Sign & Digital UK was one of the first shows to resume its normal schedule after the interruptions of the pandemic years, with a respectable showing in March 2022, and is back this year with increasing confidence as the industry continues to recover from the lockdown periods of interrupted business.

Industry names already confirmed include Roland DG, EFI, eProductivity Software, Epson UK, Morgana, Premier, Hexis UK, Vivid Laminating Technologies and swissQprint. According to organisers Faversham House, there will also be a host of familiar – and maybe not so familiar – exhibitors ready and waiting to welcome visitors from across the sign and large-format digital printing world.

Event director Jenny Matthew says, ‘Last year we had a great show, even though the country was just getting used to the idea of getting out again. However, this year promises to be a no-holds-barred celebration of all that is good and great in the wonderful world of sign-making and large-format digital printing. I have spoken to many people who say that SDUK 2023 will be their first opportunity to see the latest technology and innovation for several years, and they can’t wait.’

In addition to the array of exhibitors on the show floor, there are other features at the show, designed to educate and inform sign-makers of all shapes, sizes and experience levels. One of these is the UK Wrap Battle 2023, hosted by Hexis, will run throughout the show, giving visitors a chance to see the very best practitioners of the vehicle wrapping trade as they demonstrate their skills in a battle of speed and accuracy to claim the title of Best UK Installer 2023.

Meanwhile, the Sign Studio aims to have something for everyone in vinyl signage, from novices to veterans. Running every day, this features live demonstrations and practical workshops hosted by experienced sign-maker Paul Hughes. These sessions will allow visitors to learn more about the basics of vinyl application, vehicle livery, wall coverings and other uses for the material.

‘I will give practical, hands-on demonstrations designed to inform people looking to take their first steps in vinyl application and those wanting to add to and develop their skills. There will even be something for more seasoned pros on the hunt for the latest tips and tricks,’ says Mr Hughes.

Explanations forthcoming

Complementing these are the SDUK Explains Lounge and a brand-new feature, the Sign Surgery, both hosted by the International Sign Association UK (ISA–UK). Throughout the show, there will be daily presentations and panel sessions covering the big issues affecting sign-makers and wide-format print providers. The topics covered in these will include sustainability, overcoming the skills shortage challenge and how to grow your business.

Building on last year’s outing, the Explains Lounge will host a comprehensive programme of presentations designed to engage, inform and inspire. All of the sessions are free to attend and there is no requirement to pre-register.

Event Director Jenny Matthew explains, ‘We have invited experienced experts in their field to explain how to make your sign business more successful. They will look at various important topics, such as when it’s right to outsource or take work in-house, how to win more tenders, and how sign-makers can work together to build their businesses.’

Panel beating

Daily panel sessions bring a range of industry experts together to discuss the big issues affecting the signage industry. On Tuesday 28 March, a group of experts from BPIF and POPAI will examine the danger of ‘sustainability satigue’. They will discuss how to reinvigorate the market to keep sustainability in focus and benefit themselves, their customers and the planet.

Wednesday’s panel session (29 March) will be hosted by Women in Sign-Making, focusing on the role of men in supporting women in sign-making. On Thursday 30 March, the panel will examine the skills shortage affecting sign-makers up and down the country. They will discuss the pain points for the sign industry, and highlight the key actions companies can take to overcome them.

Successful surgery

A new feature for 2023, the Sign Surgery will take place alongside the Explains Lounge and will be an informal environment where visitors can put questions to ISA-UK directors. Craig Brown, CEO of the ISA UK, says, ‘The Sign Surgery will be a vibrant and welcoming place where visitors come to discuss the issues and challenges most important to them. ISA members with decades of experience in all areas of sign-making will be available throughout the show to answer questions and discuss real business issues. We have seen and lived it all in signage as a group, and this is a rare opportunity to share this knowledge with fellow sign-makers.’

Ms Matthew concludes, ‘The Explains Lounge will be based in the heart of the show and we have put together a schedule that should have something of interest and value for everyone attending the show. Whether you are a small start-up looking to gain vital knowledge and advice from experienced industry experts, or a more seasoned professional wanting to keep up to speed with the latest developments, we have something for you on the Explains Lounge.’

Exhibitor highlights

Materials from Drytac for the large-format print and signage applications will appear on a variety of stand across Hall 2 at the NEC, where they will feature in product demonstrations from Epson, Roland DG, Soyang Europe and Mimaki distributor Hybrid Services. Experts from Drytac will also be in attendance to answer any questions.

Workflow and MIS specialist eProductivity Software (EPS) eProductivity Software is promising an exclusive first look at what it touts as ‘a revolutionary new mobile app that will change the way you approach installations, invoicing and delivery’. The rest of the company’s Productivity Suites and other modular solutions will be in action, with opportunities to speak with experts, about improving workflow, increasing efficiency, or expanding capabilities. Specific technology areas covered by EPS include web-to-print, imposition and print MIS/ERP solutions, backed by live demonstrations and hands-on experiences, plus expert consultations and advice.

Visitors to Mimaki distributor Hybrid Services’ stand will be able to view the new direct-to-film (DtF) TxF 150-75 printer that also made its debut appearance at Printwear & Promotion Live in late February. The Mimaki DTF works on cotton, polyester and polyester blended materials, and the print can be applied to both light and dark coloured fabrics. DtF offers a simpler workflow compared to other garment printing methods, and the inks are Oeko-Tex Eco Passport certified.

Also present on Hybrid’s stand will be the dye sublimation TS330-1600 and the other models in the 330 series of printers, the solvent print-only JV330-160 and its integrated solvent printer/cutter sibling, the CJV330. All three models share a common 1.6m platform, claiming high performance and productivity, coupled with ease of use. On the flatbed UV side, printers at opposite ends of the size spectrum will also be on show, with the A2/A3 format UJF Series displayed alongside the JFX200-2513EX 8 x 4-ft model. Both offer direct to substrate printing on a wide range of materials and items.

Morgana and Intec are partnering to exhibit a full range of die-cutting solutions. This includes the AeroDieCut, which uses existing wood and steel dies for cutting, creasing, perforating, embossing and debossing. For a full digital approach, the highly automated new ColorCut SC6000 is said to provide an ideal entry point. Flatbed die-cutting options from the Intec stable include the creasing and cutting dual-tooled flatbed ColorCut FB775 and ColorCut FB9000 Pro models, which deliver high performance and ‘unparalleled’ media control via creasing forces of up to 1.5kg and a cutting force of up to 1.2kg. Morgana’s top-of-the-range Valiani Integra is suitable for working with thicker substrates and targeted the world of signage and packaging.

The BN-20D desktop printer marks Roland DG’s entry into the direct-to-fabric sector

Premier will be showcasing products from its extensive range of display graphic media including key brands such as Contra Vision, Neschen, Ultraboard, Ritrama and Plexiglas. The company’s team of experts will be on hand to deliver product information, demonstrations and advice on how to transform spaces with memorable, innovative retail displays and graphics.  There will also be live competitions running throughout the course of each of the three days, with some prizes up for grabs and one or two special guest appearances.

PrintiQ will be returning to the show with an increased stand presence and more demonstrators following its success at last year’s event. The MIS developer will bring its latest software, which delivers business intelligence information and builds a managed workflow solution that allows users to see accurately where they are making or losing money and provides data to underpin actions. Among the various modules to be shown are Quote Intelligence, Payment Gateways, Shipping Manager, plus rich API interfaces that connect and drive online systems to create a complete automated ordering and tracking service from ‘quote to delivery’.

A range of wide-format print solutions will be shown by QPS, including a Colorjet Verve 2513 UV flatbed printer running throughout the three-day event, using Nazdar inks., which will also be featured in their own right. QPS will also be able to discuss how DuPont Artistri textile inks, for which is a distributor, will work with ‘almost any’ printer and are suitable for multiple textile applications including apparel, fashion accessories, interior design, exterior flags and signage, soft furnishings, active wear, garment decoration and direct-to-garment printing.

Roland DG will show the new TrueVis models announced in January 2023, including its first resin printer, the AP-640 and the MG & LG series of UV print-and-cut machines. Alongside these newest machines, the VG3-640 and SG3-540/300 printer/cutters will be displayed. Roland hasn’t confirmed but it seems highly likely that the company’s baby DtF printer, the BN-20D, which was shown at Printwear & Promotion Live, will also feature.

Soyang Europe and Josero will demonstrate hardware from manufacturing partners Fujifilm, Jetrix and Mimaki, as well as display an applications wall with products created using its own wide- and super-wide format digitally printable materials. The latter will include non-PVC banner materials, textiles, wallcovering and décor media, plus self-adhesive floor coverings.

Another returning exhibitor from 2022 is SwissQprint, which will be running live demonstrations of the high quality Nyala 4 flatbed UV printer, along with the roll-fed Karibu. Information about other models, including the Kudu, the most recently introduced high-end UV flatbed model capable of over 300sqm/hr output and with 10 configurable colour channels, will also be available. Specialist applications including neon inks, texture printing and 3D effects will be shown in addition.

Show stalwart Trotec will be back too, with a range of product demonstrations, including the biggest of its large-format laser cutters, the SP3000. With laser power options up to 400W, a 3210 x 2210mm working area and a host of productivity features, the PS3000 is designed for demanding production environments and enables an optimised workflow that complements the print process. In addition, Trotec will give live demonstrations of the Speedy 400 Flexx and Q500 laser engraver and cutter systems, which both offer high-quality laser finishing for printed products. The company’s range of sheet materials, including engravable laminates, wood and acrylic, will also be on display.

Vivid Laminating Technologies will be showcasing all its major product ranges: the VeloBlade Nexus range of wide-format digital die-cutters, the Matrix systems for lamination, foiling and special effects, and the Easymount systems for wide-format lamination. Vivid staff will also demonstrate the company’s Zip Core packaging software, which is has been designed to optimise packaging design from start to finish, and the VeloTaper fully-automated flatbed taping system, a patented innovation designed and developed in-house by Vivid in the UK.

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Interprint has expanded its product range by deploying Agfa’s water-based pigmented inkjet ink set on two of its Koenig & Bauer RotaJet presses.

The company, which specialises in printing décor paper, recently invested in a third RotaJet system, its second one from the latest generation. Both of these models are now utilising the same Agfa ink set. 

The cooperation between the three parties has made it possible for Interprint to expand its digital printing range using laminates. The ‘consistent and interchangeable’ prints available on both lines means that the company can roll out a ‘wide variety of designs,’ from the early sampling phase right to the full production.

‘We are excited to be able to show full flexibility in designs thanks to digital décor printing,’ commented Interprint managing director Robert Bierfreund. ‘The cooperation with Agfa and Koenig & Bauer during the start-up phase of the RotaJet lines has been very professional and resulted in a consistent print process that enables us to serve our customers with a huge freedom of design choices and superior print quality.’

Koenig & Bauer and Agfa say that they cooperated closely in order to validate the performance of the Agfa ink set for use with the RotaJet print solution. Christoph Müller, a member of the management board of Koenig & Bauer explained, ‘Koenig & Bauer extensively tested the Agfa ink set on the RotaJet print solution at its Customer Technology Centre in Würzburg. The fine-tuning of ink to the print system was managed carefully by both parties. This has resulted in the RotaJet running in a very controlled manner, delivering excellent image quality and overall performance.’

Tom Cloots, Agfa’s director of industrial inkjet, added, ‘Agfa is committed to the laminate industry, with many years of R&D invested in inks for this industry, and has recently built a new dedicated ink production plant. We have a long tradition of handling pigments and have built strong expertise on how to disperse them in a water-based ink carrier. Agfa technology enables the consistent production of inkjet inks with a very wide color gamut – a key element of the overall ink performance – yet a low ink consumption.’

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The wall covering dominates the interior of Zaap, which recently opened in Headingley and was produced in such a way that it switches between day and night, providing a ‘separate distinctive ambience’ for day and evening service at the restaurant.

The effect was achieved by have a full colour day image and a full colour night image digitally output and sandwiched together in a lightbox with a printed white layer between them. Only the daytime scene can be seen when the lightbox is off, but once turned on, the scene transforms into a nightscape featuring a ‘bright moon, twinkling stars and illuminated city lights.’ 

‘UFabrik Eco Backlit is one of my favourite materials because not only is it made from recycled plastic bottles but the image quality is absolutely stunning,’ said Imageco managing director Nathan Swinson-Bullough.

UFabrik Eco textiles are made using recycled PET yarn produced from single use plastic waste. The product is described as ‘perfect for backlit, frontlit, and blockout applications as well as single piece wallcoverings up to 5m wide, and staple wrap around frames.’

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The CX500 was installed in 2020, replacing a previous Xeikon machine. Perswall said it made the investment in order to increase capacity and the CX500 was chosen specifically as a part of Xeikon’s Wall Decoration Digital Production Suite. Fredrik Larsson Larsson, COO of Embellence Group explained, ‘With our 115 year heritage of wallpaper production, our company has the experience, understanding and knowledge to create unique designs to suit today’s consumer requirements. After years of paint playing a leading role in interior decoration, it is time for the wallpaper renaissance. With digitally printed premium wallpaper, a self-developed e-platform and fast delivery service, Perswall is attracting design interested and quality conscious customers around the world.  With our new Xeikon printing press we can now produce around 2000sqm of designer wallpaper every day.

‘Our ambition is to grow and fill the Xeikon machine with more and more jobs. The competition in the digital wallpaper production arena is growing but our strength and advantage is in having been early into this market. Also, we now have a seamless workflow from web order to printer. With the efficiency, quality and flexibility of the Xeikon CX500 machine, this eco-friendly solution will enable us to quickly and simply produce fully finished rolls on the broadest range of substrates in short runs with fast changeovers and minimal waste. Our designer wallpapers use a non-woven material, a cellulose-based paper with polyester fibres.’

Founded in 2006 by Irene and Christofer Gimmersta, the company was originally called WallVision, operates across the entire Nordic region and utilises gravure, screen, flexo and collagraphy alongside digital technology.

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Whatever you’re trying to accomplish when it comes to interior design, there are digital printers to suit your needs. From wallpapers to cushions, upholstery to rugs and carpets, digital can provide the speeds, resolution and breadth of substrates designers are looking for. The print manufacturers know this, and so do the print shops, but what do designers think about digital printing? Digital Textile Printer spoke to three leading designers to try and find out.

Beth Travers runs Bobo1325, an award-winning Manchester-based design house specialising in interiors. She learned her trade at Huddersfield University, where she initially studied interior design.

Beth Travers of Bobo1325

‘I’d always known I wanted to create,’ Ms Travers explains. ‘That’s just what made me happy. I really enjoyed the course but it just wasn’t for me. I’m not a big fan of rules and staying inside the lines, so I switched to surface fashion design for fashion and interiors and there was something about the latter aspect that really spoke to me. Fashion is fast and dynamic, but your favourite dress might only be your favourite for a season, interiors are so much more permanent.

‘If you design part of someone’s house, you’re a part of their safe haven, where they unwind at the end of the day. If it’s a bar or a hotel then you’re creating a space where people go ‘wow!’ and I find that’s so much more rewarding.’

She’s been utilising digital print since the earliest days of her career, and Ms Travers is clearly a fan, with the sustainability and environmental advantages digital offers of huge importance to her. ‘Lots of my work is inspired by things like plastic in the ocean and social consciousness,’ she explains. ‘I like to work locally, with environmentally friendly inks and sustainable or recyclable fabrics. Some of those are great and we’re only at the beginning with them, so where they’ll be in five years’ time I find really exciting.

‘Short runs are another huge advantage of digital. It’s really hard for smaller independent designers who don’t have the money to order 500 of something to test the market. With digital they can just do short runs.’

These are views that are echoed by Freya Richmond, a designer with a first-class honour’s degree in Printed Textile Design for Fashion from Brighton University. ‘Being green, printing short runs, personalising, they’re all huge advantages,’ Ms Richmond says. ‘I also love how you can produce a print with a gazillion colours in it and get it printed exactly as you see it on screen, provided you’ve done your colour checks! It’s such an advantage to be able to print exactly what you design, with alternative methods this just isn’t the case… digital is just like printing out a piece of paper on a normal printer. It’s incredible.’

Beth Travers has been utilising digital print since the earliest days of her career

Ms Richmond, who also has a Fespa Design Award to her name and has worked at London design agency Richard Quinn, says that she has always been interested in textile design. ‘From school through to my degree it’s always been very textiles-based and print was a part of that from the very beginning,’ she says. ‘Of course I’ve explored the alternatives, such as weaving or knitting, but I’ve always chosen print because there’s so much more you can do with it.’

She started off using screen printing, a method Ms Richmond admits she does still prefer to digital. ‘It’s really cool and raw and I prefer the way it looks. That being said, it’s very expensive and it uses a lot of water and the inks aren’t as necessarily as environmentally friendly. You can do more than five or six colours, but there is a cost to it. Digital has the edge there I suppose.’

The third member of our trio, multi-award winning Annette Taylor-Anderson of ATA Designs, also acknowledges the advantages of personalisation and short runs, but for her the main selling point of digital is that ‘you aren’t trapped in the old, traditional ways of working, especially when it comes to wallpapers. I have huge respect for the traditional methods, but you can get locked into a certain way of designing, particularly when it comes to the number of colours, with digital you can use so many colours and the price doesn’t go through the roof.’

As the above comment suggests, Ms Taylor-Anderson now specialises in wallpaper design, but she began ‘as an artist, first and foremost. I used to do art shows and sell my work there and I was always experimenting on different types of paper and fabric. It was whilst I was doing a foundation course in art at the Mary Ward Centre in London that someone asked me if I’d ever thought about textiles, I ended up showing my work to the University of East London and I was accepted straight away.’

It was whilst at university, studying textile design and surface decoration, that she was introduced to digital printing. ‘It was part of my course,’ she explains. ‘They did a lot of fashion and back then they seemed like the only ones doing that sort of fabric printing. They had a printing unit that was used by both students and by external companies.’

Freya Richmond learned her trade at the University of Brighton

E-commerce

Each of our designers sells their work through their websites, social media sites such as Instagram, word-of-mouth and personal introductions, but with entry-level textile printers becoming more realistic investments, and e-commerce platforms more and more popular, do they think we will see more designers investing in printers and producing their own work directly?

‘It probably is viable to do something like that,’ Ms Taylor-Anderson says. ’But for me, you’ve got to think ‘am I a printer or am I a designer?’

‘People say ‘you should have your own printer and you can do everything yourself…’ but what happens if something goes wrong? That’s not to mention the costs, the inks, I just want to get on and do my stuff!’

Ms Richmond is a little bit warmer about the idea. ‘You’d need a lot of space,’ she says at once. ‘But you could do it. I suppose it depends on how much money you have behind you as well as the space you have. It also depends on how important it is to you… I have a little screen printing operation, but I do it in a very chilled-out way. It is quite an investment, but if your company is doing print all the time, then it is something worth considering.’

Ms Travers is the most positive of the three. ‘I think that sounds great,’ she says. ’Establishing yourself in design isn’t as easy as people think. People often say, ‘Oh my god I love your job,’ but they don’t realise how hard it can be. Investing in your own printer… it’s investing in yourself. When you’re faced with something that can be quite daunting providing yourself with opportunities and options… I like that.’

Print relationships

Bespoke Peacocks Mural Design by ATADesigns at The Northgate

Obviously each of our three designers managed to discover digital printing, either in the course of their education or their career, but Digital Textile Printer wanted to know whether they felt that print manufacturers, and the broader industry, does enough to showcase precisely what the technology is capable of.

‘I think it depends on the individual companies and on the relationships you build with them,’ Ms Travers says. ‘When I was at university digital wasn’t necessarily a huge part of the course, but then I think that university, whilst fantastic, doesn’t necessarily give you all the tools you need anyway. Too many designers graduate and then have no idea where to turn or who to talk to… perhaps there is a space there to be filled.

‘That being said, if you want information, pick up the phone and ask. I did and plenty of people invited me to come in and have a chat. I’ve built plenty of relationships that way.’

Ms Richmond agrees that ‘a lot of people on the design side don’t necessarily understand the details of how it [digital printing] works. I understand certain things such as dpi which not everyone does, but perhaps I don’t feel the need to meet people on the print side because I’m so used to it and I understand the artwork side.

‘However universities and courses could do more to teach students about the process, because the industry does need to understand that, as well as the various fabrics and how different printers and different fabrics work together. I do think it’s important to go to shows like Fespa both to meet people and to see things, there’s always new technologies and new fabrics coming out.’

Annette Taylor-Anderson specialises in wallpaper

Ms Taylor-Anderson says that once she had left university it was very much her responsibility to go out and source things for herself. ‘I had to go to people and ask them what they were doing, how they did things,’ she says. ‘Certainly I think that if students aren’t being taught more now then they should be. They need to leave armed with the knowledge they need.

‘There are designers out there who would love the technology if they knew more about it. But part of that responsibility has to lie with the teachers and tutors, why not visit trade shows? That’s where the printers are. When I left university I wasn’t told anything about where to go, I had to find it all out for myself.’

Digital printing is clearly an exciting technology for the design world, and as the industries get to know each other better and better, there will surely be a lot of interesting conversations to be had.

DIGITAL TEXTILE PRINTER IS OUR QUARTERLY DIVE INTO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF DIGITALLY PRINTED TEXTILES. REGISTER HERE TO MAKE SURE YOU DON’T MISS OUT ON THE NEXT EDITION.

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Slotex, a Russian supplier of decorative laminate solutions, has installed an Agfa InterioJet water-based inkjet printer.

St Petersburg-based Slotex offers a range of decorative solutions, including printed and impregnated papers, high-pressure laminates and finished panels, for applications ranging from furniture manufacturing, interior decoration, public transportation, car assembly to shipbuilding.

The company, which was founded in 1990, describes itself as a customer-oriented operation that ‘strives for the continuous improvement, innovation and expansion of its decorative solutions.’ As such it described the InteriorJet as its ideal solution thanks to its ability to print short runs of the various decors being developed by its design team.

‘In the past, with our gravure press, we needed to print a minimum of three tons of paper, which meant we had to keep some designs in stock for many months or even years,’ explained Slotex CEO Vadim Osipov. ‘Now we can print the exact volume we will convert to, for example, kitchen panels in the same month. Agfa’s InterioJet enables us to diversify our offering with more designs and to respond faster to our customers’ demands. Print quality and colour reproduction are brilliant as well as consistent. The InterioJet’s prints perfectly match those of our gravure press as the Agfa inks use the same pigments, and thanks to the cross-technology color management built in Agfa’s Asanti workflow software, which handshakes with the industry-leading CAD CAM software from AVA. The inks are fully compatible with all subsequent impregnation and lamination processes.’

Agfa introduced the InterioJet in November 2020, saying that its flexibility will help accelerate the transformation from analogue to digital printing in the laminated surface market. The water-based inkjet press can print on two rolls of decor paper simultaneously – each with a width of up to 155cm and a weight of up to 600kg – at a speed of up to 340sqm/hr.

Tom Cloots, director industrial inkjet at Agfa, added, ‘We are honored that Slotex has opted for our InterioJet printing solution. The installation was delayed due to the Covid crisis, but over the past six months the engine was located at our headquarters in Belgium, where our teams printed jobs for Slotex so they could supply their markets. This illustrates our commitment to be a true partner for our customers; they can count on us to help them out in difficult times.’

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Designed to help meet consumer demand for personalised home interiors, the CX50 is part of Xeikon’s Wall Deco Suite, an all-in-one streamlined solution which includes inline finishing. 

‘What we have put together is a complete automated Wall Deco factory,’ said Dimitri Van Gaever, market segment director for graphic arts. ‘The Xeikon CX50 digital press fits perfectly into our portfolio for wallcovering applications, midway between the Xeikon 3050 REX entry level option and our high-end Xeikon CX500 digital press.

‘For higher speeds the Xeikon CX50 can be upgraded from 20 to 30m/min. With Xeikon’s dry toner technology and advanced colour management capability with new generation interfaces and cloud connection, the Xeikon CX50 simplex digital press is designed to offer maximum OEE and TCO.’

The CX50 is driven by Xeikon’s X-800 workflow for high levels of automation. The workflow, ubiquitous across all Xeikon dry toner solutions, features a ‘poster layout’ function for murals and wallcoverings to ensure spot-on registration for ‘seamless’ installation.

The press also provides what Xeikon calls ‘superior colour consistency’ and an extended colour gamut. The company’s dry toner is available in CMYK, red, blue, green, orange and magenta, with additional colours, including one-pass opaque white and custom shades available on request.

Finally the inline finishing equipment, specifically designed to work within Xeikon’s Wall Deco Production Suite, includes inline water-based varnishing, slitting, waste removal and coreless rewinding.

‘Part of Xeikon’s ongoing value proposition is to offer the market choices to help customers drive business growth,’ Mr Van Gaever concluded. ‘We believe a successful and cost-effective investment in a digital production solution works best when it is based on expected and realistic print volumes.

‘The Xeikon CX50 press is ideal for those working in wall decoration production with flexible orders and shorter runs. With its capability to upgrade to higher speeds, an investment in this press ensures and secures future business growth.’

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The virtual space offers Xeikon a way of demonstrating its digital production portfolio of hardware and software, with specific sections providing in-depth advice on how to get started when considering digital production, information about different types of applications and digital printing solutions, background on the different markets that the company covers and guidance about production workflows and automation tools.

‘We are seeing continuous growth in the number of wallpaper printers and large format print service providers looking at digital wall deco printing,’ explained Dimitri Van Gaever, market segment director for graphics arts. ‘But also adjacent businesses such as architects, interior designers, retailers and instore communication professionals are looking for creative ideas and want to explore the possibilities of digital printing. In the last few years this market has already been experiencing a fast moving transformation and this evolution has not impacted by the current pandemic circumstances but it is actually accelerating. Therefore, our first virtual showroom contains our Wall Decoration Suite and is designed to ‘bridge the gap’ and connect the physical world to the virtual world. We’re very excited to let everyone discover our solutions 24/7 at their own convenience, no matter where they are on the globe.’

Danny Mertens, Xeikon’s corporate communications manager added, ‘Our new virtual showroom experience follows a set navigation path through Xeikon’s machine hall where visitors will find all they need to book a demo, access and download product brochures, watch a selection of videos as well as print samples on ‘seetheproof.com’. Users will have easy access to connect with Xeikon’s product experts. Content will be regularly updated and there will be facilities to download the latest information on the power of dry toner technology, technical specifications and the latest product updates.

‘Our advisory service is an integral part of our offering. We know that a successful and cost-effective investment works best after consultation at all levels The drive to customisation is extremely high in many areas in which digital production is the key technology. Xeikon will also use these tools during our ongoing programme of live events to ensure customers have a consistent supply of information at all times. With over thirty years’ experience, Xeikon has an in-depth understanding of all digital technologies and we are looking to further build on this platform for other markets.’

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Established 12 years ago, The Big Display Company is a family operation traditionally focused on wide-format print applications for a range of trade customers. The emergence of Covid-19 in the UK led to a sudden change in direction as clients rushed to secure floor stickers to promote social distancing and one-way systems.

The company had been running HP printers for several years and had a number of HP devices in place before the pandemic, including two HP Scitex Industrial Printers and three HP Latex 570 machines. An additional HP Latex 570 was installed in June 2020 shortly after the Covid-19 crisis took off.

Marketing director Jack Murphy said that demand for floor graphics skyrocketed and, such was the pressure on the existing machines, the business decided to invest in additional printers. ‘We spoke with Papergraphics and they recommended an HP Latex 3600 that had barely been used,’ Mr Murphy said. ‘We did the maths and discovered that the HP Latex 3600 would give us higher output and speed with reduced running costs.’

The Big Display Company installed the HP Latex 3600 in July 2020 in a move that Murphy described as a ‘game-changer’, allowing the business to produce between five and six rolls of 3.2m banners each day.

The Big Display Company also saw a massive increase in demand for face coverings and therefore invested in another new HP machine. Working with RA Smart, the company purchased an HP Stitch S500 dye sublimation printer which was installed in November 2020. Mr Murphy said the main reason for opting for HP again was the team’s familiarity with the technology, ‘The Stitch has bedded in so well; it runs all day, every day. It can operate unattended and has boosted output. It’s cost-effective and straight-forward to run. The investment was a no-brainer for us.’

While work related to Covid-19 was the main focus for The Big Display Company in 2020, the business is keen to plan for additional work they can take on when demand for face coverings and floor stickers slows down. In terms of the HP Latex 3600 the machine will be used to support the company with its growth plans within the interior décor market. Mr Murphy describes the device as being ‘impeccable’ for producing wallcoverings, as well as other higher-end products.

‘The HP Latex 3600 does double-sided print unbelievably well,’ he said. ‘Previously we were outsourcing double-sided print over 1500mm to a company in Europe. Since bringing that work in-house we have reduced turnaround times for this type of print massively. And that’s even more beneficial when you consider the potential for further delays with regards to ports, and possible issues with tax.

‘Installing these two pieces of HP machinery has massively increased our print capacity,’ Mr Murphy concluded. ‘We always have so many positive things to say about the HP engineers that we deal with – they consistently go above and beyond with the level of support, and practical expertise they can bring to an issue.’

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Based on the Jeti Tauro 3300 platform, the InterioJet is  a multi-pass printer with printheads, inks and a drying system tuned for water-based inks instead of the UV-LED cured variety used in the signage and display printer. Based on the same 3.3m width, the new machine can print on two rolls simultaneously, each up to 155cm wide and weighing up to 600kg, producing up to 340sqm/hr. It uses Agfa’s thin layer ink technology which the company says reduces ink cost while still producing ‘brilliant and consistent print quality throughout’ that is light-fast and waterproof when dry.

Output from the InterioJet , which is driven by Agfa’s Asanti workflow, is said by Agfa to combine ‘effortlessly’ with various impregnation and lamination processes involved in the manufacture of finished décor products. Asanti is able to ‘handshake’ with AVA CAD-CAM products used in this sector, as well as supporting workflow integration and cross-colour management  with creative and reproduction processes including analogue printing.

‘The InterioJet 3300 will accelerate the transformation from analogue (gravure) to digital printing in the laminated surface market,’ stated Tom Cloots, director Industrial Inkjet for Agfa. ‘It is the ideal cost-efficient solution for medium and short production runs.

‘Its limited start-up time and high flexibility will enable suppliers of laminated surfaces to gain new business by responding to evolving market demands, including printing on demand and just-in-time delivery. The system allows interior decoration designers to let their creativity run free and create customised designs for every order.’

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