will be demonstrating the potential for digitally printed textiles. There will be a strong emphasis at the event on how UV technology competes with dye sublimation in the retail textile market, with some very significant advantages. The open days will feature the latest Berger product called Samba, designed specifically for UV-curable technology and providing a single front-lit and back-lit solution which works perfectly with the Spirit-Tex patented framing systems from Spirit Displays.

Further information and registration details are available from CMYUK Digital at www.cmyukdigital.com.

 

Winners of Inca's IDEAS awards announced

The winners of the second Inca Digital Excellence Awards (IDEAs) - designed to celebrate the creative and remarkable effects and products produced by innovative companies throughout the world using Inca printers - have been announced.

The judges - Barney Cox, Senior Consultant at InfoTrends; Stan Kilpin, Publisher of Digital Image Australia/New Zealand and Noel Ward, MD of Brimstone Hill Associates in the USA - were challenged to select outstanding efforts from an exceptional group of entries submitted from around the world. Entries in each of the six categories were selected on the basis of originality of the job, complexity of the substrate, ability to overcome design and concept challenges, success of making something special, client benefit, and visual and structural impression.

The category winners, who spanned three different continents, received a trip to SGIA in Las Vegas, courtesy of Inca, and were presented with an Inca IDEA trophy. In addition, SGIA graciously provided winners full SGIA Business Packages, which enabled free entry to the SGIA Expo and access to seminars during the show.

“This group of entries surpassed our expectations, and we would like to thank everyone who participated in the IDEAs programme this year,” notes Heather Kendle, Director of Marketing, Inca Digital Printers. “The submissions were extraordinary, in part due to the wide range of materials they are able to use, from more common plastics and boards, to more unusual substrates such as pizza dough! There were interior and exterior designs, walk-through displays, and even flip-flop sandals and interactive mannequins among the many creative entries. All of the entrants should be proud of the work they have done.”

“We are very pleased with the number of brilliant entries we received. They demonstrate that digital print technology can achieve remarkable results and allows print providers to create almost anything for their customers,” says Yoshinari Otani, COO, Inca Digital Printers. “What is particularly gratifying is that the extraordinary entries were produced on a wide range of Inca printers, from the more recent Inca Onsets, to Inca Spyders, Columbia Turbos and even on Inca Eagles installed more than a decade ago. We believe it’s a wonderful testament to the investment value of Inca Digital printers, and the ingenuity of our customers.”

The six categories (Display Graphics, 3D POS, Retail Interiors, Interactive Display, Décor & Furniture and Product Decoration) were created by Inca to encourage the widest possible range of entries and reveal some inspiring applications. All six categories were well represented and the prize-winners and runners-up in each were as follows:

Display Graphics:

 

• Winner - Artwork Digital, Brazil: for its own promotional campaign, a prototype of a Harley V-Rod 2008 printed on an Inca Spyder 320 and assembled from sheets of Re-Board®. It showed all the possibilities of working with Re-Board, creating something very innovative with the material. “Makes me want the display in my office! Innovative, compelling; shows what can be done with the material and print engine,” commented judge Noel Ward.
• Runner-up and Special Award for Creativity - Art Center, Brazil: for a self-promotional targeted campaign, using an Inca Spyder 320 and Inca Onset S20 to print fake pizza toppings directly onto real pizza dough. The 400 pizzas were delivered to creative agencies in SÃ¥o Paulo, with the message, ‘We print on paper, too.’

3D POS

• Winner â€" Delta Group, UK: This dazzling, large Snow White walk-through display for NBC Universal offered a visual impact of the feeling of the movie, including live action footage and sound. The size, structural design and print registration from a Columbia Turbo were critical, as was the quality finish. “Massive scale and obviously a complex job to conceive and produce,” noted judge Barney Cox.
• Runner-up  - Smurfit Kappa, Ireland: A Cadbury tradeshow self-supporting Halloween crypt display printed on an Inca Eagle H on both sides of Re-Board®. Large enough to be seen throughout the exhibition centre, hundreds of people walked through it to view confectionery displays.

Retail Interiors

• Winner â€" Marketing Alliance Group, US: Printed on an Inca Onset S40, this mermaid graphic for Casey Key Fish Bar was taken from an original oil painting on canvas, photographed, edited, and printed on poplar wood. Challenges were working with the grain, eliminating moisture, and the right balance of ink lay-down. Said judge Stan Kilpin, “The artwork and design play a large part in the success of this entry.”
• Runner-up - Augustus Martin, UK: A semi-permanent POS for Lloyds TSB Bank showcasing that they were Olympic sponsors. Inspired by the Olympic podium and printed on an Onset S70, the piece was made of Foamex display board and white Perspex.

Interactive Display

• Winner â€" Artwork Digital, Brazil: This giant-sized toy train with TV monitors and DVDs, was printed on Re-board® with an Inca Onset S20. “Fun!” exclaimed Noel Ward. “Kids wanted to take them home.”
• Runner-up - Express Image, USA: This self promotion, a 6-colour job using an Inca Onset S40 to print on vinyl laminated on plastic, gave the illusion of being a real-life automobile, combining video (LCD screens) with static print.

Decor and Furniture

• Winner â€" Artwork Digital, Brazil: Printed on 5 and 10 mm acrylic and vinyl adhesive on an Inca Spyder 320, this decorative ‘display’ consists of two separate recycling containers â€" one for used magazines and newspapers, and one for outdated prescription medications. Commented Stan Kilpin,”Very good design. Excellent printing on the substrate and a very successful result.”
• Runner-up - Dael Printing, Belgium: The Clicwall deco panel of bumper cars, printed on an Inca Onset S20, was 2.6m high x 2.4m wide. Dael experimented with many tests to print the correct top layer with perfect adhesion on MDF based panels.

Product Decoration

• Winner â€" Artwork Digital, Brazil: Printing on rubber with an 8-colour Inca Spyder 320 (CMYK, white, light cyan, light magenta), customized flip-flop sandals were designed and created as a promotional piece for Fiat.
• Runner-up - Artwork Digital, Brazil: The toy train with video monitors received honours in two categories.