Consumables

Northamptonshire-based Creation Signs & Displays has switched its Roland VersaCamm SP-540V wide format printer from OEM inks to Colorific ProMax and made ink cost savings of around 35%.  This is the 70th Robert Horne Group customer to make the switch.

Founded in 2001, Creation Signs & Displays designs, manufactures and installs the full array of signage solutions from interior and exterior signage, through vehicle wrapping to exhibition and display products.  The majority of Creation Signs & Displays’ clients come from the agricultural industries.  Its client-base – which spans the UK and Ireland - includes AGCO, Stihl and Case IH to name a few.

Much of Creation Signs & Displays output is created on the Roland VersaCamm SP-540V wide format printer.  However, as with all businesses, the company was looking to make savings and boost profit margins.  To that end, the company spoke with Robert Horne Group to investigate the cost-savings that could be made by switching over to alternative ink solutions.

Robert Horne recommended that Creation Signs & Displays try Colorific Pro Max – a high quality, alternative ink solution.  So confident is Colorific of its products, it recently announced a 100% satisfaction guarantee – or get your money back - on its Roland alternative inks.

Following testing on the Roland printheads and further discussion, the transition from OEM to Colorific ink was made in January 2012.  On the process, Tim Jackson, sales manager at Creation Signs & Displays, comments, “It was incredibly straightforward.  We literally took out the old Roland ink cartridges and plugged in the new Colorific ones.” 

He continues, “There was no noticeable difference in the quality whatsoever and we’ve made ink cost savings in the region of 35%.  I’d most definitely recommend that other companies make the switch across to Colorific inks.”

For more information on Creation Signs & Displays, please visit www.creationsignsuk.com

For more information on Robert Horne Group, please visit www.roberthorne.co.uk

For more information on Colorific, please visit www.colorificink.com

Tetenal says it demonstrated its Easy Tack Wallpaper 220gsm at the Focus On Imaging Show 2012 earlier this month to 'great acclaim'.

Available in 24 inch rolls, the paper gives retailers the opportunity to add a new stream of revenue to their businesses and fully utilise their large format printers for interior design applications.  The self-adhesive paper  - which can be used for the wallpaper, posters, decorations etc - leaves no marks and designs can therefore be changed as frequently as desired.

Tetenal also offers a non-adhesive wallpaper, 170gsm, which can be printed on and then pasted as normal wallpaper.

For more information, please visit www.tetenaluk.com

Foamalux White Foam PVC sheet, the bright white direct to print substrate specifically developed for the digital print market by Brett Martin, was successfully demonstrated using 5mm Foamalux White printed by the Mimaki JFX-1631 plus on the Mimaki stand at FESPA Digital 2012 in Barcelona (21-24 February). The interest in this product was exceptional as indicated by over 1,000 visitors requesting a sample of Foamalux Bright White campaign creative and follow up requests taken during the four-day show.

Brett Martin has been innovating the Foamalux range for over 20 years, the recent developments with Foamalux White have been focused on improving the performance of substrate to respond to the  levels of image quality, greater print resolution and colour imaging to deliver photographic quality promised by next generation digital printing equipment like the  Mimaki JFX-1631 plus. The range of applications of Foamalux Foam PVC range is extensive as are its distinctive qualities, which include being flat and smooth with a rigid surface, lightweight and highly durable and easy to form and fabricate.

To date Foamalux Foam PVC has been used to produce striking and professional, yet cost effective sign and display solutions by major supermarkets, airports and shopping centres across Europe. The quality of print achieved by using Foamalux White is very impressive, as the substrate minimises ‘yellowing’ through UV. The versatility of the substrate also means that Foamalux White can easily be cut, routed, scored, folded or bonded, according to the sign and display campaign requirements.

Producing outstanding flawless print time after time, Foamalux White is manufactured to rigorous quality regulations BS EN 9001:2008 resulting in a super-smooth direct to print surface. This ensures an even, reliable print surface for faster quality output and maximum productivity. The brighter white colour formulation optimises reproduction to achieve superior print clarity and quality – your print will really come to life, giving a real ‘wow’ factor!

Duncan Smith, Sales Director – Europe, Brett Martin comments, “The flawless and eye-catching print you can achieve by using the Foamalux White range is testament to Brett Martin’s attention to detail and commitment to innovation. As a company, we strive to continually improve and inspire and have developed products that we are immensely proud of. PVC has been around for a long time, but its uses are constantly being updated, and now there are hundreds of machines producing a plethora of different products. The Mimaki JFX-1631 plus is a perfect printing partner for our Foamalux White range, the results in print clarity and quality aligned with the infinite applications in screen, sign, display and exhibition displays really do make our customers say ‘wow’!”

Mike Horsten, Marketing Manager – Europe, Mimaki, adds, “Mimaki is very excited to be working with Brett Martin’s extraordinary substrate range, Foamalux White. The efficiency and print quality that can be achieved as a result of the working combination of our outstanding Mimaki JFX-1631 plus machine with this superior product is remarkable. We now look forward to be demonstrating Foamalux White at drupa in May!”

Brett Martin’s Foamalux range is available throughout the UK and is one of the most extensive ranges in the world. Foamalux White UV stable foam PVC sheets are available in a range of thicknesses 1-19mm with a bright white finish.

• Foamalux Colour with a palette of 12 colours in a matt finish and silky smooth finish is the ultimate palette available for sign, print and display.
• Foamalux Ultra is durable and rigid in white plus six colours in a high gloss finish, which provides high end appeal and improved UV protection. It is available in white plus six colours and a range of thicknesses and sheet sizes. It may be suitable for outdoor use.
• Foamalux Xtra is the ‘green’ choice. It comprises a core of up to 80% recycled material in white, available in 3,5,10,13 and now 19mm thickness.

For more information on the Foamalux range and details of distributors, please visit www.brettmartin.com.

Foamalux is a registered trademark of Brett Martin Ltd.

[photo shows 5mm Foamalux White printed by the Mimaki JFX-1631 plus - Duncan Smith, Brett Martin and Mike Horsten, Mimaki]

Bordeaux Digital PrintInk will introduce a complete line of products and ink technologies at International Sign Expo 2012 in Orlando, USA on stand 327. Many of the inks on show are produced at Bordeaux's East Coat manufacturing facility in the US.  Bordeaux opened this new factory and R&D division in 2011 to support its subsidiary Bordeaux Inc., in Santa Clara, California.

New items include a new line of water and UV based liquid laminates. The laminates are specially designed for sign, vehicle & fleet graphics as well as a broad range of other display and specialty graphic applications.  Pro-Teck Fleet AQ, specially designed for vehicle graphic applications, is optimised for high image enhancement and protection from UV and visible light, pressurised water and detergent mixtures used for washing vehicles. 

Bordeaux will also be showcasing its UV LED inks with improved properties that further complement the Bordeaux UV and UV LED product lines. The inks are suitable now for a wider variety of printers and a large variety of UV applications that is expanding continuously.

Newly formulated Eco Solvent and Mild Solvent inks (Free of Cyclohexanone and NMP) will also be on show as well as True Solvent inks harmonious with virtually all wide and super-wide format digital printers, printheads and applications.  The ink is manufactured using the highest quality sub-micron automotive grade pigment particles and strict quality control to ensure consist and reliable formula for trouble free printing of natural-looking and smooth graphic images. The wide range of solutions and colours allow printers to enjoy high quality ink demonstrating superb results and reliability without inflating their printing bills.

Bordeaux’s Mix & Match inks give customers the option to run the inks alongside existing OEM inks without the need to flush out the previous set or perform new colour profiling.

For more information, please visit www.c-m-y-k.com

InteliCoat Technologies has launched Magic® GBL-9 satin backlit film for solvent, latex and UV-cure printers. GBL-9 is the latest addition to InteliCoat’s ever-increasing specialty line of products specifically designed for solvent and latex printers.

The satin print surface of this 7 mil. backlit film allows for maximum ink density, vivid colour and the highest image resolution – making it ideal for both indoor and outdoor backlit applications. The satin finish of GBL-9 also produces high-density backlits, even when displayed in areas with bright ambient light like airports or shopping malls.

“We’ve been actively listening to the feedback of our valued customers, and decided to add Magic GBL-9 to the solvent/eco solvent line to round out our backlit offering,” said Jennifer Chagnon, Senior Marketing Manager at InteliCoat Technologies. “GBL-9 delivers greater densities off the printer, which is a key trait in a backlit applications where it is desirable to have the colour to pop from the light.”

For more information, please visit www.magicinkjet.com

Arlon has announced the availability of downloadable colour palettes for Series 2100 Opaque Cast Vinyl and Series 2500 Translucent Cast Vinyl Film.

The palettes for these products lines are available for Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop, Corel Draw, Flexi and SignLab.

The palettes will help designers to show the Arlon Vinyl colours they are using for their signage designs on screen and before going to production.

For more information, please visit http://www.arlon.com/ColorPalettes