As you’re reading this, almost 600 exhibitors are preparing to showcase their products and technology in what promises to be one of the most revealing, educational, event-filled and exciting shows in recent years.
It’s been called the drupa of North America, and though it may not equal Europe’s mother of all tradeshows in floor space and exhibitor numbers, it’s certainly North America’s number one annual industry showcase when it comes to products, events, educational opportunities, giveaways (there’ll be more than 1,000 prizes given away) and sheer excitement.
“Graph Expo and our nearly 600 exhibitors provide a unique opportunity for industry leaders to learn about technology, programs and processes that’ll enable them to adapt and thrive in today’s challenging times,” says Ralph Nappi, president of Graphic Arts Show Company – Graph Expo’s show organizer and producer.
“Participation in this show offers as much opportunity and return on investment for people not looking to purchase equipment, as it does for those who do. Where else can you see the latest technology from around the globe, with such a small investment of time and resources?” he adds.
McCormick Place South in Chicago, Illinois will host the show Sunday to Wednesday, October 26 to 29, from 10am to 5pm each day, except Wednesday when the show concludes at 4pm. About 600 exhibitors will strut their stuff throughout the 450,000 sq. ft. floor space.
This year’s extravaganza will also feature more than 70 educational programs and seminars in addition to hundreds of live demonstrations showcasing the latest products and technologies covering prepress, offset and digital printing, finishing, mailing and fulfillment, package printing, converting and wide-format. The show will be the premiere for many products in North America as well as worldwide.
Two of the hottest emerging technologies in the industry – RFID and printed electronics – highlight an exclusive new floor feature called Future Print. You’ll want to understand these new technologies, and discover how to integrate them into your current product mix.
Other must-sees include the XPS Land showcase, where you can explore Microsoft’s powerful new XPS technology, and experience it in live production mode on the show floor. At the Wide Format Pavilion, wide-format inkjet manufacturers and suppliers will feature a versatile array of new products and equipment. Some premiered in D√ºsseldorf this year, but many will be making their U.S. debut.
The Mailing & Fulfillment Center will highlight the latest production technologies and applications designed to add value to your clients’ projects. This year’s pavilion is the largest ever since its inception, occupying 38,900 sq. ft. and featuring 73 exhibitors. Experts will be available to discuss everything including addressing, bar coding, data processing, folding, labeling, slitting, sorting, stamping, storing/racking, warehousing and more. For more information, please visit www.graphexpo.com.
At press time, here’s a glimpse of what some of the industry’s major players will be exhibiting. Some may add even more products and technology to their booths in the interim – what an exciting bonus that should be!
Adobe
Adobe PDF Print Engine 2 is the next-generation, full-featured printing software that enables end-to-end workflows for graphically rich publishing based on PDF. Designed for offset and digital printing, it enables printers to fulfill the promise of variable data printing and help their customers develop personalized campaigns for different target audiences. With support for PDF/VT – the emerging PDF standard for variable data printing – the software offers an easy on-ramp to add VDP to existing workflows. PDF Print Engine 2 makes personalized publishing more practical and broadly accessible while enabling print service providers worldwide to realize significant performance gains.
Adobe Acrobat 9 software helps users communicate the way they’ve always wanted to using PDF, the standard for electronic document exchange. Adobe Acrobat 9 lets users combine PDF files, audio and other documents into PDF portfolios that are simple to browse using customizable interactive navigation designed in Flash; collaborate on documents more effectively and efficiently; and simplify the creation and completion of forms to efficiently collect, analyze, and use data. With Acrobat, users can protect and control sensitive information, safeguard work and communicate exactly as intended.
Avanti
If you thought JDF is reserved for large print shops, Avanti has some great news for you. Avanti will demo its JDF framework at Graph Expo. Sure, the company has several large JDF customers, but also several clients employing less than 30 people. These smaller shops are currently realizing the benefits of a JDF-based workflow every day. Avanti’s JDF framework gives shops the ability to receive automated JDF job instructions directly from applications such as Adobe to Avanti. It then sends those job instructions to digital and litho presses as well as bindery equipment. Every step along the way, information is automatically passed back to Avanti using JDF/JMF for real-time job tracking and costing. To arrange a demonstration of Avanti’s JDF framework at Graph Expo, please contact Michele at mtr@avantisystems.com or visit the Avanti booth.
Canon
Demonstrating its commitment to future innovation (on the award-winning imagePROGRAF large-format product line), Canon USA will introduce a new 44-inch imagePROGRAF large-format color production system at the show. The system runs a dual-roll configuration with two- size rolls, and offers high-capacity ink cartridges requiring minimal user intervention. Capable of printing two full-density A1-sized plots in less than one minute, the printer is designed to address the specific needs of the high-volume technical document print market.
CP Bourg and Robert E. Thistle Ltd.
Robert E. Thistle Ltd., distributor for C.P. Bourg in Canada, already had in place an excellent dealer network across Canada when it teamed up with C.P. Bourg in 1998. In fact, Thistle Ltd. has been a leading supplier of high-quality, cutting-edge finishing equipment to the digital and on-demand markets for many years. The company still provides parts and supplies for the small offset market, but its main focus is in finishing solutions from C.P. Bourg and several other major manufacturers.
The new range of products you’ll see at the show include the C.P. Bourg BB3002 automated perfect binder (16 installations in Canada so far at press time), released in a fully-integrated PUR version that allows the binding of more challenging, digitally-produced jobs and difficult-to-bind stocks.
PUR technology for the C.P. Bourg BB3002 single-clamp binder allows more precise gluing and better adherence while using less energy and less glue. The perfect binder is available with either the traditional EVA or the newest Nordson PUR glue system. The system’s unique features include tool-less, automatic set-up using an icon-driven touch screen – to easily select and set most functions from a list of menu options. The machine also measures book block thickness automatically, and calculates the centerline of the cover to fasten the spine – to bind books of the same size and different thickness one after another, automatically, without operator intervention.
Draabe
Draabe, a leading global provider of direct room humidification systems focusing mainly on the printing, paper and packaging industry, will be showcasing its hygienic, fault-free, high-pressure air humidification systems at Graph Expo. The right humidity plays a crucial role in quality in most production facilities. The Draabe TurboFog high-pressure nozzle system, for example, ensures a constant, year-round relative humidity of 50%. Optimal humidity is a pre-requisite for trouble-free prepress, printing and further processing. If the humidity is too low, electrostatic and paper distortion rise, spoilage increases and both time and money are wasted.
The innovative TurboFog system features a pulsating hydraulic flow and special titanium nozzles that atomize the water to a micro-fine aerosol directly in the room. Not only is this procedure very energy efficient, it’s also quiet and totally drip-free. The air humidity is controlled by a precision hygrostat. The atomization is activated as soon as the air humidity falls below the set optimum value. Only highly pure, de-mineralized water from a reverse osmosis unit integrated in the Draabe System is used in order to ensure hygienic and trouble-free operation of the air humidification system.
EFI/VUTEk
EFI, a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, will be showing how its award-winning solutions, integrated from creation to print, deliver increased performance, cost savings and productivity. The company’s robust product portfolio will be on display, including the latest Fiery digital color print servers, a line-up of VUTEk superwide digital inkjet printers, Jetrion industrial inkjet printing systems, and print production workflow and management information software – including the new EFI Pace and EFI Monarch solutions.
Epson
At 24 and 44 inches, the Epson Stylus Pro 7900 and 9900 offer a new level of professional inkjet technology for commercial, flexo and package proofing, as well as for professional photographic and fine art printing. Both printers feature Epson’s 11-color UltraChrome HDR (High Dynamic Range) ink technology, a high-density pigment chemistry developed by Seiko Epson. This revolutionary ink, combined with AccuPhoto HDR screening technology, helps provide a wide color gamut with smoother transitions and the industry’s most precise and consistent color. The Epson MicroPiezo TFP‚–¢ ten-channel print head provides accurate dot placement, dot shape and fast print speeds. An optional integrated Epson Spectroproofer‚–¢ uses the latest X-Rite technology, enabling professional color workflows by automating color calibration and print verification. Epson makes these new printers easy to mange with a colour LCD control panel, ePlatten media loading, spindle-free roll media adapters and a rotary cutting system.
Fujifilm
Fujifilm is planning to premier in North America its new XMF workflow technology, a completely new workflow based around Adobe’s PDF Print Engine.
“This technology is designed to bring new levels of productivity to the small and medium printer,” says Tony Karg, senior director of Business Development & Marketing (Graphic Systems).
Fujifilm is also expecting to showcase new digital printing solutions, such as the Xerox iGen4 and Docucolor 700. Its wide-format inkjet solutions will include the Mutoh Blizzard and Screen JetPress 2500 UV roll/flatfed printer. Fujifilm will also be showing its Ecomax-T (thermal imaged true process-less) and Ecomax-V (violet imaged, chemistry-free) plates technologies.
“In this challenging market, it’s important for Fujifilm to offer printers products that reduce their costs (Ecomax-T), enhance their productivity (XMF) or add new revenue to their business (iGen4/wide-format inkjet). This is essential to our business partnership with our commercial printing customers,” says Karg.
Gandinnovations
One of the world leaders in grand-format digital printer innovations will be showcasing its top-of-the-range products, including the introduction of the new NanoJet UV True Flatbed digital printer, the new Jeti 3348 Galaxy UV RTR digital printer and the award-winning Jeti 3324 Aquajet Direct-to-Fabric digital printer – as well as its full Jeti range of grand-format digital printers. The new NanoJet uses 24 Spectra high-performance print heads. Each 15-picoliter head is specifically designed to deliver high-resolution droplets, printing 800 dpi at speeds of 220 sq. ft. per hour in Photo-Realistic mode with superb results.
The Jeti3348 Galaxy is a new 3-metre UV RTR digital that prints quality images at 664 sq. ft. per hour in 6-colour and features 48 Spectra print heads. The unit uses Gandinnovations’ UV-curable branded inks on a variety of flexible materials suited for all types of indoor and outdoor applications. Live demonstrations of the Jeti 3324 Aquajet Direct-to-Fabric digital printer (European Digital Press 2008 Award winner) will take place during the show. The printer uses Gandinnovations’ formulated, water-base dye dispersed inks printing in six colors at 400 dpi. The company’s high-speed Jeti 3150 X-2 UV True Flatbed digital printer will also be showcased.
GBC
On display will be the Guinness world-record-setting GBC 8500 Cyclone laminating system, capable of speeds up to 500 ft. per minute. This ultra high-speed, single-sided system is available in three models to accommodate maximum sheet lengths of 31”, 44” and 56”. The new mid-volume GBC 7580 laminator is designed for one-sided finishing while running at speeds up to 200 ft./min. On-demand laminators showcased include the compact GBC 620os and the GBC 5031TS, a two-sided system with an in-line feeder and cutter.
For off-line production punching, GBC will feature the heavy-duty Magnapunch, ideal for high-volume jobs. As the digital print industry’s first near-line, high-speed production punch, the Quantum P70iX is designed for easy setup, changeover and operation. As always, GBC will feature a full range of binding styles, including CombBind, WireBind and ProClick. The semi-automated ProClick Pronto, a semi-automated desktop binding solution, creates bound documents with an easy-to-edit binding spine. GBC’s production level ShredMaster shredders safeguard private information.
Heidelberg
Industry-leader Heidelberg is inviting Graph Expo visitors to see the latest equipment, technologies and workflow solutions in a running, completely integrated print shop environment. The “shop” will be demonstrating Heidelberg’s theme of HEI Performance – HEI Value through a range of featured prepress, commercial print, packaging, post-press, service and workflow solutions. Visitors will learn what it means to “Get Prinected” and experience the benefits of shop integration.
“Integration across the print shop is becoming more and more important for giving printers a competitive advantage in the marketplace,” says Jim Dunn, president, Heidelberg USA. “In addition to our technologies and equipment for commercial and package printers, Heidelberg is placing a particularly strong focus on our Prinect workflow solutions at this year’s show, to demonstrate the importance of the integrated print shop in today’s industry environment.”
Making its U.S. debut, will be the Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 105 press with perfecting unit (XL 105-P), which is designed to optimize one-pass productivity for large-format printing. The press, which can run at speeds of up to 15,000 iph, will be shown as a 10-color model – perfect for commercial or packaging customers due to its ability to accommodate a wide range of substrates. Its features include Prinect Inpress Control, which won a 2008 InterTech Technology Award and is the first inline device for sheetfed presses that uses spectrophotometry to measure color and register while the press is running. Also shown will be the Prinect Press Center, Heidelberg’s standardized high-performance control station, which provides uniform operator guidance, including color and register control for all new Speedmaster presses.
HP
“This year’s Graph Expo will be like a mini drupa for HP booth visitors,” says Danny Ionescu, vice-president, Graphic Arts, HP Canada. “HP is transforming the industry by delivering a full range of solutions for virtually every market, from light production to large-format applications to high-volume digital printing. I’m very excited about Graph Expo this year,” adds Ionescu.
HP will highlight how the industry’s broadest portfolio of digital color graphic arts solutions enables its customers to engage in “progressive, profitable printing.” It will feature several new technologies from drupa, including the first North American showing of the HP Indigo 7000 Digital Press, a high-volume digital color press that prints 120 high-quality, 4-color, A4-size pages per minute.
The 7000 can print large numbers of static jobs with run lengths ranging from one copy into the thousands, as well as variable-data work requiring the “every page is different” capabilities of digital.
HP will also feature its new HP Indigo WS6000 Digital Press, which offers twice the productivity of the successful HP Indigo press WS4500 and is targeted at labels and packaging converters with significant volumes of medium and short-run jobs. HP will also have solutions for large-format printers, including UV flatbed, rollfed and hybrid solutions obtained in HP’s recent acquisitions of Macdermid Colorspan and NUR Macroprinters.
Also among the new products being shown is the HP Designjet L65500 Printer – the first of a new category of large-format signage printers with HP latex inks that reduce the impact of printing on the environment, and offer broad outdoor and indoor application versatility. It offers a wide range of applications, from point-of-purchase displays, transit signage, wall murals and exhibition graphics to vehicle graphics and fleet marking.
Island Clean Air
Island Clean Air will feature its Duster Air Filtration systems, the most effective and widely used mobile air filtration systems in the graphic arts industry, according to the company. They remove toxic fumes and odours, spray powders, dust, solvent fumes and VOCs associated with digital printers – all with low consumables and user-friendly maintenance. They provide a healthier working environment while enhancing green initiatives. The systems also meet EPA and OSHA requirements.
KBA
KBA will have its GATF award-winning Genius 52 UV 20-inch-small-footprint press producing a huge variety of jobs on all types of substrates, including paper, plastic, board and eye-catching lenticular pieces. Technical and application experts will be on hand to discuss, the world’s make-ready champion KBA Rapida 106, the new KBA Rapida 7, and new advancements from the world leader in large format as well as KBA Complete (the new print consultation service subsidiary). In addition, printers will be able to visit KBA customers in the area producing unique work with their KBA presses.
Kodak
Kodak will highlight robust solutions in the areas of conventional, digital and blended production workflows. In addition to product demonstrations, Kodak will feature samples of integrated communications campaigns created with Kodak software and digital printing solutions. The Stream Concept Printhead from Kodak will be on display, demonstrating the speed and integration capabilities of the technology. Capable of delivering monochrome offset class VDP applications at up to 1,000 fpm to commercial offset printers, the Stream Concept Printhead shows Stream Inkjet technology’s potential for hybrid printing. As the first-planned product with this new technology, the 4-inch Stream Concept Printhead is designed to produce a deep, rich black at 600 dpi on glossy substrates. As well, it’s easy to operate and service.
In the Futures area, visitors will be able to see a video of the 4-color Stream Concept Press from Kodak in action, and view samples of its offset class color output. Also at the booth are samples featuring the Kodak NexPress Intelligent Dimensional Coating Solution and the Kodak NexPress Dimensional Clear Dry Ink. The two combine to create a raised printing effect that enables tactile effects so that images can have a dimensional feel that mimic the surface of the items in the image. For example, customers can print an image of an orange that feels like an orange or wood grain that feels like wood grain. For added versatility, users can identify specific areas of the image that are to be raised and specify variable heights.
Komori
The Komori Lithrone SX40 will make its U.S. debut at the show. The LSX40, introduced at drupa 08, features a host of upgraded features designed to further improve print quality and job cycle times. With a new maximum running speed of 18,000 sph, higher speed fully automatic plate changing and the new KHS-AI system, job changeover times are reduced by more than 35%, says Komori. The supersized LSX40 also runs a 41” sheet for maximum efficiency and productivity. Also on display will be the Lithrone SX29, Komori’s largest mid-size press that provides the fastest job cycle time in the industry. Rounding out the Graph Expo line-up is the Komori Spica 429 convertible perfector press, ideal for printers moving into the multicolor market.
Manroland
This industry leader will continue to build off the momentum at drupa and premier for North America its PRINTVALUE program. These include printservices, printnet, printcom and printadvice. The company will also offer in-show demonstrations, free training seminars and opinions from sheetfed, commercial web and newspaper press operators who use PRINTVALUE services. Watch and learn how TelePresence, manroland’s 24/7 remote diagnostics press support connection, can prevent downtime by solving most mechanical, electronic and software problems over the telephone.
Visitors can also attend manroland’s early morning breakfast and live demonstrations of the ROLAND 900 Large Format Press and ROLAND 700 Hi-Print Press with Foiler at its Print Technology Center. Large-format printing is a growing market segment and the ROLAND 900 is part of manroland’s Value-Added Printing solutions. Manroland will again sponsor Dr. Joe Webb’s annual Industry Forecast seminar on October 28.
Presstek
Presstek will showcase a huge array of high quality, environmentally friendly, fully-integrated digital printing solutions, including a full range of CTP platesetters and chemistry-free plates, DI digital offset presses and workflow solutions. Presstek 52DI and 34DI presses with new UV printing capability, says Presstek, combine all of the benefits of UV printing with the easy-to-use, highly automated DI press delivering fast turnaround short-run and high-quality color printing on a wide range of substrates.
Presstek’s new range of chemistry-free CTP systems include the Compass Series of 4-up and 8-up platesetters, ideal for a wide range of printing environments and offering production speeds from 15 to 38 plates per hour and image up to 250 lpi with Presstek’s Aurora Pro chemistry-free plates. Compass platesetters also image a range of low-energy (830 nm laser), third-party thermal plates. For the quick and in-plant printer, Presstek is showcasing the new Vector FL52 with chemistry-free Freedom Pro plates.
Presstek will also debut its newly expanded range of workflow solutions (including Presstek Latitude) that provide PDF and JDF prepress workflow, automation tools for screening, trapping, imposition and a complete web-based, end-to-end print-on-demand workflow and business management solution.
Ricoh
To complement the color and production strategies of Ricoh’s Production Printing Group (PPBG), the Ricoh Pro C900 will officially launch at this year’s show. In addition to the Ricoh Pro C900 launch, PPBG will also be exhibiting the Ricoh Pro 1356EX and its Kodak Nexpress products.
The C900 is designed for advanced production printing with increased productivity, high-quality and flexible inline finishing options. It creates high-quality color at 90 pages per minute, even when printing on heavy stock. You can load paper and toner without pausing jobs in progress.
In partnership with Kodak, Ricoh will also offer four Kodak Nexpress Digital Production Color Presses, including the Kodak Nexpress 2100, 2100 Plus, 2500 Digital Production Color Presses and the Kodak Nexpress S3000 Digital Production Color Press. Also featured will be the Pro 1356EX, which launched in May 2008, and is the fastest MFP on the market, printing at 135 ppm. The Pro 1356EX, along with the entire Pro line, also incorporates high-speed color and black & white scanning.
Standard Finishing Systems
The Andover, Massachusetts, company continues to be an industry leader in supplying print finishing systems, paper handling equipment and reprographic products. It will be introducing the new Standard Horizon BQ-270C Single-clamp Perfect Binder that features a large 10.4” intelligent color touch-screen control console and an ergonomically-designed digital caliper – to measure book thickness and automatically transfer this data to the binder for quick, automated setup. The binder is designed for short run-length POD and commercial print book markets, with single-person production of up to 500 books per hour. Together with all other Horizon products, the BQ-270C will be connected to the Horizon i2i Bindery Control System, a JDF-enabled digital workflow that brings complete automation and job status visibility across the bindery.
Xeikon
Xeikon, a pioneer in digital color printing, will be exhibiting its flagship product, the Xeikon 8000, launched earlier this year at drupa. The 8000 boasts true 1200 dpi at 4 bits per spot. Operating at speeds that are more than twice as fast as its nearest competitor, says Xeikon, the press has been developed to optimize print productivity and provide fast, cost-effective and eco-friendly printing. It enables duty cycles of up to 8.5 million pages per month.
Show visitors will have the chance to witness the unique capabilities of the 8000, as it will be up and running throughout the show. In addition, Xeikon experts will be on-hand to site new 8000 customers (both U.S. and international) and discuss the applications and numerous benefits of the machine.
Xerox
The new Xerox iGen4 will be shown for the first time in the U.S. According to Xerox, it’s the most productive and highest-quality cut-sheet digital press in the printing industry today. Its advanced automation means more “uptime” for printers, with 25% - 35% more productivity and more profit. The iGen4 prints at 110 pages per minute and has the largest sheet size (14.33” x 22.5”) of any digital color press. Xerox will also showcase a variety of color and monochrome products including the new Xerox 650 Continuous Feed Printing System and Xerox 700 Digital Color Press as well as DocuColor, Nuvera and wide-format products. Also highlighted will be new advances in digital printing technology, color and environmental leadership, business development services and tools as well as workflow solutions. Booth visitors can also use “conversation stations” to have in-depth discussions with experts, and learn how to generate new business opportunities.
Xpedx and Ryobi
More printing technologies, more post-press productivity and more profit-building solutions will be showcased at Graph Expo. Xpedx, the exclusive U.S. distributor for Ryobi printing presses (xpedx does not distribute Ryobi in Canada), will erect a complete, end-to-end workflow. At center stage will be the fully automated Ryobi 7510 with an optional UV coater. Featuring one-pass, full-color convertible perfecting, the 7510 doubles a printer’s 4-colour and 5-colour productivity, simplifies job handling, saves floor space and prints up to 15,000 sph. Printers will also learn how to optimize their end-of-line with bindery and finishing equipment, mail stream management products and packaging equipment and supplies. They can also explore custom solutions, such as xpedx kitting services that move their jobs off the floor and out the door, driving productivity.
Supporting this technology is the xpedx distribution infrastructure, delivering paper and pressroom consumables from a single source through merchant divisions, retail stores, or via eBusiness solutions from xpedx.com. Printers will learn which option is right for them from business consultants staffing the booth.
Are you using the right deglazer for today’s press problems? A good brand-name deglazer should do the job, right? Not necessarily! With all the changes to paper in the last 10 years, it’s crucial to understand exactly what’s happening on press and what a deglazer should be doing for you.
Let's examine glaze
It can form and accumulate from 3 primary sources:
A good deglazer should be able to clean what is water soluble (1 and 3 above) and what is solvent soluble (2 above).
One of the biggest changes in our industry has been the introduction of alkaline-based paper to replace acid-based paper. There are many reasons for the change from environmental concerns in papermaking to an ongoing trend to increase sheet brightness. With these changes, printers have had to address many other issues.
Calcium carbonate
Here are some of the most common problems caused by high-filler-content papers (calcium carbonate):
There is really no way of stopping calcium from coming off the paper. Let’s go through what happens as paper passes through your press:
On the dampening side, it transfers from the dampener form back onto the pan roller and into the tray, and then back into the re-circulation unit. For those without a re-circulation unit, it sits in the tray and accumulates.
On the ink side, it touches the ink form rollers and starts to contaminate the rollers all the way up the ink train.
When the press is not running, the calcium in the rollers dries and then crystallizes.
What’s the result of all this? You now have a glaze that is locked into the pores of your rubber rollers due to the crystallization of the calcium. This hardens the rollers, causing not only a poor ink transfer (resulting in a low-quality print), but substantially decreases the life expectancy of your rollers.
Take preventative measures! By using Uni Enviro Deglazer as part of a preventative maintenance program you can eliminate this from happening.
Procedures to decontaminate and maintain rollers and blankets.
This month we peek inside six operations located across the country, from Montréal to Vancouver, that are producing projects on inkjet flatbed and flatbed/roll hybrid equipment. These digital printing companies are using printers from a wide range of manufacturers, including EFI VUTEk, Durst, Gandinnovations, HP Scitex, Inca Digital and Océ.
So exactly how big is the wide-format flatbed inkjet market? Considering that the technology is fairly young – and a number of the flatbed machines are hybrids that also produce roll-to-roll projects – it makes more sense to look at the overall market.
IT Strategies (www.it-strategies.com), specialists in the digital printing industry, estimate that the retail value of printed output from wide-format equipment is nearly $30 billion worldwide. Whether produced on roll-to-roll or flatbed printers – or hybrids that combine the capabilities of both – that’s a lot of substrate and gallons of inks, dyes, and solvents!
The “panel”
Let’s introduce our “panellists” beginning with our representative from Quebec: Lamcom Technologies in Montréal (www.lamcom.ca). In Ontario, we spoke to four companies, from east to west: SCL Imaging Group, Scarborough (www.sclimaging.com); ReproArt Imaging, Toronto (www.reproart.com); RP Graphics Group, Mississauga (www.rpgraphics.com); Global Imaging Inc., Mississauga (www.globalimaging.ca). And, last but not least, in British Columbia, we spoke to PacBlue Digital Imaging, Vancouver (www.pacblue.net).
Each of these companies has a unique combination of products and services. So what do they have in common? They use digital printing processes to produce everything from business cards to billboards, brochures to bus wraps. And, they have one or more flatbed printers in operation.
Next, let’s take a look at the equipment they’re using. From west to east:
The good news about flatbed printers is that you can run pretty much anything through them to be printed, with a few constraints. The substrate has to be – well – flat, and depending on the equipment, up to 2.75” thick. While you can print something of substantial thickness, these printers have inkjet heads that need good clearance over the substrate and something that is wavy, curvy, bumpy or twisted is going to be trouble.
Changing workflows
Just a little over two years ago, in October 2006, Web Consulting (a UK consulting firm with a North American office in Boston that specializes in the global inkjet printing industries) published a study that reported 70% of the shops producing wide-format inkjet graphics believe that volumes of mounting and laminating work will grow or stay the same for the next five years.
Why is this important? Such information shows how quickly changing technology can affect workflows. It turns out that flatbed inkjet printers are eliminating a huge percentage of the mounting and laminating work that printers have done in the past. It will be interesting to see what the next report shows.
Zohrab Tatikian, president of ReproArt Imaging, has been producing projects on a flatbed printer for the last several years. ReproArt used to print images on four smaller roll printers and then mount and laminate them. In fact, 95% of the images coming off those machines were mounted and laminated, only about 5% didn’t require finishing. According to Zohrab, “mounting and laminating has dropped drastically; now 80% of our jobs are printed direct to substrate on the Scitex FB910.”
Not only does the flatbed printer offer huge efficiency improvements for projects that would have been mounted on rigid substrates, its new capabilities also expand product offerings.
Peter Spring, president of SCL Imaging Group, found that even with multiple roll printers his company didn’t have the ability to produce the range of products his customers wanted; SCL was outsourcing more work than it produced internally.
“We made the decision then to buy a flatbed and sales boomed. We didn’t want to cannibalize our roll business,” says Peter, “instead, the flatbed bolstered it.” The strategy was so successful, that SCL invested in a hybrid Durst 800.
“We produce projects for a client who wants a die-cut standing piece,” says Brian Auty, CTO, RP Graphics Group, “and with the Inca Spyder 320 we can buy the corrugated cut-to-shape and then print on it. We print exactly what the customer orders – no overs, no waste.”
Changing product mix
Flatbeds are extremely efficient machines; eliminating mounting and laminating is just one advantage. Others include very quick make ready, the ability to print multiple panels at the same time and a wide substrate base. Face it; you’re not going to be able to put a door through a standard roll-to-roll printer!
True workflow efficiency comes from producing longer runs of standardized products fast, and this type of technology is butting heads with traditional screen-printing. All the contacts I spoke to agreed that for long runs, screen-printing is the best option; however, for shorter runs – 100, 500, or even higher – it’s possible to be very competitive. Throw in versioning or variable data and screen-printing can’t compete.
While François Boissonnault, Lamcom, who runs five VUTEk QS2000 machines, is busy printing election signs, it seems the most common substrates printed on are products like Coreplast, Fomecore, Sintra, Gator, and styrene or corrugated.
Peter Spring reminded me, “we are running a business and have to pay for this equipment.” He says, “to do that you need to drive a lot of volume, cut costs, and run it three shifts a day.”
He’s right, but what about the more unusual, and even exotic, substrates? There seems to be no end to creativity at this point, as long as the item is flat and of the right thickness – from 1.2” to 2.75” – someone, somewhere has printed on it!
We all have stars in our eyes and to print something for flagship retail stores, major development projects, high-profile tradeshow booths or even the Academy Awards or the Olympics brings pride to the producer.
Each company I spoke to had printed on wood panels or doors, but PacBlue didn’t just print a door here and there – they printed 537 of them! Paul Talbot, PacBlue, had the opportunity to print doors for a Vancouver developer.
“Originally, this was specified as a vinyl project by the designer, but we were concerned about how permanent vinyl would be for a high-end project like this,” says Talbot. “When we told them it was possible to print directly on the door, they were really excited, and when they saw the sample door they were blown away.”
The developer wanted to do something different to make its condo project stand out, so a juried design contest was held to find 10 images that would be offered to buyers for the front door of each unit. The entire run included more than 150 of one image, with the remainder spread across the other nine images.
Projects like this require a lot of coordination between the substrate supplier and the printer. For example, the priming and undercoating of the doors were critical; the door manufacturer had to take care not to leave fingerprints on the paint surface or they would show in the finished image.
Solid substrates like doors and glass are heavy. Each door PacBlue printed on weighed 90 pounds and it took two people to load each one on the flatbed. That’s a small crew compared to the four or five it took to load glass panels for a museum project at SCL.
Scott Saunders, Global Imaging, used his Arizona 250GT for a project that required an extremely high-quality image. Imagine printing on a high-definition TV screen for a promotion for HDTV. Not only was the client promoting the highest resolution available for television, they wanted the image on the screen to represent what their customer would see at home. The screen was part of an entire line of graphics Global Imaging printed for the project that included interior display panels and a vehicle wrap for two 36-foot mobile showrooms. No question that the viewer would be “up close and personal” looking at these images!
Each company I talked to had printed on a variety of substrates including carpet tiles, mirrors, ceramic tiles, glass and Plexiglas, rubber mats, brushed stainless steel, die-cut binder tabs – anything that lies flat. Some of the more unusual projects included metal video cases, an unassembled IKEA desk, an iPod and Velcro – both parts: the hook and the pile.
Let’s be careful out there
The inkjet heads on this equipment travel across the face of the substrate at an elevation that can be measured in hundredths or thousandths of an inch. Very small irregularities in the surface can cause a “catastrophic head strike”; a term that brings to mind the violence of a car crash. And the expense‚Ķ
The knurled edge on a piece of steel, a slightly raised area on a door, a miscalculation – any of these – can cause the moving head to come to a sudden stop. Unfortunately, a head strike falls under the category of “operator error” and is not covered by a warranty.
The Océ Arizona handles a head strike quite gracefully. The print heads are recessed inside a head unit, and when the unit hits the substrate the machine simply raises the gantry and parks the unit. No heart-rending crash‚Ķno expensive head replacement.
The future
Flatbed inkjet technology has changed rapidly over the last five years and is still maturing. Drupa 2008 was called “the inkjet drupa.” Equipment is getting bigger and faster, and hybrid machines offer the best of both roll-fed and flatbed production.
Users are discovering that the investment in either a flatbed or flatbed/roll hybrid can really pay off in terms of efficiency and flexibility. Commercial and digital printing service providers are using flatbed printers to move into territory that used to be claimed by screen-printing companies. Screen printers are finding they can’t ignore digital technology and are adopting flatbed inkjet.
The next few years will see wide-format output moving from screen and roll-to-roll inkjet to flatbed production – what share of that $30 billion market will be yours?
When I started using Aperture, I was amazed at all the Automation support available for the product. As always, I must spread the news.
If you launch Automator, and type Aperture in the search window you will see a list of built-in actions that are ready to use with Automator workflows. From here, you can choose items to put your own custom workflow together.
Start with Import Photos: You can choose an existing project (all existing ones show up in the pop-up list) or start a new project. Import by Reference if you want to leave the images where they are; delete the Source if you want to clean off your card.
Next, you can set IPTC Tags, assign keywords and change Image Rating Stars.
This simple workflow can be saved as is and run from Automator. You will need to add one more item at the top so the finder can locate the files you want using Get Selected Finder Items, if you are in Automator.
Another choice is to create a folder on your desktop, and save this workflow as a Folder Action attached to the folder. Now, you have an Aperture Hot folder that does the work as you dump in your files.
Automator can be configured to Export Masters and Versions and Extract Metadata as well as retrieving and storing item references.
There is a detailed explanation of how to create a workflow to Burn Masters to Disk at http://automator.us/leopard/apertur/ex10/index.html. Remember, any workflow you create can be saved as a plug-in that will appear in the script menu at the top of your screen for easy access. The beauty of Automator is you can have several applications working together easily from one workflow. The Burn Masters to Disk uses Automator actions for Aperture and then adds the system command to burn the disk.
Here’s a tip when creating plug-in versions of Automator workflows: make use of the Show Action when workflow runs if you will be changing the input, like choosing a directory or changing the name of your DVD.
But that’s enough about doing all the work yourself; there is much more than this available to Aperture users. Plug-ins, Applescript actions, Automator workflows and other little applications, which are free from the automator website, are available for use.
The Aperture card importer manages the import of up to eight cards. You drag a single camera card onto the application, select the Import and Metadata options, and hit Process. There are eight numbered modules – one for each card. Automatically, a folder is created in the location you specified in setup. This is where the files from the card are copied; they will be managed as referenced files from this location.
Images will be imported into your project with metadata added simultaneously.
Finally, the cards can be ejected with the option of erasing them first. Add the next card even if Aperture isn’t finished importing the previous card; it will still run.
You can download this application from http://automator.us/leopard/aperture/aci.html.
Publish for Approval is also available for use. This plug-in uses the built-in web sharing on the Mac and Applescript to create and display web pages of your images. The web page created is interactive, so your customer can choose images with an Approved Tag. The product uses the Smart Album feature to filter and show you the images your client has chosen. The technical instructions for setting up the Personal Web Sharing are on the same web page. There is also a Publish for iPhone – enough said.
Publish for Approval can be downloaded from http://automator.us/leopard/aperture/publish/index.html.
If you use iDVD 7 with OS 10.5, there’s an Applescript action called Magic DVD. It takes files, albums, projects from Aperture and filters and exports to iDVD 7 to create the Magic DVD.
There are many resources for Aperture users and automating the tedious file copying, naming and exporting is scriptable in many ways. Check out the web sites I have listed; you may find something to save you time.
From both the perspective of the exhibitor and the attendee, there are many reasons we choose to invest in trade shows.
When planned and executed well, a trade show can provide the exhibitors with opportunities to meet new clients, check out the competition, seek out potential joint ventures, catch-up with old pals and get out of the office.<--!break-->
It’s important that the attendees’ reasons for being there are aligned in a similar way. I asked some professionals why they attend trade shows, and here are the responses:
It seems the reasons companies exhibit at shows are secondary to the reasons that people attend. So what is the solution? Give people what they want in the form of fun, fish-bait takeaways.
We all love receiving free stuff at trade shows. We especially love when it’s clever or innovative. Long gone are the days that stress ball or pens would suffice. Nowadays, promotional goods are much more sophisticated. The key to deciding where your promo dollars are spent is to get items that people will use often – causing them to think of you often. Some ideas and bestseller items for most promotional goods companies include
More importantly, however, it’s useful to have people use your giveaway consciously. As opposed to glancing at a pen with your name on it, give people something that leads to action. Some items that provoke a “call-to-action” include
Some of the world’s most innovative companies have come up with useful giveaways that have a “call-to-action” associated with them. Google has given away mood-changing clocks, USB travel kits, and even digital photo frames (as grand prizes). Toyota opted for eco-friendly tree ornaments made from recycled paper—inexpensive and thoughtful. General Electric has also followed suit by giving away energy-saving light bulbs. And, of course, there is no harm in giving out what you’re known for, especially when it’s as practical as 3M’s Post-it notes.
Another really important aspect of having freebies at a trade show is the ability to measure the traffic that these items generate for you. This is especially true when you’re giving away items that have a “call-to-action” associated with them. I’m sure we’ve all noticed the increase in prize draws using access codes. In the past, we’d just roll up the rim to win or flip a bottle lid. Now, we’re forced to log-on to a web site and check if we’re lucky—the instant gratification is gone. Even worse is the experience of customers taking the effort to log-on and check for a prize, only to have to fill out personal information before they even find out if the coupon has won. No one likes the extra effort involved!
There is a simpler, easier solution to track your numbers. Consider creating a special URL for your trade show items, so visitors will be automatically redirected to your usual homepage. They’ll cruise your site while you count them as a trade show response. Free is no longer enough. Plan wisely to stop the crowds from the “grab-and-go,” make your potential customers happy and get closer to achieving your trade show goals!
Imagine this scenario: you’re talking to a customer, and after you present your product, service or solution she asks, “What discount can I get?” or “What can you do about the price?” Think before you speak, otherwise this innocent-sounding question will cost you money right off your bottom line. While it’s tempting to offer a discount, resist the desire to do so. Here’s why:
First, just because someone asks you for a better price, doesn’t mean they expect to get it. Some people ask for a discount because they have been told to do so. They’re often uncomfortable doing this and will seldom press the issue. However, professional buyers and key decision-makers know that many sellers will drop their price at the first sign of resistance, so they ask everyone for a discount – and they can be aggressive in their approach. Plus, experienced negotiators lose respect for people who drop their price too quickly. Standing your ground shows strength, and executives respect this type of behaviour.
Second, when you drop your price too quickly, you teach your customer to repeat that behaviour in future transactions. Remember, everything you do now affects your customer’s behaviour toward you in the future.
When I first started my private practice, I gave a client a discount on a package of services. The next time he contacted me, he demanded that same discount, which put me in a somewhat precarious position – did I give the same discount or risk losing the sale? A business executive once told me that she knew which of her suppliers she could browbeat into giving her a better price, and she always took advantage of their weakness.
So, what is the best way to respond to a request for a better price?
Professional negotiators will tell you to “flinch.” A “flinch” is a visible reaction to a request or demand and goes something like this, “You want a discount!?! Even though we have been working together for four years and you know our services will help you get better results, you still want a discount?” When coupled with the right facial expressions and body language, this technique is extremely effective. However, I have found that most people are extremely uncomfortable using this approach –even I find it difficult to apply on a consistent basis.
Another effective way to respond to a request for a better price is to ask, “What did you have in mind?” or “What were you looking for?” When you ask one of these questions, you get the other person to tell you how much of a discount he or she wants. In many cases, the expectation will be less than you’re prepared to give, which means you’ll increase the size of the sale and save money at the same time – a double win. One word of caution here: an experienced negotiator will say, “Well, I want a better price than this,” which means you need to be prepared to ask the question a couple of times.
This also applies to email correspondence. Many people will ask their salesperson for a discount via e-mail, which makes it impossible to use some of the standard negotiating techniques. Before you respond by offering a better price, take the time to properly craft your e-mail response. Here is what you can say: “We might be able to do something for you. What did you have in mind?” The key is to give the indication that you have flexibility without committing to something you might regret later.
This sounds like an easy technique to use, but it’s not. You have to train yourself to listen for your customer’s question, and be prepared to respond with your own. I hate to admit it, but I’ve fallen for a discount request because I wasn’t expecting it. In one situation, an existing client asked me for a package price on some bundled services. Instead of asking what price he had in mind, I automatically offered a small discount. I kicked myself afterwards because I should’ve known better.
It’s essential to listen carefully to what your prospect says, and to think before you speak. It’s also critical to practice your responses until they become second-nature. That way, you can answer quickly when a client asks the dreaded question, “What can you do about the price?”
If the top dogs of an organization had a theme song, it would be the popular Elvis-tune, Are you Lonesome Tonight? Maintaining a self-sufficient image, executives and top managers often lead a lonely existence at work.
Although these wise leaders reap expert knowledge from the specialists they employ, they are often faced with dilemmas they can’t share with their subordinates. Having no one to confide in, top managers rely solely on their own wisdom and make errors that may have been avoided. This situation is particularly true when an outsider has been parachuted into a top spot and has to swim with the “sharks” without protection.
Executive coaches to the rescue
Executive coaching is one of the fastest growing professions. In 2002, a study by Harvard Business School did a study of Executive Coaching in 2002. At that time they found estimated that there were at least 10,000 coaches working in business – , up from 2,000 in 1996. Six years later, the numbers have increased to over 50,000.
Coaching has become widely used in supporting top producers, rather than just a tool to help correct underperformance. In a 2004 survey by Right Management Consultants, it was found that 86% of companies used coaching to sharpen the skills of individuals identified as future leaders.
Undoubtedly, there are a number of reasons executive coaching has become such a wide-spread activity. A few that immediately come to mind are
Executive coaches, although paid for by the organization, are usually independent of that organization – they are merely tied to the “coachee.”
It’s important that these individuals act as both a coach and a “Devil’s Advocate.” They must be able to freely express concerns about performance and point out areas that require improvement. As Thomas DeLong of Harvard calls them, they must be a “truth speaker.”
When do you need a coach?
Coaches are most useful at a time of change for executives – whether in organization or in career.
The move to a new organization creates a change in culture, structure and co-workers. The new executive has to learn who he or she can confide in about sensitive issues, primarily people-related. In those cases where the executive knows someone in the company, he or she needs to be careful about how others may view the acquaintance.
It’s times like these an executive coach is handy. He or she can provide the new senior manager with a confidential sounding board.
It has been my experience that executives feel they can discuss their most difficult problems concerning subordinates, knowing that the coach has no bias toward employees in the organization. This is why it’s important that a top executive use a coach who isn’t contributing in other areas of the company. Credibility is questionable if a coach works with more than one executive in the same organization.
Coaches have also proven successful in cases where an executive is changing careers – internal or external. Such people may have been highly esteemed in their specialty, but recognize that they are devoid of skills in their new appointment. They frequently absorb new ideas quickly, and after a short-term, develop enough knowledge and confidence to diminish the need for a coach.
Other issues
There are many issues that an organization and executive must consider when entering into a coaching arrangement. The rapport between the coach and the executive is paramount. Money and time is wasted if a company provides a coach who doesn’t have the respect of the “coachee.” This is why selecting a coach is as important as hiring a senior executive talent – so handle with care.
A coach can go a long way
Owners and senior executives should consider the benefits of an executive coach. There is no need to be lonesome today – or tonight.
September is the mark of a new year—the school year that is. Those with children especially feel the buzz of new beginnings as new backpacks are purchased (even though last year’s is still fine) and outfits are selected (each year further removed from what was once normal). September will also be the mark of a new year for Graphic Arts Magazine.
As you read in the previous issue Catherine Weibe has gone on to new beginnings, and her cheerful attitude and smiling face will be missed by all at Graphic Arts. So who’s the new girl in class, you ask?
I’ve been writing for the magazine for several issues. After graduating from Ryerson’s Graphic Communications Management program, I moved into sales, only to find myself back at Ryerson a short while later—this time teaching. With over 100 new students on the horizon, for me September truly is a new start, and I look forward to also making it one for our magazine. I am, and always have been, an optimist when it comes to our industry. I believe that it is people that make the difference—printers are great folks.
As you continue to read from month to month, you’re likely to notice some changes—all positive I hope. We will continue to try to add content that is informative and useful. My formula is derived from my senior biology class—we always KISS (keep it simple stupid). My aim is powerful content with less reading, because who has time these days?
This month’s issue has a bipolar focus. As always, we have our sales, IT and HR experts with some tips and tricks. However, the bulk of the issue concerns trade shows and flatbed inkjet printers, a pair we’ve been seeing quite often in print.
Speaking of trade shows, Tony Curico takes us through a great preview of the upcoming Graph Expo 2008 show in Chicago this October. With over 600 exhibitors, we’ve compiled news on the most popular vendors at the show. We hope to see you there.
We are also honoured to have Gail Nickel-Kailing review the state of the flatbed inkjet industry. With a retail value of printed output from wide-format equipment being nearly $30 billion worldwide (www.it-strategies.com), everyone is looking for opportunities. No better way to start than by talking to some experts. Gail talks about flatbed inkjet with companies that have already achieved great success in this new industry sector—all of them Canadian! Included is a look at the equipment that helped them achieve success.
So as you stand in the endless line-up for a Dudley and lined paper, I hope you will find time to read and enjoy. The year promises to be exciting!
Conventional wisdom dictates that there are limitations to each of the individual printing processes. Web is geared for long runs on only a few substrates; Sheetfed is only economical between 1000 and 50,000 impressions, or when the substrate can’t work in a web machine; Flexo is a packaging process; Screen printing is limited to very short runs on ridged substrates.
Flatbed machines are an extension of digital printers, but their limitations have been the lack of economies of scale on longer print runs and the inability to print on more difficult substrates. While the first issue remains the same, UV flatbed printers have virtually eliminated the second issue. These innovative machines can print at a rate of 4000 sq. ft/hr and can get you up to 1000dpi on the sheet. However, the best part of the technology is that it’s not limited to sheets. UV flatbeds can print on certain kinds of vinyl, PVC, styrene, lexan, foam, corrugates board, card stock, metal, polyethylene, polyester and acrylic surfaces. Notice the word “certain” in the previous sentence. That’s because while this technology has made great leaps and bounds, there are still only a limited number of those types of materials that are approved for use in UV flatbed machines.
What might be more amazing is that this process uses the same ink for all the substrates mentioned. Unlike screen and many other types of printers who change their ink types depending on the substrate, the UV flatbed process uses the same inks for all substrates. While this helps explain why only a limited number of the substrates work with the process, the fact that it all uses the same ink means there is no wash-up or changeover time lost and ordering inks is a no-brainer.
Production range, however, is still limited. The optimum range of printed pieces for this process is 25 - 1000 impressions. This technology seems to work best in a screen shop as a complementary piece of equipment, and it works with the printer’s current product offering. Not only would the machine be able to contribute its own business, it would work as a one-off proofing system, mimicking the actual output of screen press on the same substrate.
The equipment is not abundantly expensive, nor is it cheap. A basic 6-color inking system sells for under $200,000.
Ah yes, but what about training? Most retailers of this technology feel that individuals with good basic computer skills can master the inkjet software in a matter of weeks with little-to-no additional training. If you want to invest in training (always a good idea in my mind), one week or less of onsite training should be sufficient.
So is this technology the last hurdle that has to be cleared in order for digital to become THE printing process? Obviously there are still many issues that have to be addressed. The run length is still the one factor that keeps people from using the process for a huge majority of print jobs, but the increasing ability to print on a multitude of surfaces means that the factors that draw people away from digital processes are being diminished. It may be years away, but it does look like digital will be the technology used on the bulk of print jobs in the future, and the UV flatbed is just one innovation that is helping to move business in that direction.
As the summer of 2008 comes to a close, we say goodbye to the Beijing Olympics. I think China, despite all its problems and critics, put on a fabulous show. Can you imagine all the meticulous planning and hard work that went into organizing these Games? The opening ceremonies will likely go down as the most spectacular in history – on par with the performances of Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt and U.S. swimmer Michael Phelps. It was also a great Olympics for Canada. We won a total of 18 medals, 3 of them gold – a definite improvement over the 12 won in Athens and 14 in Sydney.
It’s estimated that China poured $43 billion into the Games. Toronto, who bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics and lost, is a rich city, but I think it would have had a problem finding that kind of money for the games. Bring on Vancouver 2010.
We’ve heard a lot of doom and gloom about the economy and the newspapers are full of foreclosure, subprime mortgage disasters, etc. But the reality is that Canada’s economy is quite different from the United States right now and only half of one percent of mortgages go under in Canada. Coupled with our more diligent lending policies, we didn’t suffer the same fate as many homeowners south of the border. The world needs what we have – food, fuel and fertilizer. So take heart, Canada is still a great place to be in 2008.
Trade Secret Printing Inc. of Toronto, Ontario, had an Open House Aug. 21 showcasing a very impressive 104,000-sq.-ft. production facility and a state-of-the-art equipment repertoire. But the real news, other than the graciousness of our host and his staff, was the state-of-the-art equipment showcased, not the least of which was a GOSS Sunday 2000 24-page, 5-colour web press with sheeter. When you combine this with the company’s Heidelberg 10-colour SM102 Perfector, two Heidelberg 6-colour + AQ CD102 sheetfed presses, a 21-pocket perfect binder and other equipment, it’s clear that this trade printer, in a relatively short time, has become a major player in the industry. Congratulations to President Dave Harb and his hard working team. We wish them the best of luck in the future.
I’d like to welcome our new Associate Editor, Professor Natalia Gilewicz of Ryerson University. Natalia’s mandate is to further improve the editorial content and to make strategic changes within the magazine. She’ll also be taking on this challenge with Mandy Bayrami. Together they will be adding valuable insights and improvements.
Please make sure to read Gail Nickel-Kailing’s article on large format printing. Also, look out for Tony Curcio’s informative preview of the Chicago Graph Expo show being held in October.
Until next time, stay positive and stay focused.
When Home Depot first opened in my neighborhood, the service was amazing. All my questions were answered, someone helped me carry bulky purchases to my car and cashiers seemed genuinely interested. What I wanted was that level of service to remain – it didn’t. Over the years, Home Depot has badly deteriorated, forcing me to lower my standards. Now, when I buy a 2 X 4 I don’t expect much else. If I can purchase that 2 X 4 at a reasonable price I’m happy, and Home Depot can pat itself on the back thinking I’m a satisfied customer.
Recently, I went to another Home Depot location where the woman who helped me knew about the product, relayed personal information about how she had successfully used it in her home, helped me understand the difference between one model and the next and thanked me for my business. I was amazed – but I shouldn’t have been. All she was doing was what Home Depot promised in the first place.
In Professor Pine’s and Gilmore’s book, “The Experience Economy,” the authors refer to the faulty method many organizations use to measure customer satisfaction. It’s simply the numerical difference between what customers want and what they perceive they get. The problem with this equation is that, in many cases, the customer has come to expect less. So, the gap between wants and “perceived gets” is narrowed.
Now think about the thousands of visitors who come to your trade shows. They pay good money and invest a lot of time to have an enjoyable and profitable experience. Instead, what they get is long aisles, hard floors, harsh lights, inconveniently-located washrooms and exhibitors displaying the same thing they had the previous year. But, it’s what trade show visitors have come to expect. Neither the show organizer, nor the exhibitor has done anything to make the experience memorable and inviting.
As exhibitors, we can work closely as part of a show advisor committee to encourage show organizers to make changes that will improve the show experience for our visitors.. The problem is that major changes take time. You wouldn’t want organizers to revamp their shows relying on the alterations to work without a doubt. The practical approach would be to take small steps, test them out and then take further steps to improve. This way, any transformations in the show are methodical, tested and appropriate.
As exhibitors, we can make changes a bit faster. If we improve our displays to include a visitor experience while we’re waiting for the rest of the show to catch up, we’ll be miles ahead of the game.
There are many steps you can take to accomplish an experience-focused display. Here are a few:
Let your customers expect the unexpected. Offering good service and friendly booth staff becomes the baseline for superior customer satisfaction. Once that baseline of what is acceptable has been established, you need to find ways to improve. Little tweaks often have great results. For example, if you have an appointment at your booth, make sure to have the meeting area cleared, a sign welcoming the guests and a cup of their favourite brew waiting (you can learn their preferences by calling an assistant ahead of time).
Be a good host. Your booth people should forget about selling and adopt the attitude of a host. This shifts the focus away from “pitching” to welcoming.
Encourage interactivity. Sight, sound, smell, touch and taste are important in creating a good experience. Think about your booth and establish “experience points” where the visitor can get involved. Try hospitality, real products and services (yes, services) rather than photos, the sound of a well-oiled machine working, the smell of fresh flowers or coffee brewing and large show-stopping graphics.
Create an environment. Your physical space should be more than a showroom; it should be a place where visitors feel comfortable enough to interact openly and honestly.
There are lots more you can do, but at the very least, try these four. Remember, companies and organizations that keep their customers’ expectations higher than their wants will win.
Durham Region has come up with a plan to divert 70% of its waste from disposal by building a waste-to-energy (WtE) plant, rather than using landfill. I believe this is a positive approach to a very real problem. Toronto still intends to use its Green Lane Landfill site near London to truck its garbage, but should look at other options. For the GTA, the energy-from-waste (EfW) option has been readily available as close as Buffalo for some time.
For the print industry, I had sourced this as an alternative option for a large label printing company with respect to the vast amount of residual matrix from the dye-cutting process. Although generally paper-based, most of this waste has an adhesive backing making it non-recyclable and ending up as landfill. Being organic in nature, this type of waste bio-degrades to produce methane gas and having more than 20 times the potency of carbon dioxide, methane is ranked as a dangerous contributor to global warming. But, this waste stream has a high BTU rating and is desirable for incineration in WtE facilities. Other wastes from our industry, such as spent rubber blankets, waste lamination materials, general garbage and solidified inks that are normally difficult to recycle could be included in a WtE program.
Energy-from-waste or waste-to-energy is a process that takes industrial or municipal solid waste –including household trash -- and transfers it into combustion chambers where it is reduced to 10% of its original volume in the process. The heat generated from the combustion chambers heats up water in steel tubes that form the walls of the combustion chambers. The water is turned to steam and sent through a turbine that continuously generates electricity (Covanta Energy).
According to Covanta Energy, a major player in energy-to-waste, over the past 25 years, the EfW industry has developed state-of-the-art technology that makes it one of the cleanest forms of energy generation. The Energy Policy Act of 2006, Department of Energy and 23 states have classified EfW as a renewable technology, and the Department of Energy states that turning garbage into energy makes “important contributions to the overall effort to achieve increased renewable energy use and the many associated positive environmental benefits.” The advanced technology in combusting waste is the air quality (emission) control system. Energy-from-waste facilities meet or exceed the strictest federal standards set by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and employ a multi-step process to achieve superior environmental performance.
Less dependence on imported fuels: For every tonne of waste processed in an EfW facility, we avoid importing one barrel of oil or mine one-quarter tonne of coal.
Net Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Reduction: For every tonne of waste processed in an EfW facility, almost one-tonne of GHG is avoided. It’s interesting to think that our own garbage could be driving our printing presses or cooking our dinner while reducing global warming.
E-Waste: What could you do with your unwanted computer equipment? Consider donating unwanted items to support the National Cristina Foundation through the Dell recycling program. The National Cristina Foundation and Dell have partnered to provide computer technology to people with disabilities, students at risk and economically disadvantaged persons. Combined with training, this program enables these people to lead more productive lives. There’s no charge to Informco to donate used or obsolete computer technology. The process is straightforward. Plus, by donating no-longer-needed systems, you can reduce storage costs and administrative time and expenses.
E-waste Facts at a Glance
The amount of disposed computers and peripherals doubled in 2006 to more than 67,000 tonnes in Canada alone (Environment Canada).
Environment Canada reports that every year Canadians bury or incinerate 158,000 tonnes of dead and obsolete computers, monitors, printers, fax machines, TVs, mobile phones and similar products.
An estimated 4,740 tonnes of lead is contained in personal computers and televisions thrown away each year in Canada. Discarded personal computers contain an estimated 4.5 tonnes of cadmium and 1.1 tonnes of mercury (Environment Canada).
Computers and terminals that are no longer useful for your company may have several years of life left in them for a non-profit or public agency. Through Dell’s partnership with the National Cristina Foundation, you can donate this equipment to help local non-profit organizations and public agencies provide skills to disabled and economically disadvantaged children and adults throughout Canada.
In exchange, you receive a receipt for a tax deduction along with an online coupon for 10% off selected electronics and accessories purchased online through the Dell Systems Electronic and Accessories web site.
(VisitDell Recyclingand choose “Donate” to help disabled and economically disadvantaged children and adults obtain technology otherwise denied to them).
Waste cell phones and inkjet cartridges
The Canadian Association of Food Banks has a program that turns collected cell phones, inkjet or laser printer/copier cartridges into food for kids (e.g. - eight glasses of milk for each cartridge recycled). They also have a program for old cell phones Call 1-888-271-3641 for details or visit www.think-food.com. You could provide a drop box for your staff.
Q. Does Windows file sharing run automatically on Leopard, or is there something else I need to do?
A. Windows file sharing is still available in Mac OS X 10.5, Leopard although it appears to be hidden. To turn on Windows file sharing, open “System Preferences” and click on the sharing icon. Next, put a checkmark beside “File Sharing” and while it’s highlighted, you should see the current shared folders and users who are able to connect to your Mac. When a user from a remote Mac or Windows machine wants to access a file, they would connect by either choosing “Connect to Server” in the finder on the Mac, or by choosing your Mac from “My Network Places.”
In previous versions of OS X, Windows file sharing was a sharing preference on its own. In Leopard, file sharing is customized as the “Options” button. From there, you can control whether users can connect by Apple Filesharing Protocol, Windows File Sharing, also known as SMB and Samba, as well as FTP. By default, only AFP is active. When you choose “Share Files and Folders with SMB,” you will also need to choose the user account that is able to access the files on your Mac, and you will also need to authenticate the access by entering your username and password.
Q. I recently got a new iPhone, and I find that entering text can be tricky. Can you suggest anything that will make typing easier?
A. If you recently switched from another handheld device, such as a Blackberry or a Palm, you’ll find that entering text on iPhone is different because of the tactile differences of using a touch screen. When entering text on your iPhone, you are presented with a QWERTY style keyboard. Numbers and punctuation are accessed by clicking the key in the lower left-hand corner.
One of the first tricks I learned while entering text on my phone was that to quickly access punctuation while entering letters, you can press and hold the punctuation key, slide your finger over to the character you want and release your finger. Then, you’ll find that the iPhone switches back to the QWERTY keyboard. This makes entering text with punctuation relatively easy because you can quickly access commonly used characters such as a comma, period, underscores and dashes.
With a device like a Blackberry or a cell phone, you have actual keys so it’s easier to find the character you want. So by using the “sliding finger trick” I mentioned on your iPhone, you can accomplish the same thing. When you press a key on the keyboard, the display shows you the keys selected. If you hold your finger over the key, you can see whether or not you chose the correct one. If you haven’t, you can slide from left or right and choose again. Of course, if you’re in the habit of the “walk-and-text,” you should always be aware of your surroundings – ideally you should stop walking while entering text to avoid any accidents!
By the way, you can also access accented keys by holding down your finger over a letter that would have special punctuation. For instance, if you hold down the letter “E,” you can access different accents, such as “grave,” “acute,” “circumflex,” “tréma,” “umlaut,” or “cedilla.”
If you make a mistake while entering text, you can hold your finger down on the entered text and a magnified view will appear. Then, you can slide your finger until the cursor goes where you want within a word. To fine tune this, you can roll your finger to accurately place the cursor where you wish.
There is also a free application in the App Store called “WritingPad,” which takes the “sliding finger” to the next level. To spell out words, you move your finger over the letters that spell the word – all without lifting your finger. The idea is to slide rather than tap.
Speaking of not lifting a finger, this article was input into Word using MacSpeech Dictate (spoken into an iMac, not typed on the keyboard!)
A banner revolution has been taking place over the past few years. If you take a good look around, you’ll notice banner advertising in many different forms. This flexible fabric is growing in popularity, and end users are finding innovative ways to incorporate this material into more than just traditional signage. No longer is a banner just a piece of vinyl with cut letters stuck on to it. There are now a million different possibilities from visual merchandising to architectural enhancements.
As a copy/print/sign shop, what does this mean to you? It means you can offer your customers a wide range of application possibilities. The magic is in the substrates! There are endless ways to offer more products to your customers with the use of different substrates, which you can put through your inkjet printer. Keep an open mind to creativity, and your customers will love you for it!
To help you expand your business, banner material manufacturers offer a wide variety of materials. Selecting the right material might seem a little confusing at first, but try speaking to a knowledgeable reseller and experimenting on your own. Here are some product guidelines:
Backlit Scrim Banner
This is a smooth, white PVC-laminated, very fine polyester scrim. In most cases, it is less expensive than backlit film. It’s great for large backlit stage graphics and signs and can be used indoors and outdoors.
Blockout Banner
This kind of banner is constructed with a blockout material in between two substrates to prevent light from passing through it. Different types of banner material can be made into blockout, such as scrim or fabric. This kind of banner is well suited to two-sided printing.
Canvas
There are a range of acid-free matte, semi-gloss or glossy finish artist stretch canvases available that make a beautiful banner product. They come in a variety of thicknesses and can be hung or stretched. Canvas delivers superior color gamut and resolution with a striking finished product.
Fabric Banner
Fabric is one of the best materials to make banners with – and the most expensive. They hang naturally and are pleasing to the eye. The fabric banner is ideal for producing flags, displays, window decorations, stage banners, trade show graphics, roll-up displays, and window backlit. Types of fabric banners can include canvas, poly poplin, nylon, poly duck, Dacron, poly satin, poly lucent, and poly silk. In most cases, fabric banners are finished with pole pockets at the top so they can hang straight and flat.
Mesh Banner
This lightweight, but tightly woven, mesh vinyl-coated material has a polyester scrim and a highly receptive surface for crisp, clear images. This fabric is designed for interior and exterior single-sided banners. The mesh material allows wind to pass through it. It’s ideal for use against a solid surface, like a building, but can be used for some retail applications where the mesh can hang inside a store’s display window and act like a window perforation. Mesh banners are rated based on the hole size and the weight of the material.
Polyethylene Banner (two-sided banner)
This type of banner is ideal for short-term indoor and outdoor promotional use where a smooth, uniform base material is required. Its polyethylene base gives it a high level of water resistance; good drape characteristics and excellent light-blocking opacity. This product is intended for use in most water-based thermal and piezo printers using dye and pigment inks. This medium strength banner is ideal for free-hanging; it hangs straight and flat and will not curl or cup with changes in humidity or temperatures. Cost-effective alternative to stitching one-sided banners back to back.
Polypropylene Banner
A very smooth and strong banner designed for short-term retail signage needs. This low-cost, flat, tear-resistant banner should be stitched for additional support and may not be suitable with certain printers (those using heated platens). Heated platens (usually found on solvent-based printers) may stretch the material.
Scrim Vinyl Banner
Scrim vinyl has a very strong integral nylon mesh and is usually identified by a pattern of visible squares that run through it. Scrim banners are ideal for outdoor use (especially for event graphics) but may curl with time. This product provides exceptional ink dry times, excellent draping, and can be sewn and grommeted.
Tear-Resistant Wet-Strength Paper
This option is a tear-resistant, one-side-coated paper. The latex-saturated, nylon-reinforced sheet offers an economical solution for short-term, indoor promotional banner applications, promotional posters, and decorative wall covering applications.
Tyvek Banner
For durable wide-format banners, streamers, and signs, Tyvek banners offer a high tear-resistance and can be grommeted for flexible banners. Tyvek is a material that builders use to insulate the outside of the house, which means it’s very strong and lightweight – but takes a great image with eye-catching colors. The primary drawbacks are that it is costly and can yellow over time. It’s ideal for short-term (less than one year) outdoor applications.
Wet-Strength, Nylon-Reinforced 10 Mil Paper
Magic Inkjet makes an economical latex-saturated, nylon-reinforced cellulose, wet-strength indoor banner/outdoor poster and wall covering material. It also resists water and UV damage. This is an economical alternative for short-term, indoor promotional signage where high-tear strength is not required. Also accepts standard pastes for wall coverings or murals.