Sign & Graphics | Bi Monthly Publication of Signage Industry in India

Esko software solutions drive
faster productivity and performance

Right from initial pre-production stage through automated workflows for production and finishing, Esko has designed its software solutions specifically for sign and display businesses. The software were displayed during the recent FESPA Digital 2014 with a focus on true business success in today’s highly competitive market, helping sign and display companies in evaluating entire workflows, removing as much time, errors and cost from the processes as possible. That’s where Esko’s expertise in pre-production and workflow automation can be applied.

The software solution include: i-cut Layout+, a new module of Esko’s i-cut Suite, a collection of pre-production tools targeted specifically at users of large-format printers and/or digital finishing systems. And the latest generation of Esko’s highly successful Automation Engine has been enhanced to address the specific needs of the sign and display graphics market. WebCenter is workflow for signs and display graphics to provide an easy and effective means of customer communication throughout the entire manufacturing process. Further, Esko Color Engine offers exceptional colour management capabilities, answering to the high expectations of brand owners for colour integrity in signs and display graphics.

SAi celebrates 25th Anniversary
with one millionth software sale

Double milestones have been achieved at SA International (SAi). The company recently completed the landmark of one million software solutions sold as it marked its 25th Anniversary in business. The sale of SAi’s millionth software package is from its industry-leading Flexi family of professional sign making products. Perhaps the most-widely-known and popular sign making software available, the anniversary package was purchased by Ocean Graphics & Signs, a full service sign shop based in East Hampton, New York.

SAi provides solutions for the professional sign making, large-format digital printing and CAD/CAM for CNC machining industries. These include the intuitive PhotoPRINT family print and cut workflow package which is found on more large-format printers than any other RIP, as well as the award-winning PixelBlaster print-to-finish production software.

Smithers Pira forecasts healthy future of wide-format print

Now that the current digital wide-format industry is dynamic and fast moving, this sector has moved from initiation to rapid growth with strong proliferation of players and consolidation, reaching a high stage of maturity all in less than 20 years. Major players with diverse interests in the industry are now active as Inca Digital, AGFA Graphics and Mimaki have established themselves quite successfully in the segment. Worldwide, Smithers Pira predicts that the transformation of this market will continue at a global level. Growth of digital signage is being fuelled by increased reliability, increased productivity and lower cost.

Signarama selects Avery Dennison
as global rebranding partner

Avery Dennison has been selected as preferred partner for Signarama’s worldwide rebranding campaigns. Signarama is the world’s largest sign business franchise approaching 900 locations in more than 50 countries. The company is now pleased about the new branding and opportunity to utilise Avery Dennison vinyl products to execute the new look and retail standards they have been rolling out around the globe.

In 2013, Signarama embarked on a branding research project that reaffirmed its position as a ‘premium’ brand that provides expertise and a customised approach. Today, the company’s new branding, including a contemporary colour scheme, new logo, tagline and icon, is being rolled out across hundreds of locations around the world this year.

FESPA Africa to be region’s largest expo till date

After securing commitment from major industry players, FESPA Africa 2014 is set to be the largest exhibition in the region to date. The expo taking place from July 02-04 at Gallagher Convention Centre in Johannesburg is now thronged by a large number of global companies including Canon, AGFA Graphics, Mimaki, FUJIFILM and Epson. This increased interest from the giant exhibitors means that FESPA Africa and Africa Print will be 50 percent larger than the 2013 edition. Other leading brands that will take part to stage their latest products include platinum sponsors Roland and Avery Dennison, as well as manufacturers Hewlett Packard (HP), Kornit Digital, DTG Digital, Durst, Antalis, MS Italy, Sharp, OKI, Evonik, swissQprint and Vista System International. Almost 25 percent of the exhibitors have increased their stands as compared to the 2013 edition and 28 percent of them are new to the combined FESPA Africa and Africa Print.

Sawgrass and Kiian sign
new agreement for sublimation technology

Sawgrass Technologies and Kiian Group have entered into a new long-term license agreement under which Kiian will continue to sell digital inks for sublimation imaging across the globe. Kiian is one of the leading global suppliers of high-quality, sustainable specialty products that provide unique printing solutions for the graphic, textile and industrial markets. Kiian has been selling digital sublimation ink as a Sawgrass licensee for more than a decade. The Sawgrass patent portfolio has expanded considerably in the last decade with more than 160 patents globally.

Fogra confirms EFI’s VUTEk
LED printers 82 percent energy safe

A new recognition in green benefits is dawned as energy assessments carried out by Fogra have confirmed that EFI’s VUTEk wide-format printers with LED curing show energy reductions of up to 82 percent when compared with devices that use conventional mercury arc lamps. Even in print-ready mode, EFI’s LX printers with ‘cool curing’ LEDs are now shown to save up to 77 percent in power consumption, simply because the LEDs are off, unlike mercury arc lamps that still consume power when the machine is in idle mode between jobs.

Fogra’s comparisons with digital printers using conventional curing lamps showed that the former used 1.18kW/sq m while VUTEk GS3250LX Pro consumes only 0.22 kW/sq m.

This impressive scoring adds to the functional flexibility incorporated into EFI’s LED-curing printers, with their ability to work with thinner and more sensitive materials, as well as lower cost media.

Mimaki announces flexibility in
its eco-solvent and inkjet sublimation

Breaking on through to the difference, Mimaki’s newly introduced JV300-130/160 eco-solvent inkjet printers, are compatible with both solvent and water-based sublimation inks and provide a wide range of outdoor and indoor applications, vehicle wraps, interior decors, etc. This makes ROI and profitable development of new applications faster and easier than ever before for sign and display graphics businesses of all sizes using these printers. PSPs will appreciate the functionality and quality delivered by these innovative printers equipped with brand-new printheads and newly developed SS21 orange ink that can be used as a process colour to closely match 92 percent of the PANTONE colour chart.

Since high-speed, high-quality printing are in high demand in the current market, JV300-130 and the JV300-160 deliver outstanding speed and stunning beauty in a new global standard. These printers use reliable and patented inkjet technologies that ensure high-speed printing at up to 105.9 sq m/h by combining two newly developed staggered printheads and high-performance, quick-drying SS21 ink.

Esko opens new office in Mumbai

Esko, one of the leading global suppliers of integrated solutions for sign and displays, packaging, labels, commercial printing and publishing industries, marks a major expansion of its business in India with the opening of a new office in Mumbai. As a result of its continuous growth and strategic focus on the region, the company has opened the additional facility in the commercial capital of the country. This newly opened office will host sales and service functions for the west India region.

Active in India since 1996, Esko has formed successful and longstanding relationships with leading companies and has spent its early years focusing on developing commercial opportunities. In 2007, Esko opened its Global Resources Centre (GRC) and expanded to new premises in Bengaluru in 2009. Further in 2013, the company moved its main India office to larger premises in Bengaluru where it hosts sales and service functions and accommodates a growing team of software developers and application engineers, systems integration architects and e-support services to customers around the world.

Esko’s new supplementary facility in Mumbai will enable a better support to the local growing industry. Shrihari Rao, sales-director, Esko India leads the operation of this new facility in Mumbai as part of the company’s investment in the region, which includes recruiting local expertise and adding new talent to strengthen the teams. “A large proportion of our business in the South Asia region originates from the west of India and requires us to be closer to our customers. Our expanded footprint with the full-fledged sales and support team operating from Mumbai ensures that Esko continues to provide local presence and support to this growing market,” says Shrihari. Christian Korte, senior vice president, Esko asserts, “Through our broad array of technologies and services, Esko helps print and packaging operations to deliver cost-effective, consistent and high-quality solutions. Our growing presence in the west of India allows us to improve our service to new and existing customers.”

Staflex materials approved
for new HP Latex L 300 Series printers

As a certified development partner of Hewlett Packard (HP), Staflex has been collaborated with the machine manufacturer to develop materials ideal for HP latex technology and inks. In the latest move which the two companies carried forward towards quality enhancement and ‘green’ front, it has been announced that a range of Starflex materials have been certified for use on three new HP L300 Series printers.

The materials approved for HP L310, L330 and L360 are: Frontlit SFF-15 Heat laminated 510gsm 15Oz; Frontlit SFF-1516 Coated 510gsm 15Oz; Frontlit Blackback Discovery-2 450gsm 13Oz; Blockout 2 sides-print SCF-16 M1 curl-free 550gsm 16Oz; Blockout 2 sides-print for Roll-ups Solit-500 Scrimless; Backlit SP-15; Backlit SF-500 print or paste; and Backlit SHD-40 invisible scrim. Delhi-based Sun Sign & Technologies is authorised distributor of Starflex materials. For further details on the new development, write in at: sunsigntech@yahoo.co.in, sunsigntechnologies@gmail.com or call on: 011-47506050, 47506054

Bordeaux and Colormagic
strike worldwide distribution agreement

It did on the sidelines of the recent FESPA Digital 2014 in Munich, Bordeaux Digital Printink announced its partnership with Colormagic Ltd, one of the leading digital large-format ink manufacturers. Colormagic offers its worldwide customers high-quality ink made exclusively to their own R&D specifications for a wide variety of printers owned by Colormagic’s dealers, distributors and end user customers. Colormagic has formed the partnership with Bordeaux to expand its range of solvent and UV Curable inks.

Both the companies share knowledge and experience in the wide-format digital printing market which is valuable for all customers of Colormagic and Bordeaux seeking high-quality ink solutions. This is a vote of confidence in Bordeaux’s products by a leading ink supplier, such as Colormagic.

MACtac films cheer team Belgium for FIFA World Cup 2014

Signage players played vital roles in cheering for the FIFA World Cup 2014. Belgian signage company Dynagraph cheered for team Belgium by wrapping the top sphere of Atomium Building in Brussels with 600 sq m of MACtac’s MACal 8900 Pro self-adhesive films. Situated at 100 m above the ground, the 18 m diameter sphere looked like an enormous football in the colours of the Belgian national flag, visible from some distance. For this highly challenging work, Dynagraph went through a team of experienced climbers who achieved the application of the MACtac self-adhesive film at a height.

Arlon’s Ultimate PremiumPlus awarded

Ultimate PremiumPlus, one of the high-grade medias from Arlon Graphics, was awarded ‘Best New Product’ at the recent SEGD 2014 NEXPO Conference in Atlanta. The company featured an array of products for both interior and exterior applications including restyling, textured, translucent and etched glass films as well as FlexFace during the expo. While each product on display offered something unique to the signage and design world, Ultimate PremiumPlus turned heads by offering an alternative to high-cost finishes.

Ultimate PremiumPlus is an adhesive backed film designed to decorate retail and corporate environments with perfect consistency across multiple locations. This media line boasts an unprecedented colour selection including new colours and finishes that are unattainable with paint. In addition to the exceptional colour selection guide, Ultimate PremiumPlus offers unique texture alternatives as well. These finishes allow for high-end appearances to be made possible and cost effective. Ultimate PremiumPlus is digitally printable and applicable to curves, formed surfaces, and other various substrates. Kevin Rourke, business development manager, Arlon Graphics mentioned that Ultimate PremiumPlus is product of the future.

Sawgrass celebrates
FIFA World Cup 2014 with offers

Since football fever swept the globe as FIFA World Cup 2014 kicked-off in Brazil, celebrations for the world’s biggest sporting event had been taking place all around including the signage industry where Sawgrass Technologies offered exclusive savings up to $320 on its SubliJet-E, SubliJet-R and ChromaBlast-R printing solutions through July 18. Buyers in the country that wins the tournament get double the savings – up to $640.