Large Format Review - Business News

Roland DG (UK) Ltd, worldwide leading manufacturer of wide format digital inkjet printers, engravers and 3D equipment today announces the launch of its brand new fully-functional website.

After consultation with a variety of both internal and external users, the new Roland website boasts a wide range of new features and benefits designed to help users and potential customers get the best possible information and support for Roland products.

‘We felt that our customers, both existing and new, deserve a better online presence from Roland’, says Jerry Davies, Managing Director at Roland DG (UK) Ltd, ‘Customers need clear and accessible information in order to make informed decisions. Our aim was to guide people through every experience with Roland online as simple as possible. We hope that the new Roland website and the subsequent ways in which we will evolve online will continue to make Roland the easiest company to deal with in the industry’.

One of the most noticeable improvements is the new online technical support centre. This latest feature allows users to access FAQs, help files and downloads for their Roland equipment as well as log support tickets for technical queries. Another new feature is the extensive applications pages, which provide new ideas to those already in business as well as those just starting out.

Davies continues, “This new Roland website not only enables users to find the information they need at the click of a button. Specific help files or media profiles can be made live within seconds, allowing us to respond quickly and efficiently to marketplace needs. It has been designed to grow and develop with the company, and we are extremely pleased with the results so far.”

The new Roland website can be accessed at www.rolanddg.co.uk

 

Following on from, and perhaps as a direct result of, Litho Supplies' recent fall into administration, a new provider of printers, inks, consumables, software and service to wide-format producers has arrived in the UK and Ireland, with the launch of Digital Print Innovations (DPI).

The Midlands-based firm has been formed by Stewart Bell, the former National Sales Manager of Litho Supplies' wide-format division Andersons, who was made redundant on December 22nd.

Stewart brings some 20 years’ experience in the sector, and takes over existing supply contracts as DPI becomes the exclusive distributor for MTL and WP Digital UV-curable printing solutions.

“What’s been missing for out-of-home advertising and other display producers is the reliability and security provided by a focused, one-to-one service,” explains Bell, whose experience includes sales management for NUR and GBC Pro-tech. “In the days of corporate giants who can only offer impersonal technical support, we recognise that people buy from people. As a result, we are best placed to offer our customers continuity with complete, reliable and innovative solutions they need in the current era.”

DPI’s focus is on high-speed and versatile production machines for wide-format output of applications requiring speed, quality and reliability. Supplying both the successful Meital 300-series of UV-curable flatbeds, which feature the ability to create innovative applications for a low cost of ownership, and the WP Digital (formerly Spühl) flat-bed and roll-fed Virtu RS25, RS35 and RR50, which claim to print on virtually any material, the company’s support package includes RIPs such as Onyx and Caldera, as well as colour profiling requirements, full technical support and service.

Additionally, DPI is appointed as UK reseller for EskoArtwork’s Kongsberg cutting systems and software for the sign and graphics market and also offers the Seiko II series of solvent-based printers. “These technologies were hand-picked to make sure that our service combines the most creative equipment with an innovative support approach,” continues Bell. “Our team is dynamic and unfailingly full of good ideas and, thanks to our experience, we realise not only how these solutions have developed but also how to put them to the best use possible.”

Situated in Castle Donington, Digital Print Innovations’s central location enables easy access to the UK and Ireland courtesy of the M1 and East Midlands Airport.

 

 

One of the most utilised and popular services on offer from the BAPC is the free 24-hour seven-days-a-week Legal Advisory Help line.

Statistics received by the Association for usage during 2009 clearly illustrated that members had a wide and diverse range of issues which required specialist advice.

Specifically these statistics show that over 50% of all enquiries received relate to contracts and employment, whilst other advice requested covered matters such as health and safety, research, copyright issues and various forms of litigation.

Tony Honnor, Association Director, commented “It is clear that this service is being used by more and more with employment matters being again the key issue.  Members of the BAPC truly benefited from this facility at a time when they faced unprecedented challenges “

The BAPC is the leading trade association for the creative industry, which includes graphic arts, print and communication sectors. The BAPC run by printers for printers provides members with a wealth of knowledge and hands-on experience. Being frontline the Association has concentrated on developing services and facilities that will directly help members survive and succeed. It is the aim of the BAPC to cultivate a “community of print” that acts as a forum for the graphic arts industry to work together for mutual benefit.

For further information, visit www.bapc.co.uk

 

Reference is made to the joint press releases of Canon Inc. (trading symbol CAJ) ("Canon") and Océ N.V. (trading symbol OCE) ("Océ") of 16 November 2009 announcing that Canon intends to make a fully self-funded, public cash offer for all the issued and outstanding ordinary shares of Océ (the "Ordinary Shares") at an offer price of € 8.60 in cash per Ordinary Share (the "Offer") and 14 December 2009 in respect of the progress being made on the preparations of the Offer.

The European Commission and the Taiwanese competition authorities have granted clearance for Canon's proposed acquisition of Océ, without imposing any conditions. As announced on 21 and 22 December 2009, the anti-trust procedures in respectively the United States and Switzerland are also successfully completed.

With the approval of these competition authorities, an important step in the offer process has been taken.

Trading in shares of Breaston-based Litho Supplies, who are perhaps best known to LFR readers as the owners of sign and display print systems and consumables supplier Andersons, remained suspended yesterday as the Breaston company sought to clarify its financial position.

The print and graphic design supplies company, which employs 120 people, called in administrators and is now up for sale as a going concern. It blamed a downturn in the printing industry.

In a statement, it said: "Major credit insurers have withdrawn cover from the sector and a number of our suppliers decided it was appropriate to reduce our credit terms, again affecting the cash flow of the business.

"The indications in quarter three of this year that some green shoots were starting to appear did not live up to expectations."

Sales in the half year to the end of June were £18.93m, down from £25.38m leading to a pre-tax loss of £1.31m after re-organisation costs against a pre tax profit of £340,000 in the first half of 2008.

After 20 years located on Maylands Avenue, Hemel Hempstead, Epson moved to new premises a short distance away in Apsley on 7th December 2009.

The new Westside location will be home to over 250 Epson UK and Epson Europe staff and better suits the needs of the company with a larger demonstration area and improved facilities to run its popular ‘Print Academy’ courses. The distinctive atrium incorporates a staff restaurant giving a light, bright area in which staff can relax.

A number of specially commissioned contemporary art works have been installed around the new offices. These include, in the atrium, ‘The Singing Singing Tree’ by Build, which has been printed on frosted brushed aluminium. The artworks which have been produced by Limited Ltd, an interior design company, are a perfect showcase for Epson’s digital imaging technology and demonstrate the versatility of the Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 in the production of high quality decorative art.  Using eco-solvent type ink, the Stylus Pro GS6000 is the only wide format printer on the market that can deliver signage and decorative art to an extremely high quality using a variety of different substrates and applications, from traditional signage through to printed metals, plastics and textiles.

The extensive refurbishment of the Westside offices has enabled Epson to adopt further green measures. The lighting is fitted with movement sensors so that it switches off if no-one is using that area and the new office furniture has been produced in the most  environmentally friendly way possible  New heating and air conditioning plant serving the meeting rooms area has been installed to reduce energy usage and improve efficiency and, over the next twelve months, new air conditioning units will be installed in the remainder of the building. All of the energy used in the building will be from renewable sources.

These measures reflect Epson’s Environmental Vision 2050 which was established in 2008 to help guide the company’s environmental activities over the next four decades. The aim of the vision is to reduce CO2 emissions by 90% across the lifecycle of all products and services by the year 2050.

The new address is:
Westside
London Road
Hemel Hempstead
Hertfordshire
HP3 9TD

All contact details; telephone and email addresses remain the same.