Perfect Bindery Solutions unveils new demonstration site with open house

The finishing equipment supplier bought the building in April this year but renovations took until September, when the team moved in from its nearby office base.

It recently hosted its first open event on 20 to 22 November to introduce customers to the new building. PBS managing director Steve Giddins said that the company had been waiting for the right building to come along and decided that the 230sqm facility in Carterton, Oxfordshire, would suit his business needs.

Previously, the company had taken clients to see machinery at the manufacturer's plants, often overseas, or to existing customer's sites. Giddins said he no longer had to wait for trade shows to demonstrate the latest equipment to potential clients.

PBS commercially launched the Smyth large format sewing machine, previewed at Drupa, and a new Palamides lay flat binder that will be available early next year, a prototype of which was shown at Drupa.

The Palamides can process books with spines up to 420mm wide and 330mm high for on demand production, at speeds of one to 100+ books per hour. The binder automatically sets itself to the size of the book block it is processing, and can record the dimensions for repeat work.

Dave Evans, managing director MGI Technology, which was also exhibiting, claimed that Palamides and the range of Mohawk lay flat papers were complementary to his company's Meteor DP8700 XL digital printer.

He said: "Given the choice, everyone would rather have layflat photobooks. The Palamides is a very interesting piece of kit for that sector."

MGI was also showing samples from its Jetvarnish 3D spot UV coater, commercially launched at Emballage in Paris the week before. Evans said that he had met with a prospective client at the French trade show who was "blown away" by its quality.

He added that plans are afoot to host an open house at MGI's Hemel Hempstead base next March, focusing on new options for the photobook industry.

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Roland's SolJet Pro4 XR-640 printer boosted by introduction of Eco-Sol Max2 white and metallic ...

Roland DG Corporation has announced availability of the newly-developed Eco-Sol Max2 white and metallic silver inks for use in the SolJet Pro4 XR-640, the industry’s most advanced eco-solvent printer/cutter to date. This will enable use for a wide range of applications, including window graphics, vehicles graphics, large posters, decals and labels with excellent added-value, fully utilising the potential of the XR-640.

“The XR-640 is an eco-solvent inkjet printer that was announced in September of this year as our flagship model. The XR-640 that we now start shipping with the new white and metallic silver inks has achieved excellent productivity, almost double that of predecessor's in the same class,” said Yohei Shinomura, Roland DG product manager. “In fact, the standard mode of the XR-640 can match the image quality and density of its predecessor's high quality mode. As a result, you can now print high quality large-scale items in a much shorter time frame.”

The newly developed white ink has drastically improved density, which is particularly useful for the production of items using transparent film. For example, when producing decals to be applied to vehicles or bicycles, colours can be finished exactly as desired by first printing a base layer with white ink that has excellent concealment properties, and then carrying out full-colour printing. Also, the pigment of metallic silver ink are more reflective for higher brightness. This will produce applications that have greater impact and added value than before.

In addition, the XR-640 has refined the automated ink circulation system, which prevents the pigment in white and metallic silver ink from settling. As well as maintaining stable output quality, waste of white and metallic silver inks required for maintenance has been cut by around 50% in comparison with predecessor’s model, contributing to a significant reduction in running costs.

Colorific announces series of UV Light technology briefings

Colorific, the high quality, alternative ink supplier, has announced it will be hosting a series of briefings targeted at distributors and end users at its offices in Maidenhead to highlight its innovative UV Light ink technology.  The events will take place on 11th, 12th and 13th December 2012, between 10am and 5pm, and further dates will be announced in the New Year.

Colorific UV Light technology was launched at EcoPrint in September 2012 and demonstrated at the Autumn Viscom shows where it generated significant interest from end users, distributors and other potential business partners.  Colorific has already started working with two large machines integrators based in Europe and orders for UV Light demonstration units have already been placed.

Colorific UV Light enables wide format printer owners to convert their existing solvent printers to a greener UV solution.  Currently compatible with any Roland wide format machine that uses Epson Piezo DX4 and DX5 print head technologies, Colorific UV Light is a hybrid solution which combines the reliability of an eco solvent ink with the print performance of a UV ink.  The ink offers superb media adhesion and stunning durability, yet has a significantly lower carbon footprint than eco-solvent inks and contains no VOCs.

Colorific’s new UV Lightbar System is critical to the technology.  The system comprises an external, stand-alone lamp kit which fixes to the front of any compatible wide format printer.  During the printing process, the pigment is fixed to the ink-receiving layer on the media and then a secondary cure â€" using the new system â€" fixes the droplet and provides an immediate cure and cross link on the media.

Shaun Holdom, Business Manager for Colorific, comments, “We’ll be demonstrating this process on Roland RE and Roland RS printers at the technology briefing and will also run through a short presentation explaining the process in more detail.  Attendees will also have plenty of opportunity to discuss the technology in more depth with key members of Colorific’s team if there are any specific questions they would like addressed.”

Interested parties should register in advance by emailing shaun.holdom@colorificink.com as places are limited.  Refreshments will be served throughout the day

For more information on Colorific and its UV Light ink, please visit www.colorificink.com/uvlight

'Customer-centricity' at heart of new PaperlinX sales strategy

PaperlinX has announced a new sales strategy aimed at improving customer-centricity, performance and profiltability.  Key to this strategy is the reshaping of its Commercial Print division to enhance the sales function across all three of its companies - Howard Smith Paper Group, Robert Horne Group and PaperCo to better meet its customers’ needs.

PaperlinX will create one unified Account Management Team, providing customers with access to the Group’s entire product portfolio that includes paper, packaging, graphics, digital wide format printers and print consumables and separate credit facilities, via a dedicated Account Manager. This will guarantee that all its products are represented in the UK & Ireland by specialist teams with expertise and experience relevant to the needs of each individual customer.

Ongoing market challenges and the changing needs of customers have driven the decision to change the way the Group delivers customer service.

“We are adapting our current structure to enable us to meet the needs and challenges of an ever-shifting market where the global decline in paper sales has made a deep and lasting impression on the way we sell and on the customers we sell to,” says commercial director Ian Hunt.

“Our customer research revealed that 80% of our revenue comes from customers that deal with more than one PaperlinX company. By unifying product sales across Howard Smith Paper Group, Robert Horne Group and PaperCo, we are placing customer-centricity at the heart of our overall sales strategy. We are providing customers with greater choice, access to a broader portfolio of products, breadth of support and superior service levels, from a single dedicated Account Manager,” says Hunt.

Amidst a highly competitive business environment, PaperlinX has been undertaking a series of measures to revitalise and improve efficiency within its customer sales and service operations, drive performance improvements and improve profitability. The Group will continue to implement other cost reduction initiatives. This latest move that also includes creating a dedicated new business team, signals its commitment to building a business model fit for future growth.

At this stage there are no plans to change its local branch infrastructure that includes Robert Horne Group’s dedicated Northampton-based Customer Service Centre and PaperCo and Howard Smith Paper Group’s regional branches.

“We are now in a fantastic position to offer customers an outstanding range of products supported by great service, so we can continue to help them add value to their businesses,” says Hunt.

Free upgrade to VersaWorks 4.8 RIP Software for Roland DG printer customers

Roland DG has announced the availability of VersaWorks Version 4.8, a full featured, easy-to-use RIP software package developed exclusively for the company’s wide-format inkjet printers and printer/cutters.  The new VersaWorks version will ship with all new Roland models and is available to existing Roland inkjet customers free of charge through an Internet connection using the Roland@NET service.

In this latest release, Roland has added a total of six libraries from the PANTONE PLUS and Goeâ„¢ product lines - valuable design and production tools for high-end graphics and any application where precise colour matching is vital. These libraries allow users to automatically convert a specific PANTONE spot colour in the design file to a CMYK value that can be reproduced on a Roland inkjet device. This simplified workflow significantly reduces the amount of time required for colour matching and enables quick output of specific colours when working with properly profiled media.

Roland’s latest version of VersaWorks also features a new spot colour replacement feature which allows users to replace a defined spot colour in the design file with another from any VersaWorks library, all without reopening the source file. With VersaWorks, users have access to 16 spot colour libraries, including the new PANTONE libraries and the Roland Color System, Roland’s own spot colour matching solution featuring more than 1,500 traditional and metallic hues. Users can also replace the spot colours in their designs with white and clear ink options supported by several Roland inkjets.

“As a leader in the wide-format printing industry, Roland provides versatile production tools for some of the world’s most creative businesses,” said Andrew Hatkoff, vice president of technology licensing and business development. “We are pleased to partner with Roland to bring all the advantages of PANTONE spot colour matching to these businesses. As the standard for the design and graphics industry, PANTONE provides end users with complete creative flexibility, precision colour matching and enhanced imaging across the applications driving their businesses.”

“With Version 4.8, we have enhanced VersaWorks with new breakthrough colour management features,” said Kevin Shigenoya, Roland DG Global sales executive officer for Roland DG Corporation. “We are proud to offer our first built-in PANTONE libraries, making spot colour matching even easier and more accurate.  As our own bundled RIP software, VersaWorks brings this innovative new capability â€" and many other advanced VersaWorks features â€" directly to our customers, free of charge, in an easy-to-use, fully integrated solution.”

Based on the latest Adobe CPSI 3019 engine, VersaWorks 4.8 RIP software works seamlessly with all Roland inkjets and is compatible with Windows 7, Vista and XP operating systems.  Other features include a range of print options that allow users to meet the demands of each job. Users can choose from high-speed mode for production banner printing, the MAX Impact preset for vivid outdoor graphics and Artistic mode for exceptional indoor graphics. VersaWorks also features variable data printing, supports up to four Roland devices simultaneously, and offers support for Roland’s GX series cutters. Embedded ICC profile support, ink level adjustment tools, soft proofing capabilities, and advanced cropping, tiling and nesting options are available as well. For flawless unattended printing, a predictive ink calculator allows users to estimate the amount of ink needed for each job.

Mimaki establishes new EMEA operation following surge in demand

Mimaki has announced the establishment of a Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) operation to help extend the company's reach into the regions and meet a surge in demand for its printing solutions.

Mimaki decided to bolster its European set-up following increased demand after successfully launching a raft of innovative products during 2012, and generating strong sales and leads at key European trade shows.  As a result of this success, Mimaki Europe has engaged new team members in sales, internet marketing, warranty and tech support.

In February, Mimaki attended FESPA Digital and unveiled the JV400-130/160LX â€" the world’s first environmentally friendly latex printer using white ink, impressing visitors with its high-speed, high-quality output and capability to print on a wide range of substrates. The company simultaneously introduced the JV400SUV series, which proved a major talking point, with delegates impressed with the system’s flexibility in offering solvent printing with the durability of UV-cured inks.

In May, Mimaki exhibited at Europe’s premier print show, drupa. The company presented a number of innovative products, including the JFX500-2131, a next-generation UV-LED flatbed inkjet printer with production speeds up to 60m2/h.

In September, Mimaki signalled its move into the photography market when it showcased its latest innovations at Photokina. The company demonstrated the UJF-6042, a  new A2 format flatbed LED UV printer with high end precise quality, making it ideal for printing images on photo albums or other special materials with photo-like quality. The A3 format UJF-3042 desktop flatbed LED UV inkjet printer was also in the spotlight. Attendees were impressed with how both systems can print photos on virtually any substrate â€" like iPhone and iPad covers â€" without any need for priming.

Later in September, Mimaki underlined its green credentials with its attendance at EcoPrint, a sustainability-based trade show. The UJF-3042 was again on show, and was lauded for its small environmental footprint and long-life, energy-efficient LED curing. Meanwhile the JV400-LX series was praised by delegates for delivering high-quality print with a low CO2 footprint.

And at the end of September, Mimaki took a whistle-stop tour of Eastern Europe, where it successfully launched its SWJ-320 grand-format printers. The company exhibited at Reklama (Moscow, Russia), Grafima (Belgrade, Serbia) and T-REX (Kiev, Ukraine).

Industry awards recognise Mimaki’s technical performance

In April, Mimaki’s advances in print technology were acknowledged by industry professionals, when the company landed two prestigious European Digital Press (EDP) Association Awards. The awards recognise best-in-class products across the digital print landscape. The Mimaki TS500-1800 scooped the Best Wide Format Textile Printer accolade, while the Mimaki JV-400LX Series was named the Best Environmental Printing Solution. 
The Mimaki JV 400SUV also got in on the prize-winning act at Viscom Frankfurt. The solution won a Best of 2012 Award, in the Large Format Printing category.

Broad, long-term commitment to sustainability

In 2012 Mimaki underlined its status as a responsible supplier and reinforced its commitment to decreasing its environmental footprint.  This commitment was evidenced by Mimaki’s support for the EcoPrint show. The company demonstrated how environmentally-friendly systems can create a more sustainable print infrastructure, without compromising print price, production speed or quality. Even the Mimaki booth was made from environmentally-friendly natural materials, which the company donated to Möbelwerkstatt Werder, a small organization that makes furniture from recycled wood.

Mimaki also underlined its broad perspective on sustainability when it ‘adopted’ a Sumatran tiger at Barcelona Zoo. In doing so, it sponsored the Mimaki Nature Education Program, an initiative that supports educating young people and children on nature and wildlife.

Mike Horsten, marketing manager of Mimaki Europe comments, “2012 has been a defining year for Mimaki. The response to our products at trade shows has been universally positive, and for some products to win highly respected industry awards underlines the progress we’ve made in the last year. We’re really excited about the next chapter for Mimaki. We look forward to offering print houses in EMEA the same level of service and technical support that have proved so popular across Europe.”

Hampshire Flag Company buys Zund G3 XL3200 cutter to speed up finishing process

Hampshire Flag Company has recently purchased a new Zund G3 XL3200 cutter through i-Sub Digital which has been installed at the company's Waterlooville factory near Portsmouth.

Established over 30 years ago, Hampshire Flag started trading as a traditional flag manufacturer producing hand-sewn flags.  In the past seven years the company has invested in digital printing technology, revolutionising the business by bringing down production costs and increasing sales.

Despite this investment in new technologies, Hampshire Flag was still cutting all textile banners and flags it produced at its factory in the traditional manner using a hand guided machine.  It was a time consuming and laborious task and the company realised that the next phase of development required a new digital cutter.

Graham Wilkinson, managing director at Hampshire Flag, explains, “We looked at a few competitor machines and the Zund G3 XL3200 stood out as a robust and adaptable machine.  Zund also allowed us to carry out thorough testing of the machine before we made a decision to purchase. The service we received was exceptional at all times.”

Installation and training were provided by the Zund UK team, including setting up the new Zund G3 XL3200 for optimum performance taking into account the particular production needs and tasks of Hampshire Flag.

As soon as the Zund G3 XL3200 was installed, Hampshire Flag noticed an improvement in work flow through its factory.  The bottleneck in the finishing department was removed, allowing Hampshire Flag to take on more work without having to increase staffing levels.

Wilkinson continues, “We have calculated that we would need to employ three more members of staff to cut textiles to replace the Zund machine when it is operating at maximum output.”

Not only are customers benefiting from a quicker turnaround, but Hampshire Flag is now able to produce more intricate and accurate finishes and there is also less wastage, as the Zund G3 XL3200 is so accurate.  Some of the products that Hampshire Flag produces previously needed to be 'cold cut' - a technique that means a lengthy and highly accurate hand cut finish - but now the new Zund G3 XL3200 can complete the same task in a matter of seconds.

Wilkinson is very happy with his new Zund G3 XL3200 cutter and sees the machine as vital to the future success of Hampshire Flag in a rapidly changing industry.  “Over the last decade companies that have not adapted to new technology haven’t been able to deliver the same service levels and many have had to close their doors. The new Zund G3 XL3200 will help us keep on delivering excellent service to our customers in this competitive marketplace.  We are able to provide more complex items that we simply couldn’t have delivered before installation and our production times on simple tasks has fallen dramatically.  I have no doubt this machine will pay for itself many times over.”

Peter Giddings, managing director of Zund UK, adds, "It’s great when we see a Zund cutter having such a positive and immediate impact upon a business.  Zund UK will be here to support Hampshire Flag Company with all aspects of their new Zund G3 XL3200 and we have enjoyed working with them on installation and training.”

For more information or to book a demonstration of Zund's cutters, please visit www.i-subdigital.com or email sales@zund.co.uk.

Ottimo Digital invests in second Epson SureColor SC-S30600 to meet increased demand

South Wales-based Ottimo Digital has invested in a second Epson SureColor SC-S30600 printer to meet increased production demand. The 64-inch (162.6cm), four-colour, roll-fed machine was supplied by Epson reseller Spandex and joins one installed earlier this year.

Ottimo Digital, based in Newport, was started in January 2010 by Lee Crew and Nick Lindwall. The company prints a full range of large-format products â€" banners, exhibition graphics, retail signage and interiors, vehicle wraps, photo canvasses, even custom wallpaper â€" on a wide variety of media.

Lee Crew comments, “We print a lot on self-adhesive vinyls, plus PVC and mesh banner materials, canvas, poster paper, stoplight stock.  Essentially, we print anything we can!  A lot of jobs are last-minute, particularly when they’re for exhibitions - a market we’re strong in.”

For Lee and Nick, decision time on expansion came within just two years of starting the business, when year-on-year growth of around 40% regularly tested its existing production capacity to extremes. “We hate turning work away, so we coped somehow, even if it meant sub-contracting work out, but we needed to add capacity. In particular, we wanted to be able to take on high-volume jobs with tight deadlines, a category of work we weren’t confident of handling with our existing kit,” adds Nick.

Guided by Epson distributor Spandex, Ottimo found the solution in the shape of the Epson SureColor SC-S30600. Launched earlier this year, the SureColor SC-S30600 sets a new price/performance ratio in a highly competitive market sector. The SC-S30600 can produce everything from posters, signs, banners, backlit panels and POS materials to vehicle wraps, interior decorations and exhibition displays. The printer supports a wide range of media, allowing users to print reliably and cost-effectively on vinyl, PVC and clear film, photographic paper and a range of popular banner substrates. Print speeds range from 7.3 to 29.4m2/hour depending on printing mode and maximum resolution is 1440 x 1440dpi.

“When Spandex introduced the Epson SureColor to us it looked perfect on paper,” says Nick. “It had the print speed we wanted, three times faster than our fastest existing printer, plus larger-capacity ink cartridges and a heavy-duty take-up roll system. A demonstration confirmed that first impression. We ran a series of our own test files using all the print modes and the results were excellent.”

Since Ottimo’s SureColor SC-S30600 - one of the first installed in the UK - arrived, its impact on the business has been dramatic. “It quickly became our ‘go-to’ printer,” says Lee. “Now when we get a job, out first thought is, ‘Can we run it on the SureColor?’ It handles around 50% of our workload.”

The quantum leap in production speed was just one factor in choosing the SC-S30600. Like a lot of large-format printers, Ottimo’s workload is unpredictable as they often don’t know what they will be printing on next, so have to be able to handle as broad a range of products as possible on as many different media. The SC-S30600 not only handles all the media but also features really fast, simple media changeover - thanks to a unique jack system loading heavy rolls is a one-man operation that takes about five minutes. Also the media tensioning, which is traditionally only accessible from the front of the printer, is controllable from both front and rear, so you don’t waste time going backwards and forwards.

The different print modes the SureColor SC-S30600 offers are also a big plus, explains Nick. “For really high-quality applications, like some retail interiors, we use the ten-pass mode, while in the two-pass mode - which is very fast! - we can print a banner in minutes, compared to the half an hour it can take on our other printers. It all depends on the size of the product, and how close the viewers are to it. That said, we find the six-pass mode perfectly good for most applications.”

Within six months of installing the SC-S30600 they were confident enough to take on the large-volume, high-quality, last-minute jobs they previously thought twice about. As an example, they cite a rush job they produced for the RAC’s stand at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Says Lee, “It was a big banner job, very last-minute, and high quality. Without the Epson SureColor we couldn’t have handled it all in-house, but we delivered on time and more RAC work followed.”

They were also confident enough to sign up for new premises: five times bigger than the first site, the new headquarters provide additional production capacity, extra office space, and showroom facilities where they can hold regular open days. This created enough space for them to invest in a second SC-S30600 which means they are able to split even larger jobs between the printers without consistency issues. As Lee concludes, “In this industry you have to stay on top of the technology and keep looking ahead to what comes next. Thanks to the SureColor SC-S30600 we have the time to make those strategic plans.”

[photo shows Nick Lindwall and Lee Crew standing next to wallpaper printed on Epson SureColor SC-30600 wide format printer]

FESPA and Verdigris team up to strengthen Planet Friendly Printing

FESPA and environmental research initiative Verdigris have confirmed a new working Partnership. Through their relationship, FESPA and Verdigris will share information, explore new trends and educate the FESPA global community about a range of issues surrounding environmental sustainability.

By working together they will inform FESPA visitors and exhibitors with valuable and informative content. This content, provided by Verdigris, will include weekly blogs and quarterly features which will be published within the Planet Friendly Printing area of www.fespa.com. Visitors and members of FESPA will benefit from independent advice from the Verdigris team of experts on how to embed sustainable printing techniques within their business.

"We are very excited to welcome our latest Verdigris member," says Verdigris founder Laurel Brunner. "We look forward to working with FESPA to support their already energetic efforts to raise environmental awareness in the wide format sector."

FESPA’s Head of Membership Services, Chris Smith, says, “Our new venture with Verdigris is another example of FESPA’s commitment to supporting the global print community in becoming more sustainable. This is a key issue that we have championed within our global community since 2004 by encouraging printers to embrace more planet friendly printing practices.

The support that we will have from Verdigris will be invaluable in helping FESPA to continue to provide our National Associations and their members with access to new ideas, guidance and in-depth knowledge across all areas of sustainability.”

FESPA’s Planet Friendly Printing initiatives are part of its ongoing Profit for Purpose programme which reinvests surplus revenues from FESPA exhibitions for the benefit of the global FESPA PSP community, through education, knowledge-sharing, research and networking initiatives.

Urban Storm merges with Prismaflex UK

Sam Cook, founder of visual communications specialist Urban Storm, has merged his company with international out of home printer Prismaflex UK, headed by managing director Tom Weaver.

Both companies are well-known visual display solutions specialists, providing a wide range of innovative and environmentally friendly products for advertisers including digital LED screens and the most recent Storm-Flex dry posting system. Many of these are protected by 45 patents.

Prismaflex International, based in Lyon, France, is the only international company to combine billboard design and manufacturing of street furniture and LED screens with large-scale industrial printing. The company has been operating since 1988, with printing facilities in seven countries worldwide, with twelve sales offices, 340 staff, and clients in 120 counties with a turnover of €62m.

With the Urban Storm merger Prismaflex can now offer higher value display to out of home media owners and property/brand owners through the transformation of standard outdoor hoardings and banners into drum-tight highly presentable display systems, or digital networks.

Sam Cook says "We decided to merge Urban Storm and Prismaflex UK because of the combined proprietary out of home products along with the two printing locations now under one roof creates a truly leading visual innovation and printing company in the UK.  We already have a strong position in UK out of home printing and installations where we currently work for CBS Outdoor, Clear Channel, Outdoor Plus and Primesight amongst others. Our aim is to build on this as well as expanding into new areas with our newly combined expertise and capacity."

He continues, "With eight super-wide digital printers in the UK alone we now have the capacity to print five million sqm. per year. We see huge opportunities to expand our business in the retail sector, with display products both inside and outside stores, exciting point of sale displays, internal wall graphics, LED TV displays and banner systems."

[photo shows Sam Cook and Tom Weaver]

HP Latex inks awarded Sustainable Product Certification from UL Environment

HP today announced that HP Latex Inks and HP A50 Inkjet Web Press Inks are the first water-based inkjet inks to achieve the Sustainable Product Certification from UL Environment, a business unit of Underwriters Laboratories (UL).  UL is a global independent safety science company. Its Environment business works to advance global sustainability, environmental health and safety by supporting the development of environmentally preferable products, services and organisations.

Certification under the UL Environmental Standard for Sustainability for Printing Inks (UL 2801) demonstrates that an ink meets a range of stringent criteria related to human health and environmental considerations. Originally created for offset, letterpress, flexographic and gravure printing inks, this standard now includes criteria to certify water-based inkjet inks, screen printing inks and UV-curable inks.

"We applaud HP for pursuing and becoming the industry's first printer manufacturer to achieve certification under the UL 2801 standard," said Sara Greenstein, president, UL Environment. "For every step a company takes toward greening its products and processes, the marketplace advances its overall sustainability practices."

HP is currently showcasing the HP Designjet L26500 Printer with certified HP Latex Inks at the inaugural EcoPrint Show in Berlin.

"As more consumers and companies seek environmentally conscious printing options, print service providers are looking for new ways to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability," said Christopher Morgan, senior vice president, Graphics Solutions Business, HP. "With two HP water-based inks meeting the UL sustainability standard, we are helping our customers gain a competitive edge with a certification that is recognised and trusted worldwide."

More information about the UL Environment program and the UL 2801 sustainability certification for printing inks is available at http://www.ul.com/environment.

Canada's Vinyl Xpress increases capabilities with new Mimaki printer installs

Vinyl Xpress has announced the addition of a Mimaki UJV-160 flatbed printer and a Mimaki JV34-260 super-wide-format printer to its inventory, giving them the capability of printing sizes up to 104-inches wide. Vinyl Xpress specialises in producing signage for businesses, trade shows and retailers ranging from banner printing to vinyl graphics and beyond.

Since 2001, Vinyl Xpress has been serving Canadian and International clients ranging from small businesses to major retailers like The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), Sears Canada and Levi's. Now, with the addition of the Mimaki UJV-160 flatbed printer and JV34-260 super-wide-format printer, Vinyl Xpress has increased their maximum printing size from 64 to 104 inches. "The stunning quality and unprecedented turnaround times of these machines are just the latest efforts to better serve a growing clientele with unlimited options," said Vinyl Xpress Co-owner Tal Kasimov.

In addition to their size output and vivid colour reproduction, the new machines add incalculable creativity options not possible with standard inks. The Mimaki UJV-160 is designed to print on both rigid and roll-to-roll media, making it perfect for printing onto almost anything including paper, vinyl, fabric, magnets, wood, plastic, steel, carpet, leather polyvinyl chloride (PVC), boat sails, wood, glass and many other substrates.

Their award-winning portfolio of wide format printers includes the industry-leading Roland SOLJET printer digital system that enables printing on coated and uncoated materials. The use of Eco-Sol ink produces prints that are both UV and scratch resistant. In addition, the Concord Ontario printer has also added a flatbed vinyl application and lamination table from RollsRoller.

From standard prints, large backlit posters, vinyl banners and graphics for windows, floors and vehicles to fabric prints and decals/logos/vinyl lettering, Vinyl Xpress provides clients with high-impact, rich-looking printed materials. "No matter what the message, we've got the medium, tools and creativity to bring any client's imagination to life," said Kasimov.

Contex to exhibit wide format scanning solutions at GoA

Contex will exhibit at the Graphics of the Americas Conference & Expo (GOA) for the second consecutive year. On booth 1024, Contex will showcase the industry's fastest and most productive wide format scanner, the HD Ultra 4290, along with the SD3690 MFP, which delivers intuitive walk-up, touch-screen scanning and copying in seconds. Released in Q4, 2011, Contex's newest wide format scanning solutions have received rave reviews for exceptional speed, productivity and image quality.

Free exhibit hall passes are available to any Contex guest interested in attending GOA. Register online with source code GOAM. Attendees are also invited to participate in a demonstration at the booth; the first 50 people that sign up here will be entered to win a $100 gift card. Graphics of the Americas takes place March 1-3, in Miami Beach, FL.

"Graphics of the Americas provides an excellent opportunity to demonstrate our most advanced wide format scanning solutions," comments Phil Magenheim, President, Contex Americas. "Many of our customers from North and South America, as well as prospective companies, will be coming to see our newest products and witness how they can handle the most challenging documents."

Wide Format Scanning Solutions

The HD Ultra offers productivity-boosting operation, superior image quality, and the ability to handle any scanning job effortlessly. Available in two models, Professional and Office, the HD Ultra eliminates bottlenecks, increases productivity, and is easy to use.

The Contex SD MFP solution features patented CIS scanning technology for enhanced image quality of scanned technical drawings and maps. The SD MFP works with new or existing printers, and enables users to scan, copy, print, and share wide format documents easily.

Both the HD Ultra and SD MFP will be demonstrated with Nextimage Repro scanning and image enhancement software, which now boasts first-to-market accounting features and multi-page file functionality.

For more information on Contex, please visit www.contex.com

14 Limited Editions of Avery Dennison's Supreme Wrapping Film now available

A new element of ‘cool’ for vehicle wraps has been added to the Avery Supreme Wrapping Film range from Avery Dennison:  limited edition colours and finishes.   The time-limited colours reflect the fact that vehicle wrapping â€" particularly where ‘personalised’ car wraps are concerned â€" is very much a fashion market.  The 14 new limited edition colours are a real reflection of the current colour palette.

A matt finish is a popular choice for cars today, and Avery Supreme Wrapping Film now comes in chic matt orange and beige.   "And at the other end of the scale," says Avery Dennison Graphics and Reflective Solutions Product Manager Rachel Oakley, "coloured metallics are very much a current fashion feature.   We’ve added a number of choices here â€" again featuring a matt finish for added sophistication.   There’s matt pink, cherry pink, copper, green, silver, anthracite, and grey to choose from.   There’s also a brushed chrome finish and, finally, ambulance yellow for real conspicuity!"

The new Avery Supreme Wrapping Film limited editions colours join the standard range of 33 colourways in ultra-conformable cast vinyl films featuring Avery Easy Apply RSâ„¢ adhesive technology for fast, bubble-free application.   Long-term removability is also a feature of the products â€" which, says Rachel Oakley, ‘can be an important factor in the fashion car wrap market’.

‘Additionally’, says Rachel, ‘we continue to offer custom colour matching on these premium products for low minimum order quantities, so unique wrap personalisation is also possible, for single cars or for corporate vehicle fleets.’

Full details and special sample swatches of the new Avery Supreme Wrapping Film limited editions colours are available via the website, www.perfectwrap.eu, or from Avery Dennison Graphics and Reflective Solutions distributors throughout Europe.

Lintec helps TfL make London Legible

Transport for London (TfL) enlisted Lintec Graphic Films to help create Legible London maps that guide visitors around the capital.  These maps were installed across London during the build-up to a series of events - including the Queen’s diamond jubilee, the Olympics and the Paralympics - that put London in the international spotlight during the summer.  With the new glass maps replacing a large number of the enamel based printed signs that are traditionally used, TfL chose Lintec Graphic Films’ ultra-clear UV printed polyester Vitrocolour film to show the way.

The Legible London maps ensure visitors can easily find their way around the capital.  The detailed, eye-catching signage has been designed to include nearby shops and attractions representative of the view from where the user is standing.

Lintec Graphic Films’ Vitrocolour, a UV printable polyester film renowned for its optimum clarity and definition, was used for the signage.  Its adhesive coating is long lasting and leaves no residue â€" allowing for quick removal and easy, hassle free replacement. For the Legible London maps, the film is applied to low iron extra clear glass with a very high light transmission in order to give a printed glass effect. And, to ensure a brilliant white appearance on the finished product, Lintec Graphic Films’ 01-183 white polyester film is laminated to the print reverse. This not only allows for a premium final product, but also saves white ink and production time.

“London in one of the top cities worldwide for both tourism and business, and it is fantastic to be involved with a scheme that impacts all Londoners on a daily basis,” comments Andy Voss, managing director of Lintec Graphic Films. “Legible London is a brilliant campaign to showcase Vitrocolour as part of an alternative, more innovative method to the average sign-making process.”