Consumables

Sawgrass Technologies Consumer Division has joined forces with Econscious to showcase a whole green-product solution at the ISS tradeshow in Long Beach, CA. Sawgrass’ SubliJet technology was used to decorate hundreds of Econscious reusable tote bags made from recycled polyester. The result is a beautiful and affordable tote, with vivid and durable images, with a very low environmental footprint.

"It is a win-win situation, both for our companies and the environment," said Mike McEvoy, vice president of marketing for Sawgrass Technologies. “Recycled polyester is far less energy-intensive than virgin polyester, and diverts waste from the landfill. In turn, the water-based SubliJet sublimation ink eliminates the use of screens and associate chemicals."

 

 

New Triangle aqueous inks from INX Digital International Co. for HP 5000 and 5500 series printers are now available throughout North America. The T81 dye inks and T83 UV pigmented inks are chemically compatible with OEM options and can extend printhead life up to twice as long compared to other non-OEM alternatives.

"These new inks are colour compatible with OEM options," said Ken Kisner, president, INX Digital Americas. "They can be run using existing HP OEM ink profiles and no additional work is needed. Users can easily save 20 percent or more on our T81 and T83 inks compared to OEM."

Karla Witte, marketing director - aftermarket products, INX Digital, said chip technology for the cartridges is developed and manufactured in the USA. In addition to being 100 percent colour compatible, the T81 and T83 inks also are chemically compatible with OEM options and will help extend the life cycle of printheads.

"The new inks come in 680 ml remanufactured direct replacement cartridges for the HP81 dye and HP83 pigmented inks," said Witte. "Users can add new colours as needed, one by one, without having to flush lines or throw away unused ink. These new colours can be run simultaneously with HP's printers."

Witte said HP 5000 and 5500 users can count on comparable-to-OEM printhead life with the T81 and T83 inks and up to double the life when compared to other non-OEM options. She noted the new inks not only match, but exceed OEM print quality in some cases.

 

"The T81, for example, has a very jet black and provides truer blacks and grays. Unlike many other OEM-alternative offerings, the new Triangle formulations are micro-porous approved. They dry instantly and work well on micro-porous materials," said Witte.

"Saving 20 percent or more while running our colour compatible alternative inks will give HP 5000 and 5500 users a timely advantage," said Kisner. "We anticipate introducing more advanced options, such as ink sets designed for the HP Z6100, sometime later this year."

 

 

Gerber Scientific Products has announced the immediate release of its new White Security Label Stock, an EDGE READY product. Gerber Scientific Products is committed to expanding its label stock product line with new options that are tested by our material qualification process and function seamlessly with its Gerber EDGE FX thermal transfer printing system.

After many customer requests, the company has developed the new White Security Label Stock in both 15-inch by 10-yard and 15-inch by 50-yard sizes.

This 2-mil white polyester film is used in the production of identification markings with tamper-evident protection. Once the Gerber White Security Label Stock is applied, it cannot be removed without leaving a "VOID" pattern. If removal is attempted, the "VOID" pattern will be left behind and the label cannot be reapplied.

New Plus products improve printable output quality, durability and cost-effectiveness

Spandex, the pioneering one-stop supplier of complete and innovative solutions to the digital printing and sign making industries worldwide, has announced further additions to its popular ImagePerfect™ range of materials with two new white gloss polymeric vinyl media.

Both the IP 2503 Plus and the IP 2503PA Plus (PerfectApply) deliver increased benefits to sign makers and digital printers in terms of printable output quality, durability and cost-effectiveness. Expanding the range of opportunities across indoor and outdoor signage applications, the two new ImagePerfect materials have been engineered for digital printing on large-format inkjets and are compatible with all eco-solvent, solvent and UV-cured inks.

“Our new IP 2503 Plus products represent a genuine milestone in printable polymerics”, says Roland Keller, Executive Product Director, Spandex. “The creation of advanced new print profiles assures users dramatically increased improvements in density and ink-limit on the new materials, the result of which is never-before-seen levels of colour gamut that will astound customers.”

 

IP 2503 Plus White Gloss Polymeric Vinyl

Spandex’s new 70μ white gloss IP 2503 Plus incorporates a permanent solvent-based adhesive and delivers a quantum leap in terms of the output quality achieved by ImagePerfect printable polymeric vinyls. This enables users to create a plethora of stunning and vibrant indoor and outdoor projects that include markings and decorations, and vehicle graphics.

IP 2503 Plus also features specific polymeric, non-migrating plasticisers and UV stabilisers, which ensure long-term outdoor durability in temperature ranges from -30°C to +90°C. In addition, the product benefits from an aesthetic face-lift via the incorporation of a super-white liner, which offers the added benefit of ensuring increased layflat. The product is also available with an IP 2810-101, IP 2810-200 or ImagePerfect™ water-based liquid laminate offering UV protection.

 

IP 2503PA Plus White Gloss Polymeric Vinyl

Spandex’s IP 2503PA Plus polymeric vinyl delivers all the benefits of the IP 2503 Plus variant, while also offering the recently introduced PerfectApply bubble-free technology to facilitate application. Thanks to the inclusion of an innovative air-egress adhesive system that utilises embossing patterns on the release liner, users achieve an ultra-smooth print surface that eradicates bubbles and wrinkles during vinyl applications. The result is vibrant, high-quality printed graphics at any viewing distance.

IP 2503PA Plus also incorporates a state-of-the-art film and liner combination that affords much greater levels of printed output than is the case with the original IP 2503PA product.

The ImagePerfect™ range of Signage and Digital materials is distributed in Europe exclusively by Spandex. For more information please visit www.spandex.com

Answering its customers’ clear calls for more environmentally-friendly display systems, Eurostand Display has wasted no time in expanding its already wide product range to satisfy this demand.

The Essex-based trade-only display specialist has launched its Planet range to provide what the company says is a greener alternative to conventional display systems. The range is a high-quality portfolio of roll-ups, tension banner and literature display stands built to exacting standards using only renewable, high quality bamboo.

Eurostand Display’s National Account Manager Sam Mooney works closely with his trade clients and says he has heard the voice of the green consumer growing ever-louder in recent months.

‘There’s definitely been an increase in the number of people consciously and deliberately seeking out ethical options when making their consumer choices,’ he says. ‘With our Planet range, people get enormous satisfaction from being given the opportunity to choose products that align with their own ethical values.’

With the great majority of display products manufactured from materials such as aluminium, systems crafted from natural, renewable and recyclable materials are increasingly desirable as alternatives. Having long been recognised as an excellent manufacturing material in Asia, the enormous benefits of bamboo are now being realised globally.

The entire lifecycle of products in the Planet range is positive, says Mooney: ‘Sure, it is about producing products made from materials that come from sustainable sources. But it is also important that when the products reach the end of their useful life, they are recyclable and, ultimately, biodegradable.’

Bamboo crops are entirely sustainable and, unlike traditional hardwood, can be harvested every year without destroying forestry. The plant’s shoots grow to maturity in only 4-6 years and so, as a crop, it is endlessly renewable.

Products within the Planet range are also protected with an eco-friendly lacquer coating to further enhance their natural look and feel. This coating has also passed rigorous testing under the REACh (Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals) regulations – the latest European Community regulation on chemicals and their safe use.

‘Properly-treated bamboo is ideal for display products as it doesn’t swell, shrink or mark in the manner of hardwood,’ says Mooney. ‘It is also lightweight, durable and elegant. Plus, like all Eurostand Display’s products, our Planet range comes with a five-year guarantee.’

www.eurostanddisplay.com

 

Neschen has announced the availability of five digital print media certified by HP as suitable for use with the latter’s recently-announced latex inks.  Two are self-adhesive vinyl substrates and three are digital wallpapers.

Sarah Janes, managing director of Neschen UK, told us “We worked in close collaboration with HP to develop these print media so we know that not only do they provide high quality finished output, but also they offer versatility in applications.”

Used together with the HP Designjet L65500, printers can produce displays for POP, exhibitions and vehicle graphics even street and building advertising not to mention commercial and domestic interiors with Neschen media.

The self-adhesive ‘solvoprint’ vinyls are available in 80 and 100 microns thicknesses in white with either a glossy or matt finish.  They have a permanent adhesive and an M1 fire rating.

The digital wallpapers are available in three grades.  The 295g/m2 ‘solvoprint P’ is a PVC coated paper in a choice of five embossed/textured finishes.  It has excellent print qualities, is scratch-resistant and comes with a B1 fire certification.

The heavier Solvoprint NW is a 475g/m2 non-woven fleece which makes it easier to remove from walls when no longer required.  It, too, offers excellent print quality, scratch-resistance, a B1 fire rating and is available in four textures.

Also available is an ERFURT wallpaper of approximately 200g/m2.  It is finished with a Color Alliance-certified* inkjet coating applied to a non-PVC, 100 per cent non-woven base in a choice of four textures.  As supplied it is fire rated according to DIN 4102-B1.

* The Color Alliance coating, developed by Neschen, provides much better colour properties on digital printed media.  As a result, a lot less ink is applied by inkjet printers to produce the same colour density.  Alternatively, when using the same amount of ink as previously, the colours will look even more brilliant:  the colours appear to have more depth and intensity and therefore cover a much greater colour space.

Worldwide, Neschen supplies printable, coated and enhanced sheet media, such as plastic and paper foils, but also textiles for printing service providers.  Photographers, interior designers, advertising agencies, architects and others can all draw on a vast product portfolio for any application. The German coating specialist is particularly well known for its jumbo-size media for large format printing.