A rigid proposition

When it comes to assessing the core services that sign and display business provide in-house, it is fair to say that printing vinyl and paper-based banners, installing sign lettering or fabricating light boxes still remain the likely suspects.

This trend has slowly changed in recent years, with sign-buyers and end-users demanding more creative projects for applications such as point-of-sale work, exhibition branding and retail displays. The driving force behind this shift is that, not only have ink technologies allowed for more vibrant and specialist finishes, but the rigid substrates themselves have become lighter, stronger, more economical, and more environmentally-friendly.

Green kids on the block

This last factor is one which the aptly named Chris Green, market manager for Antalis McNaughton Sign and Display, identifies with: “We now stock a huge variety of rigid substrates from 3A’s aluminium composites, through foam-centred products, to polypropylene technology. The biggest trend we are experiencing at the moment is that our customers are focusing on the environmental-credentials of our products. A lot of rigid materials originally evolved as being PVC-based, but today our focus is to develop our product range to respond to demand from the market for substrates that can be recycled or are biodegradable when used with the right ink technology.”

With this in mind, Antalis McNaughton has access, through a pan European exclusive deal, to Lightboard. This cardboard honeycomb structured substrate is lightweight, strong, easy to cut with CNC routers, and most importantly, can be recycled.

“This aspect of the market is very exciting and Lightboard is available down to 5mm thick, which is unique,” continues Green. 

For those looking for other 5mm recyclable alternatives to foam-centred board, then Antalis McNaughton also stock Antacote Light.

Many suppliers are quite open about the fact that being ‘green’ was off the table for many sign-buyers in the depth of the recession from 2008 to 2010. But that this has returned to the fore as many bigger companies need to prove their ‘environmental chain of custody’ to consumers of, not only their products, but every aspect of their business—including signage.

Green counsels that the sign trade should be familiarising itself with rigid substrates that tick all the environmental boxes and how to use them. This is so that when pitching to clients, especially those with a big brand, such products can be highlighted and quickly implemented.

Dufaylite is another important player in the green substrates sector and has been working hard to educate the sign and display market about the potential of its products for use in projects that place an onus on environmental-impact. Its flagship brand, Ultra Board, is made from 100 percent virgin fibre and the raw material is supplied from managed and renewable forests within a 30 miles of its UK paper mill.

The company’s marketing manager, Tony Darnell, highlights new options on the horizon:
 

The result has been the introduction a new fire rated product with standard sheet sizes, a stronger graphic board for more construction intensive applications, shop fitting and furniture, and Polyprop Ultra Board for use as external signage.

Darnell says the firm is seeing a growing demand from the signage and print markets. One example is the Simpson group, which has used the product in multiple retail environments. This has reportedly helped to ‘expand its business’ within the signage industry by responding to demand from a number of customers for a, ‘recyclable, durable and unique product.’ 

Spoilt for choice

One of the biggest players in the supply of rigid substrates is Robert Horne, part of the global Paperlinx Group. The multinational has been pushing its focus into sign and display for some time, with the result that Robert Horne currently has the widest range of rigid products in the market, all available for next-day-delivery. It is these two factors that often gives them an advantage against competitors in a market with increasingly tight deadlines. 

The key factor is that if there was not money to be made in this market sector, then Robert Horne would not be investing heavily in it—a sure sign that if you are not currently using rigid substrates as a major part of your products and services, then perhaps now is the time.

“Our goal is to have a good, better, best option for every product area that we operate in. We are also the largest supplier of foam PVC in the UK market and we are also the worlds biggest merchant of own brand aluminium composite (Skybond),” says Adrian Dennis, divisional director,  sign and display at Robert Horne. 

He continues: “We are certainly seeing considerable growth in the direct-to-substrate printing sector and the technology is continuing to drive our customers, their needs and the supply chain in the market. Moving forward, we envisage that the percentage of direct-to-substrate printing will continue to increase and therefore the volumes that move through that product portfolio for us will continue to grow at very high levels.”

Dennis highlights that such is the potential of the market that Robert Horne has dedicated research teams focused on developing and sourcing the latest technology, while also keeping tabs on shifting demand. Agreeing with Antalis McNaughton’s Green and Dufaylite’s Darnell, he also states products that are sustainable and do not damage the world’s eco-systems are becoming popular once again.

“This appears to being driven by the big retailers from Bodyshop to Marks and Spencers,” explains Dennis, adding: “They are looking to products like EcoSheet, which is a regrind mixed plastic post-consumer waste product. Another example would be Strawboard, a green option for those that want the qualities of MDF but with better environmental credentials and they are also using more of our Priplak range, which is a polypropylene alternative to PVC.”

Dennis concludes: “We will also certainly see more recycled and recyclable products coming into the market. One of our central products in this area is Revive Honeycomb, but we are also developing products that will both be recycled and recyclable for exterior use as well.”

Robert Horne now reaches ‘every sector and corner of the sign and display market’ according to Dennis. This is significant because if rigid substrates are one of its biggest growth areas, this could see a sea change of what constitutes a sign-maker’s core products and services—perhaps causing a knock-on effect of an uplift in flatbed printer sales going forward.

A plastic world

Another emerging area of opportunity for those that want to make more money from the production of rigid substrate signage has been spurred by improvements in wide-format printers and inks. Today a flatbed can print to almost any flat surface with good ink adhesion, including inventive applications such as integrated LED lit cast acrylic sheets.

Craig Dodson, director of Perspex Distribution, is keen to point out that while the company may known for its big name brand, it also has a range of other rigid options:

This is certainly another big horizon of development for rigid substrates, as sign-makers can now create projects such as acrylic-backed fret-cut letters, light and sign boxes that are more vivid and arresting than ever before. If you then add into this mix the ability print directly to a large acrylic sheet that is interior lit be LEDs, then you really can create something that will help a customer’s brand stand out.

Dodson continues: “Sign-makers want their media to be thinner all the time, which inspired us to develop and launch our Perspex Spectrum LED range (main picture), and partner with Sloan LEDs, to meet this demand. We are also seeing increased demand for printing direct onto acrylic as a substrate, both in cast and extruded sheet.”

Founded in 2003, Perspex Distribution has seen its core markets remain fairly stable, with the exception of LEDs being integrated into its products. And while it may be best known for its brand name, it also stocks the full range of substrates used by the sign industry, recently launching a new aluminium composite ultra-white digital range with a low-tack film—primarily for large scale and hoarding applications.

“For example, our latest range of aluminium composite comes with new brighter white surfaces and easy peel film to easily remove the film and leave a clean ultra white surface with no residue to compromise the print quality,” says Dodson.

He also believes there is a lot of unexploited opportunity when it comes to using their products: “The print market, as far as acrylics are concerned, is still at what I would term as a fairly virgin state, although it is growing and coming through the business more. One of the historic difficulties with printing onto acrylic, particularly cast, is the thickness tolerances are quite wide and so you get different amounts of ink lying in different areas.”

This problem has been overcome by newer technologies, which lay down much thinner coats of ink at better adhesion. And considering that the sign trade is now permeated with wide-format technology, which is being upgraded continually, Dodson believes demand for acrylic-based products will bloom as more can be achieved with them in terms of direct-to-substrate printing.

New horizons

Dufaylite’s Darnell agrees with Dodson, in that more possibilities are opening up for the sign trade than ever before due to the evolution of rigid substrates.

“EcoPrint September is really crucial for us as it will provide a platform to really show the industry what can be achieved with our products. The feedback we have had is that if you can produce a product that is accessible in its price point, is flexible enough to deal with the trades key demands and is environmentally-friendly you are going to see a good uptake from end-users. The big focus for us is also to keep educating people about just what uses our Ultraboard range can be used for.”

Another interesting development is that Ultraboard has seen something of a cult following develop. This is because environmentally-conscious designers are increasingly specify this type of technology for architectural point-of-sale and branding signage in retail spaces, exposing the interior honey-comb structure to add an earthy dynamic.

This focus on creativity and innovation is something that Robert Horne is also experiencing, as Dennis explains: “Our customer base is certainly starting to push the envelope in terms of what you can achieve with direct-to-substrate printing and are embracing new products and applications. We are seeing more use of the likes of acrylic and recyclable products than ever before. The use of these products is also starting to expand into lots of new areas and it is not being restricted by what were traditional limits. This is as the result of new kit on the market and the better quality imagery that it is capable of producing at ever faster speeds.”

Dennis also agrees with his peers in the sector in, stating: “Rigid substrates is absolutely one of Robert Horne’s strongest growth areas.”

Seize the day

Antalis McNaughton’s Green makes a good point when he explains that any sign-maker which is experiencing good growth needs to move away from printing onto vinyl and applying it to standard substrates such as foam PVC.
 
“If they go direct-to-substrate they will cut out at least two processes for every job,” says Green, adding: “They can then also choose the best rigid substrate for both indoor and outdoor applications and really get what they are looking for, rather than being limited to what works well with vinyl films.

“My advice to those who are completely new to the sector is to research the applications that you want to get into, such as rigid exhibition panels or retail signage. Then review not just the products that will get the job done, but perhaps are a bit more niche and will add value to a project.”

Green believes that it is often difficult to innovate for clients when it comes to rigid substrates and so, in line with the general consensus, argues that it really is sustainable options that will add some wow factor going forward.

Moving back to core products, Antalis McNaughton has done very well out of its distribution of 3A Composites range, as it is widely thought of as one of the development front runners in the sector, with Green highlighting that the Forex range is by far its best seller.

The supply sector certainly seems to be singing from the same hymn sheet when it comes to the opportunities associated with rigid substrates for the signage market and demand from sign buyers.

With this mind, perhaps it is time to either expand your capabilities in direct-to-substrate printing with new kit in the form or wide-format flatbed printing and finishing technology or getting in while the going is good.