Business - Events

See the latest trends and techniques in garment screen printing at the Screen Printed Apparel Training Zone during the 2010 SGIA Expo (Las Vegas, October 13-15). Coordinated by industry guru Riley Hopkins, SGIA's all-new Expert Advice Zone features six free training sessions on the exposition floor.

"SGIA has taken a bold step to provide a free training area to showcase new innovations in apparel screen printing," said Riley Hopkins, president of Riley Hopkins Screen Printing Machinery LLC. "From art techniques to manual and automatic press how-to's, and a highly entertaining session on heat transfers, this is an exclusive learning opportunity for garment decorators."

The hands-on training sessions are offered on each day of the Expo and are presented by major industry suppliers: BBC Industries, HIX Corporation, International Coatings, M&R Companies, Print This, Inc., QCM Company Inc., GroupeStahls and Wilflex. Industry experts will share their knowledge and proficiency on a wide range of topics, including:

• Ink
• Art Preparation
• Manual Printing
• Automatic Press
• Heat Transfers

In addition to the Screen Printed Apparel Training Zone, SGIA offers other sales-free Expert Advice Zones at the Expo, tailored to each of the diverse specialty imaging communities.

Experience the specialty imaging industry firsthand at the 2010 SGIA Expo (Las Vegas, October 13-15)! Register for FREE by contacting susan@sgia.org. Additionally, be sure to stop by the SGIA Expo Press Office, Room N115 of the Las Vegas Convention Center, for the latest Expo and exhibitor news, Internet access and coffee.

After successfully introducing several new technological platforms a year ago at Print '09, INX International Ink Co. and INX Digital International (booth #2512) will advance its efforts to another level this year when Graph Expo is held in Chicago, October 3-6.  The line of EVOLVE Advanced Digital Solutions will be joined by new inks, equipment and systems, in addition to educational seminars all four days at McCormick Place.

A year ago INX previewed a prototype of the CP100 UV digital can printer, which now headlines the EVOLVE Advanced Digital Solutions brand line.  Designed for short-run cylindrical printing and packaging work, the CP100 produces brilliantly printed items such as aluminum cans and water bottles in minutes.  The cost effectiveness of this printer makes it an interesting consideration for any printer to create specialized packaging and a new revenue stream.

The CP100 digital printer is a key part of integrated systems technology platforms developed by INX Digital to provide customer-driven solutions for inkjet printing, production workflows and material handling.  Other unique EVOLVE products include the MD660 UV digital flatbed printer and NW100 UV narrow web printer.  The brand also features solvent, UV-LED-curable, aqueous and thermal and oil piezo inks for printing on vinyl, paper, corrugated, plastic, fabric, glass, metal and other exotic substrates.

In addition to the CP100, another new product consideration for commercial and package printers available at Graph Expo is the MD1000 UV flatbed printer.  It quickly and inexpensively delivers real-metal sample proofs in minutes for the short-run production of decorative tins, general line containers and aerosols.  Not only available to metal decorators, the MD1000 offers quality over 1200 dpi at 150 to 220 feet per hour on a wide variety of rigid and flexible media including plastic, corrugate and carton.

Learning how digital products can help any commercial printer is the driving force behind a series of education sessions INX will offer daily as part of its seminar schedule.  Company experts and engineers will provide valuable insight with various presentations on LED lamp technology, ink systems and Xaar print heads for integration, and grayscale calibration, including G7 methodology.  The latter session will present the benefits of grayscale calibration as it pertains to traditional and digital printing, and also discuss how to utilize spectrophotometry and LAB readings for better process control.

INX will also display environmentally friendly designed inks.  Sheetfed process system inks EcoTech and EcoPure enhance any printer's Sustainability roster, and the EcoTech inks not only conform to ISO 2846-1 standards but are suitable to GRACoL G7 certification. These inks will be joined by the best-in-class energy curable product line, including Fusion hybrid inks, INXCure FTP EB inks, World Class Low Migration inks, INX Cure UV Web, INXFlex UV Flexo, and specialty inks and coatings.

The INXCure LED series of ink showcases the company's continued commitment to industry leading innovation.  Recently demonstrated at IPEX, the sheetfed LED series is proven to offer superior print quality and cure response, even under demanding conditions.  The INX Research & Development team continues to work with various manufacturers of LED UV light systems in optimizing both the light source and ink as this exciting technology becomes commercial.  The demand for energy curable specialty inks will continue as UV/EB products increase productivity, offer improved physical properties, reduce costs and meet environmental compliance.

The EFI Connect Advisory Panel and EFI's Pace Users Group, two user-driven communities of EFI software owners and their production teams, have announced plans to hold their meetings in Chicago this fall in conjunction with GRAPH EXPO 2010.  GRAPH EXPO 2010, the year's largest graphic communications exhibition and conference in the Americas, takes place October 3-6, 2010, in Chicago's McCormick Place.  Both EFI events, slated for Tuesday, October 5, will be co-located with GRAPH EXPO 2010 in McCormick Place.

The EFI Connect Advisory Panel will meet from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. to plan for the annual EFI Connect Conference, which welcomes leaders from around the globe to attend educational sessions, test-drive the latest EFI products, voice their opinions at user group meetings, discuss industry trends, and network with peers.

"EFI Connect, our annual user group, draws heavily from our users for input and direction for content and class development needs," explained Dan Crnarich, EFI's Director of Product Marketing. "We always appreciate the opportunity to meet with them at industry events, and now at this year's GRAPH EXPO, we can ensure Connect remains as relevant to their business success as is has been for the last 11 years."

The EFI Pace Users Group meeting will take place from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.  Open to all EFI MIS owners and their sales, marketing and production teams in North America, the purpose of the member-run EFI users group is to foster community to better utilize the solution, share ideas, exchange best practices and provide feedback to EFI.

"The Pace Users Group is a direct feedback channel to us at EFI Pace," said Jay Farr, General Manager of EFI Pace for EFI.  "We are fully supportive of our user community and I encourage all of our customers to join this independent group.  Having a meeting co-located with GRAPH EXPO is an excellent opportunity to meet face-to-face and maximize the benefit of attending GRAPH EXPO this year."

Recognized as the commercial printing, publishing, mailing and transactional exposition for the Americas, GRAPH EXPO 2010 themed, "The Next Generation of Print," has been designed to offer a customized show-going experience to a diverse spectrum of attendees.  The exhibition will offer the latest graphic communications technologies in live equipment demonstrations across the expansive show floor and education on the most in-demand products and profit-making opportunities.  Attendees will find eight special interest sections on the show floor.  Along with the debut of News Print-the newspaper pavilion, these include PackPrint, covering package printing; Future Print, featuring two of today's hottest technologies Printed Electronics and RFID; the Mailing & Fulfillment Center, the industry's largest mailing event anywhere in the Americas; the second annual GREENspace, a showcase on sustainability and eco-friendly products and services; the Prepress/Software-Design and Press/Finishing sections; and Education Main Street, for attendees seeking well-educated, talented industry newcomers to augment their company's workforce.

"We're pleased to be able to host the EFI programs during GRAPH EXPO," said Ralph Nappi, President of the Graphic Arts Show Company (GASC). "GRAPH EXPO has always been committed to digital press users.  And by co-locating their program with the show in this October, EFI members will benefit from the expanded networking opportunities that GRAPH EXPO provides and find out about the very newest and innovative technology and productivity- and revenue-boosting ideas to apply to their businesses."

Mimaki, a world leader in manufacturing wide format inkjet printers and cutting machines, will be using its debut at the Fachpack exhibition in Germany to demonstrate its recently launched entry-level and high-end UJF Series UV inkjet printers and versatile print and cut solutions.  Visitors to the Printpack Hall – where Mimaki are in Hall 7, on Stand 608 – will be able to experience their on-demand printing solutions for proofing, sampling and mockup creation, with its label printing solutions on show in the Labeling and Marking Equipment Hall (where their stand is in Hall 4, Stand 561).

Proofing, Mockups and Sampling

In Hall 7, Mimaki will showcase its groundbreaking range of entry level and high end proofing and package prototype printing solutions for the flexo, gravure and metal printing markets, developed in partnership with GMG, the world’s leading colour management solutions provider. The printing solution consists of Mimaki’s UJF Series (UJF-706 and UJF-3042), GMG’s ColorServer colour management software for fully automatic colour conversions, and the GMG SmartProfiler for printer calibration and profiling. This solution allows printers to digitally produce consistent and accurate colour on virtually any material, including untreated plastic materials (e.g. PET), polycarbonates, metal, soft packaging film, shrink film, PLA, as well as coated and uncoated papers. Furthermore, this innovative solution offers the ability to produce high quality on-demand full colour contract proofing on the final materials intended for the job.

Label Inkjet Printing and Cutting

As run lengths shorten and turnaround times decrease; digital print with its short run, short lead time and variable data propositions is expected to make even more of an impact on the packaging industry. On stand in Hall 4 (Stand 561) Mimaki will show its integrated inkjet print and cut solution, the CJV30, and their compact UV printer, the UJF-3042. The CJV30, available in four sizes (with 60,100,130 &160cm print widths) and incorporating the award-winning printing technology used in the popular JV33-series, will print and cut labels in a single process. Also on display is the recently introduced UJF-3042, the world’s first A3 size UV LED printer. This printer offers direct printing onto all kinds of substrates up to 5 cm thick, such as labels made of plastics and more.

Gert Jan van Hilten, Manager Marketing Communication, at Mimaki Europe comments: ”Our show debut comes at a time when Mimaki is the only manufacturer to offer both entry level and high end UV inkjet printing solutions for proofing, producing mockups and package prototypes for the gravure, flexo, offset and digital print sectors. Together with software vendor GMG, Mimaki offers complete solutions to the market.”

SGIA is pleased to announce that Hewlett Packard Company will once again participate as a platinum partner of the 2011 SGIA Expo (New Orleans, October 19-21). The SGIA Expo - a unique industry event showcasing the fastest, widest and highest-quality technology available today - is the North American gateway to the global imaging marketplace.

"SGIA has been an important HP partner for many years," said Claudia Barbiero, Sign & Display Marketing Manager, Americas Graphics Solutions Business, Hewlett Packard. "We look forward to the annual SGIA Expo as a key venue for engaging with our customers, demonstrating our leadership within the industry, and showcasing our comprehensive portfolio of digital large-format solutions that help print service providers enter new markets, grow their businesses and prosper."

The anticipation for the 2010 Expo (Las Vegas, October 13-15) is already overflowing into 2011 with chart-topping booth interest and early sponsorship commitments from industry leaders. This year's Expo guarantees hard-hitting educational sessions and eye-opening demonstrations for all members of the specialty imaging community.

Experience the specialty imaging industry firsthand at the 2010 SGIA Expo (Las Vegas, October 13-15)! Register for FREE by contacting susan@sgia.org. Additionally, be sure to stop by the SGIA Expo Press Office, Room N115 of the Las Vegas Convention Center, for the latest Expo and exhibitor news, Internet access and coffee.