Set yourself free

When SignLink commissions its features at the start of each publishing year, we are often left with some subject areas where simply one article is not enough, due to the many different considerations and topic areas within the particular market or sector. One such area is flexible materials, with a massive array of options available in this constantly evolving sector.
 
From window and floor graphics, through to wall installations, the demand for work in this sector is plentiful. However, with this solid supply of work comes a lot of high quality competition, all keen to secure some of the larger contracts in a bid to boost business, as well as a varied range of demands you must react to.

With this in mind, what can your business do to stand out amongst the many that are operational in this sector? What sort of materials should you be looking at to gain an advantage and really help your work make an impact?

Home-grown quality
 
Although perhaps more known for its printing equipment, Fujifilm also offers a range of flexible materials through its Euromedia division. Nigel Briggs, national sales manager, dealers, at Fujifilm Graphic Systems, says the company has built up strong relationships with respected suppliers in order to offer the best quality options to its customers.

“Many suppliers have an over-reliance on imported materials, which though cheap, are often unreliable both in terms of quality consistency and timely delivery,” Briggs explains, adding: “Fujifilm has deliberately built strong relationships with a reliable network of local European suppliers and is able to offer quality guarantees and delivery assurances that many of its rivals can’t match.


“We’re seeing tremendous growth in our window graphics products, largely thanks to Fujifilm’s highly successful Acuity LED 1600 II platform. The very high quality white ink this machine uses takes the image quality possible for window graphics to another level, so we’re seeing a lot of interest there. Easy application is also seen as increasingly important, materials that can be removed with little or no residue left behind. Personalised wallpaper and backlit fabrics are also key growth areas.”

Focusing in on the range of Euromedia materials, Briggs picks out a number of solutions within the window graphics space, including Wondertack Ghost and SmartTack Ghost, which he describes as ‘very successful’ lines for the firm at present.



He adds: “For easy application wallpaper, Fujifilm’s Smoothwall and Smoothwall Sticky lines are doing very well, while FlowTex FR, an easy-stretch fabric very well suited to pop-up displays, is proving increasingly popular with customers looking for backlit signage options.



“We certainly anticipate a great deal of further growth in these sectors, and, to an extent, I think that goes hand-in-hand with the rapid growth we are seeing in inkjet technology. As inkjet improves, and more and more printers make the switch, materials and applications have to develop as well to keep pace with customer demand and take full advantage of the new opportunities inkjet provides.

“From our continuous close communications with suppliers and customers, we know that there is still a huge appetite for ever greater quality and ever increasing user-friendliness when it comes to materials.”

Quality matters

Elsewhere, Neschen is known across the industry as a key player when it comes to exotic sign-making materials. Richard Bachora, head of product management at the firm, is keen to highlight the importance of investing in quality solutions, instead of opting for cheaper materials that could cause long-term problems.

Bachora explains: “Efficiency is the most important word in every production plant, including print houses, and the customer can be only efficient while using quality materials from the proven source or brand. Experiments can be fun, but, in the main, not very successful.”

In terms of the market sector where Neschen is currently experiencing growth, Bachora points to window graphics, floor graphics, and wallcoverings, with the company’s research and development teams working hard to meet demand from its customers active in these sectors. Neschen also emphasises the need to seek proper training when using such new materials.

O Factoid: Neschen’s UVdot print'n'walk printable floor graphic film does not require any additional protection or laminate after initial application. O

Bachroa expands: “In our range, there are standard and ‘ordinary’ products, as well as special products for these markets. In our portfolio, you can find a large range of easy-to-apply and easy-to-remove products, which featured our well-known DOTEQ unique, dotted adhesive technology. This product family covers almost every conceivable application, mostly in interior, but also in exterior.

“For wallcoverings, we just recently finished the development of a brand new GreenWall range of PVC-free and smooth/textured wallpapers in the width up to 1.6m. Regarding floor graphics, we offer fine-tuned floor graphic sets that comprise printable media and certified laminate.



“Our Neschen UVdot print'n'walk product is a revolutionary directly printable floor graphic film that does not require any additional protection or laminate—it’s just a case of print and walk! We anticipate further growth in these sectors and therefore we invest a lot into new products.”



Market demand

Another company that is well equipped with materials in this sector is 3M, which has solutions available for a whole host of applications and projects. Pen Webley, senior marketing executive for 3M Commercial Graphics, is keen to focus on the firm’s floor and wall graphics products, due to ongoing expansion and demand within this sector.

Webley comments: “A typical example of a film we offer in this market is the 3M IJ8624 Graphic Film for Textured Surfaces. This highly conformable film has been developed specifically to enable graphics to be applied to moderately curved or flat textured surfaces as diverse as concrete block, brick, cement and stucco that are used in many outdoor and indoor locations. The film will conform and mould over painted or non-painted surfaces as well as around columns.



“Using 3M IJ8624, in combination with a compatible 3M over-laminate film, graphics of any shape and design can be easily applied but cleanly and purposely removed as required without any impairment of the underlying substrate.”

Indeed, the film provides a high level of resistance to the effects or weathering, chemicals and other environmental pollutants and imparts outstanding hiding power to any surface colour due to the incorporation of a powerful grey pigmented adhesive. The white film can be printed using any of the popular digital inkjet processes and has a predicted outdoor life span of up to six months and a minimum two years’ durability when used internally.

Focusing more on floor graphics and the flexible materials 3M has on offer for those in this busy market, Webley picks out 3M IJ162-10, a white polymeric 100-micron self-adhesive film that has been optimised for piezo inkjet printing: “The film provides a high level of resistance to the ingress of dirt and other pollutants and to frequent and heavy foot traffic.
 
“The special solvent-based acrylic adhesive enables liberal re-positioning of the graphics until perfect registration with the substrate has been achieved and pressure applied to complete the application. When used with a recommended compatible 3M over-laminate, the film offers up to one-year durability.”

Although this two-part feature may have only just touched upon the expansive flexible materials sector, one key theme that is apparent over the mini-series is that those active in this market are not short of options when it comes to the type of material they can use.



The first of these two features picked out the likes of Soyang Europe and its SoDecor selection of digitally printable wallpaper, as well as Metamark and its vast range of solutions, while, here, we have carried on this theme by showcasing just a few of the many other options available to the market—with many more bound to come.
 
Speaking to manufacturers and suppliers, one thing is for certain—innovation in this sector is showing no signs of slowing down. With new demand also comes a host of new challenges for sign-makers, and, often, the only way to tackle such jobs is by selecting the right material. Suppliers and manufacturers are reacting to this demand by developing new products to help with the wide array of exciting work currently taking place in our industry. And while demand from customers becomes increasingly challenging and, in some cases, far-fetched, sign-makers can be safe in the knowledge that they have access to a seemingly endless supply of flexible materials.

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