Located in the heart of London at the prestigious Business Design Centre in Islington, Amari Plastics has unveiled the Amari Air Lounge as the new destination for their Amari Interiors brand
On the Cutting Edge
You use them every day of your working life as a sign-maker or wide-format print specialist. But by virtue of the fact that you have your head down working hard every day, it can often mean that new innovations coming on stream in the materials technology sector could be passing you by.
The health of our industry, and the incredible rate at which graphics materials are being evolved and developed, is clear to see in the Global Pressure-sensitive Graphic Films Market Study 2018 produced by Alexander Watson Associates (AWA).
The findings show that around 2,575 million square metres of material were produced in 2017, and AWA forecasts that it will continue to grow at 6.2 percent per annum in the medium term. The report shows that the highest usage of pressure-sensitive graphic films continues to be in indoor advertising, promotion, and branding; and in terms of choice of material, the preferred film substrate is still monomeric calendered vinyl.
The report also highlights that the fastest-growing end-use sectors today are vehicle graphics, which it states, “now claim a 23 percent share of global sales,” and architectural graphics—a small segment at present, but “growing at 7.2 percent per annum.” It goes on to state: “Cast films remain the preferred choice for durable applications, thanks to their high durability across a broad temperature range, paint-like finish, and good conformability to irregular substrates.”
That reference to “irregular substrates” is key to an understanding of where the biggest areas of materials development are being focused, and it ties into that rapidly growing architectural graphics segment.
Stepping up your game
Evidence of this trend came recently through a series of installations from international renowned artist, Emily Campbell, who has been creating stunningly beautiful, bespoke flooring designs for more than 20 years. Her medium of choice now to produce her creative ideas is G-Floor, which is sold in the UK through Soyang Europe.
Her unusual and individual designs, promoted under the name of Blue Butterfly Flooring, makes use of images taken from above, emulating the sensation of standing in the actual landscape. Through the use of photography, she creates a world that contains both reality and the imaginary. Describing it as ‘experiential décor’, the idea is that the observer really gets the sense of standing in an actual landscape.
(Above & below) “The floor in a room can dramatically shift the dynamic of a space by either creating drama, or a sense of tranquillity,” says internationally renowned artist Emily Campbell. Pictured: her innovative use of Soyang G-Floor
“The floor in a room can dramatically shift the dynamic of a space by either creating drama, or a sense of tranquillity,” describes Campbell. She continues: “We’re more used to floors being solid surfaces, such as wood, carpet or ceramic, but my designs are all about creating illusions, telling stories, and transforming spaces.”
For several years, Campbell has worked alongside Vinyline Graphics, an award-winning and highly experienced sign and graphics printing company that has transformed her designs into printed flooring. “Initially, Vinyline printed my designs onto a dance floor material that required over-lamination,” continues Campbell, who adds: “Then, about three years ago, the Vinyline team introduced me to G-Floor from Soyang Europe and I immediately fell in love with the product.”
The floor in a room can dramatically shift the dynamic of a space ”
G-Floor is a special vinyl floor graphic material, manufactured in the USA, being far more versatile and durable than traditional vinyl flooring. It is anti-slip, easy to clean, tear-resistant, and is extremely heavy duty for use in industrial environments or areas of high footfall. Graphics are reverse-printed to the underside of G-Floor and backed up with white ink, so when the flooring is laid the image can be seen but is well protected by the top coat above it, preventing images being scuffed or damaged.
Within the floor graphics arena, Drytac is another major player to see potential for expansion. As such it has continued to evolve and hone its Spot On Floor 200 film. The film is described by the manufacturer as being “incredibly quick and easy to install—thanks to its unique dot-pattern adhesive—and is slip-certified, without the need for lamination, saving users both time and money.”
Exterior ambitions
Staying with the theme of the growth in the architectural graphics sector, one of the world’s biggest media developers has been throwing its research and development might behind an effort at capturing a large proportion of that 7.2 percent growth.
Indeed, 3M recently launched a series of new architectural finishes to help transform the exterior look of buildings in need of refurbishment or brand refresh. The 24 standard Di-Noc architectural finishes exterior series, as well as 79 made-to-order patterns from 3M, are suitable for use in the renovation of branded environments such as banks, hotels, and office blocks. They can be applied to shop fronts, awnings, and walls as well as on pillars and signs. They can also be used for curtain wall renovations on commercial buildings. There are a variety of patterns to choose from including wood grain, metallic finishes, single colours and unique designs.
Sihl produces media for all key applications, including specialist products for photo/fine art, and media for signage applications with paper-film combinations, self-adhesives, and coated papers and films
3M has also unveiled what it describes as “its bold vision for the future of the graphics industry’s intermediate market”, which it says will lie in high-performance non-PVC films.
The company has stated that it will significantly increase its focus on the Envision 48 and 48C ranges of print films by 3M as a result, while also maintaining its complete range of intermediate films.
3M technical specialist Tim Beyer explains what is motivating the move: “Demand for sustainable print films is rising as brand owners and their customers focus increasingly on their environmental credentials. There was a time when using these products meant sacrificing quality. However, through continuous research and innovation, 3M has turned the tables on this.”
The perfect hue: William Smith now has seven additions to 3M Envision Translucent Film Series 3730 and 27 additions to the 3M Scotchcal Translucent Graphic Film Series 3630
Testament to this fierce drive from 3M is the fact that it counts the biggest names in materials supply for the UK sign industry among its resellers. Among the top echelon of these is William Smith, which recently made the decision to add 34 new colours to its range of 3M Envision Translucent Film Series 3730 and 3M Scotchcal Translucent Graphic Film Series 3630.
O Factoid: William Smith began life in the transport industry in 1832, when it launched the first horse-drawn mechanical street sweeper to add to its range of snow ploughs, tar sprayers, pumps, and road sign castings. O
The new additions reportedly achieve the same level of brightness with fewer light sources, reducing material and maintenance costs. In addition, with a clear, permanent, pressure sensitive adhesive and a ten-year durability, the 50µ translucent film is designed to be thermoformable.
Spot On Floor 200 is ideal for short-term, indoor floor graphics applications, the 8mm (200µ) embossed printable white matte monomeric PVC film can be applied to multiple surfaces including floor or ceramic tiles, sealed wood or concrete, waxed vinyl, marble, and terrazzo surfaces
“The latest colours to the 3M range have cemented our commitment to supplying the UK with the best illuminated sign solutions portfolio,” says Chris Bradley, head of marketing at William Smith, part of the William Smith Group 1832.
Joining the party
All of this activity and desire to expand the colours, textures, and surface application possibilities of sign-making and graphic films again points to one thing, the sector is booming—being driven by demand for ever more creative and unique applications.
Another indication of this is the move by hardware specialists to get in on the act. Indeed, Art Systems recently announced its appointment as sole trade distributor across UK and Ireland for Sihl, which produces media for all key applications, including specialist products for photo/fine art, and media for signage applications with paper-film combinations, self-adhesives, and coated papers and films.
“The idea behind our Easy Application Solutions is to bring together in one range all the products designed for people who need to change and update promotional graphics on a regular basis and want materials that are easy to apply,” explains Mirko Aguanno, graphics sales manager, Ritrama
Another very interesting development is the lengths that material manufacturers and suppliers will now go to in order to showcase the potential of their wares, and capture a few more percentage points of the market.
A case in point is Amari Plastics, which recently opened the Amari Air Lounge at the über chic Business Design Centre in Islington. Designed to promote the new ‘Amari Interiors’ brand, it again focuses in on that 7.2 percent growth market and is billed as “creating new and exciting opportunities for architects, designers, and contractors alike to innovate with artistic high-quality materials from market-leading brands.”
Andy Carroll, Amari Plastics managing director, comments: “This is a project that we have worked hard to perfect. Our showroom exists to provide interior inspiration and demonstrate our large portfolio of products in a true setting. We look forward to greeting you on-board.”
Of course, Amari are not the only ones to have taken this inspirational tack at showcasing the amazing complexity, creativity, and wow factor that can be achieved with the latest cutting edge graphic materials. Ritrama also got in on the act recently at FESPA, where its stand promised to “take you on a short trip around the world of visual communication with stops to see all its new products for large-format digital printing, panoramic views of its ranges of decor films for domestic and commercial applications, and arriving finally at our island destination for vehicle-based advertising and decoration.”
The graphics films market worldwide saw 2,575 million square meters of material sold in 2017, and AWA forecasts that it will continue to grow at 6.2 percent per annum in the medium term
Key to this effort was its Ri-Dot technology, a 100µ monomeric vinyl that is available as both a transparent and white print film. Its key claim to fame is a new “drop coat” technique of applying the adhesive. The non-adhesive areas of the dot pattern are larger than is the case with traditional airflow products and so allow all the air to be removed easily when the film is applied, claiming to leave absolutely no unsightly trapped-air bubbles. This it says is key to applications such wall graphics on rough surfaces, which to look perfect, must adhere to every nook and cranny of the substrate.
“The idea behind our Easy Application Solutions is to bring together in one range all the products designed for people who need to change and update promotional graphics on a regular basis and want materials that are easy to apply,” explains Mirko Aguanno, graphics sales manager at Ritrama.
This focus on “ease of application” has been a development drive for some years, but whereas once it was focused on special finishes and vehicle graphics films, it has now multiplied out across every conceivable application. And looking back across this small snapshot of the market afforded to me in these few brief pages, I would urge this to be your take away: If you are carrying out a standard day to day job with materials you have used for years, then think again, there will be something out there more impressive and easier to apply. If you are stuck in a creative road block on a customer project, then lift your head from the drawing desk and breathe in the mad kaleidoscopic world that is today’s graphic materials market.
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