Digital Printing-Wide Format - Roll to Roll

PRINT 09 offered an array of wide-format printing systems and highlighted a number of industry trends that could present opportunities for commercial printers, including sustainability and high-volume POP production.

BROTHERS OMAR Rodriguez and Hugo Cervantes, owners of East Los Angeles-based X-Igent Printing, know a thing or two about starting a commercial printing business from the ground up. When the shop they were working for was acquired by a new owner, they decided to cash in $70,000 of the equity in a home they purchased in 2000 to launch their own brokerage, turned printing operation, in 2001.

Océ, an international leader in digital document management, announces the U.S. preview of its PosterizerTM integrated signage solution at Océ booth #5450 during GlobalShop® 2009, March 23-25, in Las Vegas, NV. Convincing, coordinated and innovative signage can motivate customers to spend more during every store visit.

EFI, the world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, today announced that Joseph Merritt & Company of Hartford, Connecticut, has added an EFI VUTEk QS3200r 3.2 meter superwide format roll-to-roll UV printer to its production portfolio. Prior to acquisition of the QS3200r, the shop had an all-solvent superwide format production platform.

IF YOU had an opportunity to attend SGIA or Graph Expo—or both—last month, I hope you took the time to see what is new in the world of wide-format ink-jet. There have been lots of exciting advances that commercial printing businesses should consider taking advantage of to diversify their businesses and drive revenue growth.

FOSTER CITY, CA—Oct. 21, 2008—EFI™ (Nasdaq: EFII), the world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, will showcase its industry-leading portfolio of solutions in its largest trade show booth ever at Graph Expo (Oct. 26-29, Chicago's McCormick Place). EFI solutions, which continue to lead the industry's progression from analog to digital and increase customers' automation efficiency, cost savings, and revenue stream opportunities, will be demonstrated in EFI's booth 2000 and in partner booths, including Canon U.S.A., FUJIFILM Graphic Systems U.S.A., Konica Minolta Business Solutions U.S.A., Pitman Company, Ricoh Americas Corp. and Xerox.

Mississauga, ONT—October 10, 2008—Gandinnovations, a world leader in grand format digital printer innovations will be showcasing its top of the range products at GraphExpo 2008, at Booth #3852.

Printing Impressions and InfoTrends have recently conducted a survey of Printing Impressions’ readers that focused on their use of wide-format digital printing equipment. The respondents to the survey fell into two main groups: in-plant operations and print-for-pay establishments. Participants were asked various questions regarding their current wide-format equipment and services, as well as future plans for their wide-format business. (See Chart 1.) The results show that while aqueous ink-jet is still the dominant technology, there is a growing presence in the production and commercial printing market of newer printing technologies. More than 67 percent of respondents indicated that they currently own an aqueous ink-jet

VALHALLA, NY—August 21, 2008—Fujifilm Graphic Systems U.S.A., Inc. recently announced changes in the company’s sales organization, structured around the latest digital solutions and designed to better address customer needs. “As the graphic communications industry continues to evolve, so must the companies working within it,” said Todd Zimmerman, vice president, National Field Sales. “The needs of our customers are changing and we will continue to meet their expectations and deliver what they need to better run their business. The changes within our sales force better address those needs and ensure that our people and their expertise are available to our customers across the country.” Demand

RESTON, VA—Graphic communications professionals seeking the latest wide format imaging technologies and equipment will find them at GRAPH EXPO® 2008, all highly visible across the show floor and more densely clustered in the Wide Format Pavilion. This year’s show, the largest graphic communications exhibition and conference in the Western Hemisphere will be held October 26 - 29, in Chicago’s McCormick Place. More than 600 exhibitors, including the industry’s top wide format manufacturers and suppliers, will showcase a full range of graphic communications equipment across 450,000 sq. ft. of exhibit space. The Wide Format Pavilion debuted six years ago with a mere five