Superior Creative installs Fujifilm's 'Premier League' Inca Onset S40

Wiltshire-based Superior Creative is not simply a print service provider, but a team of specialists and consultants who think outside of the box and rely on technology to help clients to reach their marketing goals. Located outside Melksham, the company was founded in 1976 and went through all the significant milestones which marked the print industry across the years.

Originally focused on commercial print, Superior Creative has since expanded its range of services by supplementing its litho equipment with a large suit of finishing and digital presses. The result today is a facility with four different sites, together boasting one of the largest, brand-new design/artwork studios in South West England, alongside a direct mail operation. Developments are still ongoing in alignment with company growth.

Superior Creative embraced digital evolution in 2006 with an investment in small format equipment, followed by its first wide format printer, the Inca Spyder V from Fujifilm in 2009. The increasing demand for short run and print-on-demand applications that has come out in the last three years also persuaded the company to embark on a massive business investment programme at the end of last year to pursue new business opportunities.

Superior’s growth has predominantly come from the retail sector, as it has won several major contracts and is working with well-known brands such as Heineken UK, Molton Brown, Booker Cash & Carry, Noble Foods and United Biscuits. In the last three years the company business has soared and Superior reached a turnover of £15.2 million in 2011. The demand for wide format applications plays a key role in this achievement.

“In 2009 we decided to invest in an Inca Spyder as we were outsourcing a large amount of work,” says Richard Blueitt, commercial & operations director, “Just a year later we were literally inundated with requests and the Spyder soon reached capacity. The amount of wide format work coming through the door continued to increase as we responded to the rising needs of our blue-chip client base, and we realised that there was a big business opportunity; a technology upgrade was pivotal to accomplish it and stay competitive.”

Following some meetings with other key digital wide format suppliers, Superior Creative turned once again to Fujifilm. “We were mostly disappointed by the quality guaranteed by other leading print manufacturers as we were searching for a high-end and productive wide format printer without compromising on quality. The Inca Onset S40 suited us perfectly.”

Stewart Powell, production director, adds, “The Inca Onset S40 offers increased productivity and excellent quality. Speed is no longer an issue and we value the printer’s flexibility as it gives us the opportunity to print on fluted board together with different substrates. We like to say that an Onset S40 is a Premier League machine that helps us win our business matches!"

The Inca Onset S40 prints at up to 470 sqm/hr and has been engineered to provide outstanding levels of performance, ‘best-in-class’ quality and flexibility at low cost per print. The Onset S40 produces superb POS-quality display graphics economically and onto substrates up to 50mm thick. It meets the high-volume, fast-turnaround production needs of specialist display print companies, such as Superior, using up to 168 new-generation, user-replaceable, printheads (28 per colour) on a full width print bar delivering a 27 picolitre drop size. This, combined with Inca's precision ink drop placement, produces superb 600 dpi print quality with the option of four or six colours.

Superior Creative has also been one of the first companies to adopt the new generation of Fujifilm Uvijet OZ inks, launched at Drupa 2012, which feature a higher degree of flexibility allowing users to fold, crease, cut, drill and route printed media.

Richard Blueitt is excited by the stream of opportunities made possible through the Onset S40, which was installed in September 2011.  “The added capacity of the S40 has given us additional space to grow. We are working on some new projects and this machine can truly support our creativity. We've never wanted to be identified purely as a print management company. Out of 130 employees, we have a dedicated design team of 20 people and 60 working in the production department. On top of this there is an experienced team of sales managers and consultants committed to engaging in the decision making processes and strategic plans that assist brand owners in reaching their targets.”

On the strength of three years’ experience in the wide format business, Superior Creative today can take stock and assess the value of its investment. “The Spyder was our first big jump into a market which immediately attracted us with its huge potential, but the replacement of this machine with an Onset S40 took us to the next level. The Onset S40 is seven times faster than the Spyder and the whole engine is new and advanced. Quality is unquestionable and results on corrugated and fluted board, which represent 95% of our POP & display production, are unmatched. Ultimately, we have achieved greater efficiency and cost savings, which helps us to run a profitable business,” underlines Richard.

Service and customer relationship is another key element for Superior Creative. The company has long lasting partners and clients and prides itself on working with highly professional and loyal suppliers. “Once, we experienced a problem at the weekend, when we had to set up extra time to meet a tight deadline. Service was prompt, and the customer care team helped us to deliver the job on-time without additional stress.”

As a forward looking entrepreneur, Richard loves to keep pushing the company boundaries and improving quality standards. “Technology is moving fast, as well as our clients’ demands. We continuously invest to meet specific requirements and increase our competitiveness. We are convinced that a company needs to reinvent itself every day. This is what we also expect from print manufacturers, Fujifilm included.”

He concludes, “Our next investment will be in the finishing department as we want to boost our entire workflow and avoid any bottlenecks to deliver end-to-end solutions in the most efficient way. We are really keen on seeing significant technology developments in the print industry, especially in terms of automation and efficiency. We are also aware that our production capacity will probably need to be reinforced in the future by an additional piece of print equipment. It’s a logical assumption to think that another Onset device might be installed at our premises within the next two years.”

printMAX set for Sign & Digital UK 2012

printMAX, the large format solutions specialists will be exhibiting at Sign & Digital UK on stand F30 for the fourth consecutive year.

Michael Bolton, managing director of printMAX comments, “Myself and the rest of the team here at printMAX are looking forward to the challenge the Sign & Digital show presents. Meeting our visitors and exceeding their expectations in what we have to offer, whilst giving them a unique reasons to visit us during their busy day at the exhibition. I’m sure it’s going to be another great week for the print industry.”

printMAX has retained the title of Roland’s most successful authorised dealer for the second year running and will be showcasing the best large format print solutions that Roland has to offer, whilst Roland are conveniently located on the adjacent stand.

The VersaUV range launched at Sign & Digital UK 2011 will once again be featured on the stand along with the VS and SP solvent range and a Vivid Laminator.  During the 2011 exhibition, printMAX secured the first sale in the world of the LEJ-640 and continued to sell more units than any other dealer in the UK.  This year printMAX will be continuing to demonstrate the LEJ-640 and LEF-12 with customers, trainers, the sales team and a Roland presence on hand to offer their own personal advice.

Along with the printers available on the stand for demonstrations, the printMAX team will also be presenting istockMAX, the online image resource library, www.istockmax.co.uk. With demonstrations of the resource being offered, there will also be the chance for stand visitors to win a copy of istockMAX.

The consumables team will also be present at this year’s exhibition and ready to help any visitors with their supply of ink and media for their large format printers.

For further information, please visit www.printMAX.co.uk.

ROLLSROLLER is the 'Blueprint' for huge savings in time and material

Supplied and installed by UK distributor William Smith, the ROLLSROLLER Flatbed Applicator is enabling huge savings in production time and material wastage at Blueprint Nottingham. The company is the leading East Midlands-based provider of large-format graphics and in particular those used for vehicle wraps, internal point-of-sale, banners and posters for which the machine has provided an ideal cost-saving finishing solution.

Founder and Director, Richard Monk comments, "The ROLLSROLLER, with its single-operator capability, is much easier to use and faster than the previous manual method of finishing employed which required two people to mask, for example, 1,220 digital prints but which can now be carried out by just one person and in a fraction of the time. The machine has saved us a lot of man hours and in view of the compact design of the applicator there is little that could be exposed to damage, leading to problem-free operation."

The ROLLSROLLER installed at Blueprint incorporates the optional illuminated glass bed. This greatly increases the accuracy with which materials (particularly those used for multi-coloured or translucent graphics applications) can be applied, leading to minimal wastage and a much higher quality of finished product.

A typical recent project undertaken by Blueprint in which the ROLLSROLLER played a pivotal part in its success was the wrapping of 600 cars with an Olympic theme, all of which required masking using the machine, added Richard Monk.

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

For further information on the services provided by Blueprint Nottingham, please visit www.blueprintnottingham.com

Josero teams up with Colourgen in Kala 'Starter' (and Mistral) relationship

Josero has teamed up with Colourgen to add the Kala range of laminators - including the Kala 'Starter' and the Kala 'Mistral' models - to its product portfolio.  Josero demonstrated the Kala Starter Laminator on its stand at Sign and Digital UK in March and took four orders during the show.

On the relationship, Loic Delor, Managing Director of Josero comments, “This strategic partnership with Colourgen really enhances our product range. We are already able to supply our customers with printers, along with the ink and media to go with them; it seemed a logical step to add finishing products. I have known Colourgen for years and both our companies share the same values in partnership and business, so teaming up with them seemed absolutely the right thing to do. The Kala laminators are a big step up from the current Asian produced laminators already available on the market. They are very well finished and extremely competitively priced, and the 2-year warranty also contributes to the products’ credibility. These laminators complement our other products perfectly.”

The Kala laminators are ideally suited to signmakers, photo labs, printers and anyone else who may need low to mid-value finishing. The laminators are designed for ease of use and versatility and are available in varying sizes.

Melanie Enser, Marketing Manager at Colourgen adds, “We’re delighted to be working with Josero.  They have identified a gap in their product range and the Kala laminators will help them provide a full package to their customers.  They are very affordable laminators and are great for someone who is new to the finishing market and others who are looking for high-speed finishing.”

The Kala laminators will be available to view, along with Josero’s other products, at Josero’s demonstration suite in Cambridge.

For further information, please visit www.josero.com

Vapor Apparel to debut range of 100% recycled fabrics at EcoPrint 2012

Vapor Apparel, a leader in sustainable performance fabrics and digital sublimation printing solutions, is increasing its commitment to the environment with the launch of a range of 100% recycled fabrics at the EcoPrint show.  The event is scheduled to take place in Berlin on 26th and 27th September 2012.

“We are very excited about launching these new fabrics that this first of its kind event,” comments Christopher Bernat, co-founder and chief revenue officer at Vapor Apparel. “Berlin has been a trend city for a long time and sustainability is the trend of the next century for textiles and clothing.”

He continues, “Over the next decade we will see consumer pressure, legislative requirements and the need for cost controls push our industry to have more sustainable options to market.”

The company is launching its new ECO Spin 100% recycled performance fabric. This unique fabric delivers a dense, cotton-like feel with a performance touch. The airjet spun fibre represents some of the greenest yarn 'on the planet'. The textiles are manufactured exclusively in Bogota Colombia. Colombia’s record on renewable energy and close proximity to the US market deliver additional environmental benefits.

“We hear about organic cotton all the time but nothing is greener then removing water bottles, buckets, old furniture, and reclaimed plastics from a land fill,” adds Jackson Burnett, president and co-founder of Vapor Apparel.  “Great fabrics, sublimation certified colours, award winning printing and sustainable materials are the core of our brand.”

For more information on Vapor Apparel, please visit www.vaporapparel.com

For more information on EcoPrint, please visit www.ecoprintshow.com

New vehicle wrapping media from William Smith

William Smith has added three new vehicle wrapping products to its Materials Distribution portfolio - Arlon's Ultimate PremiumPlus, 3M 's 1080Cv3 series and William Smith Total Wrap car wrapping film.

Arlon Ultimate PremiumPlus, Arlon’s flagship wrapping product, is a cast PVC film that comes in a choice of 44 colours/effects: 10 metallic colours, 4 special effects colours, 10 matt effect colours, 8 matt colours, 10 pearlescent colours, and 2 carbon fibre effects. It is easy to apply and provides a very smooth and even finish even on difficult surfaces. It can be applied to smooth convex or concave surfaces, in channels and around rivets. Ultimate PremiumPlus comes with a durability of up to five years.

New additions to the 3M 1080Cv3 Series colour range â€" gloss black and white, matt dark grey, matt grey aluminium and brushed black metallic. 1080Cv3 is a long term, removable dual cast film that has been designed with sufficient rigidity to allow easy handling without the need for application tape. Featuring 3M’s Controltac Comply Version 3 pressure-activated adhesive, it is easy to reposition and ready to use straight from the box. 1080Cv3 is suitable for flat surfaces and simple curves. It is ideal for part or full wraps, detailing, striping and decorative effects to create the personalised, individual and distinctive appearance for vehicles that is increasingly popular. With up to six years durability, these films offer excellent opacity and are highly weather resistant.

William Smith Total Wrap car wrapping film is a hybrid and modified PVC film that comes in 14 gloss colours, 9 matt colours, 10 carbon effect colours and a selection of specialist effects. Suitable for flat or gently curved surfaces, Total Wrap is easy to apply and comes with a five year durability.

Full and part rolls are available for all product ranges and same day despatch is offered on orders received up to 6pm.

[photo shows vehicle wrapped in Arlon Ultimate PremiumPlus]

 

'cancellations and cutbacks' lead to plug being pulled on digi:media 2013

The digi:media trade fair - planned for 10th to 12th April 2013 in Germany - will not be held as planned. Even though the international supply sector explicitly welcomed the innovative concept of the specialist trade fair for commercial publishing and digital printing, the indications are that participation by the industry will not be sufficient to truly mirror the sector.

With its slogan “Content meets Technology meets Business”, digi:media 2011 wanted to provide a solution-oriented congress and trade show platform to cover cross-media communications for all media channels and to address the entire workflow including all relevant visitor target groups. The compelling triad of content, technology and business and the interactive nature of the trade fair and congress programmes were responsible the particular success of digi:media 2011.

“It was our challenge for 2013 to further develop this innovative concept and to consolidate or cautiously build upon the success of the first show”, says Manuel Mataré, Director of digi:media. This was successfully completed for the expert programme; the “con-tent” pillar of digi:media has been completed thanks to the broad network of co-operations with sectoral associations, specialist publishing houses and stakeholders. The trade fair segment of digi:media 2013 â€" i.e. the “technology” pillar - presents a totally different picture.

Cancellations, cutbacks of exhibition space - but above all the pronounced reserve shown by representative players in the sector - left digi:media in doubt of doing justice to its own quality claims and the interests of the industry. “It was a hard decision for us to cancel digi:media 2013. But given the current state of registrations and the unlikely prospect of a radical turnaround in registration patterns, it was time to pull the ripcord”, says Manuel Mataré in explaining the motivation of Messe Düsseldorf.

“We carefully analysed the pros and cons â€" especially because of the particularly strong commitment of our partners”, continues Manuel Mataré. “But one thing is clear: Messe Düsseldorf always has been and always will be a reliable and responsible partner of industry. In this context, it was also important for us to give planning certainty to the exhibitors who have registered already and not to confront these companies with short-term decisions.”

digi:media 2013 will therefore not be held in its proven format and design. But, in a dialogue with the cooperation partners, there will be a timely examination whether and to what extent individual elements of the ‘content’ part can and will be realised in Düssel-dorf in future.