The Big Picture - March 2011

PLUS:· Dyenamix: High-Fashion Fabrics

· Previewing ISA Expo· The Solvent Options

Green is GoodEmbracing sustainability

03.11 www.bigpicture.net

Seiko Instruments USAInfotech Division

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This could be the sign of something big.

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in this issueCOLUMNS

4 InSight Aprofitable

finish.

14 Graphics on the Go

Avoiding“designcollisions.”

DEPARTMENTS

8 Wide Angle Fieldsofgold.

10 Up Front News+

noteworthy.

32 R+D Thelatesttech,

products,andsupplies.

40 Job Log Makingan

entrance.

FEATURES

16 Green is Good ByJakeWidman

Fourprintprovidersembracingsustainableprintingarerethinkingandrefocus-ingtheirbusinesspracticesfromtoptobottom.Thebenefitsthey’rerealizingarebountiful–fromincreasedoperationalefficienciestonewmarketingopportuni-ties.Plus:PyramidVisualsgarnersmajorgreenstreetcred.

20 ISA Sign Expo: Back to Vegas Thisyear’seditionoftheInternationalSignAssociation’sSignExpolookstobe

itslargestsince2008.Here’sasneakpeekatwhat’snewandsomeoftheevent’stopeducational,technology,andnetworkingofferings.

24 Dyenamix: High-Fashion Fabrics ByMikeAntoniak

Dyenamixisanamethat’sinstantlyrecognizabletothoseinthehigh-profileworldsoffashion,theatre,andentertainment.TheNewYorkCityspecialistincustomfabricandtextilesproducesmaterialforthelatestdesignsandcostumesseenonBroadwayandinthemovies.

28 The Solvent Options Althoughvariousfactors,includingUVtechnolo-

giesandsustainableaspirations,haveworkedtolimittoday’ssolvent-machineoptions,buyerscanstillfindanarrayofmachinesonthemarket.

March2011Volume16No.3

ON THE COVER:PyramidVisuals,Greenpeace,andartistKurtWennerteamupforagreenrecord-breaker.CoverdesignbyLauraMohr.

2THE BIG PICTUREMArCh2011

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u New post-curing unitgives the ink a secondary curing, making the JFX plus series 80% faster than previous models.

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4 THE BIG PICTURE MARCH 2011

On the subject of age, writer Malcolm Gladwell – author of various books includ-ing What the Dog Saw and The Tipping Point – says: “We think about Picasso at the age of 21 and 22 dazzling the art world or we think about Einstein writing those brilliant physics papers in his 20s, but we forget that there’s an equal group of artists and geniuses who don’t do their greatest work until the end of their lives. So for every Picasso, there’s a Cezanne, who if you go to Le Musee d’Orsay and you look at all of his greatest works, they’re all painted in his 50s and 60s, or for every Melville who writes Moby Dick at 28 or 29, there is a Mark Twain who writes Huckleberry Finn in his late 40s or early 50s.”

I’ll readily admit to taking Gladwell’s comments to heart. After all, I hit 50 a couple of years ago, and I believe that, creatively and intellectually, I’m more “fi ne tuned” than I’ve ever been. When it comes to churning out copy, I like to think the best is still ahead of me. Granted, some days I might prefer a return to my physical health from 20 years ago, but that’s a topic for a whole ‘nother column.

To fi nish strong in anything, however – whether in sports, business, or life in general – you have to have a “kick” at the end of the race. I ran track and cross country in high school, and in those sports I learned about the importance of sav-ing enough energy to be able to sprint as you near the fi nish line. It’s important to recognize that the ability to do so just isn’t by chance. It’s a strategy that must be planned for, and it must happen at the right moment. Initiate the kick too soon, and you’ll never make it to the fi nish line. Do so too late, and you’ll likely never catch the competitors who have already begun their own sprint.

So what about you? Did you peak years ago, or are you still ready to make a sprint toward the fi nish line? And are your company and its personnel ready to keep up with you? You might surprise some of your people when you begin that sprint (which is fun, but not always productive for all). Get ready to produce your own business masterpiece.

On a separate note: As I write this, the fi fth Signage and Graphics Summit has just fi nished up at the Saddlebrook Resort in Tampa. Attendees tell us it rates among the best SGS events ever, and they were able to bring valuable informa-tion back to their companies that they could put to immediate use. Look for recap information on the event at the Summit’s website: signageandgraphics.com.

insight

by Gregory Sharpless

A Profi table Finish

www.bigpicture.net

Gregory SharplessEditor/Associate [email protected]

Britney GrimmelsmanAssociate [email protected]

Paula YohoContributing Editor

Laura MohrArt [email protected]

Marty McGhie, Craig Miller, Jared SmithColumnists

Linda VolzProduction [email protected]

Lou Arneberg - Midwest USBen Stauss - Western US,

Western Canada, AsiaLisa Zurick - Eastern US,

Eastern Canada, EuropeBusiness Development Managers

Rick Bachelder, Kathy Boydstun, Terry Corman, Scott Crosby, Brandon Gabriel, Michael Garcia, Kirk Green, Robert Kissel, Craig Miller, Greg Root, Jared Smith, Mark TaylorEditorial Advisory Board

Tedd SwormstedtPresident

Steve DuccilliGroup Publisher

Christine BalogaAudience Development Director

John TymoskiAssociate Director/Online

Subscription Services(847) [email protected]/subscribebigpicture.net/renew

Single Copies/Back IssuesDebbie [email protected]

11262 Cornell Park Drive Cincinnati, OH 45242tel (513) 421-2050 fax (513) 421-5144

THE BIG PICTURE (ISSN 1082-9660) is published 12 times annually by ST Media Group International Inc., 11262 Cornell Park Dr., Cincinnati, OH 45242-1812. Telephone: (513) 421-2050, Fax: (513) 362-0317. No charge for subscriptions to qualifi ed individuals. Annual rate for subscriptions to non-qualifi ed individuals in the U.S.A.: $42 USD. Annual rate for subscriptions in Canada: $70 USD (includes GST & postage); all other countries: $92 (Int’l mail) payable in U.S. funds. Printed in the U.S.A. Copyright 2011, by ST Media Group International Inc. All rights reserved. The contents of this publication may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the consent of the publisher. The publisher is not responsible for product claims and representations. Periodicals Postage Paid at Cincinnati, OH and at additional mailing o� ces. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: The Big Picture, P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076. Change of address: Send old address label along with new address to The Big Picture, P.O. Box 1060, Skokie, IL 60076.

HPC_GSB_M1_1022_WFP_BP_R2.indd 2-10-2011 5:52 PMSaved at NonePrinted At Client HPMedia Type MagazineLive 7” x 10”Trim 8” x 10.875”Bleed 8.25” x 11.125”Job Title Graphic Arts (GSB) SIGNAGE/DIS-PLAYPubs Wide Format PrintingBig PictureAd Code None

DEPARTMENT:

NAME:

APPROVAL:

Addl. Notes: None

Art Director Copywriter Acct. Manager Studio Artist Proofreader Traffic Production

Christie None Adam Jeffrey Wiggins N/A Beth Odum Scott Larson

©2011 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. *Contains no hazardous air pollutants according to EPA Method 311. Special ventilation is not required to meet U.S. OSHA requirements on occupational exposure to VOCs from HP Latex Inks. See hp.com/go/latex for more information.

Practice saying, ‘OF COURSE WE CAN DO THAT.’

WITH HP LATEX PRINTERS, YOU CAN OFFER YOUR CUSTOMERS MORE FOR LESS COST TO YOUR BUSINESS.From soft signage to vehicle wraps, watch your ideas come to life across a broader array of materials than ever before. High-quality, durable output comes off the printer dry, odorless and ready for immediate application, and the water-based technology means you spend less time maintaining and more time creating.* Now you can let your imagination run free. To discover more about HP Latex Ink and the Scitex and Designjet product lines that run it, visit hp.com/go/latex.

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5021EPS_SOT_16”x10.875” CLIENT:EPSON HEADLINE:DrOPlEtS PUB(S):thE Big PicturE IMAGES:hi rES

LIVE:15.5” X 10.375” TRIM:16” X 10.875” BLEED:16.25” X 11.125” SCALE:1:1 REVS:2 COLOR(S):cMYK CLOSE:8/09/10 INSERTION:SEPt 2010

HEADOfSTUDIO: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

STUDIOARTIST: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

PRODUCTION: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

ARTDIRECTOR: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

COPywRITER: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

TRAffICMANAGER: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

CREATIVEDIRECTOR: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

ACCOUNTMGMT: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

CEO: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

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The Epson Stylus® Pro GS6000 produces the industry’s widest color gamut – with eight individual colors – for

unparalleled output quality at the fastest print speeds in its class. Its profit-focused design sets new standards

in overall reliability, easy maintenance and a reduced total cost of ownership. And, while its all-new ink

technology is compatible with virtually any solvent-based media, it has less impact on both the environment

and worker health. Learn more about the way solvent printing should be at proimaging.epson.com

TRUE-TO-LIFE, 8-COLOR SOLVENT PRINTING

The Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 - 64” | $24,995* Fully Loaded

Photography by Howard Schatz © Schatz Ornstein 2010

*MSRP, before rebates. Please check with an Epson Professional Imaging Authorized Reseller for actual price, as dealer prices may vary.

Epson, Epson Stylus and Epson UltraChrome are registered trademarks and Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. ©2010 Epson America, Inc. with

T: 10.875”

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HEADOfSTUDIO: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

STUDIOARTIST: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

PRODUCTION: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

ARTDIRECTOR: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

COPywRITER: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

TRAffICMANAGER: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

CREATIVEDIRECTOR: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

ACCOUNTMGMT: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

CEO: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

CLIENT: rEviSE aPPrOvED _________________________________________

The Epson Stylus® Pro GS6000 produces the industry’s widest color gamut – with eight individual colors – for

unparalleled output quality at the fastest print speeds in its class. Its profit-focused design sets new standards

in overall reliability, easy maintenance and a reduced total cost of ownership. And, while its all-new ink

technology is compatible with virtually any solvent-based media, it has less impact on both the environment

and worker health. Learn more about the way solvent printing should be at proimaging.epson.com

TRUE-TO-LIFE, 8-COLOR SOLVENT PRINTING

The Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 - 64” | $24,995* Fully Loaded

Photography by Howard Schatz © Schatz Ornstein 2010

*MSRP, before rebates. Please check with an Epson Professional Imaging Authorized Reseller for actual price, as dealer prices may vary.

Epson, Epson Stylus and Epson UltraChrome are registered trademarks and Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks. ©2010 Epson America, Inc. with

T: 10.875”

T: 16”

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wide angle

To produce Field Relic (24 x 36 inches), artist

Bonny Pierce Lhotka used a 60-grit random orbit

sander to fi rst sand a sheet of 0.04-in. Plas-

kolite KSH white acrylic “to randomly damage

the surface.” After applying a DASS Universal

Precoat, she direct printed with her Epson Stylus

Pro 9800 printer using UltraChrome pigment inks

(including matte black), then sealed with Krylon

Crystal Clear Satin Spray. The image itself was

created in Photoshop from scans of paint chips,

a corn fi eld, and an old building. This artwork

appears in Lhotka’s new book, Digital Alchemy

(digtalalchemybook.com).

Fields of Gold

www.bigpicture.net �


upfrontupfront

As the winter season got underway at mountain resorts across Europe late last year, sports-equipment manu-facturer Rossignol was readying for its Rossignol Demo Tour – a 10-country, multi-resort alpine roadshow that allows skiers and snowboarders to test for free the company’s latest equipment.

Rossignol sought a print partner that could deliver on two key prerequisites: fi rst, to produce stunning promotional graphics that would maximize its visual impact and ensure head-turning interest throughout each roadshow resort; secondly, to do so by utilizing print technology that would support Rossignol’s envi-ronmental philosophy.

The company turned to the team at Light Air (light-air.com) in Lyons, France, to make its ambitions a reality. Rossignol kicked off the event in Italy at the end of November, and Light Air utilized its 104-inch HP Scitex LX600 printer with latex inks to produce an array of graphics for the tour, whose focal point was a specially branded “demo village,” comprising:

• A series of massive infl atables, including tents measuring 388 square feet and 215 square feet, as well as 10-foot-high “totems,” and several large arches mark-ing the foot of ski runs. All of these were adorned with attention-grabbing company and event logos featuring

in-built durability to withstand the outdoor use and inevitable adverse weather conditions demanded of the six-month ski season.

• A series of 20-foot-tall vertical fl ags.• And a fl eet of more than 30 support vehicles

covered with self-adhesive vinyl graphics that also sport the tour’s offi cial branding.

“In total, we probably printed around 2852 square feet of banner material and used about 215 square feet of adhesive,” says Jean-Baptiste Aguettant, Light Air’s commercial director. “However, as with most of the projects that come through our door…we only ended up having a week in which to complete the job.”

Wide-format technology is a relatively new addi-tion to Light Air’s roster. As late as 2007, the shop was more focused on neon and traditional sign work, sub-contracting out its wide-format jobs to other print providers. Today, the shop features an 8600-square-foot production facility and an in-house digital arsenal that includes the Scitex LX600 as well as an HP Scitex XL1500 and an HP Designjet 9000 – printing capabili-ties that not only provide a broad range of applications to its customers, but also enables Light Air to act as a sub-contractor to other print providers lacking wide-format capabilities of their own, says Aguettant.

Light Air’s Images Take To the Slopes

www.bigpicture.net 11

FlexCon to Purchase Graphics Division of ArlonFlexCon, the manufacturer of pressure-sensitive films and adhesives, has entered into an agreement to acquire the busi-ness assets of the Graphics Division of Arlon, Inc. of Santa Ana, California, to form a company to be named Arlon Graphics, LLC, a new, wholly owned subsidiary of FlexCon. The purchase, FlexCon reports, will strengthen its market leadership position by expanding its product portfolio in advertising and promo-tional products, as well as extending its sales channel and global market presence.

“FlexCon is attracted to the Graphics Division of Arlon, Inc. for its complementary product lines and its skilled, dedicated work-force,” says Neil McDonough, president and CEO, FlexCon. “The synergies between the two companies are ideal. Both manufactur-ers are dedicated to delivering quality products and unbeatable customer service. This move will further strengthen FlexCon’s product range and secures our status as a market leader.”

Founded in 1958, the Graphics Division of Arlon, Inc. is a manufacturer of a full line of high-quality pressure-sensitive cast vinyl, flexible substrates, and print media films for digital imaging, signage, vehicle graphics, and screen printing. The new Arlon Graphics, LLC will extend offers of employment to the executives and employees. When the acquisition is complete, FlexCon will have the option to purchase Arlon Engineered Coated Products and Arlon SignTech Ltd. of San Antonio, Texas, following necessary due diligence, the company states.

“The agreement to purchase the Graphics Division of Arlon, Inc. is in response to changing market needs and evolving cus-tomer demands,” says Michael Kelliher, executive vice president, sales and marketing at FlexCon. “Our customers will benefit from FlexCon’s expanded product offering and our continued commitment to the highest quality of customer service.”

165 MILLIONNumber of registered Twitter users, who, together, send more than 100 million messages per day. Though Twitter accounts for just 5% of traffic to all social-networking sites (versus Facebook, which accounts for 78%), “tweets” with embedded links average 19 clicks, while Facebook’s shared links only get three.

Source: A new report from SociAl mArketing

conSultAncy, SociAltwiSt (SociAltwiSt.com),

in which reSeArcherS AnAlyzed more thAn

one million linkS on both plAtformS.

PrintLat to Distribute CET Color CET Color has signed an agreement with PrintLat to distribute the former company’s line of wide-format UV digital printers and routers in the Latin American market.

“CET Color is becoming quite a force in the UV wide-format digital printing market,” says David Pachon, president of PrintLat. “Our partnership with them will enable us to expand our offering and round out our portfolio of products. CET Color will assist us in providing innovative print solutions to companies while lowering their cost of ownership.”

Says Dave Cich, vice president of CET Color: “With the distribution and reach of PrintLat, sign shops, agencies, and corporate accounts across Latin America will now have new and affordable UV wide-format printing solutions available to assist them with reach-ing new markets that may have eluded them in the past.”

“Arrogance tends to get in the way of simple communication. Both customers and employees relate well to humility.”— Jim Smith, buSineSS conSultAnt, writing At ychAnge.com


upfront

Drum Wrap, PleaseIn celebration of the 2011 National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) annual tradeshow, Roland Corpora-tion – the maker of digital musical equipment and sister company to Roland DGA – set out to showcase its instru-ments with a bang.

It partnered with Iconography Studios (iconographystu-dios.net) in Los Alamitos, California, to create a unique look for its TD-20SX V-Pro series drum kit as well as the 307 SuperNatural piano to be displayed at the show. Ico-nography developed custom wraps, including an America-themed piano wrap and a bright orange and blue Roland-promoting drum wrap to ensure the instruments stood out on the crowded tradeshow fl oor.

This was the fi rst time Iconography had attempted to wrap musical instruments, and its staff quickly discov-ered that building the templates proved to be a challenge because of the high number of intricate measurements needed to ensure a clean, successful wrap. For output, Iconography used its Roland XC540 printer with Roland inks, printing onto 3M Controltac Graphic Film IJ180 with matching 3M 8518 overlam. The project took four days to print and another four days to install.

Iconography recently put its newly gained instru-ment-wrapping expertise to use when it wrapped medical instruments for Focus Diagnostics. “Focus began using the wrapped tools as a marketing thing for tradeshows. They were so popular that the company now off ers custom wraps as an option to its customers,” says Sarah Naccarato, Iconography president.

Danaher Corporation (danaher.com), the Washington DC-based manufacturer whose products span various indus-tries, has signed a defi nitive agreement to acquire EskoArt-work from Axcel for a purchase price of approximately $470 million. Upon closing, the business will become a part of Danaher’s Product Identifi cation platform. The transaction is subject to customary closing conditions and is expected to close in the fi rst half of 2011.

“This is an important and very positive step in the continued development of the company,” says Carsten Knudsen, CEO of EskoArtwork. “I and the entire manage-ment team are excited to see Danaher’s strategic interest to acquire the company and develop EskoArtwork as an autonomous business. We see this as a vote of confi dence in our strategy and a strong belief in our ability to continue to grow in the future.”

Danaher is a diversifi ed technology company that de-signs, manufactures, and markets products and services to professional, medical, industrial, and commercial custom-ers. Its portfolio of brands includes Alltec, Armstrong Tools, Craftsman Hand Tools, Dover, K-D Tools, Kobalt Hand Tools, Leica Microsystems, Matco Tools, Red Jacket, Sata, Tektronix, Videojet, and many others. Danaher has 47,000 employees in more than 125 countries; 2009 revenues were $11.2 billion.

Esko and Artwork Systems combined their operations in 2007 when the principal shareholders of Artwork Systems Group agreed to sell their shares in Artwork Systems Group to Esko. Esko is currently owned by Axcel, the Dan-ish private equity fund.

Danaher Agrees to Acquire EskoArtwork


Benefits & Employee CompensationEmployee benefits make up nearly 30% of total employee-compensation packages in the private sector. Of the employee-benefits breakdown:

• 8% is insurance benefits;• 6.7% is paid-leave benefits, such as vaca-

tions, holidays, sick leave, and personal leave; • 2.8% is supplemental compensation (over-

time, premium pay, shift differentials, and non-production bonuses);

• 3.6 % is retirement and savings; and• 8.3% comprises legally required benefits

(Social Security, Medicare, workers’ compensa-tion, etc.).

Source: u.S. Bureau of LaBor StatiSticS report,

“empLoyer coStS for empLoyee compenSation:

SeptemBer 2010.”

mar

ket

met

rics

70.6% Wages+Salaries

8.3% LegallyRequiredBenefits

8% InsuranceBenefits

6.7% Paid-LeaveBenefits

3.6% Retirement+Savings

2.8% SupplementalCompensation

70.6%

8.3%

8%

6.7%

3.6%2.8%

www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=03&y=2011&b=bpic&p=13&l=www.ultraflexx.com


graphics on the go

I sometimes wonder why we all chase vehicle-wrap jobs, when we know there are certainly more profi table, less

stressful jobs to be had. Take banners, for example: You need to know the mate-

rial selection, the size, and the fi nishing details, such as pole pockets or grommets – but that’s pretty much all you need to know. Wraps, on the other hand, are extremely detail-oriented. We all know that the more specifi cations a particular job requires, the greater the possibility for errors or diffi culties. Unlike a simple banner job, there are a lot of ways to make mistakes and end up re-doing a vehicle wrap, and, so, attention to detail is paramount.

One way to be sure you get an unhappy customer or a reprint order is to accidentally build in what we at blue-media call a “design collision.” We have reserved this term for any occasion where the proof and reality collide. In oth-er words, the “produced vinyl” in hand cannot accomplish what is represented in the two-dimensional proof. At best, these instances force the install team to stop their work and get clarifi cation. At worst, they can cause a complete re-print of some – or even all – of the wrap.

Becoming aware that design collisions exist, then learn-ing how to look for and eventually avoid them in the fi rst place, are skills that can make you more profi table in the long run. Let’s take a look at a few examples to ensure you have the greatest chance of skipping this avoidable issue in the future.

Taking a few extra stepsThe most common design collisions involve what we call a 360-degree wrap. This is a wrap design that calls for one

Design Collisions

By Jared Smith

or more elements to line up around multiple sides or the entire vehicle. For instance, imagine a van with a two-inch red stripe that begins on the side, up by the headlight, and continues around the back of the van, ending up on the front of the other side, by that headlight. This, in itself, does not seem too diffi cult – and it isn’t diffi cult provided you take a few extra steps.

First, be sure you understand that this two-inch line ele-ment “locks” both sides and the rear panels together. Basi-cally, this means every single panel must be installed at the exact same height in order for that stripe to travel around the vehicle without interruption. A detailed template and/or survey are key here.

You will need to build in some insurance in other areas, too. By this, I mean don’t place a phone number too close to a wheel well, and give yourself an extra inch or two when deciding where to place a small logo. If you build other ele-ments too close to edges or obstacles, you will not be able to adjust the panel placement due to that red stripe, and that can mean a logo or other element collides with an obstruc-tion – presto, a design collision.

This can result in a re-print because your customer most likely approved a proof that contained the stripe around the vehicle, and the entire logo in the right spot, and that is what they want. To combat this potential pitfall, be sure to build in some extra “blank” space between vital design elements and obstructions when you have a “lock-ing” element going around the whole vehicle. Another way to combat this danger is to produce the stripe as a second layer: Install the wrap, then hand place the stripe by itself, right where you want it.

View from the bumperAnother common area in which design collisions frequent-ly occur is on the superwide rear fenders of any dually truck. If you have ever installed a wrap on one of these heavy-duty trucks, you know that just getting the vinyl installed is challenging enough, let alone trying to line up graphic-design elements in this area.

The problem is, these fenders have a top, a face, and

graphics on the go

JARED SMITH is president of bluemedia (bluemedia.com), a leading provider of design and printing for use in vehicle, large-format, and environmental applications, in Tempe, Arizona.

sides, and then all four of these surfaces meet the standard bed side. This shape forces you to make a choice: Should this area line up to be readable from the side view or the top view? It’s almost impossible to do both. So what to do?

Recognizing that this area should be addressed early on is the first step. Explain the challenge and the possible solutions to your customer up front. We recommend to our customers that they only use this area as background or non-vital display. Since the vinyl must be stretched and pulled quite a bit, the image alignment is never guaranteed here. I also recommend that you produce a separate panel to be used exclusively for the top surface of any dually fender.

The corners of any vehicle can present a special type of challenge, too. To make this point, let’s think about the corner of the vehicle where the sides meet the rear. For this example, let’s use a Ford Crown Victoria. Most installers will tell you that the cleanest way to install a full wrap on this vehicle is to pull the side panel around back and trim the vertical line at the trunk lid. This also implies that the same will happen where we pull the vinyl up over the side and trim along the horizontal line of the trunk. Seems easy enough. “So where is the problem?” you might ask. The problem occurs when the designer shows a rear view that does not take into account that some of the side vinyl will be visible from the rear, and vice versa.

This is true on modern bumpers, as well, where they cover the rear and as much as a foot or more on both sides. If the side of the vehicle is to be blue and the rear is to be white, you must strategically decide early on how to handle the bumper-wrap design. Where does the blue stop? Where does the white begin? Keep these areas in mind when producing proofs, so you can illustrate the options and recommendations to your client. This is much better than a surprise during the install.

Three easy stepsThese design collisions are easy to spot if you’re looking for them, so challenge your sales and design staff to become experts at avoiding these collisions. Here are a few tips:

• Don’t send proofs to clients that are impossible to re-create in reality.

• Walk around the vehicle with the installer and think about where each panel will start and stop.

• If you plan out how the vinyl will land, it should be apparent if you could be in for a design collision.

Then, be professional and clear when you communicate the options to the client. The best option, of course, is to design away from these problems from the beginning. It will avoid confusion and dissatisfaction in the long run, and goes a long way to remind them that you are the ve-hicle-wrap expert.

www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=03&y=2011&b=bpic&p=15&l=www.floradigital.com

16 THE BIG PICTURE march 2011

It seems like every kind of business is “going green” these days, from SUV manufacturers to your local supermar-ket. The term usually encompasses some combination of lowered consumption of resources and reusing or recycling as much as possible.

Print shops are no exception: Across the country, digital print providers are embracing the principles of sustainable printing. The basic approach includes paying more atten-tion to the supplies they use, trying to print as much as possible on sustainably produced substrates, and utilizing environmentally sensitive inks.

Many shops are going even further than that, rethink-ing and refocusing their business practices from top to bottom. The benefits they’re realizing aren’t just feel-good intangibles, either – some lead to increased operational efficiencies – and new marketing opportunities often arise from “going green.”

SunDance Graphics: Value engineeringSunDance Graphics (sundancegraphics.com) in Orlando began as an art-publishing company 10 years ago. Then, about five years ago, it was purchased by the family of the

Green is Good

By Jake Widman

Print providers turn to sustainable production because it’s “the right thing to do” for the environment and for their business.


company’s current director of operations, John Henry Ruggieri. The new owners began doing some commer-cial printing and formed a separate commercial-printing division just over three years ago; more recently, they created a multichannel marketing division as well.

“So now we’re a family of three companies,” Ruggieri explains, “including SunDance Fine Art Publishers, Sun-Dance Graphics, and SunDance Marketing Solutions.” The graphics and marketing divisions produce hotel signage, pop-up displays, banners, and the other printed material needed in a resort town such as Orlando.

“Our main piece of manufacturing equipment is the Agfa Anapurna Mv, the 63-inch hybrid UV system. We have an HP Designjet Z6100 that we use primarily for proofing, and we do some production work on that, too. And we have an HP Designjet 5500 with a SpinJet acces-sory that we use for two-sided work, plus an Epson Stylus Pro 9800 and 9600 we use for occasional giclée work.”

The company’s owners had a long history of conserva-tion before purchasing the business, says Ruggieri. “They owned a ranch in Kenya, and they’ve always had a con-cern for the environment. And that’s been our approach from the beginning. That means making sure that we’re recycling everything, that we’re not producing extra waste. And that if we have a job that gets messed up, we don’t throw it away but save it and use it for make-ready or to create profiles. We have a big 50-gallon drum from the offset side for recycling our ink – a company takes it and turns it into black ink used in newspaper printing.

“We also try to push the more environmentally sound substrates,” he continues. “If the customer specs a non-environmentally friendly substrate, we will, of course, print on it, but we try to push other substrates. We’ll frequently value-engineer a product to help reduce waste and its impact on the environment.”

In order to keep the business focused on the goal of sustainability, SunDance employees attend regular meetings to make sure they’re on board with the mis-sion and know they’re empowered to enforce it. “We do a lot of training to ensure the employees are educated,” says Ruggieri. “If they see something wrong, they’re empowered and required to fix it.”

In addition to being the first Sustainable Green Com-mercial Printer certified company by the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) in the state of Florida, SunDance reports, it also has obtained certification from the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC); the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI), and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC).

SunDance promotes its sustainable approach, but its effectiveness as a marketing tool is unclear. “It’s in our

Setting Green RecordsWhat better way to gain some “green street cred” than by partnering with Greenpeace, the international environmental organization?

In December of last year, Greenpeace International and Avaaz, an international civic organization, wanted to deliver a message bearing one million signatures to the European Commission – the executive body of the European Union (EU) – in Brussels, Belgium, as part of the first-ever Citizens’ Charter against genetically modified crops.

That message from one-million European citizens, howev-er, would not be in the form of a simple letter delivered via the postal service. Instead, the organizations wanted the message to have a big impact on the EU and the European press corps.

With the help of Pyramid Visuals in the UK, the message would do just that – as an environmentally friendly, circular banner that would be unveiled at the European Commission headquarters in front of the world’s press. And for icing on the cake, the job would break two Guinness Book world records along the way: one for the largest image of its kind drawn by a single person, and, two, as the largest image ever printed on an eco-friendly canvas.

The artwork for the banner was created in the US by Amer-ican artist Kurt Wenner, a street painter famous for his realistic 3D street paintings. Wenner initially drew the image in his studio, replicating his famous street art, drawing it in sections before scanning and compositing the artwork (final image size was 11 gigabytes) and delivering it to Pyramid Visuals.

“The files were so big that they had to be sent panel by panel, and we then had to piece it all back together in the UK,” says Pyramid Visuals director Justin Murray.

After Pyramid’s inhouse designers had reformatted the images into printable sections, the files went to the shop’s output department, specifically to its HP Scitex XL1200 and XL1500 machines. The graphics were output using HP inks onto environmentally friendly Dickson Jet 220 fabric, part of that company’s EverGreen line. Pyramid output the graph-ics panels in sizes ranging from 10 x 10 to 10 x 39 feet; the signature panels were 3 x 10 feet approximately.

Once all sections had been output, the banner was sub-sequently sewn and hot-air welded together using a Miller Weldmaster 112, matching up each section in accordance with the artwork to form one complete large-scale, circular fabric banner measuring approximately 72 x 72 feet.

The banner (see image at left) was unveiled on the door-step of the European Commission in Brussels in December 2010, in front of reporters from around the globe as part of the Citizens’ Charter against genetically modified crops.

“We’ve had a lot of experience producing large-scale projects before, such as when we wrapped the Monument in London for its restoration,” says Murray, “but this took on a whole new dimension not only having to coordinate a client in Europe, an artist in America, and ourselves situated just outside London, but also making sure that we adhered to the environmentally friendly requirements that Greenpeace had specified from the outset and that we delivered the end prod-uct on time. But as ever, we relish a challenge.”


marketing material, but it doesn’t necessarily seem like people are seeking us out because we’re an SGP-certifi ed printer, for instance,” Ruggieri explains. “It’s something the customer cares about, but unfortunately normally isn’t willing to pay a premium for it. Everybody’s pleased to hear about it, but if somebody wants something done in a more environmentally friendly manner, they’ll pass up that op-portunity if it costs more.”

Modernistic, Inc.: Educating for sustainabilityFounded in 1938, Modernistic (modernistinc.com) was originally a die-cutting company. It eventually morphed into a screenprinting company, and 10 years ago the Stillwater, Minnesota-based company began getting into digital printing.

“Primarily our business was in point-of-purchase, so it was quick-turnaround,” recalls marketing manager DeAnn Strenke, “We also now do a lot of prototyping of diff erent stores’ signage packages. We’ll print out one store’s worth, and they’ll set it up in a store near corporate headquarters, and the bigwigs will walk through.”

According to Strenke, Modernistic has always recycled its substrates (when feasible) and other manufacturing products. “Probably in the last 10 years we’ve been getting more into sustainability and lean business practices,” she says. “In 2008 we decided to look at the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership, and we got certifi ed at the end of 2009. It’s in our marketing piece, among our top three reasons ‘Why choose Modernistic.’ We’re in the process of redoing our website to make that much more apparent.”

Beyond using its green initiatives as a marketing tool, Modernistic also educates its clients about sustainable options and encourages their use. “We make recommen-dations to our customers about what’s out there as far as diff erent materials they can print on,” says Strenke. “Say, for instance, a retail buyer was ordering a temporary sign and was used to doing it on a styrene substrate. We might say, ‘You know, if this is only for a short period of time, it might make sense to run it on card stock.’ Not only is that sustainably produced, almost every store has a cardboard recycling system, so the card stock will be much more recyclable than the plastic.”

But sometimes customers have their own reasons for declining to switch: “If you’re switching from a styrene to a corrugated substrate,” Strenke explains, “the edge is no longer fi nished, so it has a rough kind of ‘granola’-y feel to it. Some people like that, and it makes sense for some businesses to switch depending on their clientele – like it makes more sense for a natural foods market to use a recy-clable substrate with an unfi nished edge than it does for a high-end fashion chain.”

Stella Color: Find the right pathLynn Krinsky, president of Seattle-based Stella Color (stel-lacolor.com), started out with what seems like primitive technology by today’s standards. “I did rubdown transfers,” she recalls. “My customers – graphic designers – would go buy Pantone paper, we would mix the ink, take the sheets of Rubylith that they had cut, and we would make, say, a three-color comp.”

But when Krinsky saw her fi rst digital printer, there was no looking back. “One day in 1990,” she says, “an Iris print-er salesman darkened my door. He said, ‘You don’t have to mix all those inks. We have a way you can do it through your computer.’ I went to New Bedford, Massachusetts, to see and I was hooked.”

Stella has grown a lot since then. The shop now has an HP Designjet L65500 latex printer (acquired in the fall of 2009), two HP Designjet 5000s, and a 6100; an EFI Vutek QS3220 126-inch printer; a Leggett & Platt (now Polytype America) 98-inch fl atbed printer; three Mimaki dye-sublimation printers as well as a Mimaki JV-3 62-inch 4-color solvent printer; and a Xerox DocuColor.

Krinsky was interested in sustainable printing from the beginning, but she also cites the business benefi ts of seek-ing SGP certifi cation, which Stella Color achieved in 2010.

“I’ve been on the path for a while, and getting certifi ed looked like a really good thing to do,” she says. “It’s hard, but it makes you get more organized in your business. You have to keep track of things. We keep logs on our equip-ment, so I’m no longer guessing when we last cleaned the heads or changed the fi lters – it’s all written down. And be-cause all the equipment is monitored and maintained, it’s going to last longer and print well. And if you’re printing better, you don’t have as many redos. It’s the whole gestalt.”

Nevertheless, sometimes the best intentions have led Krinsky to go too far in an eff ort to be environmentally sound. “I had an electrician come in and put in automatic light switches in the lunchroom and the men’s and ladies’ rooms, because nobody was turning off the lights. And then the city of Seattle had a program to promote energy-effi cient lighting, so I ponied up and got all the new lights. They were supposed to last longer, but they kept going out in the lunchroom and in the two bathrooms. Finally, I did some research and found out that those kinds of energy-effi cient bulbs shouldn’t be on a timer, because the con-stant on and off makes them wear out. So I had the electri-cian come back and put the regular light switches back in – in the long run, it’s greener to leave the lights on.”

As far as her customers go, Krinsky says their attitudes are “all over the map.”

“There are plenty of people who completely understand what I’m saying,” she says, “and other people who under-

sustainability


stand what I’m saying and reject it. A lot of the sustain-able materials might have a rough edge. You can show it to some people and they say, ‘Oh my, that looks fabulous.’ And another 50 percent will go, ‘Will you look at that edge? I can’t have that in my store.’

“Other people are stubborn because a directive comes from above. Maybe they were told to use Sintra. We show them something that’s stiff like Sintra, prints beautifully, and is completely recyclable, but because someone else specifi ed it, they can’t make the move.”

Still, Krinsky has no doubts that she’s on the right path. She even sees a political upside to print shops’ embrace of sustainable printing: “I am of the mind that if we all don’t do it and have organizations that are third-party certifi ers, then the government is going to start telling us what to do. The farther we get down this road ourselves, though, the government will probably follow along. I would rather be ahead of the curve.”

Sentinel Printing: Building a communityFounded in 1858, Sentinel Printing (sentinelinnovation.com) in Hempstead, New York, is one of Long Island’s oldest companies, “perhaps the oldest company that’s still in the original business,” says company president Glen Boehmer. Sentinel had its beginnings as a town newspaper, but in 1950,when the paper folded, the company re-branded itself as a commercial printer. Boehmer’s family, printers for generations themselves, bought the business in 1983.

Today the company employs 12 people and occupies four buildings. Two of the buildings are devoted to digital or hybrid printing: one contains a Heidelberg DI, and the other holds two Xerox DocuColor 5000s. The company cur-rently has just one wide-format printer in-house, a 60-inch HP Designjet. “We use the DI for short-run nonvariable color work,” says Boehmer. “Business cards, brochures, fl iers – anything that fi ts in a 12.5 x 18-inch footprint. The Xerox footprint is 13 x 19 inches, but it allows us to do even shorter-run color work plus variable data. Personalized newsletters and postcards are a big part of what we run through them, plus small jobs like PowerPoint presenta-tions and seminar materials.”

Sentinel is also currently a candidate for SGP certifi ca-tion. “What I like about SGP is that it’s a full philosophy of how your company behaves in its responsibility to the envi-ronment.” To Boehmer, it’s not enough to simply buy sus-tainably produced paper: “That doesn’t mean my company is green,” he says. “All it means is that I’m buying green paper. But that’s just one element in a printing company.”

But Boehmer’s eff orts didn’t start with his determina-tion to seek SGP certifi cation. “There were common-sense things that we had started to do before we went into SGP,”

he recalls. “For example, we looked at the cleaning we were doing, and we removed bleach from the building. Then one guy I knew started pushing certifi cation and told me, ‘You’ve been environmentally responsible for years, why not just go through the process?’”

“Now, every action we take is putting us in the proper place,” he continues. “From a purchasing standpoint, we want to make sure we’re using people that are going in the right direction. We don’t want to just run out and buy from sources that are polluting because they’re cheaper.”

The whole-business aspect of Boehmer’s approach to green printing is exemplifi ed by his decision to install solar panels on one of Sentinel’s buildings, which houses the DocuColors. “Once we get to the spring and summer months, we’ll have enough power to drive the two Xeroxes,” he says.

“There’s always another project, though,” Boehmer continues. “Within the next year we want to reduce our energy consumption by fi ve to 10 percent. So right now we’re changing all the lighting in our buildings. After that, I want to take a look at the VOCs we emit and fi gure out what’s a reasonable reduction I can make. We’ll reach out to our ink manufacturers for help with that.”

And sometimes Boehmer’s commitment extends to helping his clients be greener, too. “We had a local not-for-profi t, the Family and Children Association,” he recalls. “They have about 15 or 20 diff erent brochures, and before they came to us, they were printing 500 or 1000 copies of each. But they probably used no more than 100 of each one before they were updated, so they’d throw the extras out and print 500 more. So we built a Web storefront, put all their brochures online, and created an on-demand solution for them. So now they order between 25 to 100 at a time. They’re only printing what they need and not throwing anything out.”

Like many print shops that have embraced the sus-tainable philosophy, Sentinel led the market rather than responding to it. “Customers weren’t asking for this when we started it,” Boehmer says. “But now there’s defi nitely a community out there that’s asking for it. It’s still not the majority of our clients. They’re really trying to get jobs done, and there’s no question that the economy raised the fear of green being more expensive. But [being green] doesn’t necessarily have to be. I think in the next year and a half, we’re going to be hearing a lot more about it – we’re going to be hearing from corporate sources that are looking for companies that have been doing this stuff already. So I’m excited about that.”

Freelance writer Jake Widman is based in San Francisco.


The 65th annual Sign Expo hosted by the International Sign Association (ISA) will take over the Mandalay Bay Convention Center in Las Vegas, April 28-30. As this article is written, ISA looks to surpass the crowd numbers of last year, with early registration being up by 47 percent and there is already a 12-percent increase in committed exhibitor space, with more than 1900 exhibit booths on the show fl oor.

With the ISA show on track to be its largest since 2008, will the event be a harbinger of better times for the graphics and signage marketplace?

“All signs point to an improved outlook for the industry,” says Lori Anderson, ISA president and CEO. “When speaking with our supplier and distributor community, they are sharing stories of growth and op-portunity that we were not hearing a year ago. The optimism currently being expressed is also noted in the recent increase in [our organization’s] membership numbers.”

What’s new?Perhaps the biggest news for this year’s ISA Expo event is that, for the fi rst time, ISA will co-locate its Sign

Expo with the International Repro-graphic Association (IRgA) convention and tradeshow. The world’s leading trade association for the reprograph-ics and blueprinting industry, the IRgA (irga.com) represents businesses involved in large- and small-format imaging as well as fi le transfer tech-nologies and document distribution and management. The co-location will provide an expanded platform for ISA and IRgA attendees and exhibitors to network, attend expert-led educational sessions, and visit a more robust trade-show fl oor all in one location and at a reduced cost, the ISA reports.

“ISA always strives to develop opportunities that create a win-win scenario for everyone,” says Anderson. “ISA has spent this year looking for ways to help unify the visual commu-nication industry. It was only natural that IRgA and ISA work together to help increase value to our members, attendees, and exhibiting community.”

And, says Steve Bova, the IRgA’s executive director: “The IRgA is ex-cited to off er its attendees and vendors an opportunity for two shows with one trip. Vendors will be able to leverage their sales eff orts by networking with

Growth and Opportunity:

ISA Sign Expo 2011By Britney Grimmelsman

Back in Vegas, the event is on track to be its largest since 2008.

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27

9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. Pre-Expo Education Workshops

1:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. ISA/Western States Sign Council Golf Tournament

THURSDAY, APRIL 28

8:00 a.m. - 9:30 a.m. Opening General Session

9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.Exhibit Hall Open

9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.American Wrap Star Competition

FRIDAY, APRIL 29



10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.New & Green Product Showcases

4:30 p.m. – 6:00 p. m.Custom Sign Company Meeting

& Networking Reception

4:30 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.Global Sign Forum & Reception

SATURDAY, APRIL 30



ISA

Exp

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Gla

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reprographers at the IRgA event. Re-prographers will be able to attend the International Sign Expo and discover more about the world of color and new revenue opportunities. While the ISA and IRgA events will be separate, we are all part of one big industry. Con-necting in this manner makes sense.”

Returning to the ISA Expo are the event’s New Product Showcase and Green Product Showcase sessions. Al-though the sessions themselves aren’t new to the show, the products each will feature most certainly are.

The third-annual New Product Showcase honors the latest tech-nologies in the graphics and signage market by allowing 25 companies to pitch their most recent creations and developments (those that debuted after April 2010). Each company delivers a two-minute Powerpoint presentation promoting its wares and attendees then vote to choose the “Coolest New Product.” Ultraflex’s Descor, a specialty textile for custom interior design and graphics, received the honor in 2010.

“With innovations such as Descor and the other products showcased, sign professionals can begin to visualize new business opportuni-ties or ways to improve their existing services,” says Anderson.

After a successful debut in 2010, the second-annual Green Product Showcase will mirror the New Product Showcase as 25 companies compete for the title of “Best Green Product of 2011.” The eco-friendly products will feature advances in energy efficiency, low-VOC, post-consumer waste products, and other similar traits. As with its sister showcase, companies have two-minutes to present their lat-est in green technologies. ConVerd’s Enviroboard, the company’s moisture-resistant alternative to traditional foam and corrugated plastic boards, which is comprised of 10 percent post-con-sumer waste and 90 percent Forestry Stewardship Council-certified fiber, took home last year’s prize.

After checking out the latest in wide-format technologies on the ISA Expo floor, cruise down the Vegas strip and get inspired by the range of digitally printed graphics and wraps that adorn the hotels, transit systems, and other structures throughout Sin City. Along the way, you’re sure to come across output produced by The National Print Group (TNPG tnpg.com), which has partnered with Vegas hotspots like the Flamingo Casino, MGM Grand, and the Luxor to create building wraps and other large projects for more than 18 years.

One example of TNPG’s wide- format at work was a project to wel-come those attending the 2010 Latin Grammy Awards held in Vegas at the Mandalay last November. Heineken contracted TNPG to create a 20,000-square-foot beer-bottle wrap for the east face of the Luxor Hotel pyramid. Using a customized HP Scitex XL Jet 1500 with custom-developed inks “designed specially to withstand the harsh desert conditions and extreme UV exposure,” the Vegas-based print provider output the giant beer graphic

in 100-foot sections onto proprietary perforated window media over the course of a week, says Doug Newson, TNPG president. The shop had to pro-duce approximately 20-percent extra square feet because of the shape of the hand-cut artwork.

“Cut-outs are a challenge because they take longer to do, and they have to be perfect so the install team can put them in the correct placement,” says Newson.

The installation, coordinated by building-wrap specialist Skytag, took five days. “The Luxor is a challenge because you have to rappel to install and the pyramid can have only two in-stallers at a time out on the face. They rappel with ropes from the vent level of the Luxor,” says Newson. The project remained installed for a week.

Today, an 18,000-square-foot Criss Angel wrap covers the Luxor Tow-ers thanks to production by TNPG, which used the same printer, ink, and media to create the graphic. The 57 x 317-foot-wide banner will remain up through the ISA Sign Expo, so be sure to stop and take a look.

TNPG: Livening up the Luxor


Both hour-long product-oriented showcases are free to registered attendees and will be held back-to-back on April 29. All attendees are welcome to attend and judge.

The exposition is also adding a few other elements to the event, including an iPhone-friendly conference bro-chure and a new virtual “help desk” that allows attendees to simply text a question from anywhere on the show floor, without ever having to locate an ISA official. Other new features like a rock-climbing wall adorning the ISA booth and a Harley-Davidson Fat Boy giveaway will add elements of surprise and excitement to the show.

Staying currentBeyond the tradeshow floor, attendees can take advantage of an array of in-dustry-specific educational programs,

with seminars focused on digital im-aging, environmental issues, legisla-tion, business management, sales and marketing, and more.

“Educational events allow at-tendees to stay current on the latest information. ISA International Sign Expo is the place to be for businesses that want to be ready to capitalize in an upward economy,” says Anderson.

Here are just a few of the 75 educa-tional sessions available at this year’s ISA Expo, categorized by program-ming tracks:

• Digital imaging: “Image Op-timizations: Save Ink and Produce Awesome Color,” presented by Mike Ruff (Nazdar Consulting); “Thermal Transfer is Not Dead,” Dana Goodale (Gerber Scientific); “Getting the Most Out of Your Wide-Format Printer Investment,” Reed Hecht (Epson);

“Beyond Banners: New Applications for Growth,” Roman Barba and John Stevens (HP).

• Production/fabrication: “Expand Your Market with Fabric: Generate a New Revenue Stream,” Nora Norby (Banner Creations) and Jeff Leagon (Fabric Graphics Association).

• Sales/marketing: “How to Build an Online Marketing Machine,” Bob DeStefano (SVM E-Business Solu-tions); “100 Ways to Make Money with a Printer/Cutter,” Skip Grant (Skip Grant Productions).

• Graphic arts and design: “Maxi-mizing Productivity and Creativity in CorelDraw X5 for Digital Output,” Craig Mertens (Digital Art Solutions); “New Markets and Applications with Metallic Silver Ink,” Robert Ozankan and Dana Curtis (Roland DGA); “10 Killer Software Tools for Graphic

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Dilli Precision #2126

Direct Color Systems #3543

Direct Sign Wholesale #4566

Dixie Graphics #3462

Drytac Corporation #4343

DSA Phototech #3461

Durable Office Products #3345

Durafos Inc. #2616

Durst Image Technology #4932

Dynapac Rotating #2124

E. L. Hatton Sales #1919

Eastern Metal Supply #2626

Eastsign Internat’l #4558

Edward Segal #5169

EFI #3558

EGL #3326

ElectraLED #5164

Electronic Sign Supply #3703

Elkamet #915

Elliott Equipment #4052

Elumatec USA #3821

Embroidery CAM #2108

EnCore Products #5748

Enplas USA #1715

Enseicom #4806

Epilog Laser #2715

Epson America #1512

ESbright Lighting Innovations #5955

Esco Mfg #3018

EskoArtwork #3512, 2415

Extreme Time #2926

EZ Pen Promo #1316

Ezy Taper #4509

Faces #3530

Fairfield Displays & Lighting #4926

Farco Plastics Supply #2105

FASNAP #3451

FastSigns Internat’l #5751

FDC Graphic Films #5566

Feelis #2111

Ferrari Textiles Corporation/Stamoid #3428

Fisher Textiles #5150

Fletcher-Terry LLC, #2239

Flexmag Industries #4953

Flexpost #2705

Forsstrom #5048

Foshanshi Shundequ Ronggui #2328

Foster Keencut #4539

France #2928

Fujifilm #5353

Gandy Digital #3403

Gaya Land #2329

GBC #4761

GCC America #3947

GD Han’s Yueming Laser Tech #1432

GE Lighting Solutions #4366

Gemini #2728, 3027

General Formulations #4331

Geneva Capital #3209

Gerber Scientific Products #3353

Global - Leed #5964

Glux OE-Tech (Shenzhen) #5537

GOQ #5019

Grandwell Industries #3939

Graphic Accessory Products #2428

Graphic Materials Internat’l #2915

Graphics One #4708

Gravotech #1833

Gregory #611

Grimco #3549

Griplock Systems #1521

Guangzhou Fangcun Hongmei Neon #1115

Guangzhou Linong Lighting Tech #5162

Guangzhou Suihui Adv. Equip. #1014

Gyford Productions #4858

Hainingn Fuxing Compound #1918

Hangzhou Hongze New Material #4536

Hangzhou Multi-Color #1318

Hangzhou Taipusheng Machinery #1925

HAPCO #1510

Hartlauer Bits #2624

Hebei Runlin International Trading #1621

Heely Brown Co #4955

Heico Lighting #2324

Hendrick #3506

Herculite Products #4164

Hexis #1709

Heytex Bramsche #4741

Hiker USA #2413

HiTech LED Displays #5569

Hongyuan Techtex #4218

HP #4543

Hudson & Hudson Neon #4126

Huifeng New Materials #4562

Hyperion Displays/Electro-Matic #5766

ID Signsystems #2136

Identia #3846

Illusion LED Limited #2805

Image First Creative Sign Solutions #2132

Image1 Impact #3109

Imago North America #918

Impact Advertising #3764

Imprintables Warehouse #3101

Imprintor/Badge-A-Minit #1721

Ink 2000 #3518

Ink Mill #5747

InkTec #5166, 5364

Innovity #4970

InPro #4028

inStall Xpress #2927

Integra Technologies International #2803

Inteplast Group Ltd/World-Pak #5137

International Light Technologies #2410

International Sign Association #4326

International Welding Technologies #3926

Interstate Electric Company #1110

Intertek #5326

INX Digital #4315

IPS Corp #3952

Island Clean Air #3206

ITW Plexus #4034

Jain Americas #2522

Jasper Plastic Solutions #4224

Jet USA Corp #2528Jiangsu DMNI Industrial #5433

Jiangyin Huahong Alubond Metal #2709

Jiangyin Litai Ornamental Material #1535

Jianshun Digitech #5746

Jingjiang Naisi Digital Technology #4033

JPG Corp #3609

J’s LED Power #3745

JSD Display Mfg #1015

JTLED #2138

JUTU Technologies #5055

K.K. Label #1920

Kammi Digital Printing #5265

KAPCO Graphic Products #5434

Kenzrun LED Lighting #1928

Kintex Ltd #4264

KIP America #2308

Kommerling USA #4054

Konka Video & Comm. #2908

Laminators Inc #3753

LED Inc #3346

Ledco #605

LEDConn #1515

Ledman Optoelectronic #3417

LEDsCreation Technology #2033

LG Hausys America #4532

Light Engines #3951

LightingLux—Electrobits #3525

LightKing Optoelectronics Tech Group #1216

Lintec of America #3955

Little Giant Ladders #2919

Lockfast #3443

Lord Corp #3026

Louis A. Green Corp #5269

Loxcreen Company #3964

LT Flex #5864

Lumificient #4964

ISA International Sign Expo 2011 Exhibitor List


Design,” Mark Rugen (givemehelp.com); “How to Integrate Vehicle Wrap Design into Your Sign Shop,” Mark Rugen.

• Estimating: “Aligning Your Cost-Based Structure to Your Strategy,” Scott St. Cyr (Cyrious Software); “How to Estimate and Price Signs,” Dan Hale (QRS Sign).

• Customer service: “Striving For Excellence: The Key To Superior Customer Service,” Tom Hudgin (Wilmington Quality Associates); “Delivering the Ultimate Experience,” Kevin Dougherty.

• Management: “The Chaos Fac-tor: Bracing for the Next Economic Revolution,” Brad Dawson (LTV Dy-namics); “How to Manage Your Time When You Wear Too Many Hats,” Bob Losyk (Innovative Training Solutions).

Pricing for educational sessions

is $129 per session or attendees can choose from among three pack-age-pricing options: Genius ($459, unlimited selection from 75 sessions Wednesday - Saturday); WorkSmart ($359, unlimited selection from 57 ses-sions Thursday - Saturday); or Jump-Start ($259, unlimited selection from 18 Wednesday sessions). Discounted prices are off ered to ISA members.

In addition to the more formal educational seminars, attendees can make their way to the American Wrap Star competition to experience live ve-hicle-wrap applications done by wrap professionals from across the nation. Sponsored by 3M, HP, Royal Sover-eign, Eurosystems, Digital Design-ware, CADlink, Yellotools, Leister, and Master Magnetics, the contest will have 64 competitors wrapping four vehicles. During the three-day event,

the competitors will compete in fi ve rounds vying for more than $250,000 worth of prizes. Here’s the schedule of events:

• Thursday, April 28: 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Round one, with eight 30-minute matches.

• Friday, April 29: 9:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Round two, four 45-minute matches; and round three, two 60-minute matches.

• Saturday, April 30: 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Round four, two 75-minute matches each and a single 90-minute round. Prize ceremony begins at 3:30 p.m.

Targeted networking The Sign Expo off ers several events designed to allow attendees to meet and potentially build solid business relationships, including the >38

MacTac #5367

Magnum Magnetics #3008

MagX America #4639

Main Tape #3843

Mainstar Lightbox #3709

Manitex #118

Master Magnetics #5366

Matthews Bronze #2719

Matthews Paint #3115

MDI Worldwide #4320

Mean Well USA #5256

Mehler Texnologies #5147

MetalForming #4143

Micron America Tekstil Deri #1915

Mid South Sign Association #4726

Midwest Sign Association #4725

Miller Weldmaster #4966

Milliken Distribution #4937

Mimaki USA #4958

Miratec Systems #3224

Mitsubishi Plastics Composites #4215

Montroy Sign & Graphic Products #2707

MTL Print #5544

MultiCam #4338

Mutoh America #4312

N. Glantz & Son #2725

Nanjing Lopu #1635

Natura Media #5743, 5337

Nazdar SourceOne #3912

NC LED #2310

Neolt USA/Digital #3855

Neonpro #3930

Neschen Americas-Seal #4132, 4031

New Force Magnetics #2315

Ningbo So-Fine Paper Products #5865

Northeast States Sign Association #4828

Northwest Sign Council #4728

Nova Polymers #3848

Nuclear Coating Fabric #5856

Nunn Products #4251

NuSign Supply #5858

Obeikan Technical Fabrics #4064

Océ Display Graphics Systems #4258

OK Industry #5254

Onyx Graphics #4139

Optec Displays #4128

Oracal USA #3715

Orbus Exhibit & Display Group #2028

Orient Technology #5018

Orientfl ex New Materials #2236

Orlanto Signs Materials #5852, 5439

Ornamental Post, Panel & Traffi c #3361

Osram Sylvania #4564

Over Target USA #1013

Paige Electric #3362

Palram Americas #4222

Park Place Sign Systems #4032

Parker Davis Company #2521

Peachtree City Foamcraft #2421

Permlight for Signs #3943

Photo Tex Group #3106

Piedmont Plastics #4853

Pivot Decorative #4118

Plaskolite #4351

Polytype America Corp. #4103

Pregis Corporation #3227

Presto Tape #1637

Principal LED #5370

ProEdge Systems #2032

Pro-Lite #3723

Proveer #4305

PVI Solar #4124

R Tape Corporation #3315

Radocy #2615

Rainbow Hi-Tech #5153

RAS Systems #1921

Right LED #1823

Rishang OptoElectronics #2121

Ritrama #4105

RNS Channel Letters #2517

Rocus Electronics #1733

Roland DGA #3111

Rollscroller/Colex #5953

Royal Sovereign #1423

SA Internat’l #4335

SABIC Polymershapes #5351

Safety Speed Cut Mfg. #3107

Saw Trax Mfg #3103

Sawgrass Tech #3503

Scott Sign Systems #3119

Screen USA #2336

SDS #1312

Seattle Textile Company #4537

Seiko I Infotech #4715

SFC Co #5943

SGS North America #1012

Shanghai DER New Material #514

Shanghai Gomagic Internat’l #2313

Shanghai Hanker Plastics #2617, 2412

Shanghai Hawk Eshow #1731

Shanghai Jump Display Products #5968

Shanghai Pallas Electric Co #5328

Shanghai Unisign Industrial MaterialL #5949

Shanghai Zeafee Digital Inkjet #1723

Sheffi eld Plastics #3527

Shenyang SkyAir-ship #4142

Shenzhen Aoto Electronics #3909

Shenzhen Bako Optoelectronics #4309

Shenzhen Besdled #2901

Shenzhen Chip Optech #1415

Shenzhen CLT LED Technology #816

Shenzhen Createled Electronics #3308

Shenzhen Eastar Electronic #2012

Shenzhen Gloshine Technology #2903

Shenzhen Hong Ri Xing #3508

Shenzhen Huahai Chengxin #3305

Shenzhen Kmtekled Photoelectricity #4609

Shenzhen Lanke Electronics #1905

Shenzhen LEDWay Optoelectronic #1315

Shenzhen Leyard Optoelectronic #4109

Shenzhen Liantronics #5118

Shenzhen Lingbenyang Industry #3105

Shenzhen Mary Photoelectricity #4913

Shenzhen Only Optoelectronics Tech #5428

Shenzhen Runtianzhi Image Tech #2302

Shenzhen Taidilen Optoelectronic #1831

Shenzhen Top Tech #1421

Shenzhen Topvision Optpelectronic #5958

Shenzhen Unique Star Optoelectronics #4035

Shenzhen Yaham Optoelectronics #5129

SID Signs #4921

Sign Association of Canada #4827

Sign Builders #3321

Signal Sign Systems #1626

Signarama #4706

SignComp #3228

SignIndustry.com #3935

Sign-Mart #1526

SignPresence By Firespring #2327

Signpro Systems #2030

Signs By Benchmark #4856

SignsCal (Kunshan) Coating #2516

Signsearch-A Visual Communications #4738

SignWarehouse.com #4121, 4122

Simona America #4106

Sinclair Equipment #4019

Sinology Enterprise #1428

Siser North America #3907

SJ-D5 #5334

Skip Grant Productions #3509

SloanLED #4066

SM Media Group #3207

SMI Corporation #5855

Southern States Sign Council #4826

Spartech Plastics #5152

Spectrum Communications #1722

Splash of Color #2710

Spraylat Corp #2825

SS Light #1932

Stamm Mfg #119

Starfl ex #5458

Steel Art Co #3021

ST Media Group #2721

Stud Welding #4053

Stud Welding Products #5466

Sullaway Engineering #1610

Summa #5043

Supertex Fabrics #1821

SuZhou ChengYang Manufacturing #1930

Suzhou Jeihui Exhibion Equipment #1532

Suzhou MoonStar Show Equipment #5951

SWSC #4825

T.P.M. #5564

Taiwan Calcom International #5052

Taizhou Baiyun Jixiang Decorative #2331

Tape Technologies #2221

Techno #2429

Teckwin Internat’l #5558

TecnoLux, Incorporated #4869

Tecre Company Incorporated #2519

Tex Visions #2523

Texture Plus #3864

The Great Wall Photoelectric Science #2333

The Signage Foundation #4030

Thermwood Corp #5333

T-LED System #414

Top Value Fabric #4918

Trademark Designs #5335

Transco #2627

Trans-Lux #3515

3A Composites #3521

3M #714

Tri Vantage #3953

Trigard Bronze #614

Triplesign USA #5970

Trumpf #3934

Tubelite Co #318

U.S. Banner Corp. #3919

Ultrafl ex Systems #3358

Underwriters Laboratories #3448

United Visual Products #5253

Universal Laser Systems #2311

Universal Lighting Tech #2918

Universal Products #3519

US LED #4323

US Sign & Fabrication Corp #3721

US Tech #3705

USA Sign Frame & Stake #2427

USHIO America #411

Value Vinyl #4939

Van Ladder #1435

Ventex Technology #3932

Versalift #2321 /C16

Verseidag Seemee #4764

Virginia Optoelectronics #3464

Vision Engraving & Routing Systems #2016

Visual Magnetics #1518

Visual Point #2808

viviLED Display Co #1529

Voltarc #3127

Vycom Corp. #4364

Vytek #5125

Wagner Zip-Change #3128

Wasatch Computer Technology #4758

Watchfi re Signs / Time-O-Matic #3121

Weifang Handun CNC Equipment #2123

Western States Sign Council #4729

Wilkie Mfg #3029

Wonpoong Corp #4321

World Wide Sign/Tischler #3734

Wuxi Guoshun Ad Material Corp #2223

WYNIT #1729

Xi’an Qingsong Tech #2905

xpedx #1623

Xtreme Graphic Collections #3126

Xusen Coat Material #4237

Young Electric Sign #4928

Z3 Graphics #3415

Zhaoqing Heng Yi Industrial #2431

Zhejiang Botai Plastic #2706

Zhejiang Husheng Warpknitted #4026

Zhejiang Tianxing Technical Textiles #715

Zhongshan Lixing Building Materials #1624

Zhuhai Jinbo Kechuang Electronics #3927

ZLight Technology #5770

Zund America #5549

Zuni Scrolling Signs (Bei Dou Xing) #1935

Exhibitor list courtesy of ISA and accurate as of press time; for latest list, visit signexpo.org. Note: This list does not include IRgA exhibitors.


In the high-profile worlds of fashion, theatre, and enter-tainment, Dyenamix (dyenamix.com) is not a name that’s instantly recognizable – except to those in the know. This New York City specialist in custom fabric and textiles pro-duces the material for the latest designs and costumes seen on Broadway and in the movies.

“With digital printing on fabric, today’s designers can design with less limitations than before the process be-came available,” says Raylene Marasco, Dyenamix founder and president. “Digital printing gives us a way to provide them with custom textiles that just didn’t exist before.”

Her digital capabilities have become so integral to the specialty services she provides, Marasco estimates 60 per-cent of her business now involves digital printing at some point. She taps digital printing, via a pair of Mimaki Tx2 printers, for coloring material, recreating vintage designs,

or printing fabric with new graphics created on a computer. “We print with low minimums, but also have the capacity to do large production quality print runs,” she says.

A specialty nicheDigital printing wasn’t even on Marasco’s horizon when she launched Dyenamix as a two-person shop in Hobo-ken, New Jersey, back in 1991. Her intent then was to fill a void she identified in a highly specialized market niche: custom-designed finely crafted fabric in small quantities. In those early days, the company established its reputation as a supplier of unique materials through a combination of hand silk-screening, painting, and dyeing textiles.

The business took off immediately. “Our early clients included Donna Karan, Ralph Lauren, various architects, as well as costumers for myriad Broadway shows and

By Mike Antoniak

HIGH-FASHION

FABRICS Dyenamix’s digitally printed textiles grace fashion runways, Broadway stages, and other venues.

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major feature fi lms,” reports Marasco. Within two years, she relocated the business to a larger space – Mercer Street in Greenwich Village, its home through 2007. There, Dyenamix thrived as word of its unique capabilities spread within New York City’s creative community. “To this day, we’ve never done any advertising,” boasts Marasco. “All our growth has come through word of mouth.”

By 1999, the business had reached a critical juncture. “We were still doing all our designs by hand, but were get-ting more and more requests for quantity production,” she recalls. “I was searching for a way to reproduce these hand techniques for larger applications, without compromising the integrity or quality of our designs, and I was interested in how the technology could expand our capabilities.”

That search ultimately led her to digital printing on fab-ric as the possible answer. Still, Marasco found her choices in state-of-the-art systems – as far as printing on fabric goes – limited. “There weren’t many options for dye-print-ing fabric, so I wasn’t quite sure how realistic my search was,” she says. She identifi ed several systems that could be used for printing samples, but very few that could deliver consistent quality, in quantity, on textiles. And, the price of those systems, until proven, seemed prohibitive.

Eventually, she reached an intriguing deal with one manufacturer, Mimaki, which would allow her to “test” its 7-color Tx-1600 in her shop and train her and an employee on its operation. In return, Marasco agreed to appear at tradeshows and talk about the technology, and introduce digital printing on textiles to at least one client working in New York’s fashion and theatre sectors. “They gave me six months to fi nd those clients, but we were doing work for them both within two,” she says.

Initial resistanceThose fi rst clients were the exception, however. Initially, most of her customers resisted this new approach to creating custom fabrics. “Changing perceptions about digital printing was our biggest challenge in those early days,” Marasco says. “In the fashion industry, most people thought digital printing meant dye sublimation, and that’s not what they wanted. It wasn’t until we produced enough examples to show them all that we could now produce digi-tally that they began to see the possibilities.”

As they did, digital quickly grew to become a more inte-gral aspect of her specialized services. Eventually, Marasco traded up from the Tx-1600 for the faster Mimaki TextileJet Tx2 version of the 1600, and two years later purchased a second Tx2 to meet ever-growing demand. Today, the com-pany uses the printers and DuPont dyes to print on more than 40 diff erent fabrics kept in stock. Dyenamix also of-fers custom pre-treatment of client’s fabrics for printing.

“Digital printing has been the perfect complement and expansion to our existing business,” she says of these systems. “And some of our projects utilize the traditional processes combined with digital printing. We continually push the limits of the technology to provide our clients with provocative new designs.”

By the time Dyenamix added the second Mimaki, though, potential competitors began to appear as oth-ers looked to her niche as an opportunity to recoup their investment in digital fabric-printing systems. However, her years of experience working with fabric, and familiarity with the high-pressure steam-fi nishing process and wash-ing that textiles require, gave her company the competitive advantage. “We had a defi nite advantage because we had

“The core of our business has always been fashion people and the fashion industry,” says Raylene Marasco, Dyenamix founder and president. At left: For a Christian Cota show this spring, Dyenamix produced this design onto leather using a Mimaki TextileJet Tx2 printer.

At right: For the play, Madame Butterfl y, performed during the Minnesota Opera’s 2011-2012 season, Dyenamix output 13 variations of kimono designs, all with the Mimaki Tx2 onto two di� erent fabrics, including the silk jacquard shown here. P

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already been dyeing, printing, and painting on textiles, and understood how to properly finish and treat the fabric,” Marasco says.

Her intimate understanding of the digital-printing pro-cess, as it impacts textiles, grows with each project. “Every piece of fabric accepts color differently, so every job is a special job,” Marasco says. “We do a ridiculous amount of color matching, and a lot of sampling before we’ll approve the color.” That expertise, commitment to quality, and willingness to partner with clients to meet their deadlines, has allowed Dyenamix to expand its client base.

The company has digitally dyed and printed fabric used for costumes seen on major Broadway shows, in fea-ture films, and on TV: Wicked, Hairspray, The Taking of Pelham 123, Shutter Island, and American Gangster, to name just a few.

For the 2009 film Duplicity, for example, costume designers turned to Dyenamix to create material for a dress to be worn by Julia Roberts’ character. A section of a vintage dress was scanned into a Mac where the design was repeated in Photoshop, then printed on 100-percent cotton used to make the dress.

“Designers often find a vintage garment they might want to use for a costume but the original might be dam-aged, it’s not the right size, or they need it in a different color,” Marasco explains. Dyenamix routinely solves such

problems, and offers clients more choices in the final ap-pearance of their designs.

Art and fashionDyenamix has worked with several artists, including Louise Bourgeois, to produce digital prints on a range of fabrics. In the fashion industry, “Our textiles grace the runways of top fashion designers like Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein, Narisco Rodriquez, Jill Stuart, and Proenza Schoul-er,” she continues. “We’ve worked for a mix of ever-chang-ing clients and projects, but the core of our business has always been fashion people, and the fashion industry.”

Unlike the entertainment industry, where the need for a costume can be anticipated well in advance, the fashion industry is much more fast-paced, especially in the days leading up to and during New York’s Fashion Week. It’s a proving ground, and a high-pressure environment that Marasco and her staff thrive on.

“In fashion, everything can change right up until the last minute,” she says. “Because of the fast turnaround with digital printing, we can do a lot of experimentation and development of their ideas. They can see what a print looks like at different sizes, in different colors, or against different backgrounds. It’s allowing them to solidify their concepts before committing to large yardages.”

Dyenamix’s stellar reputation within the fashion

digitally printed textiles

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industry has helped bring the company visibility on TV. For the past two seasons, the company’s custom work has been featured on the Lifetime Network’s reality series, “Project Runway” and its annual digital printing challenge. Marasco and members of her staff have helped participants choose the colors and designs, which Dyenamix then prints on fabrics selected from its catalog.

Consult and experimentThe show gave viewers a look at the consultative services Marasco and company bring to all projects and all jobs. “We have an in-house design team that provides direct consultation and development,” she says. “Experimenting is an important part of the process. And with digital we can easily produce several samples, on different materials if necessary, until we can provide our clients with exactly the look they are after.”

She encourages clients to consult with her and her team early in their creative process. “We can print just about whatever they want, but we encourage them to come to us and discuss what they want before their ideas are set,” she says. “And, whenever a new customer approaches us, we invite them for a consultation to discuss their project and view the techniques we offer on samples. That really opens their mind to all we can do.”

In addition to its work for high-profile clients, Dyenamix has expanded in another direction: developing and offering the Dyenamix Studio Collection of digitally printed fabrics for home furnishings and interiors. Currently, the line includes 30 designs, which can be printed on cotton sateen, linen, or shantung fabric.

Marasco considers it another example of how digital printing opens up new opportunities in custom fabric design. “In the past we would have had to retain large screens in our archives for every one of these designs. Any alternations of the designs meant creating new screens,” she explains. “But now, with digital technology, designers can re-color or re-scale a design as needed and print it on whatever material they want.”

It’s this flexibility that guarantees digital printing a con-tinued role in Dyenamix’s future: “There are very few limi-tations in the types of images that can now be printed on fabric,” she observes. “But we’d love to see systems which are even faster, with inks that have better light fastness and wash fastness, and more fabric options.”

She expects to expand her digital department in the future, as the technology advances, without compromising the service which has made her company a contributor to so many of its discerning clients’ successes. “We’re still a small shop, and that’s because of the specialty nature of the services we provide, working closely with our clients,” she concludes.

“Our business is to provide our clients with custom textiles, whatever they need. Digital printing has given us a way to present them with new possibilities.”

Freelance writer Mike Antoniak is a regular contributor to The Big Picture.

The company’s Dyenamix Studio Collection comprises 30 designs of digitally printed fabrics for home furnishings and interiors. At left, its Versailles Baltic fabric, digitally pigment-printed on the DuPont Artistri 2020.

For the “Project Runway” reality TV series, Dyenamix helps participants choose colors and designs, then prints on fabrics selected from its catalog. At right: the shop’s work for Season 7 winner Seth Aaron Henderson, using the Mimaki Tx2, onto cotton sateen.

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It’s getting more and more difficult to track down a printer that utilizes sol-vent inks. As a result of a combination of factors – the onrushing surge of UV technologies coupled with green/ sustainable aspirations, to name two – solvent-machine options are much more limited today than they were a few years ago.

In looking at The Big Picture 2004 rollfed printer charts, for example, we listed specs for nearly 60 rollfed solvent printers. In last year’s charts, however, the number of rollfed solvent machines had dwindled to about 25. So if you opt to go the solvent route today, your hardware options are much more limited. Or, some would say, you can be much more focused when it comes to choosing a machine and you don’t have to “wade through” five dozen possibilities.

For this month’s sourcelist, we’ve identified 15 major manufacturers badging solvent machines in 2011, and present information on those compa-nies and their “solvent rosters.” For

most companies, we’ve spotlighted one of their printers and added infor-mation on other solvent units when available. Keep in mind that for the sake of this list, we’ve included sol-vents as well as mild- and eco-solvents, but we have not included any other ink technologies for this article (including aqueous, dye-sub, UV, or latex).

Agfa agfa.comThe 198-in. Jeti 5024 features 24 Spec-tra printheads, true 600 dpi (1200 apparent), and 6 colors (CMYKcm); it can reach a top speed of 1190.25 sq ft/hr. Other features include automat-ic head-capping (auto caps in 15 min.

if machine sits) plus an automated air vacuum system that eliminates manual head wiping. The 5024 can output onto reinforced vinyl, pressure-sensitive vinyl, canvas, fabrics, mesh, paper, and more. Options include a modular backlit camera unit for registered printing on both sides of the media; a rewind (takeup) unit; and a retro heater. The printer is also avail-able in a 300-dpi, 4-color, high-speed version (1108 – 1650 sq ft/hr).

Other Agfa solvent printers include the Jeti 3312/3324 and the Jeti 3348 HSS (high-speed solvent) units.

Beyond Manufacturing beyondmfg.comThe DL-5400 is a 6-color (CMYKcm) printer-cutter that utilizes eco-sol-vent inks (Beyond Eco-Sol Bulk Inks) and runs outdoor graphics as well as large and short-run labels. It accom-modates media from 12- to 54-in. wide (53-in. printing width), and can handle 12-in.-diameter rolls with 3-in. cores. The DL-5400 generates a top

FINDING SOLVENT SUCCESSA narrowing of choices when it comes to solvent printers.

Jeti 5024AGFA


speed of 441 sq ft/hr at 360 dpi, and offers resolutions as high as 1440 dpi; cutting speed is 11.8 in./sec. Roland’s VersaWorks software RIP is included, as is a PC work station.

DGI dgi-net.com Offers the following solvent machines: PS-3206D, PS-3204D, PS-3206S, PS-3204S, PS-2504S, XP-3204T, XP-2506DX, XP-1804D. Also offers the OR-1806 light-solvent machine.

DGSdgs-usa.comSolvent machines include the ColorXpress CX2504S, ColorXpress CX2512X, and ColorXpress CX3216X.

EFI efi.comThe 126-in. EFI Vutek 3360 is avail-able in Entry Level and Full Produc-tion Level models. It offers: compat-ibility with Vutek BioVu inks; a choice between regular and Fast 4 printing; and 4-, 6-, and 8-color printing.

A fully configured Full Production printer is capable of both 8-color and Fast 4 printing up to 1622 sq ft/hr, solvent and dye-sub applications, 2-sided backlit printing, and more. An Entry 8-channel printer produces up to 632 sq ft/hr and prints good-quality solvent applications and can also be upgraded in the field to Full Produc-tion Level printer.

All 3360 models offer 720-dpi

apparent resolutions (360-dpi ad-dressable), and 80-pl Spectra Nova printheads. Top speeds vary with the model chosen: Entry Level model, 316 sq ft/hr; Entry Level Fast 4, 632 sq ft/hr; Full Production model, 341 sq ft/hr; Full Production Fast 4, 1622 sq ft/hr. Customers can choose between the EFI Fiery XF RIP or ColorBurst RIP. Optional equipment includes an alignment system to enable front/back registration required for two-sided printing.

Also available is the 204-in. EFI Vutek 5330.

Epson America epson.comThe Stylus Pro GS6000 is a 64-in. roll-to-roll printer featuring Epson UltraChrome GS inks for-mulated from Epson’s proprietary solvent-ink technology. The 8-color (CMYKcm+orange+green) GS6000 features a Dual-Array MicroPiezo AMC printhead, prints at 340 sq ft/hr for banner-quality printing and up to 91 sq ft/hr for photographic signage (it’s also capable of printing fine-art reproductions at 71 sq ft/hr). Maxi-mum resolution is 1440 x 1440 dpi with droplet sizes as small as 3.7 pl.

The UltraChrome GS inks offer nearly odorless printing and eliminate the need for special ventilation or air-purification systems, says Epson. The inks do not require a hazard-

ous-materials designation for shipping or storage; in addition, the yellow inks do not contain nickel (Ni) compounds. The inks also dry fast, eliminating the necessity for drying equipment. Eight 950-ml “hot-swappable” ink cartridges comprise the printer’s ink system.

Included with the Stylus Pro GS6000 is the ColorBurst Profes-sional Production RIP; other features include: printhead ink-repelling coating technology for reduced nozzle clogging; an automatic take-up reel system for unattended production of large print runs; intelligent preventa-tive maintenance system; a media-heating system; standard USB con-nectivity with a USB 2.0 and Gigabit Ethernet port.

Flora Digital Printing System floradigital.com The Flora LightJet LJ320P solvent printer is available in 4- or 6-color (CMYKcm) configurations and features Spectra Polaris printheads. It offers speeds up to 1184 sq ft/hr in Draft mode and 807 sq ft/hr in Stan-dard Quality mode, and resolutions up to 800 x 1200 dpi. The LJ320P’s top printing width is 126 in. and it can ac-commodate paper, advertising banner media, PVC, mesh fabrics, adhesive vinyls, and more. RIP is Photoprint 6.1 Flora edition.

Other Flora machines include: the HJII 5000SW, HJII 5000SE, HJII 5000P, LightJet LJ320X, HeavyJet HJ3200 Turbo, LightJet LJ320SW, LightJet LJ320SE, and LightJet LJ320P (all solvents); and the LightJet LJ320K (eco-solvent).

HPhp.comThe HP Scitex TJ8350, designed for long runs and high speeds, can print

At left: Image Options (imageoptions.net) in San Diego utilized its Epson Stylus Pro GS6000 printer with Ultrachrome GS solvent inks to produce the output for this 32 x 12-foot trailer for Titleist golf balls in preparation for the 2011 PGA Tour. It took the company nine hours to output the job onto 869 feet of Avery MPI 1005 Supercast vinyl, followed by an Avery 1360 gloss overlam. Decal Technologies wrapped the trailer in a day.

Vutek 3360EFI

Scitex TJ8350HP

JV5-320SMIMAKI


up to 5166 sq ft/hr using solvent inks. The 6-color (CMYKcm) printer offers a top resolution of 600 dpi (apparent) and can accommodate media from 47 x 63 to 65 x 145 in. up to 0.5-mm thick. It can print on uncoated flexible substrates ranging from self-adhesive vinyl, paper, and backlit materials to flag, PVC banner, window graph-ics, and more. The TJ8350 utilizes TJ100 Supreme or TJ100 Flash inks (the former are more durable; the latter are more economical). Caldera GrandRIP+ or Onyx ProductionHouse included, as are a dedicated collect-ing table and dryer; a TJ Double Side Upgrade is optional.

Infiniti Digital Equipment infiniti-dt.com Available with 8 or 12 Xaar 30-pl printheads, the 98-in. Fina 250A features CMYK solvent inks, an auto media-feeding and take-up system, drying fan, and head-cleaning system. Top speed for the 8-head system is 274 sq ft/hr at 540-dpi resolution, while the 12-head printer offers 414 sq ft/hr in 540-dpi mode. Top resolution: 1440 dpi. A media-width auto detector is optional. Other Infiniti solvent print-ers include: Fina 160A, 320B, 320SW, 3360AS, and 3360SW.

Mimaki mimakiusa.com Mimaki’s grand-format JV5-320S offers a print width of 128 in. and is designed to combine long-time/con-tinuous printing with high speeds and image quality. It features a staggered printhead arrangement and can gener-ate a maximum resolution of 1440 dpi. The 320S can hit a top speed of 645 sq ft/hr at 540 x 720 dpi and a speed

of 279 sq ft/hr at 720 x 1440 dpi (all speeds in 4-color mode). Offering a 6- or 4-color mode (CMYKcm or CMYK), the printer can utilize Mimaki’s ES3 eco-solvent inks as well as its HS rugged solvent inks. The 320S can print on media up to 1-mm thick, and automatically detects media thickness and adjusts head-height gap to gener-ate the best print quality. A media encoder feeds media evenly without any influence of media weight. Other features include: an automatic nozzle-out detection to reduce loss of media and wasted ink; a feeding and take-up device for heavy media (the 320S can handle a roll weight up to 286.6 lb); auto-change double ink cartridges for long, consistent printing (maximum capacity of 1.76 liters/color); large post-heater to enable high-speed printing (in addition to pre-heater and print heater); and a RasterLink Pro II RIP. An external dryer is optional.

Other Mimaki solvent printers in-clude: the CJV-30 series of printer-cut-ters (four sizes), the JV5-130S/160S, and the JV33 series of printers, including the JV33-130, JV33-160, and JV33-260.

Mutohmutoh.comThe Dual-Head ValueJet 1618 from Mutoh is a 64-in. roll-to-roll mild/eco-solvent printer that images onto coated and uncoated media with Mutoh’s Intelligent Interweaving and drop-on demand piezo technology for in-creased print speeds and elimination of banding and ink mottle. Sporting two 180 nozzles x 8 line printheads, the 1618 offers 2x CMYK Eco-Ultra inks in 16 channels. Imaging in full color directly onto posters, banners, backlit panels, P-O-S displays, signs, and stickers, the 1618 features 12 printing modes-from 540- to 1440-dpi resolutions-and users can print as fast as 480 sq ft/hr at 720 dpi. Other

features include a media preheating and drying system, as well as a take-up system for rolls up to 67 lb; an op-tional HD take-up system is available. The machine comes standard with an Onyx Mutoh-edition RIP.

Other solvent printers in Mutoh’s lineup include: the mild/eco-solvent ValueJet 1304, 1614, and 2606 print-ers, as well as the ValueJet Mubio- Hybrid 1608-64 hybrid that utilizes Mutoh Mubio bio-solvent inks.

Roland DGArolanddga.comThe AdvancedJet AJ-1000i is a 104-in.-wide machine that can reach print speeds of 968 sq ft/hr at 360 x 180 dpi and produce 6-color graphics (CMYKcm) onto coated and uncoated media. Other speed/resolution pair-ings include: 323 sq ft/hr at 360 x 360 dpi, 162 sq ft/hr at 360 x 720 dpi, and 65 sq ft/hr at 720 x 720 dpi, its top resolution.

Users can choose either EcoXtreme i inks for high durability or EcoXtreme LT inks for relatively short-term appli-cations (both 1-liter ink cartridges).

Other features on the AJ-1000i include: Roland Intelligent Pass Con-trol to eliminate banding; integrated tri-heater system and blower; auto-mated media-feed and takeup system; and VersaWorks RIP software. An MU Mesh Printing Unit, for unlined mesh media, is optional. The machine is also available in a 74-in. version (AdvancedJet AJ-740i)

Roland DGA’s other solvent printers include: the VersaCamm SP 300i/540i and VersaCamm VS 640/540/420; the VersaArt RS 540/640; and the SolJet Pro III XJ 540/640/740 and SolJet Pro III XC 540MT.

ValueJet 1618MUTOH

AdvancedJet AJ-1000iROLAND DGA

ColorPainter V-64SSEIKO-INFOTECH

solvent printers


Seiko-Infotech USA seiko-i.comSeiko Infotech’s ColorPainter V-64s is a 64-in. inkjet printer specifically designed for the mid-volume sign and banner printing market. The printer produces true 720 x 720-dpi prints with its 6-color (CMYKcm) mild- solvent inksets, either EG-Outdoor EX or EG-Outdoor LX inks. The machine’s six printheads allow the printer to achieve, in production mode, a printing speed of 172 sq ft/ hr at 720 x 720 dpi; the machine can hit 322 sq ft/hr in draft mode, and 88 sq ft/hr in production mode.

Features on the V-64s include: Smart Pass Technology that automati-cally creates unique gradient overlaps between each printing pass to reduce/eliminate banding (the technology also optimizes dot placement to im-prove overall print quality); a three-way independently controlled heater to optimize ink receptiveness on media and ink drying time; standard blower to speed drying, and integrated four-way take-up unit; adjustable head height for different media thickness–0.08 or 0.1 in.; and manual media cutter with media clips.

Also available are the Seiko Color-Painter H-74 and H-104 mild-solvent printers.

Signs International Distributor sidsigns.comThe SID XC II is a 6-color (CMYKcm) printer that offers a maximum print-ing width of 126 in. and can func-tion as either a solvent or eco-solvent printer (SID offers XtremeColor Solvent and Eco-Solvent inks, both certified for the printer). The XC II offers resolutions up to 720 dpi and can hit a top speed of 807 sq ft/hr

(240 x 720 dpi, 2-pass); it can reach speeds of 570 sq ft/hr at 360 x 720 dpi (2-pass). Features include a preheater, two infrared heaters, a fan system, and more. RIP software is PhotoPrint 6.1. The SC II can accommodate vinyl, perforated vinyl, polyester, banner, and canvas media.

Other solvent printers in the SID lineup include: the Xpress 320 8H and the XCS Plus 320 8H, XCS, XES 250/320, and XE 210/320 models; as with the SID SC II, all of these print-ers can function as either solvent or eco-solvent machines.

Xerox xerox.comThe 8254E and 8264E printers from Xerox utilize eco-solvent inks. Designed for a range of users, the two share these specs: eco-solvent Ultra CMYK inks; resolutions up to 1440 dpi; dynamic variable-dot imaging and Intelligent Interweaving; the abil-ity to print on a variety of materials from uncoated vinyl to high-quality coated media; and a standard take-up roll that can handle rolls up to 42 lb (8254E) and 67 lb (8264E). The 54-in. Xerox 8254E offers print speeds up to 143 sq ft/hr in banner mode and 55 sq ft/hr in quality mode; the 64-in. Xerox 8264E features a top speed of 172 sq ft/hr in banner mode and 58 sq ft/hr in quality mode.

Xerox also offers the 8265/8290 eco-solvent printers, which offer 6-color capabilities.

SID XC IISIGNS INTERNAT’L DISTRIBUTOR

8254E/8264EXEROX

www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=03&y=2011&b=bpic&p=31&l=www.panel.com


r + d

UltraMesh Paramount has been added to Ultrafl ex’s mesh line. A bright white 9-oz PVC-coated polyester mesh, Paramount off ers two-sided printability with UV, solvent, or screen print. Featuring a 10% open area and slit-like holes allowing for 30% airfl ow, Paramount is best suited for building, stadium, and fence wraps; murals, signs, banners, protective barri-ers for scaff olding, and theatrical and TV backdrops. Has achieved NFPA701 and CA Title 19 fi re-retardant certifi cation. Available in 126- and 196-in. widths.

ULTRAFLEX

ultrafl exx.com

Ultrafl ex Debuts UltraMesh Paramount

r + d

Supply55 Releases ReelProSupply55, Inc. has released ReelPro, a take-up system for wide-format printers that’s designed to be easy-to-use and improve effi ciency when printing longer and unattended jobs. Other benefi ts to the ReelPro system include avoid-ance of dust and dirt on printed images, plus elimination of kinking and scratching of prints as they are moved from printers to work tables, or as they hit the fl oor.

The ReelPro system can accommodate media weighing up to approximately 45 lbs. It’s compatible with various models of printers from Epson, HP, Mimaki, Mutoh, and Roland. The company says that it can also custom-confi g-ure the ReelPro system for other devices.

Price: $695; bracket kits for some models are optional.

SUPPLY55

supply55.com


Neolam PE Laminator From Neolt Neolt has launched new print-finishing products: the Neolam PE cold laminator and a new version of its Electro Textile Super Trim trimmer.

The Neolam PE is an entry-level solution for cold laminating and mounting. Available in 43-, 55-, and 65-in. sizes, this machine features an easy-to-use pneu-matic system to adjust the nip opening and upper roll pressure. The Neolam PE can handle media up to 1.18-in. thick and its running speed is 13 ft/min. Optional add-ons include an electric roll holder and an electric rear take-up system.

The latest version of the Electro Textile Super Trim enables the user to create a semi-automatic cut-ting workflow through operator-defined positioning and trimming programs. Up to 20 programs can be defined to meet different requirements and materi-als. The motorized rotary blade of the trimmer can be heated in order to cut natural and synthetic fabrics and to seal them at the same time to avoid fraying. With the heat switched off, the trimmer cuts any other flexible substrate up to a maximum thickness of 0.32-in. Avail-able in 65-, 110-, 134-, and 205-in. widths.

NEOLT

neoltusa.com

Xanita Launches X-Board LiteXanita has introduced X-Board Lite, comprising an expanded honeycomb core pressed between a print-receptive lami-nate. The substrate is directly printable on both sides using UV-curable and solvent inks; once printed, X-Board can be mitre-cut, folded or curved, and shape cut, and is suitable for flat-panel or three-dimensional applications. It’s designed to be laminated, veneered, pressed with decorative foils, painted, or upholstered. Manufactured from post-consumer paper waste and 100% recyclable and re-pulpable after use, X-Board Lite is VOC-free and contains no polyethylene or waxes.

Available in standard 48 x 94- and 48 x 120-in. sizes, and in 5-, 10-, and 16-mm thicknesses; other sizes and thickness available on request.

XANITA

xanita.com

Moab Debuts Lasal Exhibition Luster 300 PaperMoab has launched Lasal Exhibition Luster 300, a heavyweight (300-gsm), archival exhibition-quality luster paper, designed for use with all inkjet printers. The new paper replaces the company’s Photo Luster 270 paper and features a new coating designed to produce an extra-wide color gamut and an improved scratch-resistance, enhanced stiffness, reduced curl, and increased opacity.

Available in rolls (17-, 24-, and 44-in. wide) and in sheets (4 x 6-, 5 x 7-, 8.5 x 11-, 11 x 17-, and 13 x 19-in., plus A2 and A4).

MOAB PAPER

moabpaper.com

3M’s New Metal Finishes For 1080 Film 3M has announced new brush fi nishes for its Scotchprint Wrap Film Series 1080. Metal fi nishing options include brushed aluminum, brushed titani-um, brushed steel, brushed steel blue, and brushed gold. These pressure-activated, 3.5-mil cast fi lms are de-signed to provide dimensional stabil-ity and durability without the need for an overlaminate.

The fi lms feature non-visible air-release channels and 60-in. widths. Scotchprint wrap fi lms are also available in carbon fi ber and four matte colors: black, white, silver, and military green.

3M

3mgraphics.com

r + d

www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=03&y=2011&b=bpic&p=34&l=www.encoreproducts.com

Nazdar Debuts Lyson 7470 Inks Nazdar has introduced Lyson 7470 Series ink for use in UV digital flatbed printers. The new ink series is designed for superior performance on fluted polypropylene materials, the company reports, as well as substrates such as styrene, Sintra, Dibond, and foam-board, plus reinforced vinyl banner, and pressure-sensitive vinyl. Primary uses include P-O-P displays, durable graphics, and billboard banners, where flexibility and adhesion is of primary importance, says Nazdar. It’s designed for excellent resistance to edge chipping when used with a knife or router cutter.

Available in 1-and 5-liter bulk bottles; CMYKcm, white.

NAZDAR

nazdar.com

INX Digital Introduces PDQ InksINX Digital has debuted its Triangle PDQ inks – mild-solvent pigmented inks designed for superwide-format printing systems utilizing Spectra, Xaar, and Ricoh printheads. The low-odor, cyclohexanone-free inks can ad-here to various vinyl and banner stocks including PVC-based substrates such as self-adhesive vinyl. The CMKY inks work best for shorter ad campaigns and offer up to one-year outdoor durability, INX reports. Available in 1-liter bottles.

INX DIGITAL

inxdigital.com

www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=03&y=2011&b=bpic&p=35&l=www.durstus.com

New Versions Of Twist and ES SoftwareDalim Software has released its latest version of Twist, the com-pany’s workfl ow engine, and ES, its streamlined customer-facing environment.

Twist 6.3, the new standalone version of Dalim’s automated work-fl ow engine, now provides a fully automated PDF “comparison” work-fl ow, based on the Adobe PDF Print Engine. Before a job goes on press, it ensures that the fi nal PDF output is consistent with the intent of the original, delivered fi le. Also new is an integrated Adobe Color Manage-ment Module to help users achieve a more consistent color workfl ow, as well as a new GMG Link tool for more transparent integration to GMG color management.

ES 2 now utilizes the produc-tion workfl ow features of the Twist Engine to extend its soft-proofi ng capabilities as well as collaborative project-management and automat-ed prepress processes. Specifi cally, the new ES 2 now adds a built-in FTP server for fi le delivery and a reverse fl at-plan view for projects created for Asian markets. In ad-dition, the interactive “compare” feature of Dialogue Engine, the optional ES 2 soft-proofi ng compo-nent, has been updated.

DALIM SOFTWARE

dalim.com

r + d

bookstore.stmediagroup.com

The best resource for books, videos, and CDs for the visual communications industries.

www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=03&y=2011&b=bpic&p=36&l=www.bookstore.stmediagroup.com

QUICK SHOTS

Global Imaging’s Panoply Inks: Global Imaging, has intro-duced its Panoply Inks brand, alter-native inks in solvent, eco-solvent, and UV formulations. The inks are warranted to last a minimum of two years on qualifi ed media with no coating or lamination required, says Global Imaging. Available in liter bottles or bulk-ink systems. globalimaginginc.com

Drytac dry-erase coating: Drytac’s new UV-curable liquid coating for dry-erase applica-tions, InstaCure Dry Erase, has a semi-gloss fi nish that creates a dry-erase surface on most common substrates for dry-erase boards (including foam board, Gator board, and eco-board-type products). Can be applied with the company’s small-format UV coater, VersaCoater DocuMate Plus, or the VersaCoater XL60 or 80 models. drytac.com

SA Internat’l, Zund partner: SA International has debuted the Zund Edition of its Enroute Pro 4 CAD/CAM software. The new software o� ers various tools for creating unique surface e� ects quickly, including Rapid Texture, Smart Toolpathing, a complete Nesting Suite, and more. saintl.biz, zund.com

L25500-compatible: Four of Clear Focus Imaging’s One Way Vision products have met HP’s compatibility standards for the HP Designjet L25500 Printer: Ima-geVue, EconoVue, Refl ectVue, and PosterVue. All four perforated vinyl fi lms are suited for producing P-O-P posters, retail and commercial window signage, and exhibition graphics, the company reports. clearfocus.com

DynaStrip 6.5: Dynagram has released DynaStrip version 6.5. The latest version of its imposi-tion software updates the Layout Refl ow feature with layout and mark enhancements as well as the addition of dynamic page sizes. dynagram.com

Stronger. Flatter. Greener. Better.

For more information, visit falconboard.com, or call us at 877-692-6163.

© 2010 Pregis Corporation

Green Power.With striking printability and versatility, Falconboard is the perfect choice for screen or digital direct printing, as a mounting medium,

or for custom displays and POS. Its unique hexacomb design allows superior toughness with less inner core density. So cutting is easier, for

cleaner, more accurate, more attractive die-cuts. Best of all, it’s from Pregis Hexacomb,® the global product quality and service leader in high performance, engineered, 100% paper solutions for over three decades.

Falconboard’s unparalleled strength and sustainability make it your preferred alternative to foam board and other paper-based options.

Falconboard™ is the stronger, � atter and greener alternative to foamboard.

PRE-008_FalconBrd_BP_HalfPg.indd 1 1/7/11 3:29 PM

Up Next

COMING UP IN THE BIG PICTURE

Look for these articles in upcoming issues:

• It’s a Superwide World • Software for Business and Management • Top Vehicle Wraps & Graphics • The RIP and Print Management

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<23 Global Sign Forum and Recep-tion, the Custom & National Sign Company Meeting & Networking Event, and the ISA/Western States Sign Council Golf Tournament.

Hosted by ISA’s international committee, the Global Sign Forum and Reception gathers hundreds of industry leaders from more than 30 countries to discuss issues and exchange ideas while developing international business relations. All attendees are welcome to attend, but must indicate so on the registration form. Attendance is capped at 120 guests and the event has hit capacity the past fi ve consecutive years. The Forum takes place Friday, April 29, 4:30-6:00 p.m.

The Custom & National Sign Com-pany Meeting & Networking Event invites sign and graphic company ex-

ecutives to gather with representatives from major sign companies, who are on hand to answer questions regard-ing installation needs throughout the country. An informal networking event with a cash bar will immedi-ately follow. No special registration is required to attend the event, simply bring your registration badge. This event also takes place on Friday, April 29, 4:30-6:00 p.m.

Off ering a more relaxed network-ing platform, the ISA/Western States Sign Council Golf Tournament takes place at the Las Vegas National Golf Course and is open to 144 golfers of all skill levels. The tournament will be in scramble format Wednesday, April 27. Registration fee is $150 and includes green fees, cart, unlimited range balls, a boxed lunch, two drink tickets, and entrance to the awards party.

Maximizing your experienceOnline registration for the Sign Expo (at signexpo.org) before April 14 costs $25 ($15 for ISA members); after that, registration is $40 ($30 for ISA mem-bers). Registration for those under 17 years of age is free.

To further assist participants in coordinating their Sign Expo experi-ence, ISA once again off ers its online app, MySignExpo, an interactive portal to map out booth visits, educational sessions, and networking opportuni-ties. By walking into the show with a strategic course of action, attendees can maximize a return on the trip-taking investment for the biggest ISA expo in years.

Britney Grimmelsman is associate editor of The Big Picture magazine.

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March 2011ad index

Bordeaux Digital Print Ink Ltd. OBC www.c-m-y-k.comDurst U.S. 35 www.durstus.comEncore Products 34 www.encoreproducts.comEpson America Inc. 6-7 www.epson.comFisher Textiles 39 www.fishertextiles.comFlora Digital Printing 15 www.floradigital.comHewlett-Packard 5 www.hp.comMimaki USA, Inc. 3 www.mimakiusa.com

Palram Americas 1 www.palramamericas.comPanel Processing 31 www.panel.comPregis Corp. 37 www.falconboard.comSeiko I Infotech IFC www.seiko-i.comST Book Store 36 www.bookstore.stmediagroup.comST Book Store 39 www.bookstore.stmediagroup.comUltraflex Systems 13 www.ultraflexx.comVycom Corp. IBC www.vycom.com

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www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=03&y=2011&b=bpic&p=39&l=www.fishertextiles.com


Making an Entrance

“Our action plan

consisted of meeting

two goals: providing

the client with quality

printing solutions and

keeping within the tight

specifi ed time frame.”

The Client Prada

The Players Altitude Color Technologies (altitudecolor.com)

Tools & Supplies EFI Vutek UltraVu 2360, HP Scitex XL 1500, Caldera RIP, 3M IJ3552C media and 3M 3519/8914 overlam, INX Triangle Inks, AGL 64i laminator

The Job The Crystals Retail and Entertainment at City Center in Las Vegas is home to the world’s most elite couture and luxury brands, including renowned fashion house, Prada. During the early development of Crystals, construc-tion delays forced the retail stores to devise a solution to hide the unsightly construction from Vegas passersby. Prada’s answer: digitally printed graphics. Prada contracted Vegas-based Altitude Color Technologies to wrap nearly 21,000 square feet of windows on Crystals’ entrance.

To promote the store’s international appeal, collaged images of hundreds of Prada stores from across the globe would adorn the windows. Prada also called for a large por-tion of the design to be completely black for two reasons: to ensure no one could see through to the unfi nished store-room, and to refl ect the subtlety that Prada is so famously known for. After they received the initial phone call from Prada, the Altitude staff had only four days to complete the eye-catching job.

Production The Prada store images were delivered in collage format via Altitude Color’s FTP site from Prada headquarters in Italy. Prada also provided a design for the all-black graphics, but left the more meticulous measure-ments of the design to Altitude. The print provider created the design using Adobe Illustrator and mapped out corre-sponding diagrams for the installation team to follow.

Once Prada approved the images, the photo-collage graphics were output onto 3M Controltac IJ3552C self-adhesive cast vinyl using an EFI Vutek UltraVu 2360 with INX Triangle inks. For the all-black graphics, meanwhile, Altitude turned to its HP Scitex XL 1500 – because of the increased speed it off ers, says Altitude Color’s Amy Terrile – also with Triangle inks and onto the same media. Finish-ing was done on the company’s AGL 64i laminator with 3M 8519 and 8914 laminates.

The hand-cut graphics were assembled on site by Vision Sign Company (visionsigninc.com), and the installation was completed within two days of the fi nal print work. Prada signage, comprising simple channel letters, was placed on top of the graphics during the second phase of installation.

“Given the caliber of this client, we knew we had to move forward diligently and effi ciently. The team leveraged every opportunity possible to get the project completed,” says Terrile.

job log

CAPTIVATEWhen do images come to life?

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WHERE QUALITY MEETS PERFORMANCE

GRAPHIC DISPLAYMATERIALS

When they are printed on

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Get More With Bordeaux.

Original Inkjet Solutions.

More CompatibilityDelivering Mix & Match™ inks for wide and super wide digital printers such as Roland ™ , Mimaki™, Mutoh™, HP™,EFI™ VUTEk®, AGFA,DIlli and many more

More ColorProviding innovative ink solutions for outstanding quality and value with 9 colors including white to choose from.

More SavingsUp to 50% savings in comparison to OEM ink costs adding more to your bottom line.

More Green OptionsEco Solvent, Mild Solvent, UV & UV LED Curable and True Solvent inks.

More Variety Bordeaux offers 1 and 5 liter bottles as well as Plug and Print cartridges and ink bags forBordeaux Bulk Ink Systems.

Bordeaux Inc., 1600 Wyatt Drive,Suite #3 Santa Clara, CA 95054

Visit Us At ISA 2011, Booth #1113

www.c-m-y-k.comTel: 408-247-2205

www.stmediagroup.com/digital/?m=03&y=2011&b=bpic&p=c4&l=www.c-m-y-k.com

The Big Picture - March 2011

Documents

Transcript of The Big Picture - March 2011