Vision Asia Magazine Issue 1 - February 2014

ASIA d i g i ta l p r i n t intelligence

the changing face of print in asia

inside • local scene: Singapore • new products • awards • decoration • textiles • media

Visionaries

C O N V E N T I O N • K u a l a l u m p u r O C TO b E r 2 0 1 4 a t W O D aY D i G i ta l p R i n t t e C H n O l O G Y B R i e F i n G F e at u R i n G S p e a K e R S F R O m a C R O S S t H e p l a n e t

the future is about change, ViSiOnaRieS are those who change first.

ViSiOnaRieS - the two day convention featuring the best visionary minds of digital printing, providing attendees with a briefing on what will be the printing landscape in the asia of the future. the convention will be of benefit to those market leaders who naturally look forward to adopting the latest digital print technology and trends, it is a presentation for decision makers, thought leaders and those with an eye to the future. if you believe you have the ViSiOnaRieS philosophy, then this convention is designed for you.

Kuala lumpur October 2014

Booking details for attendees will be available soon.

platinum SpOn SOR promotional opportunities exist for sponsors with vision contact ed@visionamagazine.asia for details

VISIONasia ISSUE ONE

Vision Asia, providing the Asian print industry with intelligence on digital print products and technologies, identifying emerging trends and showcasing ideas, skills and knowledge

W

elcome to Vision Asia, a new force in the printing trade-press within the Asian region. Vision Asia magazine is focussed entirely on non-analogue print and represents the new force emerging throughout the region, the force of digital printing.

Major shifts in technology in the industry of print have seen massive strides in the ability to snatch profits from short run, quick turnaround projects scheduled into digital press systems. Similarly in the area of sign and display, new processes have seen production of signage evolve into a fast moving revenue generation area with all manner of products being created from roll-to-roll wide format machines and flatbed systems capable of printing on a multitude of substrates from card to board to wood, metals, ceramics and stone.

The publishers and editorial team are confident that readers will appreciate that our reportage covers that latest breaking news in the digital print market, bringing subscribers a multilevel platform of market intelligence in both online and printed versions for easy reference and readability.

VISION asia magazine The Changing face of print in Asia Published by Vision Asia Media Pte Ltd 57 Ubi Avenue 1 #03-06 Ubi Centre Singapore 408936 tel +65 6733 5342 fax +65 6733 3586

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Contents 6

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20

23

Feature Location: Singapore

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Product News

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News

16

Profile of an award winner

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Digital Awards

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Decoration

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Textiles

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Software

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Media

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Outdoor

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Industry Events

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Feature location

Singapore the lion citY ROARS

A perfect blend of east and west with an efficient business environment, Singapore lies in the heart of the Southeast Asian print industry. It comes as no surprise that the Lion City takes the lead in digital print adoption in the region.

Vision Asia explores its print scene and finds out what it takes to stay on top in the digital realm.

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VISION

At a Glance Country:

Singapore

Government:

Republic with a Parliamentary system of government based on the Westminster model

Location:

Southeast Asia

Population:

5.4 million (as of 2013)

Economy:

$64,310.00 per capita GDP (as of 2013)

Currency:

Singapore Dollar (SGD)

Print Revenue:

$1.3 billion

Industry Employs:

17,000 workers

Singapore has taken on the more mature markets in the world, such as adopting print technology from the US and Europe. It has become our job to convince the other countries in the region to adopt that technology as quickly as possible

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ingapore has emerged first as the easiest place to do business in the world in 2014, according to an annual World Bank report that assesses 189 economies. With its easy access and close proximity to regional major markets, many international printers and publishers make it the preferred headquarters for Asian-Pacific activities. The island city also offers one of the best intellectual property (IP) protection across Asia, making the nation one of the top printing hubs in the region.

Research Foundation (NRF), SPRING Singapore, Economic Development Board and Infocomm Development Authority, S$16 billion has been committed between 2011 and 2015 in order to drive innovation in the country.

When it comes to digital progresses and innovation, the nation has been nothing short of aggressive in lending support to businesses.

For starters, $500 million dollars have been pledged into the government’s Future of Manufacturing (FoM) programme, with huge focus placed on the development of 3D printing. Through agencies such as National

“Singapore has taken on the more mature markets in the world, such as adopting print technology from the US and Europe. It has become our job to convince the other countries in the region to adopt that technology as quickly as possible,” said Mike Braggins, senior manager for marketing, Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific Pte Ltd.

Fuji Xerox’s Color 1000 and Color 800 Presses are used by high end professional printers in the colour printing production market

“Internally, we look at countries in terms of their maturity in the market. I think Singapore is at that higher-level end for Asia than others in the region, with a very good, robust market and plenty of opportunities for growth.

read more

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Canon’s 6 colour, large format imagePROGRAF 44” iPF8400SE model is designed for in-house production of posters and point-of-sale (POS) collateral, aimed at the corporate, retail and hospitality markets

All research and studies have shown that offset volume is dropping everywhere. Particularly in Singapore, there is definitely a decline in profits. While offset volume is declining, digital volume is on the rise.

SingaPrint Industry The Singapore government’s pro-business stance and attention to innovation translates well into the print industry. The role of the print industry in the nation’s economy is crucial, as the industry employs over 17,000 workers and contributes about $1.3 billion of value-added to the economy.

Initiatives and collaborations to actively promote economic growths in the industry are frequent.

In 2011, SPRING Singapore partnered up with the Media Development Authority to organise a crossmedia seminar to educate printers on the changing business models of printers overseas. SPRING Singapore has also expressed their commitment to work closely with other government agencies, and industry partners in order to build up on digital media frontier in the nation.

Singapore also cooperates with the Print and Media Association, Singapore (PMAS), the local association for the print industry. PMAS has been instrumental in the growth of the local print industry, by opening new markets, providing opportunities to upgrade and bridging the gaps between printers and government schemes and assistance programmes.

Digital Moves From 2006 to 2010, the print industry recorded a decline at a compounded annual growth rate of 2.1%, which amounts to a 25% regression over five years. Although the government has shown concerted effort in supporting the industry, the numbers are unfortunately not seeing an upturn just as yet.

“A lot of my competitors have closed up shop or are going to shut down. Those who close up would pass along their clients to me. I should be happy, but the sad fact is while my customer pool has grown, the print volume has dropped,” lamented Sim Boon Keng, owner of a large format printer in Singapore, Botak Sign Printer.

“All research and studies have shown that offset volume is dropping everywhere. Particularly in Singapore, there is definitely a decline in profits. In emerging markets, the decline is much slower than in mature countries. While offset volume is declining, digital volume is on the rise. There are three main reasons to this – more personalisation jobs, costs, and advancements in digital technology,” said Jonathan Yeo, general manager, Konica Minolta.

Digital improvements within the print industry have opened up opportunities for revenues. With consumer demands for personalisation, quicker turnarounds and shorter runs, the Singapore print industry is becoming highly competitive.

Due to these demands, digital applications are encroaching into traditional print processes. That said, the move to digital is not as quick as was presumed.

“The smaller printers in Singapore have already made the move to digital. For the large commercial printers who make up 80% of the physical print volume, it’s not as easy for them to move to digital because of the high initial investments made in offset presses. Still, they are exploring digital, and Singapore’s traditional commercial printers have a faster adoption of digital presses relative to other countries in the region. Not as fast to transition to digital as anticipated some five years ago, but compared to the rest, Singapore ranks as one of the fastest in Southeast Asia,” Yeo said.

“Some of my competitors are selling away their digital print businesses to the larger printers in the

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country. These larger printers operate mainly on offset processes but because of growing demands they need to include digital printers as well,” Sim corroborated.

Many large commercial printers in Singapore count multinational corporations and the nation’s government as part of their main clientele. The nature of such jobs requires a more intricate form of personalisation, which is a main driving force for offset printers having to move some print volume to digital or hybrid printing.

“Government jobs are always intended to serve the citizens, so there’s that need for personalisation.

Almost all the time you will see some element of customisation in government jobs. The information is stored collectively in a central database, and when printed, the government has to take care that each citizen receives their rightful information and not someone else’s. Each printed material must be customised to each citizen. The complexity of these jobs also plays a part in Singapore’s faster adoption of digital. Similar jobs from other countries in the region is not as sophisticated,” said Yeo. The Future of Digital Print: Value-Added Services Besides an increase in customisation jobs, a business trend that is witnessing growth is diversifying the business to include value-added services. In order to remain sustainable in the print industry, print service providers are looking to go beyond physical printing. Printers are now offering end-to-end services in order to retain clientele and increase margins in light of declining print volumes.

End-to-end services work on the premise of having a streamlined and efficient workflow within an organisation.

“We have observed that large printers are already seriously exploring how to evolve their businesses to do other types of services and take on a more holistic approach. Printers are including more value-added services, as opposed to just physically printing. Printers can now set up an end-to-end process for the customer and look at how they can automate the process. For example, by providing an electronic web ordering system, the customer can insert the dates, time and location and the jobs get delivered. Some printers also provide designing services, while others do spend analysis to recommend how best to budget,” said Yeo. Many printers that have refocused their business to include value-added services are already deriving revenue from it. They plan to continue expanding these services to become a more rounded marketing service provider. Being able to offer such value-added services ultimately boils down to the corporate cliché: the customer is king.

“The market now is more about helping your customers be more successful. There are two things really - printers need the right products to provide to their clients, and then a streamlined and efficient workflow within their organisation. You’d have to encompass other ways of communications

other than print, and be concerned with helping the clients be more successful. If printers can bring all that print expertise and include value-added services for their customers, that would make for a successful printer and marketing services provider today,” said Braggins.

Packaging Goes Digital Another digital movement the industry can expect is in packaging. A recent study by Smithers Pira predicted that the market worldwide for digitally produced packaging and labels to reach USD$15.3 billion by 2018. As labeling requirements grow increasingly stringent, the variable component of digital press becomes important.

“Especially in consumer products, a lot of governments are actually beginning to legislate that some of the labeling have a security element to it, such as a barcode or serial number. This is to enable tracking capabilities, so that in the event of issues such as food contamination, it’s easier to track and recall the products. In Singapore, they currently run by hybrid - the labels are printed on offset, while serial numbers are printed on digitally. When will labels and packaging migrate completely to digital? When the runs are short

and the variable and static data are in one press,” explained Yeo. Death of Offset?

Does the digital print boom bode ill for offset presses? Not necessarily. Offset still has its place in the print industry in Singapore. Braggins offered this insight on the value of technological advancements when placed in perspective with consumer demands: “For the Singapore market, offset will definitely have a place. Digital may have replaced some of the processes, but primarily digital print is different. Digital print is not about replacing an offset process - it’s not a replacement business.”

“At the end of the day, it’s not a technology discussion, rather than it is a business one. There are a lot of good technologies out there. We’d like to think that ours is better than the rest, but realistically, a lot of people provide a lot of good technology now. Most customers don’t care about technology, they only want a certain type of service, and they’re not concerned with how you go about doing it. If the job can be done with an offset press, then it’s fine,” Braggins concluded.

Konica Minolta’s flagship bizhub PRESS C8000 print system features colour stability, de-curling hybrid technology and in-line finishing output. Output speed is 80 x A4 ppm in colour on paper weights ranging from 64gsm to 350gsm card at 1200 x 1200dpi x 8 BIT colour resolution

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product News

CANON imagePROGRAF iPF6400SE & 8400SE Canon’s large format imagePROGRAF models for poster and POS printing includes red, in addition to magenta, cyan, yellow, black and matte black.

The red allows the printers to produce vibrant visuals due to more intense reds and oranges, which are common colours in posters and POS collateral.

Canon has launched two 6-colour, large format imagePROGRAF models for in-house production of posters and point-of-sale (POS) collateral, aimed at the corporate, retail and hospitality markets. The 24” imagePROGRAF iPF6400SE and 44” iPF8400SE have been developed specially for entry level users, and offer a low cost of investment and ownership.

The two models uses the 6-colour LUCIA-EX ink set, that uses pigments instead of dye inks. This ensures the longevity of the printed images on display and is compatible with an array of media. The 6-colour ink set

The new imagePROGRAF printers feature a larger optional ink tank and offer a lower downtime period because of a sub-ink tank to allow for nonstop printing or ‘Hot Swap’ during ink tank replacement. Both the iPF6400SE and iPF8400SE are compact in size in consideration of space constraints of retail and corporate offices. The smaller size makes the printers achieve a footprint of almost 20% than its predecessors, the imagePROGRAF iPF6400 or iPF6400S. To make the machines user-friendly for entry level users, the printers come with added value software such as PosterArtist Lite, which allows users to easily create posters, and a plug-in for Microsoft Office applications.

Also included is a Direct Print & Share software that enables cloud-based sharing to streamline print workflows.

Agfa Jeti Titan S & HS Agfa Graphics has launched two new flatbed UV-inkjet printers at C!Print 2014 in Lyon, France saying the printers build on the success of the Jeti Titan series of UV-curable wide-format printers.

The Jeti Titan S equipped with one row of print heads, but is field upgradeable to two rows to upgrade to a Jeti Titan HS (pictured) to double productivity.

The default setup for both models is six colours plus white. White printing supports different print modes including overprint, underprint, under-spot, fill and over-spot for rigids and pre-white for roll media. The white ink also features an automated recirculation system for optimal reliability.

The Jet Titan S and HS are designed for high volume jobs or those requiring faster turnarounds. By integrating with the Asanti workflow software and Anuvia UV-curabe inks, the printers are able to maximise productivity.

The printers have a 2x3m true flatbed design and feature a precision moving table. The ‘flat-to-roll’ option allows users to print on flexible substrates of up to 3.2m wide. Equipped with a 7 pico litre droplet size, the printers are able to provide a photorealistic image quality with text as fine as 4pt positive and negative.

Default setup for both models is six colours plus white which supports overprint, underprint, under-spot, fill and over-spot for rigids and pre-white for roll media

Rapid-X Digital RAPID XL220C and XL350 The new range from Australian Rapid-X Digital includes two versions that are currently under development; the Rapid XL220C with coater and XL350, a 350mm web width version.

Fitted with a 220mm web width design, the Rapid XL220 is a label press that will reflect an ‘all-in-one’ approach. Instead of a modular three- or four-piece system, the machine will look like a single unit. All functions can be accessed via a touch-screen control. The Rapid XL220 allows PDF files to be sent over a network, and all parameters of the job to be set up from a central console.

Rapid-X Digital’s new Memjet powered label press range launches in March 2014

A notable feature of the range is the option on an inline flexo coating station with the company saying that coating digitally-printed labels is becoming essential.

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product News

IQDEMY SWS Maglev people’s choice winner Large format printer, SWS Maglev, was voted top ten new products of 2013 by readers of Paper, Film and Foil Converter (PFFC). Subscribers to PFFC’s E-Clips e-mail newsletter clicked on items that most captured their interest in the past year, and that number of clicks earned the SWS Maglev a spot in the top ten.

Developed by Russian company IQDEMY, the large format printers uses patented magnetic levitation technology. This technology allows the carriage system to run without friction, thus enabling the highest possible accuracy of dot placements. The printer’s winning attribute is its ability to print on just about any substrate.

The UV LED printer features Ricoh Gen5 printheads, and an automatic ink circulation system claims to extend the life of the printheads. The SWS Maglev also accommodates seven colour printing (CMYKLcLm+W) and an optional varnish as an eighth colour, for a precise colour reproduction haptic images. The printer is equipped with an automated cleaning and thermal stabilisation of the ink system.

The SWS Maglev is fitted with a roll-to-roll feed system for printing on flexible materials on rolls and features an automatic material positioning system and vacuum table that prevents material shifts during operation.

The system has an automatic safety system that prevents printheads from coming into contact with curved parts of substrates. Substrates such as films, foils, Styrofoam, wax, polyester, aluminium, and more can be printed at speeds to 150 sqm/hr in draft mode.

SWS Maglev gets voted into the top ten products that most captured readers attention

The SWS Maglev has also recently been nominated for US-based magazine, Wide Format Imaging’s Reader’s Choice Award 2014 for two categories; Flatbed Printers and UV printers 24”. The Maglev was also on display at the recent D-PES Sign Expo China 2014 and exhibition that showcased advanced technology, equipment and consumables in the sign industry.

In addition to the SWS Maglev, IQDEMY manufactures the ibis-2, an eightcolour (CMYKWWVV) UV LED printer with a flatbed that can accommodate a maximum media size of 320 x 420 mm, enabling high quality photographic printing on various substrates.

Mimaki JV33 gets MAPS Update Mimaki has released MAPS, an update to the JV33 roll-to-roll series of solvent inkjet products. The Mimaki Advanced Pass System (MAPS) technology discharges ink droplets to minimize, and even eliminate, banding in high production mode permitting a 10% increase in speed. MAPS is configurable by fine-tuning the jetting process to meet specific production needs, such as adjustments to print speeds, plus the technology works with all ink sets.

The Mimaki Advanced Pass System (MAPS) technology minimises, banding in production mode and gives a 10% speed boost

Mimaki launched the updated JV33 at C!Print in Lyon, France where the company also demonstrated its product personalisation capabilities using the Mimaki’s UJF-3042 and UJF-6042. These UV flatbed printers with LED curing and multiple ink options print in near photo quality directly on substrates up to 150mm thick and support 6 colours and white ink.

The JV33 update is available for distribution immediately in the EMEA region and is available free to all current JV33 owners.

JORG Label.Web 220 The Jorg Label.Web 220 is designed for users in the narrow web sector, working with a printing width up to 220 mm. The machine prints using a paper web and incorporates a wind-rewind facility where labels can be printed and either cut individually or rewound for further finishing.

The integrated Memjet inkjet printheads allow all inks (CMYK+K) to be printed onto the substrate simultaneously, giving a maximum production speed of 30cm per second and the 70,400 print nozzles allow the Label.

Web 220 to run at a maximum resolution of 1,600 x 1,600 dpi.

The operator controls the printer via a touchscreen colour display driven from a Windows PC that can be integrated into existing networks. In addition, the printer is programmed with automated print-cost, job and media management systems.

Jorg’s Label.Web 220 desktop web printing system uses Memjet printhead technology

COVER STORY

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NEWS

efi and Landa alliance

efi and Ricoh

EFI and Landa Corporation get together to develop a digital front end as part of Landa’s end-to-end Nanographic Printing solution

EFI DFE for Ricoh’s black and white production printers

EFI has launched a new Fiery Digital Front End (DFE) saying that it offers greater image detail as well as faster job set-up and management on the new Ricoh Pro 8100S/8110S/8120S black-and-white digital printers now available in the Asia Pacific market.

EFI and Landa Corporation have confirmed that they have entered into a partnership agreement for the development of a digital front end (DFE) as part of Landa’s end-to-end Nanographic Printing solution. Landa’s new DFE will employ highperformance, EFI-developed Fiery technology.

With this technology, the Landa DFE will offer unique, new functionality for sheetfed and webfed Landa Nanographic Printing Presses in the commercial, folding carton, point-of-sale, publishing, and flexible packaging markets.

The Landa DFE will stream jobs at full printing speed for 4-8 color printing with Landa Nanographic Printing Presses and will enable press operators to perform last-minute job changes on the press, to proof jobs and to print rush jobs on-the-fly. In addition, it will collect production feedback from the presses and support closed-loop colour control and inspection. The Landa DFE will support all job dynamics including static, VDP (Variable Data Printing) and EPID (Every Page Is Different) printing.

The agreement brings together two high profile businesses that plan to offer cost-effective printing short-to-medium job lengths up to five times faster than existing digital printing presses. EFI says its colour DFE and digital print workflow technology will deliver cutting edge technology to meet Landa’s stringent colour management, job workflow and integrated MIS demands.

EFI said that Landa Nanographic Printing Presses have potential to accelerate the migration of mainstream commercial printing and packaging to digital printing and the Landa DFE provides a proven, high-speed and well-integrated front-end platform that Landa customers require.

Nanographic Printing boss Benny Landa said his process offers offset quality digital printing and a combination of format size and throughput speeds unprecedented in the graphic arts industry. Landa

selected EFI for its technology leadership and expertise in high-speed digital systems and colour and print management saying its customers can use the new DFE to create an end-to-end solution that fits their printing operation - full offset, alldigital or hybrid offset/digital.

Landa Nanographic Printing Presses will be installed next to offset presses and use the same substrates. With the new DFE, Landa Nanographic Printing Presses will integrate into a printer’s existing prepress, production, and business management workflow and finishing equipment. The Landa DFE will also ensure consistency, accuracy and compliance to leading colour standards. It will enable high-speed, variable-data printing on any off-the-shelf B1 format (41 in. / 1,050 mm) substrate.

As with current EFI Fiery platforms, the new DFE will integrate with EFI’s MIS/ERP systems, as well as with leading third-party prepress and workflow platforms, for streamlined job management and processing.

EFI claims its Fiery system is the first and only DFE platform that carries a 100% perfect pass rating from industry organization VIGC’s PDF RIP Audit.

The Fiery DFE technology EFI is developing for Landa will use scalable, robust systems offering the processing power needed to drive large volumes of offset-quality digital images, including personalized/variable-data content. The new Landa DFE will enter beta testing as part of the beta installations of the B1 (41 in. / 1,050 mm) format Landa S10 Nanographic Printing Press slated for Q4 of this year.

Landa Digital Printing and its Nanographic Printing technology is targeted at the cost-effective production of short-to-medium print runs with Landa claiming its Nanographic Printing Presses yield the lowest cost per digitally printed page in the industry.

The EFI Fiery EB-32 DFE, built on the latest Fiery FS100 Pro platform, includes Fiery Grayscale Calibration, a software feature that ensures consistent, highquality reproduction by automatically measuring and correcting tonal variances on monochrome images.

The Fiery EB-32 also provides connectivity to third party prepress workflow solutions such as Kodak PRINERGY and Agfa :Apogee to enable hybrid digital and offset workflows, a factor that makes Fiery DFEs the preferred choice for commercial printers looking to optimise production efficiency.

The also DFE integrates with automated estimating, scheduling, job ticketing, accounting and other processes managed by EFI’s suite of industryleading management workflow and web-to-print products, including EFI’s PrintSmith Vision, Pace and Digital StoreFront software.

A new pad-printing feature on the DFE allows operators to easily create a pad from a single page job, insert a back cover/slip and print with minimal manual collation.

Additionally the Fiery Command WorkStation software included with the DFE provides an intuitive user interface that simplifies job set up and reduces operator errors.

Users have the option of adding Fiery JobMaster and Fiery Impose, software that streamlines complex tasks giving users more flexibility in tab insertion and design, page-level ticketing, finishing, scanning and late-stage editing.

Another optional feature on the DFE, Fiery ImageViewer for B&W, is a full resolution preview tool that also improves imaging consistency by giving users the ability to manage black curve adjustments between multiple devices

NEWS & EVENTS

VISION

15

Ricoh buys mindSHIFT

efi buys SmartLinc

Konica Minolta and MGI

Ricoh acquires mindSHIFT Technologies as a strategic investment by the company

EFI announces it has signed a deal to pick up shipping software developer SmartLinc Inc

Strategic alliance will fast track next gen digital solutions to increase presence in the digital print market

US-based mindSHIFT provides managed IT, cloud, data center and professional services to SMEs to over 6,900 clients in major markets. Following the acquisition, Ricoh will be able to tap into mindSHIFT’s markets such as legal, healthcare, financial services, associations and non-profits, education, and general business.

EFI has acquired US-based SmartLinc Inc, a company which produces software that improves the shipping process by allowing users to select the best carrier for their shipments. The software also enables automated integration with other software systems.

The addition of mindSHIFT’s nationwide expertise and customer service professionals is expected to benefit the customers Ricoh is currently serving.

Ricoh says that with the addition of the skilled engineering and customer-facing resources to its organisation, the company can offer an enhanced range of services for its customers. mindSHIFT will continue to operate under its current name, management team and capabilities, which currently include 650 employees at its US offices.

The acquisition is expected to close in February 2014 at which time mindSHIFT will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Ricoh.

EFI’s Print MIS/ERP products can automatically submit print jobs to SmartLinc software, which then tracks shipment status, cost and carrier information. This information gets transferred back to the MIS/ERP system, so users can have a more comprehensive picture of expenses, job delivery and other essential metrics.

Along with the acquisition, SmartLinc employees, including former SmartLinc co-owners Greg Billinghurst and Scott Kwiatkowski, have joined EFI. The financial terms of the acquisition were not disclosed and EFI will continue to develop and sell SmartLinc software, which will become EFI’s core shipping technology offering.

Konica Minolta will acquire a 10% stake in MGI, valued at USD $13.7 million, through a reserved capital increase. MGI will remain independent and autonomous in defining its strategic axes.

The two companies will capitalise on the codevelopment and co-marketing of existing and future products. One of the commitments of the agreement is to expand sales of existing and new products, including the Meteor Digital Press line.

Konica Minolta will be implementing its “genretop strategy”, which concentrates management resources on the most promising business areas and markets to ensure global leadership in these fields, in these growing markets, especially in the field of production printing systems.

Building on a decade-long relationship, Konica Minolta will be leveraging on MGI’s expertise and innovation in the digital printing market. MGI, on the other hand, aims to gain more traction on the global platform with support from Konica Minolta.

FESPA China 2013: digital print gains ground Inaugural FESPA China & CSGIA exhibition saw 34% of visitors confirming their interest in digital technologies, closing in on the 42% who claimed interest in screen printing alone Launched in partnership with the China Screenprinting & Graphic Imaging Association (CSGIA), the event, held in November 2013, attracted 9507 visitors from 77 countries. Organisers reported the largest amount of visitors from the Asian region - after mainland China the largest visitor groups were from India, Japan, Korea and Malaysia, with delegates also coming from Hong Kong and Taiwan. Within China, the visitor audience was dominated by printers from Shanghai and Eastern China, especially Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Guangdong.

“We wanted to build on CSGIA’s

event’s 30 year heritage and make it international, appealing to visitors from neighbouring countries, so it’s rewarding to see the breadth of attendance from Asia and further afield. 70% of the visitor audience were also first time visitors, confirming the ability of the FESPA brand to refresh the established exhibition’s audience. With suppliers such as d.gen, Epson, Fujifilm, JHF, Kornit Digital, Mimaki and Mutoh exhibiting, visitors were able to see a plethora of technologies from both native and worldwide suppliers,” commented Nigel Steffens, FESPA ambassador.

Exhibitors with a digital range of

products reported that their stands were busy throughout the show, especially those specialising in textile applications.

Typical of the comments from exhibitors was Rosaria Pozzoni, business operation manager for J-Teck3 Srl, who said: “We received positive feedback on our entire digital range, particularly on our new J-Cube RF/KF. Our stand was constantly busy throughout the threeday show, with great interest from local visitors as well as visitors from regions specialising in textile applications such as India, Thailand, Bangladesh and Pakistan.”

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profile

The story of a book

PROFILE

VISION

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Indonesia-based company, Book and Story proved to be a force to be reckoned with on the digital platform at the Asian Print Awards 2013

Our biggest problem at the moment is the skilled manpower, since our work is characterised by its detailed finishing and binding. It takes time to train new staff to be able to produce the level of quality in our products.

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ooking at Book & Stor y’s submissions, it’s hard to believe that they were printed using copier machines. The company swept awards in the digital categories at the latest edition of the Asian Print Awards, winning three Golds, a Bronze and a Platinum Sponsor award.

The awards committee particularly lauded their submission for the Book Printing categor y, comparing it with top quality offset printing.

At the helm of the company is Vincent Kusuma, who started Book & Stor y in 20 09 to cater to the needs of photographers for highquality custom-made photo books. This year, he submitted four of his best pickings for the awards consideration. Together with the clients, his team carefully executed all paper selection, binding and finishing techniques and colour preparation on the projects.

A defining characteristic of the company’s products is their use of copier machines by Konica Minolta, a trait Kusuma prides with.

When asked if the same machines that were instrumental in their wins in the past years were still being used, Kusuma quipped: “Yes, I still use my so-called ‘copier machines’ (laughs)! It was fabulous to win the awards! We are so proud to get this achievement this year, and we plan to do even better next year. Not only were we awarded with Gold medals, we also received a Platinum Sponsor Award for the first time. It was particularly special because it’s a Judges’ Award.”

When it comes to printing quality work, it’s not just about the printer used. A skilled hand and

an understanding of the machines come into play as well. According to Kusuma, one of their major issues was in having trained staff – an issue that plagues many printing companies.

“We have been so busy this year. Our biggest problem at the moment is the skilled manpower, since our work is characterised by its detailed finishing and binding. It takes time to train new staff to be able to produce the level of quality in our products. I’m glad to say that we’re able to manage it so far,” Kusuma continued.

“The staff is extremely proud and happy as this is our biggest achievement thus far. But we’re still a small and considerably new company, so there is still plenty to learn. We’ll continue improving ourselves to be able to expand the business. I’d love to be able to share the excitement of the award ceremony with the staff! Here’s hoping that the next awards ceremony will be hosted in either Jakarta or Bali,” Kusuma enthused.

There’s no slowing down for the company.

Kusuma has plans for expansion for Book & Stor y. Along with the expansion, he is looking to upgrade their equipment. The brand of choice?

Konica Minolta, of course. “We have great support from Konica Minolta, and we would like to explore new machines when they become available in Indonesia.”

18

VISION

AWARDS

Category 19 Bronze Medal

Category 17 Silver Medal

Category 14 Gold Medal

Category 23 Silver Medal & HP Winner

Category 17 Gold Medal

AWARDS

VISION

19

Asian Print Awards 2013 digital print grabs some attention

The digital arena saw an impressive array of entries in the latest edition of the competition, indicating the rapid rate of pace at which digital continues to grow in print

K

ey industry players around the region gathered at the ballroom of the Prince Hotel in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the Asian Print Awards Gala Night. This year marks the 11th anniversary of the annual awards ceremony since it kicked off in 2003.

The competition has witnessed changes since its inception; some categories have been removed, and new ones added, especially in digital print. The Asian Print Awards Committee included digital categories in 2011 to reflect the growing demand for digital print in the global market. Digital categories that received special attention from the panel of judges were Book Printing, Posters, Digital Outdoor and Multi-piece Productions & Campaigns.

Thailand dominated the digital categories with 10 wins. The Land of Smiles did not bag any Golds, collecting instead a bevy of Silver and Bronze awards. The country was, however, the sole winner in the Packaging

category, taking home the Bronze. Indonesia took second place with eight awards, taking home two Golds.

Across all categories, Thailand lead the Asia Pacific pack as it swept 25 wins, while India came up at a close second with 17 awards, and Hong Kong amassed 14 wins.

Book & Story single-handedly won all two Golds for Indonesia. The Indonesia-based company also accepted the honour of the Gold East Paper Judges Award. Book & Story’s submission for the Book Printing category was deemed parallel to top quality offset printing by the judging panel; an astounding achievement, considering their use of copier machines.

Hong Kong-based Standard (Chan’s) Co was awarded the Platinum Sponsor award for Best Use of the Digital Printing Process by Fuji Xerox. The company also scored a Gold in the Posters category. Printed on a metal

substrate, its submission was a clear standout amongst the rest.

The HP Digital Print Creative award went to Braille Publishing Co. Ltd from Korea, which came back after a four year break. Their submission was an outstanding combination of braille, heavy colours and textures to create a book for the blind.

In only the second year running, the Digital Outdoor, Large Format & Signage category produced outstanding visual concepts.

Singapore’s BusAds Pte Ltd took home the Gold for their airplane decal submission, a move up from their Silver win last year.

Additionally, the company won EFI’s Best in Digital Wide/Superwide Format award.

A notable mention for the Digital Outdoor category is Pakistan’s inaugural participation and following win in the awards ceremony.

Pakistan-based Adsells Group of Companies was awarded the Silver prize for their submission.

20

VISION

decoration

HP upgrades Custom Wall Décor app all about. If someone wants to get into the digital wall art market, HP is able to advise them on the creation all the way to the finishing,” said Ng. HP highlighted their focus on meeting international standards and certification for the upcoming year.

Authorised by third party labs, HP has thus far received the EN233 certification for washability and colourfastness, the Euro Class B standard for flame retardancy and the CE Mark.

Other features include integration with customer’s online storefronts for a customised web-to-print solution, added options for easier production of canvas prints and new elements such as sustainable substrate HP PVC-free Durable Suede Wall Paper.

Custom Wall Décor in Asia

An expansion of HP’s suite of digital printing solutions for custom wall décor WallArt 2.0 helps print service providers reach new market segments and capture fresh revenue

At the heart of the upgrade is HP WallArt 2.0, a cloud-based web service that aids in simplifying the design, visualisation and production of custom wall coverings. Launched globally at Heimtextil 2014 in Frankfurt, the expanded suite is available for free for new and existing HP Latex Technology customers.

capabilities. It is really an end-to-end solution. HP has collaborated with suppliers in the market to truly integrate the processes, from the front end design tool, colour management, all the way to the finishing,” said Nicholas Ng, regional manager for Southeast Asia, Graphics Solutions Business – Sign and Display, HP Asia Pacific and Japan.

WallArt 2.0 integrates with HP’s Latex Printing Technology, to create unique or short-run wallpapers, wallcoverings, wall murals and canvas prints. First introduced in 2013, WallArt is essentially an end-to-end application for designing and printing wall décor. The web application works through a support system of a range of design software, media and finishing options. The upgraded version further streamlines print processes through collaborations with third parties, and places emphasis on international industry certifications.

“When we talk about the wall décor segment of the market, it goes beyond just printing

WallArt 2.0 introduces collaborations with third parties in the custom wallcoverings market. A partnership with AVA, a UK-based wallpaper software solutions provider, allows the development of exclusive design tools. HP also works with global stock photography company Fotolia, which grants users access to a range of high quality images, designs and artwork, and Fotoba International, for seamless automatic winding systems.

“The Wallart is an end-to-end solution that we continue to grow. No other hardware provider has this much level of integration, which is what it’s

The custom wall décor market in Asia is a relatively untapped territory. With the upgraded application, HP aims to open up new customer segments and bring in revenue for print service providers wall covering manufacturers in the region. HP reported that more than 1,100 customers in 66 countries are already using WallArt. According to Ng, there are possibly a few billion square meters of opportunity to apply custom wall décor solutions worldwide, and 20-30% of it is located around Asia. From that volume, less than 10% is printed digitally. There is a marked potential for the digital custom wall décor market to grow in Asia.

“There is growing demand in Thailand and the Philippines, and Japan is seeing a very fast growth.

We have seen a lot of customers asking not just for wallpapers, but wall murals and artpieces as well.

In Singapore wall décor trend is healthy, although the demand comes not so much from the home side, but in hotel, retail and corporate spaces,” said Ng. Real-Live Visualisation WallArt 2.0 is available on iPad for free, when previously it was only PC-based. The application allows real-live previews through an interactive user-friendly interface. This meant that the user is able to immediately visualise how their designs will look like on their wall, by simply taking a photo of the wall and layering the wall design over it. Once the user is satisfied with the visual, the image can be sent across immediately to the printer.

“We don’t just talk about hardware anymore, we talk about bringing them through their whole entire journey. We have also extended that capability through the software portion, which allows people to DIY. The software is smart enough to take into consideration wall elements such as plug boards, windows, and doors, and it tiles the wall design around them accordingly,” explained Ng, as he walked through the app.

decoration

VISION

Durst strengthens leadership in ceramics Durst strengthens its place in the ceramics industry with large investments in R&D, production department expansion and personnel reinforcement for developing technologies.

Durst counts amongst its latest achievements the opening of sales and assistance offices in South Africa, India and the Asia-Pacific area and entry into the Chinese market, setting up a new business company in partnership with C. ILLIES TRADING Co. Ltd. The specialist for industrial inkjet applications is also enlarging the Brixen plant with more than 6,000 square meters devoted to digital printer assembly. By spring of 2014 Durst premises in Lienz/Austria will be inaugurating a new building for producing printing systems for the graphic arts market.

Strategic decisions that delineate an expansion process that includes enlarging the Brixen plant with the addition of more than 6,000 square meters devoted to digital printer assembly to meet growing demand. Since January 2013, the Brixen plant increased its manpower, with 15 staff dedicated to the ceramics sector. By spring of 2014 Durst premises in Lienz/Austria will also be inaugurating a new building devoted to making printing systems for the graphic arts market.

Durst has been adapting digital print technologies to make them applicable for industries such as wood, glass, ceramics, large format printing and textile in the last 10 years.

Durst has been digitalising printing processes for ceramics since it entered the market in 2005, creating digital print systems specifically for the substrate.

At the moment the R&D department of the Alto Adige firm is engaged in developing new technologies for the ceramics world. Systems equipped with vanguard components about to be patented that herald revolutionary changes in the ceramics production process thanks to a new “synchronized digital glazing�.

21

22

VISION

textiles

Epson’s new dye-sub printers Epson eyes the fashion and textile markets as it rolls out a new series of ink tank system printers in Singapore

businesses. With the commitment to empower customers with more choices, we are pushing the boundaries to provide products that are not only first in the market, but also the best in the market,” said Tan May Lin, Epson Singapore’s General Manager.

Textile Printing Goes Digital

T

argeting new markets in the commercial and industrial printing industry, Epson recently introduced the SureColor F-series of commercial ink tank system printers in Southeast Asia. Drawing on the company’s proprietary Micro Piezo technology, the new range of products is part of Epson’s strategy to make use of its existing expertise in commercial printing in order to reach out to new markets in the industry.

Singapore is the third country in Southeast Asia to see the launch of the printers, Thailand and Malaysia being the first two. Up next on the list for the launch is the Philippines.

We estimate around 40 or 50 units to be installed in Singapore, mostly within the corporate and gift and merchandising industries. Around the region, we expect more than 400 units installed, with Indonesia and Thailand dominating the largest market share,” said Shaun See, General Manager for Epson Southeast Asia Commercial and Industrial Division.

The new printers in the F-series are the 44-inch SureColor SC-F6070 and the 64-inch SureColor SC-F7070, both roll-fed dye-sublimation fabric printers. The printers are suited with the Epson Micro Thin Film Piezo print head, renowned for its abilities to print at 720dpi to deliver efficient, precise and high quality outputs. The machines are the first dye-sublimation printers in the market to have every part designed and manufactured by a single company.

Customising Creativity The launch showcase was indicative of the company’s intent to break into new consumer segments in the fashion, arts and creative industries. Creative collaborations with Singaporean designer Max Tan and artist Isaac Liang and customised printed sportswear were presented to highlight the diverse applications of the latest series of printers. Emphasis was made on the customisation potential of the printers, signifying the company’s focus on the corporate customisation and gift and merchandising industry for the new product rollout.

Customised product printing has a higher rate of adoption in Southeast Asia. The monthly growth rate for us is at about 180% currently with main contributing countries being Thailand and Malaysia because of their strong domestic and export markets for custom printing,” said See. The launch also included the SureColor B-Series of large format sign printers and the SureColor SC-F2000, the company’s first direct-to-garment printer. With the launch, Epson hopes to offer a wider array of printing options to its customers by highlighting the cost-savings and productivity capabilities that the ink tank system printers can offer.

The F & B series aim to extend crucial benefits of cost savings while maintaining consistently high printing quality to professionals and

Worldwide, the textile printing market is estimated to be valued at $165 billion.

Traditionally, the textile printing industry employs the largely preferred methods of screen printing or gravure printing. However, due to the proliferation of digital textile printing, dye-sublimation processes are becoming increasingly popular. A report by Global Industry Analysts, Inc. anticipated that the global production of printed textiles to reach 27.8 billion square meters by 2018, because of the increasing acceptance of digital printing techniques.

InfoTrends reported that digital print production represents less that 1.5% of printed textile volume. While this may not reveal the shift from traditional printing systems to newer digital applications to be apparent, the potential for growth is considerable.

Digital printing’s significant advantages over traditional methods of textile printing include faster product runs, being comparatively more eco-friendly, and using less energy, water and labour. Digital printing also allows for customisation, an added service that printers could charge for.

In 2011, 42% of the world’s installed digital textile printing is based in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. Not surprising, since a majority of the biggest names in fashion are clustered in Italy alone. Asia Pacific exhibits burgeoning demand for digital print textile production, ranking second at 39%. InfoTrends predicted that the region would experience a growth rate of 18.7% by 2016.

Asia Pacific includes not only heavyweights China and India, but also two emergent countries in the textile manufacturing industry, Bangladesh and Pakistan.

SOFTWARE

Caldera update Caldera’s Print Standard Verifier tool now support G7 standards Published by international organization IDEAlliance, the G7 integration is meant to help digital print service providers achieve a certified process standard. G7 is a definition of the appearance of greyscale and a methodology for applying this to CMYK-based print machinery. The device-independent process uses a neutral print density curve to create faithful comparisons and enable shared appearance of output when cross-process colour management is unavailable.

“Repeatability and cross-platform colour delivery are now critical commercial pressures for printers, and guaranteeing each across different substrates, gamut and chemistries is mission-critical. Whether customers are demanding conformity with the major ISO, Fogra or G7 standards, this addition to the Caldera EasyMedia module will keep them consistent and competitive,” explained Frederic Soulier, chief technical officer, Caldera.

Caldera simplifies the complex process of

hitting these standards by handling conformity calculations within EasyMedia in the RIP suite.

Operators select a print configuration in Print Standard Verifier and confirm the standards their output must meet, as well as the targets the colours are expected to hit. The Caldera engine then measures print colours against the required chart to verify if the print settings will enable meeting the color standard requirements.

The update is available for users of GrandRIP+, GrandTEX+, VisualRIP+ and VisualTEX+ immediately.

“Universal standardisation has existed in offset for some time, but the variables incumbent to digital print have made it difficult to establish a global standard. However, print buyers expect homogeneity of colour regardless of application and substrate, be it signage, packaging or paper. Our continuous upgrades to the Caldera suite are driven by these pressures and keep our printers at the leading edge of dependable, colour-faithful production,” said Joseph Mergui, chief executive officer, ldera.

Enfocus Connect 11.2 upgrades YOU, SEND and ALL Updated Connect 11.2 fully compatible with OS X Mavericks, Windows 8.1 and Server 2012 R2 The Enfocus Connect product lineup includes Connect YOU, Connect SEND and Connect ALL. Enfocus Connect ensures the creation of print-ready, top-quality PDFs by design and production professionals, and can automatically deliver completed jobs to printers.

family. Making this technology compatible with OS X Mavericks and other operating systems ensures that customers can continue to enjoy the improved quality Enfocus Connect brings to both their PDFs and to their organizations,” Fabian Prudhomme, vice president of Enfocus, said.

Poor quality PDFs is one of the major issues that affect production processes. Printers receiving such PDFs often spend too much time and resources to identify and rectify the problems before it goes to print.

The products are each designed to help with different aspects of the production process.

Enfocus Connect YOU is for individual users, namely designers. Enfocus Connect ALL and Enfocus Connect SEND are for companies that collaborate with internal and external users.

“In listening to our customers, Enfocus clearly heard the challenges poor quality PDFs were creating for the graphic arts industry. We knew there was a better way to manage the production process, and that is what led us to the development of the Enfocus Connect

Along with the release, Enfocus also updated its supporting plug-ins for Adobe Creative Suite and Creative Cloud products. Enfocus Connect 11.2 is available for free download from the Enfocus website.

VISION

23

Hot Stuff Chili Publish will showcase Publisher 4.0 at Ipex 2014 Chili Publish will be demonstrating its online editing solution, CHILI Publisher 4.0, at Ipex 2014. The company will be highlighting its value and uses to users across the commercial print, packaging, digital printing, marketing industry, POS and Signs & Display industries.

“Building on the successful development of CHILI Publisher for the commercial print market, we are expanding our offerings to other markets including packaging, digital printing, POS, Sign & Display and brand owners. Ipex is the perfect opportunity to showcase the capabilities of our solutions to these markets,” said Bram Verniest, chief marketing officer, of CHILI Publish.

CHILI Publisher 4.0 supports all types of work environments including Flash, HTML 5 and any new technologies that might be developed. This allows customers to expand into markets they may not have been able to reach before. It also provides clients and partners with confidence that it will remain a trusted tool for online editing well into the future. The software allows customers to expand into markets and applications such as mobile ecommerce, translation, approval, direct marketing, brand portal, and other applications.

“We can help customers to expand into markets and applications such as mobile ecommerce, translation, approval, direct marketing, brand portal, and other applications they’ve designed for their customers. And being platformindependent, CHLI Publisher is ready for whatever new applications our customers could develop in the future,” said Verniest.

The software features a broad range of tools that are typically also available in Desktop Publishing software but it adds unique features that enable users to extend the value of the online editing experience. For example the 3D visualisation tool allows users to present their personalised documents in 3D environments, for example a simulation of a sign on a bus stop shelter, with that shelter placed on a street, with people around it.

24

VISION

software

EFI Releases Version 7 of Digital StoreFront printing companies can offer their customers the same world-class eCommerce experience at the office, at home or on the road.

“Printing companies need a powerful online interface not only to win new business, but to create greater customer loyalty through branding and updated browser functionality. Our new version of EFI Digital StoreFront addresses this critical need by providing the most compelling, attractive and feature-rich web-to-print and eCommerce solution in the industry,” said Dave Minnick, director of Web2Print product solutions group, EFI.

EFI launches the latest version of its Digital Storefront software. Available this quarter, the updated version combines the software’s SmartStore Builder interface with advanced HTML5 tools for optimised web-to-print storefront access across desktop, tablet and mobile devices.

The latest version allows print shop administrators to choose from a variety of pre-built layouts and themes as well as easily customisable storefronts using the software’s SmartStore Builder.

Administrators can also perform advanced customisation tasks with direct HTML and CSS editing. The software also features a re-designed interface for improved ease of use Using HTML5 and responsive design, Digital StoreFront 7 ensures seamless support across operating systems, browsers, and devices. Each storefront design can be used desktop, tablet and mobile devices running Windows, Linux, Max OS, iOS, Android and Windows Mobile. As a result,

Version 7 of Digital StoreFront includes VWeb+ cross-media marketing module, which combines the power and precision of variabledata printing, personal web pages, emails and SMS text messages. Users can create and manage comprehensive, multi-touch marketing campaigns, track customer response and configure automated follow-up messages. The latest version also offers advances in automation and integration. Pre-flighted files, job attributes and order information flow directly to downstream systems, eliminating redundant touches and delays in the production process.

Esko at EuroShop 2014 showcasing 3D virtual shop and display design Esko will be presenting its latest solutions for the design, visualisation and production of POS displays at its first attendance at EuroShop 2014.

A special focus will be on Esko Store Visualizer, a solution that enables hyper-realistic, real-time visualisation of the display designs on virtual shelves, shown during the fair on a huge 3D screen.

Esko will work together with Reproteam, an Austrian large format print service provider, to show finished POS displays developed for a global Scandinavian supplier of household goods. Designed by the creative department of Reproteam, these will be printed on an industrial VLF digital printing device and finished on an Esko Kongsberg digital cutting table. Made of ReBoard, a lightweight yet robust paperboard, the displays are precisely customised for specific products such as secateurs and knives.

“Retail and trade shops are ready for the solutions of Esko.

The virtual and real visualisation of packaging and display designs allows them to have a realistic view of the future product early in the development and decision-making phases. To meet the challenges involved with this, we provide creative and high quality solutions for packaging, display and shop design,” said Wolfram Verwüster, Esko Business Manager for Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Esko solutions such as WebCenter for online collaboration and approval significantly optimise communication between all participants in the supply chain. Sources of errors and discrepancied can be identified and addressed directly. Esko ArtiosCAD for 3D structural design and Esko Studio and Store Visualizer for 3D visualisation are designed to drastically reduce the time of sample and product development. Furthermore, the actual integration of products in a retail environment is optimised and time for planning

reduced significantly. Ultimately this leads to higher quality products at lower production costs.

“Store Visualizer can also help retailers and brand owners take the process to a next level with a green screen, like those used in TV, to create a 3D virtual store - making the entire process from initial design to a well functioning design solution much shorter and cost-effective. These are all strong arguments for Esko to further profile its market leadership,” said Verwüster.

media

VISION

25

Verseidag’s seemee 3P Premium Backlit gets SGIA Textile Media Award The seemee 3P Premium Backlit was awarded “Product of the Year” in the textile media category at the SGIA trade show (Specialty Graphics Imaging Association). Determined by an independent judging panel of imaging professionals, the competition awards innovative products that support and advance the specialty imaging industry.

The competition entry was printed on the allin-one textile printer d.gen Teleios Grande on the seemee 3P Premium Backlit (B4400). The resulting printout was a standout with its high definition and photo-realistic quality.

“It‘s sensational that our 3P Premium Backlit had been selected for this honor. The fabric combines perfect light transmittance, high fabric density with excellent printability, and user friendliness. The use of even small LED-light-boxes leads to completely uniform illuminated graphics without any visible spots or pin holes. The tightly woven fabric provides bright vibrant colors that sets the advertisement apart,” said Stefan Altgasssen, director, Verseidag seemee.

The seemee 3P Premium Backlit is specifically prepared for dye sublimation inks. The use of transfer sublimation also allows printing results of high colour gamut and quality.

The flame retardant polyester fabric (265 g/

m2) is qualified for any indoor application, especially for backlit textile applications.

Verseidag Indutex GmbH is specialised in the development, production, and coating

of technical textiles. Verseidag’s seemee section develops, produces, and distributes innovative solutions for the wide and grand format digital and signage printing industry around the world.

Arlon Graphics launches social media contest #wrapwars

3M - IJ39 new high tack graphic film

Arlon Graphics launches a worldwide social media automative restyling photo contest.

Through the #wrapwars competition , Arlon’s social media followers are able to show off their talent for automative restyling film.

3M launches the 3M Scotchcal High Tack Graphic Film IJ39, featuring an adhesive that makes it easier to wrap hard-to-stick surfaces.

To enter #wrapwars, participants must wrap their cars in Arlon Ultimate PremiumPlus™ colors including: Riviera Blue Gloss, Gunmetal Metallic, Heat Wave or True Blood and submit their high-resolution image(s) to arlonautomotive@arlon.com.

Participants are encouraged to showcase their work on all social media outlets with the hashtag, #wrapwars.

the submission criteria. Contestants stand a chance to win a roll of Arlon Ultimate PremiumPlus™ vinyl or a HERO3 White Edition GoPro Camera. Cars of the winner and runner-up may be featured in an upcoming advertisement in Dubs or Rides Magazine, other

Arlon

promotions

and

marketing

collateral.

Arlon’s #wrapwars competition will run from 24 January 2014, to 21 February 2014, with winners announced three to five days after the close of the competition.

For more information and to enter the

The winner and runner-up will be chosen

by Arlon Graphics personnel based on

competition, wrapwars.

visit

http://www.arlon.com/

Designed for solvent, UV, and latex-based inkjet printing, the 3.5mil vinyl film has a high tack, pressure sensitive adhesive to meet demands from graphic manufacturers for films that can stick well on to difficult surfaces. The film is available in 54inch x 50-yard rolls, and comes with an expected performance life of five years.

With applications ranging from motocross bikes, coolers, and powder-coated paints to lowsurface energy plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene, film IJ39 can expand wrapping opportunities and help increase business for graphics manufacturers and installers.

26

VISION

outdoor

BusAds and Land Transport Authority Singapore’s first of its kind wall art

W

alking along the streets of the of Holland Village, one would think that the eyecatching mural is painted by hand, instead of a printed job. Even more surprising is that it was printed on metal, resulting in a visual that is not just picturesque, but sturdy enough to stand against the outdoor elements.

Produced by Singapore-based BusAds Pte Ltd, the project is a first-of-its-kind in Singapore, in partnership with Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The EFI Vutek 3200 printer was used to print the mural on 51 aluminum panels. The project took approximately three to four weeks to complete, including leveling of the walls to make them flat and painting the grey walls to match the artwork.

“This is a special state-of-the-art printing that uses UV ink to print on aluminium flatsheets. The panels are mounted with a backing of 9mm calcium silicate boards. Not only does this create a 2D effect, it is also for easier maintenance purposes in the future. Being located at the roadside and in a corner, the mural is exposed to outdoor damage or accidents. Should that happen, replacing panels becomes easier because not all 51 panels need to be removed, and this is one of the beautiful features of the job,” explained James Lim, production manager for the artwork cladding project.

Holland Village is most commonly favoured by youngsters and expatriates for its laidback restaurants, bars, and quirky stores. LTA approached the outdoor display specialist to

cover up an unappealing air ventilation shaft outside of the station. The governmental body has a strong art programme and every station strive to be localised with the art and heritage relevant to the precinct. Usually the effort is reflected within the stations itself, and not on an outdoor scale.

This is a special state-of-the-art printing that uses UV ink to print on aluminium flatsheets and mounted with a backing of 9mm calcium silicate boards

“By exploring this possibility with us, they’ve opened up a huge avenue for what is potentially viable in making our stations iconic and significant to the area and community. We hope that his project can translate to other public spaces, such as in carpark spaces to cover unsightly air conditioner ducts or vents, or to mask water feature tanks and pipes.

Even the grey mailboxes under housing blocks can be covered. The possibilities are endless,” said Alvin Yapp, corporate affairs director of the outdoor display company.

Fresh from their Gold win in the Digital Outdoor, Large-Format & Signages at the recently concluded Asian Print Awards 2013, Busads had previously debuted 3D printing as a marketing tool in Singapore.

“Printing is always dynamic, and we are happy that we are able to respond and be relevant to our clients. We strive to always be at the forefront and be able to share with the clients the latest, updated ways of executing production. We call ourselves production designers. With our support, we hope to be able to execute pieces that can make the communication messages of our clients more meaningful, interactive, engaging for the public,” Yapp commented.

Industry events

VISION

27

Ipex 2014: new section ‘world of wide format’ Ipex 2014 will feature a sector dedicated to wide format, ‘World of Wide Format’.

Following increasing interest from commercial printers looking to invest in wide format solutions, the section aims to introduce visitors to technology to complement their existing kit and portfolio of products.

The section has an all new open plan format, with stand sizes capped to 48, 24 and 9sqm giving a neutral and level playing field to all exhibitors in this area. It is a new approach to promoting the opportunities in this market sector.

“1000m of show space has been given over to the area and about 12 wideformat manufacturers have signed up to

exhibit there. It’s a chance for commercial printers to come and see the opportunities being offered by wide-format,” said Trevor Crawford, event director.

By exhibiting within this area you will receive a dedicated registration page that will allow you to qualify visitors before they even arrive at the show by investigating their areas of interest, investment plans and their current business model when dealing with wide format printing. We can provide you with the priceless information in order to pre plan your show and target new customers.

Other areas of the show will also touch on wide-format including the series of Masterclass sessions aimed at providing visitors with the strategies, tactics, technology

and best practices to run their businesses better.

Pre-show initiatives will include a ‘Mapping the Future’ digital download, which will look at where print as an industry is going. ‘Prospects for Profits’ feeds data to exhibitors pre-show, providing qualified lead information and an insight into the commercial print market before the exhibition begins. By exhibiting within the area, exhibitors will receive a dedicated registration page. The page allows exhibitors to qualify visitors by investigating their areas of interest, investment plans, and current business models when dealing with wide format printing.

Ipex 2014 will take place in London from 24 to 29 March.

Zünd at Ipex 2014 focus is on digital cutting productivity concurrent unloading, reloading, cutting and processing, to maximise productivity and keeping machine idle time to a minimum.

The Electric Oscillating Tool- EOT 250 is another device for print service providers who handle sandwich board/honeycomb materials and cardboard. With an extended 2.5 mm stroke and high oscillating frequency, the robust and air-cooled EOT-250 is capable of managing demanding materials at very high speeds.

Zünd will be showcasing an advanced set of tools to increase efficiency in the print environment at Ipex 2014 being held from the 24th to the 29th March. A manufacturer of multifunctional digital cutting systems, the company will display one of its most successful products, the S3 digital cutter, supported by new functionalities.

The S3 is a modular cutting system designed for 24/7 operation, offering high productivity and enabling processing of an extensive range of materials up to 25 mm/1” thick. Print service providers can choose different levels of materialhandling automation to meet their specific needs,

and a variety of tools to deliver precise cutting and accurate jobs. One of the S3’s enhancements is the automatic sheet feeder that allows for increased productivity and a fully automated workflow. Loading, advancing and off-loading can be synchronised to deliver precision and efficiency, so printers cam manage high-volume orders.

Another feature is the tandem vacuum system, which enables loading and unloading of materials on one side of the cutter while production continues on the other one. This type of ‘pendulum’ production workflow allows for

The company will also showcase the functionalities of Zünd Design Center, an Adobe Illustrator plug-in to create three-dimensional designs for packaging and displays. Zünd Design Center provides a comprehensive library of ready-touse designs in folding carton and corrugated cardboard for printers to choose from. 3D preview simplifies the selection of the right design for the job at hand and helps to verify how the layout changes once the operator has modified the relevant measurements, added logos, patterns and other graphic elements.

“Printers of a broad spectrum of applications are asking for increased productivity and a seamlessly integrated work environment, from print to finishing. The demand for efficiency and reduced make-ready times prompts Zünd to continuously invest in the research and development of easy to operate digital cutting systems, including advanced features to increase printers’ automation and productivity. We are confident that the solutions we are sharing with visitors at Ipex 2014 will help them towards a more profitable future,” said Oliver Zünd, CEO.