Thinking big
It has been a few months since the first half of this mini-series appeared in Print Monthly, and plenty has happened in the wide-format sector during that time, proving that growth in this segment shows no real signs of slowing down.
There have been a host of major launches, many of which took place at the recent FESPA Global Print Expo, and we can expect even more developments in terms of new kit and solutions over the second half of the year, offering even more opportunities for print-service-providers (PSPs) to move into this area.
Here, we speak with some of the leading manufacturers in wide-format print to find out more about their latest products and learn how these machines can offer routes to new sources of revenue for both traditional PSPs and established wide-format printers.
Addressing trends
First up, Canon has all sorts of print solutions available to the market, ranging from small-format up to larger-format kit. Joe Courts, head of product marketing for Digital Printing and Solutions for Canon UK and Ireland, says as brands strive to create more impactful and bold imagery, Canon has seen a rise in demand for applications which deliver bright colours, personalisation, vibrant posters, and point-of-sale (POS) graphics that will catch the eye of consumers.
Joe Courts, head of product marketing for Digital Printing and Solutions for Canon UK and Ireland
“Since the start of the pandemic, we have seen a number of brands embracing bright colours in their promotional marketing – helping them stand out against the competition,” Courts says, adding: “This trend has been flagged by colour authorities like Pantone, who have noted the dominance of primary colours, jewel brights, and neons in recent years.
“Personalisation is also a trend which is continuing in 2022 with Accenture reporting that 91% of consumers are more likely to shop with brands that provide offers and recommendations that are personalised and relevant to them. In line with this, the personalised print market is now likely to be worth over £1bn, fuelled by the fact that individuals want to give a gift that is bespoke and unique.
“It also seems that people are falling back in love with print as it offers a refreshing alternative to the digital overload during the pandemic period. Imagery communicates so much more once printed – with the moodiness of a black and white portrait and the colour vibrancy of a happy moment being brought to life.”
O Factoid: Canon's imagePROGRAF GP series is the world's first large-format printer with aqueous pigment fluorescent ink O
With this in mind, Courts says that in order to stay ahead, PSPs should look to invest in a broad range of applications that will offer “exciting” output for both new and existing customers, as well as help them to diversify into new markets.
“Print providers must ensure that they have the correct production devices in place to meet these trends; this offers the opportunity to open new revenue streams and market opportunities,” Courts says.
Courts goes on to highlight devices from Canon’s imagePROGRAF and ColorWave ranges as solutions that will help PSPs meet these trends. The imagePROGRAF GP series is the world’s first large-format printer with aqueous pigment fluorescent ink, opening up the option for neon printing in colours such as neon pink and pastels.
The ColorWave 3000 series uses unique Crystalpoint technology and combines the benefits of toner and inkjet in one system, according to Courts. The device can be used to print a huge range of applications, from uncoated media to canvas and recycled wrapping papers, and also offers sustainable benefits such as compatibility with non-toxic consumables and instant dry toners.
“The ColorWave 3000 series is a flexible choice for the corporate and commercial print markets, offering a highly secure and low-maintenance printing system that is easy-to-use with minimal operator intervention,” Courts adds.
Expanding horizons
The recent FESPA Global Print Expo 2022 was a hub of activity for wide-format print with a whole host of new launches. One of the stand-out new launches in Berlin was from Durst, which used the event to announce its expansion into the superwide-format market for the first time with its new Durst P5 500 LED printing system.
Durst recently entered the super wide-format market with the launch of its new Durst P5 500 LED printing system
Using Ricoh printheads, the machine is able to print widths of 5.25m and offers printing in CMYK, while additional colour channels can be implemented including light colours, white, or varnish.
For efficient media handling, Durst has incorporated a number of roll support that enables rolls to be processed in single, dual, and triple mode.
“With the Durst P5 500, Durst once again demonstrates its full focus on the reliability of its own printing systems for unattended production processes,” says Andrea Riccardi, head of product management at Durst Group.
“With the integration of Durst Workflow Software and the introduction of new functionalities, we are also achieving a significant increase in efficiency. The field test is extremely successful, so we will deliver the first printing systems in the last quarter of 2022.”
Durst also used FESPA 2022 to present the P5 Double 4, a second CMYK printhead row that can be installed in the P5 350/HS and P5 210/HS systems.
Meanwhile, back on home shores, wide-format printing solutions specialist CMYUK used its recent Printer Production Open House to debut two of the latest EFI wife-format printers in the UK for the first time.
The VUTEk FabriVU 340i+ and the EFI Pro 30h 3.2m were both demonstrated for visitors at the open day, which took place at the CMYUK training centre in Shrewsbury.
EFI’s new Pro 30h 3.2m Hybrid UV LED printer offers wide-format printing at widths of up to 3.2m
The first of these two machines, the VUTEk FabriVU 340i+ is EFI’s latest release in the digital industrial textile printing sector, while the Pro 30h 3.2m Hybrid UV LED printer offers wide-format printing at widths of up to 3.2m.
The EFI Pro 30h, CMYUK says, has been designed to be ultra-productive and leverages proven technological innovations found in EFI Reggiani textile printers, high-speed h-series and single pass platforms. With quick set-up times and an infeed take-up system, the EFI Pro 30h handles dual media rolls as well as continuous board printing, delivering increased productivity by enabling boards to be printed back-to-back without stopping the printer carriage.
Other stand-out features of the EFI Pro 30h include the ability for the device to handle dual media rolls as well as continuous board printing, while it also comes with XA inks, a new inkset that can be used for both roll-to-roll and rigid applications, opening up all sorts of markets and opportunities for users.
It’s a very impressive proposition and customers are buzzing over its feature set”
“The Pro 30h is a stunning piece of equipment that combines hugely successful elements of EFI technology packaged in one printer,” says Sue Hayward, sales director for equipment at CMYUK, adding: “It’s a very impressive proposition and customers are buzzing over its feature set. We anticipate that it will be a very strong contender in the market.”
Move quickly
Elsewhere, Atlantic Tech Services is a specialist supplier for many of the leading brands in the wide-format arena. Managing director Keith Pratt says wide-format print is still an “important” step for PSPs, and one that could help increase their customer base and develop new revenue streams that will be important to the survival of some printers.
“Look to move quickly into introducing wide-format offerings, whether it be straightforward vinyl printing, UV printing, hybrid UV printing of roll-to-roll and boards, promotional gifts printing or even the new direct-to-fabric printing revolution, which is currently sweeping the market,” Pratt says.
“We consider that UV printers and hybrid UV printers are the most important machines going forward and I hope readers will not mind me saying that we probably have one of the biggest combined ranges with the Azon and Mutoh UV flatbed, roll-to-roll and hybrid printers.”
With this, Pratt draws attention to some of the latest offerings from Atlantic Tech Services, the first of which comes in the form of the new Mutoh ValueJet 1638UH2 hybrid UV printer, which he says offers high quality printing on roll media and flatboards.
Supplied by Atlantic Tech Services, the Mutoh VJ1638UH2 UV hybrid printer offers high quality printing on roll media and flatboards
The printer measures in at 162cm wide and offers printing in six colours (C, M, Y, K, White, Varnish). It incorporates two piezo drop on demand high quality print heads and two long life UV LED lamps, while it also comes with Mutoh’s new VerteLith RIP software with advanced six-channel support as standard.
The VJ1638UH2 will also print on substrates with a maximum media thickness of up to 15mm and maximum weight of 15kg, opening up a host of options to users.
Also new from Atlantic Tech Services is the new Pronto range of direct-to-fabric printers from Azon. The range incorporates four models: the A3+ Pronto DTF, the A3+ Pronto Neon DTF, the A1 Pronto Plus and the Pronto Plus Neon X DTF.
The A3+ Pronto Neon DTF model can produce more colourful and fluorescent graphics for printing on garments, using fluorescent yellow and magenta instead of the traditional magenta and yellow DTF (direct-to-fabric) inks.
The larger A1 Pronto Plus is supplied with the automatic online heat curing and finishing system and built-in fume extractor, while the Pronto Plus Neon X DTF has a colour configuration set of CMYK, orange, green, fluorescent magenta and yellow, and two whites, with Pratt saying it is the only 10-colour DTF currently available to the market.
Given the latest developments in this market, it seems there is no stopping the runaway train that is wide-format print. Demand for this type of work shows no signs of slowing whatsoever and those in this market continue to reap the benefits. However, with competition for the more higher value jobs becoming increasingly fierce, PSPs should think about upgrading their kit in order to deliver a higher quality service than their competitors and stand out from the crowd.
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