Business - Applications

Brazil-based Artwork Digital produced a 3D board model of a gigantic toy train printed on 16 mm Re-board on a six-colour Inca Onset S20.  The model was produced as an eye-catching display for Encontro Marcado com Fernando Sabino, an exhibition celebrating the life and work of the seminal Brazilian author. The train’s windows were filled with both static images and two television monitors playing DVDs, bringing a measure of interactivity to the display.

Bernardo Sabino, the late author’s son, first approached Rômulo de Abreu Guimarães of Artwork Digital to construct an accurate replica of the train from one of his father’s works. “It was not easy to create,” says de Abreu. “There were lots of curves,” an issue that was tackled with help from Stora Enso Re-board experts.

Perhaps equally challenging was the printing itself. “It is very difficult for any digital printer to print smooth, solid colours. Sometimes, there’s banding, or insufficient solid coverage,” he remarks. For a toy train that was supposed to look hand-painted, this was a key detail that could make or break the project. “With the Inca Onset S20, we achieved it perfectly. In fact, people thought it was vinyl rather than print, because it was so perfect.” To add even further realism to the finished product, Artwork Digital applied a layer of gloss varnish to the train.

The result was a 7-metre (23-foot) long model that looked as though it had rolled out of Fernando Sabino’s writing. “His son was very happy,” remembers de Abreu. Previously the exhibit had featured a 2D paper train, and “it was not very good.” This one, however, “looked just like a big toy train. Sabino’s son was very, very happy with that.”

De Abreu was equally proud of the results. “I liked this job very much because it was not easy to print and assemble. I really wanted to win a prize with this one. I sent it out locally for a lot of awards, but nobody understood the complexity and difficulty of the job. Then, with Inca’s expert IDEAs judges, it was recognized,” winning an IDEAs Award for Interactive Display.

Barney Cox, an Inca IDEAs judge, adds, “It looks great. It is nice to see the scaling up of characters in a book to a bigger scale, and from 2D to 3D.”

Paul Turner Displays (PTD) has worked with exclusive jeweller, Boodles, for several years producing internal graphics and window displays for each of their high street shops. Boodles have shops and concessions throughout the UK and Ireland and change their displays several times a year. The displays are all different sizes and each time they are updated, the windows needs to change within a very tight time schedule.

The brief for the Christmas period window displays was to create a magical winter wonderland scene, highlighting the stunning range of jewellery. As many people would view the windows during the dark winter evenings, the lighting of the displays also needed to be considered.

Paul Turner Displays researched various options and came up with a solution which entailed 3D flat-pack graphics, both single sided and double sided. To create the desired effect, these were manufactured using a brand new, lightweight material, Ditto Board. Fixings were supplied to each store, which covered every conceivable fitting scenario, including suspending graphics that would move and twist to create the winter wonderland scene. Lace effect paper cloths were created and draped over tables to enhance the displays.

The whole project was coordinated by Boodles’ Display Manager, who commented, “We work very closely with Paul Turner and his team on the run up to a window change. It can be quite intense so it’s brilliant that they are such a friendly and efficient team. I can trust Paul to advise on what is technically possible and within our budget; I know I’ll be getting honest advice as to what will work best for Boodles, not what will be easiest for PTD. We use PTD for the layouts, production, printing and logistics of each job. Our displays are exceedingly important to us and I wouldn’t continue to use PTD if I didn’t think they would deliver the service we need.”

The Christmas graphics were all produced and delivered to each store within a two-week period. Paul Turner, Managing Director of Paul Turner Displays concluded, “Boodles window displays are always challenging due to the large variation in window shapes and sizes. However, they are very rewarding projects, and it is wonderful seeing the finished displays in the stores. We know the level of service the Boodles’ team expect and always ensure we not only deliver, but exceed their expectations.”

For more information, please visit www.paulturnerdisplays.co.uk

Canon Europe has announced that - after careful consideration - it is withdrawing from IPEX 2014.

Patrick Chapuis, Head of Production Printing Group, Canon Europe, comments, “This has not been an easy decision to make as we have previously had two successful shows at Ipex.  However, just as we have encouraged our customers to ‘see the bigger picture’, we have had to look at our own bigger picture.  This has involved a continuous  assessment of the ways in which we communicate with our customers."

“We remain fully committed to our customers and to the printing industry as a whole, so with Canon and Océ solutions now addressing all segments of the market, we need to adopt the strategy that will most benefit our customers and indeed their customers.  Therefore, while we will continue to consider future European industry events and their fit with our business and marketing plans, we will also continue to invest in our extensive network of showroom facilities and in a series of customer focused events across the region.”

In response to the announcement made by Canon Europe, Peter Hall, managing director of Informa Exhibitions, comments, “Ipex has been an integral part of the international printing industry for over 100 years, and therefore we do not wish to compromise the brand’s credibility. We will collaborate with all stakeholders to determine the role Ipex has to play to provide today’s printer and their customers with the ideas, insights and solutions to effectively promote the power of print media and its integration in the marketing mix. Further to these consultations, we will issue a statement about the future direction of Ipex shortly."

“The Informa Group remains committed to delivering world class events with the support of key industry stakeholders and we will announce our plans in due course,” he adds.

Totally Dynamic was recently brought in to create a Comic Relief 'charity sensation' for former Dragon's Den star Theo Paphitis.  Calling on all the skills of Scott Coleman and his team of Totally Dynamic South London experts, Theo had his fabulous new Range Rover V8 TDi Autobiography transformed into a shimmering chrome classic covered by a crew of Red Nose characters.

Totally Dynamic were handed the mission due to the complexity of the wrap in terms of the prominence of the graphics and the skill required in the positioning and application. They worked hand in glove with innovative display and graphics company 3M, who provided the material.  Both Totally Dynamic and 3M contributed their skills, time and effort to a great charity effort which raises millions each year for the worthiest of causes.

Theo's decision to make his own contribution to the charity meant handing his treasured brand spanking new Range Rover over to the top team. The superb car - one of only three in the UK at the moment - was described by Autocar as being able to "summon a fat storm of torque" that has it "spearing forward with the assured, unruffled authority of a global powerbroker".

Once Scott's team of experts had applied the seamless chrome wrap, they covered the Range Rover with dozens of red noses, which are more eye catching this year than ever before - particularly the huge snarling nose which covers the bonnet, grille and bumper.

Scott said, "There were three incentives to take on this challenging project - Theo Paphitis is a great guy who will always help people out; Comic Relief is one of the country's most effective charities; and 3M offer some of the best vehicle wrapping products available.  Given these factors, it was the least the boys and I could do to throw our weight behind this great Comic Relief effort and do the best job in our power to make a terrific car look even more eye-catching."

"The Red Noses are evolving into real characters in their own right and it was great fun - although pretty hard work - to get them all into position on time. I'm sure they put a smile on Theo's face," he concludes.

For more information on Totally Dynamic, please visit www.totally-dynamic.co.uk

The versatility of HP Latex Technologies and the numerous graphic arts projects it opens up is widely recognised, but HP print service provider, Gobet Production SA, of Vernier, Switzerland, has come up with a 'cool' application that should go down a storm with ski lovers.

Gobet runs three HP Latex large format inkjet printers and offers a host of sign and display applications – one of which is personalised ski graphics.  The skis pictured were produced on an HP Latex Printer in around an hour (from conception to final cutting on skis) on self-adhesive vinyl with a gloss laminate.

For more information on Gobet Production SA and the services it offers, please visit www.gobetproduction.ch

Leicester-based Phoenix Colour plc has made a £250,000 investment in an Océ Arizona 360 GT printer and a ZÜND G3 L2500 cutting system to 'open the door' to more work opportunities.

Business owner Peter Davis, 59, who first started a print apprenticeship 40 years ago, said, “The Océ Arizona and ZÜND are head and shoulders above the opposition in terms of quality. The investment, which will have paid for itself within three years, has given me a new lease in printing and has already brought more business to the company.”

New business is growing rapidly and approximately 25% of work previously done on other printers and mounted manually to substrate has already been transferred to the Arizona. New outlets include various size boxes that are being printed and cut for bespoke promotional products such as game boards. As another example, Kitchen companies require display boards for international business shows and others require print samples direct on to wood.

Another benefit is that 75% of die-cutting work previously outsourced is now done in-house at Phoenix Colour.  “The reason for buying Océ and ZÜND systems was based purely on quality against the competition,” said Mr Davis. “Although Government funding helped reduce the price by £25,000. It’s been so successful that I am now having a big sales drive in the POS (Point of Sale) market and expect to grow my business in that area by 25% in the next year alone.”

Dominic Fahy, Océ UK’s Business Group Director, Display Graphics and Imaging Supplies, adds, “The feedback from Phoenix Colour is typical of companies that are improving their bottom line by investing for the future. The Océ Arizonas are impressive digital systems that set the standard in the market for quality. They can help create new innovative applications to drive new business and realise cost savings and productivity improvements.”