Additional external and internal applications, improved durability and image quality, productivity and efficiency, individualisation and creativity, inspiring visitors to exploit new growth potential – those are the keywords heard in connection with the trade fair presentation of leading digital printing companies at viscom. The international trade fair for visual communication will be held from 5 to 7 November in Frankfurt. As usual, the large format printing segment is particularly well represented. From Agfa Graphics, Canon, Complott Papier Union, Epson and Fujifilm Sericol, Hewlett-Packard, Mimaki and Multi-Plot Europe through to Mutoh, OKI Systems, Roland DG Benelux, Seiko Instruments, Sihl Direct, Spandex/Brunner or Technoplot: The major manufacturers provide orientation in the market. Three months before the trade fair is due to open, we asked some of them about their new business areas and new technical developments.
The range of applications in digital large format printing could not be any broader. Where else could the journey take us? And how do you present that at viscom?
Canon Deutschland GmbH
Marc Schnierer, Marketing Manager Professional Print & Wide Format, Canon
"The expansion of the range of applications for digital printing systems continues unabated, without any end in sight really. Users themselves, in particular, keep discovering new fields of application. In the industrial environment, digital also enters many new areas of application and offers room for innovations. We are putting much effort into pushing ahead with the development of technologies and inks. Innovative strength continues at the same high level, and we keep seeing the emergence of ever more productive systems offering high print quality and ease of operation. The future belongs to the suppliers of solutions that keep the production process in its entirety in mind. Based on innovative print applications, Canon showcases the entire value creation chain, from its own software solutions and those of its partners to printing on, among others, the new Océ Arizona 6100 series – with a consistent orientation towards productivity and optimised for efficient production at high speeds on rigid materials – and through to further processing. The perspective on innovative print applications is completed by the novel sheet-fed printing applications, in keeping with our aim of inspiring visitors to exploit new growth potential."
FUJIFILM Deutschland
David Radtke, Marketing Manager Media & Digital Solutions, FUJIFILM Deutschland
„Individualisation and creativity in all segments remains a major theme. For this purpose, Fujifilm is continuously developing new, innovative hardware, inks and printing materials, to open up new business areas for customers. In order to demonstrate the numerous possibilities large format digital printing has to offer, Fujifilm will present a large number of innovative print samples at viscom. Three-dimensional effects, lacquer or white finishings, printing on a range of different materials such as wood and glass – visitors can see all this on the Fujifilm stand, as well as creative roll materials in use.
Samples of applications using the Uvijet KV ink will also be presented – a first at a trade fair in Germany. The newly developed UV curing deep-draw ink offers high quality and brilliant colours, without loss in printing speed. Immediately upon completion of the printing process on the flat plastic sheet, it can be placed in a form tool and moulded, applying 300 to 400% heat without loss in quality. It is ideally suited for the creation of small individualised runs and prototypes."
Hewlett-Packard GmbH
Stephan Kurz, Regional Business Manager Large Format Production Germany and Central East Europe
„We see noticeable growth in the interior design segment. In the wallpaper print segment, in particular, demand for new application possibilities keeps rising. Quite generally, the demand for many new applications to be produced on environmentally-friendly and odour-free printing equipment for the consumer as well as for the POS segment is increasing. Our HP products, such as the HP Latex 310, HP Latex 330, HP Latex 360 and HP Latex 3000, precisely fulfil these requirements: The inks for these printing machines are water-based, GREENGUARD Children & Schools certified and meet AgBB criteria. HP will also present these products at this year's viscom.
The HP Latex 3000 on the other hand, which is capable of printing individual content on the most diverse surfaces, such as vinyl, textile, paper, film and other media, serves the latest print trends in the interior design segment. And with the HP Latex 300 printer series, customers with lower print volumes have the possibility to efficiently offer additional external and internal applications with improved durability and image quality. Interested visitors can view all these solutions for signage and display printing, as well as the broad range of printing for interior design and packaging on the HP stand 3.0 C11 in Frankfurt."
Mimaki Europe B.V.
Mike Horsten, General Manager Marketing EMEA
"One message seems to be very important: At the beginning of the 21st century, we cannot strive for "more of the same". The "Global Challenges" call for a new understanding of how the sign and printing markets work and how we can achieve more in less time. The large range of printers, Mimaki offers is a new answer to the global challenge. Speed and quality are things that need to go hand in hand. We need to achieve more than before. We have enhanced our products so that the creative minds of our customers can enter a new and exciting world without boundaries of their imagination. Viscom is the perfect place to show these new enhancements to the broad range of customers that visit this tradeshow. Viscom is for Mimaki the glue between our products and the sign and visual communications industries. That's why we say Lets' Create Together."
Epson Deutschland GmbH
Frank Schenk, Head of ProGraphics and Industrial Printing der Epson Deutschland GmbH
„Epson will present solutions using the PrecisionCore technology with which we will take digital ink printing into new markets. On our stand in Hall 3.0/B13, the interested expert public will see not only workflows for direct-to-fabric printing and textile transfer printing but also the production of high-quality signage material. Since, as always, our presentations focus strongly on practical relevance, visitors can immediately see the advantages of the Epson SureColor large format printers in the different production processes."