Large Format Review - Business News

 

 

Jointly developed by Epson and Italy's Robustelli, the Monna Lisa inkjet textile printer uses a type of staining technique to print designs onto fabrics. Decorated with complex, vivid patterns, strips of smooth silk approximately one metre in width emerge rapidly from the printer. These fabrics are then processed into items such as clothing, ties and scarfs by apparel makers, and are sold to customers.

The printer is capable of printing directly onto cotton, linen, wool, nylon and polyester.  Epson's belief in the potential of textile printing is based around a shift in the industry from analog to digital techniques. While traditional analogue printing techniques require plates to be pressed against the fabric, digital techniques mean that fabric can be printed out without the need for expensive plates. This ensures that digital textile printing can be achieved at lower cost and in shorter times.

Epson first entered this market back in 2003 when it jointly developed with Robustelli, a leading Italian manufacturer of printing machines, a digital textile printer based on Epson's proprietary Micro Piezo inkjet technology

The Monna Lisa, which is sold under the Robustelli brand, is now driving the digital textile industry in Italy. According to Epson's research, more than 60% of the items printed on high-productivity textile printers in Italy in 2010 were printed on the Monna Lisa. With the delicate colour gradations and vivid reproduction of colours you'd expect from inkjet, the Monna Lisa answers the needs of luxury fashion brands and their strict quality standards. This, combined with exceptional productivity of approximately 100 m2 an hour, has ensured that the textile printer has earned high praise from fashion industry insiders.

The Italian textile printing industry has succeeded in reviving itself by concentrating on producing high quality items using digital textile printing. On the other hand, Japanese textile printers have suffered as business has gone overseas to China and other countries, with the volume of textiles printed in Japan declining from more than 300 million m2 printed in 2005 to 200 million m2 in 2010. The reluctance of the industry to adopt digital techniques and the lack of a suitable digital business model has meant that digital textile printing only accounts for a small percentage of the market.

As it did in Italy, Epson believes that digital textile printing can contribute to the revival of the textile industry in Japan. The company therefore in July 2011 established the Epson Kyoto Digital Textile Centre, which includes a showroom for the Monna Lisa, and sales and customer support functions. Kyoto was selected not simply because it is a traditional centre for the textile industry in Japan, but for its ready access to the many related companies in the surrounding regions. Epson has identified three purposes for the Epson Kyoto Digital Textile Centre, namely: 1. Sales and support for Monna Lisa, 2. Providing information about the culture and characteristics of digital printing to the industry, and 3. Establishing a new business model for digital textile printing.

Going forward, Epson aims to take advantage of the expertise it has gleaned in Italy, and will work with Japanese designers, apparel makers, and Kyoto municipal authorities to contribute to the Japanese textile industry.

 

Signs Express (Warwick) has announced its entry into the Twittersphere with a month-long competition.  New to social media and looking to engage with new and existing users, Signs Express (Warwick) set up the competition in which Twitter followers had the opportunity to win a printed canvas of their favourite image by ‘following’ or ‘retweeting’ the Warwick-based sign company.

The competition proved popular and the winning name - The Church Street Townhouse - was drawn from the many entrants. The Stratford upon Avon-based 12 bedroom boutique hotel, bistro and bar opened exactly 12 months ago and has been extremely popular with visitors and locals alike. Delighted by the win and selecting an image of its Stratford restaurant for printing, Rachel Hawkins, proprietor of ‘The Church Street Townhouse’ commented “We feel so lucky to have won and love the quality of the finished canvas. It’s like a first birthday present!”

Signs Express (Warwick) owner Andrew Slater commented “We have fully engaged in using Twitter over the last 12 months and have seen the benefits from increased interaction with the local business community. This competition was designed to expand our list of contacts”

Twitter fans should follow @SXWARWICK  and @16ChurchStreet for all the latest news, offers and competitions from the two organisations.

 

Further expansion at Integration Technology

-    UK HQ development;
-    China commences manufacturing;
-    more space for North America operations

UK HQ development

The first in a three-phase development programme at Integration Technology Ltd (ITL)'s headquarters at Upper Heyford near Oxford, UK has reached completion with relocation of sales, technical and administration personnel into a newly refurbished 20,000 sq ft building with capacity for future expansion.

Key benefits of the move include increased, high quality space and improved centralising of resources.

In addition to housing the company’s day-to-operations, the new building – sited opposite the company’s former administration block – is also home to ITL’s Customer Centre. Unrivalled by any other UV LED equipment maker, the Centre offers practical applications testing in addition to meeting facilities.

The new building (133 Heyford Park) forms the nucleus of a suite of further planned facilities in addition to a new production hall to be opened in phases 2 and 3 of future development at ITL’s HQ over forthcoming months.

China expansion

Additional production of ITL’s SubZero lightweight, high output, miniature UV emitter is now underway at ITL’s newly completed operations facility in China. Located close to Hong Qiao Airport in West Shanghai, newly registered subsidiary Integration Technology China Ltd is building established ITL products to satisfy the growing demands of the local market.

While key parts are currently sourced from ITL UK, locally-derived content will be increased during the coming year leaving only key technology components remaining imported. Meanwhile production of the market leading SubZero for all other regions continues at the company’s UK headquarters.

Says ITL China general manager Sam Yang: “With our China market business continuing to grow, so too has the importance of establishing a more significant foothold within the community and our conversion from import agency to a local manufacturing business reflects this fact.”

USA expansion

ITL's North American headquarters is also in the process of moving into a newly-refurbished and -expanded office suite within its location at 1415 North Dayton Street, Chicago, Illinois. The new facilities are over twice the size of the existing offices which have served the business well since 2007.

General Manager Jennifer Heathcote comments: “The additional space not only caters for increased volumes of equipment throughput within the North American markets, but also allows us to improve our demonstration and local integration, service, and support capabilities.”

It was just the other day that we were musing at LFR HQ about the potential benefit of a targeted radio or TV camapign for one of the established UK franchise groups to raise awareness, generate more customers for their services, and of course to generate more interest from potential franchisees - so the following story from FASTSIGNS HQ in the States was received with some interest.

FASTSIGNS International, Inc., the worldwide franchisor for FASTSIGNS sign and graphics centers, has announced that the marketing solutions provider will return to national cable television on Aug. 15 with the airing of its “It’s Simple” commercial spot.

“It has been two years since our last commercial aired and we are very excited about our return to television,” said Catherine Monson, CEO of FASTSIGNS International, Inc. “Cable television is visual and targeted, and it gives us a great opportunity to show how we help companies achieve their business objectives – whether that is to get noticed, sell more products or help people navigate their campuses or facilities – using our products and services.

The 15 second commercial will run through November on select cable news networks. The “It’s Simple” ad showcases the products and capabilities that FASTSIGNS offers while highlighting how easy it is to work with the company.

To view the FASTSIGNS “It’s Simple” commercial spot, visit http://bit.ly/ItsSimple15

Platinum Equity announced today that it has acquired Quark, a provider of publishing software for professional designers and enterprise organizations.

“Quark is a legendary brand that helped create the desktop publishing market and is now helping organizations transform how they publish content both to print and digital media,” said Brian Wall, partner at Platinum who led the team pursuing the acquisition. “Quark is committed to its loyal and dedicated user base and we are enthusiastic about the company’s new products which are gaining traction and generating positive reviews. We believe that with their expertise and innovative software, Quark has the potential to revolutionize publishing again.”

Based in Denver, Colo., Quark provides a set of software applications targeted at creative professionals and the enterprise dynamic publishing market. These tools are components in a value chain of software products that enable the creation, management, publication, and delivery of content across a variety of media including print, email, web, social media, and the next generation of e-reader, tablet, and mobile devices such as the iPad.

“This transition comes at an exciting time for our company and our customers. In the past few years we have made great strides in helping our customers realize dynamic publishing, have re-invigorated QuarkXPress, and have readied Quark to take an early leadership position in digital publishing,” said Raymond Schiavone, President and CEO at Quark. “Platinum Equity is well-positioned to help us continue to execute our dynamic publishing vision through their market reach, merger and acquisition experience, and operational support. This is the natural next step for Quark’s evolution.”

"We believe that with their expertise and innovative software, Quark has the potential to revolutionize publishing again.”

Mr. Wall said that Platinum Equity has already initiated a process focused on transitioning Quark to new ownership. The Platinum operations team is working together with the Quark management team to focus on Quark’s core markets and create an acquisition strategy focused on expanding the breadth and depth of Quark’s product capabilities and geographic coverage.

For more information Quark customers can email questions to pr@quark.com.

About Quark
Quark Software Inc. is a leading provider of publishing software for professional designers, small and mid-sized businesses, and large organizations in more than 160 countries. Two decades ago, Quark’s flagship product -- QuarkXPress -- changed the course of traditional publishing. For more than 25 years, Quark has built on its knowledge and experience in design and publishing to provide software solutions that support collaborative workflows and automated publishing across multiple channels. Today, Quark is revolutionizing publishing again by setting new standards in XML-based publishing across print, the Web, and digital media, as well as by helping owners and employees of small and mid-sized businesses promote their products and services easily, professionally, and affordably. Denver-based Quark Inc. is privately held.

About Platinum Equity
Platinum Equity is a global M&A&O® firm specializing in the merger, acquisition and operation of companies that provide services and solutions to customers in a broad range of businessmarkets, including information technology, telecommunications, logistics, metals services, manufacturing and distribution. Since its founding in 1995 by Tom Gores, Platinum Equity has completed more than 115 acquisitions.

Tony Bray Managing Director of Resolution GB was presented with the award at the Oakley office by Claire Barker of ArtSystems.

Resolution GB has won the ArtSystems ‘Raise Your Game’ Award for 2011. The new award was created to enable resellers within the wide format print and imaging sector to gain recognition for their efforts in improving their business services and raising their standards of service to their customers. The award was launched in April at the ArtSystems ‘Raise Your Game’ Business Forum, held to assist resellers, with a range of supporting programmes.

Resolution GB, an established HP Designjet Elite Partner with a solid service lead ethos, rose to the challenge.

The Raise Your Game Business Award not only recognises this achievement but also Resolution GB’s on-going programmes of customer training, service and consultancy that have enabled them to maintain their high standards of customer satisfaction. To ensure that they continue meeting their customer’s needs a progressive customer feedback programme has been put in place to ensure that they not only meet customer needs, but have the ability to exceed their expectations.

"We are constantly assessing and developing our business but ultimately we like to take the time to get to know our customers better. The relationships we have, in many cases, have been developed over a number of years. We don’t charge for our advice – and customers come back time after time because we’re direct and tell them how it is – without all the confusing technical jargon. This award means a lot because it tells us that many people now appreciate the hard work we do behind the scenes to help create the best solutions for Designjet users." Tony Bray, MD of Resolution GB

"Resolution GB has proven that it’s possible to grow your business, even in a tough market place, by keeping the focus on your customer and not being complacent. This is a really fantastic result for them." Clare Barker, ArtSystems Product Specialist