Greens will be supplied with four of the latest Ricoh Pro C9500s; two Ricoh C9500s have already been installed, with two more to follow this year. Additional Pro 8300 mono series devices will also be added to the portfolio later in 2024.

With over 100 years in the communications, documentation and logistics industry, Greens produce clinical research materials for drug trials, with its document construction and global distribution. The company’s other main areas of operation include data and transactional print, mailing and distribution.

Daniel Buckland, group finance director at Greens, commented, ‘This most recent investment in Ricoh technology has enabled us to further improve our existing offerings to our customers and to build further workflow automation into our production environment, which is helping to support the continuing growth of our web to print platform Doxzoo. All of this results in enhanced operational efficiencies for our business and higher-quality output for our customers.’

Tim Carter, commercial print director at Ricoh Graphic Communications, added, ‘We are delighted to extend our partnership with Greens for the next five years. The instalment of the latest Ricoh Pro C9500 will drive a wide range of positive impacts for the customer, generating business success and long-term growth.’

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Reconomy combines technology and skills to enable businesses to better manage their resources, helping to reduce waste, optimise their supply chains and contribute in a meaningful way towards the circular economy.

While this involves working directly with print companies, Reconomy has also partnered with several leading manufacturers and distributors, supporting its customers with textile waste management. One such partnership is with Soyang Europe, whereby printers using materials from Soyang Europe can responsibly dispose of their waste.

This partnership came about three years ago with the support of Fespa UK. Reconomy was working on sustainability initiatives with Fespa, while Soyang Europe is a long-term member of the association.

The process works with Reconomy providing customers with a baler to prepare their textile waste. Soyang Europe then collects the bales when delivering new products to customers, with the waste taken to its facility in Altham in Lancashire ready for bulk collection and transportation to a recycling facility for processing.

‘It was a perfect fit,’ said Reconomy’s director Jon Hutton. ‘Soyang has always been proactive in wanting to offer their customers, and the wider industry, waste management solutions for their products.

‘Sustainability is a hot topic for several reasons. Brands and consumers are looking down the supply chain for environmental credentials, so it’s therefore a driving factor in how to not only maintain and gain business, but how a printer positions themselves for the long term.’

Mark Mashiter, managing director at Soyang Europe, added, ‘It provides our customers with an outlet for their waste. This works well with local customers when we deliver orders to them; we can bring any textile bales back with us and store them in our yard until they are collected.’

Originally, Reconomy had sourced a solution for recycling PVC banner and polyester fabrics at a UK site, whereby waste was blended with other polymers to produce low grade products. While this process ended when more desirable material became available to the market, a recovery route was soon set up and, with the support of Wheeldon Brothers, waste could now be diverted from landfill to renewable energy.

However, recycling has since been re-established and material is again being used in manufacturing processes. Coupled with its use for renewable energy, all of this is helping work towards a circular economy.

An additional benefit to the service is that Soyang Europe is willing to take other supplier’s waste textiles along with its own. This option is available to customers using their own transport within a set radius of Soyang Europe’s facility and when making deliveries.

‘Soyang Europe wants to be part of the environmental solution and not the problem,’ Jon said. ‘The take-back scheme provides a platform for printers to demonstrate their sustainability by providing customers with an outlet for their recycling waste.

‘Several customers have engaged with Reconomy further and are now collecting their own clients’ end-of-campaign textiles, integrating this with the collection of their materials. All loads are tracked, and Certificates of Recycling can be issued once the material has been processed.’

The work does not stop here for Reconomy, with Mr Hutton saying the company will continue to work with Soyang Europe, Fespa UK and its wider membership base to provide more sustainable solutions to the UK industry. 

‘It’s our aim to continue to be a driving force in educating the industry on the importance of recycling and developing circular economies,’ Mr Hutton said. ‘This, with the continued support of Soyang Europe, will ensure more customers take up this service.’

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More details will follow over the Digital Printer platforms in the coming months, but in the meantime, visit the dedicated awards site and register your interest now: https://www.digitalprinterawards.co.uk

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Established in 2006, Print 2 Media has expanded its offering into other areas, picking up a range of new customers in the process, particularly in the education sector, helped by the launch of its school-focused division, The School Sign Shop. Offering everything from school playground signage to wall murals, The School Sign Shop now works with education settings across Cornwall and the UK.

Most recently, Mousehole School, Penzance, was the recipient of graphics including three large maps; one of the area local to the school that highlighted nearby landmarks, another a UK map showing sites of interest and importance, and the third a world map with postcard pictures of famous sights. A fourth graphic was a timeline detailing major historic events.

For this project, Print 2 Media selected Drytac Polar Grip, a white polymeric self-adhesive vinyl, used in schools before, which offers adhesion to any surface including metal, plastic, wood, glass, and brick. Print 2 Media purchased the film and accompanying laminate from Premier Paper Group, the exclusive Drytac distributor in the UK and Ireland.

Print 2 Media printed all graphics in house using its Canon Océ Colorado 1640 and SwissQPrint Nyala 4, while its specialist team installed the pieces on site at the school.

‘School customers are always the best,’ Print 2 Media founder Glenn Wrigley said. ‘The teachers are so enthusiastic and happy to have such a useful teaching aid and the children certainly let us know their thoughts. They are always so positive and take real pride in their new wall murals. We have been working with Drytac materials for over five years now and are always pleased with the end result.’

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Dynamic’s centre for children and young people with disabilities provides help and support to children and families, whilst Candlelighters is a charity helping families dealing with children’s cancer.

Marie Woodhead, partner marketing manager at Konica Minolta (UK), helped organise the collection and commented, ‘Being able to help these charities and the families who rely on them is such a rewarding experience. By working together as a team and with Konica Minolta’s resources, we can do so much more than we ever could individually.’

Iain Blackwood Hobbs, partnerships executive, Candlelighters, stated, ‘From everyone at Candlelighters, we’d like to say a huge thank you to Konica Minolta, not just for their fundraising but for also donating the chocolate eggs. This lovely gesture will bring some joy to the children at Leeds Children’s Hospital, and to their families affected by childhood cancer this Easter.’

Gillian Anderson, environment, social and Governance partner at Konica Minolta (UK), concluded, ‘I am extremely proud of the hard work our Social Impact Group are doing for the charities our employees have voted to support this year. From collecting chocolate eggs to spending the day volunteering, we want to help make a meaningful difference to those who deserve it most.’

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Over the years, Sign & Digital UK has stood as the epitome of innovation and inspiration for the visual communications sector, and Premier was excited to be part of it, with a track record of past successful shows. Premier returned in 2024 with another eye catching, engaging exhibition stand. 

Premier introduced the ‘Display Royale’ and ‘Signage HQ,’ which hosted a variety of materials from their display graphics product range. The ‘Ice Bar’ for example, was adorned in Premier’s premium range of aluminium composite, eTEC ACM 3D, in the striking brushed silver finish. In addition, the backdrop for the iconic Aston Martin DB5 on Premier’s stand, was printed on Drytac Polar Blockout, an opaque printable block out film, suitable for solvent, latex and UV inks.  

The demonstration tables and windows were made of clear 5mm and opaque 5mm Plexiglas which allowed space for graphics to be applied and removed. The use of cast acrylic material helped to showcase the products’ high gloss finish, as well as favoured functionalities such as being lighter and stronger than glass. Premier’s overhead signage was produced using Foamalux Light, a foam board with a surface for direct mounting. It’s lightweight too which makes it easier to handle and hang than many other display materials.  

For visitors’ eyes only, casino tables had been produced especially for the merchant’s stand, using Ultraboard; the UK manufactured honeycomb board. Naturally, printed samples of eTEC ACM, E-Opaque board and Diplast, took the form of poker chips and playing cards. The stand also boasted a stylish lounge area, which provided a perfect backdrop for networking and socialising and of course, the promotional giveaways made a return. 

‘We don’t just attend Sign & Digital UK; we embrace a mission to redefine the norms of the sign and display market,’ said Brad Goldsmith, marketing manager at Premier. ‘Our presence at the show is not just about products; it’s about pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation. We’re creating a spectacle that leaves an indelible mark on the industry.’ 

The three-day event started on a Sunday for the first time which ensured accessibility for businesses to come and witness the latest products without compromising valuable business time. Another first for show was that it was co-hosted with the Printwear and Promotion show in the neighbouring hall, which allowed the free flow of visitors to experience both exhibitions with the same ticket. 

The merging of the two exhibitions provided Premier with the perfect platform to showcase some of the bespoke bags and packaging solutions from sister company WBC (Wine Box Company). A dedicated zone was created on the stand to display a collection of printed, fabric bags, whilst hampers, wine boxes and void fill were displayed in the Ice Bar.   

Mr Goldsmith further emphasises Premier’s commitment to supporting the UK industry, stating, ‘Attending events like Sign & Digital UK is our way of giving back to our customers. We believe in the power of collaboration and innovation to drive the industry forward. Our team of experts are always on hand to answer queries and provide tailored advice to address the unique needs of businesses.’ 

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With the ability to precisely process large formats measuring up to 239 x 420mm, it is able to process multiple substrate types and materials up to 50 micrometers (microns). With the AG-4220, users can look forward to maximum precision, reliability and the consistently high performance that characterise Blumer machines.

All work steps such as buffering, cutting, die cutting with counterpressure, separating and banding run fully automatically. It is suitable for medium production volumes as well as for small batches and is the only counter pressure die cutting machine in the world that can process large formats labels up to such dimensions.

Exclusively available through Friedheim in the UK, appointments are now available to test this machine in the Switzerland showroom or visit their stand E30-5 in hall at drupa in May – where Blumer will host more ‘world first’ developments.

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The company considered other alternatives, but for John the Versant 4100, the improved version of the 2100/3100 models, could not be beaten.

‘The new 4100 included all the favourites that made the 2100 a winner for us, multiple feeding, inline GBC punching, full capacity stacker and complete booklet making with fore edge trimming and document finishing,’ said Brailsford. ‘Along with the latest high speed Fiery control centre coupled with our automated workflow, improved print image and long sheet capability, the 4100 ticked every box.’

Andrew Crane, sales specialist from Graphic Communications Operations at Xerox UK did not have to try too hard to sell his machine to JBP. ‘John already had his mind made up, the 2100 had been an excellent production machine for this extremely busy printshop. Brailsford Printers have been Xerox customers for almost 20 years and installed a new Iridesse Press back in 2021 with enormous success in producing a huge range of speciality print with embellishments and continues to increase volumes every month, the Versant 4100 Production Press works very well alongside the Iridesse. His employees were up and running with the 4100 the very next day after installation. The set up at Brailsford Printers is the future of print shops, they are super-efficient with minimal touch points, using the most advanced technology and experienced employees that take pride and care in every job printed. John is a great ambassador for our product range.’

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As part of the partnership with The Grand Appeal, the Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity, Roland DG has printed and applied printed artwork, created by designer Emily Twomey, for use within three treatment rooms and the waiting area of the Neurophysiology Department.

Anna Shepherd, deputy director for The Grand Appeal, said, ‘When Roland DG approached us with the offer to makeover spaces in our hospital, we couldn’t have said ‘yes’ faster! Bringing colour and light into the lives of unwell children will make such a difference in what can be dark times.’

It is suggested that individuals spend 80-90% of their time indoors where pollutant levels are said to be higher than those found outside, with this time heightened for those spending time in hospital. This is a situation Roland DG has aimed to address with its TrueVis AP-640. The machine is a water-based resin/latex printer, suitable for indoor applications in sensitive environments such as hospitals and schools. The TrueVis resin inks are Greenguard Gold certified, meaning they meet standards of low chemical emissions. 

The printer also has a concentrated colour pigmentation to allow heavier saturation than conventional resin inks for impact on applications including paper, fabric, canvas, wallpaper, non-PVC materials. Additionally, the True Rich Colour preset is described to take advantage of the high colour saturation of new TrueVis Ink to maximise vibrancy. 

Stephen Davis, marketing director EMEA and managing director for UK and Ireland commented, ‘We understand the importance of colour for children, particularly in aiding those who are unwell or recovering, and we wanted to help make a difference in any way we could. We’re always looking for new opportunities to implement our technology to create real impact, so to be able to give to such a worthwhile cause has been incredibly rewarding.’

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A sister company to Full Circle Events & Exhibitions, Psycho Peacock is based in Salford, Greater Manchester and provides a service from design to installation for graphics in exhibitions, events, retail, museums, construction and visitor attractions. The investments are expected to provide up to six times the previous capacity, with the output from the previous four machines produced by the already installed and profiled P5 350.

Steve Comar, Psycho Peacock’s managing director, commented, ‘This investment gives us the scope and resources to fully deliver on our goals for both graphics and print, across our key sectors, live events, exhibitions and retail for the next three years. We can be assured due to the Durst technology, incredible quality and output metrics, that we can stand by our commitment to continually drive innovation which underpins our values and clients’ needs.’

The Tex iSub production printer is said to have opened up new business opportunities with dye sublimation for Psycho Peacock. The company said the investment in ‘cutting-edge machinery epitomising speed, quality and efficiency’ will ‘revolutionise output.’

Andrew McIntyre, general manager at Psycho Peacock, added, ‘The big thing with the Durst is that it provides the highest print quality, massive extra capacity and flexibility. Dye-sub also enables us to produce sustainable products, using fully recyclable materials, which means waste never goes to landfill. This opens up new business possibilities in a year when we are already beating our own ambitious sales targets.’

‘Delighted’ with Psycho Peacock’s investment into Durst’s technology, Peter Bray, UK and Ireland managing director of Durst Group, said, ‘Offering complete solutions from pixel to output, we continue to lead by innovation and look forward to continuing to help the team fully deliver on their goals. Our technology will help them further with their sustainability goals, commitment to excellence, streamlining logistics and moving towards greater automation.’

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