Image Reports – June July 2023 by SJP Business Media

SUSTAINABLE AND PRODUCTIVE

New from Canon the Colorado M-Series and Arizona 1300 series with FLOW technology

What’s new in wide-format? Round-up of systems and solutions launched in the first half of 2023

Talking Point

Data Image chief Rob Farfort on the costs and benefits of greening-up

If you can, teach The BPIF calls for input into its Schools Engagement Programme

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk Actively investigating and supporting the wide-format print sector ISSUE 2 • VOLUME 31 • JUNE / JULY 2023

Find out more www.swissqprint.co.uk

New high-end flatbed printer 304 m²/h output 10 colour channels Latest print head technology 3.2 m wide roll option Greenguard

certified ink

High-end UV-LED printers Engineered and manufactured in Switzerland

Kudu Performer by nature

Gold

ENJOY THE SUNSHINE

Are things so bright where you are that you need shades? The findings from our 2023 Widthwise poll of the UK’s large-format print providers suggest that’s the case for a big proportion of you. Turnover and margins are well up on last year for many and more than a massive 90% are optimistic for their business. I’ll not give anything else away here - the full analysis will be published in the Widthwise Report out with the next issue - but it’s good to head into summer on such a positive note.

With thoughts of sunny days and being outdoors, there’s a timely piece in this issue on air pollution-busting technology being deployed by three of the sector’s key PSPs and expected to be taken up by a much wider user base over the coming months. And, with environmental issues an everincreasing focus, the Talking Point this time around is with Data Image founder and CEO, Rob Farfort, who believes it’s “our corporate social responsibility to increase sustainable solutions within the print industry.” Find out what the company is doing to green-up print - and whether its efforts are being rewarded.

Not wanting to put a dampener on things, but you’ll also find a couple of rallying calls to arms from the industry’s trade bodies. The IPIA wants to know what you think about current trading conditions, and your ideas for targeted industry support, so that it can better represent the print sector in discussions with Government now that it’s got its foot through the door of Number 10. Meanwhile, the BPIF wants you to feed into its new School Engagement Programme by telling it where the skills gaps and requirements lie in this sector. So no slacking!

There’s plenty more to keep you mind ticking over wherever this June and July takes you - enjoy.

Editor: Lesley Simpson lesley.simpson@imagereportsmag.co.uk

Production / Design: Rob Castles

Publisher: Wayne Darroch wayned@sjpbusinessmedia.com

Advertising Manager: Carl Archer carl.archer@imagereportsmag.co.uk

Tel: 07723 079928

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Editor

LESLEY SIMPSON

LESLEY.SIMPSON@IMAGEREPORTSMAG.CO.UK

TEL: 01932 707173

Editorial

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From Top: Lesley Simpson Wayne Darroch Carl Archer

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6 NEWS

Keeping you abreast of all the latest news in relation to digital wide-format print.

8 COVER STORY ADVERTORIAL

Canon maximises sustainability with the new Colorado M-Series and Arizona 1300 series with FLOW technology

24 FORUM

Digging below the surface with Industry Mole; Out and About events diary; Over to You interview; Vital stats.

26 ZEITGEIST

The BPIF calls on you to get involved in its new Schools Engagement Programme

SECTIONS:

TECHNICAL

10 Know the newcomers

A look at the product introductions made in the first half of the year.

BUSINESS

15 Exclusivity: making the most of it

How to establish and market your niche capabilities.

16 Top Tips

How to ensure your company is truly inclusive.

19 Help the IPIA help print

Why you should make your voice heard.

20 Talking Point

…on CSR issues with Data Image founder and CEO Rob Farfort

ENVIRONMENT

NEWS AND VIEWS ONLINE

Go to www.imagereportsmag.co.uk for all the wideformat sector’s industry news, updated regularly online. Image Reports can also send a twice weekly enews bulletin straight to your inbox – register at: www.imagereportsmag.co.uk/ newsletter

23 Cleaning up

Should you be joining RMC, Hollywood Monster and Octink in offering Clean Air?

Contents

JUNE / JULY 2023

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z For Fespa Global launches see feature p10

z Brett Martin brings out Foamalux Light Bio

z Kao Chimigraf launches eco-friendly Acqua ink

z KGK Genix names youth placement competition winners

z BPIF calls for apprenticeship standards input

z Ast secures PAS 2060 carbon neutral status

z SDUK 2024 dates confirmed

z Kyocera shows new Forearth textile printer

z Onyx shows next major software update

z ICScolor updates Remote Director proofing offering

z YPS to resell iEcho cutting tables

z UFabrik opens production facility to service US market

z Consumer attitudes towards paper is shifting

z Atlantic appointed SignRacer reseller

z swissQprint reaches 100 UK installations

z ISA-UK announces David Allen as new president

z Optimum Signs becomes printIQ’s first V46 customer

z Fujifilm joins Brett Martin partner programme

z UK Graphic Awards 2023 calls for entries

z Color-Logic certifies Fluid Color UV-curable inkjet printers

z Antalis to acquire Integart visual communication group

z Fiery and Mimaki join forces to show DTF solution

z Amethyst A50-RIG inks get Greenguard Gold status

z Keypoint publishes Worldwide Digital Textile Forecast

z Steve Billow becomes CEO of Fujifilm Dimatrix

z John Alden appointed printIQ CEO

z ArtSystems joins ISA-UK as a commercial partner

z Mutoh MS51 inks get VOC emissions thumbs up

z Durst UK/Ireland appoints business development manager

z Konica Minolta launches AccurioWide 250

z New Dispare from 3A Composites

z MacroArt handles major print waste exercise

z Berger Textiles bolsters its US operations

z Xaar donates £37,220 to Break charity

z Zund Q 32-32 D wins Red Dot award

z Michael Grade becomes Printing Charity president

z OKI Europe appoints new MD

z elix Schoeller introduces new DTF

z IPIA announces Spring Networking Lunch date

z Flint confirms commitment to SBTi initiative

z Apogee set to acquire Argon Business Systems

z Hybrid sees financial uplift

z Compass Business finance appoints new specialist

z Case studies from Agfa, CMYUK, Drytac, Fujifilm, HP, Ricoh, RSR, swissQprint

BPIF survey shows UK print industry contracted in Q1

The first quarter of 2023 turned out to be significantly more challenging than expected for the UK’s printing/packaging industry according to the latest Printing Outlook survey from the BPIF. Output and orders both suffered declines in Q1 as high costs, higher prices, and subdued demand all combined to restrain production. However, the outlook for Q2 was much more positive.

The survey revealed that 33% of printers managed to increase their output levels in Q1 and a further 29% were able to hold output steady. However, the remaining 38% experienced a decline in levels. The resulting balance (the difference between the ups and the downs) was -5, below the +4 in Q4 2022, and well below the Q1 forecast (+11). This ends the seven consecutive quarter of positive output growth that the industry has experienced as part of the recovery from the impacts of Covid and comes just as it looks as though cost increases are balancing out.

A significantly more positive output balance was expected for Q2 with output growth forecast to increase for 43% of companies, with 48% predicting that they would be able to hold output levels steady in Q2.

Unlike orders and output, confidence in Q1 continued to closely track expectations - and

eProductivity acquires Tharstern

US-based eProductivity Software (ePS) has acquired UK MIS developer Tharstern. ePS said the move solidifies its position in the SMB print segment and will help drive geographical diversification of the business while adding new technologies to its portfolio.

“We are excited to welcome Tharstern’s customers and talented employees to the ePS family,” said Gaby Matsliach, CEO of ePS. “We will continue to support Tharstern’s existing customers with the same enthusiasm they have come to expect, and we look forward to providing them with additional value by leveraging ePS’ global presence, industry knowhow, and rich product portfolio.”

WOO sets up OOH sustainability task force

The World Out of Home Organization (WOO) has set up a Sustainability Task Force in its mission to green-up out-of-home (OOH) advertising. It will be led by BlowUP Media’s Katrin Robertson and a panel of 11 other members - which are JCDecaux chief sustainability and quality officer Lénaïc Pineau, Clear Channel UK CMO Martin Corke, Annina B. Bleek, senior VP Solutions Studio, Stroer Media Solutions, Evolve OOH’s Danielle Austin, Omnicom Media Group’s head of sustainable solutions Stephanie Helen Scheller, Adam Green of

Broadsign Reach, in Canada, Dentsu Global Head of OOH Ben Milne, the US OAAA’s Jeff Jan, Primedia Outdoor in South Africa’s Jorja Wilkins, Judd Guthmiller of Daktronics, and Kai-Marcus Thasler from Germany’s OOH trade association.

The intention is to share ways to maximise the positive impact of OOH platforms and minimise their OOH carbon footprint. The aim is to support WOO members to sharply reduce emissions and make a positive contribution to achieving global targets for greenhouse gas reduction.

remained negative. However, confidence was expected to be boosted throughout Q2.

Energy costs remained the top business concern for PSPs, having been the number one concern since April 2022. Energy costs were selected by 68%, down from 75% in January, and 83% in October. Competitor pricing levels - or rather the perception that some competitors are pricing below cost - was the second highest ranking concern, selected by 54% or respondents in April, the same proportion as in January.

The third ranking concern was wage pressures, selected by 50%. This is down from 51% in January but has entered the top three ranked concerns primarily due to a significant drop-off in the proportion of companies selecting substrate costs as one of their top concerns. Substrate costs has now fallen outside the top five ranking of concerns for the first time since January 2021.

Charles Jarrold, BPIF chief executive, said: “Prospects for later in the year still depend upon the UK navigating a smooth path through a period of continued high energy costs, stubborn inflation, and economic instability. Whilst there is no shortage of pressures for companies to deal with, inflation is still expected to fall sharply as we progress further through 2023, and energy costs are expected to settle further.”

MediaCo takes delivery of UK’s first swissQprint Kudu

Large-format print, display and graphics PSP MediaCo has taken delivery of the UK’s first swissQprint Kudu. The 3.2×2m flatbed machine has been installed at the company’s manufacturing site in Trafford Park, Manchester.

The 10-colour (CMYKLcLm, white, neon yellow and pink, varnish) printer has three rows of printheads to deliver a print resolution of 1350dpi and an output of up to 304m2/hr. Roll-to-roll and dual roll options mean that films, banner, mesh and other roll stock up to 180kg can be handled, as well as boards and sheet materials.

MediaCo MD Stephen Arthur said: “The flexibility, productivity and energy efficiency offered by the Kudu made it the perfect fit in support of our commitment to deliver innovation as part of our net zero, carbon reduction plan.”

As the approved beMatrix UK print partner, MediaCo will now showcase the Kudu’s latest creative and sustainable print as an integral part of the beMatrix display system for the exhibition, retail and live events sectors.

Arthur added: “Outstanding print quality, application of neon inks, and amazing 3D images on acrylic are just some of the innovative options we can now provide for the beMatrix system and will help revolutionise both the impact and sustainability of display graphics.”

GO TO WWW.IMAGEREPORTSMAG.CO.UK FOR THE FULL STORY…

News 6 | June / July 2023

Dominion Print invests another £500,000 in kit

Bradford-based Dominion Print is continuing its investment run with the commissioning of a Vutek Q5r super-wide reel-to-reel printer along with a fully automatic rolling machine and its second Zund G3 XL cutting system. The printer will double Dominion’s output speeds to 672m2 per hour.

The latest spend follows a recent £1m investment by the 40-year-old company in a Durst Rho 2500 UV flatbed printer, inline welding and sewing, and an eyeleting machine as it targets growth in its core markets, including entertainment, retail, events and construction.

Dominion Print director Verity Fox said: “Back in 1997 my father, Dominic Clark, invested in the Vutek UltraVu 5300 which, at the time, was state-of-the-art wide-format digital technology. Twenty-six years later, we’ve come full circle.

“The Vutek Q5r takes Dominion’s strength in large- and super-large-formats to the next level, raising the bar even further for our ability to provide high-end printing at lightning speeds.

“Just prior to the Vutek’s arrival we also invested in a second Zund G3 XL to ensure that our cutting and finishing capabilities were in step with our increased printing capacity. No other cutting or routing machine is as adaptable. It will operate alongside our original Zund G3 XL and other finishing kit, including a cutter for aluminium profiles and a Blackman and White blade and laser CAD system, which gives us the largest single bed cutting facility in Europe.”

Sign and Wrap Awards announced for 2024

The Sign Awards is to be expanded to include a number of wrap focussed categories for the 2024 competition, and the event will become the Sign and Wrap Awards.

The awards founder, Dan Tyler of Vism, said: “We added a printed vehicle wrap to sister event the UK Graphic Awards last year, collaborating with the guys at Amari Adapt to do so. Having looked at the make-up of the entrants at both events, we’ve decided it makes sense to bring the wrap community together to celebrate their achievements with the signmakers since there’s lot of crossover there”

The 2023 contest saw over 100 submissions to 11 categories. The next iteration will include five new categories, covering individual printed vehicle wraps of both traditional vehicles and those more out of the ordinary, fleet work, full colour changes and architectural film projects. The event will return to Birmingham for its 2024 edition, with a date to be announced later this year.

Hollywood Monster acquires Sygnet Group

Hollywood Monster has acquired trade sign fabricator Sygnet Group. The combined business now has 65 employees and a turnover of £12m, with the capability to print more than 15,000m2 of signage per day and now to fabricate.

The move saves the jobs of 25 staff at Sygnet, which will continue to trade from its Leicester site as Sygnet Fabrications. Tim Andrews, chairman at Birmingham-based Hollywood Monster, said the newly acquired company’s branding will undergo an update, with a new logo and website already under development. It will continue to provide bespoke signage solutions - such as totems, wayfinding, and retail and corporate signage, as well as rollout programmes - under the leadership of Hollywood Monster.

“This is an exciting time of growth for Hollywood

Monster, and we’re delighted that Sygnet - which has contributed so positively to the print and signage industry over the last 45 years and which share our values - can continue to deliver quality, cutting-edge projects as Sygnet Fabrications,” said Andrews. “We are especially pleased that the acquisition will lead to the retention of 25 members of staff, who have tremendous knowledge of the industry and have shown unwavering loyalty throughout their time at the company.

“Like Hollywood Monster, Sygnet started as a family run business that works to meet the needs of its customers, and its approach to innovation and the production of quality products makes it a perfect fit as we continue to grow to become one of the largest trade printers in the UK.”

Netherlands-based A1 Signs takes first Acuity Prime L

Family-run wide-format business A1 Signs has become the first company in the world to install an Acuity Prime L flatbed printer at its premises in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands. The new printer, which is the larger version of the Acuity Prime 20 and 30 models, will help the company to maximise its productivity and support demand.

The Acuity Prime L offers print speeds of 202m2/hr, features six vacuum zones and 16 media location pins, and can print side-by-side jobs with its dual zone function.

Established in 2012, A1 Signs manufactures and installs creative signage, advertising and retail displays. Founder and owner Jan Carel Schepenaar

Durst completes Brixen HQ solar power project

Durst has installed solar panels at its HQ in Brixen, Italy, having done so at its production operation in Lienz, Austria last year. The Brixen installation, which has taken six months to complete, will provide more than half than the energy required by the site.

The new solar panel plant, one of the biggest in South Tyrol, has a capacity of 1,569KWp/1.57MWp and is expected to generate over 1,700,000KWh/1,700MWh of energy annually.

70% of the generated energy generated will be for direct self-consumption, while the remaining 30% will be available for feed-in or future storage solutions.

“Our commitment to sustainability is a core value at Durst, and this new installation is a testament to that commitment,” said Christoph Gamper, CEO of Durst. “We are proud to take this important step towards reducing our carbon footprint and making a positive impact on the environment.”

said he chose the Acuity Prime L because of its fast printing speeds, reliability and high quality output. He was also impressed with the printer’s intuitive design, fast start-up time and automatic printhead cleaning function. “I hate limits and I like to print on the widest possible substrates. The Acuity Prime L, with its 3200mm x 2000mm flatbed, enables us to do this,” he said.

A1 Signs’ partnership with Fujifilm goes back to 2014 when it invested in an Acuity Select X2 printer. Schepenaar highlighted that the Acuity Prime L’s LED curing system is energy efficient, further helping A1 Signs to minimise its carbon footprint.

Soyang Europe publishes print industry report

Soyang Europe has published a ‘2023 Print Industry Report’ which covers areas such as financial challenges and sustainability pledges.

According to the company’s findings, 35% of respondents have increased the number of services they offer to customers in the past 12 months as a way of growing their business. The report also reveals how winning new business is the biggest challenge facing print companies today, with three-quarters of respondents having increased their prices by up to 20% as a way of boosting their revenue. Furthermore, 100% of businesses that improved profit in the past year had put their prices up by up to 20%, while three in seven respondents said they plan to reevaluate their pricing.

Turning to the environment, just 14% of respondents offer 100% sustainable products and while just one fifth of companies plan to become carbon neutral in the next five years, over half of the companies surveyed are working on becoming more sustainable.

News

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PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY FIRST WITH CANON

The current economic climate has brought with it many challenges, but we at Canon are committed to a long-term strategy for the future that helps to strengthen the print industry. This has been guided by our corporate philosophy of Kyosei -our aspiration to help create a society in which all people live and work together for the common good, which in turn has meant putting sustainability at the heart of our manufacturing processes.

The current economic climate has brought with it many challenges, but we at Canon are committed to a long-term strategy for the future that helps to strengthen the print industry. This has been guided by our corporate philosophy of Kyosei - our aspiration to help create a society in which all people live and work together for the common good, which in turn has meant putting sustainability at the heart of our manufacturing processes.

We are also passionate about innovating for a better world, which means we invest heavily in R&D –with 8% of our global revenue being reinvested back into developing new products. Our commitment to the market and creating technologically advanced products was a key motivator for our most recent launches at this year’s FESPA, with the new Colorado M-series and a new addition to the Arizona flatbed printer family. We’re proud to have the most well-established technology in the marketplace, thanks to our fantastic people and a company ethos that’s built upon a shared aim of continuous improvement.

PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY AT THE HEART OF LARGE FORMAT PRINT

From a sustainability perspective, we’re committed to all of our production range devices being built to last - to prolong their lifetime, save on resources and limit our impact on the planet. We extend the life of our products wherever possible through refurbishment and remanufacturing, as well as reusing as many materials as possible from devices at end of life. This enables us to reduce waste and contribute towards the circular economy.

From a sustainability perspective, we’re committed to all of our production range devices being built to last - to prolong their lifetime, save on resources and limit our impact on the planet. We extend the life of our products wherever possible refurbishment and remanufacturing, as well as reusing as many materials as possible from devices at end of life. This enables us to reduce waste and contribute towards the circular economy.

Another key consideration across our sustainability strategy is investing in technologies to make our devices as energy efficient as possible. Our UVgel ink and printhead production facility, for instance, was designed for maximum energy savings by reusing cooling capacity and warming air with a heat exchange unit.

The traditional method of drying ink (water or solvent based) is evaporation by applying heat, which uses more energy and is less efficient. In comparison, UV LED curing systems generate intense light with minimal power consumption, while emitting very little heat and offering long lifetimes. Canon UVgel ink delivers pin-sharp image quality and consistent colour, while its instant drying properties enable immediate cutting and finishing, and its ultra-durability removes the need for lamination. Compared to other ink technologies, such as latex or eco-solvent inks, UVgel technology consumes up to 40% less ink to build up the same image quality and colour intensity.

turn, opens up greater possibilities for printing on heatsensitive materials. Greater functionality from curing in this manner, reduces the risk of distorting materials and greatly improves productivity.

Furthermore, with UVgel technology, customers can print on environmentally responsible materials such as PVC-free and paper-based media, even uncoated. LED lamps are also easier to dispose of, making them practical and more environmentally friendly.

CANON’S NEW COLORADO M-SERIES -MODULARITY WITH HASSLE-FREE WHITE INK AND ADVANCED FINISHES

CANON’S NEW COLORADO M-SERIES - MODULARITY WITH HASSLE-FREE WHITE INK AND ADVANCED FINISHES

We’re extremely proud to add to our award-wining Colorado platform with a new M-series device. This strong addition to our portfolio marks the first rollto-roll large format graphics printer platform that is modular in speed configuration and media handling. It also introduces the new UVgel white ink option, which enables customers to benefit from UVgel’s renowned performance advantages while substantially expanding the range of applications available.

UV LED curing systems can be switched on or off near-instantly, so printers only need to switch them on during the actual printing cycle. The technology utilises cold curing, which minimises the need for heat, and in

The traditional method of drying ink (water or solvent based) is evaporation by applying heat. In comparison, UV LED curing systems generate intense light with minimal power consumption, while emitting very little heat and offering long lifetimes. Canon UVgel ink delivers pin-sharp image quality and consistent colour, while its instant drying properties enable immediate cutting and finishing, and its ultra-durability removes the need for lamination. Compared to other ink technologies, such as latex or eco-solvent inks, UVgel technology consumes up to 40% less ink to build up the same image quality and colour intensity. LED switched near-instantly, so printers only need to switch them on the technology for in

Ever since they entered the market, Colorado printers with UVgel ink have set the highest standards for speed, quality and productivity. On top of these business-critical performance features, the Colorado M-series is a smart, environmentally responsible investment that enables large format graphics providers to tap into lucrative growth markets. With its modularity and the addition of an easy-care white ink option, the new Colorado M-series is the growth engine that businesses can rely on to level up their capabilities and turn ideas into reality.

The modularity and the in-field upgradeability of

8 | June / July 2023

Cover Story

Arizona 1300 GTF & XTF

The modularity and the in-field upgradeability of the M-series makes it a more sustainable solution as customers can scale up the printer’s speed and capabilities with their business without replacing the core print device. Various options and add-ons enables Print Service Providers (PSPs) to configure the perfect machine for their customers, with a choice of output speeds - Colorado M3 or M5 (cruising speed of 29m²/ hr and 40m²/hr and maximum print speed of 111m²/hr and 159m²/hr respectively) - and the option to upgrade from one speed to the other either temporarily for production peaks or permanently, making it a futureproof solution.

the M-series makes it a more sustainable solution as customers can scale up the printer’s speed and capabilities with their business without replacing the core print device. Various options and add-ons enables Print Service Providers (PSPs) to configure the perfect machine for their customers, with a choice of output speeds - Colorado M3 or M5 (cruising speed of 29m²/ hr and 40m²/hr and maximum print speed of 111m²/hr and 159m²/hr respectively) - and the option to upgrade from one speed to the other either temporarily for production peaks or permanently, making it a futureproof solution.

The introduction of hassle-free white UVgel ink maximises the scope for customers to benefit from UVgel’s renowned performance advantages for a full spectrum of premium graphics and décor applications –for example window graphics, labels and wallpaper. With this addition, and with new media detection sensor technology, the Colorado M-series enables users to expand their typical product offering and break into new markets.

The introduction of hassle-free white UVgel ink maximises the scope for customers to benefit from UVgel’s renowned performance advantages for a full spectrum of premium graphics and décor applications – for example window graphics, labels and wallpaper. With this addition, and with new media detection sensor technology, the Colorado M-series enables users to expand their typical product offering and break into new markets.

In addition, the M-Series also includes FLXfinish+, enabling our customers to create high quality prints in both matte and gloss – or even both on one print. Customers won’t need to change inks, media or an extra varnish channel – a truly unique technology which will help to deliver greater colour depth and high-end finishes for a variety of applications.

NEW ARIZONA 1300 GTF & XTF

Following on from the Colorado M-series launch, as well as the successful launch of the Arizona 2300 in 2020, we unveiled a new addition to our Arizona flatbed printer family at FESPA in May.

NEW ARIZONA 1300 GTF & XTF

Following on from the Colorado M-series launch, as well as the successful launch of the Arizona 2300 in 2020, we unveiled a new addition to our Arizona flatbed printer family at FESPA in May.

The new Arizona 1300 series of flatbed printers for growing mid volumes now includes our award winning Arizona FLOW technology, which allows users to print pin-sharp, high-value print applications. With this technology, it is now quicker to change media and board sizes, making it the ideal solution for printing many short-run jobs spread throughout the day. This market leading technology will also enable our customers to produce commercial quality prints faster, as there will be no vacuum zones and a reduced need for masking and taping – which in turn greatly increases productivity.

This enables Large Format Graphics printers and other PSPs to offer customers a wide range of applications for the retail, hospitality, interior décor, packaging, and industrial market segments. This includes handling applications across an extensive array of rigid and flexible media, such as cardboard, wood or glass - as well as irregular -shaped substrates - more easily and more productively.

This flow table system belongs to the 5th generation of the Arizona series and is based on years of proven experience, with more than 7,500 installations of the market-leading Arizona flatbed printer worldwide. The outstanding productivity, print quality and application versatility, as well as smart innovations in additional print modes, ease-of-use, workflow optimisation and UV-LED curing technology will open up new commercial opportunities for companies looking to stay ahead of the competition in Large Format Graphics printing solutions.

workflow software. PRISMAelevate XL is a sophisticated yet easy-to-use software application that enables Large Format Graphics designers and PSP’s to create tactile print applications and produce outstanding-quality textured prints and so enhance and expand their product offering.

Canon also announced a new innovation for the Arizona printer range as part of the PRISMA XL Suite of workflow software. PRISMAelevate XL is a sophisticated yet easy-to-use software application that enables Large Format Graphics designers and PSP’s to create tactile print applications and produce outstanding-quality textured prints and so enhance and expand their product offering.

Using patented Advanced Layer Printing System (ALPS) technology in combination with the Arizona mid-volume flatbed printers, PRISMAelevate XL makes it possible to print intelligent layers of ink to create unparalleled quality in high-resolution color, adding stunning tactile elements to print applications.

canon.co.uk/new_colorado

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

canon.co.uk/new_arizona

Taking a step back from our product and software lineup, and looking more closely at our long-term sustainability strategy, we are committed to being net zero by 2050 in alignment with Canon Inc.’s global sustainability commitments. Since 2008, we have been working towards a number of product-based and corporate emissions targets for 2030, where we often exceed our annual targets. For example, against the target of a 3% average annual improvement in the index of lifecycle CO2 emissions per product unit, we realised an average annual improvement of 4.3% between 2008 and 2022a cumulative total improvement of 43%.

Canon also announced a new innovation for the Arizona printer range as part of the PRISMA XL Suite of

Taking a step back from our product and software lineup, and looking more closely at our long-term sustainability strategy, we are committed to being net zero by 2050 in alignment with Canon Inc.’s global sustainability commitments. Against the target of a 3% the product between cumulative 43%. our –are to closely our print industry this year.

To find out more, please click through to the above QR code which will take you to our enquiries page where we can put you in touch with one of our experts or arrange a visit at our Customer Experience Centre in Birmingham.

We’re continuously looking at ways to limit the environmental impact across our design, procurement, operations, processes and distribution – whilst building market-leading and best-in-class products. We are excited to continue driving our sustainability goals within our production print portfolio and working closely with our customers to drive further growth for the print industry this year.

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www.imagereportsmag.co.uk |

Colorado M-series

KNOW THE NEWCOMERS

NOW THAT WE’VE HAD THE KEY TRADE SHOWS FOR THE UK’S WIDE-FORMAT DIGITAL PRINT SECTOR WE THOUGHT WE’D BRING YOU UP TO SPEED WITH PRODUCT INTRODUCTIONS MADE IN THE FIRST HALF OF THE YEAR.

Investment by the UK’s large-format print companies in new kit and software is looking tight. Two thirds of those who responded our 2023 Widthwise survey said they’d be spending less this year than they did in 2022 (you’ll get the full analysis in the Widthwise Report published alongside the next Image Reports) - so how are manufacturers going to tease money out of you? Well, here’s a round-up of the key launches and significant upgrades brought to market during the first half of 2023. It’s not an exhaustive list of all that’s new - we could add system ‘updates’ ad infinitum - but it should give you a better idea of what’s now out there.

AGFA

The Onset X3 HS made its European trade show debut at Fespa Global in May where it was demonstrated with a three-quarter automation set-up featuring a lay table and an unloading robot. The page-wide, flatbed inkjet printer, running on new Agfa inks, and driven by Agfa’s Asanti workflow software, is capable of 24/7 printing on various substrates at speeds of up to 1450m²/h. Its uptime is due to its 30-second job setup using robotics and a number of automated features.

Agfa also showed the Jeti Tauro H3300 UHS LED at the event, having been recently been upgraded with a varnish option for flood or spot application. And the company introduced the Flex RTR roll-to-roll printing module for the Tauro H3300 LED. The module - which doesn’t have to be undocked when transitioning from rolls to boards or sheets - was developed to match the onepass printing mode on the Tauro H3300 UHS LED, up to a printing speed of 905m²/hr. With the ability to handle both single- and dual-roll printing, the Flex RTR module can accommodate widths of up to 3.3m and 1.6m, respectively, with a maximum roll diameter of 400mm and a weight of 450kg for each roll. To ensure accurate double-sided printing, an integrated camera system reads QR codes generated by the printer’s user interface to pinpoint the exact image location and adjust the print position at the start of each job.

Also worth noting is the Asanti workflow software v6.0. It includes automation features like job ganging and packaging production-specific tools to improve efficiency. It also introduces a new feature named SureTone, which guarantees that print runs will appear identical, even if they are conducted several months apart. SureTone’s first focus is on the industrial laminate flooring market.

CANON

Canon used Fespa Global to add two new models - the 1.25 x 2.5m GTF and 2.5 x 3.08m XTF - to its Arizona 1300 flatbed printer series. The new models retain the VariaDot printing technology and both use Canon’s Flow zone-free vacuum system for easy media handling and offer multi-board and double-sided printing. The Arizona 1300 series with Flow technology also includes an API providing

data about ink consumption and production times.

New print modes have been added for the Arizona 1300 series with the Flow technology. These include QualitySmooth, Production-Plus and Quality-Plus (available for 8-channel configurations). The additional ‘Plus’ modes also allow users to achieve a larger colour gamut with light cyan, light magenta and white inks.

At Fespa Global Canon also launched Prismaelevate XL that enables the creation of tactile print applications, including Braille, on Arizona printers. This succeeds Arizona Touchstone and delivers twice the raised print elevationup to 2mm - at up to 20% higher speeds on Arizona 1300 and 2300 flatbeds. There’s an Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator plugin, that requires no extra training to use, for 3D design of elevated print projects.

These latest additions come on the back of key developments earlier in the year. In March we saw the unveiling of the Colorado M-series, Canon’s first roll-to-roll large-format graphics printer platform with scalable speed configuration and media handling. The 1.6m-wide M-series comprises the Colorado M3 or M5, with cruising speeds of 29m²/hr and 40m²/hr, and top speeds of 111m²/hr and 159m²/hr respectively. There’s the option to upgrade from one speed to the other either temporarily or permanently. Both printers can also be easily upgraded to M3W and M5W models with a new Canon UVgel white ink option, as well with FLXfinish+ matte/gloss print technology for CMYK prints.

Users can automate the print-to-finish process with a UVgel Print Factory or UVgel Wallpaper Factory configuration. The new printers are supported by the makeready software Prismaguide XL.

A month after the Colorado M-series Canon UK launched

Technology: What to Watch 10 | June / July 2023

Raised print sampleboard showing Canon’s Prismaelevate XL potential

Prismacolor Manager, a cloud-based, colour management software that enables PSPs to measure and validate colour across Canon and non-Canon CMYK inkjet and toner printers over multiple locations.

COLORGATE

ColorGate’s Productionserver 23 includes a number of updates to the colour management and Rip solution, highlights of which include: compatibility with Adobe PDF Print Engine 6.1;automation with REST API; automated colour correction for every workflow via ColorGate’s Fingerprint technology, whereby digital samples can be created from raster data and, in the new version 23, also from PDF files; and improved UI and support access with users now able to access ColorGate’s technical support directly out of the Productionserver software.

DURST

Durst used Fespa Global to spotlight its fastest roll-toroll printer - the new 3.5m-wide P5 350 HSR achieves print speeds of up to 670m2/hr. The LED machine can be equipped with a master roll which can feed rolls up to 1,000kg and 635mm in diameter, enabling long uninterrupted printing. The model comes with double CMYK, and there’s an integrated mesh printing system. Efficiency can be increased via optional vertical and horizontal cutting units, which operate in parallel with the printing process.

Following the introduction of the P5 Automat automated feeder/stacker system for flatbed printing, Durst has also entered the next stage of its P5 robotics programme. At the heart this is the flagship P5 350 HS D4 hybrid printing system, whose feeder/stacker unit is formed by two Kuka robots to enable unmanned production. The robots, modified and programmed by Durst, can pick up media from different pallets with a height of up to 180cm, feed them and stack them again separately. In the process, the printed media can also be turned 180° for reverse-side printing and fed into a second printing system. P5 robotics can also be expanded with third-party solutions or finishing systems.

Also, the VK3220T-HS UV flatbed printer from Durst’s Vanguard subsidiary got its first public outing at Fespa Global. The 3.2 x 2m flatbed printer uses up to three rows of 4 picoliter drop size Kyocera printheads at up to 1800dpi print resolution, and runs at up to 360m2/hr.

EFI

EFI has announced a 1.4m-wide Nozomi 14000 SD singlepass printer with white, orange and violet ink options in addition to CMYK and that, according to EFI, offers “speeds up to 10 times faster than multi-pass printers on the market”. The modular, base-model, four-colour Nozomi 14000 SD prints paper, synthetic media and board at speeds up to 30 linear metres per minute. At that speed, users will be able to produce up to 740 1.4 x 2.4m sheets per hour.

The base configuration of the new printer - slated for shipping later this year - features an analogue UV or water-based primer station, registration table, printer with LED curing, up to six printing bars and an advanced vision camera, and is available with several ink options, including CMYK, CMYK+W, CMYK+O, CMYK+OV and CMYK+W+O. There’s also an optional post UV or waterbased analogue coater.

Alongside that announcement was that of a new EFI Transform-TF thermoforming ink. The UV LED curable inksaid to have outstanding elongation characteristics for heat bending and routing without chipping or adhesion problems - is available now for the EFI Pro 30f flatbed and EFI Vutek 32h hybrid flatbed/roll-to-roll printer models, and should be for EFI Vutek h3 and h5 printers in Q3.

EPSON

Early this year Epson added 24in and 36in models to its SureColor SC-T range of large-format technical and poster production printers. It also added three 24in models to its existing 44in printer in the SureColor SC-P series.

With the new additions, the SureColor SC-Tx700 series now consists of the original 44in SC-T7700D (dual roll), a new 44in SC-T7700DL (dual roll with 1.6L ink pouches), the 36in SC-T5700D (dual roll) and three 24in modelsSC-T3700E (single roll, no Adobe PostScript), SC-T3700DE (dual roll, no Adobe PostScript) and SC-T3700D (dual roll). The SC-Tx700 printers use Epson’s 6-colour UltraChrome XD3 all-pigment inks, including a new red.

The three new 24in SureColor SC-P models are the SureColor SC-P6500E (single roll), SC-P6500D (dual roll with PostScript) and SC-P6500DE (dual roll). The 44in SureColor SC-P8500DL also joins the 44in SureColor SCP8500D to form the SureColor SC-Px500 Series.

All the printers in the series use the company’s 6-colour UltraChrome Pro6 pigment inks, which now includes an additional grey ink to broaden the colour gamut. The SCP8500DL includes 1.6L built-in ink packs.

Also, at Fespa Global Epson showed its new SureColor F2200 DTG printer - an upgrade to its SureColor F2100 large-format printer and up to 25% faster. It comes bundled with Epson’s GarmentCreator2 for both DTG and DTF printing and uses new 800ml UltraChrome DG2 ink pouches instead of cartridges.

ELITRON

Fespa Global saw a number of additions to Elitron’s cutting systems portfolio. The 3200mm wide-format Kombo SDC+ conveyor production system was demonstrated with multitool cutting and milling for roll materials and rigid sheets, and with the new EFS Elitron Feeding System and the new ESS Elitron Stacking System for unloading. There’s a new PMH Protective Material Handling system too, whereby sheets float from the loading stack to the working area.

Technology: What to Watch

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 11 Durst’s P5 350 HSR

Note also that as of this year all Elitron systems now come with the new EPMS Elitron Power Management System to reduce energy consumption.

ENFOCUS

PitStop 2023 turbocharges PDF validation with the addition of FastLane, a command-line tool in PitStop Server that scans a PDF file to supply basic file information - such as page count, fonts, document properties etc. - when it first enters the workflow.

Alongside a host of bug fixes and optimisations, PitStop 2023 also brings with it JSON reports, making preflight reports faster to process and easier to interpret. It also enables easy integration of preflight reports into automated workflows to streamline the validation process even further.

EUROLASER

Eurolaser has a new intelligent solution - consisting of camera and evaluation software - for the precise cutting to existing registration marks or other material references on the large-format 3XL-3200 laser system. New, optional camera technology - called Position Plus Professionalreduces the time needed to read in the fiducial marks. The entire working area is captured via area scan, thus optimising the process time.

FUJIFILM

Fujifilm launched the Acuity Prime Hybrid printer at Fespa Global and confirmed that a beta model will be installed in the UK in June, with commercial availability scheduled for the end of the year.

When used as a flatbed machine, the 4-colour Acuity Prime Hybrid - which has front and back handling tablescan print on substrates up to 2m wide. It can print on up to four pieces of rigid media simultaneously, and features registration pins for precise edge to edge printing. In rollfed mode it can be loaded with two rolls each up to 0.9m wide. Fujifilm said the Acuity Prime Hybrid, which uses Greenguard Gold certified pigmented ink, can produce print at production quality from 92m2/hr.

Fujifilm also used the Munich show to flag-up plans to bring single-pass inkjet to the sign and display market via its partnership with industrial manufacturer Barberan. Note too that Fujifilm Acuity Prime L flatbed printer, unveiled at Fespa 2022, is now commercially available. And there are a few inks development worth flagging up. In February Fujifilm added orange, green and violet RxD pigment dispersions to its offering for water-based inkjet ink formulations and in March, it brought out new LED UV cured thermoforming inks for its Acuity Prime flatbed printers. The new Uvijet HZ inks - developed and tested at Fujifilm’s plant in Broadstairs - are free from volatile solvents and hydrocarbons, suitable for internal and external applications, and form between 150-200 degrees celsius.

INKTEC

InkTec used Fespa Global to launch the FB1175 T4 largeformat digital die cutting flatbed. The new Jetrix XGR320 roll-to-roll LED UV printer got its European reveal at the show too. This is a 3.2m-wide edge-to-edge printing width machine comes in CMYKWW or CMYKLcLmWW colour configurations and uses Ricoh Gen6 printheads offering printing resolutions of 726x300dpi (2-pass), 726x600dpi (4-pass), 726x900dpi (6-pass) and 726x1200dpi (8-pass). The top speed in 2-pass using the single array is 51m2/hr

and 114m2/hr using the triple array. Top speed in 8-pass using the single array is 13m2/hr and 39m2/hr using the triple array. Caldera, Onyx, SAI and Print Factory Rip software is supported.

Back in February the company also brought out a DTF offering comprising printer, inks, film, shaker and powder.

MIMAKI

Mimaki’s first ‘direct to film’ (DTF) inkjet printer, the TxF15075, aimed at the apparel market, debuted at Printwear and Promotion Live! in the UK at the start of the year. The company has created a range of water-based pigment inks - PHT50 - especially for this system, which is based on its 150 Series. It has a built-in ink circulation system and degassed ink pack design help prevent common DTF issues. There’s also a nozzle check unit and nozzle recovery system. The printer is supplied with Mimaki’s RasterLink7 Rip software,

MUTOH

Mutoh previewed a new flatbed CMYK, white and varnish UV LED printer with moving gantry at Fespa Global. The new printer - the XpertJet 1462UF - has a print bed of 1470 x 740mm and will print on substrates and products up to a height of 150mm. It has an integrated multi-zone vacuum bed and is equipped with two piezo drop on demand printheads mounted in a staggered setup. The first head prints CMYK, the second white and varnish, enabling 2-layer printing or Braille and 2.5D structure prints.

The XpertJet 1462UF will be released later this year in the EMEA and will be offered with a new generation of soft UV LED inks compatible with a broad range of substrates and free of any SVHC (Substances of Very High Concern) ingredients.

ONYX

Onyx gave its European customers the first glimpse of its next major release software release at Fespa Global. The new version - which builds upon Onyx 22 - provides

Technology: What to Watch

12 | June / July 2023

InkTec’s Jetrix XG320 The Acuity Prime Hybrid from Fujifilm The XpertJet 146UF from Mutoh

a simple way to back-up, restore, and manage print jobs for fast reprints and is expected to be globally available later this summer 2023 for the full range of Onyx solutions.

QPS

QPS has added the ColorJet Verve Mini LED UV flatbed printer to its offering. Featuring a bed size of 105cm x 165cm and top printing speed 5.57m2/hr, the new printer can handle substrates up to 65mm thick and offers CMYK plus white and varnish.

ROLAND DG

The company announced its first resin printer, the AP-640 at the start of the year amid a major extension to its TrueVis printer range which now comprises 10 models including a new LG and MG series.

The TrueVis AP640 has a maximum print width of 63.5in and accepts media 10.2in - 64in in width. The print resolution is 1200dpi, with printheads arranged in a dual, staggered formation with an optimizer printhead that preps the media surface. It uses Greenguard Gold certified TrueVis Resin Inks and comes with VersaWorks 6 Rip software and Roland DG Connect print operation app.

There are five UV-LED print and cut devices in the new LG and MG series - the LG-640, LG-540, LG-300, MG-640 and MG-300 - offering print widths of 64, 54 and 30in. Apart from CMYK the inks choice includes white, red, orange and a gloss and primer, all Greenguard Gold certified. Again, the VersaWorks 6 Rip software and Roland DG Connect app are included.

In March, Roland DG also launched a number of new wide-format printers, including the EU-1000MF. This UV flatbed printer has a four zone electronic vacuum bed with alignment pins and can print onto substrates up to 2,440mm x 1,220mm and with a maximum height of 95mm. The maximum print resolution is 720 x 1,200dpi. It can be configured as a 4-colour machine (CMYK) or 6-colour (CMYK, white and gloss) and uses Greenguard Gold-certified E-US UV inks, available in 1l bottles. The 2.5l ink tanks can be filled on the fly. A SAi FlexiPrint Plus Roland DG Edition Rip comes as standard.

Lately Roland has unveiled a cloud service that automatically maps incoming jobs to related jigs and output devices.

VISM

The Spring 23 software updates to this wide-format print and signage installation job management software includes new features on both its web-based dashboard, used by project and installation managers to schedule and manage installations, and its mobile apps for installers and

subcontractors to receive and report back on jobs.

A new drag-and-drop calendar helps manage installers’ schedules with users able to assign jobs, change dates and times or reallocate work to a different crew, either in-house or external, in a single movement, whilst everybody that needs to know is kept up to date with instant notifications.

Those running large campaigns can make use of a new campaign builder, which allows users to book jobs into the system, book individual visits for each one, share important documentation, and allocate groups of jobs to installers within a few minutes.

For those already with an MIS or ERP system, Vism’s new API eliminates the double-entry of data by allowing them to connect the two systems and send installation jobs directly to Vism, whilst its Zapier integration allows the user to connect Vism with more than 5,000 other tools used elsewhere in their business.

VIVID

Vivid unveiled its Easymount Hybrid laminator/applicator at Fespa Global. The modular system incorporates both a traditional roll-fed laminator and a flatbed applicator and incorporates patented hover technology.

ZUND

New from Zund is the Q-Line with BHS180 board handling system and undercam for pallet-to-pallet automation. The integrated system solution is intended for the demands of industrial finishing of printed boards for displays and packaging. Working together, the new machine components generate a speed of up to 2.8m/s. Acceleration of up to 2.1g is made possible by a new, linear drive system. The new substructure for Q-Line cutters is made from concrete to ensure optimum cutting precision even at extremely high speeds.

The Q-Line with BHS180 comes with Automo L, providing a creasing pressure of up to 50kg. This makes it suitable for creasing with large crease wheels such as the Creto 150. Other tools include Unito, used with centered and offcentered drag knives and suitable for processing materials up to 5mm thick. A Tomac Tool Management Client takes care of tool management, digitally linking the tools with presets. The Q-Line with BHS180 captures information stored for each job using QR codes and thus ensures an intelligent production workflow.

In addition to the hardware new Q-Line with BHS180 comprises software, such as the latest Zünd Cut Center, Version 4.0, or the Zund Connect production monitoring and analysing tool, as well as a selection of consumables.

In an initial phase, the new Q-Line with BHS180 is available as a dual-beam system in three different sizesthe Zund Cutter Q 32-32 D has a working width of 3.2m, the Q 22-32 D a working width of 2.2m, and the Q 18-32 D a working width of 1.8m.

Technology: What to Watch www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 13

QPS has added the ColorJet Verve Mini to its offering Roland DG’s first resin printer, the AP-640 Zund’s Q-Line with BHS180

EXCLUSIVITY: MAKING THE MOST OF IT

HOW CAN LARGE-FORMAT PRINT PROVIDERS MARKET THEMSELVES BETTER TO ESTABLISH NEW, PROFITABLE PRINT NICHES FOR THEIR BUSINESSES? MARKETING EXPERT JONATHAN ROGERS AIMS TO TELL YOU JUST THAT…

Print businesses that have already successfully identified new print niches through data-driven decision-making to establish market viability often face challenges in establishing exclusivity in marketing to new audiences or customer personas that buy from a competitor. There are a few strategic digital marketing approaches that print businesses can employ to address these challenges and drive lead generation. So says Jonathan Rogers, senior manager for global marketing and communications at wide-format print sector software solutions provider Onyx Graphics, and who holds a PhD in marketing and JDM - so what he has to say should be worth noting. He explains…

The first step is to know the competition. Your unique selling position needs a narrative that makes a customer buy from your company over another. Webbased competitor analysis tools can audit websites, check search trends, and determine how your story fares against what buyers seek. By combining unique selling points with top-tier search volume, print businesses can truncate the time needed to build brand awareness and look forward to pulling prospects to a website without an excessive marketing budget.

The second approach is to go where the buyers are. Print businesses would do well to use marketing methods such as website tracking tags to pinpoint who sees their content, where visitors are from, what devices they use, and when.

This valuable data helps reduce overhead when employing digital marketing strategies such as PPC or display ads on search engines like Google. The chief utility of such ads is to build brand awareness and pull prospects into your website for lead generation, so it is imperative to take the time to appropriately understand and apply the story of website data and search volume to set up targeted digital campaigns that fit the personas targeted for new niche markets. Use geotargeting around key cities where buyers are and exclude locations that would otherwise waste ad spend. Be sure to show ads at the time of day most likely to be viewed by a potential customer. This way

marketing budget is maximised without sacrificing audience or reach.

Email marketing optimisation is another strategy to reduce costs and maximise content consumption. Use email marketing platforms that provide analytics to better understand and measure email effectiveness to your own database and expect the same of third party providers that increase reach. A/B split campaigns can further optimise subject lines, email content, and CTAs to improve deliverability and interaction, while URL parameters on email CTA buttons can show which campaigns drive more people to the website to learn more.

The next approach is a simple one, but often overlooked. Site visitors need a reason to give their contact information. Product pages should have rich content with easy-to-find and fill-out forms or buttons with interesting CTAs. Be sure to have these on top-level pages, not buried several clicks down but give prospects an easy way to become a lead. Forms should also meet marketing and sales contact best practices for data protection. Displaying cookie bars and privacy policies is more than a requirement, they are an opportunity to showcase how well a prospect’s data is handled and respected which builds consumer trust, particularly for online customer interactions.

Lastly, print businesses need to commit to the new niche. It takes time to build brand awareness and gather new leads. As with other approaches above, this timeline can be reduced by using customer data obtained for market entry alongside analytic tools to personalise narratives and messaging to potential customers. This may include ABM or more simple persona-specific messaging depending on the marketing budget.

In summary, print businesses that employ a data-led marketing approach can leverage newfound brand identity and product offerings from a position of authority, credibility, and exclusivity in new niches. This results in becoming a leading (and profitable) versus “me too” provider.

Business | Knowledge

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PRINT BUSINESSES THAT EMPLOY A DATA-LED MARKETING APPROACH CAN LEVERAGE NEWFOUND BRAND IDENTITY AND PRODUCT OFFERINGS

Globally, around 13,000 staff in 13 countries and 24 industries, give their employers a rating of 55 (out of 100) on the issue of diversity, equality and inclusion, which hasn’t changed since 2020. Even worse, for those who work in print and publishing that rating stands at just 47. In an era where there’s a struggle to find the right talent, this is not good news. Here’s what to do about it.

First among equals 1.

HOW TRULY DIVERSE, EQUAL AND INCLUSIVE IS YOUR COMPANY? THERE HAS BEEN MORE TALK ABOUT THIS ISSUE IN THE PAST FIVE YEARS THAN IN THE PREVIOUS 50 BUT THE LATEST EDITION OF THE INCLUSION INDEX, BY ANALYTICS GROUP KANTAR, SUGGESTS THAT IN EMPLOYEES’ EYES, COMPANIES HAVE MADE LITTLE PROGRESS SINCE 2019, BEFORE THE PANDEMIC. LUCKILY, THERE ARE THINGS COMPANIES CAN DO TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE.

ACE THE TRUTH

Many managing directors know that they are not where they need to be when it comes to building a diverse and inclusive workforce. But they make the mistake of trying to remedy that with individual initiatives - by, for example, supporting pride weeks, celebrating different races’ festivals or events, and organising a seminar on neural diversity. These are all good ideas in themselves but they are not the best place to start.

You have to brace yourself and understand how employees from different genders, ethnicities, LGBT+ identities, demographic groups, social backgrounds and those with disabilities (mental and physical) regard your workplace. No matter how grim that feedback might be, at least you know where you really are and what you need to prioritise to improve.

You might even be pleasantly surprised - many surveys show that staff do recognise their bosses are trying to address the issue: Kantar’s study shows that 71% of employees felt their company was making an effort but almost half (46%) felt that more needed to be done. The fact that one in four employees from ethnic minorities reported that they had been made to feel uncomfortable at work is compelling evidence that businesses need to act sooner rather than later.

2. DON’T CHERRY PICK PARTICIPANTS

Because many managers are uneasy about their company’s performance on diversity and inclusionand, quite possibly, their own - at the beginning of the process, they may steer activities away from employees with strong views on the topic, particularly those who have made critical remarks or complaints in the past. This approach is doomed to be counterproductive. What you really need, at this stage, is to get all the bad news at once. And these staff may be the very ones you need to lead a full and frank discussion around the issue, your performance and the company’s culture. That way you will be embracing your fiercest critics and not fuelling their resentment.

USE DATA EVIDENCEQUANTITATIVE IF YOU CAN 3.

The best way to measure your progress - and share that convincingly with employees - is to audit where you are and set targets. For smaller businesses, that might sound daunting but it is, for example, relatively simple to measure employee engagement across the workforce which tells you if you are really moving the dial.

DON’T DELEGATE THE ISSUE

If you’re large enough, you can assign most of the responsibility for diversity, equality and inclusion to a senior manager. This will be about as useful as thinking you can achieve net zero emissions simply by appointing a head of sustainability (or, even worse, giving that title to someone whose in-tray is already overloaded). Your staff will want to see you, as managing director, setting the example. And if they think you are paying lip service, your programme will do more harm than good.

YOU CAN ASSIGN MOST OF THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION TO A SENIOR MANAGER. THIS WILL BE ABOUT AS USEFUL AS THINKING YOU CAN ACHIEVE NET ZERO EMISSIONS SIMPLY BY APPOINTING A HEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY

Business | Top Tips

16 | June / July 2023

ONE OFTEN OVERLOOKED ASPECT OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS THE WAY GOOD WORK IS RECOGNISED AND REWARDED

5. RECOGNISE THE COMPLEXITY

In some national economies - Mexico, for example - the diversity and inclusion agenda is comparatively straightforward. Companies have made great strides by focusing on gender and ethnicity. In many more established economies - particularly Canada, the UK and the US - employers find themselves having to ensure that staff who identify themselves as asexual, non-binary or transgender. That is challenging and, if you want guidance, you could do worse than look to such bodies as Stonewall. What you can’t do is go through the motions while filing this aspect of the issue in a compartment of your brain labelled ‘too difficult’.

THINK SYSTEMICALLY

Putting a programme of initiatives at the core of your diversity and inclusion agenda would have been welcomed before the pandemic, and now staff are clamouring for more. According to that Kantar survey, they want to see systemic change - and by that they mean a more diverse and inclusive leadership, a different approach to recruitment and fairer attitude to pay and conditions. (The government estimates that white men earn 6.1% more an hour in the UK than men from ethnic minorities, that men earn 5.45% more than women and disabled staff are typically paid 13.8% less than their colleagues.)

Rising employee’ expectations are another good reason to use data, rather than relying on anecdotal evidence which more cynical staff may see as misleadingly selective.

DON’T OVERLOOK DISABILITY

There is political momentum behind the need to act on gender, ethnicity and LGBT+ but Kantar’s survey suggests that the minority who feel most excluded at work are disabled employees, around half of whom believed that their career progress was being hampered by senior colleagues. That is a truly appalling finding and should give every managing director pause for thought.

7. BUILD DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION INTO YOUR EMPLOYER BRAND

Most private companies consider branding exclusively in terms of how they present themselves to their customers. But how you brand yourself to future employees is increasingly important - especially in a labour market where, according to various government estimates, there are around one million jobs left unfilled in this country. (Few recruitment experts expect the present labour shortage to ease significantly in the short to medium term.)

If your business looks, from the outside, about as diverse and inclusive as the Bullingdon Club, the private all-male dining club for Oxford University toffs like David Cameron, Boris Johnson and George Osborne, how are you going to attract the best and the brightest from different backgrounds? Or indeed, build a rapport with customers with different experiences? This is why so many experts say that companies need to focus on their culture. One often overlooked aspect of diversity and inclusion is the way good work is recognised and rewarded. More than half of women reported to Kantar that they had seen colleagues take sole credit for successes created through teamwork.

DON’T INDULGE IN TOKENISM

Appointing one woman, member of an ethnic minority, or individual from an LGBT+ background to the board is not going to convince staff you are seriously committed to making progress. It may have the unintended consequence of holding employees back - if women at a certain level in your company feel that they are all fighting for one senior management role allocated to their gender, they are less likely to collaborate and cooperate.

Kantar’s study shows that younger staff - particularly Generation Z and younger Millennials - are more likely to feel passionately about diversity and inclusion and if they look around the workplace and see, for example, that the next two levels in the company hierarchy are all white men, they are less likely to be reassured by your data showing that staff from minorities are more engaged at work than they were before the programme started. And no matter how good the intentions behind individual DEI events - workshops, weeks etc - staff might see these as box-ticking tokenism if that is the only tangible evidence of your commitment. As one black, female employee in the media put it: “I’m glad my employer is marking black history month but it’s not one of the top ten things I’d like to see change to make this a truly diverse and inclusive company.”

DON’T GIVE UP

You will find yourself facing conflicting pressures - after all, you still have to run the business - and the pace of change will be too slow for some and too fast for others. But you don’t really have an alternative. Kantar estimates that more than one in three staff from different backgrounds are actively considering changing jobs if their employer doesn’t buck up on diversity, equality and inclusion. Factor in the expense - and the hassle - of replacing such employees and you can see why your commitment makes sound business sense.

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 17

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HELP THE IPIA HELP PRINT

THE INDEPENDENT PRINT INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION WANTS TO KNOW WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT TRADING CONDITIONS, AND YOUR IDEAS FOR TARGETED INDUSTRY SUPPORT, SO THAT IT CAN BETTER REPRESENT THE PRINT SECTOR IN DISCUSSION WITH GOVERNMENT. ARE YOU PREPARED TO MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD?

In April, the IPIA grabbed the chance to get into discussion with Government on the state of the UK print industry - and on what needs to happen to help ensure its future. The association, which presented information and proposals garnered from its members and council, is now gathering representations from other bodies belonging to the Graphic and Print Media Alliance (GPMA) - which includes the BPIF and Picon - to strengthen its advocacy efforts. It also wants you to speak up.

On the agenda at that meeting at 10 Downing Street back in April, between IPIA chair Charles Rogers and special advisors to the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, was a detailed overview of the UK as a top-six global print producer, print’s responsibility for nearly 8% of total UK manufacturing output, and the critical part it plays in the social, cultural and economic fabric of the country. Print and paper’s role in developing sustainable technology and its contribution to the advancement of the circular economy was also highlighted.

The IPIA then set out the challenges that are inhibiting the growth and competitiveness of UK print and paper, before presenting a package of structural and strategic support requests.

A case was also put forward for the print, paper and allied sectors to be recognised as an ‘industry of strategic value’ - a term that describes industries that play a fundamental role in the economic health and competitiveness of the nation.

“The opportunity to participate in this meeting presented itself at short notice, and I was honoured to represent the IPIA on behalf of print and paper at No 10 Downing Street. Meeting with special advisors, who report to the PM, was a critical and rare opportunity to push our agenda for all those involved with print and paper in the UK,” says Rogers, adding: “Both advisors expressed positivity regarding follow-up meetings and currently we are looking forward to a return visit, where we can expand on suggestions to aid UK print and paper.”

PG Paper’s Puneet Gupta, who facilitated the 10 Downing Street meeting, adds: “By bringing together stakeholders

from various sectors of the industry we look to develop strategies to overcome the challenges and support growth.”

The structural support requests put forward so far include:

• Inclusion of print businesses in the Energy Intensive Industries Exemption Scheme, which provides utilities costs relief, and similar support initiatives in the future. Expansion of the existing capital allowances scheme on plant and machinery investment for the print industry.

The introduction of a subsidy or tax scheme to reduce the cost of core industry manufacturing materials for print and postage.

• Implementation of post-Brexit policies that prohibit imports of paper products that are below UK environmental aspirations or standards.

• Identification of the UK print and paper sector as an ‘industry of strategic value’ to the UK economy and thus its inclusion in all Government manufacturing stimulus and support schemes in the future.

• Special classification placed on print and paper exports to Ireland to mitigate a significant loss of competitiveness with European print businesses.

The strategic support requests put forward to date include:

Leveraging of the UK print and paper industry’s sustainability performance as part of the Government’s ambition to become a world leader in green technologies and carbon reduction.

• Engagement with print industry associations to assist with Government’s levelling up agenda and apprenticeship schemes.

• A national Government led campaign that drives awareness of the role of the print industry, and in particular the social impact and importance of its manufacturing capabilities.

Business | Knowledge

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 19

WE ARE LOOKING FORWARD TO A RETURN VISIT, WHERE WE CAN EXPAND ON SUGGESTIONS TO AID UK PRINT AND PAPER

The IPIA is urging print companies to provide input by emailing info@ipia.org.uk

“We believe it’s our corporate social responsibility to increase sustainable solutions within the print industry.” So says Leicestershire-based Data Image, so I talked with founder and CEO Rob Farfort to find out what it’s doing to green-up print - and to ask whether its efforts are being rewarded?

talks to...

Rob Farfort,

I can’t think of a large-format PSP that doesn’t claim to be making efforts to become more eco-friendly, but back in the summer of 2021 you took the more unusual step of taking on a ‘sustainable researcher’ as part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ Kickstart scheme. What findings have come out of that so far, and how is the company responding?

Data Image was founded back in 1993 and in those days sustainability was hardly mentioned - if anything, it wasn’t even on the radar within the wide-format print sector or the areas which we operate in which are predominantly, POS, exhibitions and events.

I think becoming more eco-friendly has always been at the core of Data Image. We’ve tried to influence the market in various ways using very different materials, and now it has become the buzz word to be sustainable. It wasn’t brands’ focus historically and now it is.

We had an opportunity due to the Kickstarter programme to test the water in having someone dedicated to looking at the greener journey, whether that was for our customers, working with our suppliers and of course internally. We wanted to understand in greater detail what was meant by ‘green’.

There is a lot of greenwashing going within our industry and its important for Data Image to be accurate at all times in the information we are sharing. We hear lots from other companies, for example saying “we use eco-friendly inks” but, if we scratch a little deeper what does that really mean? When we make a claim here at Data Image we have to believe in that claim - it’s not just putting something out there. If we have purchased a material that says its sustainable, we need to be assured as to why that material is sustainable because they may not be as sustainable as you think.

The first project we gave to our sustainability researcher was to understand the many buzz words being used, like ‘sustainability’, ‘recyclability’, ‘green’, ‘eco-friendly’, ‘reusable’. I had questions and wanted to know what those words really meant, not only for me but for our customers.

So, the starting point was to define and simplify the words being used, in order to create an internal white paper that made it much simpler as a business to understand and allow us to all be on the same page.

Exhibitions is one of your main markets and you have been producing, and promoting, 100% recyclable stands for some time now. Is that beginning to pay dividends?

Exhibitions have always been part of the Data Image offering, but historically very much supplying the graphical part to an existing contractor who would be fabricating a stand made of MDF or wood. When on site, whether that be my team or myself, we’d see that at the end of the exhibition very little of these stands gets re-used or recycled, so we started a journey using cardboard based materials to build stands.

We didn’t want to go out there too quickly, so we took small baby steps to build the concept we were creating to gain some momentum. Now it is becoming much bigger, with opportunities that keep growing day by day and week by week year by year to the point it will now become a core driver to us over the next 12 months.

We have some exciting things we will be showing and sharing over the next 6-12 months.

So yes, is it paying dividends 100% and the industry is ready to be disrupted.

How much do you have to actively promote ‘greener’ printed solutions to your clients - and is it proving an economically viable strategy?

This goes back to “how do you actively promote greener printed solutions?”.

Historically it was a real hard slog of a sell, difficult and it wasn’t a customer’s priority whether they were linked directly or indirectly to a brand. The first question typically asked was often “is it going to cost us more?” Now, cost is nowhere near the top of the priorities. We are now told that the priority is to be seen to be using greener materials, and the brands are asking for this. This is further driven by

Business | Talking Point

white back ground transparent

20 | June / July 2023

companies wanting to measure their carbon footprint, with the goal of business becoming net zero.

Previously we had been trying to sell it to customers, now customers are starting to ask for this greener alternative. Customers are seeing our marketing activities and engaging with us, so it has gone full circle, this is great as we now have knowledge and expertise to be able to advise.

We have the historical data from previous successful projects we have already completed and we’re becoming a trusted advisor to new clients - they feel reassured handing those projects over to us knowing that we are going to give them a viable greener, economically produced stand for them moving forward.

Do you have any kind of take-back programme for printed exhibition stands?

Yes, we have a take-back programme and are able to recycle with a full audit trail that allows us to share the carbon footprint.

Interestingly, one of the main things our clients have realised from working with these materials is that they are able to reuse them two, three, four times before they may be fed-up with the design and want something different.

Allowing clients to be able to both reuse and repurpose - whether this is by extending them or altering them - has become incredibly important.

Great design is not just about the looks, it’s about a future lifespan. As an example, we have an exhibition stand for a client that has been built in a modular way thus they are planning to re-use sections of the stand which will be sent out to their clients to enable it to be used as retail display units in store. Therefore, the original stand has potentially a much longer life.

Traditionally the MDF stands that were used were filled, sanded and painted and would 90% probably have gone in the bin. So, these new stands are now reused, repurposed and then at the end maybe recycled increasing their use and life span before being fully recycled with a certificate of authenticity which is fantastic.

Where else do you see scope to increase sustainable solutions within wide-format inkjet produced print - and do you think all of those are/can be profitable to PSPs?

I think there are many areas to increase the scope of sustainable solutions that are currently using non-recyclable products, and these can all be profitable. It’s all down to the knowledge and mindset of supplier/client advising that transitional process and journey from using traditional materials to these new greener sustainable materials. It is always interesting when we sit down with clients and they are sometimes still not aware these sustainable materials are available and typically there is no price differentiation between the old and the new which is great, giving further opportunity.

Where do you think the biggest sticking points are in terms of this sector becoming more environmentally proactive?

The biggest sticking point is that most traditional exhibition stand builders probably don’t have the in-house capabilities at present to transition to a different manufacturing process in using these more modern sustainable materials. Additionally, having a mindset change to do that along with having the investment available are issues. I think the sticking point is multifaceted really.

However, this does create a fantastic opportunity for a company like Data Image that has a diverse range of equipment to be able to facilitate moving into these markets and disrupting the modular sustainable market in general. For us, it creates opportunity, but for the legacy manufacturers it’s their biggest sticking point unless they invest and change.

Where next for Data Image on its CSR journey overall? Data Image is all about creativity and innovation - we don’t stand still, we always look for better ways to achieve results and success. Data Image wants to shape the print, display and exhibition landscape moving forward and encourage clients to embrace environmental and sustainable futures.

Business | Talking Point

Founder and CEO, Data Image

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 21

WE HAVE SOME EXCITING THINGS WE WILL BE SHOWING AND SHARING OVER THE NEXT 6-12 MONTHS

“ SPECIALISTS IN ALUMINIUM SYSTEMS”

SPIRIT-TEX FABRIC SYSTEM

A REVOLUTION IN FABRIC DISPLAYS WITHOUT STITCHED FINISHING COMPATIBLE WITH ALL PRINTING TECHNOLOGIES

OCTANORM SYSTEM

EXHIBITION STANDS

SPIRIT-FLEX TENSION SYSTEM

A TRIED AND TESTED SOLUTION FOR STRETCHING AND TENSIONING ALL TYPES OF BANNER AND FLEXFACE

MUSEUM INSTALLATIONS

RETAIL DISPLAYS

www.spirit-displays com EML: info@spirit-displays com TEL: 0208 684 0455

CLEANING UP

YOU MAY HAVE HEARD THAT HOLLYWOOD MONSTER AND OCTINK ARE USING AN ANTI-POLLUTION SYSTEM CALLED CLEAN AIR ON SOME OF THEIR OUTDOOR PRINT. NOW RMC DIGITAL PRINT HAS STARTED OFFERING IT TO CLIENTS TOO. SO SHOULD YOU JOIN THEIR GANG?

Pretty much every breath you take has pollutants in it. Nicole Spencer, MD at RMC Digital Print, hopes a decision to invest in Clean Air technology from PrintHubGlobal will reduce those resting on the outdoor print it provides to clients.

To date, the Hull-based trade print provider, along with Hollywood Monster and Octink, are the only print companies in the UK to be using the Clean Air technology (see siderbar), developed in a joint venture between PrintHubGlobal and a company called Resysten, which makes photocatalytic protective coatings. But PrintHubGlobal commercial director Steve Lewis is reading to roll-out the solution across the wider print industry - and others, such as the construction sector where it will be used on the graphics outside building sites as well as inside new builds.

The panel below explains how Clean Air works in more depth, but basically, it gets rid what Lewis calls “the killer” pollutants in the air - such as NO2 and VOCs - so by spraying the solution on outdoor prints, it actually helps do what the name says - clean the air in the vicinity. It’s of benefit all round, as Spencer explains.

“Last year we committed to reducing our carbon footprint and aiming for net zero within the next five years. We have been working with a local initiative OH Net Zero to achieve this. As part of this project, we have installed solar panels, replaced our lighting with LEDs and worked with Fespa UK and Reconomy to recycle our waste so nothing goes to landfill. We’ve also changed company cars for electric ones and installed charging points, as well as encouraging our staff to look into replacing their cars with electric ones through a government scheme we have joined. Another focus has been to look at changing our substrates to more environmentally friendly alternatives.

“We’re always on the lookout for products that will be kinder to the environment so when we were approached by Clean Air we were interested in the product and the reduction in pollution it offers. We spoke with a

How it works

In a nutshell, Clean Air is a colourless and odourless coating that actively breaks down harmful pollutants at a local level through a process of photocatalytic oxidation - a process in which light energy is used to drive chemical reactions.

The coating absorbs the ultraviolet component of light, acting as a catalyst to form reactive hydroxyl (OH) radicals in the presence of atmospheric moisture. These radicals can oxidize and destroy most pollutant molecules, thus reducing the impact of VOC emissions as well as NH3, N2O, CO2, and CH4. Each square meter of photocatalytic material, exposed to outdoor sunlight, can remove nitrogen oxides from about 200m3 of air per day.

few clients about it and had positive feedback. Then we had a client approach us to use it on a particular job so we committed to investing in the technology and kit. We’ve only just started using it and need to make our clients aware of the benefits.

“The spray can be used on any of the substrates we print so the possibilities for reduction in pollution are vast. The guys at Clean Air explained that 50m2 of the product offsets the equivalent emission of your average family car per year per day. As an industry that are often seen to be contributing to pollution and waste it is nice to be able to make a positive change.

“We’re hoping that more clients will see the benefit of reducing pollution and use the solution on their outdoor prints. We provide thousands of flex face skins for retail parks up and down the country every year so spraying all of them would see a real reduction in pollution.”

Clean Air can be applied to any surface, including print, using special spraying tanks. It remains active on surfaces for a minimum of one year according to its supplier PrintHubGlobal and can be measured to ensure effectiveness and performance. It has been proven to work best at street level where pollution is at its highest - so on buildings, vehicles, street furniture and signage etc.

As PrintHubGlobal commercial director Steve Lewis explains, photocatalysis is not in itself new in terms of its anti-microbial capability, but getting the necessary chemicals used in the process to stick to surfaces long enough to remain an active environmental purifier has been the game changer.

“The use of titanium dioxide as a photocatalyst

has been around over 40 years, but as soon as a surface was wiped it would be wiped away too,” says Lewis. “But a few years ago Resysten developed a binder that could keep it on a surface for 12 months or more. In talking with them we began to see the potential for the technology to clean air, not just surfaces, so we did a joint venture and a year ago we brough Clean Air to market - having sourced the Victory Spray Gun to allow it to be sprayed onto print.

“We have been testing it at Queens University in Belfast, which has a specialist coatings facility, and with a small initial group of printers. Now that we know its efficacy we are about to start rolling it out more widely.”

Environment

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 23

DIGGING BELOW THE SURFACE WITH INDUSTRY MOLE

Comments please to industrymole@imagereportsmag.co.uk

I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about signs recently. That will come as no great shock, given that they are such an important part of Mole Graphics’ business. These reflections were prompted by a trip to the library to collect a potboiler crime novel. I realised that, depending on which sign you believed, it was either open straight through from 10am to 5pm or, as it turned out, closed for lunch between 1-2pm. I wasn’t the only one left dumbfounded: at the door, a three-year-old boy was trying to persuade his reluctant mum it was worth waiting for ten minutes until the library reopened and the nursery-style singalong - which, from personal experience, invariably features a round of ‘Wheels On The Bus’ - would begin.

I can understand the council wants to save money. Indeed, at other facilities, changing opening times have been written on as piece of paper and stuck on the door. But I do wonder how much revenue Mole Graphics - and, for that matter, the British wide-format industry, has missed out

on because of cutbacks in Government spending which have been in place since 2010.

I know that, if we are to give UK Plc an infrastructure fit for the 21st century - or, more realistically, the late 20th century - there are more pressing needs. Decrepit town centres, reliable trains and roads without potholes - let alone sinkholes - all spring to mind. But it does seem perverse that, in an era when we are finally discovering the importance of wayfinding, so many signs are unfit for purpose because they are out of date, inaccurate, or just too scarce. Even ‘Diversion’ signs - which seem like a licence for their printers to print money - are either placed haphazardly or simply peter out as you are redirected into the middle of nowhere.

As election-winning slogans go, “Better signage” is about as big a vote winner as “Let them pick fruit”, but, even though I am saying this out of enlightened self-interest, a modest investment in this guidance would make living - and working - in this country significantly less annoying.

When? 6 - 7 June, 2023

When? 14 June, 2023

When? 27-29 February, 2024

When? 28 May - 7June, 2024

Where? Palexpo, Geneva, Switzerland

Where? Orelle restaurant, Birmingham

Where? NEC, Birmingham

Where? Messe Dusseldorf, Germany

Cost?

£495, £564 with networking dinner.

Who will be there?

This is the first ever summit focused 100% on sustainable print technology, production, and strategic development. 200-250 delegates are expected, with the aim of creating positive change across the wide-format, commercial, label and packaging print landscape.

Cost?

£114 for IPIA/BAPC member, £176 for non-members.

Who will be there?

Cost? Free

Cost? TBD

Who will be there?

Should you go?

Yes, if greening-up means anything to you.

The intention is to bring together a printers, print buyers, suppliers, designers, marketing agencies and technology developers so they can make connections that could lead to new business. Should you go?

If you want to network!

A cross-section of suppliers to the sign and digital print markets.

It’s so far ahead of the event that it’s pointless looking at the exhibitor list yet but, suffice to say, you can expect most of the major players to get involved.

Should you go?

The show is not the ‘must-attend’ it once was but still a good meetingup spot.

Should you go?

Decide closer to the time, but it’s worth noting the dates.

Forum

EVENTS

Rating 9/10 Rating 8/10 Rating 5/10 Rating 7/10 24 | June / July 2023

ECOPRINT SUMMIT SIGN AND DIGITAL UK IPIA SPRING NETWORKING LUNCH DRUPA

OVER TO YOU...

JACK MURPHY MARKETING DIRECTOR, THE BIG DISPLAY CO WWW.THEBIGDISPLAYCOMPANY.CO.UK/

Slough-based, large-format print specialist

The Big Display Company is fast building business on the back of a HP Latex R2000 Plus printer it bought through approved UK reseller Papergraphics in March 2021. I talked with marketing director Jack Murphy about what a difference a year makes…

Can we just recap on what prompted you to plump for the HP Latex R2000 Plus printer in the first place Jack?

Well we’d had a HP FB700 for about seven years and although the technology was still great, there was beginning to be too much downtime on it and we felt we were losing out on print quality. So we looked at all the options, and we’re very convinced about Latex technology having been gone through the 360s, 570s, 800 etc, so the R2000 was an obvious one to go for once we saw samples and understood what the actual throughput would be. Within a week of it going in it had totally transformed how we were doing things.

From quite soon after that HP Latex R2000 Plus printer purchase you spoke about the new opportunities it was affording you. What have been the most major gains so far?

There are really two big areas we’ve been able to improve upon - at totally different ends of the market. We’ve been able to produce some really nice

high quality acrylic displays, which though in theory we could do on the FB700, by the time you do the whiteover you lose time and ink. Because of the heads and the way the white ink sits on the R2000 you’re quickly up and running and we were able to take on some very nice work where we’re laying down different variations of white onto acrylics, and onto some ultra clear films as well - work we’d not been able to get near previously.

At the opposite end, we’ve been getting involved in short-run packaging and printing onto cardboard. We’ve been aspiring to do that for such a long time because it’s so hard to outsource it, especially where a trade customer may only want five, ten, 50, 100the big packaging guys out there are not interested in doing that. It has taken us a while to be able to deliver on that front but we’ve managed to narrow everything down the right supplier, the right stock and now if we get an order for one box or 500 we can print it.

What shape do you think The Big Display Company

will be in, in another year’s time - and will the name still be representative of what it does?

It is a running joke in the office that we should be the Big Box Company, the Big Sticker Company… As you know, our original trading name was Bullseye Awards and Garments Limited because it did trophies and T-shirts - we’re of a constantly evolving mindset. We moved into display graphics. Now we’re moving more into short-run packaging, but we see that as being part of an entire offering we have. It feeds quite nicely into companies that sell branded merchandise for instance, and want the boxes for that merchandise as well as the roller banners and ways to display their products. It sits very nicely together.

In terms of where we see ourselves going, our next bit of investment is in another 1.8 x 3.2m Zund, which is coming soon. I’m really looking forward to that because when it comes to packaging, finishing is a massive bottleneck so it should help us be able to develop that side of the business. It will also enble us to take on more acrylic work because it won’t matter if we need to route in for two hours - the other work can go through the other cutter.

And do you see margin improving along with all this diversification? Many companies seem to invest and extend products/services to increase turnover, but what about profitability?

That’s a really good question. When it comes to short-run packaging it’s certainly about margin - the gross margin we can achieve there are fantastic, the net margin not so good when you’re needing to be very labour intensive, hence our investments! But we’re finding that with the very premium products too, customers are happy to pay for our expertise rather than just ink on sheet. It’s not about ripping anyone off, it’s about appreciation of what we do and allowing us to be able to pay everyone a fair wage, continue to invest and to keep moving forward.

VITAL STATISTICS

ALTHOUGH THE BRITISH ECONOMY HAS STRUGGLED OVER THE PAST YEAR AS THE COST OF LIVING CRISIS HAS ESCALATED, A NEW SURVEY OF INDUSTRY LEADERS BY SUPPLIER SOYANG EUROPE SUGGESTS THAT PRINT SERVICE PROVIDERS HAVE DEFIED THE GLOOM AND PERFORMED PRETTY ROBUSTLY. FOR DEEPER INSIGHT INTO THE STATE OF WIDE-FORMAT PRINTING IN THE UK, LOOK OUT FOR THE ANNUAL IMAGE REPORTS WIDTHWISE REPORT, WHICH WILL BE PUBLISHED ALONGSIDE AUGUST/ SEPTEMBER ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE.

86%

35%

28%

35%

of print service providers told Soyang they have raised their prices to existing clients in the past 12 months, while 42% say they are re-evaluating their pricing strategy. More than half55% - identify increasing raw material prices as their biggest cost pressure. In response, 35% of companies say they have been exploring alternative materials to save money.

of printers in the survey said they had no plans to become carbon neutral, a surprisingly high proportion given the global impetus to achieve net zero by 2050. The better news for the planet and, ultimately, everything that lives on it - is that 51% are aiming to become carbon neutral and 14% say they have 100% sustainable products.

of companies reported an increase in profit in the past year, while 57% said their revenue had risen over the same period. Businesses which grew their turnover typically spend around 20% of their revenue on marketing. Most of the print service providers who made a bigger profit are looking to expand their team over the next 12 months. Remarkably, 21% said they spent nothing on marketing.

of respondents said they had broadened the range of services they offer in the past year. This was one way to generate new business which companies indicated was the biggest challenge they face, a greater concern than cash flow, profitability, market volatility and recruitment. Roughly one in seven said they would be investing in digital marketing.

Forum

www.imagereportsmag.co.uk | 25

If you can, teach

THE BPIF IS CREATING A SCHOOL ENGAGEMENT PROGRAMME TO HELP BRIDGE THE SKILLS AND AGE GAP, AND TO ADDRESS DIVERSITY AND SOCIAL INCLUSION ISSUES IN THE INDUSTRY. CAN YOU HELP?

By September the BPIF hopes to have a skills/ recruitment strategy for the print industry, with tools, guidance and information that can provide companies with support to engage in youth-focused programmes. But, before that, it wants your help to ensure that the new School Engagement Programme it is formulating is properly focussed and meets current and future needs. To that end it is calling for print providers in the large-format sector to get involved and take to part in an online survey at https://www.surveymonkey. co.uk/r/79SCLNX.

The survey has been open for some time, but PSPs in this sector have been somewhat lethargic, with the BPIF saying it has only had “four or five” responses so far. Whatever the reason for this, time is running out if the sector is to be properly represented within the programme, which aims to:

• Increase the industry’s profile with young people

• Promote the industry to students, educators, unions and associations

• Improve relationships between companies and the educational sector

Increase industry apprentices

The bottom line is that we need to ensure there continues to be the right people in the right jobs at the right time. As the BPIF points out, this part of the industry, which is so creative and has such strong ties with big brand clients, could be up front and centre when it comes to striking a chord with youngsters yet to decide on their career path.

Sarah Tishler, development director at Simpson Group is the chair of the BPIF Student Engagement Forum Steering Group and says: “Ever since participating in the ESH Group ‘Building My Skills’ programmewhere we started to present the idea of a career in the print industry to students at local schools, whilst also introducing them to the STEM Learning Top 10 employability skills and covering set check point learning

embedded in the programme (such as options after GCSEs, world of work, CV builder and cover letters, interview preparation) - I have been exploring how we can attract students to our business and the print industry in general.

“Unless they have a family member employed in print you are probably unlikely to hear a school-aged student tell you they ‘want to be a printer’ when you ask them what their future plans look like. After all, print does seem to be the biggest industry that the future workforce has never thought of.

“Through this role as chair of the BPIF Student Engagement Forum Steering Group, and with the support and collaboration of other BPIF members, Local Enterprise Partnerships, The Careers and Enterprise Company and anyone else we can encourage to be involved - including other trade bodies linked to the print industry - we can hopefully create a ‘plug and play’ national programme to support print companies in their quest to ignite student interest and get them fired up for a career in print.”

At the time of writing the BPIF was working on readyto-use online and offline materials which could be used for different activities aimed at encouraging youngsters into print - company visits, career days, social media campaigns etc. The ‘pack’ will also contain guidelines on areas such as mentoring, as well as videos, social media posts, other online assets and printed materials.

It is also happy to act as a conduit between PSPs and Leeds Beckett University to engage with students. Last year the federation worked with the university’s third year business students and MBA students on projects such as how print will influence the retail digital space, and how the future consumer will shop. The group worked with the BPIF’s Display and POS special interest group and member companies in the sector to understand print and its standing in the space. It is now offering PSPs the chance set a project and work with the university’s students from October/November 2023 - April/May 2024.

Zeitgeist

PRINT DOES SEEM TO BE THE BIGGEST INDUSTRY THAT THE FUTURE WORKFORCE HAS NEVER THOUGHT OF

Josero is specialised in new and used wide format equipment sales and maintenance.

We are an authorised Agfa, Mimaki & Ricoh reseller as well as exclusive distributors for Triangle inks, Bubble Free applicators and Comagrav cutters. For expert wide format advice call the team on 01954 232 564 or visit our Cambridge showroom.

www.josero.com

Landor Phototex Self-Adhesive Fabric Peel and Stick Recyclable and Repositionable. Phototex is the no stretch, no tear, no residue, no surface damaging fabric that is easy to apply and reapply again and again and again. See for yourself - contact for a sample.

01252 624411 - info@landorUK.com

www.landoruk.com

Your Print Specialists (YPS) offer an impressive portfolio of wide format print solutions, finishing equipment and software. Located in the North East and with over 40 years of print experience, YPS can safely advise you on the very latest developments in print technology. Over the last 13 years YPS has built its reputation as a fast, reliable and service-led partner within the screen, litho and digital wide format printing industry.

www.yourprintspecialists.co.uk

Spandex supplies materials and equipment to the graphics industry. Our portfolio includes Avery Dennison, 3M, ImagePerfect, Arlon, Orafol, HP, Epson, Roland and more. Online store – training – next day delivery

www.spandex.co.uk

Enhance, Protect and extend the life of inkjet Prints with Landor Liquid Lamination

Easy to apply by handroller, brush or spray, Landor coatings ensure the longevity and durability of prints. Anti-Graffiti – Vehicles – Wallcoverings – Truck sides –

Anti-Microbial

01252 624411 - info@landorUK.com

www.landoruk.com

Airplac® foam board is made in the UK. The lightweight panels come in all formats up to 3050x1524mm. The polystyrene foamboards are rigid, white and extra light. A new 100% recyclable XPS panel Airplac®PRINTFOAM is perfect for environmentally responsible campaigns.

www.airplac.co.uk

Drytac has been a leading international manufacturer of adhesive-coated products, digital print media and protection films for the graphics and industrial markets for over 40 years.

www.drytac.com

Drytac has been a leading international manufacturer of adhesive-coated products, digital print media and protection films for the graphics and industrial markets for over 40 years.

www.drytac.com

Weblook | Inks / Hardware

Sustainable success with Fujifilm

Our award-winning UV ink factory in the UK generates solar energy, reuses and recycles 100% of raw material packaging, and has massively reduced on site waste.

Choose a partner that puts environmental issues at the heart of its operation. Take a fresh look at Fujifilm.

Craig Milsted, Sustainability Advisor, Fujifilm Speciality Ink S ystems

Clean energy Waste reduction Recycled packaging

Image Reports – June July 2023

ENJOY THE SUNSHINE

CONTENTS

NEWS AND VIEWS ONLINE

BPIF survey shows UK print industry contracted in Q1

eProductivity acquires Tharstern

WOO sets up OOH sustainability task force

MediaCo takes delivery of UK’s first swissQprint Kudu

Dominion Print invests another £500,000 in kit

Sign and Wrap Awards announced for 2024

Hollywood Monster acquires Sygnet Group

Netherlands-based A1 Signs takes first Acuity Prime L

Durst completes Brixen HQ solar power project

Soyang Europe publishes print industry report

PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY FIRST WITH CANON

PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY AT THE HEART OF LARGE FORMAT PRINT

PUTTING SUSTAINABILITY AT THE HEART OF LARGE FORMAT PRINT

CANON’S NEW COLORADO M-SERIES -MODULARITY WITH HASSLE-FREE WHITE INK AND ADVANCED FINISHES

CANON’S NEW COLORADO M-SERIES - MODULARITY WITH HASSLE-FREE WHITE INK AND ADVANCED FINISHES

NEW ARIZONA 1300 GTF & XTF

NEW ARIZONA 1300 GTF & XTF

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE

KNOW THE NEWCOMERS

AGFA

CANON

COLORGATE

DURST

EFI

EPSON

ELITRON

ENFOCUS

EUROLASER

FUJIFILM

INKTEC

MIMAKI

MUTOH

ONYX

QPS

ROLAND DG

VISM

VIVID

ZUND

EXCLUSIVITY: MAKING THE MOST OF IT

HOW CAN LARGE-FORMAT PRINT PROVIDERS MARKET THEMSELVES BETTER TO ESTABLISH NEW, PROFITABLE PRINT NICHES FOR THEIR BUSINESSES? MARKETING EXPERT JONATHAN ROGERS AIMS TO TELL YOU JUST THAT…

First among equals 1.

ACE THE TRUTH

2.

DON’T CHERRY PICK PARTICIPANTS

USE DATA EVIDENCEQUANTITATIVE IF YOU CAN 3.

DON’T DELEGATE THE ISSUE

ONE OFTEN OVERLOOKED ASPECT OF DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION IS THE WAY GOOD WORK IS RECOGNISED AND REWARDED

5.

RECOGNISE THE COMPLEXITY

THINK SYSTEMICALLY

DON’T OVERLOOK DISABILITY

7.

BUILD DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION INTO YOUR EMPLOYER BRAND

DON’T INDULGE IN TOKENISM

DON’T GIVE UP

Increase efficiency. Accelerate results.

Increase efficiency. Accelerate results.

HP Latex 2700 Printer series

HP Latex 2700 Printer series

HELP THE IPIA HELP PRINT

talks to...

Rob Farfort,

“ SPECIALISTS IN ALUMINIUM SYSTEMS”

SPIRIT-TEX FABRIC SYSTEM

SPIRIT-FLEX TENSION SYSTEM

CLEANING UP

How it works

DIGGING BELOW THE SURFACE WITH INDUSTRY MOLE

OVER TO YOU...

Slough-based, large-format print specialist

VITAL STATISTICS

If you can, teach

Sustainable success with Fujifilm

Articles inside

If you can, teach