Wide-format & Signage - August 2018 by WhatTheyThink

• Microfactories and Automation the Stars at TechTextil TexProcess

• Wide Format: Now and Venn

• The Do’s and Don’ts of Window Graphics

• Protect & Serve: Overlaminates

The Heights and Pitfalls of Window Graphics

The Premier Source for the Visual Communications Industry

Coca-Cola brings summer vibes to Riga bus shelters for Fuze Tea | JCDecaux Latvia PrintingNews.com/12422730

August 2018

September 30 - October 2, 2018 McCormick Place | Chicago, IL USA

Join Us at PRINT 18, Where Emerging Technology and Business Meet. ! $ bv |_; om; ;ย ;m| |_-| ย bัดัด _;ัดr ย oย ;m_-m1; ย oย u hmoย ัด;7];ฤท 0ย bัด7 ย oย u 1omm;1เฆ omv -m7 Grow YOUR Business. โ ข ย ;u ฦ ฦ ;m]-]bm] ;7ย 1-เฆ om v;vvbomv that take

โ ข ;-um =uol =ouย -u7ล |_bmhbm] ัด;-7;uv inside

and outside the industry, including Keynote ";|_ o7bmฤท 0;v|ล v;ัดัดbm] -ย |_ou -m7 =oul;u 7o|ล 1ol 0ย vbm;vv ;ย ;1ย เฆ ย ;ฤบ

For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/12397774

In the Know

Table of Contents August 2018

The Heights and Pitfalls of Window Graphics

06 Wide Format: Now and Venn The changing deﬁnition of “Wide Format”, and how it plays with other kinds of printing. By Richard Romano

08 The Do’s and Don’ts of Window Graphics Guidance and best practices for creating and applying window graphics products. By Christopher A. Smith

10 Protect and Serve Outsmarting Mother Nature with the latest innovations in outdoor signage protection. By Manola Secaira

12 Adapting a Business for the Evolution of the Sign and Graphics Industry Lessons learned from 25 years in the sign and graphics industry. By Mary Lou Goehrung

14 SpeedPro Marin: “No Place to Go But Up” How launching a print business during the Great Recession paid off for SpeedPro Marin. By Richard Romano

Events: G7 Training - Clemson University This flexography based training for G7 Experts & G7 Professionals will provide three full days of extensive hands-on practical experience and live demonstrations as well as in depth discussion on G7 methodology. August 7-9, Clemson, SC thINK Join the independent community of Canon Solutions America production print customers. www.thinkforum.com Sept. 5–7, Boca Raton, FL PRINT 18 Returning to Chicago’s McCormick Place. Come learn, connect, get business done and experience the future of the graphic communications industry. www.PRINTevent.com September 30-October 2, Chicago, IL

16 SEAMS: Supercharging the U.S. Apparel Supply Chain SEAMS on your side—supporting the reshoring of textiles and apparel. By Cary Sherburne

18 Microfactories and Automation the Stars at TechTextil/TexProcess

Sister Publications Focusing on Production Inkjet's Next Frontier

Apparel microfactories now: reducing waste, and production time from months to days. By Cary Sherburne

Exclusive Section

• Top Tips on Successful Print & Mail Marketing • Why White Ink is an Irreplaceable Tool for PSPs

21 Moving Pictures: Carbon Wraps Brings Art Alive

PLAYIN NG WITH INK & MEDIA A

Vehicle graphics “evangelists” elevate meticulous craft smanship to next-level artistry. By Richard Romano

60-Second Super-Cool Fold of the Week #409 PrintingNews.com/12380206

Inkjet’s Age focuses on the issues surrounding inkjet printing technology. It covers the industry news, trends, products, services, and management issues that will help printers grow business using this technology.

22 10 Habits of the Most Successful People That Less Successful People Lack

August 2018

The Resource for Commercial, Sign & Digital Printing

Key strategies for your personal success: how and why they work. By Catherine Monson

Endl En dlesss Poss Po ssib sibil ib biillit ities iiees in n Labe La beel Pr Prin nti tin ng g • Workﬂow Automation: Transforming Print

Departments

• How to Hire Great Salespeople • Taking Stock of Industry Associations

04 Printing Pulse 24 New Products 27 Classifieds/Supplier Directory

Search for us...

• When it’s Time to Hire a Graphic Designer

Columns 20 Industry Insights

The Future of Digital Print for Packaging whattheythink.com/r/90840

Since 1928, Printing News has focused on improving efficiency and increasing sales and proﬁts in the print shop. Industry experts share their ideas and technical knowledge on ways to improve operations.

Embrace Change to Uncover New Opportunities By Lori Anderson, ISA

@PrintingNews

Printing News

PrintingNews.com

SOCIAL MEDIA & ONLINE CONTENT PrintingNews com

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

Printing Pulse HP PageWide C500 Demo Center Opens at WW Event HP inaugurated its worldwide HP PageWide C500 Press demo center, attracting converters

Industry Veteran Craig Campbell Joins International Sign Association as Director, Strategic Initiatives

from around the globe for a VIP customer ex-

Craig Campbell, former market

perience at corporate facilities, which marked

manager-graphic innovations for

the unveiling of commercialized HP PageWide

ORAFOL Americas, has joined

C500 technology announced in 2016 at drupa.

the International Sign Associa-

“The industry has been waiting for a post-print single pass solu-

tion as Director, Strategic Initia-

tion that delivers offset quality for mainstream production using wa-

tives. In his new role, Campbell

ter-based ink – and the HP PageWide C500 is it,” said David Tomer, general manager, HP Scitex, developers of HP PageWide Industrial post-print solutions. “There is no question today whether digital print is the future for corrugated. The only question is how fast,” Tomer said in opening remarks at the event that took place at the HP PageWide C500 production facility in Caesarea, Israel from June 12-14. Ten customers have already signed orders for the press, Tomer said. Commercial installations are now in progress at Smurfit Kappa in Austria and LIC in Italy. Two additional presses will ship this month to Dusobox and Chief Digital in the US, with CompanyBox to follow. Intertek announced HP is the first digital corrugated printing vendor that has met its guidelines for safe use of printing inks, following a detailed analysis. HP provided Intertek with digital print samples produced on HP’s PageWide T1100 Series and PageWide C500 presses, using its true water-based inks. Intertek conducted detailed laboratory tests on these prints to measure migration limits and ensure safety requirements in accordance with global regulatory and industry guidance, including Swiss Ordinance, Nestlé Guidance, FDA, EU Framework, and others. As a result, Intertek used its Guidelines to validate HP’s safe use of Printing Inks in a clear and comprehensive summary, which can be shared with HP customers. Georg Fischer, CEO of the Smurfit Kappa Central Europe Corrugated Division said: “We chose the HP PageWide C500 for our Interwell site in Austria for its offset print quality and technological advances including the suitability of its water-based inks for food packaging. This press will further enhance the service we provide for our customers by extending the marketing and branding capabilities of our packaging solutions.” Providing a cost-effective digital alternative for offset lamination and flexo production, the HP PageWide C500 prints on a wide media range at 75 linear meters (246 linear ft) per minute using HP’s Thermal Inkjet technology.

will be responsible the development of new programs and services and outreach to niche groups. Campbell began his new role on July 9 working out of the ISA offices in Alexandria, Virginia. While at ORAFOL, Campbell served on the International Sign Association’s board of directors, representing suppliers and distributors, a position he resigned when he left ISA member ORAFOL. He also has served as chair of the ISA Tradeshow Advisory Board and the ISA Supplier/Distributor Committee, and on the education committee. “Craig has contributed signiﬁcantly to ISA recently as a volunteer,” said Lori Anderson, ISA president and CEO. “We are excited to bring his deep understanding of the sign, graphics and visual communications industry into ISA’s day-to-day operations. Craig’s passion and ideas will compliment ISA’s success in helping our industry continue its trajectory of growth and innovation.” Campbell had been with ORAFOL since 2004, with increasing responsibilities in programs and products that help printers deliver high-quality graphics. “For more than 20 years, I have looked to ISA as the gateway to innovation and education for our industry,” Campbell said. “The continued commitment by ISA to support and grow the print community was paramount to the decision to come on staff as I know the association is completely dedicated to help PSPs both small and large enhance their businesses strategically. I am truly excited to be joining the leading association serving the sign, graphics and visual communications industry and look forward to helping our current and future member-

PrintingNews.com/12416665

ship grow their businesses.” PrintingNews.com/12418614

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

PrintingNews .com

Printing Pulse Mimaki USA Announces UCJV300 Series Expansion Mimaki USA announced the availabili-

move to the ﬁnished product without

sions of VOCs into the air. The printers use

ty of the newly developed UCJV300-75,

waiting for drying.

low heat output and power consumption.

UCJV300-107 and UCJV300-130. These

With the capability of multilayer print-

Each of the print-and-cut machines in-

three printers are smaller footprint mod-

ing, each printer can deliver dynamic

clude the newest version of RasterLink6

els with the same operational features of

backlit graphics that are transformed with

Plus software, featuring a four-layer print

the larger, widely-successful UCJV300-

different light sources and are certain to

preview and an ID Cut function that gener-

160. The new UCJV300 printers deliver

command high margins. UV-curable inks

ates registration marks, barcodes with cut-

a remarkable range of applications and

offer greater opacity with less ink con-

ting and rotation information, and more.

sumption than other ink formulations.

Additional features include Mimaki

Mimaki’s high-opacity white ink enables

Advanced Pass System 4, Variable Dot

block out printing with a single layer, so

Printing, Waveform Control, Mimaki Cir-

versatility with four-layer printing in ad-

you can efficiently tackle specialized ap-

culation Technology, Nozzle Check Unit

dition to ﬁve-layer printing capabilities.

plications, such as “push/pull” door signs.

and Nozzle Recovery System.

Their integrated cut functionality enables

All of the machines reduce environ-

The UCJV300-75, UCJV300-107 and

volume production of labels, decals, win-

mental impact and ensure healthier print-

UCJV300-130 are now available for or-

dow clings, vehicle markings and more in

ing with odorless UV inks. As GREEN-

der. Interested parties are encouraged

each unit. The printers also utilize ﬂexible

GUARD certiﬁed products, each of the

to visit mimakiusa.com/UCJV300Series

UV inks that cure instantly, allowing cus-

models have met some of the world’s most

for more information.

tomers to quickly print and immediately

comprehensive standards for low emis-

PrintingNews.com/12417263

FASTSIGNS Shares Strategies to Help Multi-Unit Housing Brands Enhance the Resident Experience A multi-unit housing development’s physical setting can play an important role in creating an effective, remarkable resident experience. Here are three key questions a residential property should consider. Is the location easy to ﬁnd and identify?

attract residents. Banners, fence graphics, ﬂags and yard

Can people ﬁnd their way safely and efficiently?

signs were placed around the site to establish the presence of

Does the space reﬂect branding?

the student housing complex. Illuminated monument signs

Strategically designed and positioned signs and graphics are crucial to increasing visibility, creating a more productive and organized environment, and improving the overall location experience.

and building signs were installed to identify the property day and night. To help people ﬁnd their way, street signs and parking signs direct vehicle traffic. Exterior wayﬁnding signs that

For example, Park West, a 3,400-bed student housing

include a map of the complex are placed near walkways.

property in College Station, Texas and the country’s larg-

Entrances are clearly marked using dimensional letters,

est of its kind, used a variety of signs and graphics to in-

logo signs, banners, and window and door graphics. In-

crease its visibility in the community, communicate the

side of the housing buildings, a combination of ADA-com-

property’s branding and core values, and enhance the

pliant signs and wall graphics identify apartment units,

resident experience.

community areas, evaluators, stairs and ﬂoor levels.

“Servitas, the student housing developer of Park West,

The signs and graphics used throughout the property

came to us prior to breaking ground on the project with

compliment Park West’s branding and décor by incorpo-

hopes that we could be their exclusive sign and graphics

rating brand colors, style and tone, which gives residents

provider,” said Kevin Brightwell, owner of the FASTSIGNS

a unique, cohesive experience across the 48-acre complex.

in College Station, Texas. “They needed our help to not only

Creating a unique experience helps residential proper-

market the project to students and parents, but with the de-

ty brands connect with residents and visitors, grow their

sign, project management, production and installation.”

occupancy rates and make a lasting impression.

When construction began, the new development needed

PrintingNews.com/12417616

to be identiﬁed, promote its presence in the community and

PrintingNews .com

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

WIDE FORMAT:

Now and VENN

hat do we mean when we say “wide format”? To what extent does the term have any substantial meaning any longer? Lately, in articles, presentations, books, and elsewhere, I have been increasingly qualifying the term by extending the phrase to “wide format and specialty graphics.” At the same time, I also find it necessary to specifically define what wide format application(s) I am talking about. A lot of the growing semantic confusion surrounding wide format is simply due to the evolution of printer technology—and indeed the advent of newer technologies that expand the range of what can be printed, and be printed on. Wide format printing is no longer simply a 24- or 48-inch print unfurling from a printer. It is now a wide variety of products and surfaces. A printed garage door is very different from a point-of-purchase graphic, even though they can both be considered “wide format,” and maybe even printed on the same device.

Then there is the problem (although it’s really the opposite of a problem in practical terms) that the same device that can print a garage door and a POP graphic can also print smaller items. Not just smaller-size prints, but smaller objects as well, from golf balls to footballs. We sometimes lump these applications in the general wide format bucket, but is that accurate? It’s not just a semantic discussion, or even a wholly technological one. These different “wide format” applications are each a part of different ecosystems that may use the same basic print technology, but have different distribution schemes, supply chains, and customer bases. In a video with Rachel Nunziata of 4Walls, she talks in part about the distribution mechanism for digital wall coverings, which is quite differBy Richard Romano ent from the way we are used Richard Romano has been writing to selling commercial print, or about the graphic communicaeven commercial wide format tions industry for 20 years. He is print. As a result, businesses an industry analyst and author looking to tap into these new or co-author of more than half a dozen books. His most recent print applications will likely book is The Home Office That need to understand and naviWorks! Make Working at Home a gate more than just new print Success—A Guide for Entrepretechnologies and substrates, neurs and Telecommuters, www. homeofficeworks.com. but rather entire industries.

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

A Venn diagram shows all possible logical relations between a finite collection of different sets.

Industrial

Commercial

We can use this simple Venn diagram to illustrate where commercial and industrial printing overlap or converge.

PrintingNews com

This is the result of what a lot of industry analysts have been referring to as “print silos converging.” There used to be a fairly clear delineation between what has been called “industrial” printing and what has been called “commercial” printing—and today “wide format” can apply equally to both. But as the recent InPrint Industrial Inkjet Conference demonstrated, that delineation is getting murkier, as is the delineation among other formerly separate print silos, such as packaging and even textiles. And while the same basic technology (inkjet) is itself evolving to serve all those silos in some fashion, print service providers looking to serve all those silos may have more of a challenge from a business development and marketing standpoint than a technological one. So how do we navigate all of these silos effectively? Wikipedia defines a Venn diagram as “a diagram that shows all possible logical relations between a finite collection of different sets.” You have no doubt seen Venn diagrams before:

There used to be a fairly clear delineation between what has been called “industrial” printing and what has been called “commercial” printing— and today “wide format” can apply equally to both.

and end users. BMW on the one side, and, say, Tom’s Diner or a local supermarket chain on the other. Now, where do those two circles overlap? What is often called “specialty printing” can fall in that area of overlap. Certain kinds of digital décor like wallcoverings—which are not a million miles removed from posters, when you get right down to it—can also fall in there as well. Basically, any decorated manufactured item that can be sold directly to end users as printed objects. We can expand the Venn diagram to include other print silos, which are also starting to converge—like, say, packaging and textiles. This metaphor is only so useful, but you get Sweet Spot? the idea. Each of these silos has its own ecoTextiles systems, and companies that specialize in, say, packaging have very tight relationships with their customers (brandowners, or consumer product companies) as well as their supply chain. They have specialized processes, skills, or knowledge that outsiders may not possess (such as FDA or EPA regulations pertaining to food or Industrial Commercial pharmaceutical packaging, for example, or color management processes that can accurately hit a problematic brand color). Not that these skills or knowledge are completely unfathomable, but longer-term players have a competitive edge, much like commercial print shops that specialPackaging ize in mailing have an advantage in that they can navigate the byzantine world of the US Postal System. So it’s these kinds of trade practices Explore “sweet spot” opportunities in applications that more than technology that can erect barriers to fall into the elliptical zone of overlap. entry to these silos. So when we hear about “convergence” and us analyst types point out all the new opportunities for print service providers that this convergence is enabling, The red circle A is a set of one items and the cyan circle we need to be clear as to what it is we’re talking about. The B is a set of another items. The elliptical region where they opportunities for commercial shops are in applications overlap contains the items that both sets have in common. that fall into that zone of overlap—and the same is true for We can use this simple Venn diagram to illustrate where, say, commercial and industrial printing overlap or converge. packaging or industrial printers that want to also take advantage of this convergence. Find the applications that most We can include in the “industrial” circle such items as resemble what it is you are already good at before making automotive dashboards, appliance control panels and decdeep forays into what can be a foreign land. oration, measurement units and gradations on pharmaceutical bottles, and a plethora of other print applications that are integrated with larger-scale manufacturing processes. In “commercial,” we can include things like brochures, business cards, and photobooks, but also posters, POP and other displays, signage and so on; print applications that are sold as printed items per se. You can see that both those circles can contain some dramatically different customers

PrintingNews com

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

The Do’s and Don’ts of Window Graphics

Abstract: Businesses across the globe have relied on their windows to attract customers. And, with window graphics products evolving to meet the times, they remain a highly compelling and affordable way to welcome new and repeat customers. But window graphics products vary based on several factors, so consider these guidelines when creating and applying them. By Christopher A. Smith

usinesses across the globe have relied on their windows to attract customers. And, with window graphics products evolving to meet the times, they remain a highly compelling and affordable way to welcome new and repeat customers. Because window graphics products vary based on several factors, here are some guidelines to consider when creating and applying them. up everything that the manufacturer recommends for installation. It’s important because there’s a lot of components that vary and you have to get a good idea of what you really need before you plow ahead.” With that in mind, consider that window graphics have two viewing levels that allow people to see into, and out from within the store. These are referred to as the ﬁ rst and second

First, it’s important to choose the right kind of window graphics, based on two criteria: how the business wants to attract customers as they approach the establishment, and the level of interior privacy it wants to maintain at ﬁ rst glance. It is vital to work with the customer to deﬁ ne the desired level of window transparency. As Jim Halloran, VP sales & marketing, Lintec of America explains, “Look

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

surface. Clear window graphics allow natural light to enter and don’t limit the visibility indoors or outdoors. Frosted window graphics offer a sleek look, yet allow a bit of privacy. Opaque window graphics totally block out visibility from inside and out, which might be preferable due to local climate conditions. Next is design. Many businesses have speciﬁc brand guidelines for design and color. Designers and printers need to ensure proper color proﬁling and matching. A pro tip from Drytac recommends that “a few printed color swatches on the material may help,” so that designers can visualize how the base glass material affects how the color is displayed.

PrintingNews com

When it comes to color, contrast value is another key element. This relates to how easily the text can be read within the graphics, both up close and from a considerable distance. According to Signs.com, the best color combinations have a value of at least 70 on color contrast charts. If images are part of your window graphics the baseline DPI (dots per inch) is 72, although many companies recommend 300 DPI. Firms that encourage a “less is more” approach say uncluttered window graphics are best. Business location will play a role here. Many want graphics that not only bring in customers on foot but also attract those driving by, so text size is key here. Many companies offer online sizing guides to help customers choose the right font. Next is picking the right kind of material. A common mishap for smaller businesses is choosing material that traps and accumulates heat, which can warp the product and damage the window, in some cases shattering it. Printing on block out materials is one way to avoid this problem. Cautionary note: going cheap on materials is a bad move since over time any inherent flaws will become magnified as the window graphics are exposed to the elements. Next, consider how long the client wants the product to remain. They can request static clings for short term displays, which can be put up and taken down quickly, or low tack self-adhesive products. A permanent adhesive for a short-term display is a bad move because it takes a lot of time to remove and can be more costly in the end. For installing window graphics there are two methods, wet and dry. It’s essential whether hiring a professional or using someone in-house, they understand how to safely and effectively apply the graphics. Many companies that create window graphics products offer emailed guidelines or provide PDF instructions on their website. Today, companies that create window graphics products have maximized technological advances to improve them. For example, 3M has products that cater to clients’ unique opacity needs. Mactac has a special window graphic fi lm that works best

appearance of etched glass—a style popular with businesses that feature a vintage appeal to their branding. Far more than people realize, window graphics can make or break a business. With communication among qualified professionals your window graphics, as well as your business, will pop with success.

when applied with the dry method. And, Lintec of America designed a series of products created with special ultraviolet inkjet printers that allow their window graphics to be both translucent and still present the information; there’s also a scratch resistant top-coating that their products have. Other companies have begun to create frosted vinyl products with the

• UV and Eco-solvent printable optically Clear PET • Clean room manufactured • Scratch resistant Films • Textured PET Films

935 National Parkway Suite 93553, Schaumburg, IL 60173 • Tel: 800-806-8977

info@lintecofamerica.com • www.digitalwindowgraphics.com For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10006436

PrintingNews com

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

Protect and Serve

Completed project image of the Lamborghini wrapped in Gloss White Gold Sparkle, Gloss Ice Blue and Gloss Cinder Spark Red.

These high-flying graphics come from Arlon Graphics’ Series 3590 line and were wrapped by ECD Customs.

By Manola Secaira

ou’ve probably seen that sign, the one that’s hanging above your local convenience store or nearby gas station. By the looks of its molding edges and fading print, the sign seems like it’s been hanging in the same place for years, even if it’s only been a few weeks. Most printing companies, like Mactac and GPA, create their printing materials with the intention to avoid just that. For a lot of printing companies, such prevention can usually be achieved through three primary means: UV inhibitors, strong overlaminates, and thicker ink. Ultraviolet radiation from the sun, Mactac’s Product Manager Jeffrey Stadelman explains, is “the most damaging way of making the inks break down or change.” It’s one of the primary factors printing companies must account for when creating products for the outdoors. Hettinger says that at Fujifilm, one

But how do you avoid the inevitable? Sun, rain, humidity—as Fujifilm’s Product Manager Larry Hettinger says, “When you’re talking about mother nature, it’s unpredictable.” And with summer’s sunny days upon us, damage from the sun’s UV rays becomes more common. Still, printing companies like Fujifilm have discovered ways to sidestep such elemental consequences. Materials like overlaminates and thick print allow signage to live longer, or at least through the summer.

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

key market segment is large format graphics. The prints could be as big as four foot by eight foot and, if they’re made for displays and further protection from the elements is needed, are entirely liquid laminated. However, contrary to what some might think, simply having a strong laminate over signage doesn’t entirely protect the print from UV damage. For that, Hettinger and others resort to other means of protection. The most common method for combating sun-induced fading is the implementation of UV inhibitors. These inhibitors are often put into laminating films or ink on printed materials. Fujifilm’s Hettinger says that the coatings that they supply for protection of the printed inks are clearcoats using UV, UV-LED, solvent and aqueous chemistry. Usage of such protections is com-

PrintingNews com

mon in the printing industry. For example, all of Mactac’s laminating films have UV protection built into their construction. Their #1 product line for graphic protection is the Permacolor LUV8000 Series, but they also have other specialty products that fall under this category, like the PermaFlex PF6000 Series Wall and Floor graphics laminates. Thicker ink helps in combating damage from the sun as well, Hettinger says. However, thick ink alone isn’t enough to protect the print. Although Fujifilm often uses automotive-grade pigments, Hettinger says that it won’t be as hardy as the coloring on your car; the difference here is the amount of coatings that go on top of the pigment. You won’t be seeing as many protective coatings on typical outdoor signage as you would a Ferrari. “It would be totally cost prohibitive to make something like that for a sign,” Hettinger explains, so UV inhibitors are necessary to bolster the ink’s lasting qualities.

ersports where they might, you know, accidentally ram into something else,” Geers explains. So, if you’d want your print to survive harsh encounters, you’d need materials that “not only offer UV protection but also that kind of protection from… minor abrasion.” This is especially true for GPA, which also provides materials for designs on objects made to endure hits, like helmets.

amid this possibility is product costs. Often, progress and durability can be attained, but it’s a matter of what’s most cost efficient for the clientele. “I’ve seen raw material suppliers come in with products but sometimes you turn around and it’s, well, when you can get the price down, come on back,” says Hettinger. Regardless, changes are always on the horizon. Everything can improve. Throughout her 18 years at GPA, Geers has seen continual product enhancements to advance them physically and improve their affordability. Recently, she’s noticed new possibilities for printed pieces on powersports vehicles and other objects prone to bumps and scratches. Some materials that are just beginning to be seen in the market include those with textured surfaces rather than smooth. “The advantage of the textured surfaces is that they don’t show scratches as much,” Geers explains. “Kind of like showing a scratch on a smooth piece of glass versus one that might have more of a matte finish.” Some changes don’t happen as independently. Often, as materials change in the printing industry (like the development of different inks), materials made to protect them need to evolve too. Stadelman says that there’s always new developments, like different inks, that Mactac must watch out for. The laminates that Mactac creates need to be able to continue adhering to those inks, for example. Besides that, the rise of digital printing has impacted other developments. Hettinger has noticed a similar need to develop protective materials alongside others due to it. “More than ever because of the move to digital printing, there’s more and more a request from printers and their customers to make ways so that... it lasts longer,” Hettinger says. “Some of it comes down to the fact that ink-film thickness when digitally printing is much less than other printing methods that’ll give you more ink on a paper.” As the printing industry continually seeks improvement, Stadelman foresees ongoing developments. In short, he says, “It’s an ever changing world.”

Beyond the elements, printed materials need protection against physical encounters as well. As Senior Vice President of Marketing for GPA Specialty Substrate Solutions MaryAnn Geers says, think abrasion.

Scratches and Bruises Beyond the elements, printed materials need protection against physical encounters as well. As Senior Vice President of Marketing for GPA Specialty Substrate Solutions MaryAnn Geers says, think abrasion. GPA often makes materials for sports that utilize graphics on the sides of vehicles, like taxi cabs or motocross sports. “Where we get the requests the most often tends to be in areas where there’s going to be some outdoor branding,” Geers says. “One of those is in the car wraps industry.” In some cases, like for buses or taxi cabs, physical encounters need not be as heavily accounted for. Geers says that for these vehicles, they often only require a 2.4 mil glass PVC film that offers protection from both UV radiation and moisture through a cold laminating process. This film typically lasts about five years. However, powersports vehicles are different. Companies need to create materials that’ll keep up against bumps and bruises that are typical in encounters involving these vehicles in their respective sports. “Think of things like motocross racing, sometimes snowmobiles, kind of anywhere where you’re doing pow-

PrintingNews com

One product that GPA sells for this purpose is the Concept brand 238 Motomark “Armor” UV Laminate, which is 12 mil thick rather than 2 mil thick, making the laminate much harder to scratch or tear up. Mactac’s Stadelman—who began his thus-far 30 years with MacTac as a lab worker creating materials like laminates himself—says that when creating such products, you need to think of more than non-nature elements and abrasion too. Other unplanned disturbances might pose a threat to the printed material, like the occasional graffiti tag. To help consumers avoid even that, Mactac has a special overlaminate that’s created with a harder coating resistant to graffiti paint— their Superior Anti-Graffiti Graphic and Window Protection Film, also known as “SAG”— making it easier to scrub the spray paint off signage while retaining the integrity of the graphics underneath.

Always Changing Most suppliers would agree that the world of damage-preventative print materials is always developing; however, what suppliers watch out for

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

sturti/iStock

Adapting a Business for the

Evolution of the Sign and Graphics Industry By Mary Lou Goehrung , owner of Signs By Tomorrow and Image360 DC-Bethesda

uch has changed in the sign and graphics industry since I entered the intriguing business of signage more than 25 years ago. We have gone from hours of hand weeding vinyl with an X-Acto knife to pushing a button on a ﬂatbed to make a sign. ten challenged with striking a balance between maintaining our core services and new product offerings. As we continue to grow our companies, here are a few best practices I’ve found on how to navigate your business through the changing tides of the industry.

Over the course of those two and a half decades, I’ve determined that one of my favorite aspects of the industry is its constant evolution – the new products, techniques and systems that are available on an almost daily basis are incredible. But, incorporating those new trends isn’t always easy – we’re of-

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

Invest in your business It’s easy to get stuck in a mindset of taking money out rather than saving and reinvesting in the business for most small business owners. After all, most owners invest a large portion of their own money to start their businesses and want it back as soon as possible. In my experience, however, a dedicated portion of a business’ revenue should go towards investing in the future. It’s vital to set aside a portion of your revenue intended solely to fund the purchase of new equipment, tech-

PrintingNews com

nology and education. Each year, we dedicate a certain amount of our revenue to a capital fund that we only use to help buy or put a down payment on new equipment. For instance, we recently purchased a second 8’ x 10’ Fuji ﬂatbed printer that allows us to print large, high-quality production items; now, we’re the only company in the entire United States to have two of these printers. Th rough purchasing this new printer, not only have we increased our operational efficiencies, but we’ve also found a way to continue to stand out from our competitors. We see each purchase as an investment into the future of our business, rather than simply an added expense. My sign and graphics businesses would not be where they are today had we not made the commitment from the start to continually invest time, resources and money back into them. While it wasn’t always the easiest decision, each investment has paid great dividends in the long run of our companies.

Look to those around you for guidance I am fortunate to work with 15 talented and educated employees, including my two sons and a daughter-in-law. While you may not be running a family business, I’m sure that the team you’ve built for your company has ideas, insights and thoughts into how to continue to evolve your business and keep up with the latest trends. Listen to them! Although I’ve been in the business for a quarter of a century, I still look to my team for input. I have dedicated employees, including one who constantly reads trade magazines and attends sign shows to ensure that we are keeping up with the latest trends. I also actively keep my machines, employees’ skills, product offerings and customer experience state of the art. Their combined education, knowledge and expertise is a massive resource that I would be remiss to not utilize. From holding daily and weekly

PrintingNews com

“My sign and graphics businesses would not be where they are today had we not made the commitment from the start to continually invest time, resources and money back into them.”

wbfuller/iStock

on this new service, provides our clients an added value previously unknown to them. That being said, it’s sometimes difficult to adapt new technologies into an existing business. It takes time, patience and, most importantly, an open mind. Bringing on new technology is rarely a seamless process, but given the proper attention, doing so can vastly increase your business’ productivity and overall bottom line. Staying on top of the ever-changing trends of the sign and graphics industry can be difficult, but with the right support system, a dedicated investment plan and an open mind, you can find continued success with new technologies.

staff meetings to gather your team’s input and setting up ongoing educational training opportunities, to joining local industry organizations or chambers of commerce, there are several resources at your disposal to further your knowledge of the sign and graphics industry.

Keep an open mind to trying new things As mentioned above, the changing landscape of the sign and graphics industry is one of the things that has endeared me to it for more than 25 years. I love having the opportunity to educate myself and my staff on the latest trends that will increase our efficiency and productivity. For example, we have recently expanded our services to include experiential graphic design – a trend we’ve seen significantly on the rise over the last few years. While it wasn’t something that our staff had previous knowledge of or training in, taking the time to educate ourselves

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

Launched During the Great Recession, SpeedPro Marin Realized There Was

“No Place to Go But Up” Contacting architectural and interior design firms, and educating those agencies about what’s possible using printed materials, opened up new kinds of opportunities for SpeedPro SpeedPro Marin owner Steve Moran-Cassese is bullish on the future of wideformat and display graphics. Because at the end of the day, when people want to put on an event or transform a ballroom, graphics are what does it.

tarting a new business—much less a print business—at the height (or depth, as the case may be) of the Great Recession may not have been the most advisable idea in the world, but when the entrepreneurial spirit strikes, sometimes you have to go with it. So it was in 2010 that Steve Moran-Cassese decided to start a print business. “Everyone was like, ‘You’re going to start a business now?’ And I said, ‘Well, this is the best time. It can only get better from here.” And thus was born SpeedPro Marin in San Rafael, Calif.

By Richard Romano Richard Romano has been writing about the graphic communications industry for 20 years. He is an industry analyst and author or co-author of more than half a dozen books. His most recent book is The Home Office That Works! Make Working at Home a Success—A Guide for Entrepreneurs and Telecommuters. www.homeofficeworks.com

Moran-Cassese had spent 17 years in the agency world, working on corporate event management and hospitality, leading to a stint working on the Olympics. Weary of the agency world, and an entrepreneur at heart, he looked around for business opportunities. “I came across SpeedPro and I really liked the model a lot,” he said. And not having a background in print production, he added, “I wanted something with training wheels.” So how much of a challenge was it to start a print business at the nadir of the economic downturn? “I’ve asked myself that before

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

and it’s a difficult one to answer,” he said. “Because I was new I just didn’t know if it would have been better if we were in a booming economy. We were starting from zero, so anything upward sounded like a great idea.” SpeedPro Marin had an eight-month ramp-up, with Moran-Cassese pounding the pavement introducing local businesses to his shop. He outsourced work to nearby SpeedPros, and gradually accumulated business. “I was able to fill the pipe a little bit during that time,” he said. “It was a little slow, but every year from that point on we were growing

PrintingNews com

20% or more year over year. We were just rolling and growing and had a great reputation.” Today, SpeedPro Marin has five full-time employees and a client base that includes some of the biggest players in the Bay Area (or anywhere for that matter): Google, HP, Autodesk, Comcast SportsNet, Facebook, SF State University, and BMW, as well as smaller and lesser-known businesses and agencies. The shop (or “studio,” to use Speed Pro Imaging parlance) has two roll-to-roll printers, one of them a 104-inch HP Latex unit. “[The Latex] is still our workhorse, and we can do a lot of eight-foot banners and stepand-repeats and it allows us to print on large canvas for a lot of clients.” He also has an eco-solvent printer and a couple of years ago acquired an HP flatbed. “That really changes the game for large-format printers when you can start direct printing.” The flatbed led to a CNC contour-cut machine. “Once you can start printing direct-to-substrate, whether it be wood, aluminum, foamboard, anything, then you can go out to this machine and contour-cut anything.” The current equipment portfolio allows SpeedPro Marin to produce just about anything they need. “The fact that we have flatbed, roll-to-roll, and a CNC cutter, that’s kind of the complete package to be able to do most everything.” One area he has been looking at, although with some degree of hesitation, is dye-sublimation. “A couple of our partners have dye-sub machines, but there’s a lot of ﬁ nishing involved in that,” said Moran-Cassese. “Honestly, I don’t want to spread out too wide where we’re a jack of all trades, master of none.” Currently, he outsources whatever dye-sub work comes in and is happy with that arrangement. But, he added, “if something unique came in and it made sense to be in the dyesub business, I would invest.” Moran-Cassese, like other display graphics and sign producers, has found that environmental graphics is currently a major growth area. (And if you’ve been to the Bay Area recently, you know that there’s no shortage of new construction.) “I think what’s really propelled the environmental graphics movement is

PrintingNews com

types of jobs you need to really continue to grow,” he said. “You cannot necessarily do that by doing two or three 24 by 36-inch prints on board. You have to have the big projects.” Ironically, Moran-Cassese has found that the source of his biggest business challenge today is the opposite of the big challenge when he opened: a healthy and booming economy. Specifically, the tight labor market. In January, San Francisco’s unemployment rate dropped to a near-record 2.2%. “Staffi ng has become an increasing problem when you have turnover and need to fi nd somebody that’s good,” he said. “Salaries are increasing, too, so it’s a bit of a bind as a small business because there’s a whole host of things that come with hiring somebody and running a bricks-and-mortar business. So that’s been a point of pain for me, probably over the last year and a half. Finding quality people that you can afford that fit in your fi nancial model has been tough, especially in the inner Bay Area.” Moran-Cassese is bullish on the future of wide-format and display graphics. “Large format is still flourishing,” he said. As much as the digital age has changed a lot of people’s needs or requirements for print, I think that really hurt offset more than it hurt large format. At the end of the day, when people want to put on an event, transform a ballroom, or whatever it may be, graphics are what does it. There’s just something about large-format graphics that I think will never die. The industry is continuing to innovate with faster machines, machines that print metallic, the clear vinyl, and different types of metallic vinyl. There’s so much out there that you can create so many different things. That innovation, along with the fact that large events need to create a dynamic environment and want it to be creative and cutting edge, it’s a healthy place to be. “It’s really about continuing to push your name and your reputation out there in the marketplace.”

number one, technology and machines, the advent of latex, instant curing, and the ﬂatbed with white ink,” he said. “And then a lot of the media that’s come out, especially optically clear media. That’s huge, because of the amount of things you can do with wall coverings, with conference rooms, and large glass atria. You can do really, really intricate designs, and really cool creative stuff. In the past, if you couldn’t use white ink and clear vinyl, all those little things would have to be cut out and placed, and it just was not practical. But now

“We have done a lot of wall murals for a lot of different clients, and that’s probably the first thing people jump at: big wall murals.” you can run all of these things on sheets of vinyl, butt them together, and you can make some fabulous looking environments.” The logical next step was to begin contacting architectural and interior design firms, which has opened up new kinds of opportunities. Some of these firms had been doing environmental graphics for a long time, but some were themselves new to it. “Many of them said, ‘You know, we’ve been hearing more and more about environmental graphics and we’re pretty interested, so send us over some information.’” Educating these agencies about what’s possible using printed materials has been a great way to expand the client base. “We’re not the only ones doing it, but it’s been a real focus of ours,” said Moran-Cassese. “We have done a lot of wall murals for a lot of different clients, and that’s probably the first thing people jump at: big wall murals.” Moran-Cassese also finds event graphics a source of growth, and for those projects, he has been working with agency partners. For example, two out of the last three years SpeedPro Marin has done the graphics and signage for Facebook’s global sales and marketing conference. “Those are the

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

: Supercharging the U.S. Apparel Supply Chain

W By Cary Sherburne

hatTheyThink attended TechTextil/TexProcess in Atlanta in May. TechTextil North America assembles all vertical aspects of the technical textile industry: from research and development, through raw materials and production processes, and finally ending in conversion, further treatment, and recycling. TexProcess Americas provides a platform for leading international manufacturers to present their latest machines, plans, processing, IT systems, and services for developing textiles and other flexible materials. Combined, they are structured to address the most pressing issues faced by todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sewn products industry. Their mission also aligns with that of SEAMS, a trade organization dedicated to empowering the Made in America movement by supercharging the U.S. supply chain from concept to customer. Will Duncan assumed the Executive Director role late last year. He also runs a consulting business dedicated to improving companies in the fashion, apparel, or sewn products industry and has many years of experience in the field.

Cary Sherburne is a well-known author, journalist and marketing consultant whose practice is focused on marketing communications strategies for the printing and publishing industries.

Duncan said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Reshoring of textiles and apparel kind of got kicked to the curb when people started chasing cheap labor. But as labor and other overseas costs climb, and

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

for a more efficient supply chain, there is growing interest in reshoring that manufacturing. Our goal is to do what we can to help accelerate that trend.â&#x20AC;?

PrintingNews com

The combination of automation in textile and apparel factories and the increase in digital production technologies is one factor that is encouraging this shift. Brands are looking for faster time to market and the ability to quickly produce smaller lots with more versions. “The real black hole in the automation picture is cut-and-sew,” Duncan points out. “Though significant progress is being made by companies such as Henderson Sewing Machine Company, we still have a ways to go to achieve the lights-out factory.” Another challenge with reshoring lies in how many brands think about

Duncan points out that manufacturing domestically, while most likely costing out at a slightly higher unit cost, has the advantage of reduced lead times and shipping costs. and volatility can impact costs. It includes a calculation of how much more you can afford to pay for an accelerated time to market. Anyone—brands, designers, stylists, and manufacturers—should take a look at this post. It may shed an entirely different light on domestic production strategies.” SEAMS participated at TechTextil/ TexProcess in a 4,800-square-foot booth in the supply chain pavilion, along with 36 of its members where they shared with show visitors the benefit of reshoring textile and apparel manufacturing. Looking ahead, the 16th edition of TechTextil North America, the only trade show in the Americas dedicated to technical textiles and nonwovens, will take place February 26-28, 2019 in Raleigh, North Carolina. Show dates have also been

lead times, and even migrate a subset of products from a design-manufacture-hope-to-sell model to an order-manufacture-deliver model, reducing inventory risk and enabling brands to quickly address emerging Fast Fashion trends. “We have a great

rrons onss tik/ on t ik/ k// iSSSto too ckk

the unit cost for their products. “The bottom line,” Duncan says, “is that brands and retailers continue to source product based on lowest landed duty cost. They do not factor in product performance at retail. Without factoring in markdowns, stock-outs, and other hidden costs of doing business around the globe, it is extremely difficult for a domestic supply chain to compete. While some brands and retailers understand this and would like to try to source domestically, they often do not know where to start. SEAMS can help them find ways to make that transition.” Duncan points out that manufacturing domestically, while most likely costing out at a slightly higher unit cost, has the advantage of reduced lead times and shipping costs. There is also a growing installed base of digital textile printing technologies in the U.S. that can further reduce

PrintingNews com

undee fi ffine fin iinn ed e d uun de defi e n ed// iS i St SSto t ckk to

announced for TechTextil North America and TexProcess Americas, which will be held May 12-14, 2020 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta, Georgia.

post on our site that explains in detail the true ROI of manufacturing clothing closer to home,” Duncan says. “It includes four different scenarios based on an ROI calculator developed by the University of Lausanne that shows how lead times

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

Microfactories and Automation the Stars at TechTextil/ TexProcess A By Cary Sherburne

s players in the textiles and apparel markets continue to look for ways to streamline product life cycles and supply chains, digital technologies are playing a significant role. While not everything will be produced on-demand for the foreseeable future, there is significant opportunity to do so with a portion of production. The Holy Grail is the ability to build to order, rather than guesstimating what sizes, colors, and quantities will be able to be sold. Brands and retailers would also like to reduce lead times for getting products to market. One supplier we recently spoke to is producing leggings on demand, for example, and has reduced lead times from nine to 18 months, from design to customer delivery, to a startling nine hours for customized leggings. The growing number of digital technologies can be combined into microfactories that can produce fairly significant quantities on demand—even mobile microfactories that can visit sites and regions to produce event- and region-specific items. Imagine a semi tractor/trailer pulling up in Minneapolis to produce Super Bowl memorabilia that can be sold on site. This is a reality today that was prominent at the show.

In an ideal situation, such as the leggings microfactory, an order is received through an ecommerce interface where the consumer can specify everything about the garment they are ordering: size, color, fabric type if appropriate, shipping information, etc. Ideally, of course, they pay for their order at that time. The order then seamlessly moves into pre-production, where the file can be checked for any defects or problems. It then proceeds to marker making, printing, cutting, and sewing. In a true microfactory, all of these steps are automated with little human intervention, even cutting. Sewing is still a bit of a bottleneck, but is getting more automated by the day, with a growBy Cary Sherburne ing number of “sewbots” being Cary Sherburne is a well-known introduced by Brother, Henderauthor, journalist and marketing son, and others. Even transportconsultant whose practice is focused ing components from one stage to on marketing communications stratanother can be automated, using egies for the printing and publishing industries. conveyors, gantries, or robots.

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

At the show, Gerber Technology showed how its AccuMark platform is used to create the pattern, seamlessly check fit and drape using its 3D module, and create the

AccuMark by Gerber Technology

marker as well. There is even a Made-to-Measure module for manufacturers of custom clothing that automates the process from pattern modification to order creation. Gerber partnered with Kornit at the show for printing on its Allegro direct-to-fabric digital printing system using pigment ink. They used their own cutting table, the Z1, and

PrintingNews com

NextWave

offloaded cut pieces to Gerbie the robot, who transported them down the aisle to the Henderson Machinery booth for sewing. The demo product was a pillow…and the sewing process here is about as automated as it can get. More complex garments require a bit more human intervention, but the use of smart robotics is already removing significant labor—and opportunity for error—from the process. According to Kornit representatives at the show, retailer H&M

Lectra’s Cutting Room 4.0

logged $4.6 billion in unsold inventory in 2017. By manufacturing to demand, much of this waste can be eliminated, reducing the overall cycle from an average of eight months to eight days. Another microfactory demo was hosted by NextWave, an integrator that works with organizations to provide the umbrella integration once the individual components have been installed. The microfactory demo at the show was based on EFI components including the EFI Fiery DesignPro Print Suite, a collection of

PrintingNews com

enables users to build a library of fabrics with all of the relevant metadata available to all stakeholders from a single database; and, a new automated cutting table. The company is working to ensure an open environment where it is easy to connect with ERP solutions and third-party components, since many production operations include multiple vendors and systems. In the spirit of Industry 4.0, Lectra’s Cutting Room 4.0 is an interesting component in an apparel microfactory. These three examples just scratch the surface on what’s happening in the analog-to-digital transformation the textiles industry is undergoing. For companies that wish to introduce more automation into their operations – or entrepreneurs who are interested in getting into the business – industry associations such as SEAMS can be a valuable resource. At the show, SEAMS was discussing its Made in the USA initiative, which must take advantage of automation within the manufacturing process to ensure competitiveness. The bottom line is that these initiatives are revitalizing the textile and apparel industry in North America, enabling reshoring of selective work, creating jobs, and providing both brands and consumers with the faster time to market and customization/ personalization they are increasingly seeking.

design tools that lets designers work in familiar design environments, either Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop; EFI Optitex, an integrated 2D/3D sample making platform; EFI Digital Storefront ecommerce and web-toprint solution; and EFI Reggiano digital textile printers. This demo used a Zünd cutting table and automated

One supplier we recently spoke to is producing leggings on demand, for example, and has reduced lead times from nine to 18 months, from design to customer delivery, to a startling nine hours for customized leggings. sewing solutions from Henderson Machinery. For purposes of the demo, the fabric was printed (heat transfer dye sublimation) offsite, but the rest of the manufacturing process was being shown on the floor. Lectra also introduced its Cutting Room 4.0 at the show. This is part of an overall platform that includes 2D/3D pattern making software; a new cloud-based fabric manager that

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

Industry Insights:

Embrace Change to Uncover New Opportunities T hese days, it can be challenging to keep up. New customers are walking through your door. Existing customers want to discuss a new project. And then, there are all the outside innovations that point to signiﬁcant changes in the way we live, work and do business.

By Lori Anderson President & CEO of the International Sign Association Lori Anderson is president & CEO for the International Sign Association (ISA), which serves the international on-premise signage and visual communications industry. ISA’s programs include educational conferences, government relations, technology research, and the International Sign Exposition.

Find this article at PrintingNews.com/12421136

There’s a theory called “Moore’s Law,” first written about in Scientific America in 1965. The theory suggests that computing power will double every two years. That has held true for more than 50 years. And as computing power continues to speed up, it allows the entire world to speed up right along with it. As you focus on the day-today tasks of running your businesses, it is easy to feel left behind. That’s one of the reasons that ISA staff travels to conferences to see what new and coming technologies might impact our industry from within and from outside. One recent conference included a discussion of artificial intelligence. We’re already seeing this deployed in self-driving vehicles, logistics warehousing and retail. In fact, if you’ve participated in an online chat with a retailer recently, chances are good you were chatting with a bot—not a human. These chatbots—powered by artificial intelligence, which is constantly learning—can do everything from suggesting accessories for the outfit you’re about to purchase to tracking down an errant order. Artificial intelligence is built upon the premise of machine learning. As machines continue to learn, there is no limit to what they can do. So what does this have to do with the printing industry and the broader sign, graphics and visual communications industry? You don’t have to look far to see how our industry has been transformed by technology in recent years. Tremendous improvements in printers, substrates and inks have led to all sorts of new business opportunities for print service providers to keep the machines humming—and to deepen relationships with existing customers. It has truly allowed creativity to shine. 3D printers have opened a new world. But gaps remain. In the ISA-produced whitepaper, “Looking for BIG Opportunity in Graphic Communications & Specialty Printing,” the authors at Keypoint Intelligence-InfoTrends identified one area: “Workflow represents an untapped opportunity in the wide format production process as many survey respondents have not yet invested in workflow tools to improve inefficiencies and

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

automation. Workflow management software automates production processes, and it is needed to process an increasing number of jobs and efficiently support online ordering. As wide format printers increase in speed, prepress and finishing are often the workflow bottlenecks….shops must automate to improve their customer experience and remain competitive.” The white paper—sponsored by EFI—is available at www.signs.org/business-resources/ printing. You might also find others that pique your interest, such as ones that identify opportunities in corrugated packaging, textiles and cutting devices. It is tempting to focus on the work at hand and not on how coming technologies might impact your business. When I talk to business owners these days, many tell me that they can’t keep up with the existing work. Now is not the time to bury your head, however. You might find yourselves like the railroads of old, who kept dismissing the newfangled car. Or, more recently, like a taxi group who pooh-poohed ridesharing. As an industry, though, we will not be left behind. We will continue to innovate and push to new heights, both in the products we offer and the creativity we deploy. ISA is there to help keep you informed. Set aside time each week to visit our website to see what’s new. Explore the research that exists, and spend time thinking about how it may impact your business. Make it a point to visit an ISA Affiliated Association meeting to hear what concerns your peers and competitors. And plan to attend ISA International Sign Expo 2019 in Las Vegas. (Registration opens soon at www.signexpo.org.) Year after year, ISA International Sign Expo is the one place to see the latest technologies that have the potential to transform your business. Change continues to come, and like it or not, there is little we can do to stop it. Instead of dreading it or ignoring it, choose to embrace it. Who knows where it might take your business?

PrintingNews com

Carbon Wraps Brings Art Alive MOVING PICTURES:

For about 15 years, Carbon Wraps Orlando has specialized in highly creative vehicle graphics. They took car wrapping to the next level working with local artist Kurt Meister and Avery Dennison live at the ISA Sign Expo last March.

t’s not a medium that Monet or Matisse might have recognized, but it was unique when an original painting by Florida artist Kurt Meister was used for a vehicle wrapping project by Winter Park, Fla.’s Carbon Wraps at last March’s ISA Sign Expo. There, in Avery Dennison’s booth Meister’s art was installed live on a Volkswagen Golf GTI.

Steve Carney, owner and founder of Carbon Wraps, a graphic designer by trade, initially specialized in business cards, flyers, and brochures, but was eventually introduced to wide-format print work. Around 2003, Carney got involved in vehicle graphics. “The Fast and the Furious kind of kicked it off for customizing vehicles,” he said. “I had to learn how to produce a vehicle wrap.” Then, before long he and wife Jennifer—also an artist— began producing eye-catching vehicle graphics, and launched Carbon Wraps. “We wrap vehicles together and it’s just a really fun business,” he said. “Everything we do is very meticulous. Quality over quantity is our main focus. I think people like that a lot, and it shows in our work.” The top application for vehicle wraps is simple color changes—“color restyling,” Carney calls it—but more and more projects are unleashing the Carneys’ creativity. “We’ve wrapped everything from your basic bus to high-end vehicles like Ferraris and Lamborghinis,” he said. “We try to keep art alive any chance we get.” “Most people come in looking for a color change and once we’ve sat down and overwhelmed them with all of their choices, they usually go in a completely different direction,” said Jen Carney. The Carneys are like vehicle graphics evangelists. They take every opportunity to educate the market by participating in events like the Sign Expo and the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show, which brings together every segment of the automotive industry. The recent project for Sign Expo By Richard Romano began with outreach from one of Richard Romano has been writing Carbon Wraps’ top suppliers of about the graphic communications films and substrates. “Avery Denindustry for 20 years. He is an indusnison approached us about doing try analyst and author or co-author of more than half a dozen books. His the event because we’re local to Ormost recent book is The Home Office lando and quick to help out in any That Works! Make Working at Home kind of scenario,” said Steve. “Our a Success—A Guide for Entrepreneurs first thought was, ‘Let’s provide a and Telecommuters, www.homeofficeworks.com. vehicle since we’re local and also

PrintingNews com

do the art if we can, because the worst thing is to do a live wrap demo and you have a boring car, or your graphics aren’t very colorful or they don’t pop.” Next, they recruited friend and local artist Kurt Meister to create an original serigraph, which was digitized, output on Avery Dennison MPI 1105 Supercast Film, and installed on the Volkswagen Golf GTI in Avery Dennison’s booth—where Meister was also on hand to sign the wrapped car. The project for Sign Expo had some ancillary benefits. Kurt Meister is participating in the next phase of Carbon Wraps’ “Bring Art Alive” vehicle wrapping concept—and the Volkswagen dealership that loaned the Carneys the car plan to sell it fully wrapped. “Our next step is being part of a show where we’ll wrap half of a car in advance with a matte white and Kurt will paint live onto the actual vehicle wrap,” said Steve. “Jen and I will wrap car’s other side live and do our own twist so people will see actual paint being applied and what you can do with wraps.” The Carneys will further their vehicle wrap evangelism at the big SEMA show in Las Vegas in November. Wraps have become increasingly popular at auto industry shows like SEMA. “I’d say 50% of the cars there now aren’t painted, they’re wrapped,” said Steve. Wrapping has changed the way that cars are displayed and even sold at big automotive expos. Now, “you can take those cars, wrap them, do something wild, and then remove the wrap and change it up for next year.” Automakers will also literally build a car specifically for SEMA and sell it, although the buyer may not be wild about the color or other design. “If they do, say, a wild pink and it gets attention at SEMA, but now they want to sell it but can’t sell it in wild pink, they can remove the wrap and sell the original paint, so they didn’t lose value on the paint,” said Steve. Even everyday car owners are starting to see the value in vehicle wrapping beyond simple color changes. “Now it’s like, ‘Oh, I can make my car look like wood,” said Steve. Or, indeed, something out of The Walking— er, Driving Dead. “Everyone is trying to do something different and unique, and a printed wrap is definitely the way to go,” said Steve.

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

10 Habits of the Most Successful People That Less Successful People Lack By Catherine Monson

have, for years, been listening to several podcasts on success as well as reading books on the subject. Th is article is a synthesis of repeated themes in many of the podcasts and books, a kind of “executive summary” of what I have been studying and what I work to get better at each and every day. I hope you get some value from it. to “use the winds” based on where it is you want to go, versus letting them carry you where they will.

Success is a game of habits. In itself, “success” is a relative term and so its “achievement” is fully dependent upon the habits you put into place that move you, step by step, toward the “end” you define for yourself. So to be “successful,” it becomes a matter of the routine you put into place for yourself. Whenever you are looking outward, for example, it is very clear the difference between those who create positive daily habits for themselves versus the people who let life’s waves and challenges dictate their day to day. By Catherine Monson RememCatherine Monson is the CEO ber: You are of FASTSIGNS International, the “captain the largest and most successful signage and visual graphics of your company in the world, with over ship”. It’s 685 locations in 9 countries . up to you

Wide-Format & Signage

Successful people develop a positive mental attitude.

Positive mental attitude and outlook is the foundation of success. It is easy to have a negative attitude; in fact, it is almost “natural” or human to let your mind drift into the negative. Creating a positive mental attitude is a habit and a discipline. It requires developing the discipline to ﬁ ll your mind with positive thoughts and to stop yourself from dwelling on the negative. As Zig Ziglar so often stressed, attitude truly does determine your altitude. And if you are in a leadership role, people prefer to follow a positive person rather than a negative one.

Successful people plan ahead.

Failure to prepare is the act of preparing to fail. Those who are successful at what it is they want to do spend a healthy amount of time setting goals, creating an action plan, planning, thinking, strategizing, and preparing in advance. They don’t wait until the moment has arrived to contemplate how they’ll tackle a

August 2018

situation. Instead, they get as much completed and ready ahead of time as possible, so they are more free to embrace the challenges of the moment. Spend some time each night, and at the end of each week, reﬂecting on what it is they’ve accomplished already and what it is they want to “get done” next. Make your list, create your plan of action, and then let that ruminate in your subconscious while you sleep. And the next morning, you will be one step ahead and ready to tackle your list.

Successful people do the hard stuff first.

Less successful people have a knack for getting done all the things that are not true priorities. But when it comes to the hard stuff, they suddenly ﬁ nd every reason why they could not complete the task. That’s because hard stuff is, well, “hard.” It is a priority for a reason, and that’s because it is the thing that’s going to move the needle. But often times, what moves the needle lies in the unknown or takes dedicated, concentrated effort. It requires discipline to set aside the time, or it requires learning a new skill, or it requires risk, or a leap of faith, in some way. Those who are successful at what they do, know this. And instead of shying away from the challenge, they make themselves do these “hard tasks” ﬁ rst—before allowing themselves the luxury of the easy stuff.

PrintingNews com

Successful people have a sense of urgency.

Successful people have developed a sense of urgency to get things done. Rather than put tasks off to tomorrow, they work to get more things done each day. They know tomorrow will bring new challenges and obstacles; it is better to get all that can be done today to free up time for tomorrow. They are relentless in completing tasks sooner rather than later.

Successful people say no.

If you want to go your own way and achieve your dreams, be prepared to disappoint a lot of people. Nobody likes being told no. That’s why so many people say yes to things. They don’t want to make others feel bad, or they don’t want to sever current or potential friendships, or they don’t want to be excluded from future possibilities, or they don’t want to be looked down upon, etc. But the truth is, if you want to be successful, you’re going to have to say no a lot more than you say yes. Want to go hang out at the bar? Want to take the afternoon off and go to a baseball game? Want to spend a long weekend in Vegas? None of these things are bad in themselves, but if you still haven’t made your dream come true, then realize that every time you say yes to what someone else wants you to do, you are saying no to whatever it is you truly want to do. Successful people know they need to invest time now to do the things they need to do to achieve the things they want to achieve, knowing that will lead to the opportunity in the future to do the things they want to do later. It’s a judgment call, and one a lot of people struggle with. Successful people are very conscious of how they spend their time.

Successful people invest in themselves.

Both in terms of time and money, successful people see life through a lens of investment. The majority of people don’t invest; they spend. They spend the money they earn. They spend their time with people they don’t really like, doing things they don’t really enjoy. They spend and spend and then wake up one morning wondering why their life is the way it is. Successful people, on the other hand, invest. They are conscious of

PrintingNews com

Successful people don’t separate their job and their “personal life”. Their job is their passion, and their passion is their craft . They study their craft relentlessly (whether it is to become a more successful and motivating leader, or the best outside salesperson, or the best ﬁ nancial manager) because it is part of who they are. It is not dependent upon time. It is merely a reﬂection of their own curiosity and their desire to excel and be the best.

how they spend their time and invest it toward their goals. They invest their money in creating additional revenue streams, not owning depreciating assets. They invest in themselves, taking courses, exposing themselves to worthwhile attractions, feeding their interests. Investing over time is what ultimately creates wealth, both ﬁ nancially and in terms of knowledge.

Successful people surround themselves with other successful people.

Your “network” is your “net worth”. The true value of having a network is not access to “things”. It’s access to habits and thought processes you would otherwise struggle to create on your own. When you are surrounded by people who embody the same traits you hope to one day have, it speeds up the learning process. You inherently rise to their standard and push yourself to grow through imitation (which is actually a very good thing). Similarly, if you are surrounded by negative people, lazy people, angry and depressing people, those same traits will rub off on you. Surround yourself with people who, in some way, are like who you want to become yourself.

Less successful people point the ﬁ nger at others or to circumstances and make excuses for why things didn’t happen. Successful people own up to the weight of their actions and take accountability for their own shortcomings and decisions. Th is is a habit and a mindset, and one that takes years to cultivate properly. To truly be successful, you have to be extremely self-aware and willing to question the reality you are living. If things are amiss or not going the way you want them to, you cannot point at others or your circumstances and blame them for your unhappiness, dissatisfaction, etc. You have to own up and admit that you created your reality and nobody else.

Successful people study their craft.

There are a lot of people in the world who believe that life operates the same way as formal education. They go to college, get their diploma, start working at a big company, and then just assume that over time their years spent there will carry them up the ladder to a nice and comfortable position (just as you rise from freshman to senior). There are some (not many) situations that reward the fundamental metric of time, and people can climb the ladder of “success” by simply showing up and staying the course. But the truth is, those are not the ones who end up becoming thought leaders, innovators, industry experts, accomplished creators or truly successful at fulﬁ lling their own dreams. Because to do that, you have to actively be studying your craft in ways that does not happen by simply clocking in at 8:00 AM and clocking out at 5:00 PM.

August 2018

Successful people are accountable for their actions.

Successful people believe in themselves.

Less successful people want others to believe in them before they believe in themselves. Successful people, on the other hand, believe in themselves against all odds, often times long before anyone else does. To be successful, this is a must. You cannot expect others to support and believe in something that you yourself cannot even tap into. It has to come from you before it can come from anyone else. To do this, however, you must take considerable time to understand, know, and nurture yourself. It’s tough work, but it’s foundational work, and is often what makes the difference between building something that lasts and instead hoping for short-lasting approval. Believe in yourself. That’s where it all starts. I hope you found this “executive summary” of my recent reading and studying of value.

Wide-Format & Signage

New

Products Monadnock Paper Mills Ultrahide Blockout Poster Monadnock Paper Mills introduced the new Ultrahide Blockout Poster. Ultrahide is a high-performance, Forest Stewardship Council Certiﬁed, 100 percent opaque blockout poster stock ideal for indoor retail, hospitality and event signage. Ultrahide is engineered for superior performance in varying moisture conditions. The bright white, coated printing surface is optimized for excellent photographic reproduction using offset, screen, latex inkjet, and UV inkjet printing equipment. The single-ply construction makes the product more stable and more economical than pasted alternatives on the market. “Ultrahide is a great companion to the Ultraform Backlit Poster and FR Poster options in our EnviPortfolio of printing substrates,” said Richard Verney, Chairman and CEO of Monadnock. “We are pleased to offer brands a better option for all their blockout applications.”

PrintingNews.com/12415673

Fuji Xerox DocuWide 6057/3037 Series

New Drytac OptiTac Mounting Adhesives

Fuji Xerox Asia Pacific will begin its regional launch of five models of the DocuWide 6057/3037 series, A0 monochrome multifunction devices with enhanced print speeds and resolution. The new series aims to help enhance workflows and output for industries such as architecture, engineering and construction, which require fast, high quality and multi-site printing operations. The new series features a secondary Ethernet port that enables shared usage between two different networks, such as an intra company network and a separate network for guest users. Users can securely access the DocuWide 6057/3037 series from their mobile PCs with the option of specifying a device in a different physical location. By enabling secure printing and scanning at external premises, the new wide-format series brings forth a more flexible and efficient manner of working.

Drytac had a number of new products including three new OptiTac mounting adhesives and Polar Burst print media at the ISA Sign Expo event which brings together sign, graphics, print and visual communications professionals. Twenty thousand attendees were expected to explore the nearly 600 exhibitor booths this year and meet with colleagues, distributors, customers and potential clients throughout the 3-day event. Polar Burst is a brand new 3.7mil (95&micro;) printable, satin-finish, self-adhesive, reflective vinyl with a high quality, removable grey acrylic adhesive that allows for adhesion to smooth, flat surfaces. Compatible with latex and UV printing technologies, Polar Burst’s outstanding reflective qualities create stunning graphics which retain their vibrancy, no matter what time of day or night, as well as in wet-weather conditions. Approved for both indoor and up to three-years’ outdoor use, it is ideal for signage and general advertising applications, as well as POP displays, posters and other exhibition graphics.

PrintingNews.com/12416959

PrintingNews.com/12416958

SignCenter Educational Website To make it easier for print resellers and print buyers to source large-format printing, SignCenter launches a new website. SignCenter, the wholesale to the trade only, large-format print provider, headquartered in Milford, Connecticut, has launched an all new public website to complement their reseller portal which was designed last year. The site is fully responsive for mobile and desktop, boasts new content, fresh images and an improved easy-to-follow navigation. With the new website, SignCenter is emphasizing education about application, media and process. “We wanted this website to go back to our roots and be a source of knowledge. Our willingness to share our expertise in print production combined with our helpful customer service team have historically been signiﬁcant contributors to our growth. We needed our website to follow suit,” explains Michael Oliveras, owner at SignCenter. “The previous site was not serving our potential resellers the way we wanted.”

PrintingNews.com/12416962

Wide-Format & Signage

August 2018

PrintingNews .com

New

Products Epson T-Series Wireless Technical Printers

Contex HD Ultra X 6000 Contex introduced the HD Ultra X 6000, the widest, fastest and most productive 60-inch CCD scanner available in the market. Outperforming the competition with color matching and image scanning quality — while exceeding environmental standards — Contex is raising the bar, once again, with the newest addition to its family of scanners. The HD Ultra X 6000 is a premium scanner with multiple productivity-boosting capabilities to give customers long-term value and a quick ROI. The HD Ultra X 6000 scanner comes in two powerful models and will be available from distributors worldwide by September, 2018. “We are excited to introduce the Contex HD Ultra X 6000, a scanner with numerous distinctions, many of which are based on customer feedback,” comments Jacob Bendix, VP and Global Head of Sales and Marketing, Global Scanning Denmark A/S. “The HD Ultra X 6000 is a scanner like no other. Customers will appreciate the advanced design and engineering that saves time throughout the scanning workﬂow. The quality results make this scanner a valuable tool in any environment.”

PrintingNews.com/12416967

Epson announced two new high-speed, easy-to-use wide-format SureColor T-Series plotters – the Epson SureColor T3170 24-inch desktop printer and the SureColor T5170 36-inch floor-standing printer. Marking Epson’s expansion of the T-Series product line to the low-to-mid-range CAD printer market, the new wireless printers feature an all-new clean and compact design coupled with the reliable printing performance inherent in Epson’s technical printer solutions. Whether printing blueprints, line drawings, signage, or classroom posters, the SureColor T3170 and SureColor T5170 benefit professionals and workgroups across a range of segments including architecture, engineering, CAD, GIS, education, corporate, home and small office settings. “The SureColor T3170 and T5170 are designed specifically for innovators – engineers, designers and architects – looking for a compact printer that is worthy of being displayed in their environment,” said Matt Kochanowski, product manager, professional imaging, Epson America, Inc. “Leveraging Epson’s latest technology to deliver class leading print performance, the new printers also feature a new footprint that enhances today’s workspaces and allows users to wirelessly produce accurate and vibrant prints from tablets and smartphones virtually anywhere.” Leveraging Epson’s new PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead technology and enhanced Nozzle Verification Technology to automatically detect and adjust nozzle condition, the new printers offer breakthrough print speeds producing accurate A1/D-size prints in 34 seconds, precise detail and commercial-grade reliability. Featuring Integrated wireless and WiFi Direct connectivity2, architects and designers can seamlessly print from tablets and smartphones3 or use the new 4.3” LCD color touchscreen with simple and intuitive menu control and navigation. Next-generation high-capacity UltraChrome XD2 pigment inks deliver durable vibrant prints with brilliant color and crisp lines.

More about the SureColor T-Series Printers

Massivit 1500 Exploration 3D Printer Massivit 3D Printing Technologies announced the expansion of its product portfolio with the Massivit 1500 Exploration 3D Printer. This new business-enhancing solution debuted at ISA Sign Expo and is designed to enable print businesses of all sizes to target new revenue opportunities. Available immediately, the Massivit 1500 delivers an affordable, print shop friendly solution to enter the world of large format 3D printing. By incorporating 3D printed models or enhancements to existing 2D applications, print providers can expand their product portfolio to offer innovative, head-turning applications. These include, audience-engaging POP / POS displays, illuminated signage and props as well as high-endurance molds for cost-effective thermoforming for the retail, advertising, entertainment, events and interior design markets.

PrintingNews.com/12417016

PrintingNews .com

The Epson SureColor T3170 24-inch desktop printer and the SureColor T5170 36-inch floor-standing printer deliver a range of features designed to help industry professionals increase productivity, including: • Breakthrough Print Speeds – The SC-T3170 and T5170 produce accurate A1/D-size prints in 34 and 31 seconds, respectively • Easy to Operate – A large, intuitive 4.3-inch LCD color touchscreen simplifies print tasks • Compact/Clean Design – Ultra small footprint and sleek, minimal design enhances workspace • Replace Ink Less Often – High-capacity cartridges, up to 50 mL color and 80 mL Black • Print from Virtually Anywhere in the Office – Integrated wireless and Wi-Fi Direct connectivity allow for easy printing print from tablets, smartphones and more • High Performance – PrecisionCore MicroTFP printhead offers Precision Droplet Control for outstanding clarity, and commercial-grade reliability with Nozzle Verification Technology • Durable, Vibrant Prints – Next-generation UltraChrome XD2 archival pigment ink technology produces brilliant color and crisp lines • Versatile Media Handling – Accommodates rolls up to 24- and 36-inches and sheets up to 11” x 17” through the Auto Sheet Feeder • Precise/Sharp Detail – Print blueprints, line drawings, posters, and more up to 2400 dpi • Easy Set Up – Get up and running out of the box in as quickly as 30 minutes

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

New

Products Océ Touchstone Dimensional Printing Software Realizing the appeal that dimensional printing can have in the graphics market, Canon U.S.A., Inc. a leader in digital imaging solutions, has announced the launch of Océ Touchstone dimensional printing soft ware, positioned for large format print solutions to streamline dimensional printing on the company’s industry-leading Océ Arizona Series UV flatbed printers. Until now, creating these dimensional prints tended to be a laborious process involving significant file manipulation and iterative testing performed by the print provider. As a result, few end users are aware that this is even possible, let alone request this type of printing. To simplify this labor intensive workflow, Canon has tailored specific solutions to meet the needs of the two parties involved in the process: the designer who creates the files and the print provider that prints them. Utilizing the highly accurate ink drop placement and repetition provided by Océ Arizona UV curable flatbed printers, resourceful print providers have been able to print multiple layers of ink and produce dimensional effects ranging from common textures such as woodgrain to special effects such as varnish highlights, embossed type and logos, or even braille. “Our commitment to our customers and the drive to expand our large format capabilities, has led to the development of the Océ Touchstone Dimensional Printing Soft ware,” said Toyotsugu Kuwamura, executive vice president and general manager, Business Imaging Solutions Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “We are thrilled to introduce this simple solution that will help print providers improve their workflow and create new possibilities for both their organizations and their customers.” Through Canon-created Adobe CC Photoshop and Illustrator extensions, graphic designers can build the dimensional effects quickly and easily, preview and refine these effects on screen, and then export the file as a single PDF file that can be sent to an Océ Touchstone enabled print provider for final print production. To help streamline the process on the print production side, Canon worked closely with graphics RIP provider ONYX, a Canon group company, to marry the patented Océ ALPS (Advanced Layer Printing System) technology with a special ONYX Thrive printer driver so that the RIP could now interpret the height map contained within the PDF, convert that data into separate print layers and send it to the Océ Arizona printer as a single batch file containing all the layers in the correct print sequence. This provides the print provider with a familiar print workflow where they can print the entire job essentially with one push of the print button. Carriage height adjustment is automated and the multiple layers can be left to print unattended, thus enabling print providers to make additional revenue after business hours.

Wide-Format & Signage

EFI VUTEk LED Roll-to-Roll Printer When ColorDynamics (www.colordynamics.com) decided to add wide-format printing to its repertoire last year, the Allen, Texas-based commercial printing company acquired Superior Graphics, an established signage and graphics provider in Dallas. ColorDynamics also hired John Ehrenberger – a veteran wide-format graphics executive and the son of Superior’s founder – as an executive vice president. Looking to further accelerate ColorDynamics’ move into signage and graphics, Ehrenberger hit the industry trade shows to evaluate new equipment and purchased an EFI VUTEk 3r LED roll-to-roll printer from Electronics For Imaging, Inc. ColorDynamics had been researching superwide-format printers for several years, but company executives were wary of what they often saw in the evaluation process: printer manufacturers produce excellent results with their own demo files, but it did not always mean that the printer in question can produce consistent, reliable results day after day. “We needed a workhorse, not a show horse,” as Ehrenberger put it. He first examined the VUTEk roll-to-roll LED printer line this year while attending at EFI Connect users’ conference. Then, at this year’s ISA International Sign Expo, Ehrenberger and ColorDynamics President Matt Coltharp put the VUTEk 3r model through its paces in a demo using actual client files. The duo found the 138-inch wide device to be the workhorse ColorDynamics needed, and purchased it at the show.

EFI LED: A speed advantage over latex Speed is the number one advantage for ColorDynamics, a company that is witnessing signiﬁcant growth, but had been facing capacity constraints with its latex superwide-format printers. The latex printers, according to Ehrenberger, do a great job, but are not fast enough, “so you end up having to add shifts or additional printers to get a given volume of work out the door.” With the new VUTEk printer capable of printing up 4,090 square feet per hour, ColorDynamics discovered it could complete some of its work in less than half the time. Second to the speed advantage is the printer’s smart, automated systems for double-sided printing, which delivers highly precise front-to-back registration.

Caldera RIP Successfully Certified for HP Latex R-series 11 French soft ware company Caldera can confirm that it’s market-leading RIP, Caldera Version 11.2, has qualified for full certification for driving the HP Latex R series of printers. The HP RIP certification is awarded to differentiate RIP partners who reach a specific and superior level of integration, compatibility and performance with the HP device in question. Only third-party companies that can demonstrate conformity across a range of criteria are awarded HP Latex certified status. The certification recognizes that Version 11.2 can fully support HP Latex R series printers for functionalities including printing performance, media management, printer reporting, job generation, job management and application center integration. According to Caldera’s Product Manager, Arnaud Fabre, “Caldera RIP Version 11.2 offers users a number of strengths when it comes to the HP Latex R series – and we already have a number of clients around the world that are running their new R-series printers with Caldera RIP software.” Particular areas of strength include white management with special inks feature, for the pre-treatment of substrates such as wood in order to cover the surface texture, post treatment for glass printing in sandwich mode, and for white spot color. Print&Cut workflow is another area in which V11.2 excels. Users can optimize media use with the ContourNesting and ExtraMarks features, and achieve better finishing with PrintBleed. Version 11.2 utilizes standardized JDF connection, enabling communication with the HP Application Center Wallart and Signage Suite and allowing users to benefit from Nexio API and Caldera automation features.

August 2018

PrintingNews .com

New

Products Avery Dennison Introduces New Solutions for Vehicle Customization and Protection Avery Dennison Graphics Solutions has launched two new ranges of vehicle films addressing comfort, safety and value protection. The new solutions were introduced in Berlin at FESPA, Europe’s largest exhibition for the wide format print industry. Th ree new series in Avery Dennison’s Automotive Window Film (AWF) range are designed to enable highly creative vehicle restyling as well as safety enhancements and heat and glare rejection. Another material range, Avery Dennison Supreme Protection Film XI (SPF-XI), offers self-healing protection for vehicles and resists damage caused by stone chips, road debris, insect stains and weathering. Oliver Guenther, senior director, marketing and channel strategy for Avery Dennison, said that the new window fi lm portfolios are especially attractive to installers because they allow material characteristics to be matched very precisely to user needs: “There are seventeen distinct materials in the window film portfolios. It means that whatever aesthetics and level of light transmission a customer wants —from 6% to optically clear—one of these materials will be a good choice. In addition, Avery Dennison adhesive technology enables very good dot matrix fitting and easy installation.” Window film options include High-Performance Films, Infrared Films, and Non-Reflective Films. Pascal Braker, key account manager for Avery Dennison, said he expects a high level of interest in the new films: “These materials offer outstanding performance both during installation and over time. They add very significantly to vehicle comfort, and allow some arresting designs to be created by installers.” AWF Non-Reflective Films use nanotechnology to reject heat. Light transmission ranges from 5-50%, with 99% UV block and up to 94% glare reduction. They do not contain a metal layer, so create no interference with electronics. The AWF Infrared Film rejects heat radiation while allowing visible light and blocking 99% of UV light. High clarity means it is suitable for front-cabin installation. The largest of the new ranges is the AWF High-Performance Films portfolio. Twelve different films, each available in three widths, allow for the desired level of cost, solar, heat and safety performance. The range’s HP Pro films give outstanding shrinkage performance, quick drying time and ease of handling – at four different light transmission levels. Also with four transmission levels, the HP Films are cost-effective metal-dye hybrid materials with good dot matrix compatibility. The portfolio’s HP Safety materials are designed to keep shattered glass in place, and use a specialist adhesive that ensures no smears or smudging, with outstanding clarity and colour stability. Avery Dennison Supreme Protection Film XI (SPF-XI) improves and safeguards vehicle aesthetics, while helping to retain resale value. It uses a high-quality, self-healing thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fi lm that is easy to apply, and ultra-clear to ensure excellent aesthetics.

PrintingNews .com

DuPont Tyvek DigiGo 75 DuPont Safety & Construction, a business unit of DowDuPont Specialty Products Division, announces the launch of a new Tyvek offering – DuPont Tyvek DigiGo 75 – available in Europe for the digital printing market. In response to the increased demand for sheeted substrates for digital printing for products in design, decoration, gift s, visual communications and more, DuPont has developed a new Tyvek offering for printers using the HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press. Tyvek DigiGo 75 are sheets of 75g/m2 Tyvek with a surface fi nish that enhances print quality. Thanks to this new fi nish on Tyvek DigiGo 75, the print colours will be even stronger, more vivid and more durable than on traditional Tyvek material. “Tyvek DigiGo 75 Sheets are available in B2 size (75X53cm) and will be distributed initially only in Europe. Tyvek DigiGo 75 provides printers using the HP Indigo 12000 Digital Press the benefits of Tyvek – durability, tear resistance, water resistance – with enhanced print quality,” said Mustafa Dogan, Europe marketing manager for Tyvek Graphics.

Market Place August 2018 Ad Directory Advertiser ..........................................PG# Association for Print Technologies ............................................2 PrintingNews.com/12397774 www.PRINTevent.com Lintec .................................................................................................9 PrintingNews.com/10006436 www.digitalwindowgraphics.com 800-806-8977 Signs 365............................................................................................28 PrintingNews.com/10449454 www.signs365.com 800-265-8830

August 2018

Wide-Format & Signage

INSTALLATION:

PRINTING:

Comply air release, good for curved edges/ contour Bubble Free!

)XOO +LJK 'HÆ&#x201C;QLWLRQ Digital Color

DURABILITY: Long-term, pressure activated

per sqft

GLOSS OR M A T T E

V I S I T w w w. s i g n s 3 6 5 . c o m | C A L L 1 . 8 0 0 . 2 6 5 . 8 8 3 0 | T E X T ( S I G N S ) 7 4 4 6 7 For more information, visit PrintingNews.com/10449454