The Print Show 2016
Once more gracing the halls of The NEC, The Print Show, 11 to 13 October, proved a busy event. Derek Pearson reports.
There were a lot of people heading for the NEC. Slow moving queues of traffic leading to the venue’s car parks caused impressive tailbacks and hold-ups on the M42. The endless lines of caravans and motor homes gave a strong indication that not every motorist was heading for the Print Show. A good number were bound for The Caravan and Motorcycle show which was on at the same time, as was the Care for Dementia exhibition. This latter caused the NEC’s bus drivers to call out “Print and Dementia” to their passengers − a new one on me but it seemed quite apt after the achingly slow trundle from the motorway.
The aisles of the show were busy enough. Exhibitors I spoke to were very pleased with both the number and quality of visitors. It would be impossible to cover every exhibitor at the show, to find out more visit http://www.theprintshow.co.uk/
Highlights included:
Noted sign materials distributor Spandex boasted one of the largest stands in hall 3a, on which visitors could see demonstrations using a wide range of vehicle wrapping films from 3M including the non-PVC Envision Print Wrap 480 films and the Series 1080.
Spandex also showcased products from its portfolio of brands including Avery Dennison, 3M, Orafol, ImagePerfect, Arlon, Epson, HP, Roland, swissQprint, Mutoh, Rollsroller and many others.
Making its debut in the UK was swissQprint’s Impala 2 UV inkjet printer. SwissQprint’s modular flatbed systems allow customers to ‘build’ their machine to their specific business needs, such as nine freely configurable colour channels, varnish, etc.
Another first for the UK was the new Roll-X multipurpose applicator by Rollsroller. It comes in two models with three different sizes and offers a “unique” set of features including metal side lines for trimming, adjustable and removable side trays, height adjustment and self-healing cutting mat.
For more information call 080077 26 33.
Motorbase Performance unveiled its new livery design for Mat Jackson’s #7 Ford Focus ST at Silverstone ahead of the penultimate round of the 2016 BTCC. A first-ever for the BTCC grid; the custom-made wrap was printed on the new OKI Color Painter wide-format printer and covers the entire Motorbase Focus ST.
The eye-catching new design and sponsorship of the team forms the focal point of the company’s up-coming ‘Print My Ride’ competition, which was announced during the Show, which will offer budding artists and experienced creatives alike the opportunity to design a car wrap fit for the racetrack.
The ‘Print My Ride’ competition closes on 31st March 2017. Entrants are invited to upload their artwork to the dedicated website, www.okiprintmyride.com, and apply it to a virtual car—rotating a 3D view to experience it from all angles before submitting online showroom photos to be judged by an expert panel.
Winners will be chosen from six categories: ‘Overall design winner’, ‘Best overall visual design based on use of colour and style’, ‘Best use of the OKI ColorPainter capabilities based on technical application’, ‘Best professional creative design’, ‘Best design from an educational establishment’, and ‘Wild card’, which will be given to the wrap that garners the most attention on social media.
Winning designers will each receive prizes for their contributions: a 1:18 scale-model car wrapped in their artwork and an all-expenses-paid VIP trip for two to a Dunlop MSA British Touring Car Championship event.
For more information on the Oki range email Andrew.Hall@okieurope.co.uk
Colourful Oompa Loompas turned heads as they walked the hall handing out Golden Tickets for visitors to claim 10% off the prices from Belfast and Liverpool-based Quinn's, said to be one of the UK and Ireland's fastest growing commercial printers. Adopting a modern business approach to printing, Quinn’s says it has stream-lined its production and supply-chain “to ensure the delivery of high quality printing at very competitive prices”.
Its claimed goal is to offer a superior service combining quality printing practices and on-time shipments at extremely competitive prices, including, “Commitment to our clients, innovative thinking and meeting deadlines”.
For more information, visit http://www.quinnstheprinters.com/ or email quotes@quinnstheprinters.com.
Another Golden Ticket, this time for a prize draw, meant Epson has once again donated a Sure Color T5200 large-format printer as the star prize. In 2015 other prizes included £1500 of Virgin holiday vouchers, Pentax cameras, and Pantone colour sets, and this year there is another £1500 worth of holiday vouchers to be won, as well as a selection of luxury hampers.
Phil McMullin, sales manager for professional graphics, Epson UK, said, “We are delighted to be partnering Colourbyte at the show again this year and to donate to the Golden Ticket Prize Draw. The Sure Color SC-T5200 is a cracking prize and we’re looking forward to presenting the printer to the lucky winner.”
For more information email Info@colourbyte.co.uk.
Showcasing the high-value print products that can be created using materials from the likes of DECAL and Intercoat, Soyang hopes to help traditional print companies understand how to diversify without being bogged down in high-volume and margin-poor work.
Sales director Andrew Simmons explains, “There are lots of commercial printers out there who are making the move into wide-format hardware investment, and we want to help them get the most out of it with the right materials to extend their current revenue streams.
“Our knowledgeable team was on hand throughout the show to chat to visitors about all our printable materials and help them find the right solution.”
For more information email Sales@soyang.co.uk.
Returning to the Print Show for a second year, printMAX focused on promoting the Mimaki product range with an array of technology on display.
With wide format Mimaki hardware on the stand, printMAX demonstrated the broad range of applications that are capable of being produced with the equipment.
Managing Director Michael Bolton opined, “Mimaki’s CJV150 solvent printer/cutters are an ideal investment for commercial printers looking at moving into wide format, thanks to their ability to print to such a comprehensive range of materials.”
PrintMAX also demonstrated Mimaki’s small format LED UV flatbeds, including the multi-award winning UJF Series, both on its stand – and in the Printers’ Bazaar; the Print Show’s application area.
The Mimaki UJF Series includes A3 and A2 format flatbed printers which, thanks to a combination of vibrant process colours, opaque white and even clear inks, can print to rigid products such as plastic, metal and acrylic; allowing items to be imprinted or branded; adding value through design and decoration.
For more information email info@printmax.co.uk.
The slogan was ‘Power To The Printers’ on the Antalis stand as it displayed its latest innovations across both large and small formats, including:
Drytac easy application printable films. As Antalis is Drytac’s exclusive UK distributor, products such as SpotOn film, ViziPrint Illuminate and FloorTac, plus the recently launched ReTac Textures film for textured graphics applications took centre stage.
Also on show, Xerox Premium NeverTear is a matt white polyester film that can be printed using colour and mono laser printers. Tested and approved for high quality digital printing, NeverTear is specially designed for frequently handled documents and outdoor applications, is both water and tear resistant and the matt finish gives outstanding image quality, as well as high opacity and whiteness.
Arjowiggins Digital range. Brand new from Arjowiggins, this colourful range of papers has been specially adapted for digital printing, be it the special ready-to-use digital sheet formats for both liquid and dry toner presses or Mohawk's i-Tone treatment in the entire Liquid Toner range, said to guarantee impressive print results. There’s no shelf life, meaning that products will not yellow and these papers are also available in small packs adapted to short-run digital printing.
Coala wallcoverings. Coala’s range of paper backed wallcoverings is available in a variety of creative embossings and textures, is rot and mildew resistant, Solvent, latex and UV inkjet compatible and can be cleaned with soap and water alone.
Visitors to the Antalis stand could enter a prize draw to win £1,000 worth of Digital Academy training at the company’s centre of excellence for digital printing and technology.
For more information, visit www.antalis.co.uk.
For the first time in the UK, Intec showcased the finishing effects achievable on its ColorFlare unit using a range of lamination films, spot gloss films and special effect ‘flaring’ foils. Coupled with the ColorSplash colour digital printer, ColorFlare can foil flare directly onto printed toner as well as lamination films to create ‘extra special effects’. It will also work with any of the market’s major printer brands.
“The ColorFlare is a must-have system for digital printers wanting to add value to their print offering’ says Ian Melville, Managing Director at Intec Printing Solutions. “This device provides users with the ability to produce stunning finishes to their print, creating a wide reaching profit potential for commercial printers by opening new income earning streams.”
Intec also launched its new ColorCut 500 at the show, which can produce an SRA3/tabloid extra sheet of labels in 30-40 seconds, depending on label complexity. This enables users to produce between 10-1,000 sheets per day offering a quick turnaround of sheet labels.
Mark Baker-Homes, director of product development, said, “It’s the perfect complement to your digital colour printer, offering automatic cut sheet labels, custom greeting cards and prototype packaging.”
For more information about the Intec range email sales@intecprinters.com.
