Pioneers of the industry

We really pride ourselves on producing products that are not just "me too", and we have a number of patented technologies that have helped us open up a new world of creative possibilities for our customers.
 
The latest patent pending technology is Neon Plus Digital, which we pre-launched at Signlink Live 2017 to give everyone a taster of the developments we are making. It really impressed sign-makers visiting that event due to its sheer creative brilliance.

It is unique and we are very sure there are people out there that will look at it and appreciate it, and probably attempt to copy it at some time or another. And therefore we have taken steps before launching it to ensure we can protect our invention.

The base of Neon Plus Digital is of course LED illumination technology, and this element of the technology can be used to create complex animations and movement not seen before in this type of signage.


Not just that, it can flash, stream, and change colour to create graphics that appear to flow over the surface of the application—be it sign letters or a totally bespoke piece to create atmosphere for everything from restaurants to retail fashion outlets.

It really needs to be seen to be believed, it is just so good. The advantage this technology gives customers is they can offer their client true creative freedom, and also a unique wow-factor that can help their business stand out.
 
For Signlink Live 2017 we wanted to show off the versatility of Neon Plus Digital (see p43 for picture), and so whether it was a built-up sign that appears to float on the wall, the funky ‘tool rack’ we created, or the colourful condiments on the storage cupboard shelves, it proved the point that one of the only limits to this new technology is your imagination.

Innovative approach


2017 has been an explosive year for both Hybrid and Mimaki, with exciting new product launches and events throughout. The highlight in terms of the sign and graphics sector was undoubtedly the launch of the new Mimaki UCJV series printer/cutter, which made their UK debut at The Print Show.

The Print Show was a highly successful show for Hybrid and for Mimaki. We launched the new Mimaki UCJV series printer/cutter to great acclaim and the interest from visitors was extremely positive, with orders being placed at the show. There was a good turnout on the Hybrid stand and it was a pleasure meeting so many industry members looking at moving their businesses forward.

The Mimaki UCJV series printer/cutter is most definitely a future-defining piece of kit. It is available in two models: the four colour UCJV150-160 and the UCJV300-160 that can accommodate up to seven ink colours in cost-effective one litre bottles. Its benefits include ultra-low running costs, the ability to print to a broad range of materials, instant finishing, thanks to the unique properties of the machine’s LED UV ink and integrated cutting.


The Mimaki UCJV is launching this autumn with an enticing trade-in offer available on orders placed before December 21st 2017; when any 700mm or wider solvent, eco-solvent, latex, or SUV printer is traded in, customers are eligible to receive £3,000 against the Mimaki UCJV150-160 and £4,000 against the range-topping UCJV300-160.

Looking ahead, we are anticipating continued growth across all sectors, including textile and industrial as well as sign and graphics, plus there is a new 3D printer from Mimaki coming soon and an exciting new market to consider. We are also excited to see how the UCJV continues to evolve, as it offers such an innovative new approach to sign, display, and graphics production.

Making an impact


The most advanced innovation EFI has brought to market this year is our new single-pass LED imaging technology, Nozomi. At 75sq m/h, it is an extremely fast and highly versatile technology, which is already having an impact in the packaging space with our EFI Nozomi C18000 corrugated packaging press.

This ultra-high-speed digital production press addresses a large gap in the corrugated market for direct-to-board digital production. It eliminates many of the inefficiencies associated with litho-lamination, plus it extends digital print to higher production volumes, beyond the sampling and prototype work typically performed on super-wide-format flatbed and hybrid inkjet printers. Leading packaging converters are seeking to install the press, starting with Rafael Hinojosa, a top corrugated packaging company in Spain that is having outstanding results in a three-shift operation using the world’s first Nozomi press installed in April of this year.


The 1.8m wide press, which can print up to 6,600 boards per hour two-up, does not just represent our most advanced inkjet printing innovation. It was developed through a global integrated research and development effort for a complete offering that includes not only the printer and inks, but also a new EFI Fiery NZ-1000 high-performance digital front end (DFE) for ultra-fast, efficient colour management, job preparation, and processing.

Plus, EFI Productivity Suite ERP workflow software products streamline and automate business and production management, ensuring that customers adopting this next level of digital corrugated productivity can efficiently output larger numbers of versioned and multi-SKU jobs on their digital press.

Traditional signage media companies are already seeing the potential of the Nozomi C18000. At this very moment, McGowans Print—one of Ireland’s leading display graphics providers—is bringing the world’s second Nozomi press online. The installation at McGowans’ Dublin facility takes the company to a place it just could not reach before with digital print. As McGowans chief executive officer, Malcolm McGowan, explains: “The press checks all the boxes for point-of-sale applications and it allows us to quickly enter the packaging market as well.”

Path to growth


We chose to launch the Sure Color SC-F9300 dye-sublimation printer at The Print Show this year and it went down a storm. Every time I looked around, a new fabric pattern was being printed and visitors were popping on to the stand to view the kit or to ask questions about the textiles they could run. The backdrop was a vibrant selection of the latest fashions from up and coming designer Richard Quinn and textiles created by students from the Birmingham City University.

Dye-sublimation technology involves printing the design on paper and then transferring the image onto the material using a heat press. It is easy to control and, because the ink is absorbed into the fabric, the printed image is resilient, you cannot feel the ink and the risk of shrinkage is minimal.

Polyester-based materials are used in this process but today these are very high quality, often convincingly emulating natural fibres. Polyester accounts for about a quarter of all digital textile printing worldwide.


Epson offers a range of fabric printers so there is a cost-effective entry-level option and a migration path for growth. The Sure Color SC-F9300 is the flagship model superseding the very successful SC-F9200. The latest model uses new Precision Dot technology and Ultra Chrome DS inks to print even faster (up to 108.2sq m/h) and deliver improved image quality results (720 x 1,440dpi) for clothing, textiles, and soft signage as well as other merchandise.

Sign-makers and print-service-providers will be interested because there is huge growth in the textiles market; globally annual growth in digital textiles is put at about 17 to 18 percent. Bear in mind too, that dye-sublimation equipment can also be used with polyester coated rigid media, ceramics, other promotional products, and even 3D objects. This is affordable and innovative inkjet technology with a very bright future.


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