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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This being a drupa year we’re expecting all sorts of new technologies to be presented in Düsseldorf in May. And not to be outdone, Fespa in Amsterdam is the site of a bevy of new technologies this month. Ricoh will introduce a new flatbed roll-to-roll printer and there will be many more new products to explore. There is certainly no lack of innovation, but we aren’t seeing enough being done when it comes to sustainability developments.

The problem isn’t so much with commercial print waste, since most of this is still paper based. Paper recycling is well-established in developed economies and although the paper industry is slacking when it comes to digital print deinking and recycling investments, the model is at least there. At some point the necessary upgrades will be made.

Press technologies are also readily recycled and here too a model is in place. Ricoh, Canon, HP and Xerox have long since reused skins and other components from devices they have reclaimed for reuse. And printing presses have very long lifespans, assuming parts and consumables are still available. But more seriously we have new inks and substrates that cannot always be easily parted. This compromises paper recycling and will undermine the considerable advances made in the industry’s environmental sustainability in the last few years. That said, in the commercial print sector we have an established foundation and supply chains for improved sustainability. The same cannot truly be said for the packaging sector where innovation, particularly in materials science may be spurring more problems than it solves.

In the last few years we have seen some gorgeous innovations in shapes and sizes of packaging, thanks to innovation in substrates, inks and packaging systems. There has been a trend towards smaller packages and multipacks, packages within packages which suits the market but drives excess packaging consumption. This inevitably generates waste, much of which gets burned rather than being put into established recycling streams.

According to data from the European Union (EU), each European generated an average of over 188kg of packaging waste, ranging from 73.8kg per person in Croatia to more than 246kg per person in Ireland. The EU’s goal is to recycle 70% of packaging waste by 2030, from all sources but perhaps we shouldn’t be generating so much of it in the first place. That is much easier said than done, but as with judicious use of print which is now a commonplace, we can all think more carefully about the packaging waste we generate. 

Laurel Brunner

This article was produced by the Verdigris Project, an industry initiative intended to raise awareness of print’s positive environmental impact. This weekly commentary helps printing companies keep up to date with environmental standards, and how environmentally friendly business management can help improve their bottom lines. Verdigris is supported by the following companies: Agfa Graphics, EFI, Fespa, Fujifilm, HP, Kodak, Miraclon, Ricoh, Unity Publishing and Xeikon.

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The Vutek 3m h3+ and 5m h5+ feature media handling improvements that that will come as standard on new printers: an upgraded vacuum table allows for better control of thicker media and thin, light-edged materials, thanks to doubled vacuum strength on the print table. All new media hold-down rollers mount to existing Media Edge Guide (MEG) rails and the spring rollers force media into the vacuum, often eliminating the need for MEG skis entirely. When MEG skis are needed, they are now available in three thicknesses.

The h+ series offers new optional colour configurations as well, with double CMYK (including ‘lights’) plus clear and white or double white for greater opacity.

This allows two new clear ink options for Vutek h+ series users. EFI’s UltraClear Coat flexible ink that was introduced for its superwide roll-to-roll LED printers, is now available for the h3+ and h5+ printers. A second clear ink, EFI Vutek Endura Clear, which has a harder surface finish for increased protective qualities, is also now available for the h+ models.

Both UltraClear Coat and Endura Clear inks can be used for decorative applications – to enhance an entire image (full flood) or selected areas (spot) to add extra ‘pop’ to colours or special effects to graphics – as well as for a protective coating. They print inline, simultaneously with the image, with a gloss or matte finish.

In addition to the clear inks, an optional Gloss+ print mode achieved by controlling the UV curing process, as in some Inca/Agfa and Canon wide-format printers, can be used to add a flood or selective gloss effect to graphic prints. EFI describes this as a ‘perfect way to add value to short-run, speciality jobs, without the use of clear ink’.

‘We are excited to bring these new printers to market,’ said Todd Zimmerman, senior vice president/general manager Display Graphics & OEM Ink at EFI. ‘Vutek printers have been the leader in the hybrid category in signs and display graphics for more than two decades, with more than 300 installations worldwide. The Vutek h+ series answers some of the key pain points for our customers, all while improving ease of use and offering the LED environmentally friendly benefits you expect from EFI Vutek technology.’

EFI has also announced the availability of Transform-TF inks for thermoforming applications. Compatible with the h+ printers, the inks are suitable for first- and second-surface interior and exterior and non-backlit and backlit applications where common thermoforming is specified. EFI says the Transform-TF inks exhibit outstanding elongation characteristics while maintaining excellent adhesion and opacity, and provide ideal characteristics for heat bending and routing of acrylic sheets with no chipping or loss of adhesion.

Further developments for the h+ series are planned, with enhanced double-sided printing for high-value block-out applications expected ‘soon’. Existing Vutek h3 and h5 printer owners can upgrade their current unit with most of the new enhancements of the h+ series.

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Mathew Faulkner, EMEA director, Canon Europe, commented, ‘With the launch of the new ImagePrograf GP series, we’re addressing the needs of the high-end, premium poster market.’

The new series comprises three models: the 1524mm ImagePrograf GP-6600S, 1118mm GP-4600S, and the 610mm GP-2600S.

Combined with a new pigment ink set, Lucia Pro II, the new series can print A0 size posters on uncoated paper in as little as 48 seconds and is claimed to provide an expanded gamut of vibrant and accurately reproduced colours, together with greater image durability.

The additional colours include orange, which reproduces more vivid, eye-catching colours, and grey, which smoothly reproduces skin tones. Mr Faulkner stated the ImagePrograf Pro delivers ‘outstanding Pantone coverage for more accurate corporate colour reproducibility,’ and according to Canon the series accurately hits 96% of the Pantone formula guide sample book.

Canon has also looked to become more environmentally friendly. It explains that the new ImagePrograf GP series uses nearly 90% less polystyrene foam for the GP-4600S than its predecessor along with reduced power consumption using 94W or less during operation.

While the dual roll capability allows the user to automatically switch from printing on matte to gloss paper without interrupting the workflow.

Mr Faulkner also stated, ‘any output printed on the new ImagePrograf GP devices will be both very scratch and light-resistant, helping to preserve its longevity and value.

‘And with the improved media handling and increased automation of the series, we’ve also made it more productive and easier to use.’

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The company, which recently added a Canon iX 3200 sheet-fed inkjet press to its fleet, has now acquired Xerox Iridesse and Versant 4100 digital dry toner presses, plus Xerox FreeFlow Core and FreeFlow Vision workflow software. The Iridesse will add new capabilities such as foil-like effects, iridescent hues, and fluorescent colour capability that can help capture mail recipients’ attention. FreeFlow Core will enhance prepress automation, integrating with CFH’s back office and the recently announced FreeFlow Vision Software. This software provides automate, real-time data on production print operations within Xerox and third-party environments.

‘Investing in class-leading Xerox workflows and technology, particularly the additional functionality of the Iridesse, will give new and existing clients more choice and effectiveness in their communications while adding value to our capabilities as we pursue market opportunities,’ commented CFH group production director Steve Cray.

“For over 20 years, CFH has chosen Xerox innovation to complement its growth and commitment to delivering exceptional communication solutions. This investment in the wider Xerox ecosystem leverages leading-edge Xerox technologies and automated workflows that deliver even better service and innovation to clients and prospects,’ said Nick Bridge, general manager of graphic communications and productions systems at Xerox UK.

CFH has recently celebrated its 45^th anniversary as a provider of secure printing. Its Docmail hybrid mail solution is used by over 30,000 organisations. The company says the new investment signals the next phase in the its transformation into a multi-channel communications provider.

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Andreas Tangemann, operations director for Colourbyte, said, ‘We are extremely strong in the photo gift market, providing a broad range of printing, finishing, colour profiling and media solutions for our customers. We work with many leading brands, including Graphtec GB, Epson, Canon and Vivid, as well as offering a huge range of own brand printable media for framed canvases, photographic prints, posters, wall coverings and much more.

‘The photo gift market has become hugely competitive and cost-sensitive. The sale price of a canvas print has come down dramatically, so our customers are always looking to cut the cost of production in order to gain a competitive edge. Eco-solvent ink is around half the price of water-based pigment ink and is more durable and water resistant, meaning there is no need to varnish, which saves time and money compared to water-based printers. When we saw Mutoh’s new range of eco-solvent printers with their small footprint we realised they would greatly benefit customers wanting to move to eco-solvent but had limited floor space.’

Lawrence Hebron, UK product manager (Mutoh) for Graphtec GB, said, ‘This is an important appointment for us. Colourbyte has been a valued reseller of Graphtec GB for many years, and we are delighted that they are extending their product portfolio with us. The Mutoh printers fulfil Colourbyte’s desire to provide an eco-solvent range of printers that are ideally suited to their customers’ need for quality output, reduced cost per print and a space-saving solution.’

Colourbyte has installed a 54-in Mutoh XpertJet printer at its demonstration facility in Hemel Hempstead and further Mutoh ValueJet 24-in models will be installed early in 2024

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IFS managing director Eric Keane

In 2024 there will be a continuation of the pressures felt during 2023 – high interest rates, high inflation, labour and skill shortages, and some disrupted supply chains. There will likely be an accelerated trend in mergers and acquisitions for ambitious print companies to make either strategic acquisitions of their competitors, or in order to secure diversity in their product offering, do this through acquisition of other companies.

The sector will continue with consolidation and this will drive more investment in more technology and automation. The latter, in particular, was an accelerating trend in 2023. Most leading print companies have been looking to increase investment in more automated print finishing systems. This in turn has enabled IFS, in collaboration with our partners Horizon and Tecnau, to be at the forefront in supplying innovative, automated print finishing systems, that meet this demand to reduce operator touch points, improve output speeds and utilise less labour.

With the world around us so uncertain, trade fairs like drupa really do bring the business communities together. Business people do mix, and with that entrepreneurship and enterprise flourishes.

Phil McMullin, head of sales for Commercial & Industrial, Epson UK

Continuous improvements with sustainability considerations at their core will remain a significant focus for print production environments and suppliers in the short-to-medium term. Epson strives to build technologies that last and support responsible and efficient production. As we develop our own printheads, print hardware, and print software, we’re able to deliver a very customer-focused portfolio that responds to increased demand for product longevity and reduced energy and waste. We can also help operations explore the most effective options as well as offer support, advice, and guidance when it is needed. 

Ease of use is crucial for both operational efficiency and the ability to move into new markets. Simple and fast setup via user-friendly touchscreen ensures operator confidence and quick throughput to maintain agile and responsive production. These are key persuaders for businesses considering their next steps towards successful growth, and  empower operations to expand their offerings. This is important to help them capitalise on the growth opportunities of markets such as personalisation, where production needs to be right the first time, and every time.

Martyn Train, managing director, Duplo UK

With a steady 2023 under our belt we turn our sights to 2024 and the future of print, which appears to be thriving with resilience and innovation. Despite digital communication’s prevalence, our industry is undergoing a renaissance, embracing cutting-edge technologies to enhance its relevance to add value to the consumer, especially in sectors such as education, greetings cards and the recovery of in-plants.

This resurgence is fuelled by a growing appreciation for tangible, tactile experiences as well as the enduring appeal of high-quality printed products. As we have always said, print in its various forms continues to play a pivotal role in communication and the purchasing experience, offering a unique and timeless way to engage audiences.

At Duplo we are really excited about drupa and some of the new products we’ve been itching to show the industry. This includes upgrades to our range, brand new products that will take Duplo into new areas, as well as some innovations that will show how we are preparing for the future of our industry.

Yale Goldis, director strategy, commercial products and solutions at HP PageWide Industrial

As traditional print volumes decline, digital print will continue to grow. Commercial printers adopting the latest high volume production printing capabilities find better economics for themselves and their clients. They will also redefine their offerings and reimagine applications that bridge digital online and physical media.

Publishers are moving towards sustainable, targeted production. Shorter, frequent runs in the market are replacing large, centrally produced orders to mitigate supply chain risks and reduce book miles. Publishers are also adopting ‘gap’ printing, using POD production from the onset of a book’s life cycle, to meet unpredicted demand. 

Direct mail will continue its renaissance in 2024 as marketers rediscover the performance and value of print in the overall marketing mix. While postal and paper costs pressure overall mail volume, digitally printed, personalised, impactful and relevant mail will see healthy growth. 

Business models such as web-to-print meet growing consumer demands for convenient online ordering, customisation and improved customer experience. Closer integration with large data warehouses and powerful marketing engines enable true multi-channel campaigns executed across online and print media.

Will Mansfield, director, solutions marketing, Kodak

In 2023, the pursuit of production efficiencies was paramount. Advances such as higher quality faster inkjet presses, smarter workflow platforms and more automated CtP systems have significantly streamlined production. These innovations have reduced labour requirements and also improved the accuracy and consistency of printing, thus reducing waste. The economic landscape was again characterised by uncertainties and inflationary pressures. To adapt to these challenges for our plate customers, Kodak continued to invest in regional manufacturing as well as technology innovations.

Kodak is anticipating drupa 2024 as a unique opportunity to connect with printers from around the globe and debut new solutions. The show provides a valuable platform for Kodak to engage with customers and prospects and gain deeper insights into their evolving needs. We are excited to showcase our latest innovations in high-speed inkjet, workflow and offset solutions, demonstrating our commitment to advancing the industry. We are committed to being a strategic partner to our customers, helping them navigate the challenges and seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

Duncan Smith, country director, production, Canon UK & Ireland

As customers are expecting faster turnaround times and higher quality products than ever before, we at Canon have seen an increasing demand for cutting-edge inkjet technology in 2023.

Alongside quality and productivity, businesses are starting to realise that inkjet also delivers many economic and environmental benefits. With reliable equipment that harnesses automation, businesses can save on total cost of ownership with reduced power consumption and streamlined workflows. Additionally, inkjet enables print solution providers to broaden their media capabilities and branch out to a variety of markets, such as retail, manufacturing and interior décor.

We’re excited to return to drupa next year alongside some of the key players in the industry. We see this as a huge opportunity to not only showcase new technology, but also celebrate our achievements over the last few years. We expect to see a lot of conversation around the advancement of inkjet technology when it comes to production and wide-format print and are excited to share our developments in this space.

Andy Kent, general manager, Fujifilm UK

Sustainable and energy-efficient machinery and practices were key factors in 2023 when printers were looking at suppliers for equipment or consumables. The market has also seen many mergers and acquisitions as companies join forces to reduce fixed costs.

Energy costs remain a problem but other costs are stabilising, or even going down in some cases. With interest rates moving upwards, we initially saw some reluctance to invest in new equipment in 2023. I think this was because people felt it might be a temporary situation, but are now accepting that the higher rates appear to be here to stay for some time.

Analogue processes are increasingly transforming to digital, particularly in the packaging space where the market is still growing. I expect this to be one of the main trends and biggest opportunities in 2024.

I see AI as another trend with complimentary technology for making quick decisions in time-limited situations. I expect drupa to be well-attended because we will see new sustainable products and services that will inspire print businesses looking for an extra edge.

Charlotte Tueckmantel, GM Enterprise Print & eCommerce, eProductivity Software

2023 in many ways was the reset of the new normal. Coming out of Covid we saw a huge resurgence in our customers’ businesses, and record numbers in many areas. While 2023 took a slight step back it was still well above the Covid years, despite increasing costs across the board. This included the rising cost of people/talent; difficulty attracting new talent is a challenge that the industry has seen for a few years now and we will continue to see in 2024.

The rising costs of people, materials and energy will continue to drive higher levels of automation, supported by the emergence of actionable insights and AI starting to appear in the industry.

For 2024, we see a trend towards more remote or hybrid work in the front office driven by the need for greater flexibility and the challenges to hire skilled people. This shift, enabled by technology and coupled with the arrival or more automation, actionable insight, API integrations and AI will continue to change the landscape.

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Based in Radstock, Somerset, CFH provides high quality print and mail applications to over 30,000 customers across a variety of sectors, producing and delivering over 66.3 million postal packs in 2023 to date. The top priorities when selecting the iX3200 were performance reliability and media versatility. The new inkjet digital press is expected to enable CFH to enhance its production workflow and to equip the company with tools to grow its business.

The iX3200 will complement an existing Canon ColorStream 6900. Together, these will improve the quality of CFH products, enable the company to reduce its fleet size in line with its digital transformation goals and enhance its web-to-print offering. Having already installed an iX3200 at its factory in Scotland, CFH is confident that the inkjet can deliver the same output as several toner-based machines, with a positive ROI.

CFH has achieved a running speed of 320 images per minute and an average uptime of over 90% from the existing machine and so is confident of high productivity and reliability. Cost efficiency and sustainability were key considerations during this installation process, with the iX3200 consolidating production to reduce base image cost and overheads, including energy usage.

Steve Cray, group production director, CFH, commented, ‘We’re delighted to continue our long-standing relationship with Canon and continue to invest in commercial printing platforms. In turn, we receive the best in class, high-quality services over a wide variety of media applications. Our Canon devices are proven to deliver high levels of productivity and a positive ROI, along with continuous, excellent customer service support.’

Stuart Rising, head of commercial print at Canon UK & Ireland, added, ‘We value our continued partnership with CFH, and are excited to see how they are utilising Canon technology to level up their customer service, and optimise their operation across all areas of business. The implementation of the VarioPrint iX3200 will enable the business to reach the next level of digital productivity, giving it the capacity to work with new and existing markets.’

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The business launched its on-demand service in 2017 with the purchase of a Canon Colorado 1640 that was used to produce up to  50,000 canvasses per year. Increased volumes led to the purchase of a Colorado 1650 in 2020, which saw total output rise to 250,000 canvases per annum. With the addition of the third printer, ESP will be able to output 350,000 canvases a year.

‘We bought the Canon Colorado rather than any other printer out there because we’ve found something that really works for us,’ said Simon Smogur, CEO of ESP Group.

‘There’s nothing like it out there in the market. It scores top marks for everything: capital costs, running costs, reliability, quality and speed. People have asked why we haven’t invested in a larger faster industrial printer, but then I’d have a single point of failure, and also if I ever needed it, I know Canon’s service is second to none. So, no, thank you.’ 

The new Colorado has been added ‘seamlessly’ to the existing production workflow and is operated by the same staff who use the existing Canon machines, so no further training or recruitment were necessary. 

‘The gifting market is very competitive, and so the Colorados run 24/7 in peak periods. We leave them printing unattended overnight when no one is here. With some machines,  you can’t trust that you’d not get breakdowns and issues, but the opposite is true for the Canon Colorado, which makes the running of these machines very cost effective,’ added Mr Smogur.  

The prints are made on UFabrik Canvas Textile, also sourced from CMYUK. Made from 100% polyester,  this has a  bright white print surface that is compatible with UV and latex inks and has a dual coating that is said to bring superior colour results.

Mr Smogur noted, ‘We’ve looked at lots of canvas materials and took it upon ourselves to compare UFabrik to several other products. We found that UFabrik’s colour reproduction was noticeably more vibrant than the others. Also, when you stretch printed canvas onto a frame, the stretcher bars can poke through on the corners, and where the print wraps over, a white line can appear, but not with UFabrik.’

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TCW offers a broad range of direct mail and wide-format printing services across its two sites and already has an HP PageWide web-fed inkjet for high volume variable data mailing work. The company says new investment will strengthen its capacity to deliver high-volume personalised mailing projects for the financial and retail sectors. By transferring previously litho-printed runs to inkjet, TCW will be able to benefit from enhanced automation, productivity and flexibility. This will particularly support the production of gaming sleeves for point-of-sale applications.

The Canon press is expected to provide reliable high-speed inkjet printing with quality to rival that of offset, thanks to its 1200dpi native resolution printheads and  colour management software, plus the ability to print consistently on a range of coated and uncoated media. The ink and printhead combination is claimed by Canon to achieve 91% reproduction of Pantone spot colours, verified by Fogra.

A further consideration when selecting the iX3200 was the sustainability credentials of the device, which include lower power consumption per page printed and the use of water-based ink with a very high de-inkability rating.

Tom Lipman, director, TCW Solutions, commented, ‘We’re delighted to continue working with Canon. Over the years, we’ve had all types of different toner-based machines but have never known reliability like that of the VarioPrint iX. As one of the fastest print providers in the market, we’re excited for the new device to push us even further to offer our customers bespoke high-quality products with even more competitive turnaround times.’

Stuart Rising, head of commercial print at Canon UK & Ireland, added, ‘We’re excited for our relationship with TCW solutions to develop. The installation of the VarioPrint iX will enable the business to drive growth as it diversifies its offering for a variety of markets, while ensuring quality and efficiency remain at the core of what they do.’

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