Business - Events

Xaar, the world's leading independent supplier of industrial inkjet printheads, invites visitors to its stand at FESPA Digital (Hall A4/Stand E10, 24-27 May, Hamburg) to help shape the future of profitable inkjet printing.

Xaar is synonymous with robust and reliable inkjet printheads and has delivered leading technologies such as TF Technology, XaarDOT and a highly efficient actuator design, which have transformed digital inkjet wide-format printing performance.

"The wide-format sector is a significant part of our business and we are investing heavily to drive further innovative developments to meet the needs of the next generation of printers," says Mark Alexander, Director of Marketing, Xaar plc. "This is why we are inviting visitors to FESPA to get involved and to help shape the next revolution of inkjet by participating in our Voice of Customer (VoC) programme."

Visitors are also invited to learn about the development of inkjet in "Xaar, the Va Va Voom of Inkjet" in the Showcase Theatre every day (for full details visit www.xaar.com/fespadigital2011.aspx). As the driving force of inkjet, Xaar takes a look under the bonnet and finds intriguing parallels between the evolution of inkjet and the development of the car. "This is a great way of looking at the important inkjet milestones over the past 10 years and understanding just how far the technology has come," says Mark.

Xaar printheads in action

The impact of Xaar inkjet technology on the wide-format digital print market can be seen throughout the show. Visitors to the Xaar stand can find out about its range of binary and greyscale printheads for a variety of wide-format and other industrial inkjet applications, including the latest wide-swathe Xaar Proton and the variable-drop Xaar 1001 with TF Technology.

Xaar Proton printers at FESPA Digital include the Neolt Aster-JET (Hall A3/ Stand A50), a scalable and affordable platform designed to deliver quality results with low ink consumption and low maintenance requirements. Companies demonstrating the power and quality of the Xaar 1001 include the single-pass Stork Prints DSI UV five-colour inkjet, single-pass digital label printer (Hall A1/ Stand B31);  the versatile Neolt X-JET printing quality display graphics on both roll and rigid media; and the GRAPO Gemini and Shark printers (Hall A1/ Stand D10). These GRAPO UV printers (with 10 and 8 Xaar 1001 printheads respectively) are designed for high resolution printing at industrial speeds to deliver single-pass printing with greyscale quality.

The success of the latest Xaar Proton printhead, which was developed in response to customer feedback, is growing within wide-format digital printers and is a highlight at FESPA Digital. This wide-swathe 54mm binary printhead is designed for high-volume indoor and outdoor graphics and is available in 35 and 60 picolitre versions. Featuring Xaar's latest "chevron" piezo actuator combined with the innovative nozzle processing methods from the revolutionary Xaar 1001, the Xaar Proton delivers excellent and consistent print performance. The design and flexibility of the Xaar Proton, and its compatibility with a wide range of solvent, oil and UV inks, enables Xaar's partners to bring quickly to market competitive printers that combine the highest levels of quality and speed with maximum cost-effectiveness and low cost of ownership.

"Xaar technology, and particularly the latest Xaar 1001 and Xaar Proton printheads, lie at the heart of the industry's most innovative printers," says Mark. "We will continue to stay at the forefront of printhead development and one of the ways that we do this is by listening to what the industry needs. So come along to our stand at FESPA Digital and get involved in shaping the future of inkjet."

Visit the Xaar stand for a free map of where to find Xaar technology in action, participate in the VoC programme and pick up a free copy of 'Industrial Inkjet for Dummies'.

Xaar will be demonstrating their products and services on Stand E10 in Hall A4 at FESPA Digital

 

Epson, renowned for developing exceptional digital imaging solutions for the signage, proofing and fine art industries, will showcase its latest range of large format printers and specialist media at FESPA Digital 2011.

On stand, Epson will demonstrate the 64-inch Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 printer featuring UltraChrome GS ink.  The product will be used to show a number of different indoor and outdoor applications, including interior decoration. There will also be demos of the award winning Epson Stylus Pro 9700 and 11880 large format inkjet printers.

GMG, a leading developer and supplier of high-end colour management software solutions, will be represented at the exhibition booths of its technology partners HP (Hall A4, C40/41) and Mimaki (Hall A4, D20/E20) at this year’s FESPA Digital in Hamburg.

The latest colour management solutions from GMG enable companies operating in the digital and large-format printing sectors to easily and efficiently meet the growing quality demands of their customers as regards colour accuracy. A further challenge is to achieve identical colour results on multiple digital output devices, or in mixed production environments, where offset and digital or large-format printing are usually encountered together. The printed end products should ideally look the same, regardless of which of the different printing processes is used.

At the HP booth, GMG will present the comprehensive functions of the GMG SmartProfiler software solution, which can be used to create individual colour profiles and printer calibrations for digital and large-format printing systems. In combination with GMG ColorServer for fully automatic colour space conversion, a software package is available that is specifically adapted to the requirements of HP Scitex printers, for example. Thanks to perfect handling of all necessary colour conversions, GMG ColorServer guarantees maximum colour accuracy, repeatability, and consistent colour results on this printing system.

At the Mimaki booth, visitors can expect to see high-end packaging applications using the manufacturer’s latest printer families. Among other things, the functions of the GMG colour management solution are used here in the production of absolutely colour-accurate packaging prototypes/mock-ups and print samples in the packaging industry.

HP today announced that it will be showing a wider than ever range of digital solutions for print service providers (PSPs) to expand their services at FESPA Digital 2011, 24 – 27 May 2011, at Hamburg Messe and Conference Centre, Germany.

Sign and display PSPs will have the opportunity to see HP's industry-leading line of wide and super-wide format printing solutions comprising roll-to-roll, hybrid and flatbed printers for low- or high-volume printing, as well as UV-curable, aqueous or HP Latex Inks and an extensive media selection. These combine to give PSPs the means to extend their service offering and increase revenues. Showcasing key elements from the industry’s broadest portfolio on its stand, Hall A4, Stand C40/C41, HP Scitex and HP Designjet printers will demonstrate the benefits of production that make them attractive replacements for solvent inks as well as meeting the requirements of international brand managers, agencies and print buyers.

HP’s solutions line-up will include an expanded range of HP Latex technologies which build upon the performance benefits delivered by the popular HP Scitex LX800 Printer, as well as the highly-productive HP Scitex FB7500 and HP Scitex TJ8600 Printers; the versatile HP Scitex FB700 Printer, and the established HP Scitex 5m UV Printer. Also part of the HP showcase, will be the HP Designjet Z6200 Photo Printer and the full portfolio of aftermarket solutions that support HP customers in their growth. In addition, visitors will have the chance to see live Print Care demonstrations, HP MediaFinder, Mediawide and many other HP solutions to help wide format PSPs.

For the first time at FESPA Digital, an HP Indigo press, an HP Indigo 7500 Digital Press, will be on show. Normally associated with high-quality commercial work, the press will also be printing applications reflecting a synergy with the agencies and brands that are sign and display PSPs customers.

“The migration of conventional jobs to digital is happening across all sectors of the graphic arts and the ability to use digital data across the application range is blurring the boundaries,” said Ronen Zioni, marketing director, Graphic Solutions Business, EMEA, HP. “FESPA Digital presents a outstanding opportunity for screen and display PSPs and their customers to see what is possible today and get a glimpse of what may be possible in the near future. HP is proud to continue its corporate sponsorship of FESPA Digital in recognition of its contribution to the European wide format community.”

Engines of Growth

Products printed on flexible and rigid materials by HP Scitex and Designjet printers will be presented in a simulated environment in the ”Board Café,” a coffee shop/retail outlet, where a wide variety of digitally printed displays and furnishings will be featured. This environment will demonstrate the range of applications that PSPs can produce to become one-stop shops offering indoor and outdoor applications. It also illustrates the “More and Wider” theme that fosters the expansion of services made possible with HP solutions.

During the show, visitors will be able to discover how to take advantage of the power of these technologies and leverage the benefits for their own business growth. Expert staff will be available to demonstrate how HP technologies and solutions can help achieve profitable growth by fulfilling the current and future application demands of customers. HP is also running a Vespa contest where contesters can win a latex printed wrapped Vespa scooter.

HP will be demonstrating their products and services on Stand C40 in Hall A4 at FESPA Digital

Wide-format printing solutions provider Digital Print Innovations (DPI) is delighted to announce that it will be exhibiting for the first time at this year's Sign and Digital UK. Visitors can sample the company's high level of customer service upon visiting the stand, where they will be offered refreshments, special offers and the opportunity to talk in detail about their printing requirements and the ways that DPI can find a complete solution to match them.
 
DPI will promote its new distribution arrangement with Sun Chemical's Streamline inks for solvent- and water-based printers by offering a special price to those who sign up at the show. Supported by the company's full after-market guarantee, the inks offer a significant cost improvement to users while matching OEM versions in terms of quality and performance. Details of and subscriptions to technical training courses for the Onyx family of RIP software will also be available.
 
"Sign and Digital UK attracts a very diverse selection of sign and display professionals, each with distinct requirements and concentrations on different market areas and applications," notes Stewart Bell, managing director, DPI. "We have a solution for each of these, and the expertise to be able to advise on, install and maintain a very broad range of machines.
 
"No matter the purpose of the finished print or the business's ambitions, we're confident that we can provide the right products and services to give excellent reliability and return on investment," continues Bell. "We're coming to Sign and Digital UK to show the market not just what we can do, but how our service puts us a step ahead of the competition."
 
As well as high-productivity display production options from Seiko, Epson and Meital, DPI is the exclusive UK distributor of the award-winning Virtu range of UV-curable engines from Swiss manufacturer Polytype. These machines are complemented by Onyx and Caldera RIP software and Esko Artwork's Kongsberg series of cutting tables. Supporting this diverse range of technologies is the extensive and unfaltering customer training and support offered by Bell and his team of technical experts.
 
"Since forming last year, DPI has established itself as a reliable, customer-focused business which prioritises finding the correct machine for each customer over making a quick sale," Bell continues. "We've always been a very hands-on company committed to helping each customer get the most out of their product. At Sign and Digital UK we're looking to get to know our prospective clients, understand how they work and advise honestly on what we can do for them in a relaxed, convivial environment. We're certain that our sincere and inclusive hospitality matches our service, and we invite you to experience that at our stand."
 
 
[Photo: Stewart Bell, Managing Director, DPI]

A wealth of free visitor attractions and learning experiences on offer for the three day duration of Northprint 2011 is set to position the event beyond its traditional roots as a trade show. Complementing the latest printing solutions and technologies spanning the web to finish production cycle which will be presented on supplier stands, Northprint will also provide the most comprehensive range of visitor features and attractions in the show’s history.

“The industry is certainly responding well to the new-look Northprint and the range of additional attractions and features on offer,” says Trevor Crawford, Director of the IIR Print Group. “Pre-registration is going extremely well and we’re already out performing previous cycles.“

New to Northprint 2011 will be the Printers’ Profit Zone (stand C252), following its success at Ipex 2010, organised in association with industry expert and The Print Coach, Nick Devine. The Printers’ Profit Zone at Northprint will feature master class sessions, case study presentations and a series of lively panel debates covering some of the industry’s most controversial and hottest topics, such as Offset vs Toner vs Inkjet; Print vs Electronic and The Investment Dilemma – where SME printers should invest in 2011?

The Sales, Profit and Marketing Master Class sessions, which take place at 11.30am and 2.00pm each day, will present simple, practical and proven tools that can be put into place to generate sales and improve profits. The sessions will cover a range of topics on how to improve business opportunities, and will equip visitors with the tools to find better quality customers, how to reach decision makers, win new jobs without discounting and market a business without focussing on price.

The Digital Profit Finder Case Study Presentations will explore how companies can pitch new value-added services to their customers in order to sell higher margin print through the use of digital technologies, such as photobooks. Each case study will focus on the ‘money trail’, showing how SME printers and their customers have created sales, increased profit or reduced costs.

The BPIF’s Financial Alliance team of experts will also be hosting a Finance Clinic (B236/B252) where printers can ‘drop in’ for impartial advice on finance and funding, tax issues, mergers & acquisitions, debt recovery as well as other related issues, and benefit from a range of short informative presentations. Other trade associations such as the BAPC, APCOM, IPIA and FOPAP will also be on hand to offer advice and support to members.

Located on stand B208 will be the ‘Litho Technology Theatre’ where offset manufacturers and distributors, accompanied by their customers will run videos, demonstrations and case study-style presentations. Sessions will feature presentations from manroland, Ricoh, IFS, RedTie Proskills, BPIF and IPIA.

In addition, in recognition of the growth in the digital wide format market, Northprint 2011 will present the latest innovations in the dedicated Wide Format Applications Showcase (A318). Supported by Image Reports Magazine, this specialised area will highlight the capabilities of wide-format technology and demonstrate the wide range of creative applications to printers who are considering diversifying and investing into this constantly evolving technology.

To conclude the event, Northprint will play host to the PrintIT! 2011 Awards Ceremony, which will take place on Thursday 12th May in the Royal Hall theatre. Celebrating the best in young potential talent, the awards will recognise all the finalist students and their teachers who participated in this year’s competition, and present category winners with individual awards as well as prizes for their schools in the form of print-related equipment. Prior to the ceremony, the students and teachers will have the opportunity to visit the exhibits and industry attractions, providing them with a greater insight into the many career opportunities that the UK print industry offers.

Adds Trevor Crawford, “While presenting the quality line up of the latest industry technologies on the show floor remains essential to an event of this nature, we recognise the need to deliver even more value for the visitors who commit to a day out of the office. With this in mind, we’ve made a considerable commitment to deliver a packed agenda of seminars, industry debates, interactive showcase applications and case study workshops to present a host of additional educational, learning and networking experiences for visitors to Northprint 2011.”