Consumables

At Sign & Digital UK, Colourgen is inspiring visitors with a 'show-stopping' demonstration of the Seiko ColorPainter W-64S running neon inks.

According to Seiko I Infotech, this inkset is a world first and offers users a unique advantage in the pub and club market.  Although the neon effect is visible in daylight, it truly comes in to its own under blacklight.  Colourgen will have a blacklight viewing box on its stand to show the full effect.

The ColorPainter W-64s uses high viscosity inks and an ultra modern piezo-inkjet head to deliver outstanding image quality and no colour density loss. Ideal for print providers that specialise in signs and graphics for pubs, bars and nightclubs, the printer’s improved dot pattern enables razor sharp, crisp images at all print modes.

Melanie Enser, Product Marketing Manager for Colourgen, says, “We are delighted to be participating in this year’s Sign & Digital UK and look forward to showing visitors the combined power of Colourgen’s innovative product line-up, industry-leading solutions and our deep heritage in specialist wide format print and finishing solutions. With show-stopping demos and impressive giveaways, we hope visitors will take the time to visit Colourgen and gain further insight into the world’s finest global manufacturers and brands of wide format rips, printers, finishing systems and consumables.”

Arlon Graphics has launched Series 4600LX - a high performance colour change wrap film for automotive restyling.

Series 4600LX is an ultra-conformable film that allows users to transform the look of vehicles with multiple colours and finishes to choose from - both gloss and matte. Series 4600LX is designed for full vehicle wraps, vehicle striping, and custom accent wraps on vehicles. Arlon's LX (low profile) X-Scape Technology offers easy, bubble free installation to give the vehicle a smooth paint-like finish.

“The Series 4600LX is the optimal solution for colour change and custom effects on a vehicle,” states Phil LaFata, vice president of marketing and international sales, Arlon Graphics. “This film provides the automotive restyling market with very high performance and outstanding visual appeal at a cost competitive price.”

HP has unveiled new ink and media options for its large-format sign and display portfolio which it says will help print service providers to increase application value as well as versatility.  The HP Scitex FB7600/FB7500 Enhanced Color Pack upgrade for the HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press provides a scalable ink option to better meet client colour needs and deliver point-of-purchase applications with high image quality. Offering a six-, seven- or eight-colour configuration, the first inks available for the colour pack are the HP FB225 Orange and Light Black Scitex Inks.

HP FB225 Orange Scitex Ink provides a broader gamut for vivid colours with more realistic skin tones and improved spot matching for brand colours with increased analogue-to-digital consistency. HP FB225 Light Black Scitex Ink creates smoother grey solids and improves neutrality. This ink can be added to the press’ six process colours, allowing PSPs to enhance image quality and achieve higher productivity.

“With the Enhanced Color Pack, our digital colour capabilities have achieved a new level in quality with the ability to print true oranges and greys,” said Dan Kimmerly, graphics director, KDM P.O.P Solutions Group. “Since the installation, KDM has been awarded new business solely because we can now match orange brand colours with digital, with one client even commenting that a sample printed  using the new HP FB225 Orange Scitex Ink was the ‘best digitally printed orange they have ever seen.’”

Existing HP Scitex FB7600 or upgraded FB7500 Industrial Press customers can expand their capabilities with the HP Scitex FB7500/7600 Enhanced Color Pack. The colour pack and inks are expected to be available worldwide on 01 May 2013.

To improve service quality and availability of HP-branded sign and display media for HP Latex Inks, HP has entered into a licensing agreement with Brand Management Group (BMG), a company specialising in media distribution worldwide.  Under the terms of this agreement, BMG will source, market and distribute a limited portfolio of HP-branded media while HP continues developing advanced media coatings and treatments. The HP media products available from BMG are limited to those intended for sign and display applications, optimised for HP Latex Inks and available on 3-inch cores. BMG is expected to begin distributing HP-branded media through its global network of dealers on 01 May 2013.

In 2012, HP announced plans to work with leading media suppliers to co-develop new media using ColorPRO Technology. Aurora Specialty Textiles Group, Inc. and Cooley Group are the first companies to introduce sign and display media solutions engineered with this technology. Aurora Specialty Textiles Group and Cooley Group will develop, manufacture and distribute textile substrates for use with HP Latex Inks and non-PVC banner solutions for use with HP Latex and UV ink solutions, respectively. These new media options are expected to be available in late summer 2013.

HP Latex Printing Technology owners can now easily select media from a range of third-party suppliers with the new Media Certification Program for HP Latex Inks.  The programme streamlines the media selection process and identifies the most appropriate substrates tested with HP Latex Inks and printers, including media engineered with ColorPRO Technology.  Approved substrates will feature a “Certified for HP Latex Inks” icon, making it easier for customers to view media options for HP Latex Printers in the media solutions locator. 

After a successful introduction for the HP Scitex FB7600 Industrial Press, HP announced a metallic colours effect application, supported by HP software partner Color-Logic, for the HP Scitex FB700 and FB500 Industrial Printers. The Color-Logic software enables customers to produce metallic effects ideal for high-quality retail and POP applications, as well as package prototyping. Expected to be available 04 April 2013, the new offering requires the Color-Logic Printers Design Suite & License, HP FB251 Scitex White Ink and HP-approved media for metallic substrates.

“To remain competitive, sign and display PSPs are constantly looking for ways to evolve their businesses from a single core specialty to producing a variety of applications under one roof,” said Xavier Garcia, vice president and general manager, Sign and Display Business, HP. “These application enhancements, new media options and alliances allow our customers to confidently expand into new markets, helping them strategically grow their service offerings.”

For more information about HP large-format sign and display solutions, please visit www.hp.com/go/signanddisplay

Ilford has expanded its OMNIJET range of commercial wide format offerings with the introduction of three new professional canvas products. The latest additions to the OMNIJET line up offer robust, stretchable canvases that feature solid dimensional stability and great print performance to satisfy output needs from gallery wraps for decor, to POS display and signage for tradeshows. 

Compatible with the latest generation of wide format printers, the new line up of fast drying and water resistant canvases includes a Bright White 335gsm and a Natural White 380gsm offering for solvent and eco-solvent printers as well as a 345gsm aqueous canvas. All three are compatible with Latex inks.

“The demand for commercial canvases only continues to grow. With clients seeking more control over the aesthetic appeal of the media surface, these new OMNIJET canvases for the commercial market will help printers meet and exceed the expectations of their clients,” said Jane Dixon, Director of Global Marketing for ILFORD Imaging. “The superb handling and finish of the products combined with the versatility of the range and economical price point, will allow printers to present a tailored, value-for-money solution for their most demanding client.”

The three new ILFORD OMNIJET canvases include:

• OMNIJET Bright White Solvent Canvas 335gsm:  OMNIJET Bright White Solvent Canvas is a PVC-free, 100% cotton canvas with a satin finish for use with solvent and eco-solvent printers. With excellent colour reproduction and low bleed for sharp edges, this canvas is ideal for décor, point-of-sale and commercial displays utilizing high impact imagery. Its superb handling and finishing characteristics combined with an economical price point ensure this canvas provides excellent value-for-money. The bright white tint ensures dense colour reproduction for high impact graphic displays. The Bright White Solvent Canvas is available in 20 metre long rolls that accommodate 36”, 42” and 60” printer set-ups.
• OMNIJET Natural White Solvent Canvas 380gsm: OMNIJET Natural White Solvent Canvas is a cotton/polyester blend canvas that is free of Optical Brightening Agents (OBAs) for a stable natural white tint and semimatt finish for use with solvent and eco-solvent printers. Ideal for décor, fine art prints, portraits and commercial displays, this canvas offers excellent colour reproduction and image quality to give a true fine-art look to solvent prints, belying its competitive price point. The Natural White Solvent Canvas is available in 18 metre rolls and varying widths from 36”, 42” and 60”.
• OMNIJET Production Canvas 345gsm: OMNIJET Production Canvas is a matt finish cotton/polyester blend canvas with a 1:1 weave. Designed for use with aqueous pigment wide format inkjet printers, this product is also Latex compatible. With a high opacity, excellent image reproduction and low bleed characteristics, this canvas offers an outstanding price/performance ratio making it ideal for decorative and commercial applications such as signage, exhibition graphics or point-of-sale displays. With no edge-cracking when tested at a 90° angle, it is perfect for mounting or framing, as well as digital photo prints. Available in 24”, 36”, 42”, and 60”, all Production Canvas rolls are 18 metres in length.

For more information, please contact sales.europe@ilford.com

GPT has announced the immediate availability of white inks for Mimaki's JV400 latex printer range. Offering a unique option within the latex printer market, the vibrant and highly opaque white ink works alongside Mimaki's high gamut four colour process inks and is compatible with the JV400-130LX and JV400-160LX wide format printers. Mimaki has also announced that green and orange inks will be launched at FESPA 2013.

When using the new white inks in conjunction with the latest RIP software, three-layer printing is achievable, enabling print providers to create two-way viewed graphics.  It is ideal for producing window graphics and retail signage onto clear substrates. High quality registration between process and white layers ensures an attractive and high colour result, with the white layer providing the necessary backing for each layer of colour.

The Mimaki JV400 range of latex printers features strong eco credentials alongside a piezoelectric print head that fires variable drop sizes allowing the production of high quality print onto a broad range of substrates.

Stuart Cole, general manager of GPT, says, “The Mimaki JV400 latex printer range offers print providers a wealth of benefits. The new printer range runs significantly cooler (60 degrees) than other manufacturers’ Latex printers and therefore is able to print on a wider range of materials and can be left unattended for overnight printing.

"The addition of white inks further expands the range of applications and image quality these machines can offer and ticks many more boxes for the full service sign and print service provider. The upcoming orange and green inks are also another important feature in the battle for supremacy in the Latex printer market.”

In a seperate announcement, GPT said its new redesigned, interactive website providing a one-stop shop of in-depth content, powerful imagery and an intuitive navigation process is now live.

Stuart Cole, General Manager, GPT, says, “Users accessing the new website will see it has been completely redesigned to reflect their need for simple, concise information that helps them speed their decision making process. The site’s new design reflects our comprehensive product portfolio, our values for superior customer service, high quality technology and value for money. We expect this increasingly engaging online experience to appeal to users in ever greater numbers.”

To view the new website, please visit www.g-p-t.co.uk

Frost Signs is 'delighted' with the new Expanse Premier Cast Vinyl and matched cast laminate provided by CWE Solutions Limited (CWES).  Gareth Marchant, Production Manager at Kent-based Frost Signs Limited, started using Expanse Premier a few months ago for vehicle wrapping and has been extremely pleased with the results.

Established ten years ago, Frost Signs started as a signage company installing a wide spectrum of sign and graphic projects including vehicle wrapping.  In recent years Frost Signs has expanded their product portfolio allowing them to expand their direct customer base whilst still maintaining their valued trade service of installation and sub-contract work.

Gareth already had a great relationship with CWES, so when he joined Frost Signs in 2011 he brought in the CWES team to profile the HP Designjet L25500 he inherited with the job and supply a new Onyx RIP to optimise his print solution.

Having experienced various vinyl failures, Gareth started researching and testing different alternative vehicle vinyls and applications, trialling the Expanse Premier Vinyl and matched cast laminate for a vehicle wrapping job over Christmas 2012.

Gareth explains, “Some vinyls that we have used for vehicle wrapping in the past provide easy and smooth application but have been very problematic when it came to printing.  Others were great to print onto but then difficult to fit to the vehicle. We were really struggling to get the branding right for our clients and we knew there had to be a better way.  That’s when we decided to trial Expanse Premier and we’ve had great results ever since.”

He continues, “We were one of the first to use Expanse Premier and we don’t regret it.  Without a doubt, Expanse Premier from CWES is the best vehicle wrapping product we have used and gives the best all-round result of any media we have tried.  Expanse Premier gives a great print quality coupled with easy application.”

Specially designed for the vehicle wrapping market and rigorously tested, one of the secrets to the success of Expanse Premier lies in the new Micro-Air bubble releasing system adhesive.  Expanse Premier also provides superior conformability, easily taking the form of the vehicle it is being applied to but without losing its shape, meaning it fits even the difficult curves of the Smart Car without messy mistakes and difficult reapplications.

When Frost Signs upgraded to a new HP Designjet L26500 Latex printer a few weeks later in January 2013 to meet the ever increasing demands of their growing customer base, it was a natural decision to use CWES again.  Gareth explains, “We needed a new machine and it had to be latex as so many of our jobs are fast turn-around.  With latex you can print and as the signs are coming off the machine they are ready to use straight away.  You don’t have to wait for inks to cure or gas off  before laminating.  Our need for a consistently reliable printer is paramount and that’s why we chose the HP Designjet L26500 Latex printer from CWES.”

CWES is delighted that Frost Signs are pleased with the results they are getting from Expanse Premier for vehicle wrapping and their new HP Designjet L26500.  Graham de Kock, Commercial Director at CWES explains, “We are very pleased that our new vehicle wrapping vinyl, Expanse Premier, has had such a great impact at Frost Signs.  The quality of the media can be seen in the fantastic work they have been completing recently including with the Smart car wrap. Our new Expanse media range was developed to answer the needs of our customers, identified from our years of working closely with them, and it’s great to know we have got it right with Expanse Premier.”