Large Format Review - Business News

The i-Sub Group of companies is pleased to announce the launch of a third company in its group called i-Sub Digital Solutions.

The aim of this new company is to assist companies in the digital wide-format and display sectors to extend and maximise the opportunities available to them, optimise and increase efficiency and thereby boost profitability.

Software is the key component to this, and i-Sub Digital Solutions will be offering a number of innovative solutions from trusted developers such as EfI that cover key business areas including costing, pre-flighting, remote estimating, e-commerce, workflow and production organisation.

Founded by three industry veterans with more than 50 years experience between them – Andy Spreag and Emma Plant from the existing i-Sub Company, and Dave Varty, former Pan European account manager EfI and Large Format Sales Manager at Agfa, i-Sub Digital Solutions will officially launch at Sign & Digital UK at the NEC, Birmingham from 12-14 April.

“The whole ethos of i-Sub Digital Solutions is about delivering true customer value rather than short term sales,” said Dave Varty. “It’s about boosting profitability through astute buying decisions and ROI and offering tools that can develop, evolve and grow our customers’ businesses further. These tools move upstream from the conventional print and RIP environment.”

As part of its remit, i-Sub Digital Solutions is also set to look beyond print to emerging opportunities in the wider digital sector such as electronic advertising and innovative, new retail solutions.

Emma Plant explains more. “We have seen for some time now that as the Display market has become more digital it lends itself to many cross media opportunities. I-Sub Digital Solutions seeks to complement the existing printed display markets by sourcing and introducing new electronic display opportunities to enable our clients to develop additional revenue streams. These range from the simple static display items through to more complex electronic retail solutions”.

At Sign and Digital UK all three of the i-Sub Group of Companies will be at Stand J12 together offering the broadest number of solutions across many diverse markets.

While i-Sub Digital Solutions will be focussing on efficient new software and electronic retail solutions, i-Sub will be showcasing its comprehensive range of hardware, consumables and ancillary equipment for dye-sublimation markets.

i-Sub Digital will be introducing  the Agfa Essence UV PET materials, a fantastic range of alternative non-PVC materials for outdoor useage that is has newly begun to distribute. It will also be showcasing a number of popular wide-format printers from the likes of Agfa, Mimaki and HP as well as finishing equipment and the latest media offerings.

The leading provider of high-quality paper, packaging and graphic arts supplies today announced the launch of its new identity: Ariva. Formerly Domtar Distribution Group, the rebranding under the name Ariva marks the beginning of a new era in the company's development as a leading provider of best-in-class solutions for the 21st century.

The Ariva name and brand replaces all of the company's legacy brands: RIS the paper house in the U.S. and Buntin Reid, JBR La Maison du Papier, and The Paper House in Canada.

The company's new tagline-Paper to pixels. The way forward.-conveys Ariva's commitment to innovating new ideas and solutions to meet the evolving needs of customers in the digital age.

"Our customers' businesses and needs are changing in ways no one could imagine a decade ago," said Mark Ushpol, Senior Vice-President of Ariva. "Our new identity reflects our recognition of these fundamental changes and our commitment to work as a unified team to deliver new products and solutions to give our customers a competitive edge. No matter where the future leads, Ariva will be there with innovative solutions to help our customers communicate, collaborate and compete more effectively."

Ushpol said the Ariva brand provides a strong, unified identity for the company in all of the markets where it operates, including the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Latin America. "Ariva is focused on new opportunities and partnerships globally, while building on the proud legacy of our predecessor companies," he added. "Our core values have not changed - we remain committed to excellence, to serving customers with professionalism and integrity in forging long-term relationships."

Drytac has become a direct sales provider for the Visual Magnetics Graphic System in the United States, Canada and the UK.

"Drytac is proud to be chosen as a Visual Magnetics direct sales channel for the patented magnetic-receptive graphic system in the U.S.," said Drytac Group President Marc Oosterhuis. "Drytac's six distribution warehouses, complete with showrooms and Visual Magnetics certified sales representatives, are uniquely suited to ensure product availability and provide full explanations of all the benefits that the Visual Magnetics Graphics System will provide to our printer customers."

The Visual Magnetics Graphic System can be combined to meet an array of changeable graphic needs utilising three major components: high quality MagnaMedia digital print films featuring a patented magnetic-receptive coating; InvisiLock high-performance flexible sheet magnet and ActiveWall magnetic-receptive wall primer. Use of magnetic-receptive graphic systems for retail programs is considerably more cost effective, and easier to ship, install and exchange than traditional graphic display methods -- which can significantly reduce a sign program's impact on landfills.

The Visual Magnetics Graphic System has experienced dramatic growth over the past several years and has been utilised by many major brands. Come and experience the Visual Magnetics product range in person at upcoming trade shows including Euroshop in Dusseldorf, Global Shop in Las Vegas, Sign UK in Birmingham, FESPA in Hamburg and ISA in Las Vegas. Joe Deetz, inventor and CEO of Visual Magnetics, will be on hand for in-booth demonstrations.

 

Russell & Chapple is launching www.tradestretcherbars.co.uk, a new trade website aimed exclusively at printers, going live at the Sign & Digital UK 2011 exhibition.

Since successfully launching the Exhibition Stretcher Bar range at Sign UK in 2005, Russell & Chapple has established itself as a key supplier of stretcher bars, valued by both printers and artists for their excellent quality and large size range.

General Manager Andrew Milne Home commented “A large proportion of our trade in artists’ stretcher bars has always been into the print market, and we felt it was time we developed a dedicated selling channel that gave the trade a better deal. Many sites offer cheap imported bars at low prices, but out customers have always wanted a quality product up to 300cm long that can be bought as single bars, rather than box quantities. This site will cater for printers doing one-off pieces as well as larger jobs.”

The site will sell individual bars as well as pack quantities at discounted prices, with additional bulk discounts available for larger purchases.

The company will be promoting the new site with introductory offers and giving canvas stretching demonstrations on stand C32 at Sign & Digital UK 2011.

Pre-register for free Sign and Digital UK 2011 tickets by clicking here.

The BPIF has issued a cautionary warning to all print company Managing Directors and Chief Executives following the publication of new draft regulations concerning the Repeal of the Default Retirement Age.

The BPIF has advised employers that they will have to convene an audit of their workforce and decide what action they take, following the Government's recent publication of the Employment Equality (Repeal of Retirement Age Provisions) Regulations 2011. The new regulations were published on 17th February. The main purpose of the regulations is to remove the employer's right to retire employees. No retirement will be lawful after 4th April 2012, unless it can be justified.  It is unclear how stiff the test of justification will be.

Head of BPIF Legal Anne Copley says, "Employers need to run an audit of their workforce and consider whether they want to take any measures before the cut-off date of 4th April.  And they also need to re-visit their contractual and policy documents.  BPIF's HR Advisers and legal team are of course available to help."

As previously stated, from 4th April employers will not be able to lawfully notify any employees of whatever age that they are to be retired. There are transitional provisions allowing retirement of any employees reaching the age of 65 before 30th September 2011.  However, the wording of the draft Regulations has the effect of making it unlawful to use these provisions for any employee who has already reached the age of 65.

Thus any notices already issued with a retirement date set after 4th April but before 30th September will be unlawful and open employers to a claim of age discrimination.

This is an entirely unforeseen result, and many respected commentators consider it to be a drafting error.  Meanwhile employers are left wondering what to do.  BPIF advice is that they can either:

• Go ahead with giving notices to over-65s in the hope that the drafting is corrected in the final Regulations – however this runs the risk of discrimination claims if it turns out to have been deliberate and is not corrected.
• Wait until the final Regulations are published when there will at least be more certainty – but that will mean having to wait up until the last minute and all letters notifying of IRDs should be written and ready for delivery as soon as things become clearer.  Remember, the last date for notification is 4th April 2011.

Anne continues: "This is a disaster for employers who were in the process of doing the best they could to comply with these new Regulations.  Everyone should contact their advisers as to the best course of action."

Transitional Arrangements

There are transitional arrangements meaning that employers can still retire employees reaching the age of 65 on or before 30th September 2011.  In order to come within those arrangements employers must:

• Notify the employee on or before 5th April 2011.
• The employee being retired must reach the age of 65 on or before 30th September 2011.
• The employee must be retired by 4th April 2012 at the latest. 
• The full current statutory retirement procedure must have been carried out.

The future: age and retirement after 6th April 2011

• Dismissals: Retirement will only be fair if the procedure above was commenced prior to 6th April 2011. After that:
  • There will no longer be any "duty to consider" procedure. 
  • Retirement in effect will no longer exist.  Dismissals for an age-related reason will have to be objectively justified.
  • Justification will mean proving that the dismissal was a proportionate means of achieving a legitimate aim.
  • It is uncertain currently what will be acceptable justification, but social policy reasons are more likely to find favour with the courts.
• Contracts: Unless employers wish to maintain a contractual retirement age (CRA), all references to retirement should be removed.  If a CRA is desired, then it should be debated and signed off by the Board with clear reasons given, to assist in passing the test of justification. 
• Recruitment: It will no longer be lawful to deny recruitment opportunities to individuals on the basis that they are within 6 months of 65, or the normal retirement age if higher. Job applicants will have to be evaluated equally regardless of age, unless such difference in treatment can be objectively justified. 
• Benefits: From 6th April 2011, employers will be entitled to remove "insurance and related financial service" benefits for those employees who have reached the age of 65 or the state pensionable age (if higher). That will include income protection schemes, death-in-service benefits and health insurance.

 

ColorGATE, a German RIP developer producing solutions for wide-format and industrial inkjet applications, has been certified as a Color-Logic partner.  Announcing the certification, Color-Logic Director of Sales and Marketing Mark Geeves said: “The Color-Logic partnership with ColorGATE greatly enhances our position in the wide-format and industrial design markets.  The ColorGATE submissions for certification provided excellent examples of how the Color-Logic Process Metallic Color System can be used in signage and vehicle wrap applications.  ColorGATE is recognised worldwide for their wide-format products, and we welcome them as a Color-Logic Certified Partner.”