Business

Lintec Europe will showcase its full line up of durable self adhesive label stock and printing equipment on stand 6F90 at Labelexpo Europe, from 28th September to 1st October, in Brussels.

Must-see products on the Lintec stand include the company’s unique outer tyre label adhesive technology range and a new adhesive for siliconised surfaces.

Lintec’s outer tyre label range has unique, ultra aggressive adhesion chemistry and offers the most advance options for both standard and winter tyres. As winter tyres typically have less adhesion qualities, Lintec’s range of tyre labels is already proving a welcome alternative for tyre manufacturers.

Visitors to the stand will also be able to see Lintec’s newest addition to its silicone adhesive range. It offers excellent tack levels and sticks well to all siliconised and low energy surfaces, as opposed the usual low initial tack of other conventional silicone adhesives.

“Lintec continuously expands its rich heritage of innovative label solutions, and Labelexpo is the perfect European showcase”, says Mr Kusakari Kazuhiro, General Manager at Lintec Europe. “Our extensive range of durable, high end, self-adhesive labelstocks offer customers a wide range of solutions, and we look forward to showing this when we welcome visitors to our stand”.

The Orbus Exhibit & Display Group, one of North America’s leading trade suppliers of display, exhibit and event solutions, has launched a new trade-only client portal and online store: http://shop.orbus365.com

With online shopping becoming ever more popular, Orbus is filling the needs of trade-only customers with a website where they can place orders for any of Orbus’ products and associated graphics 24-7, 365 days a year. Not only does the site serve as an online store for clients, but also as a resource of information on products, services and more. The site includes a complete help section with details on shipping and returns, as well as a comprehensive downloads area that includes instructions and graphic templates for each product. Clients can also safely access their order history and see their pricing structure, which is tied to a unique login.

With continuously expanding quality product lines, quick turnaround times and an easy ordering process, we hope long-time customers will be pleased with the familiarity and ease of use they have come to expect from Orbus. Shop.orbus365.com will also provide customers with an area where they can access non-branded sales and marketing materials, making it easy to promote and sell Orbus products. An unbranded version of the site (www.exhibitors-handbook.com) is also provided so customers can direct clients to view products they offer.

“We strive to continuously create an easy and convenient environment for customers,” said Giles Douglas, President and CEO of The Orbus Exhibit & Display Group. “We are happy to offer an online purchasing option, yet will of course continue to pride ourselves on providing excellent one-on-one customer service.”

Entries are now open for the SGIA 2011 Product of the Year Competition which honours the best digital equipment and supplies in the specialty imaging marketplace.  SGIA member Expo exhibitors should enter between now and October 7th to gain industry-wide recognition.     

Dave Conrad, Neschen Americas, 2010 award winner, comments, “We were honored to receive this award, which highlights our commitment to produce innovative products that advance the digital graphics industry.  We continue to work with our partners and the market to develop new products that help our customers enhance, display and protect their graphics in changing environments."  

Each entry must be currently available during 2011 and will be judged based on its perceived value to the digital imaging community by a select group of experts.  Awards will be honoured within these major categories:       

SGIA is now accepting entries for the prestigious 2011 Product of the Year Competition, which honors the best digital equipment and supplies in the specialty imaging marketplace. SGIA member Expo exhibitors should enter online before the October 7, 2011 deadline to gain industry-wide recognition.      

“We are honored to receive this award, which highlights our commitment to produce innovative products that advance the digital graphics industry," said 2010 award winner Dave Conrad, Neschen Americas. “We continue to work with our partners and the market to develop new products that help our customers enhance, display and protect their graphics in changing environments."  

Each entry must be currently available during 2011 and will be judged based on its perceived value to the digital imaging community by a select group of experts. Awards will be honoured within these major categories:       

Media for digital inkjet (seven sub-categories)

• Paper Based — bond, photo, synthetic, etc.    
• Vinyl — banner, mesh, non-woven, textured, etc.    
• Vinyl — fleet and pressure sensitive      
• Non-PVC — non PVC based, includes non-woven, eco-responsible and plant based.    
• Film — static cling, white, clear, specialty, etc.    
• Textile — natural and synthetic woven   
• Rigid — paper, plastic, metal, etc.   

Inks 
  
Finishing (three sub-categories)

• Display Exhibit Hardware — framing systems, display systems and hardware, structures, etc.       
• Laminates, adhesives and films   
• Equipment — laminators, routers, cutters, saws, seaming equipment, grommeting, sewing, etc.   

Output Device Test Print Shootout — entrants are required to print and submit a test image created by the Association. 

Entries will be evaluated and judged by industry leaders and awards will be presented on Wednesday, October 19 during the SGIA Expo in New Orleans. For more information, visit SGIA.org - http://www.sgia.org/events/current%5Fexpo/sgia11/competitions/poty.cfm     
http://www.sgia.org/events/current_expo/sgia11/    

ILFORD Imaging Switzerland GmbH is pleased to announce the growth of its international management team with the addition of graphics industry veteran Paul Willems as chief executive officer (CEO) and director of global sales.

Willems brings his abundant experience and knowledge of the graphic arts industry to his new role with ILFORD. Prior to joining the company, Willems held the position of CEO at GMGcolor, and he is a former McKinsey & Company consultant. He has also spent several years in diverse executive positions with graphic arts and digital printing industries companies.

“Paul strengthens the management team at ILFORD and focuses the company on growth. Since our acquisition of ILFORD we have aggressively sought to expand the company footprint in its core business markets, while also uncovering new growth opportunities,” said Clifford Herbertson, Partner, Paradigm Global Partners LLP. “With this new aggressive business development strategy in mind, we expect Paul to deliver an immediate impact to our business, and also be a key player in further developing the company for the long term.”

Herbertson, in his capacity as a partner of Paradigm Global Partners LLP, which recently acquired ILFORD Imaging Switzerland GmbH, had previously served as the manufacturer’s acting global sales leader before Willem’s addition to the management team.

Recent expansions to the ILFORD distribution network in key markets around the globe have positioned the company to actively pursue new markets and expand market share in key regions. With the addition of Willems, ILFORD can continue to explore new avenues for international growth utilising his fluency in English, French and German.

“ILFORD has long been known for its dedication to high quality products, and its portfolio remains very strong. I see very interesting developments on the horizon and I'm proud to join the excellent team already in place.” said Willems. “My special thanks to Clifford Herbertson, whose unfailing commitment to the ILFORD global sales initiatives will certainly allow me to hit the ground running.”

Lars Sommerhäuser having served as CEO since 2010 will become chief operating officer (COO) and will be responsible for operations, technology & development, human resources, purchasing and information technology. Sommerhäuser will also lead the company’s strategic business development.

Avery Dennison has launched a 'Minimum Retroreflectivity Compliance Kit' which provides an affordable and easy way for USA-based officials and road sign fabricators to evaluate if an existing sign meets new federally established standards for "retroreflectivity" (the USA standard for measuring sign brightness).  The kit has been developed to help state and municipal government officials maintain that their traffic and safety signs reflect enough light to be in compliance with federal regulations.

The kit contains calibration sign standards and comparison panel standards. When used in conjunction with each other, the components allow a state, county or city government agency to easily test existing signs for compliance simply by holding the kit's comparison panel next to a sign. If the sign is as bright as the panel, the sign is in compliance, if not, it needs to be replaced. 
 
The calibration sign standards come in all required colours with retroreflectivity levels engineered to match the values specified in Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)¹ Table 2A-3. Agency personnel can easily calibrate their vision prior to conducting nighttime sign inspections and mark signs as pass, fail or marginal.
 
The visual assessment method using the kit is simple, effective and fully compliant with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommendations for sign evaluation. In accordance with the 2009 Edition of the MUTCD, state and municipalities have until January 22, 2012 to select and begin employing an assessment or management method to maintain traffic sign retroreflectivity at or above established minimums. By January 15, 2015, they must replace regulatory, warning and post-mounted guide signs that fail to meet established minimums. And, by January 22, 2018, overhead guide and street name signs that fail to meet established minimums must be replaced.
 
"The Avery Dennison Compliance Kit is accurate, approved and the most cost-effective method for an agency to test their existing signage and be in compliance," said Scott Chapman, traffic & safety segment manager, Avery Dennison Graphics and Reflective Solutions. "We are committed to working proactively with government agencies to ensure they are compliant with the MUTCD rules."
 
The retroreflective values for both the calibration sign standards and comparison panel standards are certified by Avery Dennison.
 
Kits are available from authorised resellers. 

¹ The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is a compilation of national standards for all traffic control devices, including road markings, highway signs, and traffic signals.

 

Applied digital signage instead of mere theory and technology: Since 2007 the Digital Signage World at viscom has been the point of reference for everything relating to digital signage and information. At its fifth edition, the focus of this “fair within the fair” is again quite clearly on practical aspects. International suppliers of hardware, software and complete solutions present examples of applications from the retail sector, information and guiding systems, interactivity and content. A large number of exhibitors have already booked, among them the sdi Gesellschaft für Medientechnologie mbH, Macnetix, CurveLED, Samsung Electronics, Run Retail United, MMD Philips, licht-con GmbH and Micro-Star International Company Limited. They will offer visitors ideas of how to put the medium to the most effective use, be that in the retail sector, in hotels and restaurants, railway stations and airports, cultural establishments or in public areas.
As varied as the range of possible uses is also the spectrum of visitors expected at the Digital Signage World: Among others, prospects come from banking, the catering sector, casinos, museums, stadiums and arenas, the health sector, educational institutions, public authorities, the public transport sector and city marketing, and the retail sector but also from the areas of entertainment, corporate communication and visual merchandising.

Solutions combining static and digital elements
With its own exhibition zone, marketing concept, award and lecture programme, the Digital Signage World has the character of a trade fair of its own. At the same time, it particularly benefits from its integration into viscom – a trade fair covering all areas of visual communication and, as a result, also perfectly complementing the various digital signage solutions for digital content with its offers of large format printing, classic signmaking or light advertising to match.  Exhibitors of all categories therefore profit from the synergy of static “signs” and new media.

A stage for the best projects in Europe: Digital Signage Best Practice Award 2011
The working of such synergies is demonstrated every year by the nominees and winners of the Digital Signage Best Practice Award. In this competition prizes are awarded to particularly efficient, creatively implemented, innovative and successful digital signage projects. The display of the nominated projects makes up the core of the Digital Signage World, since they demonstrate the versatility of the medium, and its various uses, techniques and content. The Digital Signage Best Practice Award, staged by viscom in cooperation with Dockter Marketing in Cologne, is presented for the fifth time already this year in the categories Retail Signage, Information Signage, Guiding Signage, Content for Digital Signage as well as Interactive Signage. 

Lecture programme: New themes and presentation formats
This year the Digital Signage World will come up with two new presentation formats. The Speakers’ Corner near the Digital Signage Lounge provides space for new ideas, products and concepts. In brief presentations with ample possibilities for questions and answers current themes relating to digital signage, digital merchandising and digital marketing are dealt with.
Room 814 above the exhibition area of Hall 8b is the place for a workshop atmosphere and intensive treatment of one topic at a time. On two days, the focus of the four subsequent forums is on visual merchandising with digital media in the retail sector, digital signage combined with 3D, visual communication, both digital and analogue, in museums and exhibitions, digital signage for the hospitality market (restaurants, fast food, hotels, and conference and leisure facilities). All forums present real projects from the point of both users and suppliers. Visitors will be given a concentrated overview of current developments and trends in each of the areas concerned. Attendance at the forums is free for viscom visitors (previous registration required).

www.digital-signage-world.com
www.viscom-messe.com