29 Mar 2024

Positive feedback from exhibitors at Sign & Digital 2013

The organisers of Sign & Digital UK 2013 have announced that 5,677 unique visitors (awaiting audit) attended the event. The show was a huge success with exhibitors reporting brisk sales across the three days. Onsite stand sales for the 2014 show increased by 44% as exhibitors rushed to secure the best positions for next year’s event.

The exhibition was a platform for many new UK and European wide format print and imaging product launches from companies such as Roland DG, Hybrid Services/Mimaki, Epson, Mutoh, MTEX, DYSS and Zund.

The free educational programme, both on-stand and show-organised, was well received with sessions covering a huge range of topics including vehicle wrapping, dye-sub printing, routing, Adobe and Corel software and colour management. The New Business Theatre was also extremely well attended, with some sessions left with standing room only. Sessions covered included Marketing, PR, Business Development, Digital Signage, Direct to Garment printing and Social Media.

For the second year running, there was a great twitter vibe at the show under the hashtag #SDUK. Visitors and exhibitors alike were tweeting about their experiences at the show.

Exhibitors also reported higher sales and enquiries.  Brett Newman, technical director at Roland DG, commented, “The show was a real success for Roland again this year. This exhibition is a key component of our annual calendar and once again it’s lived up to our high expectations.”

Hybrid Services' marketing manager Duncan Jefferies, added, “The 2013 edition of Sign & Digital UK was a very strong show for Hybrid Services Ltd. There was a vibrancy to the event and visitors were keen to engage – seeking out new application ideas and revenue streams as well as investing in technology. Our resellers enjoyed strong sales and as a platform to launch three very important Mimaki printers to the UK and Irish market, it proved highly effective. “

Adrian Painter, director of Stanford Marsh - exhibiting as Stanford Marsh Group Graphics (SMGG) - continued, "This was the second year that we have exhibited at the event, following our more dedicated focus into the graphics sector.  It proved to be a great success for us.  Our stand was exceptionally busy, with many people coming to see the 3D printer from Stratasys/Objet on our stand and the pre-production prototype of Xerox's upcoming high speed wide format production printer for the graphics/signage market.  We also sold a significant number of printers off-stand under our 0% finance deal."

Stewart Bell, managing director of Digital Print Innovations Ltd (DPI), stated, “For DPI, the one factor that really stuck in our minds this year was the quality of visitors to the show.  We had huge interest in the Direct to Textile Solutions and Dye Sub Transfer Solutions we were showing, we believe that the build up to the show created the expectation and that gave us the vehicle to deliver our solutions to the visitors with our aim being to de-mystify the Soft Signage Solution.  As DPI we have already signed up for 2014 and look forward to an even larger stand next year.”

Perfect Colours boasted strong sales of its Hewlett Packard Z6200 series and HP Latex L26500 and L28500 printers as well as lots of interest in the newly launched Omega 2 Flatbed from Durst. Jason Burroughs MD of Perfect Colours concludes, “The show seemed to be well attended and we had plenty of visitors to our stand, which lead to strong sales on the traditional Hewlett Packard signage products.  There was also a lot of interest in the new Omega 2 by Durst and this allowed us as a business to connect in a different way with both current and new customers. Our goal for the show was to sell solutions, but also to meet with Print Providers and understand their current challenges and how we can adapt our offering to save them time and money. On both counts our goal was achieved helped in part by the great variety of attendees from a diverse group of industries.”

Next year's Sign & Digital UK will be held at Birmingham NEC Hall 2 between 30th April to 2nd May 2014.

[Photo shows busy halls at Sign UK with Stanford Marsh Group Graphics' Steve Guest at the centre of the action (wearing white shirt)]

Mutoh to showcase three new wide format printers at Fespa London 2013

Mutoh will showcase three new wide-format printers and a new cutting plotter series on stand M20S at Fespa London 2013.

The three new printers include:

  • The ValueJet Hybrid VJ-1617H is an affordable 64” (162.5 cm) wide roll-to-roll & rigid printer.  It is Mutoh’s first printer equipped with white inks.  The printer uses bio-based inks to create high-quality prints for indoor and outdoor sign and display applications.
  • The ValueJet 1624W is a 64” (162.5 cm) wide professional dye sublimation printer utilising the latest piezo drop-on-demand 8 channel head technology and offering best-in-class speed & quality.  The CMYK printer offers a speed range of 9 - 38 m²/h and is therefore fit for both startup and established businesses wanting to extend their product portfolio e.g. with soft sign products.
  • The compact DrafStation RJ-900x is a new 42” (108 cm) wide printer for everyday sublimation printing.  The RJ-900x features a variable drop print head with 8 rows of 180 nozzles, allowing output resolutions between 360 x 360 dpi and 1440 x 1440 dpi.

The ValueCut series is a new series of high-performance cutting plotters, available in three different widths – 610 mm (24.01”) – 1320 mm (51.96”) – 1830 mm (72.04”).  Mutoh ValueCut cutting plotters have been designed for lettering jobs, contour cutting of pre-printed stickers and cut through for the creation of individual stickers.  The cutters are ready for perfect teamwork with any printer capable of printing onto PVC and are fit for home, office and professional users.

“Fespa will be an excellent opportunity for Mutoh to present the latest additions to our award-winning ValueJet wide-format printer series as well as our current best-sellers and to show how our high-end wide-format printer line-up has developed in the last years.  The DrafStation RJ900x is the replacement of our existing DrafStation and DrafStation Pro models.  The new ValueCut cutters for signcutting and print-to-cut applications will replace our current Kona series cutters,” comments Arthur Vanhoutte, Mutoh Belgium’s General Manager.

“Our ValueJet series printers have built up an excellent reputation in the market for their superior image quality and reliability.  Our latest generation of ValueJet printers integrate new electronics and the new gold-plated Epson® eight channel head technology.  They offer improved speeds and image quality and will therefore continue to be the preferred choice for the wide-format specialty market,” Vanhoutte continues.

“Visitors will also be able to discover Mutoh’s new UMS inks.  With this new innovative ink formulation suited for long-term outdoor sign & display applications, Mutoh is combining key benefits of resin-based, eco solvent and mild solvent ink chemistries and delivering unrivalled cost for print scores,” Vanhoutte concludes.

The Mutoh booth at Fespa will be split up in three different zones covering roll-to-roll and rigid Sign & Display, Indoor & Digital Transfer and Direct Textile applications which are possible with the Mutoh equipment.

Alongside the new products, Mutoh will also be showcasing the recently launched ValueJet 2638 – 260 cm wide and ValueJet 1638 – 162.5 cm wide dual head sign & display printers which won the “product of the year” award at SGIA 2012 in the categories “Solvent/Latex printer less than 96” and “Grand Format roll-to-roll printer.  ValueJet 1638 and ValueJet 2638 integrate the latest 8 channel print heads in a staggered set-up.  ValueJet 1638 delivers high quality 720 dpi production speeds up to 36 m²/h and top speeds up to 94 m²/h.  ValueJet 2638 delivers high quality production speeds up to 40 m²/h and top speeds up to 108 m²/h.

[Image shows Mutoh ValueJet 2638 wide format printer]

Bordeaux Digital Printink to exhibit on partners' stands at Reklama Polygraf 2013

Bordeaux Digital Printink will be exhibiting in hall 4, booths 476, 430 and 408, at Reklama Polygraf 2013, Czech Republic between 14th and 16th May 2013. The company will be showcasing a wide range of wide format ink and coating solutions with its official distributors in Czech Republic and Slovakia, AWC Morava (booth 476) and Spandex (booth 430/408).

Spandex and AWC Morava will provide live demonstrations of Bordeaux’s wide spectrum of ink solutions including eco solvent, UV and UV LED and water-based dye-sublimation ink on Mimaki and Roland printers.  Bordeaux’s range of mix and match inks, 100% colour and chemically compatible with OEM inks, are ideal for printers looking for efficient and easy switchover from the original ink without flushing or spending costly time creating new colour profiles.  These environmentally friendly inks, free of VOCs, are formulated to achieve optimum adhesion, high quality colour and performance as well as long-term outdoor durability with multiple rigid, flexible and super-flexible substrates.

Bordeaux inks are available in cartridge, bottle and bulk ink feed systems for virtually every machine on the market within Czech Republic and Slovakia, including Roland, Mimaki, Mutoh, Vutek, HP, Seiko and Oce and all the latest printhead technologies.

“We are excited to showcase our comprehensive range of  products with our dedicated partners,”  says Matthew Reijnders, Bordeaux’s business development manager.  ”Bordeaux inks and coatings are popular throughout Czech Republic and Slovakia due to the cost savings of up to 30% compared to OEM inks. Moreover, AWC, Spandex and Redot, our local resellers, have their own technical and service teams to support Czech and Slovak customers.”

Free Sign Forum to take place at European Sign Expo

Experienced sign makers and installers - as well as wide format printers looking to enhance their signage offering for customers – can benefit from the free Sign Forum at this June’s European Sign Expo (25-27 June 2013, ExCeL London).  European Sign Expo, incorporating Screenmedia Expo, is Europe’s only event in 2013 specifically targeted to the signage supply chain. The event is co-located with FESPA 2013, and sets out to bring together trends and innovations in all areas of non-printed signage, from conventional display systems, channel lettering and illuminated displays, to digital signage and digital out-of-home media (DOOH).

The Sign Forum seminar theatre on the show floor at European Sign Expo offers visiting sign makers access to a programme of invaluable education and insight, free of charge. Seminar streams will cover management, sales and marketing, design and installation, innovation and technology, and future trends.

The sales and marketing stream within the Sign Forum will offer specific tips and advice on how best to promote a sign business and enhance its sales proposition for a successful future. Already confirmed to present is Rebecca Dack of Signs Express – the UKs largest sign company - providing advice on How to Market a Sign Business.

While the design and installation sessions will consider the role of sign design in delivering effective messages, and the latest possibilities and solutions around safe and efficient installation and maintenance.

A full day will be dedicated to technical innovation and regulations of sign production and installation. Following its recent introduction of pioneering technology to capture viewer engagement data from printed signage, the presentation by EFI’s Mark McGowan on ROI in OOH is expected to be particularly popular.

The Management stream will cover critical skills for sign shop owners, with seminars looking at cost-effectiveness, pricing and personnel. Denise Flahey of Woop! Recruitment (the exhibition recruitment partner) will explore Recruitment and Retention, a key issue for all SMEs including sign businesses.

On Thursday afternoon, visitors can participate in the Future Sign Conference, a free half-day event developed by exhibition partner, the European Sign Federation. A strong line-up of international thought leaders in signage will discuss the current state of the industry and consider upcoming trends that can help to catapult your sign business into the future to stay ahead of competition. Confirmed speakers include Jim Waters on the Future Vision of Sign Design, Peter Raynham asking Are LEDs the Answer?, and Mike Hall and Fausto Martin offering a glimpse into the future with Standards in 2020.

Sign makers with an interest in digital signage will also want to take advantage of European Sign Expo’s Screenmedia Theatre.Those just starting to explore the digital signage opportunity will make a point of attending Digital Signage Basics that will highlight best practice for the creation of digital signage content and look at future trends in digital signage and digital out-of-home.

Sign makers will also find useful insights into DOOH in the Digital Signage Integration stream with key speaker Jeff Hastings, CEO of digital signage technology provider BrightSign, who will answer some critical ‘best-practice’ questions for specifiers, users and suppliers of digital signage.

Full details of the Sign Forum and Screenmedia speaker programmes will be published at www.europeansignexpo.com during May. Register online now to receive regular updates on European Sign Expo visitor features and events. Visitors to European Sign Expo can also explore the adjacent FESPA exhibition free of charge with the same visitor pass.

Kornit Digital announces plans for Fespa 2013

Kornit Digital has announced it is taking significant stand space at Fespa 2013. As the corporate sponsor for Fespa Fabric, the company will be demonstrating its proven textile printers to customers and prospects, alongside its latest introductions on stand G15N. Kornit will also launch a refreshed visual identity and support several activities at and around Fespa, such as donating printed shirts from the show to Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity.

“This year’s Fespa exhibition is a very important milestone for Kornit and our customers, as we celebrate our tenth year, our presence in 100 countries and our 1,000th printer installed,” states Ofer Ben-Zur, CEO of Kornit Digital. “We also wanted to mark the occasion by being the corporate sponsor of Fespa Fabric 2013. This endorses our commitment to the industry and our customers, as well as our leading position as the developer of the first industrial digital direct-to-garment print solution and our innovative NeoPigment process which continues to revolutionise fabric printing.”

The NeoPigment printing process – key to Kornit Digital’s success – has changed digital textile printing as Kornit users benefit from the advantages of pigment ink while avoiding its drawbacks. NeoPigment is far more environmentally-friendly and efficient than working with dye-based formulations. Its versatility is unmatched as it is suitable for printing on multiple fabric types.

NeoPigment prints have an excellent hand feel, a wide gamut, bright and intense colours, plus long-term durability and washfastness. Kornit’s water based pigment inks are easy to use and handle as they are 100% biodegradable and toxin-free. At the same time, NeoPigment greatly reduces printing time and production cost, compared to solutions that require offline pre-treatment.

Customers and prospects visiting Kornit’s Fespa booth will be able to see live demonstrations of two enhancements to the Avalanche product line, designed for high speed and low cost high-volume production of light and dark garments. The new Avalanche 1000 features new print-heads, higher productivity and an advanced integrated humidity system. It makes production even more reliable and can be operated at a stunning speed by a single operator, making the Avalanche 1000 the fastest direct-to-garment printer in its sector and the fastest one ever delivered by Kornit. The company will also show a preview of its Avalanche Hexa with six colours plus white, for a wider gamut and improved spot colour handling. Both new products offer full ICC profile support for colour accuracy and high levels of productivity.

As a digital add-on for screen-printing carousels, Kornit’s new Paradigm II will be featured combining photorealistic graphics with analogue options such as foils, flocks and glitter effect inks. This solution brings garment printers the best of both worlds, protecting their analogue investments by connecting them to the digital world of web submission, VDP printing and individualised garments. It also enables carousel users to reduce set-up and make-ready times.

Kornit will also be demonstrating its new Allegro roll-to-roll printing system. Using the NeoPigment process at its core, this is a true stand-alone solution and an entire production line applied in one step only. With the capability of printing on multiple fabric types with the 100% biodegradable NeoPigment ink, the Allegro solution eliminates the need for energy and water consuming and polluting processes thus making it the most eco-friendly solution in the textile printing industry.

[image shows Kornit Avalanche direct-to-garment printer]

 

IPIA announces details of 2013 Annual Conference

Leading industry trade association, the Independent Print Industries Association (IPIA), has announced a 'stellar line-up' of high profile industry speakers and subject matter for its 2013 Annual Conference, AGM and Awards Dinner and Golf Tournament.

The event, which is open to both IPIA and non-members, will be held on Wednesday 19th June at The Puckrup Hall Hotel, deep in the heart of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, with the title, “Speak softly and carry a big stick”, and will hear debate on how companies can successfully integrate cross media into their business.

This year’s AGM is the Association's 22nd, during which time the annual awards dinner and event has become an industry paramount and ‘must attend’ fixture.

Celebrity after dinner speaker and awards presenter on the night will be Shaun Williamson, most famously known for his TV roles as Barry Evans in BBC soap Eastenders, and more latterly in Ricky Gervais’ Extras series. Barry is an accomplished stand-up comedian, singer and after-dinner speaker.

The Conference will hear presentations from leading industry personnel such as Marian Stefani, Managing Director of Flyte, who will present the top reasons print companies give as to why they can’t become a MSP and deliver Cross Media. Nigel Dacre, CEO of Inclusive Digital, will offer his opinions on “Cross Media – Friend or Foe?” Nigel will discuss the recent developments in multi-platform content. Asif Choudry, Sales & Marketing Director with Resource, will provide his presentation on, “New Age print – a journey from printer to cross media specialist”, where Asif will enlighten attendees on his experience on cross media campaigns. Andy Rafferty, Client Partner of Brightsource, will tackle the subject of, “The role of print in multi-channel marketing”. Andy will give his thoughts on whether print will continue to have a role in the marketing mix.

Award-winning marketer and entrepreneur, Sarah Hughes, founder, Linked4Success, will provide an insight into whether companies can “Discover in the next 29 minutes how social media can make you money.” This will enlighten companies into how social media can be used a as a powerful sales tool. Lance Hill, Sales & Marketing Director, Eclipse 4DM will discuss “Integration of integrated,” and explain why 4DM chose to integrate a cross media offering into its business. Lastly, Ad Sies, Business Development Manager, CVG Papier, will deliver, “How digital print can add value to the cross media mix”. Ad will focus on how and why cross media and new media needs paper and vice versa and how an added value future can be created for paper.

Commenting on the event, IPIA Chief Executive Andrew Pearce, states, “Each year at our Conference we aim to deliver a theme that is really ‘of the moment’ and this year is no exception. This event is for any business that is looking to use cross media to gain sales for themselves and their clients.”

Last year’s event attracted over 100 attendees - a mixture of printers, print managers, marketers, print buyers, machinery manufacturers and trade associates.

The IPIA Annual Awards, which is a black-tie event, will be presented on the evening of the Conference, where four awards of Best Trade Manufacturer, Best Broker/Distributor/Print Manager, Best Associate Member and Individual Personality of the Year will all be presented to the successful IPIA members.

On the second day, 20th June, the IPIA will hold a Golf Tournament on Puckrup Hall’s USGA greens within its 18 hole golf course. Top prizes will be up for grabs including the Spectrum Plastics Award. This will be followed by a networking lunch back at the Hall.

For more information about the event and IPIA membership, please visit www.ipia.org.uk