Avery Dennison announced that four graphics installers passed the Avery Dennison Car Wrap Certification exams given in Pompano-Beach, Florida, and Dallas, Texas this year. The certification is a two-part test that includes a written exam and hands-on vehicle wrap installation demonstration. Since launching the program in 2011, over 40 installers across the U.S. and Canada have achieved Avery Dennison Car Wrap Certification.

The wrap certification exam is given immediately after each Avery/Mutoh Car Wrap Training session. The following graphics installers recently passed the exam:

• Justin Lowe, JloweDesigns, Lewisville, Texas
• Michael Oliver, iCandy Auto Wraps, McKinney, Texas
• Lowell Puckett, Jr., PartagA Design Innovations, Cocoa, Fla.
• Jared Shald, Lost Coast Graphics and Printing, Beatrice, Neb.

By passing the Avery Dennison Car Wrap Certification Exam, the installer and company gain a listing on Avery Dennison’s CarWraps.net directory. Businesses and individuals visit CarWraps.net every day to find reputable companies and installers that can wrap their vehicles.

The hands-on portion of the Avery Dennison Car Wrap Certification Exam focuses on installation techniques as outlined in the installation exam guide. Students are required to exhibit their installation skills by applying Avery MPI 1005 Supercast films on a variety of vehicles. Evaluation is based on cleaning, alignment of graphics, cutting edges and finishing techniques.

The Avery/Mutoh Car Wrap Training classes are taught by Justin Pate, a recognized graphic installer.

There are six additional opportunities to take the Avery/Mutoh Car Wrap Training classes and Avery Dennison certification exam. Locations and dates include:

• Toronto, Ontario, June 7–9
• Los Angeles, California, June 11–13
• Wharton, NJ, September 10–12
• Chicago, Illinois, September 13–15
• Houston, Texas, October 22–24
• Seattle, Washington October 25–27

New in 2012, Todd LaBrie is offering vehicle wrap design classes in conjunction with the Avery/Mutoh Car Wrap Training. LaBrie, an wrap industry veteran, will explain vehicle wrap design, layout and customer service.

Avery Dennison is a global leader in pressure-sensitive technology and materials, retail branding and information solutions. Avery Dennison is based in Pasadena, California and has employees in over 60 countries. Avery Dennison Graphics and Reflective Products provides imaging materials and service solutions for fleet, architecture, transportation, traffic and safety markets.

Source: Avery Dennison

Fabric Graphics Association board member Rich Thompson, president of AdGraphics, was recognized by the Federation of Screen and Digital Printers Association (FESPA) as World Print Champion for FESPA 2012 Hall of Fame. Located in Pompano Beach, Fla., AdGraphics is a leader in large format printing and signage, including vehicle wrap graphics and lettering. It was founded in 1992 when the company pioneered 3M’s large format printing technology.

Thompson was nominated for being innovative, making a significant contribution to the industry and delivering great printing and service. “Our company goal is to produce the highest quality graphics with the best warranties while providing the absolute best service possible,” Thompson says.

The World Print Champion is an international award that recognizes leaders in the wide format print community during FESPA Digital.

Miller Weldmaster appointed Peter C. Parker to the role of marketing manager. Parker will lead all marketing initiatives including global brand development. His responsibilities include product positioning, segment marketing, branding, marketing communications, customer development, business research, marketing strategy and business development.

Aurora Specialty Textiles Group Inc. was awarded the prestigious 2012 SGIA Sustainability Recognition Award for the second consecutive year. The Specialty Graphics Imaging Association (SGIA) created the awards program to recognize member companies that develop a sustainable business ethic. Awards are presented annually to facilities that qualify based upon submission of required program information and the facility’s sustainability policy.

Headquartered in Aurora, Ill., Aurora is a full-service textile finisher specializing in fabric sourcing, preparation, dyeing, coating and technical finishing for the woven and non-woven fabrics industries.

Cooley Group, a designer and manufacturer of sustainable fabrics, expanded its leadership team by hiring three executives and promoting a fourth. Steve Katz joins Cooley in the newly created position of director of sales and customer service, engineered membranes. Dan Johansen was appointed to the position of director of sales, Cooley Commercial Graphics. Tem McInville joined the company as plant manager for its South Carolina operation, and Bruce Chretien has been promoted to plant manager for Rhode Island operations.

A National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) rule effective as of April 30 requires approximately six million businesses—including many sign companies—to post notices in their facilities regarding the formation of unions. Under the rule, employers that fail to post the notice are subject to unfair labor practice charges. In addition, the NLRB can impose sanctions if, after investigating the matter, it finds an employer’s failure to post the notice interfered with employees’ rights or warranted a tolling of the time limits.

X-Rite and Pantone unveiled PantoneLIVE, a cloud-based color service that provides instant access to brand color standards. PantoneLIVE’s brand color standards allow brand owners to predict how corporate spot colors will reproduce on a wide variety of substrates, including brown corrugated, clear film and white polypropylene. A brand’s color assets are managed and maintained in a secure cloud-based data repository to ensure accurate color communication suppliers around the world.

3M Commercial Graphics joined the Sustainable Green Printing Partnership (SGP) as a Platinum Patron. A technology and product leader in the large format graphic materials industry, 3M’s employees have completed 8,600 projects that have resulted in the elimination of more than 3 billion pounds of pollution.

“We recognize that what’s good for the environment can also be good for business,” said Jean Sweeney, vice president of 3M’s Environmental, Health and Safety Operations.

Fabric Graphics | May 2012

By John Gehner

In the 1980s, Seattle’s Rainier Industries Ltd. began installing exterior holiday displays for chains like Nordstrom and The Bon Marché (now Macy’s). For a company that once supplied tents to prospectors pursuing gold in Alaska, the decorative projects found an appropriate fit with consumer goods and bright jewelry cases

The stores were delighted and asked for more, which led to interior displays and, ultimately, to a new market for Rainier. “Since ‘No’ is not in our vocabulary,” says marketing director Scott Powell, “we continued to grow our retail visual marketing business.” Today, the Rainier Retail unit provides in-store visual solutions to a wide range of retailers.

Whether a brick-and-mortar store sells thousands of items (such as Best Buy and Target) or a small range of specialty products (such as Apple and Starbucks), every retailer seeks an edge in separating consumers from their cash. Well-stocked shelves and friendly prices aren’t adequate—in fact, they may not drive sales at all.

As Powell suggests, “Retailers must now create exciting environments and campaigns to capture the shopper’s attention and influence the buying decisions in-store.”

Under one roof

Rainier Retail offers a unique, vertically integrated approach to creating fabric graphic retail installations and products, which Powell believes has advantages over the firm's “traditional print-based competitors.” The firm offers metal, wood, fabric and printing in one location, which can save time and money.

“Everyone’s challenge today is to do more with less,” Powell says. “Retail clients seek us out to help execute layered environments that need propping, texture and structure—not just printed banners. We also help them source items that need to be kitted and packaged as part of a campaign.”

Campaign end products, he says, are usually temporary in nature while decor environments are more permanent and utilize different materials. “The construction of campaigns requires … materials that can be recycled or disposed of and are lightweight, easy to ship and assemble or install at the store level. Decor projects are built to withstand years of use and generally require outside installation help—which we can provide or coordinate.”

One important tool for Rainier Retail is the Durst Rhotex 320, a printer manufactured in Europe (see “The next generation of digital-direct fabric printing”). In Powell’s view, Rhotex printing on any fabric gives the sharpest, most color-saturated images, which retailers love for attracting attention.

“Through one lens, printing is the easy part,” observes Powell, “although doing it well requires a high level of color calibration in your system. Clean and accurate cutting requires automated equipment and some fabrics require ultrasonic cutting to look good.

“Finishing the delicate fabrics that give the retailers the looks they like requires a higher level of sewing skill than just hemming vinyl banners. Having a production system capable of producing the quantity of parts needed … for a large retail campaign requires a high six-figure capital equipment investment.”

A fabric base for branding

Mike Von Wachenfeldt, technical service manager with Glen Raven Inc., says that his firm’s well-known Sunbrella® product line and the somewhat newer FIRESIST® are common retail components. History is on their side.

“Sunbrella has been used for decades for street-pole banners—single- and double-sided—for its color fastness and its ability to hold up to the elements. It can be painted, silk-screened and, more recently, will accept digitally printed graphics with the use of our Sunbrella Graphics System.”

Branded end products often include umbrellas, pop-up tents, and table skirts fashioned from this line. The flame-retardant and UV-resistant FIRESIST can be adapted to many projects as well and is available in 16 solid-color and patterned styles. “We also have an inkjet version of Sunbrella—Sunbrella Inkjet White,” he says, “which has a white pigmented inkjet-receptive topcoating on one side.”

The need for a wider array of options in fabric signage, including for retail installations, spurred Glen Raven’s continued advances in inkjet fabrics, including Sunbrella Inkjet White and Poly Oxford White. Both are part of the Vivitex™ line and are touted as ideal for indoor and outdoor uses, ranging from wall coverings and backdrops to revolving banners and promotional bags. The fabrics are compatible with numerous solvent, eco solvent and UV machines.

“Our Sunbrella Graphics System was developed out of the need for a better way of applying graphics to the rich colors of Sunbrella other than painting and screen printing,” Von Wachenfeldt says. “It helped bring graphics into the modern age with digital prints and vinyl cut lettering or decals.”

Look before you leap

According to one veteran fabricator who requested anonymity, working within the retail sector demands a level of caution and a clear understanding of contractual obligations. Many ad agencies and other “middlemen” collaborate directly with clients to design fabric signage. When they are prepared to bring a fabricator onboard, confidentiality agreements are customary.

“We work with companies that resell our products and they do not want their customers to know where the product is made. Most point of purchase (POP) signage is like that. But I’m sure there are some companies that print directly,” he says. “Practically speaking, fabricators are then prevented from obtaining or sharing photos of the work they’ve completed—an impediment to marketing their successes.”

Price is king when bidding and completing work in retail settings, which makes it similar to other markets. However, when dealing directly with a retail company (without a middleman), tenacity is necessary to ensure that retailers pay for completed work—and on time. One cautionary tale:

“We did free prototypes for a big retailer last year because we were going to turn around 3,000 pieces in about two weeks. The client received the prototype we built, and we reworked the ‘bad’ art that they sent us.Originally they asked if we could come in at a certain price range … so we gave them our low[est] price.We turned the prototype around in two days and, on our dime, sent it to them.

“We didn’t hear back and didn’t hear back.After a couple of weeks, we heard that they only had about one-tenth the budget they had originally [quoted].They had never ordered this particular product before and couldn’t do the job because it was too much.”

Another anecdote involved thousands of dollars’ worth of prototypes for a retailer with whom the fabricator had a solid, three-year relationship. “We were told we were getting a purchase order later in the day for about $500,000 … They said they were giving [the project] to us and we never got a call or email or letter telling us it was canceled and they were going with someone else.”

Forewarned is forearmed: some retailers may not respect their vendors, but a wide-eyed approach may help you retain your self-respect (and maintain your bottom line).

Creating new environments

Toronto-based Eventscape Inc. has been working with retail clients for more than 15 years. Marketing and communications director Elaine Allen-Milne notes that “It was a natural evolution from our firm’s beginnings in exhibits and special events.” The company’s established experience with branding was a perfect fit for retailers seeking powerful ways promote their own brands and merchandise.

“Typically we work with architects, interior designers and in-house store designers and planners,” Allen-Milne says. “They usually have a concept or drawings and come to Eventscape so that we can assist in the design/development, consulting on materials, construction methods, aesthetics—always with an eye to the most cost-effective solution.” Like Rainier Retail, Eventscape provides a turnkey solution, “from concept through engineering, fabrication, shipping and installation.”

She admits that the retail market fluctuates with economic factors, but clients are always seeking new ideas and innovations that give them a creative edge. “Each of our retail projects is different; we have one-offs as well as multiple rollout projects so each one is approached appropriately. Projects are usually permanent.

“Occasionally, if we have a temporary space it could be for a pop-up store or perhaps a new product introduction. For temporary spaces, minimal weight and easy assembly and dismantling are key requirements. Textiles are ideal for this application and can easily be printed with vibrant graphics.”

Among other impressive ventures, Eventscape contracted with Canadian apparel and footwear chain Mark’s on a two-year rebranding campaign. The rollout featured a custom rain display feature, technology towers, a “Big Ideas Fixture (BIF)” and graphic canopies, as well as interactive digital displays.

The company’s efforts won praise from many quarters, including two 2012 Design Awards from Chain Store Age. Video of the project is posted here.

Allen-Milne sees clear-cut advantages in the core textiles used. “Digitally printed fabrics can contribute to a life cycle costing benefit. After the initial cost of the frame and skin, the digitally printed skins can easily be replaced. This allows for logo or branding changes or new product introductions at a much lower cost.”

John Gehner is a freelance writer and editor based in Urbana, Ill.

Fabric Graphics | May 2012

By Maura Keller

Identifying the proper installation hardware for large-format print projects can be challenging considering the wealth of application options, the substrates used and the environments in which they will call “home.” From tension cable display systems to retractable banner crossbars to traditional grommet and washer pairings, the hardware used is as a unique as the displays themselves.

Just ask Barbara J. Herrold, president at K-O Products Co., Benton Harbor, Mich. “There are many types of installation hardware for a wide range of applications, including signs, banners, building wraps, POP, display and exhibits,” she says. “In fact, the type of installation—temporary or permanent—can change the call out of hardware on each of these applications.”

Jerry Grimaud, owner and president of Lawrence Fabric & Metal Structures Inc., St. Louis, Mo., says his company is a custom manufacturer and tends to lean toward custom components in the multitude of fabric and metal structures it creates for customers.

“With exhibits, we use a combination of routed plates, eyebolts, Delrin and aluminum clamps,” Grimaud says. “We also have the newer fabric and frame method tubing for silicone edge graphic [SEG].” SEG is a finishing method for high-resolution dye-sublimated fabric graphics in which a thin silicone strip or welt is sewn directly to the edge of the graphic and inserted into a frame. It’s a hardware application alternative for signs, banners and POS materials.

While SEG is an innovative option for fabricators, many continually turn to companies that offer the conventional line of hardware options for retail applications.

For example, YKK Snap Fasteners America Inc. in Lawrenceburg, Ky., offers a full line of conventional metal and plastic snap fasteners, turn buttons and grommets that have been used for decades on various types of signs and banners.

“What is unique to our line now is the new SNAD—SNaps attached with ADhesive—fasteners, which can be used in conjunction with conventional snap hardware or by themselves,” says Rod Helwig, group industrial sales manager at YKK Snap Fasteners America.

What distinguishes SNAD from other fasteners available for such applications is that it does not require a hole to be made in the banner, display, exhibit or structure to which it is to be mounted in order to be effective. “No tool, no hole, no special skills or equipment are required to place them,” Helwig says. “And if the setup is only temporary, they can just as easily be taken off without damage to either side of the mounting.” This feature is important to facility owners and operators who are faced with the impact mounting hardware can have on interior and exterior facades.

As Helwig explains, YKK’s SNAD product incorporates the 3M™ VHB™ acrylic adhesive tape as a key component. “While our adaptation of the VHB material into a snap fastener is new and unique, the 3M product has been available for some time and is used in a great many sign and banner applications.One of the reasons we believe the SNAD line will be successful in this market is the wide use and acceptance of the VHB product already within it.”

Another popular option for fabricators is using framing hardware to secure and display wide-format applications within the retail environment. Tex Visions, Carlisle, Pa., offers its popular Q-Frame Tex, an aluminum profile system that allows large graphics to be displayed freestanding, hung from a ceiling or attached to a wall. With the ability to easily remove and replace graphics, the Q-Frame Tex is ideal for large promotions that are changed frequently.

Hardware best practices

When a project comes into Lawrence Fabric & Metal Structures, the Lawrence team gathers the details and, along with the engineer, determines what product or custom product will best suit the application for both the client and manufacturer.

Some of the key considerations Grimaud and his team make when determining the most appropriate hardware with respect to the specific retail application include wind loads and stresses, accessibility to be tampered with, installation (can you mount into the building or not?), and the ease of recoverability. There is also a trend toward eco-friendly fabric graphic and hardware solutions. Consumers are interested in incorporating hardware components that are reusable, particularly for graphics that are easily and frequently switched out.

“Interior retail items need to meet several criteria,” Grimaud says. “The first point is cost, the second is function, and the third is the ease of set and use because the employee will typically do the installation.”

Helwig adds that fabricators need to focus on the weight of the signage being held, the materials and substrates the fasteners are being attached, and the conditions—outside, inside, in motion—the signage will be used?

“For example, the key to successful application using SNAD fasteners by themselves or in concert with conventional fasteners is knowing the materials to which they will be attached,” Helwig says. “SNAD components work best on high-surface energy surfaces like metals, glass and most plastics. But they can be successfully used even on materials like painted concrete block and wood.”

Finally, Herrold stresses the importance of asking the hardware distributor or manufacturer to recommend one or more hardware options for the application. “Involve your hardware supplier in the planning of any new project,” he says.

Communication is key

Educating the client about how a chosen hardware system will look with the fabric graphic design is paramount. When choosing a hardware system that meets the expectations of the graphics fabricator and the customer, Grimaud explains that it is important to come together as a team and make the best decision based on the given information. “We demonstrate the choices we have available to the client and get their approval,” Grimaud says.

With its new SNAD line, YKK has made tremendous inroads in communicating about the product and its subsequent uses. “YKK offers a considerable amount of information and data—written, video, graphic—that is available online or in response to specific questions,” Helwig says. “We also are partnering with distributors who are knowledgeable and experienced with the industry requirements and how the SNAD product line can meet them. YKK strives to continually provide its distribution network with training and materials on the latest developments.”

To ensure that a project is a success, Herrold says that active listening is important to ensure the customer receives the end result they have envisioned. “This is especially true when a fabricator is attempting a specific type of project for the first time,” Herrold says. “As a graphics fabricator, you know that the look and integrity of a wide-format graphic project is dependent upon a secure installation. Cost is always a factor, but it should never supersede a safe, professional presentation of the graphic. So active listening becomes the key ingredient between the customer, the fabricator and the installer or hardware supplier to ensure the system meets or exceeds that customer’s expectations.”

When it comes to installation and mounting hardware, industry experts have seen a multitude of mistakes being made.

“I have seen several instances where the hardware was undersized for the amount of wind load and stress,” Grimaud says. “Fortunately, I have not witnessed a unit coming off the wall. It makes you wonder if they had an engineer review the plan.”

Helwig adds that, once investigated, most of the problems involving hardware use are attributable either to not following the product’s defined best practices, or exceeding the design limits for applications and materials. “Most of these problems can be avoided with reasonable precautions and good practices,” Helwig says.

Maura Keller is a Minneapolis-based writer and editor.

Fabric Graphics | May 2012

By Bruce N. Wright

The story behind the “Range of Light” exhibit for outdoor equipment retailer The North Face is nearly as dramatic as the image depicted on a centrally located fabric backdrop. A panoramic photograph shows North Face tents and an expedition by the Italian mountaineer and alpinist Hervé Barmasse and his team preparing to explore new routes in Pakistan’s Shimshal Valley. The background to designing and fabricating the exhibition is a worthy drama on its own.

Caleb Brown, art director for The North Face exhibit, was working on a graphic timeline of the company’s 40 years of innovation and environmental stewardship to accompany the exhibition. For various reasons, the timeline was shelved at the last minute, but the 6,000-square-foot (60 feet by 100 feet) exhibit maintained its tight timetable of design and production by exhibit specialists Transformit, shipping to the trade show Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City, Utah, within 66 days of start.

Constructed almost entirely of fabric elements, Range of Light contains a theater, a central meeting place, four private meeting rooms, a technical room and six product display areas made up of curvy white walls of fabric bunched together to suggest snowy mountain ranges. The exhibition’s name was taken from the moniker John Muir—naturalist, preservationist and founder of the Sierra Club—used for the Sierra Nevada.

Genesis for the exhibit came from new management at The North Face, who wanted to rebrand the corporate image at trade shows and to assert its leadership in product innovation and in corporate responsibility and sustainability. Nearly every element of the exhibit is made from recycled material or material that can be recycled or repurposed at its end of useful life, a key concept in current sustainability thinking.

Designers of the exhibit, Tom Newhall, Caleb Brown and Transformit’s vice president of marketing Matt Rawdon, sequestered themselves for two weeks in a hothouse “design charrette” at Transformit’s offices in Maine to come up with a design that met The North Face’s new direction.

The exhibit is modular, designed so subsets can be used for small shows or showrooms and easily can be reconfigured on a moment’s notice. The initial 60 feet by 100 feet exhibit weighs less than 15,000 pounds and fits within six steel carts enclosed by fabric covers. Although final numbers are pending, initial estimates predicted that the exhibit has a carbon footprint about one-third of traditional exhibition construction.

The central panoramic photo of mountaintops at dusk—taken by American alpinist and documentarian Kristoffer Erickson—was integrated with another blank white fabric panel (“skin”) used as a projection theater screen. Both fabric panels were put in place on their framework in the center of the exhibit. “We had to rely on accurate patterning,” says Rawdon, “because the frame had already shipped [to the exhibit space]. It fit as expected on the first try—kudos to our design and stitching teams.”

The image was dyesub printed by DesignTex (formerly Portland Color) on Fisher Symmetry fabric and sewn into its fitted slipcase by Transformit after the exhibit was shipped. The printed fabric skin was installed on site by Transformit as the finishing touch.

Bruce Wright is editor of Fabric Architecture and Fabric Graphics publications of the Industrial Fabrics Association International.

By Arnold Sanow

There are many ingredients necessary for success in sales, regardless of the market your business serves. Here are eight keys to help you achieve your sales goals.

1. Determine the wants and needs of your customer first, then work backwards to develop the product or service.
Many times we make the mistake of showing customers products or services we like or offering things we have available. Only after asking probing questions and listening carefully to the answers should we offer suggestions. In other words, “To sell Jack Jones what Jack Jones buys, you need to see Jack Jones through Jack Jones’ eyes.” The quality of the feast is determined by the consumer not the chef.

2. What’s in it for me?
What is the customer really buying from you? By listening and understanding, we can close more sales by focusing on the benefits (results) and not only the features (characteristics) of what we’re selling. For example, if you’re a travel agent who sells cruises, by stressing certain benefits such as warm weather and relaxation, you get the customer to dream and really desire the cruise.

3. Add value to every contact.
We are all in business for the long run. To build a solid business we must develop long-term relationships. To do this we need to show trust, respect and value. This can be accomplished by always thinking about what “extras” we can give our customer. To make the extras pay off, they need to be something the customer doesn’t expect. For example, after delivering a seminar, I give the person who hired me, as well as the attendees, an autographed copy of one of my books. It provides them with the WOW feeling. Every time we meet they know that I’ll always be looking for more ways to give them more value then they expect.

4. Practice teamwork.
To win in selling, you have to be able to play on different teams and you have to learn to play different roles. For example, when I’m working with a customer, I become an extension of their team. If I can help them develop solutions to their various problems and concerns then I become an indispensable member of their team.

5. Watch your appearance.
Remember the old saying, “don’t judge a book by its cover.” Unfortunately, everybody does. To make sure I’m on the right track, I dress in the parameters of what’s appropriate for each client. I’ve seen many salespeople lose sales because they let style get in the way of substance.

6. Focus on winning every sale.
Success is one customer at a time. Focus on trying to make a sale to every customer you meet. Never stop selling until the customer says either yes or no. You must be 100-percent determined to win. If you have the determination, you will do everything in your power to out service your customer, outwork your colleagues and outsell your competition. Your determination creates strength; your doubts only destroy it.

7. Become an information resource to your clients.
Let your clients know that you can help them with any concern they have no matter what area it is in. If they need something or someone, find it for them. For example, someone recently called me about doing a seminar on increasing your memory. I don’t do this, but I told my client to give me one hour and I’ll find someone to meet his needs. By doing this I become a valuable resource for them. Now, if they need anything they call me first. This not only increases my value, but also gives me more opportunities for work.

8. Don’t overeducate your prospect.
Don’t tell the prospect everything. If you give too many choices or make everything seem too complicated, they will tend to “think about it.”

Arnold Sanow is a speaker, seminar leader, consultant and author of six books that include, Marketing Boot Camp, Get Along with Anyone, Anywhere, Anytime … 8 keys to creating enduring connections with customers, co-workers … even kids and Present with Power, Punch and Pizzazz. He can be reached at 703 255 3133 or at www.arnoldsanow.com. His email address is speaker@arnoldsanow.com.

Top Value Fabrics’ self-adhesive fabric wall covering is PVC-free and has an inkjet receptive layer for vibrant prints. The 4-ounce material prints on a variety of printers including UV, solvent, eco-solvent, latex and screen. The wall covering is easy-to-print, eco-friendly and installs easily on flat surfaces and simple curves.

SOURCE Top Value Fabrics

Mimaki Engineering Co. added two new latex printers to its JV400 product line. The JV400-130/160LX latex printer supports six colors, plus white. An ink circulation system prevents pigment sedimentation and reduces the need for manual ink cartridge circulation. A minimum dot size of 4 picoliters and the ability to use variable sized ink dots provides high-quality prints.

The JV400-130/160SUV inkjet printer uses CMYK colors and prints at speeds of up to 18 square meters per hour. During printing, an ink-receiving layer absorbs the solvent component and the pigment settles into the media. The ink is then cured with a UV process for a smooth, glossy appearance.

SOURCE Mimaki Engineering Co.

Graphics One’s GO EcoMax 44 printer uses SEPIAX resin inks to print graphics on nearly any substrate, including coated and uncoated medias. SEPIAX inks are water-based and free of eco-solvents, HAPs and SVHs.

The printer uses GO OT stretchable transfer film, which transfers bright, colorful graphics onto light and dark fabrics. The printer comes with a SEPIAX starter inkset, a bulk ink system, EcoMax RIP software and an optional contour cutter.

SOURCE Graphics One’

Ultraflex Systems Inc.’s DSS Pro blockout banner material is printable on both sides. With its low-curl formula, the material is ideal for roll-up banner stands, POP and indoor hanging graphics.

Pole Banner Pro is a fire-rated, heavy-duty blockout banner material for two-sided applications.

MultiTex C220 fine art canvas is a 100-percent polyester fabric that can be easily stretched and framed. Billboard Eclipse is a black-backed substrate ideal for billboard applications.

IllumiSol BL Film Gloss is a PET film that provides vivid backlit graphics. Rolls are available in sizes up to 86-feet wide.

FloorFlex printable floor vinyl is suitable for latex and UV printers and recommended for indoor use or short-term outdoor use.

SOURCE Ultraflex Systems Inc.

Fisher Textiles added DD 2300 Satin and DD 7908 Suede (FR) to its line of fabrics for direct disperse printing. The 100-percent polyester DD 2300 is a high-sheen, lightweight satin. The fabric is 4.3 ounces per square yard and 72-inches wide.

DD 7908 Suede is a brushed tricot knit, 100-percent polyester fabric that passes NFPA 701 for fire resistance. The fabric gives a high-quality print and offers superior stain resistance. It is 7 ounces per square yard and 122 inches wide.

The fabrics are compatible with a variety of leading printers.

SOURCE Fisher Textiles

Sawgrass Industrial’s M-XTR pigment-based inks are designed to handle the high speeds of today’s inkjet printers. Rheological Modified Ink (RMI) technology generates a unique cylindrical jetting characteristic for a more consistent ink drop shape, which creates sharper images with greater color fidelity. RMI allows higher pigment concentrations for richer, higher-density colors and faster drying times. The binderless formulation provides excellent runability, maximum uptime and color vibrancy, even with uncoated fabrics.

SOURCE Sawgrass Industrial

Mutoh America’s ValueJet Status Monitor (VSM) software monitors the status of Mutoh ValueJet printers. Offered free to Mutoh customers, the software checks if the printer’s functions are running at a consistent output. If there is a problem, the system notifies the operator via email or smartphone. Operators can check the ink level and heater temperatures from any PC that has VSM installed. The software is available on the VJ-1324, 1624 and 1608HS printers.

SOURCE Mutoh America

By Mara Whitten

The project. Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Ky., remodeled its former Draft Horse Barn into the Kids’ Barn, a collection of interactive exhibits geared towards children. The park approached a number of equine organizations, universities and businesses to help construct exhibits in each of the barn’s 20 standing stalls.

The companies. Morehead State University, Morehead, Ky., turned to Lynn Imaging’s Monster Color. Based in Lexington, Ky., Monster Color is a manufacturer, printer and installer of large-format signage and advertising graphics.

The task. Create a hands-on, kid-friendly exhibit inside an existing stall. Morehead State decided to explore the topic of equine evolution. “Our graphic artist designed a storybook theme to display each major evolutionary stage,” said Tammy Platt, assistant professor and equine coordinator at the university.

The challenge. As the stalls were constructed from very rough wood, the team at Monster Color had to create a smooth surface for the graphics. A plan to construct dibond walls meant they’d need precise measurements to match the stall’s dimensions. “The most challenging thing was getting the exact measurement of the different areas so the boards could be cut precisely and fit together tightly,” said Shannon Delk, corporate director of color.

The solution. A Zund digital cutter was used to cut the dibond boards. For the 50 linear feet of graphics, the team selected 3M Controltac Cv3 media and a 3M luster lamination. The graphics were printed using a HP 65500 Latex printer and HP latex inks. In total, it took eight hours to print, laminate and cut the boards for the walls. The team spent another eight hours installing the walls and graphics.

The result. Everything went according to plan and the Kids’ Barn opened in early March. Both Monster Color and the client were thrilled with the exhibit’s colorful and attention-grabbing graphics.

Mara Whitten is a freelance writer from Eagan, Minn.

Fisher Textiles, a supplier of fabrics for digital printing, announces Opak Poplin for dye sublimation and UV printing is now produced in house and is back in stock.

Opak Poplin is a three-layer material consisting of two pieces of style 6248 Poly Poplin bonded to a 100-percent lamination film sandwiched in the middle. The film makes the product 100 percent opaque, waterproof and wind resistant. The material weighs 12.8 oz/yd², is available at 57 inches wide and can have finished edges. Opak Poplin is excellent for double-sided banners, roll-up banner stands and street pole banners.

Custom production runs are available with any Fisher fabric choice on either side of the lamination film.

Free sample rolls are available for testing.

Source: Fisher Textiles

FabricGraphics.com | April 11, 2012

Fabric Graphics Workshop
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
9 a.m–4 p.m.
Mimaki Headquarters
Newton (Boston), Mass.

Who should attend?

End product fabricators from the marine, awning, tent, tarp, fabric graphics, banner and flag markets who want to increase profitability with a printing revenue stream.

Workshops will cover these topics:

• equipment
• ink
• resources (money, time, talent and work flow)

Attendees will

• review the essentials of printer, ink and fabric selection for specific applications.
• participate in printing and finishing demonstrations.
• visit with fabric and equipment suppliers to the industry.
• earn CEU credit for workshop participation.

You are invited to participate in a printing workshop presented at Mimaki USA. Printing applications, fabric selection and finishing options will be discussed. Fabric and equipment suppliers will present new products to attendees for application in their businesses.

Suppliers invited

Suppliers to industry are invited to share product offerings with attendees during the Vendors' Fair. There will be time allotted for product presentations and opportunities to print and finish fabric swatches.

If you are interested in displaying your products or services please contact Jan Schieffer, managing director, Fabric Graphics Association, +1 651 225 6944 or email jmschieffer@ifai.com. Cost is $100 for member company. Non-FGA IFAI member companies may join FGA for $50 and qualify to participate in the Vendors' Fair.

Registration:

$59 FGA members/$99 nonmembers
$100 member vendor table

Find out all the ways to register!

The annual “Call for IFAI board candidates” from the Industrial Fabrics Association International was sent to the association’s voting membership on Monday, April 9. Applications are due May 28, 2012.

In June, the IFAI board’s Leadership Development Committee meets to consider the qualifications of the candidates. In July, the association’s membership is notified of committee’s recommendations.

Election results are announced at the 2012 IFAI Expo Americas, Nov. 7–9 in Boston.

IFAI members are encouraged to recommend candidates for the board:

Cherie M. Schmit
Executive Assistant to the President
Industrial Fabrics Association International
1801 County Road B. West
Roseville, Minnesota 55113
U.S.A.
Ph: +1 651 225 6985
Fax: +1 651 225 6977

Arlon announces the addition of Stephanie Gagnon as logistics manager. In this role, Stephanie will be responsible for managing Arlon’s logistics program for finished goods as well as leading freight vendor relations and Arlon’s outside warehouse management. Prior to joining Arlon, Stephanie served as ocean-export manager at a local freight forwarding company based in Los Angeles, Calif.

“Stephanie brings to Arlon over five years of experience in the logistics industry and is an excellent addition to our team due to her in-depth knowledge of the shipping/export business and her commitment to superior customer service,” states Ivonne Uruena, customer service manager.

Arlon Graphics LLC, manufactures and markets a full line of pressure-sensitive cut vinyl, flexible substrates and print media films for the digital imaging, signage, vehicle graphic and screen-printing industries. Arlon is headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif. with distribution out of Australia, Europe, India, Latin America, the U.K. and Uruguay.

Source: Arlon Graphics LLC

Ken Huggins is now responsible for managing and overseeing the daily operations of Arlon’s call center, customer satisfaction, claims resolution and key account management. Prior to this role, Ken held the position of Customer Service Lead, managing all the operational activities of the Arlon Flex Division.

“Ken brings a strong and solid customer service and sales experience to his new role,” said Ivonne Uruena, Customer Service Manager, Arlon Graphics. “While at Arlon, Ken has actively participated in Arlon’s lean journey, improvement of our operations for the Arlon Flex Division and will be a strong leader over the day to day activities of Arlon’s call center taking it to the next level.”

Arlon Graphics LLC, established in 1958, manufactures and markets a full line of pressure sensitive cut vinyl, flexible substrates, and print media films for the digital imaging, signage, vehicle graphic and screen printing industries. Arlon is headquartered in Santa Ana, Calif., with distribution sites in Australia, Europe, India, Latin America and Uruguay.

Source: Arlon Graphics LLC