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FESPA 2025 Feature Programme Confirmed: Both new and return…

FESPA Global Print Expo 2025 is set to introduce its newest editions to its feature programme, SmartHub and the ESE Pavilion, as well as welcome the return of existing features: the 2025 FESPA Awards; the high-adrenaline World Wrap Masters competition; and the Club FESPA Lounge. Running alongside the 2025 events (FESPA Global Print Expo, European Sign Expo and Personalisation Experience), from 6 – 9 May, at the Messe Berlin, Germany, each event will provide an insight into its dedicated vertical market. SmartHub Located within Personalisation Experience (Hall 5.2, Stand A55), SmartHub will comprise of an exhibition space and a series of expert-led conference sessions. Visitors can also participate in the SmartHub’s Smart Factory Trail to see intelligent manufacturing and on-demand technology for production. The Smart Factory Trail will enable visitors to gain insights on the importance of reducing waste and increasing operational efficiency, while leveraging the benefits of the latest digital production methods. Confirmed Smart Factory Trail partners to date include: Antigro Designer, Inkcups, Mimaki, Neolt, Polyprint and Trotec. Conference programme The SmartHub Conference will take place across the first three days of the event and will offer educational and actionable advice to visitors about the value of personalisation. Confirmed speakers for this year’s programme include: Deborah Corn, Print Ambassador, Print Media Centr and Executive Director, Girls Who Print; Kerry Sanders, Vice President of Marketing & New Business Development, EFI; Richard Askam, Co-Founder & COO, You Are The Star Books; and Gemma Mitchell, Managing Director, Paragon Dagenham. ESE Pavillion The co-located European Sign Expo event will introduce its new Pavillion area, focusing on emerging members of the signage industry. This space will be illuminated by the vibrant products showcased by participating exhibitors, adopting the format of a lively high street. The Pavilion will feature cutting-edge technologies across digital signage, LED and software. Confirmed participants include Fast Digital Publicate, Polarstar and Verbax. FESPA Awards FESPA’s Berlin events will welcome the return of the FESPA Awards, dedicated to celebrating excellence and creativity across 18 different categories, including print, signage, special effects, textile and garment printing, vehicle wrapping, packaging and more. This year’s shortlisted entries will be on display throughout the duration of the exhibition. The winners will then be announced by our panel of expert judges – Debbie McKeegan, Jacek Stencel, Graeme Richardson-Locke and Simon Pless – in the official awards ceremony on Wednesday 7th May. World Wrap Masters The high adrenaline World Wrap Masters European competition and the World Wrap Masters final are also set to return for 2025. On the first two days of the event, regional competitors will go head-to-head in a series of timed rounds, wrapping both vehicles and surprise objects, in the hopes of progressing to the all-important final on days three and four. Visitors to the feature can also attend a series of live demonstrations hosted by guest trainers and judges Kiss Lajos, Justin Pate, Ole Solskin Ravn, Ivan Tenchev and Jeremy Conner. This year’s feature will run in partnership with Print Partner: Epson; Product Partners: CARLAS TPU ColorPPF, Arlon Graphics and 3M; and Support Partners: Wrapstock, The Wrap Institute and PROTOKONA Tools. Head of FESPA Global Print Expo, Michael Ryan, comments: “Our features provide our visitors with an opportunity to delve beneath the surface of imminent trends and challenges within the speciality print and signage industries. Our new SmartHub feature – which includes the Smart Factory and conference line-up – will encourage Visionaries from across the print industry to enhance their knowledge on intelligent manufacturing.” He continues: “I am delighted to welcome back World Wrap Masters and the FESPA Awards, both a true celebration of talent and excellence across an array of vertical markets. Additionally, the conference programme will give visitors even more of an opportunity to learn, network and maximise their business growth – which is what FESPA is all about. We’re thrilled to be back in Berlin and cannot wait to become the ultimate meeting point for Visionaries across and beyond print, signage and personalisation, this May!” For further information about the feature programme, visit: https://www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/whats-on To register for FESPA Global Print Expo 2025, and the co-located European Sign Expo and Personalisation Experience, visit: https://www.fespaglobalprintexpo.com/. If you register before 8 April, using code FESM431, you can purchase your ticket at the early bird rate of €50.

FESPA 2025 Feature Programme Confirmed: Both new and return…

SGI Dubai 2023 invites exhibitors from across the globe to showcase l…

The printing and signage industry has seen rapid growth in the Middle East and Africa region over the past decade, driven by a booming population and expanding economies. As the region continues to develop, the demand for high quality printing and signage services is only set to increase. Exhibitors can reach out to the SGI Dubai team by writing to sgidubai@iecdubai.com for booking their strategicbooths. The 26th edition of the leading B2B exhibition is packed with innovative products and solutions. Sharif Rahman, CEO, IEC, the organisers of the SGI Dubai show, stated that, “One of the main drivers of growth in the printing and signage industry in the Middle East and Africa is the rapid urbanization of the region. With more and more people moving to cities and the demand for infrastructure and services growing, there has been a surge in construction projects, retail spaces, and hospitality establishments. All of these require high-quality signage and printing services to attract customers and create a strong brand image.” “Moreover, the rise of e-commerce and digital marketing has also led to an increase in demand for printing and signage services. As businesses look to differentiate themselves from competitors, they are increasingly turning to unique and innovative signage and branding solutions. This has led to a proliferation of printing and signagecompanies, offering a wide range of services, from large-format printing to digital signage and vehicle branding,” added Rahman The printing and signage industry in the Middle East and Africa is highly competitive, with a large number of companies operating in the region. However, there are a few key players that dominate the market, offering a range of high-quality services to businesses and consumers alike. SGI Dubai, the leading trade show for printing and signage industries has always been known to have attracted local, regional and international, trade visitors each year. In the last edition, the show had attracted serious buyers and trade visitors from close to 100 plus countries touching almost all the continents across the globe. Furthermore, according to a recent report from Smithers, the print equipment market is forecast to reach a value of $15.75 billion by 2026, despite the impact of the pandemic. As the region continues to develop and urbanize, the demand for high-quality printing and signage services is only set to increase. Moreover, as businesses continue to look for new and innovative ways to differentiate themselves from competitors, the need for unique and creative signage and branding solutions is only set to grow. The SGI Dubai show categories include, large format printing, signage products & accessories, textile printers, labeling machines, metal cutting & engraving equipment, LED displays, digital display technologies, screen printing machines, fabrication, ink, software, and media. In addition, SGI Dubai 2023will also focus on emerging technologies such as, artificial intelligence technologies, robotics and 3D printing. Global multinational brands from several countries including the USA, South Korea, China, UAE, India, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan werepresent at thelast edition of the show with some of their stateof-the-art products and solutions. The show aims to build the future of the printing and signage industries by connecting the global industry stakeholders once again on a solid and curated B2B platform. The show is scheduled to take place on 18, 19, 20 September2023 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. During the show, exhibitors from across the globe will head to SGI Dubai to showcase their latest products and innovative solutions in a live and in-person show. SGI Dubai showsin the pastindicate that majority of the visitors to the event are Tier 1 decision makers such as CEOs and owners and Tier 2 decision influencers such as production, marketing, and technical managers. Over the years SGI Dubai has provided the best return on investment to both exhibitors and visitors. Furthermore, another encouraging fact is that close to 39% of the trade visitors placed direct orders with the exhibitors during the show. SGI Dubai is the region’s largest trade exhibition for sign-makers, print production houses, gift & promotion companies, media agencies, mall owners, car wrapping industry, real-estate developers, hospitality and tourism industries, 3D printing industry, architects, brand and image consultants among other stakeholders in the printing, signage, and imaging industries. “The printing and signage industry in the Middle East and Africa is a rapidly growing and highly competitive market, driven by the region's rapid urbanization and economic growth. The Middle East and Africa region has many opportunities for growth and expansion, as businesses continue to demand high-quality printing and signage services to help them stand out in a crowded marketplace. As such, the printing and signage industry in the Middle East and Africa is set to remain a key driver of economic growth and development in the region for years to come,” concluded Rahman.

Editor in News March 14, 2023

How to implement automation in printing operations

It is becoming necessary in printing operations to automate as much as possible to gain efficiencies. But before you begin your planning processes, look at your current state to ensure that you understand how works happen today. Kodak, a global technology company focused on print and advanced materials and chemicals, explains the vital role of automation in printing operations and how to do it properly. Read on. Single system of record that reliably gathers data from business and production systems If you have that system of record, you are in the perfect state to take on end-to-end automation. If you have multiple points of data collection that have never been integrated, there is still a path to automation. Still, your planning may take longer to accommodate identifying the required data and the processes that use them. Standard processes for order taking, job specification, and order management When there are standard processes, planning for automation can leverage them to speed implementation. When the procedures to take orders are different for every sales channel, it is hard to standardize order intake. When the process of capturing job specifications varies by sales team member and orders are managed without a strategic view into machine usage and job deadlines, some work will be required before automating and making those processes more efficient. How many spreadsheets are used to track jobs, components, or processes? Every business has some ad hoc processes tracked on spreadsheets, whiteboards, and notepads to keep mission-critical items front of mind. There is nothing wrong with them, but when they become the sole source of truth about a job or a process, they add risk to production. Some organisations justify using spreadsheets by putting them onto shared-access servers so that all authorized constituents can easily access them. It sounds like a great idea, but over time you may find that copies are sitting on individual desktops, and the shared copy is no longer the reliable source of information. Knowing what you have as you plan for automation will help you size the effort. Moving to that automated environment creates a single system of record that is reliable and can be integrated into adjacent business and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. Planning for automation You could find some processes that appear easy to automate, add some new tools, and call that your automation plan, but there is a better path. It starts with knowing what is possible. New options in cloud-based workflows bring the same powerful options to smaller shops as the largest shops enjoy. With minimal investments and immediate implementation, shops with a single digital press can build an efficient workflow that will scale using the same technology as a mid-size shop with a mix of offset and digital devices. And these modern cloud-based production workflow solutions can help in any segment, whether the work you produce is graphically-rich static content or uses data-driven processes to execute variable content targeted to a specific recipient. Today’s automated production workflows are built to integrate MIS and ERP tools, Web-to-Print solutions, and e-commerce options. This approach should be high on your list as you consider automation options because it brings a robust IT infrastructure to the table. Automating individual processes glued together with manual interventions isn’t the accomplishment that brings the most benefit. Considering automation requires a dive into every action involved, from the point of estimation and sale to the final delivery to the customer. Planning is the active event designed to identify the touchpoints and the best approach to reviewing each step, the people involved, and the current tools used. Start by articulating your strategic goals for 2022. You may be looking to expand into a new industry or print segments. Your current workload may require more capacity. You may want to acquire more capabilities, either through buying more equipment, optimising workflows, or buying a company. As you consider your strategic plan, itemize the candidate processes for automation to move you toward those goals. Don’t be surprised if you identify current manual processes as critical roadblocks. Strategic goals are long-term and inform the way the business runs. There will be some work to do to build the bridge from strategy to implementation, and that is where tactical planning becomes essential. Tactical goals are more than solving today’s bottleneck. They work within the strategy to consider implementing new software and processes while keeping production moving. Think of it as changing the tires on a car while it’s in motion. There will be practical concerns as current processes are replaced by automation, including how and when to move off tools that are no longer providing value. Tactics should support the strategic goals and solve the business' specific challenges without adding more hurdles to creating an automated environment. Build the strategic plan for automation to consider the practical implication of automating the current processes, including goals for gaining buy-in from the team members in each department, who may be asked to change how they do their jobs or change positions to accommodate the planned process modifications. Look for onramps to the fully automated business environment for every element in the tactical plan that enables lower cost and higher margins. A part of tactical planning includes your approach to daily operations. To create an efficient environment in 2022, consider a standalone Operational Plan to document the expectations for each department, interface points between departments, and the key performance metrics that will help everyone stay on the strategic course. Automation does not eliminate the need to understand the production touchpoints. The best practice is to document what should happen if you lose access to the automation, too. The last step in planning for automation is to build the appropriate contingency plans. Cloud-based automated workflows protect you from onsite server disruptions and mitigate much of the risk associated with onsite installations when paired with a disciplined backup strategy. What to do next If you plan to automate your print workflow in 2022, look for scalable and easy platforms to integrate with your core business systems. Ensure that your chosen technology partner lets you automate each task within prepress and production and then map those automated tasks together to ensure that each type of job takes the correct journey through each process. Learn your options, and then create a plan that works for you.

admin in News July 22, 2022

Estimable estimators

If they were lucky, the human estimators had an adding machine or desktop calculator to help with the figures. A busy medium-sized printer might have 10 or more full time estimators. Finding and keeping that many specialised estimators could be tricky, as the work was exacting but hardly exciting. Computers were an obvious solution, but the knowledge of how to program for such specialised calculations wasn’t. One of the first UK companies to crack it was what was to become Imprint Business Systems, which is still going strong after 42 years. Today its customers in print and packaging run into the hundreds and many of them have used Imprint systems for at least 25 years. Like most of the early MIS developers, Imprint grew out of the needs of a particular print company, which then used the experience gained to sell to a wider circle or printing and packaging companies. The late 1970s and early 1980s saw a lot of computer estimating start-ups, often with printing company roots. Some of Imprint’s original UK competitors from 40-odd years ago have also survived and prospered independently, such as Optimus (originally Optichrome Computer Systems Ltd, or OCSL), DDS (Accura) and Tharstern, while others were taken over by the ever-expanding EFI empire (such as Prism, Radius, Shuttleworth and Technique). A few others have either merged, or closed, or both. Imprint itself was founded in 1978 by Glennys Bourne and Jonathan Richards. Originally the pair had worked together at the art book printer Shenval Press in Harlow. Richards was general manager, later a director of Shenval, but had learned programming skills at college. Bourne went on to run the nearby Caterpillar Press. Bourne says that the reason for writing the original computer estimating program was a shortage of the trained human variety. “You could not get estimators for love nor money,” she says. So the first estimating program was written to suit the needs of Shenval Press and Caterpillar Press. Bourne saw the potential for Imprint beyond the needs of Shenval and Caterpillar, so the latter was sold to concentrate on the new business. “The Imprint name describes the company well and has stood us well over the years,” says Richards. “As for why the name was chosen, it just seemed a good fit at the time.” Both are still very much involved today. Bourne is CEO, while Jonathan Richards says he’s “allowed to be chairman on high days and holidays”. However, time marches on and their children Will Richards and Nick Bourne have also joined Imprint – the latter now being MD. Today Imprint is based in High Easter, in the countryside between Chelmsford and Bishop’s Stortford, handily close to the M11 and Stansted airport. It employs 16 people in an often overlapping mix of management, programming and customer services roles.

admin in News July 22, 2022

Agfa Avinci CX3200

Avinci CX3200 is 3.2 m wide dye sub textile printer capable of printing on polyester-based textiles What is it? Agfa’s Avinci CX3200 is a highly reliable and convenient soft signage printer that can print directly to fabrics and onto transfer paper. It uses an off-line calendar unit to ensure perfect fixation. Agfa’s dedicated dye sublimation roll-to-roll printer will enable you to create vibrant, high-quality prints on polyester-based fabrics up to 3.2 m wide, including a broad range of in- and outdoor soft signage applications, as well as interior decoration. The Avinci CX3200 boasts a rich color gamut and delivers deep black, perfect solids, accurate spot color mapping and smooth tonal rendering that is particularly noticeable in skin tones. The Avinci inks are characterised by their flexibility, image longevity and outdoor resistance. They offer stable jetting performance and deliver the same high-quality results, batch after batch. An off-line calender unit fixes the color deeply into the structure of the polyester-based fabrics while evaporating the carrier fluid. When was it launched at what are the target markets? It was launched on June 22, 2021, and aimed at soft signage industry, sports wear, fashion industry and home décor. Avinic CX3200 is a 3.2 m wide Dye Sub Textile printer capable of printing on polyester based textiles. Does it replace an earlier product? It replaces the earlier model of DX3200. The Avinci CX3200 is driven by Agfa’s Asanti wide-format workflow software. Color accuracy is provided by the easy-to-use color management. Using their Calibrated Print Mode feature, new media can be calibrated and profiled in less than 15 minutes, after which the new profiles can be used to guarantee print quality. Asanti controls and automates the entire printing process from file intake to finishing, maximising productivity. Its comprehensive integration of file handling, color management and preflighting guarantees smooth and error-free jobs. The web-based Asanti Production Dashboard offers a view on your running production. It summarizes the jobs produced and reports on quantity printed, media usage, ink volumes enabling you to control your production and to manage your print shop optimally. What is the USP? It allows you to print directly on textiles and capable of print on transfer paper media as well. Single person media loading and low inks consumptions are another features. High productivity and a robust design for reliable printing at all times, vibrant prints and a wide color gamut; fine detail rendering; extensive applications scope; low ink consumption; convenient operations and a fast changeover between jobs are another features. Avinci produces good results with a minimum of jetted ink. This low ink consumption is based on Agfa’s renowned Thin Ink Layer technology: a smart combination of particular ink characteristics and our Asanti workflow software algorithms that tune the ink quantities perfectly to the required image quality mode. What training and support are available? Full in house training and support available from Agfa UAE and Belgium. Complete and integrated solution are available for printer, inks, workflow software, worldwide service and applications support. How productive is it? It prints at speed of 250 Sqm per hr on express mode. Being able to print directly to fabric is easy and ideal for fast handling and for special applications such as flags, where print-though is needed. Transfer paper allows for super sharp prints, eliminates any set-off, and limits media waste to a minimum. In addition, it extends the application scope to sportswear and fashion garments, as well as home décor prints on non-coated polyester fabrics. What does it cost? How is it sold? The recommended retail price (RRP) is approximately $220k stand alone printer and requires a separate calendaring unit. How many are in use? Currently, the latest CX3200 are around 11 units around the world. Specifications 3.2m Dye sublimation Printer Kyocera print heads 4 colour printer CYMK Direct to garment capable to print on transfer paper Max speed of 250 sqm Stand alone printer Resolution up to 600 x 1800 dpi Media types: Polyester-based fabrics, or transfer paper used to create banners, indoor wall graphics, shop decoration, outdoor advertising, light boxes, trade show displays, flags and high polyester-based blends “Agfa Avinci CX3200 was launched in June 2021.”

Aug. 2, 2022

Epson – SureColor SC V7000 Flatbed Printer

Epson's first UV large format printer offers exceptional image quality, Shihab Zubair What is it? The SureColor SC-V7000 is Epson's first UV large format printer, offering exceptional image quality. The V7000 is ideal for printing eye-catching retail and outdoor signage, window displays, hoarding panels, packaging, promotional goods, and décor products. It includes Epson’s Micro Piezo printhead with ten newly developed original inks, for accurate colour reproduction for spot and corporate colours. It allows businesses the flexibility to print on a range of media up to 80mm thick including acrylics, polycarbonates, PVC, glass, aluminium, metal, polyester, foam board, styrene, wood and stone. The printhead layout enables simultaneous high-speed printing and, with the 4-zone vacuum system, it offers real flexibility for production environments. When was it launched at what are the target markets? The Epson SureColor SC-V7000 was launched in April 2021 within the Middle East region, building on the success of Epson’s award-winning range of SureColor S Series signage printers. The V7000 allows sign and display makers to expand their portfolio of products, to deliver high quality, fast and reliable results on a variety of different media. Does it replace an earlier product? The SureColor SC-V7000 proudly marks Epson’s entry into the UV flatbed signage print market. As Epson’s first UV large format printer, it provides unique features to differentiate and enhance our offering to the signage market. Every feature of the Epson SureColor SC-V7000 has been designed with the customer in mind. This is a robust and affordable UV LED flatbed signage printer capable of fast and quality printing on a wide range of media – any type of surface, despite the size, thickness, or weight. This is in addition to Epson’s successful product solutions such as the Epson SureColor SC Series of eco-solvent and resin ink printers. For instance, for environmentally friendly organisations, Epson’s SureColor SC-R5010 Series has the capacity to include a resin ink solution, offering print service providers and creative design agencies the ability to produce a wide range of signage in a more sustainable way, without compromising on the results. For a larger ink capacity, Epson offers the SureColor SC-R5010L. What is the USP? The Epson SureColor SC-V7000 provides exceptional image quality, productivity, usability, and safety. With the unique Epson Micro Piezo printhead, the printer has ten newly developed original inks and 3-layer high-speed printing. It helps print with ease and safety with automatic measurement of media thickness, a multi-zone vacuum, and a printhead crash prevent function, Epson Edge Print, proximity sensors. What training and support is available? Epson manufactures all the components for the SureColor SC-V7000, including printheads, inks and software, in order to reach the consistent quality levels that our customers expect. The Epson Cloud Solution PORT is a cloud-based system from where you will be able to monitor equipment across several sites, or several printers across one site, from the production floor or remotely, and assist the control of production. This enables efficient production planning, increased uptime and enhanced support. Epson Production Monitor is part of the Epson Cloud Solution PORT suite of apps and allows you to examine the production status in real-time. If an issue occurs, it can be corrected efficiently with minimal disruption to the print run. How productive is it? The SureColor SC-V7000 enables businesses to print at high speed with a maximum print area of 2.5 metres by 1.25 metres. The printhead layout enables simultaneous high-speed printing, with white ink and varnish, without losing productivity. What does it cost? How is it sold? The recommended retail price (RRP) is around AED 330,563 (US $90,000) and it is sold through authorised partners in the Middle East. How many are in use? Currently two printers have been installed in the UAE, and we are scheduled to install a few more in December and further into 2022. Specifications UltraChrome UV 10-colour inkset Printing resolution of 720 x 1,440 DPI Outstanding print quality High-speed simultaneous printing even when using white, colour and varnish Printheads, ink, firmware and software with an ink tank capacity of 1,000 ml Price from AED 330,563 “Epson SureColor SC-V7000 was launched in April 2021.”

Aug. 2, 2022

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