Large Format Review - Business News

EFI today announced that it has reached an agreement to acquire privately-held Entrac Technologies, a leader in providing self-service and payment solutions for business services including mobile printing. While financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed, the acquisition is not expected to be material to EFI's 2011 results. The transaction, which is subject to various closing conditions, is expected to close in the third quarter of 2011.
 
"Entrac's self-service products expand the portfolio of products and services we can offer to providers of business services," said Toby Weiss, general manager of the Fiery business unit and senior vice president, EFI. "In addition, the Entrac payment technology offers new possibilities for future EFI products in both our traditional print-for-pay markets as well as the enterprise markets. For example, adding EFI's PrintMe cloud printing to existing Entrac products will make it even easier for customers to begin offering self-service printing to mobile workers, students, guests, and patrons."
 
Entrac will become part of EFI's Fiery business unit. With its global sales presence, EFI expects that it can offer Entrac's easy-to-use self-service and payment systems to a broader customer base such as franchise print shops, office supply retail stores, hotels and hospitality businesses, universities, convention centers, airports, transit stations, museums, libraries and many other locations worldwide.
 
Entrac is a privately-held corporation headquartered near Toronto, Canada. Entrac provides access control and payment systems for self-service business equipment with over 4,000 installations in North America in office supply stores, retail printing locations and business centres in hotels and convention halls. Service providers are drawn to its simple and intuitive, yet secure, user interface for self-service use of business machines including printers, copiers, computers/internet access points, fax machines, and photo printing kiosks.
 
"Entrac has been committed to providing superior self-service and payment solutions to our customers in North America," said Micah Kornberg, president of Entrac. "EFI has the global reach, printing industry leadership position, customer and partner relationships, and strong financial position to extend our geographic reach and market penetration, deliver more integrated products and services, and expand the markets and customers we target. I look forward to managing the Entrac product line within their world-class organisation."

The Orbus Exhibit & Display Group, one of North America’s leading trade suppliers of display, exhibit and event solutions, has launched a new trade-only client portal and online store: http://shop.orbus365.com

With online shopping becoming ever more popular, Orbus is filling the needs of trade-only customers with a website where they can place orders for any of Orbus’ products and associated graphics 24-7, 365 days a year. Not only does the site serve as an online store for clients, but also as a resource of information on products, services and more. The site includes a complete help section with details on shipping and returns, as well as a comprehensive downloads area that includes instructions and graphic templates for each product. Clients can also safely access their order history and see their pricing structure, which is tied to a unique login.

With continuously expanding quality product lines, quick turnaround times and an easy ordering process, we hope long-time customers will be pleased with the familiarity and ease of use they have come to expect from Orbus. Shop.orbus365.com will also provide customers with an area where they can access non-branded sales and marketing materials, making it easy to promote and sell Orbus products. An unbranded version of the site (www.exhibitors-handbook.com) is also provided so customers can direct clients to view products they offer.

“We strive to continuously create an easy and convenient environment for customers,” said Giles Douglas, President and CEO of The Orbus Exhibit & Display Group. “We are happy to offer an online purchasing option, yet will of course continue to pride ourselves on providing excellent one-on-one customer service.”

Avery Dennison has launched a 'Minimum Retroreflectivity Compliance Kit' which provides an affordable and easy way for USA-based officials and road sign fabricators to evaluate if an existing sign meets new federally established standards for "retroreflectivity" (the USA standard for measuring sign brightness).  The kit has been developed to help state and municipal government officials maintain that their traffic and safety signs reflect enough light to be in compliance with federal regulations.

The kit contains calibration sign standards and comparison panel standards. When used in conjunction with each other, the components allow a state, county or city government agency to easily test existing signs for compliance simply by holding the kit's comparison panel next to a sign. If the sign is as bright as the panel, the sign is in compliance, if not, it needs to be replaced. 
 
The calibration sign standards come in all required colours with retroreflectivity levels engineered to match the values specified in Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD)¹ Table 2A-3. Agency personnel can easily calibrate their vision prior to conducting nighttime sign inspections and mark signs as pass, fail or marginal.
 
The visual assessment method using the kit is simple, effective and fully compliant with Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) recommendations for sign evaluation. In accordance with the 2009 Edition of the MUTCD, state and municipalities have until January 22, 2012 to select and begin employing an assessment or management method to maintain traffic sign retroreflectivity at or above established minimums. By January 15, 2015, they must replace regulatory, warning and post-mounted guide signs that fail to meet established minimums. And, by January 22, 2018, overhead guide and street name signs that fail to meet established minimums must be replaced.
 
"The Avery Dennison Compliance Kit is accurate, approved and the most cost-effective method for an agency to test their existing signage and be in compliance," said Scott Chapman, traffic & safety segment manager, Avery Dennison Graphics and Reflective Solutions. "We are committed to working proactively with government agencies to ensure they are compliant with the MUTCD rules."
 
The retroreflective values for both the calibration sign standards and comparison panel standards are certified by Avery Dennison.
 
Kits are available from authorised resellers. 

¹ The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD), administered by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), is a compilation of national standards for all traffic control devices, including road markings, highway signs, and traffic signals.

 

Gandy Digital has appointed Atech Limited as exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for its super-wide format industrial flatbed UV printer, the Pred8tor.

Launched at FESPA Digital 2011 Hamburg, the Gandy Digital Pred8tor is a true UV flatbed and will print a 1.22m (4ft) x 2.44m (8ft) sheet of rigid material (up to 50mm (2 inches) thick) in under 90 seconds. Roll-to-roll printing is also achieved with the optional rewind unit which will print at speed and high quality on all flexible materials with a roll width of up to 2.44m (8ft) and up to 40cm (16 inches) diameter, including heavy vinyls and mesh. The Pred8tor can also accommodate rigid materials larger than the bed size with the print extension table option, which enables prints up to 2.44m (8ft) wide by virtually any length. The Pred8tor achieves the same print quality on all roll materials without compromising its true flatbed capability. With a high resolution of 900 dpi photographic quality with inline white or clear ink, the Pred8tor is the first commercially available high speed UV true flatbed grayscale printer. The Pred8tor will soon be available with a larger size bed so you can print a 2m (6ft 8 inch) x 3m (10ft) rigid material. Details and pricing will be available early September 2011

Atech is one of the leading grand format printer suppliers in the UK. With over 30 years supplying the trade with high quality print and imaging products from well-known brands such as Efi, Jetrix, Roland, Seal and ATP Color, the Gandy Digital Pred8tor is a great addition to its wide format print offering.

“The Pred8tor is a really well engineered product,” Allan Ashman, MD of Atech comments, “We all know that Gandy produces some of the best grand format printers in the market and this machine is no exception. We first saw it working at FESPA Digital and we were excited at the prospect of distributing the product in the UK and Ireland. This new flatbed printer from Gandy with white ink and varnish is a real alternative to what’s out there at the moment, but it’s streets ahead of the competition in terms of technological advances and innovation. We’re delighted to be able to offer this to the UK market and have had interest already in two or three machines just by word of mouth.”

Operation of the Pred8tor is made simple with the use of Gandy Digital’s own touch and drag GUI running on the iPad making it a truly mobile workflow; using the iPad you can step and repeat, rotate, delete ripped images, create jobs and many more. The iPad also comes loaded with video tutorials and a live diagnostic system making maintenance schedules part of the routine.
Also available on the GUI is a materials inventory control ordering system ‘iMediaMarket’ which is linked directly to all major manufacturers and suppliers of Grand Format materials and consumables. This system lets you keep track of your own media inventory and advises if the stock for the next print job is available or running low. Profiles and software updates are also updated with the online system, eliminating the need for CD or DVD updates. Gandy Digitals’ Pred8tor is the most advanced and ground-breaking grand format digital printer in the industry today.

Natalie Gandy, marketing director for Gandy Digital said, “When we launched the Pred8tor at FESPA earlier this year we did it with the aim of firstly showing the machine to the general trade but also to look for new distributors for the product. Atech Limited stood out from the rest as the only reseller in the UK that could actually supply our machine to the standards we expect. Atech are very used to installing and moving very high-end print and finishing equipment, having done this successfully for over 30 years and is the only company in the UK that has the full breadth of finishing equipment that complement our machine including flatbed digital cutting equipment, UV laminators and industrial eyelet and sewing equipment. Gandy is delighted to appoint Atech as exclusive distributor for our products in the UK and Ireland we are looking forward to meeting prospective Pred8tor owners over the coming weeks and months.”

Arlon Graphics has been awarded the SEGD (Society for Environmental Graphic Design)’s Arrow Award at the recent SEGD Conference in Montreal, Canada, for longstanding demonstration of exemplary service; for advancing technologies and manufacturing in the field of environmental graphic design; and for long‐term support of SEGD chapters, events, and educational programs.  Kevin Rourke, National Account Manager for Arlon attended the event and was presented the Award from SEGD.

“We are honoured to be the recipient of the 2011 Arrow Award from SEGD,” states Kevin Rourke, National Account Manager, Arlon Graphics.  “Arlon has established itself as a provider of films, flexible substrates & print media for the most recognisable brands worldwide.  Working with SEGD over 10 years this organisation has been an integral part of this collaboration.  Our company will continue to work in supporting this group on future educational seminars & chapter events. Being a part of this process is truly appreciated.”

Samor Italia S.r.l. will handle sales of Screen's range of large format digital printers, its PlateRite CTP devices, and associated workflow, on an exclusive basis throughout Italy.

Samor has been a Screen distributor for over 30 years and the company has an in-depth knowledge of its product range as a result. In addition to equipment and software sales, Samor Italia will also handle all related consumable and spare part sales.

Samor will also provide post-sales support and service to Screen’s CTP customers throughout the country.  Its dedicated and highly-skilled Screen team undergoes regular training courses at Screen’s Technology Centers in The Netherlands, UK and Japan to ensure that they can provide the very best support to the growing customer base in Italy.

“Samor is a strong and experienced partner for Screen and its significant investment in people, facilities, stock and expertise will ensure that Screen customers in Italy receive the very best support to maximize the many benefits our solutions bring to their print businesses,” said Kees Mulder, Screen’s President of European Operations.

“I am very proud that Screen CTP and wide format printers are amongst the product ranges that we now represent exclusively in Italy,” said Mr Orazio Samoggia, President of Samor Italia. “Screen is a prestigious brand and recognized by the national and international graphics industry as a world leader in high quality imaging technology.

“Following the acquisition of Bancolini, we are continuing to make considerable investments in important pre-press resources. These include strengthening our dedicated Screen sales and post-sales support teams, two Technical Centers in Bologna and Milan for customer demos and training, and managing one of Europe’s best-equipped Screen spare parts facilities.  By working closely with Screen’s new European President Kees Mulder and his expert team we will continue to offer new flexible and reliable solutions to the market in accordance with the highest technological standards and though adequate for today’s actual investment capacity.”