Media

 

Ultima Displays is proud to announce it has achieved accreditation for the internationally recognised Environmental Standard of ISO14001:2004, the

Environmental Management System (EMS) designed to improve the impact organisations make on the Environment.

ISO 14001 specifies the elements required for an EMS and forces organisations to review the day to day business activities which impact upon the Environment. Controlling or influencing these ‘environmental impacts’ in a positive way is core of any EMS.

A Culture of Environmental Awareness and Best Practice

Ultima has been keen to promote a culture of environmental awareness within the business and the steps already taken have been embraced by employees, some of whom have been the drivers for the more tangible initiatives already in place, such as paper and printer cartridge recycling. In addition, Ultima already operates a recycling program for all cardboard, MDF and aluminium so that the unavoidable waste from production is recycled. MDF purchased for manufacturing is also FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Compliant.

Ultima is keen to be recognised within the display industry as an environmentally friendly company and to comply with environmental legislation, and recognises that achieving accreditation is just the start of an ongoing process of continual improvement, which is central to its forward plans.

Policy and measures

As well as complying with all appropriate environmental legislation, Ultima has identified some basic environmental goals:

 

• Waste – to reduce general waste going to landfill by up to 50% during 2010
• Hazardous Waste – to ensure any hazardous waste is safely disposed of using approved carriers
• Energy – to significantly reduce the use of Gas/Electricity during 2010
• Emissions to air – to extend its influence with hauliers to ensure the use of energy efficient engines and to only use vehicles with low CO² emissions.
• To work with its suppliers to influence where it can, their impacts upon the Environment. Ultima manufactures and purchases many products and components from overseas suppliers, principally from China, its buying power enables Ultima to insist that suppliers meet its environmental standards. Members of the company make regular checks on every aspect of the supply chain ensure that both environmental and ethical standards are maintained.

 

“Our market can be very price-driven and we saw concern for environmental credentials waning as we went through the worst of the recession last year”       Andrew Burdett, Managing Director of Ultima. “However, as there has been tentative growth in confidence in the market, our customers are, once again, starting to ask about our green credentials and policies of operation, which are becoming an increasingly important part of the buying decision process. Businesses are becoming more environmentally and socially conscious and often will prefer to buy from companies that are environmentally responsible.”

What next?

Ultima has embarked on a process of continuous improvement working towards the environmental objectives and targets already set. In addition, Ultima has been working with the Carbon Trust, which has already made recommendations on reducing Carbon emissions, most of the recommendations will require investment, but will ultimately save resources and money.

As a market leader, Ultima is determined to set the standards for its industry sector and has also embarked on a programme of operational efficiency, with the goal of achieving the ISO 9001 Quality Management Standard by the end of 2010.

 

 

Antalis Printall recently sent some of its dedicated sign and display sales team on a fact finding mission to the 3A Composites manufacturing facility in Singen, Germany.

3A Composites Display Europe has maintained a long tradition of technical leadership and excellence in sheet materials for sign and display applications with a  product range comprising of leading brands including DIBOND aluminium composite panels, KAPA, GATORFOAM , FOAM-X  lightweight foamboards and FOREX rigid foam plastic sheets.

Antalis Printall product manager Chris Green says: “When we went into partnership with 3A Composites (formerly Alcan) we grasped the challenge with both hands and wanted to know everything about their fantastic range of products. Therefore the trip to the mill cemented in our own minds that we were working with the best in their field and that we could be confident that the products we distribute will add value to our customers.”

The 3A composites range includes a huge choice of variants and options for direct-to-substrate digital printing, fabrication, mounting and other applications in signs and display, graphic arts, POS / POP advertising and exhibitions.

“We have a very experienced team at Antalis Printall,” concludes Mr. Green. “We are aware that we are in a fast moving market and therefore cannot rest on our laurels or take anything for granted. We have set out our stall to be the market’s leading knowledge provider and as such we need to be able to answer our customers’ queries with 100% accuracy while at the same time provide the market with a stream of innovative new product introductions aimed at boosting printers profits.”

BioMedia, the new range of biodegradable printing materials from G3S, has been announced as the winner of The Best Environmental Printing Substrate Award for 2010 by the European Digital Printing Association.

‘We are delighted that the industry is recognising the potential of BioMedia. This is the second award for the product and we are expecting to add to that this year,’ commented Mark Sanderson, Sales Director for BioMedia and G3S. ‘The enthusiasm and interest in BioMedia just underlines how important green issues are becoming in our industry. Ethical buying is becoming increasingly important as companies really understand the need to stand up and be counted on green issues.’

BioMedia is a biodegradable and recyclable range of print materials from G3S suitable for all digital printing methods. The product incorporates an enzymatic micro-organism which, in dark, moist conditions, cuts through the polymer chain resulting in rapidly accelerated breakdown of the product. This can reduce the biodegrading process to a matter of months. Alternatively, BioMedia can be recycled into plastic cups, light switches and insulation enabling the life cycle of the product to be completed time and time again.

The product range offers a viable alternative to traditional wide format and presentation graphics substrates which are generally neither biodegradable or recyclable. The biodegrading process does not begin until the product is in the correct environment, thus allowing it to perform superbly until it becomes waste.

BioMedia is already being used by BAA and WDF for their many advertising campaigns throughout UK airports. Not only does BioMedia assist companies in their waste disposal, it can also help by reducing the number of processes used in production as it is a direct to substrate print material and does not need to be laminated or encapsulated for longevity.

Further information on BioMedia products is available online at www.bioprintmedia.com

Avery Dennison Corporation, the product of one man’s insight into retailers’ needs, today marked its 75th anniversary as a company by having Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer Dean A. Scarborough and the Company’s leadership team ring the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange.

Avery Dennison was founded in June 1935 by R. Stanton Avery, who developed the world's first self-adhesive label and label-making machinery in a loft above a flower shop in downtown Los Angeles.  Sales for his first six months of selling removable price stickers to gift shops and other retailers totaled $1,391.

From Avery’s pressure-sensitive materials and production technologies, for which he received 18 patents over the course of his career, the Company named after him has evolved into a $6 billion global leader in labeling and packaging solutions, retail branding and information solutions, and organization and identification solutions for work and home.

“Innovation that improves customers’ businesses and lives has been at the heart of Avery Dennison since 1935,” Scarborough said. “Avery Dennison is everywhere and impacts people every day – we’re on the products in the stores they shop, the clothes they wear, the car they drive, the signs on the highway they pass, in the offices where they work and the schools they attend,” Scarborough said.

“Today we express this heritage through a new vision:  everything we make and do helps make brands more inspiring and the world more intelligent,” Scarborough said. “I’m excited about the future as we honor our past.  Avery Dennison has always stood for innovation, and that legacy continues to propel the company forward as we invest in new markets, products and technology to better serve our customers throughout the world.”

The Company is planning commemorative events throughout the anniversary year.  More on Avery Dennison’s history is available at a new website, www.averydennison75years.com

Neil McCarthy, previously Marketing Director of Robert Horne’s Sign & Display Business Unit has joined Pyramid Display Materials as Head of Sales & Marketing.

McCarthy, who has over 30 years experience within the sign & display industry joins Pyramid at an exciting time in their development.

Dennis Morgan, Pyramid’s Managing Director, explains the role McCarthy will play within the business “ Pyramid have grown steadily since forming in 2002 and we are now the largest independent supplier to the sign and display sector in the UK, but the new economics of the market aren’t about scale and volume. Pyramid differentiate themselves through new technologies, services and products to give customers more of what’s relevant to them. Neil’s role will be to give real focus to our sales and marketing program to ensure both existing and new customers to Pyramid are fully aware of our complete service offering and what we can achieve for them through seeing and thinking differently”

Pyramid distribute for some of the world’s leading sign and display manufacturers including MACtac, Staufen, Foamalite, Smurfit Kappa and Brett Martin.

Pyramid operate from 3 regional sales offices and warehouse facilities based in Manchester, Birmingham and Gateshead and have recently launched a dedicated conversion company to service the group, Pyramid Converting.

Boost in TV sales linked to interest in easy-peel labels that leave no adhesive transfer on removal

Madico Graphic Films, a leading UK supplier of specialist pressure sensitive, coated film products for durable label applications, has attributed increased sales of its versatile range of printable films that offer excellent adhesion and superior clean removability on a wide range of surfaces and at high temperatures to the forthcoming FIFA World Cup in South Africa. One of the key applications for the innovative thermal transfer printable film (code: 01-716) is removable labels for electrical and audio visual equipment, including TV screens. With some retailers currently reporting TV sales equivalent to those during the peak trading period of Christmas, Madico says this has influenced sales of the easy-peel labelstock, which leaves no adhesive transfer or residue upon removal.

Madico’s innovative 01-716 film comprises a 50μ white polyester or 80μ polypropylene print receptive facestock that provides excellent dimensional stability combined with good solvent, humidity, elevated temperature and UV resistance. Engineered to accept conventional ink, the labelstock offers superior thermal transfer print quality with crisp definition at low burn temperatures with resin and wax/resin ribbons.

Pivotal to the film’s performance is Madico’s very low tack, and proven R51 acrylic adhesive, which offers clean removability after short and long term application. As well as audio-visual equipment and electrical appliances, this makes 01-716 perfect for on demand variable information labels in a host of automotive, electronic and laboratory applications. Madico’s 01-716 substrate also includes an 82gsm white polycoated glassine liner which is suitable for high speed dispensing and is PE coated on one side to ensure adhesive smoothness.

“The key differentiator with Madico’s 01-716 easy-peel label compared to similar products, is its removable adhesive and the reliability of that adhesive under difficult conditions”, says Gary Dixon, International Business Manager at Madico Graphic Films Ltd. “Removable labels are already available on the market, but unlike 01-716, these typically fail to perform when subjected to high temperatures or if exposed to chemicals. However, the 01-716 polyester film has been proven to function successfully at up to 200°C.

“At the point of purchase, 01-716 labels are crisp, clean and adhere to surfaces perfectly, and leave no surface contamination upon removal”, he adds. “This makes them highly suitable for point-of-sale labels on electrical and audio-visual products, white goods, or for factory tracking of products during assembly. We noticed similar peaks of the product prior to the 2006 World Cup and believe the current boost in TV sales could well be the reason behind this.”

Madico’s 01-716 can be supplied directly from stock and as well as a 50μ gloss white polyester, is also available on a 50μ clear white polyester, as well as on an 80μ matt white polypropylene facestock.