Large Format Review - Business News

East Sussex-based Millbrook Design & Print Ltd was originally established in 1999 by Dave Roderick as a design agency.  In 2007 it was transformed into a design and print business and now produces high quality, digitally-printed small and wide format output for a variety of purposes.  The company employs three people and recently came Highly Commended in the Customer Service category of a local business award competition*.

In order to cater for the wide format market, Millbrook Design & Print bought a Mimaki CJV30 130 printer from Robert Horne Group in 2009 which was supplied with the standard manufacturer’s warranty.  All of Millbrook’s wide format output is created on the Mimaki including banners, vehicle wraps and posters to name a few.  The company also has a Xerox digital printer in-house on which it produces small-format print.  Millbrook’s key customers include local venues and businesses and also other printing businesses that outsource their wide format work to the company.

When the warranty expired on the Mimaki, Millbrook looked to renew but found that the quoted price for the standard manufacturer’s warranty was too costly.  Company director, Dave Roderick, explains, “In March - just prior to the expiry of the manufacturer’s warranty - we visited the Sign & Digital 2011 show in Birmingham to evaluate our options.  Whilst there, we visited the neighbouring Tech8 and Colorific ink stands and spoke to Shaun Holdom who explained the partnership between the two companies.” 

Tech8 and Colorific announced their close working relationship at Sign & Digital 2011.  The two companies work together to remove the perceived risk factor in switching to alternative inks.  This ‘alternative inks made easy’ strategy is proving highly successful as it enables wide format printer owners to make significant savings in ink costs by switching to Colorific’s high quality, alternative inks, whilst having the added reassurance of Tech8’s backing and support.

Like many other print business owners, Dave Roderick had heard all the supposed horror stories about alternative inks and was planning to stick with OEM inks.  However, when realising that Tech8 would honour and guarantee the Colorific inks and provide any necessary support during and after the transition, he felt it was a potential win-win situation. 

Shaun Holdom, Business Manager for Colorific, states, “Previously, there had been concerns about the viability of alternative inks – mainly due to scaremongering by OEMs.  Our sales are growing rapidly because customers like the security of being fully backed up by Tech8 in the unlikely circumstance that any issues might occur.”

Millbrook Design & Print purchases its Colorific inks and the warranty from Tech8 through John Sears at Universal Print Supplies.  On the switchover process, Dave Roderick explains, “It was a very straightforward swap as there was no flushing required.  Since that time, the printer has been working all day - every single working day - and we have had no issues whatsoever.”

He adds, “You wouldn’t know the difference in terms of the quality of output we are creating using the Colorific alternative inks.  We are also making cost savings of £30 per cartridge in ink terms alone.  In addition, we are covered by a more cost-effective, better value warranty package from Tech8.”

*The 1066 Business Awards organised by the Hastings Observer and sponsored by HSBC.  For more information, please visit: www.1066businessawards.net

[picture shows Dave Roderick of Millbrook Design & Print and company logo]

Novus Imaging Inc., an environmentally-focused superwide format printer and ink company has unveiled its new patent-pending, full greyscale, 3-metre hybrid printer and a new patent-pending ink technology at SGIA. Digital Print Innovations (DPI) was also announced as the sole UK and Ireland distribution partner for the product range.

Founded by industry veterans Kevin Sykes and Mike Mills, Novus Imaging is making its mark in the industry with never-before-seen products and ink systems.  “Our printer is state-of-the-art and our AquEpoxy ink technology is unprecedented in the market.  Our focus is to bring cost-efficient, environmentally-sound solutions to business owners, while maintaining high quality and excellent results,” said Kevin Sykes, Novus Imaging President & CEO.

The company’s flagship product, the Synergia H (Hybrid), is a combination flatbed and roll-to-roll printer for maximum flexibility.  It is available in two models: UV and AQ, which denote the type of ink used.  The AQ model has minimal emissions, no volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and operates at twice the speed of current printers with exceptional quality output.  The lower cost UV model can be upgraded in both speed and ink type to the Synergia H/AQ.  With a minimum 10 picolitre drop size, the Synergia H has full greyscale capability, prints flawless photorealistic quality and continuous tone. It has a patent-pending belt design that combines enhanced material handling, increased vacuum and improved step accuracy, all of which contribute to its superior print quality.  

“There are many innovations in the way the printer was designed for unsurpassed performance and ease of maintenance,” Sykes said.  “For example, an innovative plug and play print bar design enables print head replacement and alignment in less than 10 minutes, glass secondary ink tanks provide continuous visibility of ink levels and our revolutionary iPad control centre contains maintenance videos, tutorials and expert system troubleshooting capability.” 

Moreover the printer will come with an extensive warranty package.

Novus Imaging’s pioneering AquEpoxy ink is an entirely new and eco-friendly, water-based solution that is 100% environmentally sustainable.  It also boasts superior adhesion characteristics, making it ideal for almost any rigid substrate up to two inches in thickness, including glass and acrylic, making it an excellent alternative to UV for those looking for a green footprint.

Another unique quality about AquEpoxy is that it does not require a high intensity lamp system like those traditionally used with UV technology to cure, which equates to tremendous savings on electricity.

For those who still prefer a UV solution, Novus Imagings’ UV27 inks are specially formulated for high performance, trouble-free printing.  The inks have superior adhesion, long- term outdoor durability and low maintenance requirements.  Equally important, they use the latest technologies to provide full cure properties at very low energy levels.  With less heat being applied, substrate options increase for both flexible and rigid surfaces, which also equates to lower utility costs.

“Novus is comprised of an environmentally conscious team of some of the brightest minds in the industry, which has resulted in a new printer and ink technology unlike anything that currently exists in the marketplace.  Our focus is ensuring our customers’ satisfaction and to support their profitable growth with our sustainable products and services. The UK grand format market is mature and we needed a distribution partner that would understand not only the product, but the needs of the market and the customers so we are very pleased to be working with DPI as our sole UK distributor,” Sykes said.

Stewart Bell, MD of Digital Print Innovations comments, “We’ve been talking with Novus for some months now about the new AquaEpoxy ink technology and we’re very excited about what this will bring to the UK print market and further afield. We’ve conducted rigorous tests with the Synergia H and it has stood up to everything we’ve thrown at it so far, so we are very excited about introducing this revolutionary new printer to the UK over the coming months.”

Novus Imaging products are designed and manufactured in the United States and will be distributed in the United States exclusively by Global Imaging, a leading value added reseller of wide and grand format printers and supplies based in Louisville, Colorado.  In the coming months, Novus Imaging will be introducing a full line of Synergia products including textile, dedicated flatbed and dedicated roll-to-roll printers.

Signs Express (Slough) has selected Tech8, the technical service, support and spares provider for the wide format digital printing industry, to provide cover for its Mimaki JV3 wide format digital printer.  Tech8 offers rapid response breakdown cover provided by a fleet of fully-trained field service engineers and its all-inclusive warranties include accidental damage cover as standard.

Signs Express (Slough) produces all its printed output on the Mimaki JV3.  Its previous technical support provider insisted that Mimaki inks be used or the warranty would be voided.  However, Signs Express wanted to take advantage of cost savings that could be realised by switching to alternative inks.  They also wanted to find a more cost-effective policy that better suited their needs.

On the decision to switch to Tech8 support, Richard Browne, owner of Signs Express (Slough), comments, “As well as insisting we stuck with original inks, our previous technical support provider insisted on charging us for spare parts when – in their mind – damage had been caused by operator error... a very grey area to say the least.”

He continues, “Tech8 approached us with the offer of Colorific alternative inks at a greatly reduced price to the originals.  Crucially, Tech8 was also able to offer us a less-expensive warranty arrangement using these inks and with complete spare parts cover – regardless of how the damage was caused.”

Signs Express (Slough) has recently completed an interesting project where it wrapped a vending machine in output produced on its Mimaki JV3 printer running Colorific inks, supported by Tech8.  Richard Browne explains, “There were two vending machines tested alongside each other in the hotel’s facilities - one with our printed wrap and one without.  Unsurprisingly, the one with printed graphics on it did a lot more business that the one without.  As a result of this success, these wraps were rolled out nationally generating greatly increased revenue for both the client and ourselves.”

As all this output is being created on the JV3 printer it is crucial that the machine is up and running.  As Richard Browne points out, “As the majority of our work now includes print, no printer equals no profit.  We have had a couple of problems of late regarding worn out print heads and a pump.  These spare part issues were resolved speedily by Tech8 and the printer is operating as well as ever.” 

He adds, “Tech8’s engineers really know their business.  Problems we have had have been diagnosed quickly and the service has been efficient and unobtrusive.  Tech8 provides us with good service all round!”

Justin Atkinson, business manager at Tech8, concludes, “We’re really pleased to be working with Signs Express in Slough and supporting them in their innovative projects.  Our warranties with inclusive accidental cover really do make the difference to these types of businesses as they need their printers to be fully operational at all times.  We believe the rapid-response technical support service we offer is great value for money.”

 

Hollywood Monster has strengthened its partnership with Dudley College after donating £500 worth of materials to its Art Department to enable it to produce artwork of epic proportions as part of a national initiative.

The Big Draw is a national event organised by The Campaign for Drawing. Every October, it aims to encourage everyone to draw and sees more than 1,000 venues, from national galleries, museums and heritage sites, to schools and village halls, getting involved each year.

This is the first time the art department at Dudley College has hosted an event, which will see the main hall covered in material donated by Hollywood Monster for hundreds of students to draw on.

Ben Gamble, centre manager for art, design and media at Dudley College, said: “There will be a theme for the artwork and drawing classes will run throughout the day. The result will be a huge collection of drawings on an epic scale. The artwork will then be sent to our art and design department for embellishment and will be showcased in our new exhibition space - The Cube Gallery – during November.”

Hollywood Monster is also working alongside Dudley College to provide work experience for students from the college's Diploma in Graphic Design and Interior Design course. Students have an opportunity to get involved in a range of commercial projects, including large-format displays for a new Evolve building at the college.

Tim Andrews, managing director of Hollywood Monster, said: “We are very pleased to be able to support Dudley College and its students by supplying the materials to create their masterpiece. Hollywood Monster is very passionate about design and the team admires the college’s initiative to encourage more young people to express their creative side.”

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

Midlands-based wide format supplier Digital Print Innovations Ltd (DPI) will open the new Digital Print Innovation Centre at its new premises in Pride Park, Derby, on the 7th of November.

The brand new print innovation showroom is well located between Nottingham and Derby, with quick links to the M1 and East Midlands Airport. Focusing on wide and superwide format print devices and software, it will be one of the only independent showrooms in the country to host such a vast array of professional print and finishing solutions from so many different manufacturers.

The new Digital Print Innovation Centre will house the latest in wide format digital print and finishing solutions from manufacturers such as Seiko, Epson, Jetrix, Esko and Mutoh and RIP solutions from Caldera and Onyx and will be a working showroom and training centre.

Stewart Bell, managing director of DPI says, “We’re delighted about the opening of the new Digital Print Innovations Centre next month. It’s been a culmination of hard work and our determination to deliver great products and services that have led us to this stage in just under two years of trading.  It's a real testament to the support of our customers and suppliers over the many years we have been in this market that we can give something back to the industry in the form of this new centre. The Digital Print Innovation Centre is set to become the new UK launchpad for many new products and print innovations over the coming months.”

The Digital Print Innovation Centre will be open for printers and suppliers to test and train on the equipment as well as offering structured courses on colour management and profiling. The centre will also be a test centre for new media and substrates and DPI requests suppliers contact the company for more information.

Richard Butler, Technical Director of DPI says, “In my 20 some years of experience in installing and servicing wide format print and finishing equipment, the one thing that customers always ask for is more training. This new Digital Print Innovations Centre will allow us to offer ad-hoc, structured, and one-to-one training courses on all our equipment – from RIP training, printing, contour cutting and more. This new facility will be fantastic news to anyone involved in wide format printing that need to send new staff for training or simply want to brush up on the latest techniques and shortcuts.”

The Digital Print Innovation Centre will be open Monday to Saturday for pre-booked appointments and training. Products available for demonstration include Jetrix 2513 Flatbed & Roll to Roll UV Hybrid Printer, Esko Konsberg IXL24 Flatbed Cutter, Onyx & Caldera RIP solutions, Mutoh ValueJets, Epson GS Series printers, Seiko W series and Seiko H series printers. There will also be a new Hybrid Green printer solution which is to be announced at SGIA.

For more information and/or to arrange a visit, please email info@dpi-uk.com

[photo shows Stewart Bell, managing director of DPI]

The Art Instituto Pavoniano Artigianelli, based in Milan, Italy, has established Europe's first permanent HP Latex technologies demonstration centre to expand the knowledge about printing with HP Latex Inks.

The Art Instituto Italiano Artigianelli, established in 1870, is one of the most famous and prestigious graphic arts schools in Italy. With courses recognised by the Italian Institute of Education, it offers both academic and vocational training for students aged 14 to 19, and continuing education for those in employment.

The building is in downtown Milan with many classrooms, laboratories, equipment and machines. The Institute participates in the graphic production cycle: design, premedia, printing and finishing.

The new demonstration centre will showcase a variety of applications ranging from traditional billboards and posters to innovative wraps and wallpapers, all produced using HP Latex printing technologies.

The centrepiece of the demonstration centre is the HP Designjet L25500 Printer, which will be used to offer personalised demonstrations.

"The Art Instituto Italiano Artigianelli is committed to providing training that is relevant to today's market," said Marcello Cicognara, director, Art Instituto Italiano Artigianelli. "When we decided to update the demonstration centre we conducted a survey of companies in the industry asking them what training we should provide. Top of the poll was interest in state-of-the-art innovative solutions and so we decided to install an HP Scitex L25500 Printer."

Fully operational, the new HP Latex technologies demonstration centre will be used to educate students about the possibilities of printing using HP's Latex Inks, as well as to host HP Open House events and demonstrations. The facility will be open to sign and display print service providers and end-users looking to learn about the potential of HP Latex printing technologies.

Developing new courses

Built with the environment in mind, the HP Designjet L25500 Printer can help to lower the impact of printing. Water-based HP Latex Inks need no special ventilation and meet the chemical requirements of the Nordic Ecolabel (Nordic Swan) for printing companies. This makes it possible to produce previously impossible applications, such as printing in enclosed spaces, for instance lifts, or places were strict regulations are in place, like in hospitals and restaurants are now possible using HP Latex Inks printers.

"In the near future we will offer training concerning the environmental impact of printing, looking at the benefits offered by our HP Designjet L25500 Printer," concluded Cicognara. "The HP Designjet L25500 Printer is highly versatile and can print on a wide variety of media including banners, vinyl, films, fabrics, papers and lined mesh. As part of our training we plan to develop new applications by encouraging printing on a range of substrates and realise the potential of printing using HP Latex printing technologies."

More information is available at www.youtube.com/hpgraphicarts or follow HP on www.twitter.com/hpgraphicarts.