SubscribeThere is a newcomer to the world of coated inkjet media for both small and wide format. Sihl Direct UK has begun trading from its sales, admin and warehousing facility in Altrincham and it enjoys the backing and support of the entire Diatec Group. Sihl is already well-known in the inkjet printing market as a leading provider of coated media through OEM, distribution and reseller channels. The company has established a reputation for quality, consistency and reliability and Sihl Direct UK has been established to service the UK large format printing market directly from its UK base, with Sihl manufactured and branded media, in a timely and cost effective manner, through both selected partners and directly to the end user. Ian Turnbull is Operations Director of Sihl Direct UK and he explains, “The Diatec Group has identified the long term strategic need to strengthen the position of its product and corporate brands to a broader audience. As a group, we have a massive manufacturing operation and we are ideally suited to developing a broad range of popular, high quality coated media products and delivering cost-effectively solutions to the market. Even though we are setting up this business from scratch, we have the confidence and backing of a known and trusted name, coupled with the full support of a multi-million pound international corporation.” Products now available from Sihl Direct include a broad range of specialist materials for most wide format inkjet printers and ink technologies, such as canvas, vinyls and films as well as a comprehensive stable of photobase papers ideal for high quality photographic and fine art reproductions. Turnbull concludes, “We have the manufacturing capability to deliver very high quality materials and substrates with high service and support levels at cost-effective prices. We are actively encouraging both resellers and end users looking for the best quality at great value to get in touch with us to discuss their requirements and discover what we can offer. For more information, please contact us at info@sihl-direct.co.uk or call us on 0161 927 9051.”
Display Signs Upgrade to New Seiko ColorPainter W-64S
Colourgen reseller, CWE Solutions has supplied a Seiko ColorPainter W-64S wide format solvent-based inkjet printer to Display Signs. The new printer replaces a Seiko ColorPainter 64S and was selected because of the quality, speed and reliability that Display Signs knows they will get from Seiko printers.
For more than 30 years, Display Signs in Uxbridge has been one of London’s leading sign-makers. The factory is equipped with a broad range of first class sign making technology, including the latest large format digital printers and routing equipment, which allows Display Signs to produce top quality signs at competitive prices.
Although a sign-maker very much in the traditional mould, Display Signs first made a significant move to digital technology around eight years ago. Paul Cater, Sales Director, explains, “The introduction of solvent-based inkjet printing revolutionised our business and I would say around 60/70% of our work is now digital. We do a lot of cut vinyl and lettering, particularly directional wayfinders for schools, colleges and hospitals, and the Seiko has always proven ideal for this market. For many years it was an excellent workhorse, very reliable and gave us very few problems.”
He continues, “When we saw the new ColorPainter W-64S, we were confident that it took the technology forward quite significantly and would deliver even higher levels of quality and reliability in a new, faster and more powerful printer. The printer also has an advanced front drying system, which helps ensure print workflows are faster, which allows us to increase production.”
The ColorPainter W-Series is available in 54” and 64” widths. It has new print heads which offer resolutions up to 900dpi as well as triple-drop technology for 4-step greyscale. It offers two colour configurations, including 4 colour type for lower running costs and increased speed and 6 colour type for better image quality. The combination of 6 new high speed print heads, two types of ink and several new innovative printing functions increases the printer’s performance and widens the printer’s application range for the signage and digital printing market.
The new printer was supplied to Display Signs with Caldera’s VisualRIP+, which was a major improvement on the RIP that was being used for the company’s other printers. “We can now run both the Seiko and our HP printer using VisualRIP+ from a single screen. The software is calibrated so there are no colour issues between the printers and we can print jobs to either printer knowing they will both come out exactly as we want them,” adds Paul.
The day to day maintenance of the W-64S is another big benefit. “The new printer requires very little in terms of maintenance and everything is very easy to access and clean. These daily jobs were a real chore on the old printer and we now save a good ten to fifteen minutes every day thanks to the improved process. The printer also uses significantly less ink because it doesn’t need cleaning so often, which has saved a lot of money already,” he says.
Paul Cater concludes, “The main benefit of the Seiko W-64S is its reliability and the fact that both CWE Solutions and Colourgen are able to sort out any problems very quickly. We are familiar with Seiko printers and feel that they are better than other printers in their class. We are now able to offer guaranteed delivery dates with real confidence because we know the Seiko can produce a lot of prints very quickly and with a minimum of fuss. It is fast, consistent and reliable and delivers fantastic image quality every time.”
GPT Will be Reseller for New Mimaki JV400 Latex Printers
See it at Sign and Digital UK (NEC) , 27th-29th March 12
Mimaki has today announced the launch of the new Mimaki JV400LX Series of latex ink based printers. Graphic Printing Technologies expect to be a key reseller of this product, with a demonstration system to be installed at their Reading showroom as soon as available, and plan for a system to be on their stand (D30 Hall 3) at Sign and Digital UK.
General Manager of GPT, Stuart Cole, says, “This is a very important printer for the market. The strength of the new Mimaki latex is in its environmental credentials, lower running costs and the range of substrates available to print on it. Coupled with the quality of Mimaki, we fully expect this to be a market leading, very popular product.”
He continues, “GPT plans to support this product very heavily. Mimaki’s Latex has some significant advantages over its direct competitors, and we intend to maximise our efforts. We will have a system available for prospective customers to see and review at our showrooms in Reading, Berks as soon as available. We also plan to have the new Mimaki Latex printer on our stand D30 – Hall 3 at the forthcoming Sign and Digital 2012 exhibition at the NEC. We encourage anyone interested in this printer to contact GPT as soon as possible to talk about its capabilities, benefits, USP’s and applications.”
For more information on the new printer, see http://www.g-p-t.co.uk/solvent-printers-outdoor-print/mimaki-jv400-130lx-and-jv400-160lx-detail_189.asp
See New Shiraz RIP v8 at the GPT Open Days
Upgrade offer for orders placed before 22nd December 2011
The latest version of the Shiraz RIP, including Shiraz RIP v8 and Shiraz Signature RIP v8 will be available from GPT in January 2012. Not only will you be able to see this software live and in action at the GPT Open Days (24th to 26th January), GPT is also offering an exclusive upgrade offer for existing users. Place an order to upgrade to Shiraz v8 before 22nd December and enjoy up to 60% off the normal purchase price.
The new version of Shiraz provides a host of key benefits. It offers faster RIP times, latest file formats, white page layout, manual multiple image positioning and centralised nesting. These enhancements will help users save time in processing as well as give them more tools and allow them to work on the latest platforms and latest printers.
Stuart Cole, general manager of Graphic Printing Technologies, says, “The new version of Shiraz really does give customers much more for their investment. The new software is much faster, more flexible and more productive It has more features, offers more support, more driver support, more profiles and works on more platforms. It is also more up to date and more user friendly.”
Users will have the opportunity to see the product in action and working with a range of printers at the GPT Open Days. Ring 01189 294429 to book a demo time.
Stuart Cole concludes, “As a premier partner of Shiraz, we are also delighted to be able to offer an exclusive upgrade deal that I am sure many customers will be interested in. With savings up to 60% off the normal price for orders placed before 22nd December, we like to think of this as an early Christmas present for our customers.”
See Latest Wide Format Printing Products at the GPT Open Days
From 24th to the 26th January, Graphic Printing Technologies (GPT) will be hosting open days at its showroom in Reading, Berkshire. There will be representatives from the industry’s leading manufacturers of printers, cutters, laminators, software and consumables and these sessions are a must-see for anyone considering an investment in wide format inkjet technology.
“The GPT Open Days will be very comprehensive” says GPT general manager, Stuart Cole. “We will have representatives from all our suppliers available to discuss your requirements, demonstrate their products and help you make the best decisions for your business. Of course, all the GPT staff will also be on hand to offer our usual independent and expert advice and guidance.”
Open Day Highlights
There will be several new products from Mimaki, including the new UJF 3042 FX as well as the LF-140 UV cure ink range. We will also be demonstrating the new Mimaki metallic inks, which are proving to be very popular in a number of applications.
Shiraz has launched the latest version 8 of their leading RIP product and the Open Days will be one of the first public demonstrations of this product in the UK. There will also be the new Agfa Anapurna M1600 on display as well as the new Summa flatbed cutter.
“The Open Days are the ideal time for you to come and see the very latest that’s available in the market and also to talk to us about what is coming up in the near future. We hope you will take this opportunity to meet, not just with GPT’s people, but also representatives from all the manufacturers and distributors we work with,” concludes Stuart.
For more information or to book a time to come, call GPT on 01189 29 44 29.
Products on display and available for demo at the Open Days:
Agfa Anapurna M1600 UV cure roll & sheet fed printer (CMYK,Cm, Mm + White)
Mimaki JV33 130 Solvent roll fed printer – SS21 inks (CMYK)
Mimaki CJV30 130 solvent roll fed printer & cutter – ES3 inks (CMYK, Cm, Mm, + Metallic)
Mimaki JV5 160 solvent roll fed printer – SS21 inks (CMYK) [Bulk inks system]
Mimaki CG160FX II contour cutter
Mimaki UJV160 UV cure roll & sheet fed printer LF140 (CMYK, Cm,Mm, white + Clear)
Mimaki UJV3042FX A3 UV cure flatbed printer (LH100 inks CMYK, White & Clear)
Epson GS6000 eco ‘type’ solvent printer – 8 colour
Epson 11880 aqueous roll fed printer – 8 colour
Canon iPF8300 aqueous roll fed printer – 12 colour
Canon iPF8300s aqueous roll fed printer – 8/5 colour
Canon iPF9000s aqueous roll fed printer – 8/5 colour
EasyMount EM1600SH laminator
Summa F1612 Flatbed cutter
Shiraz v8 RIP
Wasatch RIP
RasterLink RIP
KeenCut Javelin + Bench
Unbeatable Value from New Kala Starter Laminators
Colourgen has announced the exclusive UK distribution of the new range of Kala Starter laminators. These new cold laminators provide simultaneous single sided lamination and adhesive mounting onto substrates up to 50mm thick and are available at an extremely competitive price.
This entry-level range of wide format laminators comes in 108cm, 140cm and 160cm widths and are all capable of handling rolls up to 100m in length. The Kala Starter range supercedes the existing range of Kala Bunny laminators, by providing more capabilities and better ease of use.
Melanie Enser, Product Marketing Manager for Colourgen, says, “The new laminators are targeted at photographers, signmakers and printers looking for a first laminator or an additional machine at a low price for special requirements. The quality and reliability of the French manufactured Kala laminators makes the Kala Starter the perfect entry-level laminator”.
The Kala Starter laminators are manufactured to a very high standard and are designed to be easy to use and versatile. The pressure can be adjusted with a high level of control and visual gauge, unlike many other laminators at this price level, which often only have a pre-set lever to control pressure.
The new laminators simultaneously apply lamination film to one side and an adhesive layer to the other for easy finishing onto a broad range of substrates up to 50mm. Forward and reverse motion is controlled by hand or with a foot pedal and for safety purposes there is an emergency stop button.
“The build quality of the new laminators is very high so we do not expect them to require much by way of servicing and repair. They are very easy to use and we expect customers to be up and running and producing profitable finishing jobs very quickly indeed,” adds Enser.
The Kala Starter laminators are available immediately from Colourgen authorised resellers, with prices starting at £2,670 (ex VAT) for the 108mm version.
It’s Not Cricket
So… it’s official. We just had the coolest summer since 1993, with 18% more rainfall than average. Ho hum. I don’t really remember much of 1993. It was an Ashes year back in the days when England were pretty woeful, with the exception of Graham Gooch. However, Australia won the series 4-1, so the cool summer clearly didn’t cause enough play to be lost.
Cricket is quite a comforting thing to look back at. Photographs from those games are not so much different to today. However, there is one very noticeable difference – signage! These days – very little is sacred. Pitches now have those 3D style paintings on the grass. They look all wrong live, but on telly they stand bright and proud (as well as leaving multicoloured stains over those perfect cricket whites). They used to be on the end of the pitch – or behind the goals in rugby and football, but in modern one day cricket, bowlers are running across them. At least test matches still enjoy all green pitches.
I should look into how those signs are made. I presume they are hand painted by banksy-esque artists.
Elsewhere, even the boundary rope isn’t spared the indignity of being turned into a sign. Even the stumps!! The players themselves, while still mainly in white, are pretty much walking signboards. I remember writing a case study many years ago for a company that had developed advertising on steps. That seemed a bit over the top at the time, but hindsight has shown them to be truly visionary. Signs above public urinals, one I noticed that has post it stickers on it with details that you can just peel off and leave with. One presumes this spare paper may come in handy at a pinch.
Oh well. At least we are good at cricket again. And there is plenty of signage to go round.
Happy New Sign Year
As a typically wet and windy August shifts lumberously into a calm and musty September, thoughts return to closing a bit of business again. No more out of office responses, no more covering for someone else in the office, we are all back and atom. I am sure I am not alone in feeling that this is the true start of the year. Kids go back to school for a new year and the football season has barely got going. And what a year it could be…
How much impact the Olympics will have on the amount of short term signage produced over the coming year is hard to gauge – but it surely must offer some degree of hope for a lot of companies. I know most of the official signage contracts have been allocated, but there will be kilometres of unofficial signage required up and down the country. Maybe now is the time to look more seriously at that new printer that can offer a new dimension to your business.
The economy has been miserable for several years now, but you can’t help but feel that a tide of optimism will develop over the coming year that could just see us going into next summer with a smile on our faces. Despite the unpopular 2012 logo, there is no doubt it will be everywhere before you know it and this has to be good news for the sign trade.
Moderate Your Speed
If you have driven in Portugal you might have noticed that they deal with speeding in a very different way to us. The language is quite a formal one and this is well demonstrated in its road signs. Ours demand that we Watch our Speed: Slow Down: and the occasional call to watch out for Dead Slow Children. In Portugal they ask us to Moderate our Speed, which is nice.
To enable us to Moderate our Speed, they have a great system whereby if you go past a camera too fast it doesn’t immediately take your picture, send you on a speed awareness course, add points or fine you hundreds of pounds. It doesn’t even patronise you with an LED image of a sad or smiley face. Instead, it triggers a traffic light further down the road to turn red. It doesn’t take too many of these to realise that keeping to the speed limit significantly increases the time of your journey. Speeding also makes you unpopular with other drivers who you can see tutting soundlessly and gently shaking their heads.
What the penalty is for jumping these red lights is I do not know, but I suspect it is something very bad.
