OKI and Mimaki Engineering Conclude Exclusive International Sales Agreement for OKI Data’s Wide Format Inkjet Printers. Information regarding the Australian Market.

Under this agreement, from April 1, 2020, Mimaki Engineering will sell OKI Data’s wide format inkjet printers, ink and other supplies, and maintenance parts in overseas markets including Australia.

The products covered by this international alliance include OKI Data’s two wide format inkjet printers capable of high-speed, high-density printing—the ColorPainter H3-104s and the ColorPainter M-64s—as well as ink and other supplies for these models and for other OKI Data’s wide format inkjet printers previously sold by OKI Data.
Mimaki Australia will take the best efforts to minimise the impacts for all OKI Data wide format printer customers after April 1st, regarding the distribution network, customer support and consumable supplies.

Relationship between current OKI Data’s wide format printer distribution network and Mimaki Australia is under constructions and will be finalised and announced by March 31st.

Any inquiries of OKI Data wide format printer products, please contact OKI Data Australia before March 31st and Mimaki Australia after April 1st.

OKI Data Australia
Level 1, 67 Epping Road Macquarie Park  NSW  2113
Ph (02) 8071 0000

Mimaki Australia
Unit 14, 38-46 South Street, Rydalmere NSW 2116
Ph (02) 8036 4500

Following on from Roland DG's Support Program announcement (see below), Roland DG has commenced to schedule service runs to fire affected regions across Australia. These runs will occur throughout February.  


If your business has been impacted, and you are in a position to have your equipment inspected as below please contact Roland DG directly on 1-800-500-119, through our website booking form at www.rolanddg.com.au/support/customer-support-form, or via e-mail at service@rolanddg.com.au.


Beyond service support, Roland DG is keen to provide additional assistance where possible and as each individual's needs may differ, we ask you to contact us to discuss how we can help get your business back up and running as fast as possible.

Higher apprentice numbers and a growing awareness of industry career opportunities are just some of the positive outcomes of a pioneering program led by Visual Connections and the Australian Sign & Graphics Association (ASGA), with the Australian Schools Industry Partnership (AusSIP) in 2019. And, with the initiative set to expand from 2020, the future is looking bright.

Sign & Display apprenticeships in NSW were up 21.28% in 2019, with ten additional apprentices signing up for TAFE training. This lift in numbers is just one outcome of a partnership between Visual Connections, ASGA and the education liaison team at AusSIP.

Peter Harper, CEO of Visual Connections, says the partnership – which falls under Visual Connections’ Academy initiatives – has now been piloted for a full year in New South Wales, with a focus on the sign and display industry, with very positive results.

“It’s no secret that attracting young people, training them, and retaining them, is a major challenge across the entire sector,” Harper said today. “Visual Connections is committed to supporting the future sustainability of the industry, and one of our key areas of focus is attracting young people to the industry and ensuring they have access to the training they need to build their careers.”

For Michael Punch, General Manager of ASGA, it is also about revealing the wonders and opportunities inherent in sign and graphics careers. 
“So many students, parents and careers advisors are simply unaware of the industry and its variety,” he says. “They walk daily through shopping malls, festooned with all forms of signage, yet while plumbers, carpenters and electricians are trades they’re very familiar with in their homes and workplaces, it’s a different story with sign makers and installers.”

In 2019, AusSIP’s Tina Mavris and John Watters ran the initiative in a number of NSW schools to give years 10 and 11 students the opportunity to learn about the industry through visits to Ultimo TAFE and ASGA members who, Punch says, have been keen to open their doors to give students a ‘hands-on’ experience and share their passion for the industry. A large number of students also attended PrintEx19 in Sydney in August as part of the program.

“For many of the young people we connect with, their contact with us is the first time they’ve ever heard about sign, display and print – let alone considered a career in the sector,” Watters says. 

“Regardless of whether they are creative, IT-focused, engineering or construction-minded, or simply interested in a varied and challenging career, students who have the opportunity to see what sign, display, engraving, wide-format and other print businesses do every day, and to put that in the context of the many and varied industries which rely on those services, are invariably amazed and impressed. And, importantly, the ‘hands-on’ nature of this program demonstrates that there really are jobs in the industry which are both available and desirable.”

Issues around careers and training are, of course, complex, and recruitment into training is just one outcome, Watters explains, acknowledging that the Sydney pilot is just the start of what is likely to be a very long process.

“It’s not enough for students to be convinced about their career direction. Parents, teachers and vocational counsellors all play an important role in helping young people select their post-secondary training, and must be part of any education process,” he points out. 

“Close liaison with TAFEs and other RTOs is also vital to ensure that there are clear training pathways available. With different systems and multiple providers in each State, that’s also a complex process and one which takes time to work through. 

“What is great, however, is that Visual Connections and ASGA have identified a long-standing challenge for the industry, and they’re doing something positive about it.”

As well as improving overall awareness, building relationships with schools, industry and training providers, the Sydney pilot has achieved notable success this year in increasing the number of registrations in the Sign & Display TAFE course for 2020. 

Particularly pleasing, says Harper, is that five of the new apprentices – half the intake – were girls, a result which represents a doubling of female apprenticeships in this category in 2019.





“It’s always pleasing to see young women take up opportunities in our industry, and we’re absolutely delighted to see the number of girls starting these apprenticeships growing to near parity with the boys,” Harper says. 

Given the success of the NSW pilot, Harper and Punch say their organisations are keen to continue the partnership and to expand the program from 2020, both to other states in Australia and into different sectors of the industry, with new initiatives to be announced soon.

“Visual Connections believes there is no greater investment that we can make in the future of our industry than in equipping young people to become the leaders of tomorrow,” he says. “We look forward to expanding this successful program across the country and the industry as we seek to support a sustainable future for the sector.”

To find out how your business can be involved in the program contact michael_punch@signs.org.au, or to find out more about AusSIP, go to www.aussip.com.au or watch the video made at PrintEx19.

Idealliance, the global think tank, standards developer and certifying body for ISO, G7® colour specification and brand supply chain management programs and consulting, has appointed David Crowther of Colour Graphic Services to head its Australasian office, based in Sydney. Crowther is a certified G7® Expert.

“This is the beginning of a whole new era for colour consistency and brand supply chain management in our region,” says Crowther, “many global leading global brands are already mandating G7 certified colour to ensure that the same brilliant colour is reproduced anywhere in the world, by any process and in all formats such as advertising, signage, catalogues, packaging, corporate livery and so on.”

G7 is the Idealliance specification that uses grey-balance and visual appearance to calibrate and control any printing or proofing device, anywhere. Where G7 is used, ICC profiles become much more durable and reliable, enabling an achievable target colour to be replicated when files are shared or transferred for printing on any device-creating a supply chain workflow of one file, one separation, one calibration, one aim point - (PRINT ANYWHERE™…BRILLIANTLY), all lending to tremendous upsurge in efficiency, drastic waste reduction and resulting increase in profitability.

Since early 2018, the Australasian office of Idealliance has been managed by Jason Hall of CMYKiT, who has moved on to focus on his security software business. “I’d like to acknowledge and thank Jason for the groundwork he has done in establishing Idealliance Australasia and wish him every success for the future,” says Crowther.

Idealliance has five main certifications and training and all will be available through David Crowther/Colour Graphic Services. These are:

• G7 Expert - individuals certified and licensed by Idealliance as proven leaders in print production and global Standards to align all proof and print applications regardless of the print process, ink, or substrate.

• G7 Master Facility Qualification - For print service providers to demonstrate their leading capabilities in Colour Management using G7 methodology.

• BrandQ® - BrandQ enables communication between brand owners and suppliers, so it is clear on brand owner’s expectations, evaluation methodology, aims, tolerances and validation process. BrandQ certification assures a high level of communication, quality and performance which leads to overall operational efficiency, process control, measurement controls, and data that can be shared between print service provider and brands, brand owners and print buyers. This is including the certification audit BrandQ® Certified Supply Chain Facility.

• G7 Process Control Expert - The G7 Process Control Expert training addresses the challenges of managing colour across devices and workflows, defining how to integrate and maintain proven industry best practices and standards. 

• G7 Process Control Facility Certification - (For print service providers that demonstrate expert use of process control and leading practices designed for print supply chain efficiencies and productivity).

Idealliance CEO Tim Baechle says, of Crowther’s appointment: 

“We are extremely proud to have David leading Idealliance Australasia as he brings tremendous colour management knowledge, process control expertise and an exceptional depth of understanding of technologies, both hardware and software, covering all print technologies within the industry. He also has a tremendous reputation and a unique set of character traits that aligns fully with the servant leadership mindset of Idealliance, which will allow him to serve this region extraordinarily well.”

Crowther adds: “The Idealliance organization is passionate about colour accuracy and has members of notable companies such as Microsoft, Sony, Lindt & Sprüngli, Ricoh, Canon, Techkon and West Rock on its board of directors. This sits very well with the work Colour Graphic Services is engaged in with ISO 12647 certification and other colour management workflow projects. I am delighted to be appointed as the Australasian office and look forward to starting the courses and certifications very soon.”

www.colourgraphicservices.com
www.idealliance.org 

Roland DG would like to extend its thoughts and best wishes to those who have been affected by the fires that are currently ravaging large parts of Australia. With so many friends and colleagues affected we hope for the wellbeing of all involved.

As part of Roland DG’s existing Disaster Support Program for those affected by this terrible tragedy, Roland DG is keen to assist where we can. One such way is to provide, at no cost, call-out fees and labour to review and inspect Roland equipment damaged as a direct result of the fires, or the resulting power outages. The Roland DG Care team can provide condition reports for any insurance claim requirements and for equipment requiring repair service work, spare parts will be supplied under special rates (please contact Roland DG directly for more detail).

Roland DG endeavours to help find additional ways to assist customers directly affected so please contact the team for more details on how we can help get your business back up and running.

The Roland DG Care team will be scheduling service runs in the affected regions once it is safe to do so. Should you have any questions, or to register for the special service runs please do not hesitate to contact Roland DG directly for assistance on 1-800-500-119, through our website booking form at www.rolanddg.com.au/support/customer-support-form, or via e-mail at service@rolanddg.com.au and one of our staff will be more than willing to assist.

Landa announces that the Chinese packaging giant, Zhongrong Printing Group Co., Ltd. (ZRP), has completed the installation and launched the first Landa S10 Nanographic Printing Press in Asia Pacific. ZRP will use its Landa press to deliver faster, higher-quality digital color printing of short to medium-run packaging for its large and prominent customer base of Chinese FMCG businesses.

Mr Huang, CEO, ZRP comments: “It fills us with pride to be the first Chinese company to install and operate a Landa S10 press, and to offer the benefits of this technology to our customers. With a strong focus on service innovation, we believe that cutting-edge technologies are key drivers for business growth and differentiation, and early signs suggest that the Landa press will give us that. Our customers now have the ability to order medium-run jobs for the first time, with incredible color vibrancy and all the logistical and environmental savings that ordering what you want, when you need it, delivers.

“We already have a comprehensive offering digital print, offset, gravure, silkscreen and flexo printing processes, but the Landa S10 presents us with a brand-new production capability and customer service that truly complements our other printing formats. In China, colors used in packaging and product branding are very influential in the consumer buying decision. These colors can suggest anything from the nutritional value of the product to the product’s authenticity (not counterfeit). Because of this, we expect Nanography’s vibrant color palette to add significant value to customers, especially in a competitive retail environment,” Huang adds.

The single-sided B1 (41 in. / 1,050 mm) format Landa S10 Nanographic Printing Press enables just-in-time mainstream efficiency for the production of folding carton and POP/POS applications. With a higher throughput than any other digital sheetfed press in the industry, the Landa S10 prints 6,500 large format sheets per hour on off-the-shelf substrates in thickness from 2.4-32 pt. (60-800μm).

Yishai Amir, Landa CEO comments: “We’ve spent the last six months putting all the necessary service and support functions in place to serve customers in China, which also includes the opening of a local Landa office. With that done, ZRP has been the perfect partner to launch Nanography in Asia Pacific. Being a packaging expert and one of the country’s ‘Top 100’ leading industry suppliers, the company not only understands the opportunities that the Landa S10 delivers, but they also know how to take Nanography to market and drive its rapid adoption. We look forward to supporting ZRP and other customers in this thriving region, in the near future.”

David Crowther, the Colour Doctor of Colour Graphic Services has recently returned from Perth with the news that leading WA printer Scott Print has achieved an Australian/NZ-industry first by attaining Mellow Colour Proficient Printer certified for ISO 12647-2:2013 (including ISO 12647-8:2012) for all of its colour production, offset and digital.

“The original certification was one year ago,” says Crowther, “but of course, any standard is only as good as the upkeep of it via auditing and I am delighted to say that Scott Print has passed its second audit with flying colours, no pun intended! It is a significant achievement since both digital and offset/CtP output devices need to be maintained to ISO 12647 colour standard day-in, day-out. Not only this but Scott Print uses both digital liquid toner (HP Indigo) and dry toner (Xerox), and these lay down images in different ways. Add to that the CtP/Offset variance and controlling colour across eight devices is a challenge for the world’s best – and Scott Print certainly falls into this category.”





Scott Print’s production comprises:
1 x HP Indigo 5000 SRA3 digital colour press
1 x Fuji Xerox Iridesse SRA3 digital colour press
2 x Fuji Xerox Colour 1000i A3 digital printers
1 x Komori HUV GL840 B1 offset press
1 x Komori LS 629 B2+ offset press
1 x Screen PlateRite 8900S CtP
Prinergy workflow and 2 x seats of Mellow Colour PrintSpec
Techkon SpectroDens Premium and SpectroPlate for measurement, Just Normlicht viewing

This combination now delivers ISO 12647-2:2013 latest colour standard matched to all colour output, digital or offset.

“I’d like to congratulate the colour management team headed by Doug Henderson, Adriano Piccaluga in Offset and Danilo Bernini in Digital, for their diligence and professionalism in learning and maintaining the ISO standard across all devices and, of course, the management of John and Tim Scott for their faith and perseverance in world-best practice of print colour management,” says Crowther.

www.colourgraphicservices.com
www.scott.com.au 

The new design combines the latest engineering developments with high production standards and guaranteed 0.2mm precision cutting accuracy. The simple, rapid and accurate alignment of materials increases productivity and saves money.

Unique Lift-and-Hover (patent pending) technology enables single-handed, fast and accurate alignment of all media. A clutch device within the Lift-and-Hover system enables the clamping bar to be easily raised then lowered. The cutter bar suspends exactly parallel to the media surface over the whole length of the cut with zero sag, even on the longest size of cutter. The sightline strip shows precisely where the cut will be made, and the clamp can then be fully engaged. The mechanism ensures guaranteed high precision accuracy with every cut.

The new QuikSwap tool heads designed for a specific purpose such as general cutting, creasing or fabric cutting. The tool heads can be attached and removed from the cutter in seconds, ensuring ease-of-use and improved productivity.

There are three Evolution3 models: the SmartFold which can be stowed underneath the bench, the BenchTop which fixes to a work surface, and a portable FreeHand version. Available in cut sizes from 44” to 144” the Evolution3 is offered with a full 5-year guarantee.

A new EconoRed™ II-30 high capacity dryer from Vastex cures up to 300 plastisol-printed garments/h, and 100 garments/h screen printed with water-based ink or discharge, it was announced by Mark Vasilantone, president.

The dryer is 20 percent quieter and 13 cm narrower than its EC II-30 predecessor owing to its top-mounted exhaust system, and allows positioning of the control box on the right (standard) or left side of the enclosure to suit shop layouts.

It is equipped as standard with a 76 cm wide conveyor belt and two 61 cm wide, 3600 watt heaters (total 7,200 watts). Capacity can be doubled, tripled or quadrupled as needs grow by adding one, two or three additional heating chambers, extending the belt length and increasing the belt speed.

The heaters feature closely spaced coils that provide high-density, medium-wavelength infrared heat for maximum cure speed without cold spots or under-curing, and come with a 15-year warranty.

A “Vastex Infrared Focusing System” allows heater adjustment to any height from 5 to 18 cm above the belt, allowing the operator to compensate for garment thickness.
To cool the outer cabinet while evacuating moisture and fumes, EconoRed II-30 single-chamber models are equipped with a 10 m3/min. exhaust system, while two-chamber models utilise a 21.5 m3/min. system.

All models include a digital PID temperature controller accurate to +/- 1°C, allowing the operator to accurately repeat or fine-tune drying results, and a belt tracking system for increased belt life. 

Mr. Vasilantone says an EconoRed™ ER-II-54 version with 137 cm wide conveyor belt will soon follow.

For information contact Vastex International, Inc., +1 610 625 2702, sales@vastex.com, www.vastex.com

Cactus Imaging, the printing division of outdoor giant oOh!Media, has installed Australia’s first Fujifilm Acuity Ultra 5044, one of the first five of its generation in the world, which boosts the platform’s print speed from 236sqm/h to a blistering 400sqm/h.


It is the second time in a row Cactus will be one of the platform’s earliest adopters, having installed its predecessor in November 2018, also as an Australian first. The previous model at Cactus Imaging is having its software updated to the newest platform as part of the installation.


The latest 5m workhorse from Fujifilm combines its predecessor’s 3 picolitre droplet size, with an improved ability to print multi-roll, with three 300m rolls able to be set up to run independently on the 5044.


Cactus has seen incredible growth in recent years, and has installed a series of printers to keep up and meet demand, while innovating and pushing for capabilities that its competitors do not have.


The Ultra was selected for its ability to help the company diversify, adding flexible capacity across indoor and outdoor applications: fabric, POS, billboards, interior décor, segments which Cactus says it has grown since the installation of its first Acuity Ultra in late 2018. Selecting two CMYK heads for its newly installed Ultra, Cactus has prioritised speed to meet demand.


With a three picolitre ink size, the CMYK heads of the new generation of machines achieve a print quality and gamut that belies the lack of extra colours.


Cactus Imaging is no stranger to early adoption, having been founded 25 years ago with a philosophy to push the boundaries. Since then, the company has picked up multiple pieces of kit from different manufacturers as an early-adopter.


Its founder, Keith Ferrel, is known in printing circles internationally for their approach, was inducted into the Fespa Hall of Fame in 2012, and often gives print presentations to international audiences.


As Ferrel explains, “We have been early adopters of technology for the past 25 years. We started this company on a world-first electrostatic printer. We do not like to follow, we like to lead.


“We work closely with manufacturers all around the world with what they have got coming up in the future. We are constantly looking for innovation, new inks, substrates, printers, or equipment that may give us an advantage.


“There’s no doubt that this strategy has worked for us.”


Of course, with all new pieces of kit come the inevitable teething issues as they are fine-tuned following installation.


For Ferrel, the minor hiccups are well worth the results.


“My way of thinking is: If you become an early adopter of technology, and work closely with the manufacturer you can make it work for their benefit, and our benefit.


“We recognise there are teething problems as early adopters, but if you wait five years for it to be tweaked and proven, then you get no advantage.”


The Ultra is in the final stages of its installation currently, and expected to be up and running completely early next week.

Elephantech is a startup that manufactures and sells flexible printed circuits (FPC) manufactured using inkjet printing and electroless copper plating. The company uses a proprietary manufacturing method in which metal materials are printed only on the required areas of a board surface and then grown using plating technology. This method, which is shorter than a conventional lithographic FPC production process, offers benefits in the form of lower environmental impacts, lower manufacturing costs, and shorter lead-times.
 
One of Epson's strategies under its Epson 25 Corporate Vision is to accelerate growth by taking maximum advantage of its existing assets and by engaging in collaboration and open innovation. In inkjet, Epson is seeking more open innovation opportunities and is expanding external sales of printheads based on its PrecisionCore technology.
 
The partnership with Elephantech, which has a large potential customer base, is a specific example of this. Epson expects the collaborative partnership with Elephantech to accelerate the use of inkjet printheads in industrial applications such as printed electronics, a priority area for Epson. Moving forward, Epson will create new markets by aggressively pursuing opportunities to provide inkjet printheads and related information for a wider range of printing applications.
Elephantech, with funding from Epson, is on a mission to make the world sustainable with new manufacturing technologies.
 
Toward this end, it is expanding its inkjet-printed FPC manufacturing operations and creating markets by developing a broader range of applications for its technology, such as technology for forming wiring patterns on 3D plastic objects and the printing of biomaterials.
 
Elephantech CEO Shinya Shimizu said, "The environmental impact of global manufacturing continues to grow and is set to exceed the level that the earth can absorb, making it harder and harder to claim sustainability. I believe that additive, inkjet-based manufacturing processes in which material is printed only where it is needed will become the global standard in manufacturing, replacing existing subtractive processes in which material that is not needed is removed and disposed of. We have and will continue to lead a technology revolution toward low-waste manufacturing processes."
 
Epson President Minoru Usui said, "We at Epson are committed to playing a central role as an indispensable company in making the world a better place, and toward that end, we are creating new value that can help solve societal challenges and achieve sustainability. Innovations in manufacturing processes using Epson's inkjet printheads, which have competitive edge in terms of printing performance, environmental performance, and ink compatibility, are a core part of our strategy. The collaboration with Elephantech in printed electronics is an extremely important first step toward reaching our goal of driving innovation in global manufacturing by creating new, more compact, inkjet-based production processes that have a lower environmental impact."
 
The investment of capital in Elephantech will have a negligible effect on Epson's financial results.

The GJI group continues its investment into the digital, marketing, signage and media landscape with the successful acquisition of Signpac.

GJI Group’s CEO, Mark James recently announced that the group were actively searching for brands to acquire which complement the group’s collective skill set and capabilities to help their clients find, keep and grow their customers.

Signpac will be joining existing GJI Group brands Customology, Colorcorp and Conversify.

Signpac has been developing, designing and installing signage for over 20 years. Their specialisation in digital media signage has seen them grow and lead the market in the education sector. “The Signpac technology and innovation allows our clients to leverage the best from static and variable display benefits.” Larry Wainstien, Signpac founder and GM said.

“The Signpac acquisition is strategically important to the GJI Group. Our existing clients are now able to benefit from Singpacs leading edge digital display technology.” Marcus Emery, Group GM says.

Signpac will continue its day-to-day operations from their Sydney office. Larry Wainstein will continue to lead the team. “We are very excited about joining the GJI Group. It gives our product and services a very bright and scalable future plus great career opportunities for our team.” Wainstien added.

The GJI group is a group of companies in the marketing services space that enable Brands to Find, Keep and Grow customers.

Screen today announces that leading UK label print provider, Hine Labels, is expanding its application offering by manufacturing flexible printed pouches with its UV inkjet label press under the brand name of houp.com.


According to Bill Hine MD of Hine Labels, it was a logical decision to apply its existing Truepress Jet L350UV+LM to digitally print pouches. Hine explains: ‘With its low migration inks, the press is perfect to produce premium pouches that are compliant with the strict food safety standards. This allows houp.com to differentiate its offering and enjoy a new and exciting revenue stream.”


“We have identified a gap in the market for digitally printed short-run pouches. Our clients are looking to achieve professional packaging without the commitment of ordering larger volumes, and they are looking for multiple applications from the same provider. The Screen Truepress Jet L350UV+LM allows us to move into various different markets in order to satisfy our customer-base and the ever-demanding needs of a competitive market.”


Hine Labels purchased the L350UV+LM last year due to its low migration inks, which are compliant with the strict safety standards of food packaging. With the uptime, reliability and quality experienced when using the press, in combination with the industry leading productivity of up to 60 metres per minute, cited as reasons for the original investment.


Hine continues, “We are all aware of the environmental concerns with regards to plastic packaging and the counterbalance of the need for a circular plastic economy. Our approach has been to look at the amount of plastics used in short-run pouches and by handling the web in a different way, surface printing using inks that do not require laminating. We’ve managed to reduce the amount of manufacturing waste significantly (30% or more). Our solution offers a very attractive option when compared to other digital solutions.”


Bui Burke, Screen Europe Senior Vice President Sales, concludes: “We are delighted that Hine labels is exercising our market-leading solution in new and interesting ways. This is a testament to our technology which continues to allow companies to expand their businesses profitably.”

Roland DG Australia, a leading manufacturer of wide format inkjet printers and 3D devices, has released a new instalment in its Roland User video series. The latest video features digital print service provider Genr8 Printing and their experience with the VersaUV LEF-300 benchtop UV printer.

Established in 2008 as Genr8 Entertainment, owner, Yianni Moratidis, started Genr8 Printing when he saw an opportunity to offer print solutions to his existing customer base. Yianni recently decided to further expand the company’s product range, purchasing a Roland VersaUV LEF-300. Already specialising in the development of a wide range of premium print products for local businesses in the Greater Hunter region of NSW, Yianni was keen to give customers “a little bit of something extra” for its growing customer base. 

The variety of custom applications that the company can now produce with the LEF-300, including printing to substrates such as glass, acrylic, leather and tiles, has impressed Yianni and his team. As Yianni puts it, “you name it, we can print on it.” A recent example of this included printing directly from the LEF-300 onto tiles to create a unique custom look for his client’s bar area. With a printer that he has found easy-to-use with a quick turnaround on jobs, Yianni has found that his customers can “get what they want, when they want.” 

Yianni’s experience with Roland DG has been a positive one. Since installing the LEF-300, Yianni has noticed an “added revenue stream” and has noted: “Investing in a Roland product is investing in a great partnership. From the initial purchase, to the installation, to the service… has been second-to-none. I have no hesitation recommending Roland or the VersaUV LEF-300.”

To read the full user story and view the video, go to our website.

TAFE NSW has become the first and only training provider in NSW to offer Adobe certification for students and businesses.

Students, job seekers and those already working in the digital communications industry will be able to become an Adobe Certified Associate, which is an industry-recognised credential that demonstrates proficiency in Adobe digital skills.

TAFE NSW Nepean provides flexible training courses for Adobe Creative Cloud software including Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Premiere Pro, After Effects, Animate or Dreamweaver. Students can then sit the Adobe Certified Associate exam through TAFE NSW.

TAFE NSW is currently the only training provider in the Vocational Education Sector to provide design students with free Adobe licensing to access Adobe software at home or onsite, saving students hundreds of dollars a year.

Adobe Education Leader and TAFE NSW Photography and Screen Media Head Teacher, Craig Daalmeijer-Power, said Adobe certification will give students and job seekers a valuable competitive edge in the advertising and marketing industry, which is expected to see 53,000 new job openings over the next five years.[1]

“Whether you're just starting out in your career, looking to switch jobs or interested in preparing students for success in the job market, the Adobe Certified Associate program offered at TAFE NSW is for you,’ Mr Daalmeijer- Power said.

“Becoming an Adobe Certified Associate is a valuable pre requisite qualification that will provide hands on skills for students and job seekers to succeed in the high demand areas of digital communication and media.”

Mr Daalmeijer - Power said the ‘certified’ badge is becoming increasingly attractive to clients in the industry.

“Particularly for freelancers who work in the advertising, design or communications area, Adobe certification is one way to stand out to potential clients and prove that you are keeping up with the latest technology and tools in the industry.”

More than 80 per cent of advertising will be automated using tools such as Adobe by 2020.[2] Suzanne Steele, Managing Director of Adobe Australia and New Zealand said, “As the advertising and creative industries continue to evolve at a rapid pace, it is essential we focus on teaching digital literacy skills and empowering Australians to succeed in this modern economy.”

“We’re proud to partner with TAFE NSW who is delivering the Adobe Certified Associate program to give students an edge when joining or returning to the workforce.”

The TAFE NSW course gives students flexibility to study whenever they want in a blended learning environment where students can access parts of the course online.

To enrol in the Adobe Associate Certification exam or preparation training programs, visit the TAFE NSW website or call 131 601.

Epson has won a 2019 Good Design Award for a total of ten products, including five printers, four projectors, and one watch. Good Design Awards are presented annually for designs that benefit and enrich people's lives and society.





One of the winning products is the recently-launched EF-100W (white) and EF-100B (black) projector. This small laser home projector can be easily positioned in any room in your home. An all-in-one package with built-in speakers and streaming terminal, this product makes it easy to create a dramatic video experience. The round shape, with a leather-like texture and metal rings, will fit naturally within the interior design of your home.
 
The judges commented that, “The projector makes streaming a compelling visual experience, providing an all-in-one package that allows users to experience this increasingly popular form of communication more freely in many different locales. The designers reportedly focused their energies on making a projector to which users can easily relate.

The projector's external design harmonises with the user's environment and includes elements that encourage active portability. We were very impressed with the features that help ensure the best experiences from the product, such as guidance about how to get more out of the product, a quick manual, opening guide, and an intuitive remote control.”
 
Another winning product was the SureColor F560. A world-first, this compact 24-inch dye-sublimation printer ships as a package complete with ink, media, and software. Designed for small business and fine art applications it combines compact size with high format flexibility, and a low cost of ownership.

The SureColor SC-F560 joins Epson’s extensive and successful F series range. Designed to replace screen printing, these simple, efficient, and easy to use machines work in conjunction with a heat press to enable production of a wide range of durable items from metal signage and photo prints to soft signage, custom cabinetry, clothing, décor, and merchandise.
 
The SC-F560 is aimed at promotion and fine art applications. Designed for low volume and ad-hoc work, it features flexible media handling and a tank ink system and produces images that are bright and colourful, in super-high 2400x1200 dpi max resolution. It uses extremely cost-effective ink and will ship as a complete package for quality production with minimum fuss.
 
All of the EcoTank mono models that won include the following key features:
 
•  Integrated high capacity ink tank system
• 2 years of ink so you can print up to 5,000 pages in black and white included
• Extremely low cost per page of less than a half a cent per page
• Low-cost replacement ink bottle from $24.99
• Easily refillable ink tank
• Fast first page out time of only 6 seconds
• Fast print speeds of 20 ISO ppm
• Auto 2-sided printing
• 250 sheet paper tray
• Compact size
• Easy wireless printing from iPad®, iPhone®, Android™ tablets and smartphones® including Wi-Fi Direct®
 




The ET-M3170 multi-function and ET-M3180 multi-function models take things up a notch and offer auto 2-sided print, copy, scan and fax functions, Wi-Fi Direct®, Ethernet and Fax (ET-M3170) and Wi-Fi Direct® , Ethernet, Fax and PCL (ET-M3180). Both the ET-M3170 and ET-M3180 have a 35 sheet automatic document feeder included.
 
Epson designs recognised with 2019 Good Design Awards, and products using the award-winning designs include:
 
·         EcoTank Mono printers: ET-M1170, ET-M1180, ET-M2170, ET-M3170 and ET-M3180
·         Large-format printer: SC-T5460M
·         Large-format printer: SC-F560
·         Large-format printer: SC-P7560 and SC-P9560
·         Projector: EF-100W, EF-100B, EF-100WATV and EF-100BATV
·         Projector: EH-LS500W and EH-LS500B
·         Projector: EB-L1070U and EB-L1075U
 
Good Design Award  
The Good Design Award was established in 1957 as the Good Design Selection System (or G Mark System). Today, it is a leading design evaluation and commendation system and has become world renowned, attracting a large number of entries from companies and groups around the world. Awards are presented annually as a way to promote quality of life and the use of design in solving social issues. The symbol of the award, the G Mark, is widely recognised as a symbol of excellence in design.
https://www.g-mark.org/

Xitron, the leading independent developer of Harlequin RIP® and workflow products for commercial, flexo, digital, and high-speed inkjet printing has been acquired by Harlequin RIP manufacturer Global Graphics PLC from Vanguard Graphics International (VGI). A nearly 30-year Harlequin OEM, Xitron is one of Global Graphics’ longest standing partners.

“Xitron is the lead player in prepress RIPs with some 35,000 Harlequin RIP-based installations around the world and an impressive network of dealers and distributors, said Gary Fry, CEO of Global Graphics. “This acquisition allows us to further develop our digital print strategy with a more complete offering for industrial inkjet, such as textiles and décor, and with a broader range of prepress components for digital applications.”

Xitron’s Navigator RIP provides prepress independence by allowing users to connect with hundreds of different output devices manufactured by a “Who’s Who” list of suppliers such as Agfa, Fujifilm, Screen, Presstek, (MarkAndy), and Heidelberg. Since the company’s inception in 1977, it has been a mainstay in professional prepress production and was recently awarded a patent for their unique USB-SCSI interface.

Their recent concentration in high-speed inkjet systems has fostered the release of the Navigator-based Digital Front End (DFE), which supports a wide variety of popular inkjet heads from Memjet, HP, Kyocera, XAAR, Konica-Minolta, Ricoh, Canon Finetech, and Fujifilm Dimatix, among others. The DFE supports drive electronics from Meteor Inkjet and Global Inkjet Systems, which are used in many of the most popular high-speed presses available from top tier suppliers in the market today.

“Having developed prepress software solutions around the Harlequin RIP as an OEM partner, Xitron is looking forward to the collaboration and growth opportunities associated with this change,” said Karen Crews, president of Xitron. “As we continue to expand beyond our well-established presence in offset, flexography, screen printing, and high-speed inkjet, we’re excited to be a key part of Global Graphics’ strategic initiatives.”

Stan Goldberg, CEO of Vanguard (which also owns Printware, LLC) said he believes the sale will benefit both companies. “As a long-time developer of the Harlequin RIP, Xitron’s prepress software products and markets align very well with Global Graphics’ strategic directions,” he said. “At the same time, Printware will have the additional financial resources necessary to take full advantage of inkjet market growth through product development or potential acquisition opportunities.”

The HEXIS Group, one of the world leaders in the automotive protection market, announces a strategic collaboration with Racing Optics, Inc, at the SEMA Show in Las Vegas, NV., to be held November 5-8 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The SEMA Show is the premier automotive specialty products trade event in the world. It draws the industry’s brightest minds and hottest products to one place.

RACING OPTICS TECHNOLOGY

Born from a racing heritage, Racing Optics was founded 20 years ago by the WILSON brothers, who created detachable multi-layer films to improve the visibility and safety of race car and motorcycle drivers. Since then Racing Optics has become the recognized leader in multi-layer optical film in many fields, including medical, military and industrial, and holds more than 35 patents to its credit. Racing Optics objective has always been to improve safety, visibility and efficiency, through its multi-layer film, which enables perfect visibility, when visibility is critical.





INITIAL PRODUCTS TO BE LAUNCHED

The 3333SHIELD, specially designed for windshields of passenger vehicles, is a high-end solution combining protection and optical comfort and clarity. This film is composed of three removable optically clear layers of film, each measuring three Mils in thickness. It provides enhanced protection against damage from UV rays, scratches and cracks. In racing applications, the 3333SHIELD safeguards windshields that are exposed to projectiles, scratches, mud marks, etc.
The 4444RACING is an extreme protection solution, consisting of four optically clear, removable layers, with a thickness of four Mils each. Each layer of protections can be easily removed in seconds, leaving a new clean surface. A clear choice for racers!

A STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP

HEXIS will use Racing Optics multi-layer protective films for luxury, sports and racing cars. This partnership complements the development of BODYFENCE protection products, which protects car bodies against external damage and dirt from sticking to the paint.

Clément MATEU, HEXIS CEO, commented: “We are delighted to be working with a family-owned American company known world-wide, for the quality of its multi-layered protective films. This partnership allows us, to offer a complete range of automotive protection for a wide range of automotive markets, including consumer, luxury, commercial and racing."

"A strategic relationship with HEXIS is a major step in the expansion of Racing Optics products in France and in other countries around the world. The professionalism of HEXIS, their commitment to racing and a cherished and privileged relationship with their distribution network, were all essential elements that helped Racing Optics conclude that this would be a an exciting, prosperous, and long-lasting relationship", said Bart WILSON, President of Racing Optics.

www. hexis-graphics .com

Canon has completed more than 1000 global customer installations of its Colorado roll-to-roll wide format printer series, powered by UVgel technology.

Since September 2019 the installed base of the Colorado 1640 and 1650 printers achieved combined monthly print volumes of over one million square metres. Placements of the Colorado printers are growing rapidly and each installation is producing higher volumes than initially forecast, with 16% of customers printing more than 25,000 square metres per year on each Colorado device.

Feedback from Colorado 1640 users underlines the printer‘s extreme productivity and suitability for applications where robust short-term graphics are needed without lamination. Commenting on the throughput of the Colorado 1640, Bartosz Swiderski, owner at graphic art production studio Studio Bell (Poland), says: “The Colorado 1640 is a very efficient machine — the approximate speed of 40 m²/hour is more than four times higher than we have been able to offer our customers before. This means that instead of printing one wall covering project for an office customer within four days, I can print it now within one day.”

Earlier this year at FESPA 2019, Canon introduced the Colorado 1650 as the second member of the Colorado family, with a new flexible ink for customers producing applications that need to be folded, wrapped or bent such as framed canvasses, soft signage, front- and back-lit graphics, surface décor applications such as flexible wall coverings, and outdoor applications including vehicle graphics. The newer model also features unique FLX finish technology. This enables customers to choose between gloss or matte effects without the need to change ink or media, offering an even wider range of applications.

One of these is print service provider De Resolutie in The Netherlands. Jeffrey Vermaat, co-owner at De Resolutie, explains: “We look for printers that allow us to combine different materials so we can develop new products and concepts - that's our strength. We can print a gloss effect on matte papers, in colour, and a matte effect on glossy media. These applications bring many new business opportunities for us in interior design.”

Constantin Serban, Director of Graphics Technologies at The Freeman Company (US) has recently expanded his Colorado fleet and now has 10 Colorado 1640 devices and 10 Colorado 1650s. During the PRINTING United 2019 exhibition, The Freeman Company was named the Leading Customer 2019 by Canon, having the most Colorado printers installed worldwide.

Dirk Brouns, Vice President Large Format Graphics, Océ Technologies, a Canon Company comments on the market interest for both models: “We‘re working in a dynamic market with constantly evolving application requirements. Our R&D philosophy is to listen and work closely with our customers and partners to focus our innovation on actual customer demand. After the initial success of the Colorado 1640, we identified further growth opportunities for customers who can benefit from a matte finish and a more flexible ink. With both the 1640 and the 1650 solutions in the Colorado family, we can now meet any roll-to-roll print need.”

He continues, “Our customers are reaping the rewards of our strategic innovation programme, in which we have focused on developing our own large format print engine, our own unique UVgel ink and our own print heads. As one of the few digital printer manufacturers capable of doing this, we’ve created an optimised production technology that perfectly meets the needs of the market.”

Across its entire range of products

Epson Australia held a unique launch event today to highlight the work the company has done in raising the productivity and efficiency of all the products it now manufactures and produces.

Epson MD Craig Heckenberg said, “The common themes for today’s event are a significant increase in productivity and efficiency in all Epson products across the board. It’s fair to say our products are better than they have ever been on many levels, including being kinder to the environment. You can now print faster, onto more substances and use less ink than ever before. You can also project brighter and bigger for longer at a lower cost and with less effort. In other words you can increase your productivity levels and be more efficient by simply using Epson’s next generation of products.”

Highlights from the event included the new SureColor P9560, Epson’s first-ever 12 colour large-format printer offering the widest ever colour gamut with 99% Pantone coverage*. The SC-P9560 is ideal for artists and photographers, as it offers reliable reproduction for professional proofing and rapid throughput for high-volume production.





SureColor P9560

In the dye-sublimation printing space Epson showcased two new printers. The first was the 64-inch SureColor F9460H, Epson’s first genuine fluorescent ink, dye-sublimation, textile printing solution, which builds on the success of the current F-Series and offers customers greater print flexibility. Alongside the SC-F9460H was the new SureColor F560, a world-first, single-vendor, 24-inch dye-sublimation printer with integrated bulk ink system designed for small business and fine art production that combines compact size with high format flexibility in a cost-effective package.





SureColor F9460H

There were also clever new ColorWorks C6010 and C6510 label printers unveiled. These on-demand label printers extend Epson’s existing range to meet the needs of small to medium batch customers across many sectors including food, chemical, beverage, horticulture and logistics.





ColorWorks C6500

Illuminating proceedings were two new projectors from Epson. The first is Epson’s brightest 3LCD projector to date, the 30,000 lumens EB-L30000UNL, which boasts a maintenance-free laser light source that provides 20,000 hours of operation. 

The EB-L30000UNL supports screen sizes of up to 1,000 inches with a WUXGA resolution and 4K enhancement technology, as well as a 2,500,000:1 contrast. It is a body-only system that provides a choice of 4K optional lenses designed for a variety of applications. Its compact design and 360° installation potential simplifies installation to suit the needs of different environments.





EB-L30000UNL

Epson’s new versatile installation laser projector, the compact 7,000 lumens 
EB-L1070UNL, was also on display at the event. As with the EB-L30000UNL, it features 4K enhancement technology and interchangeable lenses.

Seen for the first timed in Australia at its Productivity and Efficiency launch event and ahead of its official launch in 2020, Epson Australia also previewed its EH-LS500 ultra-short-throw laser projector – the unique big-screen TV alternative.

The EH-LS500 projector adds the ability to watch 4K content and a new stylish design to its portfolio of ultra-short-throw laser projectors





EH-LS500 projector

Finally and to coincide with the incredible milestone of selling over 40 million EcoTank printers globally, Epson Australia has expanded this amazingly popular range with six new EcoTank models consisting of five new EcoTank single and multi-function mono models (ET-M1170, ET-M1180, ET-M2170, ET-M3170 and ET-M3180) and the ET-1110 single function colour model – all of which are cheaper to run and are better for the environment than equivalent laser printers.

All current and new EcoTank printers have:

- Very low cost per page – from less than half a cent per printed page
- Very low total cost of ownership
- Replacement ink bottles that start at just $14.99 for 1,000s of additional pages
- Up to 2 years of ink included – based upon printing 200 pages per month
- Less down time due to less moving parts with no drum to replace
- Fast first page – from as low as six seconds, ideal for one page documents
- Low energy consumption as it’s inkjet not laser technology
- No throwaway ink or laser toner cartridges 




Expression ET-1110

For more details on all of the products listed above go to www.epson.com.au