SENFA

• SENFA Decoprint to be showcased on Soyang Europe’s stand at Sign & Digital 2017
  20 Feb 2017

  

  SENFA, the Alsace, France-based Technical Textiles division of the Chargeurs Group, will be showcasing its Decoprint fabric on UK distributor Soyang Europe’s stand (C60) at the upcoming Sign & Digital UK event. The show takes place at the NEC Birmingham between 28th and 30th March 2017.

• Fespa Asia is perfect SE Asian showcase for SENFA's Decoprint Pearl
  14 Feb 2017

  

  SENFA is exhibiting at the forthcoming Fespa Asia show, taking place in Bangkok, Thailand from February 15th to 17th 2017.

• SENFA set for expansion of Decoprint Pearl range
  5 Dec 2016

  

  SENFA, the Alsace, France-based Technical Textiles division of the Chargeurs Group, is well known for its Decoprint Pearl premium fabric for backlit display applications. However, in recent months, the company has renewed its focus on expanding its range of Decoprint textiles to meet the ever-growing needs of its global customer-base.

  Since its introduction in 2004, Decoprint Pearl has become a world leading fabric for backlit display applications installed in lightboxes in retail outlets, shopping malls and airports all over the world. The smooth finish, the perfect diffusion of light, the excellent white point and – of course – all the necessary fire certifications, renders it the number one choice for many international brands.

  The advantages of textile graphics are numerous: Being PVC-free, they are more environmentally-friendly; They are also lighter in weight, so cheaper to transport and easier to install; Most of all though, they often simply look better than prints produced on other types of media.

  In its original format, SENFA Decoprint Pearl is ideal for solvent, ecosolvent, latex and UV-curable printing technologies. However, SENFA Decoprint’s R&D department has recently been busy developing and expanding the Decoprint Pearl range of products to meet specific requirements.

  In 2015, SENFA introduced Decoprint Pearl TR for transfer sublimation printers which added a non-stick ingredient to the coating to enable the smooth passage of the textile through the calender.

  Earlier this year, the company launched Decoprint Pearl Soft, with increased crease resistance ensuring even more trouble-free handling, finishing and packing for printers and installers alike.

  Development of the Decoprint Pearl product line doesn’t end there though and there are plenty of exciting new products being lined up for launch in 2017. Blaise Humphries, Decoprint's business unit manager, explains: “Our Pearl range of products is being continually expanded to meet the ever-growing needs of our customers, and we’ve several exciting new products in the pipeline set for launch in the new year!”

  For further information on SENFA Decoprint, please visit www.decoprint.eu/en.

• SENFA Decoprint: a European success story made in France
  16 Nov 2016

  

  SENFA Decoprint is probably one of the biggest companies you’ve never heard of. However, all that is about to change as the France-based manufacturer – part of the Chargeurs Group – sets its sights on further expanding its operations throughout Europe, the Americas and beyond.

  Most people involved in large format digital printing know that the area around the Lake Como in Northern Italy is a historical centre of textile activity. It is less well known that just a three-hour drive north, across the Alps, there is another textile centre of excellence in the picturesque valleys of Alsace, Eastern France.

  Since the industrial revolution, knitting, weaving, dying and sewing have been the cornerstone of countless communities. From the mid-19th century, mills were being powered by hydro-electrical turbines which were well ahead of their time (many of which are now being dusted down and revamped for a second life more than a century later). In Alsace – like other regions – benevolent businessmen built housing estates for their workers, and schools for their children, and generally the industrial climate was one where both workers and management appreciated hard work and just rewards.

  The hard-working ethic and the constant search for excellence – combined with an ideal geographic location close to both Germany and Switzerland – enabled these communities in Northern France to thrive and to survive the initial financial and economic crises (and wars) of the 20th century. However, globalisation finally had an impact on these communities and gradually textile manufacturing moved initially to cheaper manufacturing bases in Europe and then further afield to North Africa and the Far East. One by one the mills and factories closed and it became clear that something special had to be done to survive.

  SENFA Decoprint is an example of one such company that dug deep in this time of adversity and adapted the textiles it made to meet specific and often niche technical applications. Based in Sélestat, just south of Strasbourg, the historical activity of SENFA was coating interlining (the rigid part of shirt collars). As the garment industry declined in Europe it became obvious that it was time to diversify or die.

  At around the same time in the late 1990s, large format digital printing was experimenting with printing onto textiles and it became clear that coated textiles were necessary for the ink to stick and dry. With its expertise in both textiles and coating, SENFA saw an opportunity and invested in a new purpose-built 3.2metre coating line in 2001 to diversify its core product offering to encompass wider widths.

  In 2004, SENFA formalised its entry into the wide-format space by creating the Decoprint department to focus on the manufacture and coating of textiles specifically for the large format digital print market. The product line was diversified to incorporate other functions such as fire resistance, light diffusion, block-out and more, and over the years, SENFA developed a full range of printable Decoprint textiles – suitable for solvent, UV and latex print technologies – for visual display applications.

  

  The initial adoption of textiles for visual display was slow but gradually the advantages of printing onto textiles made more and more sense to the marketplace: Textiles are free of PVC and are therefore much less damaging for the environment than vinyls or banners; they are lighter in weight, so cheaper to transport and easier to install; and finally – perhaps most importantly – they simply look better than many prints produced on other types of media.

  Fast forward a few more years and SENFA’s flagship product - Decoprint Pearl – has become a world leader. It is a premium fabric for backlit applications installed in lightboxes in retail outlets, shopping malls and airports all over the world. The smooth finish, the excellent white point and of course all the necessary fire certification (M1, B1 etc.) renders it the number one choice for many international brands.

  Boosted by the success of the product, in 2015 SENFA opened an €8 million, five-metre wide coating line to meet the ever-growing needs of its customers.

  

  The product line doesn’t just stop at Decoprint Pearl. Year on year sales are growing at a healthy rate and SENFA has many new Decoprint products in the pipeline which it plans to bring to the wider market. For example, with more and more trade fair stands being built with printed textiles, SENFA has specifically developed a black-back range suitable for use with UV-curing, latex and sublimation technologies.

  Blaise Humphries, Decoprint's business unit manager, explains that SENFA plans to further expand its international distribution network in 2017: "We will be concentrating on developing the North American market with the creation a US-based sales position from January 2017 and we will be employing a Spanish speaker to cover Central and South America. This follows the development of new channels in 2016 when we appointed distributors in India, Australia and South Africa. This geographic expansion will continue into 2017.”

  He continues: “New markets and new applications are the backbone of SENFA's growth strategy. A renewed focus on interior decor and wall covering products should help our double-digit annual growth figures continue for the foreseeable future. The future looks very exciting for SENFA Decoprint"

  Whilst the face of the textile industry in Alsace has changed, that hard-working ethic and constant search for excellence have remained constant.  One thing is for sure: watch this space for future developments in printable textiles…

  For further information on SENFA Decoprint, please visit www.decoprint.eu/en

• Senfa appoints SST as exclusive Decoprint distributor in India
  27 Sep 2016

  

  French textile company Senfa has appointed Sun Sign and Technologies (SST) as sole distributor of its Decoprint range of products in India.

  Decoprint, the inkjet division of Senfa, has rapidly developed a presence in Europe and overseas with its high quality printable textiles for large format and super-wide applications. Its flagship product, Pearl, has become the reference for indoor backlit displays in Europe but the Decoprint range also includes fabrics suitable for frontlit and speciality applications printable on all main print platforms (UV-curing, latex, solvent and direct and transfer sublimation).

  In 2015 Senfa invested 8 million Euros in a new 5 metre wide coating line vastly increasing production capacity and also catering for a segment of the market in need of wider media.

  Sun Signs and Technologies already has a huge footprint in india being the exclusive distributor of Starflex products.  “We are a distributor of premium products for Visual Communication”, explains Deepak Gupta, owner and CEO of SST. “With Senfa-Decoprint, we see a brand that has a proven track record in Europe. Pearl is simply the best product for premium backlit graphics in shopping malls, retail units and airports. The large-format digital print market is moving towards textiles for various reasons. Textiles are certainly more environmentally friendly and easier to transport than PVC banners. Some Indian states have already started to ban PVC products in the sign industry.”

  “A local partner is absolutely essential for any company moving into the Indian market,” continues Gupta. “Sun Sign and Technologies has a very long experience in the large format digital print industry and we see a dramatic trend towards printing on to textiles. Sun Sign is more than just a distributor. We are a true partner working hand in hand with our suppliers. Sales of textiles for the indoor market are very often project driven and our people are in with corporate customers and advertising agencies suggesting new ideas and at the same time we offer printing companies immediate access to these new products from local stock.”

  Colm Garvey, Senfa Area Sales Manager, adds: “The time is right for expanding into new markets and we are delighted to have Sun Sign on board as our sole distributor in India. I recently visited the country and was extremely impressed by the sheer size of the market – I have been told that a new shopping mall opens in India every single week. We manufacture high quality products and we will be well-represented by SST. They are present nationwide which is a huge advantage in a country as vast as India. I also saw a trend towards higher quality images, especially inside airports, shopping malls and hotels. We see no reason why the year on year growth experienced in Europe cannot be reproduced in India when print-houses see the benefits of printing onto textiles – now available up to 5 metres wide – and stocked locally by Sun Sign and Technologies.”

• Senfa to support Midcomp Consumables with Decoprint Pearl launch at Fespa Africa
  28 Aug 2016

  

  French coating company Senfa will support Micomp Consumables, its exclusive distributor in South Africa, at Fespa Africa (7th – 9th September at the Gallagher Convention Center, Johannsesburg).

  Decoprint, the inkjet division of Senfa, has rapidly developed a presence in Europe and overseas with its high quality printable textiles for large format and super-wide applications. Its flagship product, Pearl, has become the reference for indoor backlit displays in Europe but the decoprint range also includes fabrics suitable for frontlit and speciality applications printable on all the main platforms (UV-curing, Latex and Solvent).

  Midcomp will be launching Pearl in South Africa and across the African continent at Fespa.

  “The time is right for expanding into new markets and we are delighted to have Midcomp Consumables on board as our sole distributor” says Colm Garvey - the Senfa Area Sales Manager. “Midcomp has a business dedicated to consumables. They were looking for quality products that fit in with their machine offerings, such as HP Latex, and they wanted media that is latex and UV compatible. Our high quality backlit film, DECOPRINT PEARL, is available up to 5m wide and is perfect for latex and UV curing printers  We see no reason why the year on year growth experienced in Europe cannot be reproduced in South Africa when print-houses see the benefits of printing onto textiles stocked locally.”

  “DECOPRINT PEARL is simply the best backlit textile for Latex and UV-Curing printing technologies and we look forward to satisfying our customer’s needs with this valued partnership. Put a light behind Pearl and the colours just come to life” said Rakesh Rosen, Sales Director of Midcomp Consumables (Pty) Ltd. “We are thrilled to be launching Pearl at Fespa Africa and we expect it to be a game-changer for indoor backlit graphics in airports and shopping malls.”

  Midcomp will be exhibiting in Hall 3 stand D1.

• Senfa-Decoprint to fly the textile flag at Drupa 2016
  27 May 2016

  

  Alsace-France based Senfa will be present at Drupa 2016 in Düsseldorf and the main message this year is resumed in its strap line “change the way of print, use textiles”.

• Senfa appoints HVG Graphics Media as sole Australian distributor of Decoprint
  16 May 2016

  

  Alsace, France-based Senfa has appointed HVG Graphics Media as sole distributor of its Decoprint range of products for the Australian market.

  Decoprint, the inkjet division of Senfa, has rapidly developed a presence in Europe and overseas with its high quality printable textiles for large format and super-wide applications. Its flagship product, Pearl, has become the reference for indoor backlit displays in Europe. However, the Decoprint range now also includes fabrics suitable for frontlit and speciality applications printable on all the main platforms (UV-curing, Latex, Solvent and direct and transfer sublimation).

  In 2015 Senfa invested 8 million Euros in a new 5 metre wide coating line vastly increasing production capacity and also catering for a segment of the market in need of wider media.

  HVG Graphics Media, a division of the Halifax Vogel Group, has been increasing its presence in the Large Format Digital sector and in the last seven years has opened new sites in Brisbane, Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth and Adelaide while also expanding its Sydney distribution centre.

  

  “We are a distributor of premium products for Visual Communication,” explains Richard Lucas – Business Manager of HVG Graphics Media. “ With Senfa-Decoprint, we see a range of products that fit seamlessly into that category. The large-format digital print market is moving towards textiles for various reasons. Textiles are certainly more environmentally friendly and easier to transport than PVC banners and vinyls but the main reason people are moving over to textiles is that they simply look great, especially when used in conjunction with LED smart backlit displays.”

  “The time is right for expanding into new markets and we are delighted to have HVG Graphics Media on board as our sole distributor,” says Colm Garvey - the Senfa Area Sales Manager. “I recently visited Australia and I was impressed by the professionalism of the HVG Graphics Media team. The Decoprint Pearl is already quite well known in Australia as several printers have contacted us wanting to know where they can purchase it locally.

  "HVG Graphics Media will be a one-stop shop for the Decoprint range. We manufacture high quality products and we will be well represented by HVG. They are present nationwide which is a huge advantage in a country as vast as Australia. I also saw a trend towards higher quality images, especially inside airports, shopping malls and hotels. We see no reason why the year on year growth experienced in Europe cannot be reproduced in Australia when print-houses see the benefits of printing onto textiles – now available up to 5 metres wide – and stocked locally by HVG”.

• Senfa announces plans for FESPA Digital 2016
  28 Feb 2016

  

  Alsace, France-based Senfa will be present at FESPA Digital 2016 in Amsterdam from 8th – 11th March and the main message this year will be “going wider – now up to 5 metres”.

  In November 2015, Senfa opened a multi-million Euro 5 metre coating line to cope with increased demand for this width.

  Decoprint, the inkjet division of Senfa, has rapidly developed a presence in Europe with its high quality printable textiles for large format and super-wide applications and its best selling product, Pearl, has become the reference for indoor backlit displays.

  “We have 2 main objectives at FESPA Digital 2016”, says Blaise Humphries – Business Unit Manager at Decoprint. “We want to communicate to our existing customer base that our 5 metre production line is now successfully up and running and we also want to search for new customers in new territories and demonstrate the benefits of printing on textiles for indoor applications. People see that images printed on textiles basically look better than images on PVC or paper. Textiles add a certain “je ne sais quoi” to the message or advertising campaign which cannot be achieved with other media – not to mention the smaller environmental impact of textiles. And for printers the advantages are obvious – textiles are easier to handle, cheaper to transport and general contribute higher margins to the business. The Decoprint range has products for all the main print technologies namely solvent, UV-curing and latex printers as well as direct and transfer sublimation. 

  "FESPA is an excellent platform for us as it attracts a highly international visitor base. Visitors who come to the Senfa-Decoprint booth (Hall 1, stand G32) will see a full 5m x 5m backlit display showing the true impact of super-wide textiles.”

• SENFA reinforces Export Department with appointment of Colm Garvey
  31 Jan 2016

  

  France-based SENFA, part of the Chargeurs Group of companies listed on the French Stock Exchange, has announced the appointment of Colm Garvey as Area Sales Manager, responsible for the development of new business in a variety of international markets including the Middle East, South Africa and Australia. Colm has more than 20 years’ experience in the large format digital printing industry, and previously worked for the likes of Neolt and Uniform.
   
  Colm joined SENFA on 1st January 2016 from CSL Digital (formerly Colorific Solutions Ltd.) where he held the position of International Sales Director. In this role, he was instrumental in the development of international sales for Colorific’s range of alternative ink solutions for the digital printing industry.
   
  His main focus at SENFA will be developing international sales reach for SENFA’s Decoprint® collection, a wide range of speciality coated fabrics made up of synthetic or natural fibres for inkjet (solvent and UV inks) and transfer printing (sublimation). He will be based in the Alsace region of France where he has lived with his family since 1998.
   
  Printer manufacturers have been quick to recommend Decoprint media as a high quality super-wide backlit and frontlit solution. The media is ideal for both super-wide UV-Curing and Latex print technologies (as well as solvent).  
   
  The combination of Decoprint®’s base fabrics and a high tech coating process ensures that the substrates offer better ink penetration and excellent print quality. SENFA’s Decoprint® is suitable for a wide range of applications for the indoor and short term outdoor markets.
   
  On Colm Garvey joining SENFA, Blaise Humphries, the Decoprint® Business Unit Manager, comments: “With year on year growth very positive, and a new coating line becoming operational, we decided it was a good time to reinforce our export department. We are well established in the larger European markets but we see great possibilities for growth in many more markets. Colm will become instrumental in the development of these opportunities.”
   
  Colm Garvey adds: “When the opportunity of joining a local company active in the large format digital printing industry came along it just seemed the right match. The industry has been crying out for more environmentally friendly solutions – and that’s precisely what Decoprint® offers.
   
  “In the coming months and years, I believe that many printers will move from PVC-based products over to textiles, and SENFA Decoprint® provides an ideal solution. Innovation and quality are the two cornerstones of European manufacturing, and Decoprint® by SENFA ticks both those boxes.
   
  “I’m really looking forward to the opportunity of developing the business in new regions.”