Speaking about the co-location of SDUK with Printwear & Promotion Live (see preview on p40), event director Tony Gardner said, ‘Sign & Digital UK 2024 is the first SDUK under our ownership, and we are really looking forward to seeing how the co-located event works. All shows must continue to develop their offering and we believe a co-located event is key to help grow the show, and to attract a new audience into the world of sign-making and large-format digital printing. Visitors will have the chance to explore the latest technology and innovations first-hand, with many of these advancements being showcased in the UK for the first time.’

The exhibition will be complemented by the International Sign Association (ISA-UK) Explains Lounge. Now in its third year, the Lounge will host a series of presentations and panel discussions designed to inform and educate visitors to the show on the latest developments, trends and innovations and how they will impact the large format printing, sign-making and visual communications industry.

Topics include managing your sign business, business advice sessions, daily panel and feature sessions. The Women in Sign and Graphics session focuses on their contributions to the industry, while The Printing Charity will share ways to support mental well-being within the sector.

On the show floor, Hybrid Services, the exclusive UK and Ireland distributor for Mimaki Europe, is introducing three new printers at the event. These are the Mimaki TxF300-75 direct-to-film printer launched in August 2023, the UJV100-160Plus LED UV printer announced in September 2023, which will have its first UK exhibition showing, plus the first showing of the Mimaki UCJV330-160 LED UV integrated printer/cutter. The latter is a 1.6m production machine that Hybrid says offers ‘highly creative capabilities coupled with ultra-low running costs’.

RGB and Oki Europe are teaming up to support motor vehicle number plate printing with a complete ‘business in a box’ solution. They will be featuring the A3+ Oki Pro9542 printer, which includes white toner, and the Oki C650, described as ‘the world’s smallest high performance colour printer’  but still suitable for commercial print.

UK Feather Flags will showcase various products, including a new line of Eco fabric exhibition display solutions that it says demonstrate its commitment to sustainable signage. The company aims to build brand awareness, forge new business relationships, and gain insights into emerging market trends.

Sign Trade Supplies plans to display its range of sustainable aluminium profiles, sign fixings, and components, emphasising value to customers. The stand will also feature an interactive element, adding a ‘fun and engaging dimension for attendees’.

Assured Signage aims to use the show to highlight the potential of digital signage as a new revenue stream for traditional sign-makers and printers. It will present its media player, Sureview Genesis, which is claimed to offer offering exceptional performance and a low cost of ownership. The stand will also feature displays from Papercast, showcasing e-ink displays ideal for outdoor applications.

Roland DG  is taking space at both SDUK and Printwear & Promotion. At the former, it will showcase its new VersaObject MO-240, which replaces the company’s popular LEF2 Series and is designed to enhance direct-to-object printing with new levels of productivity. For those interested in signage, interior design and vehicle wraps, the company will also be showcasing its TrueVIS AP-640 resin printer, plus the popular TrueVis LG-640 UV print and cut device, and the 2.4 x 1.2m VersaObject EU-1000MF flatbed that can handle objects up to 95mm thick. These will be backed by demonstrations of the DG Connect software app.

Brownings, in partnership with Magnwall, plans to showcase novel wireless electrification systems at SDUK 2024. This allows users to mount electrical accessories onto the face of tension fabric systems, eliminating the need for complex wiring. The stand will also feature Brownings’ range, including TexSign tension fabric systems, Flex face products and bespoke snap frames.

BestSub will showcase its latest engraving machine, craft heat presses, Otter DtF system, and a comprehensive selection of craft supplies, materials, and tools.

InkTec had been planning to show a brand new printer, the Jetrix LXa5 flatbed, but the conflict around the Suez Canal has delayed it, so the firm will focus on sustainability, showing how Jetrix printers can be upgraded to move with the times and continue to deliver on their initial investment. The Jetrix LXi8 UV flatbed will be present, sporting a new user interface that improves the nesting and mapping capabilities of the printer to minimise media wastage. There will also be the first showing of the Jetrix XGR320 3.2m UV LED roll printer. Both machines will be printing with GreenGuard Gold accredited inks.

QPS will feature four LED UV printers from ColorJet on its stand – the 49sqm/hr Verve 2513M flatbed, the Verve Mini 1050 x 1650mm compact flatbed, the 2m width Vulcan Hybrid X and the 3.2m Vulcan 3201M which offers at top speed of 76sqm/hr. Collectively these cover a full gamut of wide-format applications from small signage and promotional items to high volume roll substrates, plus rigid materials including ACP, foam, board, flute board, glass, ceramic tiles and wood. QPS will also feature the Nazdar range of inks.

Drytac won’t have a stand of its own, but its products will feature on Epson, Hybrid Services and Roland’s stands, as well as that of exclusive distribution partner Premier Paper Group. While Premier will display a selection of Drytac materials and can advise about the full range, Epson will feature SpotOn Floor 200 and ReTac Textures Sand wallcovering films, while Hybrid will be printing Polar Chrome reflective PET, Polar Choice White film and Visiprint films. Roland’s stand will show ReTac ChalkMate, which yields a blackboard-type finish.

Another first will be the debut of the SC-V1000 A4 flatbed printer from Epson. This is an entry-level flatbed printer aimed at small businesses in the promotional goods industry. Described as highly compact and affordable, V1000 can print directly on a wide range of substrates with a thickness of up to 70mm, including acrylics, polycarbonates, PVC, aluminium, metal, polyester, foamboard, styrene, wood and stone, making it suitable for creating promotional and personalised items.

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Described as compact and affordable, the SureColour V1000 can print onto hard surfaces, ideal for creating promotional and personalised items, suitable for a wide-range of businesses from photo-retailers and small goods manufacturers to e-commerce printers and visitor attractions, such as theme parks.

The SC-V1000 can print directly on a wide range of substrates with a thickness of up to 70mm, including acrylics, polycarbonates, PVC, aluminium, metal, polyester, foamboard, styrene, wood and stone. Featuring an integrated ink pack system with six colours (CMYK plus white and varnish), the SC-V1000 produces precise and detailed images, which can be easily customised. With a compact footprint (699 x 699mm), the printer fits easily onto most standard workbenches and desktops.

Designed to be affordable for small businesses, the SC-V1000 is also easy to operate and maintain, with an automatic cleaning system, activated through a touchscreen that eliminates the need for manual maintenance. The use of Epson’s replaceable ink pack system makes inks easy to replace. The SC-V1000 features an integrated air filtration system and odour reducing function as standard. The new printer offers USB or Wi-fi connectivity options, and comes with Epson Edge Print Rip software, connection to Epson Port and a three-year warranty.

Tom Owers, business manager at Epson UK said, ‘Epson is delighted to enter the small footprint UV flatbed signage print market with the SC-V1000.

‘Designed with the promotional goods market in mind, it’s a compact and affordable UV LED flatbed signage printer with a range of unique Epson features, and capable of high-quality printing on a wide range of media.’

The SC-V1000 will be shown at Epson’s stand at Sign and Digital UK (SDUK) on 25-27 February at the NEC, and the device will be available from Epson resellers from July 2024.

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After being the first UK national paper merchant to validate its near-term carbon reduction target with the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), Denmaur has now used the same framework to validate its net-zero target date of 2045.

The net-zero target has committed Denmaur to reduce its total scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions by a minimum of 90% by 2045, with any remaining emissions being neutralised. This is in addition to its near-term target of reducing scope 1 and 2 emissions by 42% by 2030.

Denmaur’s marketing and sustainability director Danny Doogan explained why the company has nominated a date five years ahead of the global deadline first defined by the landmark Paris Agreement:

‘We targeted 2045 based on the net-zero work and aspirations of our customers as well as the decarbonisation plans and initiatives that are starting to come through from paper and board manufacturers.’

One such manufacturer is Burgo, which in 2023 announced plans to switch some of its mills into green paper plants, including Burgo Ardennes in Belgium, where Denmaur’s flagship Amadeus range is produced.

Mr Doogan explained further, ‘Our net-zero target may be considered ambitious, but during discussions with several manufacturers in the last year, it’s apparent there is a strong intent to reduce, and ultimately eliminate fossil fuel-based energy in paper production – a significant Scope 3 element of our carbon footprint. In the week where 2023 was confirmed as the hottest on record, now is the time for ambitious targets.’

Meanwhile, Mondi has announced an investment of €20 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase energy efficiency and strengthen operational safety at its Neusiedler mill. This includes an upgrade of the pulp mill´s recovery boiler, pulp dryer, steam accumulator and steam turbine. It is part of Mondi´s MAP2030 sustainability commitments.

‘These upgrades will help Mondi Neusiedler to reduce the pulp mil’s greenhouse gas emissions by over 20%, while also reducing NOx emissions by up to 10% and gas consumption by around 25%,” explained Sakari Eloranta, technical director uncoated fine paper at Mondi.

In the labels sector, UPM Raflatac has reported that all papers it sources, whether used as a face paper or a release liner in its labelling materials, are now certified under a credible third-party forest certification scheme. Having all its papers certified is one of UPM Raflatac’s 2030 responsible sourcing and climate targets, and has been achieved six years ahead of time.

‘Reaching our 2030 target this far in advance is a significant milestone that we could not have achieved without the support and close collaboration of our suppliers, and the drive and commitment of our employees. Third-party forest certification is one important element in our responsible sourcing approach, combined with supplier assessment and development activities, as well as continuous risk monitoring and management,’ said Maria Seppälä, VP sourcing at UPM Raflatac.

On the equipment manufacturing side, Epson has announced that as of December 2023, all electricity used at Epson Group sites around the world is from renewable sources, following a public commitment to do so made in March 2021. This makes it the first among Japanese domestic manufacturing industry to complete the transition to renewable electricity at all its sites worldwide, including Japan, the company says.

The Epson Group consumes approximately 876GWh of electricity per year. By sourcing renewables to cover this demand, Epson expects to reduce its annual carbon dioxide emissions by approximately 400,000 tonnes.

Epson global president Yasunori Ogawa said, ‘For eight decades, Epson has demonstrated a proactive approach to environmental action. We have maintained the founder’s commitment to preserving the cleanliness of nearby Lake Suwa and became the world’s first company to eliminate CFCs from our manufacturing processes.

‘Now we have successfully completed the switch to 100% renewable electricity at all Epson Group sites in just two years and ten months since declaring our commitment to doing so in 2021. This will not only help us to achieve our own goals but will also help to facilitate a broader adoption of renewable electricity within society by spreading awareness.’

At the user end, document automation specialist Datagraphic has announced its commitment to The Climate Pledge, a commitment by companies to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040, a decade ahead of the Paris Agreement’s 2050 goal.

Datagraphic says it is the only UK SME in its industry with net-zero targets approved and validated by the Science Based Targets initiative and pledges to reduce scope 1 and scope 2 GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions by 46% by 2030 from a 2019 base year and to measure and reduce scope 3 emissions.

Signatories to The Climate Pledge, which was co-founded by Amazon and Global Optimism in 2019, agree to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions regularly; to implement decarbonisation strategies in line with the Paris Agreement through real business changes and innovations, including efficiency improvements, renewable energy, materials reductions, and other carbon emission elimination strategies; and to neutralise any remaining emissions with additional, quantifiable, real, permanent and socially beneficial offsets to achieve net-zero annual carbon emissions by 2040.

Datagraphic’s achievements towards these goal include ISO 50001 and 14001 certification, installing over 310kW of solar generation capacity, working with suppliers on sustainable practices and conducting lifecycle assessments for all products or services.

Peter Wells, head of sustainability at Datagraphic, commented, ‘As one of the UK’s 5.5 million SMEs, sustainability is not just a choice but a responsibility. Net-zero won’t just happen. We need to be proactive, and Datagraphic is determined to lead the charge for our industry.’

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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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The sixth-generation family-run Dublin sign specialist worked with local Epson supplier digitalprint.ie to bring its production in-house and to expand into new markets.

Managing director Tom Freeney commented, ‘We were originally sign writers but today we are producing digital print, large format print and a lot of vehicle graphics. We were early adopters of digital printers and as their technology has evolved, we have evolved with them, and the business has grown.’

The two Epson systems were chosen to help continue that growth, with local support and confidence in the Epson brand being key factors. The flatbed in particular has opened up new opportunities, as Mr Freeney explained, ‘The flatbed solution is a new technology for us. It is very versatile. We find we are doing some nice niche work which we wouldn’t have previously done or we would have outsourced. It has a wide range of features, features that other machines in its class simply don’t have. It has the ability to print white inline. It prints varnish. It has a wider colour gamut than any other machines we inspected and after printing the same file on a range of printers the Epson was far superior.’

While the roll-fed SC-S80600 was a more familiar type of machine, it too has exceeded expectations, according to Mr Freeney: ‘We hit the ground running with the SC-S80600. It has been very easy to use. The colours are far beyond our expectations and it has been a great success.’

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The Sheerness, Kent operation specialises in the production of custom printed site hoardings and boards, exhibition graphics, window graphics, banners, posters, and other items. It aims to provide a bespoke on-demand digital printing solution and works with UK print management companies, design agencies, marketing teams and retailers.

JBF Digital managing director Joe Field explained the decision to invest: ‘We needed something to be able to keep up with the orders coming in and this was the direction in the next step of our growth. We also needed to be able to keep up with the competition and stand out from the crowd. Previously we were being out-costed, but with the V7000 we’re now more price competitive and delivering a better quality to our customers.

‘The business was really struggling at times to complete incoming orders. We were running 24 hours a day sometimes and looking to take on extra staff. Now we can take more work on, complete it to a higher quality and offer quicker lead times,’ he added.

The Epson flatbed was recommended to JBF by specialist reseller Perfect Colours. Having two SureColor SC-S80600 roll-fed solvent printers, JBF was familiar with the brand, and felt that the flatbed ‘ticked all the boxes’.

Mr Field expanded, ‘A key benefit is the ability to print directly onto the substrate. Normally we would print on vinyl, laminate, and then fix it to a board. This three-step process could involve up to three people. Now it is a one step, one person process as often the use of UV negates the need to laminate. This saves time and money. It is also more environmentally responsible as there is no need to use vinyl. We can also use eco boards and other more sustainable substrates such as 100% recycled Foamex.

‘Important too for us was the fact the white ink can be laid down in one pass. Normally this was a two-step process and this took more time and the quality was not always as good. When you are using expensive material like acrylic it is important to get it right. We also liked that it had its own red ink. No other flatbed machine prints its own red.’

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Based on a Roland DG chassis, the machine uses modified Brother piezo-electric printheads from the company’s textile printers, with three drop sizes down to 5pl and print resolutions of up to 1200 x 1200dpi. The two printheads are arranged in a staggered formation to apply optimiser (primer) first, then CMYK. Print speed in eight-pass standard quality mode is just under 15sqm/hr and the WF1 is aimed at applications such as banners, drawings, window graphics, storefront signage, trade show graphics, vehicle wraps and outdoor advertising.

The water-based pigment ink is Greenguard Gold certified, making the print also suitable for indoor applications like wallpaper, floor graphics and posters in restaurants or educational institutions. The CMYK inks are claimed to achieve a wide colour gamut and are supplied in 750ml pouches to reduce plastic waste, with a roller system to squeeze out as much ink as possible. The printer is driven by Roland’s versaWorks software but Brother says it is in discussions with other Rip developers and cutting machine vendors to expand the choices; the company also clarified that the ink type is actually a resin but felt that the term latex was better understood in the target market; Roland DG, Mutoh and Epson also offer resin printers.

The Brother WF1 has a list price of €19,495 and the ink pouches are €130 each. The printer holds six cartridges at once, CMYK plus two optimisers.

Brother also used Fespa 2023 as a platform to announce two new textile direct-to-garment and direct-to-film printers.

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Quinn has been a long-time proponent of Epson’s dye-sublimation technology, using a SureColor SC-F9200 printer, and has won the H&M Design Award and the inaugural Queen Elizabeth II Award for Design, presented by her late majesty in 2018. His Autumn/Winter 2023 collection again heavily featured dye-sublimation’s role in fashion and was enhanced with the runway’s Secret Garden-inspired decor.

Digital printing also played a role in the surrounding, with Epson’s SureColor SC-R5000 resin printer being used to print the black and white diamond-patterned floor graphics. Using water-based resin inks, the printer imaged onto scuff and tear-resistant PVC-free polyester floor graphics containing 40% recycled material, provided by adhesive-coated products manufacturer Drytac and installed by specialist Max Media Prints. The Epson inks offered a durable solution for the catwalk and make the substrate recyclable and free from environmentally harmful substances.

The catwalk in use as one of Richard Quinn’s dye-sub printed designs is modelled

This is the second year running that digital textile and signage printing have helped bring to life Mr Quinn’s fashion collection and catwalk themes respectively.

Phil McMullin, head of sales for ProGraphics at Epson UK, commented, ‘t’s always a delight to see Richard Quinn’s designs brought to life through digital textile printing and I’m pleased that this has also offered such a great chance for our signage printing technology to shine. The SureColor SC-R5000 takes all the proven technology of our successful SureColor printer range and adds our new resin ink set to deliver improved abrasion resistance without lamination as well as enhanced recyclability. In combination with the Drytac media it provides a perfect result for this application.’

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The Newcastle-based print supplied reseller handles products for screen and litho printing as well as wide-format digital, where Mimaki, Roland and Epson products are also in their range. Well-established in the north of England, YPS says it has built long-standing relationships with independent printers since its formation in 2009. A team of 14 staff supports customers with a proactive service of supply, extended warranty packages, and service work via a team of in-house engineers.

Georgia Brown, MD of YPS said, ‘We are really excited about this new partnership with Agfa. This move to add the Agfa Anapurna brand to our portfolio is a natural expansion to our product range, as it provides a choice of wide-format options and fills a price gap in our current offering. We will be supplying the Agfa Anapurna print engine range plus the inks and the Asanti workflow.’

‘I have known the team at YPS for many years and we are delighted to now have them on board as a reseller of our popular Anapurna range,’ said Paul Fitch, head of inkjet at Agfa UK & Ireland. ‘It’s a great fit for our business, they have a loyal customer base who appreciate the independent technical advice that YPS give on the best print solution for their business. Many of their customers have been looking at the growth in the wider format market and the Anapurna range will provide a great solution to many of their enquiries. I am looking forward to working them.

Agfa’s Anapurna UV LED series is aimed at sign shops, digital printers, photo labs and mid-sized graphic screen printers that want to combine board and roll-to-roll print jobs and is offered in 1650 and 3200mm widths for outdoor and indoor rigid and flexible wide-format jobs. A white ink option creates enables printing on transparent material for backlit applications or for printing white as a spot colour. An optional automatic board feeder is also available.

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