Business - Applications

Three Addaction centres in Lincolnshire have been given a revamp thanks to award-winning signmakers, Allen Signs. The company was brought in to give the Addaction buildings in Lincoln, Boston and Grantham, which were undergoing a complete refit, a new look. The idea was to create bright and welcoming environments for the service users - people overcoming addictions - which would reflect the positive aims of the organisation.

Work at the Lincoln site on Newland included using translucent cut out vinyl lettering to display quotes and inspirational messages on the internal walls. This was then colour-matched to reflect the artwork and the organisation’s branding. As well as internal work, signs were also put up outside. Work was completed in just two days to ensure as little disruption to the centre as possible.

Work at the High Street site in Grantham and the Wide Bargate premises in Boston involved removing a mirror film on the windows and replacing it with a frosted etch stripe detail which let natural light into the building whilst obscuring the view of passers by into the meeting rooms. The overall designs and concepts were carried through to each site, but the messages and quotes as well as the colours used were changed, to give each centre its own identity.

Glen Merryweather, Sales and Marketing Executive at Allen Signs based in North Hykeham near Lincoln, said, “We worked with each team at the Addaction sites to discuss the options available which would help to turn their ideas into reality.  The Grantham and Boston Addaction sites presented further challenges for us as we needed to come up with an inventive way to allow light in while obstructing the view in to the meeting rooms. We’re very pleased with the eye-catching and engaging graphics now in place at all of the sites."

He continues, “It was great to work with Addaction, helping them to engage with their clients and improve the facilities and services they offer.  We hope to build on this success so far by helping to provide a solution for their London Head Office later this year.”

Steve Hewish, Locality Manager for Lincoln and surrounding areas at Addaction, said, “Our aim was to create an environment where people could seek the help and treatment they need in a positive setting, which is where the idea for the quotes and bright colours came in.  When we started asking around we were told it would be a difficult, if not an impossible job. Then we had our first meeting with Allen Signs and they just got on with it. All the quotes are from service users from each centre, so they really do mean something. We wanted to brighten the place up, which has been very successful. The whole project has had a positive impact on service users.”

For more information on Allen Signs, please visit www.allen-signs.co.uk

Dan East established D-Signs in October 2012, after 17 years in the sign industry, and has enjoyed a steady and very positive start.  The first major decision he made for his start-up sign-making and graphics production company was to decide which printer would best meet his requirements.

He says, “After comparing the Seiko and Mutoh products, it became clear that the Seiko had the edge on speed but the Mutoh had the edge on quality, making the Mutoh the obvious choice for D-Signs. I already knew the ValueJet inside out having worked with one for six years and am really impressed with its performance, quality and versatility.”

With some family investment, which provided some security in the early stages of the business, D-Signs set up a workshop in the small town of Stowmarket in Suffolk. He adapted the building to provide a working area with a Kala Starter laminator and table and a separate office housing his desk, the Mutoh ValueJet 1614 and a Kona Cutter. The system was provided by Colourgen reseller, Litho Supplies, who Dan had an existing and strong relationship with.

Dan explains, “Both Litho and Colourgen have been very helpful through the selection and installation of the equipment set-up. I have worked with Litho for some time and completely trust their advice and guidance in this area. Once again they haven’t let me down. Colourgen has also been very responsive and professional in terms of getting me up and running and providing answers to any questions.”

He continues, “I have secured some good business in the first months, mainly through family and existing relationships and through word of mouth. The decision to take on the Mutoh is looking better each day as it can cope with anything I throw at it and it has the capacity to handle a lot more as the business grows. I have done some shop fronts, vehicle wraps, general signage and high quality, fast turnaround digital printing for trade customers.  I can offer a fast professional service at a great price because my overheads are relatively low.”

The Mutoh ValueJet 1614 64" (1625mm) is a 4-colour eco-solvent wide format printer that represents great value and all-round capabilities for the sign and display market. It has a top speed of 18m²/hour and the versatility to print on to coated or uncoated media, including soft sign textiles. D-Signs is using the printer with eco-solvent inks that mean it can be used in the normal office environment with no special ventilation. 

Dan concludes, “The Mutoh has been brilliant so far with no problems at all. It also goes hand in hand with the Kona cutter, which is a fast and accurate cutter that adds to the  broad range of applications that I can offer. It is early days, but I have already produced some good work and I am looking to building this over the coming months. I am very happy that I have made a great choice of both printing equipment and solutions providers.”

A temporary rebranding of Blackberry's headquarter offices in Slough was undertaken to support the launch of Blackberry's flagship smartphone, the Z10.  Designed by Pope Wainwright and printed by Oasis Graphic Co, the rebranding was completed at midnight on 30th January 2013 and the graphics currently dominate the building - both inside and out.

The exterior vinyl wrap is UV Printed ContraVision One Way Vision Vinyl and larger than 11 cricket pitches. The light blue gradient print covers the office frontage from ground to roof. To the right of the frontage the two 9 metre tall images of the Z10, were UV printed vinyl overlays, profile cut to shape. The lettering for the marketing messages on the left were created from profile cut stock vinyl.

Dozens of interior graphics, also designed by Pope Wainwright and printed by Oasis, were installed throughout the building in lightboxes, on walls, on ferropaper and with liberal use of opaque matte black.

Oasis Graphic Co performed a comprehensive site survey in 2012/13, measuring and evaluating all the installation surfaces including the 60m x 12m exterior frontage. These precise measurements, together with recommendations for substrates and techniques were passed to the design studio Pope Wainwright, who created all of the designs.

In order to coincide with the tight release schedule, the Oasis installers worked around the clock, on two scissor lifts for 4 days, meticulously applying the graphics to the building. The design stipulated that the images of the Z10 had to be unbroken by the building's metal framework, so a great deal of care by Oasis' installers went into precisely wrapping the protruding metal with overlapping prints, making it disappear from view completely. The low temperatures and windy conditions made work harsh, but the right choice of materials meant that the graphics went up without a hitch.

With the release of the Z10, at 5pm on January 30th, Oasis' installers were ready to mount the 5m x 9m phone images, but needed to hold back until the phone was officially released. In a race to the finish, the team started on the phones at 5pm and mounted the final pieces just before midnight.

Watching the installation of the exterior wrap, Francesca Haywood, designer at Pope Wainwright was impressed with Oasis' dedication and attention to detail.  She says, "Working with Oasis from the outset helped this project come together smoothly and according to plan. Oasis' comprehensive site survey and material tests allowed us to confidently create the designs, knowing that they would be exactly reproduced as we intended. After the planning and design phase, the Oasis installers did an outstanding installation job inside and out, working in synchrony with the lighting technicians in the dark and the adverse weather to create make our vision a reality. Client satisfaction matters as much to Oasis as it does it to us, and the final results were very well received."

Milton Keynes-based Sports Scientific was born in 2012 through a collaboration of influential characters within the sports supplement sector. The company develops, manufactures, distributes and markets high quality supplements for the sports sector and supplies a number of major brands and retailers.  In addition, the company works alongside businesses to develop and manufacture bespoke supplements.

In order to keep down costs, the company decided it would be prudent to print all its packaging and marketing materials in house.  Sports Scientific contacted Stanford Marsh Group Graphics (SMGG) division – the commercial graphics division of Stanford Marsh Group – for advice on the best-fit solutions available in the market.  Managing director Adam Grey had met with SMGG’s Steve Guest when working at a previous business and was impressed by what the wide format reseller had to offer.

As SMGG is an independent reseller with a wide array of solutions on offer, Steve Guest was able to run through the various options available without bias towards any particular manufacturer.  Ultimately, in consultation with SMGG, Sports Scientific opted for the Epson SureColor SC-S30600 wide format printer.  This 64-inch, 4-colour, indoor and outdoor signage printer is easy to use and has a low total cost of ownership and low environmental impact.

The printer was installed in November 2012 and Sports Scientific also purchased a Vivid Easymount laminator and a Summa vinyl cutter to finish the labels and marketing materials it produces.

Adam Grey comments, “We needed a cost-effective, accurate, yet versatile solution and the Epson SureColor SC-S30600 perfectly met our needs.” 
The Epson SureColor S30600 can produce everything from posters, signs, banners, backlit panels and POS materials to vehicle wraps, interior decorations and exhibition displays.  It supports a wide range of media, allowing users to print reliably and cost-effectively on vinyl, PVC and clear film, photographic paper and a range of popular banner substrates.

Adam adds, “The installation process was straightforward and went very well.  Three engineers came to our offices and set up the printer and we’ve employed a print technician to manage the day to day running of the machine.”

Sports Scientific’s Epson printer is using Epson original inks and is covered by Epson’s warranty.  Adam Grey was keen to stick with original inks and says, “We needed to guarantee the quality of our output and - having previously used Epson inks - I was confident they would fit the bill.”

Sports Scientific also took advantage of SMGG’s 0% finance offer which was announced in 2012. As an established business, Stanford Marsh is able to offer a 0% finance deal to prospective purchasers of its large format printer solutions through its own in-house finance company and cash reserves. 

Adam Grey says, “The 0% finance offer was particularly of interest to us as a start-up business as it enabled us to devote more finances to the development of our key product range.”

Sports Scientific paid a 50% deposit for the Epson printer and will pay the balance over two years.

SMGG’s Steve Guest adds, “The 0% finance offer was devised to facilitate customers – including start-ups like Sports Scientific – wanting to invest in the most up-to-date wide format digital printing equipment.  It is proving to be a very tempting offer!”

For more information on Sports Scientific, please visit www.sportsscientific.com

For more information on Stanford Marsh Group Graphics, please visit www.smgg.co.uk

Hampshire, UK-based print company A3M Design Ltd used its Océ Arizona 360GT's capabilities to decorate one of the more popular children’s attractions at the National Motor Museum in Beaulieu.

Eight specially-printed, profile cut, di-bond graphics featuring cartoon characters and cars add a splash of colour to the surrounds of the children’s pedal car track. The 3-millimetre thick boards are proving popular with the young motorists, who have to navigate road junctions and traffic lights as part of the fun at the popular New Forest attraction.

A3M Designs is run by husband and wife team Linda and Ken Green in Farlington, near Portsmouth. The project was printed by the company using one of the world’s leading wide-format inkjet flatbed printers, the Océ Arizona 360GT, a machine capable of printing to virtually any substrate up to 48mm thick.

Bridget Slevin, Head of Beaulieu Graphics Dept, comments, “These boards around the pedal car track have to withstand plenty of wear and tear so the ink has to be robust and tough and suitable for all kinds of outdoor weather. We’ve been delighted with the results. Ken’s very helpful and now he’s got the Océ Arizona there’s a lot more scope for future projects.”

Ken Green, Director of A3M Designs – which was founded over 30 years ago - says, “I’ve invested £100,000 in this new Océ Arizona and we are already seeing significant benefits with new work coming in, such as extra projects with the National Motor Museum along with other projects using white ink on acrylic panels and the more common foamex panels. The Océ Arizona has shown a three-fold saving in print times and a huge reduction in finishing work, allowing us to cut turnaround times for our customers and meet those all important deadlines.”

Dominic Fahy, Business Group Director, Display Graphics and Business Supplies, Océ UK adds, “The Arizona printers stand up to competition with all of their accolades and awards. Companies such as A3M Designs that have invested in the right systems and the right skills are in a stronger position to grow their business going forward.”

When NBC Universal wanted an innovative walk-through entrance for larger cinemas showing the Snow White film they turned to The Delta Group, UK.

“The brief was to design and produce a large, dazzling, walk-through display which would introduce the characters to the audience and create the right atmosphere from the moment they walked into the cinema. The whole experience was enhanced with sounds and visual displays, including live action movie footage,” says Adrian York, Snr Structural Designer, Structural Design, The Delta Group.

The main challenge was the large size of the pieces to be printed and the structural 3-D design of the final display. The print registration was also critical in order to produce an accurate print of the original artwork, as was the quality of finish. Delta printed eight displays in total, each made up of around sixty different elements, onto corrugated board, FBB and clear PVC on its Inca Columbia Turbo 4-colour inkjet flatbed printer.

The display won the 3D POS category award in the recent Inca Digital Excellence Awards (IDEAs). “The design and production of this entry is a tribute to the imagination and expertise of all involved,” said IDEAs judge Stan Kilpin.