Looking to the future

Many different methods of prediction have been used throughout history. For example, in an attempt to find out what the future held, the Ancient Greeks consulted the Oracle at Delphi. This Oracle was actually a priestess seated in the inner sanctum of a temple, where she became disorientated by volcanic fumes emanating from a crack in the rock, causing her to babble incoherently. Priests then ‘translated’ her utterances.

Crystal balls are another method of seeing into the future, something that is believed to have originated with Celtic druids living in Great Britain in 2000BC, and is still employed by psychics and mediums today. Of course, we now have more reliable and ‘scientific’ methods of identifying potential future events and trends. Or do we? Mixing the ancient and the modern, I invited some sign industry ‘seers’ to gaze into their virtual crystal balls and reveal what they see for 2014.

Giving a general overview, sign franchise company Signs Express says that when looking at 2014, the most important area will be keeping costs under control.

“As technology advances within the sign-making industry, we are able to focus on labour saving solutions such as printing direct-to-substrate, appli-cation tables, and easy apply films with airflow adhesive,” explains managing director Craig Brown, who adds: “All of these solutions allow us to work in a more cost effective way. Keeping our processes as streamlined and simple as possible allows our centres the time to build and maintain customer relationships, which is at the core of our values.

“At a time when more and more print shops are entering the sign-making market as margins in their own sector are squeezed, these new techn-ologies are vital in allowing us to remain competitively priced—whilst maintaining the quality that we pride ourselves on as a business.”

Leading Lights

Illuminated signage is increasingly vying for position in the bid to create brighter, more creative and attention seeking signage, and LEDs continue to lead the way, according to Applelec’s business development manager, Andy Armitage. He explains: “Increasingly clever LED products are offering all kinds of solutions for signage illumination and this means whatever our clients are looking to achieve, it’s likely we’ll have an energy efficient LED product to fit.

“For example, a number of high street brands have been seeking fairground inspired signage and here cabochon bulbs fitted with LEDs provide all the style, with less bulb waste and energy consumption. We’re finding warm white cabochon signage is the most popular style and it’s being used to create fun, street-style, internal feature signage for retail and hosp-itality brands.”

One trend that Applelec predicted at the start of 2013 that shows no sign of abating is for slim, illuminated signage. For fascia and projecting signs, the company’s leading LED product remains LED Light Sheet, which is available with white or colour-changing LEDs. The product allows signage to be face illuminated in a narrow return depth, without the risk of spotting or uneven dark patches.

The slim, borderless designs of products like the iPhone and iPad has had an influence on our collective taste in design, and signage is no different”

“The slim, borderless designs of products like the iPhone and iPad has had an influence on our collective taste in design, and signage is no different,” observes Armitage, adding: “We know of several  brands that are set to roll out sleeker, slimmer face illuminated vers-ions of their recognised brands in 2014.”

The future is also looking bright for Hampshire-based Fairfield Displays, as customers from all market sectors seek to update premises. 

“At Fairfield we are projecting a strong growth of LED Light Pockets for window and interior displays,” comments Fairfield marketing director, Janice Fairfield.

These LED illuminated pockets are designed to take A4 up to A0 graphics and can be suspended in windows, used on interior walls, or in free-standing units, while units can be single or double sided.

“The advantage of working with LED lighting is that it uses very low levels of electricity, therefore being very economical to run,” says Fairfield, adding: “What is ideal about Light Pockets is that spare light is transmitted through the clear panel giving an attractive, edge-lit, frosted glow to the overall pocket.”

Digital demand

Looking to other developments in sign-making, Signs Express is seeing a rise in digital screens at point-of-sale.
“As content and quality improves, these will only increase in popularity and this is something that we as a business are looking to embrace,” says Brown.

Fairfield Displays also predicts a steady increase in digital signage, especially for cloud-based solutions. Its new Smart Peach Screen range, which looks like a large tablet, is proving to be particularly popular, as the screen has a built-in pc with its own software programme. These screens are available in sizes from 19 to 55".

Fairfield comments: “In addition, clients can play with the software programme in advance of purchase by going to a web portal. And we are launching a new digital website in the early part of 2014.”

Windsor Displays’ Italo Abri takes up the theme: “Being at the receiving end of enquiries for digital solutions, we have seen an increasing trend for interactive displays, mainly from retail but also from within the corporate sector. Furthermore, as estate agents have begun to see an increase in their business, we are also seeing an increase in the level of interest in digital display. In a sense, though, we see this as frustrated demand caused by the lengthy recession.”

As the economy begins to pick up, retailers are now looking for innovative and interesting ways in which to engage with customers, all trying to ‘outsmart’ each other with a new piece of technology. The two technologies that stand out as being those which the Surrey-based company receives the most interest are touch screens and projection displays, using rear projection onto optical film.

Abri continues: “The other ‘smart’ element that is gaining momentum is the need to update content from a cloud-based system centrally, which is delivered to remote sites across the country.

“Increasingly we are being asked to incorporate this technology into our offerings. These technologies have all been around for quite some time, but now they are more affordable and easier to operate than a few years ago. And, yes, there are some other mind-blowing ideas and technologies out there, but the reality of adoption is quite different,” he concludes.

Printing preferences

With expectations of ‘instant’ printing now almost the norm, the pressure is firmly being put on print providers.
“The recent availability of, and excitement surrounding, the Mimaki JV400-SUV range gives a good indi-cator of what print providers are looking for—speed of turnaround,”  remarks John de la Roche, national sales manager for Mimaki’s exclusive UK and Irish distributor, Hybrid Services.

The Mimaki JC400-SUV range of printers from Hybrid Services meets the demand of print providers for speed of turnaround

“Solutions such as Mimaki’s unique solvent UV printer deliver an instantly dry, immediately ready-to-post process print. Its high gloss finish is another unique facet that is already finding favour with printers looking for something a little different to offer their customers.”

Material motivation

Making the point that not all productivity and quality improvements come from the hardware camp, Metamark predicts that 2014 will see the emergence of a new generation of materials, and wrapping materials in particular, that will take sign-making to another level.

Keeping ahead of the game, Metamark is in the process of intro-ducing a new material with some very significant properties, according to chief executive officer, Paul French.

The new product, MetaWrap MD-X, is for wrapping applications, and there the matter might end but for the fact MD-X is clearly something different to wrapping media as usual”

He explains: “The new product, MetaWrap MD-X, is for wrapping applications, and there the matter might end but for the fact MD-X is clearly something different to wrapping media as usual. The new film is ultra-conformable, as demanded by wrapping applications, but shares little apart from basic genetics with other media.”

The product is said to offer extremely high print performance levels and, thanks in part to some established Metamark adhesive technologies, is evidently easier to work with than other media targeted at challenging applications.

French adds: “MD-Class quality, and elevated handling and performance levels suited to wrapping are attributes that come with a price tag attached. But it’s not the price tag you’d expect.”

Metamark is convinced that, thanks to its positioning, MD-X is going to assume a role in most users hands where it is the preferred material for all applications demanding high quality, and not just something that is used on the few occasions that wrapping might be on the day’s work list.

Reasons to wrap

Leeds-based vehicle wrapping specialist, Paul Turner Signwriters has found its business becoming predom-inantly focussed on vehicle livery, as customers are demanding part or full wraps rather than computer-cut graphics.

Paul Turner, managing director, asserts: “As the market is growing and people are becoming more aware of the advantages of wrapping, cost has become less of an issue. And it’s not just larger companies, but also the small ‘man with a van’ who is looking for the edge over the one next door, who can see the value in paying for something a bit special.”

With the move to businesses leasing rather than buying their own vehicles, wraps also have the advantage over painting, as they can be easily removed at the end of the lease period.

“And dealers like it too, because when vehicles are returned there is no shadow of graphics, even after three or four years on the vehicle,” adds Turner.

O Factoid: In 1909 Nikola Tesla predicted personal wireless devices: “It will soon be possible to transmit wireless messages all over the world so simply that any individual can own and operate his own apparatus." O

Turner predicts a potential downturn in business on truck wraps in 2014, as a result of the introduction of the new EU Euro 6 regulations on carbon emissions: “We have been especially busy with trucks during 2013, and it seems that people may have been buying new vehicles before the regulations come into force, in order to avoid the added cost of vehicles fitted with Euro 6 compliant engines,” he comments.

Conversely, having recently completed a wrap for an electric vehicle, Turner predicts that this may also become a trend for small box vans, as a way of avoiding emissions charging in areas such as Central London. A range of factors are clearly driving new innovations in sign making, from customer demand to emerging technologies.

Summing up, Fairfield comments: “Customers are constantly looking for new designs and Fairfield Displays will be launching several slick ideas for 2014 that have been designed as a result of customer demand.”

Signs Express’s Brown is positively enthusiastic about the future:  “Looking back to where sign making began, as an entirely manual process, to where we have come, it’s clear to see that technology is pushing us forward in an ever changing industry. I am excited for the year ahead and look forward to seeing how these new technologies will support our industry and help us to grow.”

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