Business - Applications

HP today announced that it has developed a new vehicle wrapping training course for novice and experienced installers, in association with the Sign School and Bigger Stickers.

Vehicle wraps are fast growing in popularity as they can offer marketers and brand owners a high impact, cost-effective marketing tool. The two-day course aims at taking HP Latex Ink users through the entire vehicle wrapping process including sales, marketing, design, production and after-sales care. The course will highlight best practice in vehicle wrapping, looking at a range of applications from fleet vehicle livery to individual prestige wraps.

The course will focus on wrapping with HP’s vehicle wrapping solution which is built upon a combination of flexible HP Latex Ink, which  does not crack and can stretch with vinyl vehicle wraps during mounting and HP Air Release Adhesive Gloss Cast Vinyl. This 51 micron high-performance white case vinyl features a gloss finish and a grey permanent opaque, air release adhesive, and is ideal for long-term graphic applications.
 
“Training courses, such as this one, are vital for print service providers (PSPs) looking to extend their service offering and add value to their applications,” said Anne Sharp, Category and Marketing Manager, Design, HP UK. “This course has been specifically developed to help new and existing customers explore the opportunities presented by the increase in demand for vehicle wrap applications by providing their customers with an end-to-end solution for all their vehicle wrapping needs.”

James Deacon, an independent vinyl wrapping specialist from the Sign School and director of Bigger Stickers, will run the course as the HP approved trainer. Deacon has twelve years experience wrapping vehicles and has been training vehicle wrapping technicians for the last five years.

“I hope that by attending the course PSPs will take away a better understanding of this niche application and how using HP Latex ink and media can help them break into this market,” said Deacon. “We will use a variety of techniques during the two-days, including classroom-based learning, trouble-shooting and video training, all of which are designed to help attendees get the most out of the course. We will even provide students with practical hands-on demonstrations, culminating in them wrapping a car.”

At the end of the course, attendees who have successfully completed practical and written assessments will become HP certified installers and will be able to offer a five year performance warranty on vehicle wrapping with HP Air Release Adhesive Gloss Cast Vinyl. The new HP warranty will include image and material performance; with clean removal for up to five years (terms and conditions apply).

 

Leading UK financial services group St James’s Place recently moved into new offices in Barnet,  Hertfordshire.   Their new offices were furnished with high-quality storage walls – good-looking and functional, but, the St James’s Place staff thought, a little anonymous.   Pyramid Visuals of Weybridge, Surrey, were challenged to deliver a ‘new look’ that would enliven the St James’s Place office environment – and chose self-adhesive films from Avery Dennison Graphics and Reflective Products to achieve it.

Evocative photography was supplied by the client, and Pyramid Visuals used it to create full-colour, digitally-printed panels for the office storage wall.   Their high-resolution HP LaserJet 9000 digital printer printed the image on to Avery® Graphics MPI 2000 self-adhesive vinyl – a durable inkjet film recommended for flat surfaces.   Once dry, the printed image was protected by a long-life, high-gloss self-adhesive overlaminating film specially developed to protect digital inkjet print, Avery DOL 2000.

Pyramid Visual’s experienced installation team then took over, removing the storage unit doors from the walls, as well as their locks,  handles and hinges.   The self-adhesive vinyl graphics were applied to the door panels, carefully aligned for the best visual effect.   Locks, hinges, and handles were refitted, and the complete door was hung back on to the wall – this time displaying a glorious image of a path through a bluebell wood, as our picture shows.

‘We love the challenge’
Says Justin Murray, Sales Manager for Pyramid Visuals:  ‘We love the challenge of assignments like this.   They enable us to demonstrate both our technical knowledge and our creativity.   St James’s Place were delighted with the results, which really added personality to the new office environment.’ www.pyramidvisuals.co.uk .

 

Vista System International, a world leader in Modular Curved Frame Technology (MCFT), recently supplied its new multi directional post signs to "Indigo Signworks" for installation at Trollwood Performing Arts campus in Moorhead Minnesota USA.

The location is a large outdoor amphitheater where summertime events are held and draw large amounts of people that need to be directed efficiently. The client required a wayfinding system for the campus that would be suitable for an outdoor environment, match the look and form of existing light pole elements and provide a medium that could easily be updated.

The design team of Vista System created a new MCFT product to match the exact requirements presented by "Indigo Signworks". The result is a new multidirectional post sign, designed to fit into poles of various sizes and shapes. Each sign frame can be positioned in any angle and easily updated by in house staff.

Working with Vista is like having a cost free project engineer on staff. The customer simply provides his ideas and needs and shortly thereafter can visually see his visions become realities. Through the process of creating the new product, Vista provides the customer with 3D renderings, CAD drawings, and superimposed images for presentations. Thanks to the flexibility and modularity of MCFT, projects can often be finished ahead of even tight schedules.

Artist Dan Funderburgh is making his mark with trendsetting wallpaper designs. Since he creates his work digitally, he often looks to others who can bring his digital designs to life in print. So when Barcelona design studio Vasava offered to showcase his work in its Vallery gallery, Funderburgh jumped at the chance.

In his recent exhibit at Vallery, "Time/Life: Science/Library," Funderburgh displayed prints of his wallpaper designs as well as a variety of objects wrapped in his prints. To produce the stunning presentation, Vasava depended on the HP Designjet L25500 Printer, the HP Designjet Z2100 Photo Printer and HP printing materials that included HP PVC-free Wall Paper and HP Air Release Adhesive Gloss Cast Vinyl.

 

A crew which successfully completed a trans-Atlantic sailing challenge took with them a flag donated by one of the country’s leading flag firms and raised almost £5000 for a charity which helps children suffering with Cerebral Palsy.

Hampshire Flag Company donated the 1.5m x 2.25m digitally dye printed flag to the Rainbow Centre in Fareham which helps children with motor impairment learn to overcome their difficulties using a learning system called Conductive Education.

The flag was then taken almost 3000 miles on White Whisper, a Beneteau Oceanis 46, from Southampton to Antigua on a journey which took 14 days. The crew of four undertook the challenge to raise much-needed funds for the charity. The single-sided knitted polyester flag donated by Hampshire Flag featured ‘Raising money for’ wording in large print and the Rainbow Centre logo.

Ian Piper, the Rainbow Centre’s Chief Executive said, “The Rainbow Centre makes a difference to so many young lives and we are delighted that Hampshire Flag so generously donated the flag which was flown throughout this adventurous fundraise.

“It was fantastic to see the flag in-situ on White Whisper and it has played an important role in raising not only vital funds but awareness for the charity,” added Ian.

White Whisper’s journey was by no means plain sailing. It originally set off in November last year, as part of the prestigious annual 2,700 mile ARC race, but had to turn back because of a contaminated fuel tank. White Whisper then set sail on 2 February but the auto-pilot failed two days in. When the crew contacted Falmouth Coast Guard to let them know they were having problems they were asked to change course to help two Atlantic rowers a few hundred miles away who were running low on food.

Managing Director of the Waterlooville firm, Graham Wilkinson, said, “As a successful business we believe it is important to support charities, especially those on your doorstep.”

This is the second time that Waterlooville-based Hampshire Flag has supported the Rainbow Centre. In 2007 it spearheaded a recycling initiative on an industrial estate transforming waste into much-needed cash for the charity.

“Our flags are often taken far and wide for worthwhile causes and we are delighted that the flag helped raise the profile of the Rainbow Centre during this incredible Atlantic adventure,” said Graham.

HP and RedTie are today showcasing the latest innovations in web-to-print solutions and the creative opportunities enabled by digital print at Technology for Marketing & Advertising (TFM&A), 1-2 March, Earls Court 2, London.

RedTie is a globally recognised provider of web to print technology. Integrated with HP Indigo digital presses for high-quality, digitally printed output, the combined offering is an end-to-end solution that enables the production of personalised, effective and clever campaign materials.

"Some of the world's most powerful brands are using digital print and web-to-print solutions to stand out in the marketplace with complex and creative cross-media marketing materials," said Julia Cole, HP Indigo UK & Ireland marketing manager. "TFM&A provides the perfect platform to showcase examples of these highly-targeted, innovative campaigns and inform the marketing community as to how they can be achieved. By the end of the show, we hope everyone will be excited about the inspiring campaigns made possible by digital printing technology."

One such campaign was produced by Coca-Cola Israel.  The company decided to run a unique initiative to refresh its Sprite brand and raise brand awareness.  "Our idea was to involve consumers in the brand campaign in a wholly new way," said Merav Dvori, category marketing manager at Coca-Cola Israel. "For the first time, customers could really participate and design their own product label. We felt this would elevate interest and generate a new, fresh awareness of the brand."

This exciting campaign was made possible by high-quality, HP Indigo digital printing technology and was considered a huge success with more than 100,000 consumers designing their own cans and over 3 million people visiting the campaign website.

To find out more about this and other inspiring possibilities enabled by digital printing, visit RedTie and HP on stand B34.