Kaylee orders Fujifilm Acuity Advance Select X2 to enhance range of services

Specialist print service provider Kaylee has ordered a Fujifilm Acuity Advance Select X2 to replace its outdated digital flatbed equipment and enhance its range of services. Focused on the development and supply of signage, graphics and decals for the automotive, transportation and construction industry, Kaylee was on the lookout for a reliable flatbed device to create outstanding applications on a variety of substrates.

“We examined the market extensively and were struck by the image quality and ink features offered by Fujifilm’s Acuity Advance Select X2,” comments Iain Hardiker, managing director at Kaylee. He explains: “This device can handle a broad array of rigid and flexible materials, including most display boards and plastics. In addition, the Fujifilm Uvijet UV curing inks deliver vibrant colours with great image quality. The ink adhesion is unparalleled and will allow us to proceed immediately with cutting and finishing without compromising the final results.”

He adds, “We are looking forward to making the most of these capabilities to produce eye-catching applications on acrylic, polycarbonate and other plastic materials. What’s more, the roll option will enable us to print roll media, such as banners and vinyls, improving our versatility.”

Kaylee will also benefit from the larger size print bed that comes with the Acuity X2 models to produce images up to 2.5 x 3.05m, as well as the ability to use up to eight colour channels, including white and clear.

The company boasts a longstanding relationship with Fujifilm. As Iain explains, “We value Fujifilm as an extremely competent ink manufacturer and we appreciate its strong colour management expertise. The consistent and reliable colour reproduction guaranteed by Fujifilm’s Acuity Advance Select X2 was a key factor in our decision making process.”

He concludes, “The Acuity Advance Select X2 is a user friendly yet advanced platform. We’re confident that the combination of high image quality and superior colour control, together with the professional support from Fujifilm, will enable us to deliver the high quality work for which we’re known.”

Hollywood Monster installs 3.2m wide MTEX 5032

The 3.2m-wide printer, launched at Fespa this year, has an in-built IR fixation unit and is made in Portugal by specialist textile printer manufacturer POD Iberia. It was installed at the Birmingham-based print business two weeks ago.

Hollywood Monster sales director Simon McKenzie said: "When customers ask for a particular kind of print, like dye-sub for example, we have to listen. Demand has increased in the past six months and the MTEX 5032 ticked all the boxes for us."

The kit is an addition to existing equipment such as two 5m-wide HP Expedio roll-to-roll machines, a Vutek GS3200, a Mimaki JV33 and an HP Latex machine. Wide-format work by the company, with around 50 staff, includes jobs for museums and vehicles.

McKenzie said the firm planned to start by "keeping it simple", using the MTEX to print onto backlit, display textile and black-out polyester-based textiles. It will be used for short bespoke work, exhibition and retail displays, mostly indoor but a few outdoor applications as well. Features include a printing speed up to 58sqm/hour and a 1,440dpi maximum resolution.

One of the first jobs, last week, was for the Birmingham REP Theatre for a production called Tartuffe. A 30m x 9m back-wall graphic had to be lightweight and free of creases. The job took round seven hours to print and five hours to sew together.

McKenzie said: "The only way we could do the job was on a 220g fabric and on dye sub so there would be no creasing or UV cracking in the material. Print quality was an important factor and the vibrant colors work really well with the rest of the set."

McKenzie added the wide-format direct-to-textile work perfectly complemented the company's existing wide-format business and he saw it growing as demand for flexible, lightweight and re-usable visual graphics became commonplace.

The MTEX 5032 has four Epson DX5 print heads, a two-litre ink bulk system and four individually controlled temperature sensors, in addition to the IR fixation unit.

DPI managing director Stewart Bell said: "No longer do you have to buy a printer and separate calendar - essentially halving production time compared with traditional digital methods. The inbuilt fixation unit saves time, money and wastage. The 5032 offers good quality for the price."

DPI has also supplied an MTEX 5032 to c3imaging in Liverpool and has an order for two at a large-format printer in the south Midlands. Prices range from £65,000 to £140,000 and models also include a superfast 1.8m version and an MTEX 500 adapted for polyamides and lycras.

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Surface Print Company makes first wide-format digital investment

The family-owned business, which is the UK's only flock wallpaper manufacturer, has bought a 3.2m wide HP Latex 3000 printer to allow it to produce one-off and bespoke digitally-printed wallpapers and a 1.5m wide Latex 260 printer.

Abigail Watson, sales director at The Surface Print Company, said that while the Latex 260 had originally been bought to provide samples for the Latex 3000, it was also being used to provide a quick sample service for the firm's traditional wallpapers.

"We've already had customers who are going to be printing on the traditional machines use the Latex 260 for sampling," she said. "A digital sample is not going to look like a machine piece, but it gives a good idea and it's very quick - the customers who have used it were really pleased with how quickly they could get to grip with the colouring."

According to Watson the total investment in setting up the digital suite, including the equipment, digital front end, software, building works and air conditioning was around £400,000. The firm has also taken on new staff as a result of the digital investment and general growth.

Watson said that while digital was still very much a niche market in wallpaper printing, it was growing and had a number of unique benefits versus traditional wallpaper printing.

"We're finding that our customers, who already print using a wide range of our textural techniques - like flock and beads - are starting to print digital. At the moment it's a small market and it will never replace something like flock or beads because it can't give the texture, but it certainly is a growth market and it has the benefits of no maximum colours and no repeats," she said.

Watson added: "Our traditional business is mainly done on non-wovens and we also print a lot onto foils now. We can print the same substrates with the digital printer, but it gives us more flexibility on widths versus our traditional presses, which print the standard 52cm or 68.5cm widths. With the digital we can print any width up to 3m."

The two HP latex printers were delivered to the firm earlier this month by CWE Solutions.

HP's Latex 3000 printer was launched at Fespa 2013; it can print at speeds of up to 77sqm/hr for indoor use and up to 120sqm/hr for outdoor graphics. It can print onto a wide range of substrates including wallpapers, foils, nonwovens and vinyls.

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i-Sub Digital announces 'winter warmer' promotion on Mimaki solvent printers

Hot on the heels of the Mimaki 'summer scorcher' campaign, a new offer to help warm up the colder months has been announced on Mimaki solvent printers from i-Sub Digital.

Existing UK-based owners of solvent printers who are considering an upgrade are invited to trade in their old solvent machines, working or not. In return, they will benefit from a 3-year Gold Warranty â€" an additional twelve months on top of i-Sub Digital's standard package â€" and £1,800 worth of ink, enough to last well into the New Year.

Print businesses that place new orders on Mimaki CJV30-130, Mimaki CJV30-160, Mimaki JV33-130 or Mimaki JV33-160 printers before December 31st 2013 for installation by January 31st 2014 will qualify for the special offer.

The Mimaki JV33 Series in 1.3m and 1.6m-wide options comes with a choice of Mimaki's virtually odourless eco-solvent ink or SS21 low-solvent outdoor-durable ink, while the 1.3m and 1.6m models in the CJV30 range offer the same ink sets plus the addition of integrated print and cut functionality.

Each of the machines is compatible with Mimaki's white and metallic ink formulations and is ideal for printing durable output onto media including vinyl, banner, paper, canvas and film.

"This offer should bring a bit of warmth to the UK's graphic arts and display houses over the autumn and winter," says Andy Spreag, Director, i-Sub Digital.

"Our standard warranty and ink package is now even more generous, with over 700sqm of ink coverage and three years of warranty cover on the table, so now's a brilliant time to trade in an older machine. The trade-in machine doesn't need to be in working order which means all those old solvent machines that have been turned off after failing and being beyond economical repair now have a substantial value."

Printer units that have been traded in as part of the offer will be collected at the same time as delivery of the new machine and recycled.

Owners of any solvent printers who wish to take advantage of the offer should contact i-Sub Digital via info@i-subdigital.com or +44 (0)1536 415511.

Mimaki introduces Tx500-1800B textile printer

Mimaki has added to its family of digital textile inkjet printers with the introduction of the Mimaki Tx500-1800B.  The new machine delivers high speed, high quality digital printing on a wide range of textiles, including cotton, silk, hemp and rayon and joins Mimaki's existing textile printer line-up comprising the TS500-1800 and Tx500-1800DS.

“We continue to improve and expand our textile printing capabilities based on customer feedback,” said Mike Horsten, General Manager Marketing EMEA for Mimaki Europe. “With the Tx500-1800B, we have again raised the bar in terms of the cost, quality and flexibility metrics for high quality small lot printing of textiles, even when using stretchy fabrics.”

Key features that differentiate the Mimaki Tx500-1800B include:

• A specially designed conveyor belt that feeds fabric without tension, enabling high quality printing on elastic materials, even with unattended operation.
• Print speed 1.6 times greater than conventional Mimaki textile printing products at 60 square metres per hour and 600×450 dpi.
• Plateless on-demand printing in up to 8 colours with fast delivery of small lot manufacturing for improved time to market.
• A variable dot function that delivers rich gradation without banding and accurate printing of fine lines for added value in the final product for fashion design.
• Various ink types that support a wide range of materials to meet the diverse needs of the textile and apparel industries. This includes reactive dye ink (Rc300), sublimation dye ink (Sb300), acid dye ink and pigment ink. Acid dye and pigment inks will be available in the near future. Ink is available in 2-litre ink bottles for reduced ink costs.
• Automatic process for cleaning and drying the conveyor belt between or during projects to ensure that media is protected from staining or dampness.

“We believe that the Tx500-1800B will speed up the gradually growing transition to digital printing in the worlds of textiles and apparel,” Horsten added. “Fashion designers and others in the industry will be able to produce vibrant small lot products on unique materials that were not readily available for digital printing in the past. This includes cotton, silk, hemp and rayon, all popular fabrics in the world of fashion design. Our dedication to eco-friendly printing is also demonstrated with this new textile printer, which uses less ink and water and results in less waste than other printing methods.”

FESPA names Michael Ryan and James Ford as Group Exhibition Managers

FESPA has expanded the roles of Michael Ryan and James Ford, naming the two Group Exhibition Managers. Reflecting FESPA’s ambitious global expansion plans, this move gives each of them responsibility for a portfolio of events from FESPA’s worldwide event calendar.

Michael will play a pivotal role in FESPA’s new business development, taking responsibility for the forthcoming launch of FESPA Africa 2014, together with the established FESPA Mexico exhibition, and FESPA Brasil and FESPA Eurasia, the second editions of which will take place over the next two years. James’s remit will cover the main European FESPA exhibitions, including FESPA Digital, plus FESPA’s Asian events including FESPA China.

Michael Ryan has been with FESPA for over a decade, actively building the European event, and â€" since 2008 - driving the successful launch of FESPA’s developing market events in Mexico, Brazil and Turkey. James Ford has been a key member of the FESPA sales team since 2005, and has been instrumental in the year-on-year growth of the European events, and the development of FESPA’s event brand in Asia. James is currently spearheading FESPA’s sales activity for the forthcoming inaugural FESPA China exhibition.

Neil Felton comments, “In less than a decade, FESPA has transformed from an international trade association with a single, three-yearly European event, to a global event brand with a footprint on four continents, and a growing reputation for content-rich business events attracting senior decision makers. Mike and James have been instrumental in this development, and their promotion now gives them full ownership of sales and exhibitor account management for the events they work on.

“Both Mike and James are passionate about FESPA’s markets, and their commitment to building relationships with FESPA exhibitors is outstanding. Their ethos is consistent with FESPA’s â€" they treat our exhibitors as members of a valued community, working hard to listen to their needs and offering solutions that reflect exhibitors’ objectives from participating. Their ‘can-do’ attitude is fundamental to the positive feedback we receive from exhibitors, and to the fact that so many exhibitors follow FESPA when we launch events in new territories.”

Mike and James are part of a seven-strong sales team at FESPA’s headquarters in the UK, and work closely with FESPA’s local and partner sales teams in developing markets.

FESPA has also reinforced its growing events and marketing teams with the promotion of Michela Marcantonio to senior events executive, and Leighona Bradford to marketing executive.

Hollywood Monster takes delivery of new POD Iberia MTEX 5032 wide format direct-to-textile printer

Hollywood Monster has taken delivery of one of the first new MTEX 3.2m wide direct-to-textile printers.  Branded the MTEX 5032, the printer has in-built fixation and is manufactured and developed in Portugal by specialist textile printer manufacturer, POD Iberia.

On the new arrival, Simon McKenzie, Hollywood Monster's sales director, comments “We’re not shy of saying we are one of the leading wide format printers in the UK and we’re proud of the reputation we have for excellence in design, print and delivery. When you have several customers asking for a particular kind of print â€" like dye-sub for example â€" we have to listen. The demand seems to have increased certainly in the past 6 months, so we found ourselves on a mission to find the best direct-to-textile printer to meet these needs. The MTEX 5032, launched at FESPA London this year, ticked all the boxes for us.”

Hollywood Monster will start off by keeping it simple, printing onto backlit, display textile and black-out polyester based textiles that are tried and tested and give stunning visual results. Short bespoke work will also feature as will an amount of exhibition and retail displays, which will be predominantly indoor but will also include some short-term outdoor work. The wide format direct-to-textile work perfectly complements the company's existing wide format business and Simon sees it growing as the demand for flexible, lightweight and re-usable visual graphics becomes more commonplace.

The MTEX 5032 was launched at FESPA London earlier this year to much acclaim. Ideal for printing applications such as lightboxes, home textile decoration, flags, interiors and much more.  The MTEX 5032 has an integrated heat fixation unit, meaning waste is reduced to a minimum and the whole solution has just one footprint, saving space, time and money. The MTEX 5032 prints vibrant colours and intense blacks, which means dramatic light box and wall graphics can be produced at a standard never seen before at this price point.

Simon adds, “When we settled on the MTEX, we were invited to the manufacturing plant in Portugal by specialist textile printer distributor Digital Print Innovations Ltd (DPI) to see for ourselves and conduct a rigorous testing demonstration. We spent hours there, throwing all sorts of files at the MTEX 5032 and every time, without fail, it produced a vibrant finished result. We couldn’t be happier with our choice and recommend anyone thinking of getting involved in direct to textile printing to speak with DPI as their honest and down-to-earth approach really helped us make the right decision for our business.”

Stewart Bell, Managing Director of DPI concludes, “We’re delighted for Hollywood Monster on their acquisition of their new MTEX 5032. We knew for sure that this new series would change the way we approach digital textile printing in the UK, and they’ve recognised that. No longer do you have to buy a printer and separate calendar - essentially halving production time compared with traditional digital methods. Now with the inbuilt fixation unit, the MTEX 5032 saves you time money and wastage and with unrivalled quality for the price. I look forward to seeing some of the very exciting digital textile print work that will come out of Hollywood Monster over the coming weeks and months!”

One of the first jobs to be produced on the MTEX 5032 was for the Birmingham REP Theatre for a production called Tartuffe.   The graphic (pictured) is a 30m x 9m back wall and had to be extremely light-weight and not crease. The job took round 7 hours to print and 5 hours to sew together.  Hollywood Monster also produced around 400 sqm of digital wallpaper on the set.