Ink

Bordeaux Digital PrintInk will present its diversified portfolio of ink solutions on SuperLink's stand at Fespa Digital Asia, taking place at SUNTEC, Singapore, from 25 to 28 October, 2011. SuperLink will be located on stand E15.

Displayed at the show will be a comprehensive range of quality and innovative inks for the wide and super-wide format digital graphics industry compatible with Mimaki, Roland, Mutoh, HP and Seiko printers. These solutions, available in bulk, cartridges and bags, are suitable for most applications and the majority of piezo electric printheads currently present on the market.

"Bordeaux's high-quality ink and vast experience have enabled us to gain an impressive market share in most continents around the world. Via our partners and OEM agreements, we offer high-quality, highly competitive value-added products to our customers on a global basis," said Dror Mualem, VP Sales Bordeaux Digital PrintInk. "Bordeaux's solutions, produced  using the latest milling and blending equipment to ensure consistent high-quality ink, will give customers excellent performance unlike, many of its competitors in Asia."

Bordeaux's Mix & Match solutions, such as the popular Eco Solvent PENR will be demonstrated at Fespa. The company's Mix & Match inks were developed to minimise waste and save money and time by enabling seamless changeover from original ink and eliminating the need to dispose of remaining OEM inks or create new ICC profiles. UV and UV LED inks will also be demonstrated at the show.

INX Digital International has announced an agreement to partner with preferred vendor Advantage Sign Supply and supply its TRIANGLE EDX inks for Sign-A-Rama franchisees with Roland printers.  The deal was announced in INX Digital’s booth at SGIA 2011 in New Orleans.

Both Advantage Sign Supply and Sign-A-Rama have been in business for over 20 years.  Based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, Advantage Sign Supply is known for its specialised service and national coverage to the sign and graphics industry.  With over 90 employees and 10 regional facilities, it provides equipment, supplies, software and computer systems.  Sign-A-Rama is the world’s largest sign franchise with over 800 locations in 50 countries.  The company offers a broad range of services for businesses from full production to design and digital printing, and its franchisees produce signs, banners, vehicle wraps and decals, among other products.

Since INX Digital introduced the environmentally conscious EDX inks in 2010, company President Ken Kisner says the marketplace has responded very positively and presents an ideal solution for specialty imagers.

“We are very pleased to announce this dealer agreement with Advantage Sign Supply,” Kisner said. “The North American marketplace is looking for more green initiative products like EDX because they are safer to use and better for the environment.  I’m confident that it’s the right product and the right time.  Advantage Sign Supply is a terrific and innovative partner. Our hope is that Sign-A-Rama franchisees agree EDX is the right solution for them.”

“Advantage Sign Supply is thrilled to be able to bring the Triangle ink solution to all Sign-A-Rama franchisees.  The ability to hot swap cartridges from OEM inks to EDX and not see any change except in cost savings is a powerful solution for all Sign-A-Rama locations,” said Javier Mahmoud, Advantage Sign Supply National Accounts Manager.

Sign-A-Rama corporate evaluates and tests inks through R&D and in-field testing. Many franchisees are looking to consider alternative inks as an option in their locations. The test results are available to their franchise owners on their private on-line intranet.
 
The debut of EDX nearly a year ago marked the first time INX Digital’s TRIANGLE brand offered a colour and chemically compatible ECO product for the alternative market.   EDX is a fast drying ink with low odour and can be seen in action in booth #733 at SGIA.  It offers significant cost savings compared to Roland Soljet series printers ECO inks.  When compared to OEM wide format inks, EDX typically represents a 30-50 percent savings.

[photo shows Javier Mahmoud, Advantage Sign Supply National Accounts Manager; Ken Kisner, President of INX Digital International; Jim Tatem, President of Sign-A-Rama; and Chip Vielhauer, INX Digital International North American Partner Sales Manager.]

Colorific, the high quality alternative ink provider, has announced the signing of Tokyo-based Rustech as a reseller for its leading range of inks in Japan.  The deal was signed at the International Graphics Art Show (IGAS) 2011 in Tokyo, which has just wrapped up.

Colorific’s high quality alternative inks are fully tested and proven in the field and have a track record of reliable and trouble-free performance.  Colorific offers an alternative ink solution for every type of wide format printer and for every application.  These inks are more cost-effective than OEM inks, yet there is no differentiation in the quality of output.

On the appointment, Rustech’s business manager Naozumi Hibi comments, “Customers in Japan are looking for choice and want access to high quality alternative inks.  Colorific ink is one of the first brands of alternative ink that printers can switch to and remain confident that they can still achieve the print quality their customers have grown to expect.”

Shaun Holdom, Business Development Manager at Colorific adds, “The Japanese market is where the vast majority of printing equipment and supplies originate.  The demand for print quality is very high as customers need to be able to create top quality output, yet they also want value for money.  With its wide range of cost-effective, high quality inks, Colorific is ideally positioned to meet these requirements.”

He concludes, "We take great pride in being accepted as a credible supplier in the modern day home of inkjet - a country where print quality is absolutely the critical factor."

Colorific will also be demonstrating their products and talking to potential distributors and customers at all of the forthcoming Viscom events:

• Viscom-Sign in Madrid, October 6-8.  See Colorific at Hall 8 stand E041
  
  
• Viscom Europe in Dusseldorf, October 13-15. See Colorific at Hall 8B stand E83
  
• Viscom Italia in Milan, November 3-5. See Colorific at Hall 1 stand G02

Further information on Colorific 'Best in Class' alternative inks can be found at www.colorificink.com

Colorific has announced that Australian-based iMedia is the second PaperlinX company to take on its range of high quality alternative inks.  The deal was signed at the Visual Impact Image Expo at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre where both companies are currently exhibiting.

Founded in 1992 and acquired by PaperlinX in 2007, iMedia is a supplier of hardware, software, media, inks and consumables to the architectural, engineering and large format copier markets as well as the higher quality inkjet market for point of sale, display, signage and proofing.

The successful signing of iMedia as a distributor follows the announcement in June 2011 that PaperlinX’s Robert Horne Group had adopted the Colorific ProMax inks for Roland in the UK & Ireland. 

Chris Lewis-Williams, Group iMedia Manager, at iMedia, comments, “Colorific’s range of alternative inks is a natural fit for iMedia.  Our customers are always looking for ways to reduce their costs and improve profits and switching to high quality alternative inks is a great way of doing so.”

Shaun Holdom, Business Manager for Colorific, adds, “It’s great to welcome iMedia on board as the Australian distributor for our inks.  We are able to offer a high quality alternative ink to suit every requirement - regardless of printer and application.  All our inks are fully tested and proven in the field and have a track record of reliable and trouble-free performance.  As a result, we are the fastest-growing alternative ink brand in the UK and we want to replicate this success across the globe.”

Holdom concludes, “Our business case is compelling.  Once customers have seamlessly switched to our inks, they are sticking with them because they profit from the significant savings that can be made – up to 50% in some cases – without compromising the quality of output.”

International expansion continues

In a bid to continue the expansion of its distribution channels with like-minded, professional businesses worldwide, Colorific has also announced that it is about to embark on an ambitious ‘world tour’ of major trade events over the coming months.  These include:

• International Graphics Art Show (IGAS) in Tokyo, Japan, 16th to 21st September 2011
• Viscom Spain, 6th to 8th October 2011
• Viscom Germany, 13th to 15th October 2011
• Viscom  Italy, 3rd to 5th November 2011
• Sign and Graphic Imaging Middle East, Dubai, 31st January to 2nd February 2012
• Sign & Digital UK, 27th to 29th March 2012

Potential partner companies interested in meeting with Colorific at these events should contact Shaun Holdom on shaun.holdom@colorificink.com

For more information about Colorific and its range of ink solutions, please visit www.colorificink.com 

We suggested in our August 3rd article Big Hitters in the Ink Market, that the time was coming when we would see some of these bigger ink players entering the digital print arena...

Van Son Holland Ink Corporation today announced it is launching a new line of Premium Wide Format Ink jet inks for Epson, Mimaki, Mutoh and Roland printers. Van Son will introduce its new line of inks at Graph Expo 2011 being held at McCormick Place in Chicago on Sept. 11-14. Van Son developed its new line of Premium Wide Format Ink jet inks in response to the growing wide format inkjet market demand for an efficient alternative to major printer manufacturer’s inks.

With a well-respected reputation for manufacturing inks with incredible print quality and colour brilliance, Van Son’s cost-effective wide format inkjet inks improve wide format printing performance by offering better adhesion on a wide range of substrates. Offered in both easy-to-use cartridges and economical bulk packaging, the product line includes:

• Real Solvent inks designed for Mimaki JV3, JV33 and JV5 printers. These inks have a strong outdoor durability, are extremely fast drying, and have increased print head durability.
• Eco Solvent ink for improving printing performance with better adhesion on substrates including flex, PVC, and vinyl. The Eco Solvent inks to do not emit harmful VOCs, eliminating the need for forced ventilation.
• Pigment and Dye inks were created for Epson Piezo Head printers. With excellent print performance on a wide variety of media, the inks provide highly intense colour with a wide colour gamut, strong head durability, and enhanced fade resistance.
• Power Chrome Pigment inks that increase the density levels to optimize compatibility on most media types and is engineered to produce incredible print quality and colour brilliance equivalent to dye based inks.
• Dye Sublimination inks that can be used with direct printing on fabrics without the need for intermediary heat transfer paper. With a particle size less than 100 nm there is virtually no possibility of head clogging.

“We are very excited to bring to market an ink that will serve the wide format printers and the graphic arts industry.” said Joseph Bendowski, CEO of Van Son Holland Ink Corporation of America. “As companies invest in new technologies, our wide format inks will increase pressroom efficiencies as well as provide an answer to environmental concerns that are so important to the industry today.”

Xennia Technology, the world’s leading industrial inkjet solutions provider, announces today the appointment of Mr Laurie Geldenhuys, as Commercial Director, responsible for growing Xennia’s global business.

Dr Alan Hudd, Xennia’s Managing Director, comments: “Xennia has many years of knowledge and experience in developing inkjet inks for a variety of important applications. With this game-changing appointment we are driving the commercialisation of our existing developments, making ink central to our business.”

Xennia has a state-of-the-art high capacity ink manufacturing facility complete with the latest technology and equipment after a significant financial investment fully supported by Xennia’s parent company, TenCate. Xennia sells a range of XenInx high performance inks for a number of applications including textiles, ceramics, graphics, glass and industrial product decoration.

Mr Geldenhuys, formerly Global Business Director of SunJet, the digital division of Sun Chemical, collectively has many years’ experience in the Paint, Coatings and Inks industries. Whilst at SunJet, Mr Geldenhuys achieved dynamic growth at the OEM level on a global basis in graphics, coding & marking, labels, industrial decoration, edible inks and other applications across solvent, aqueous, oil and UV ink chemistries.

“In my new role, the primary goal is to make Xennia the ink supplier of choice to OEM customers across a range of key applications including textiles, ceramics, labels, packaging and graphics,” said Mr Geldenhuys. “I look forward to working with Xennia’s highly experienced and knowledgeable team to fully commercialise a number of significant existing ink development projects and take Xennia’s ink business to the next level.”