Features

How image factory has invested its way into new markets. 

For more than 50 years, Image Factory has worked hard to offer its customers the latest services and cutting edge applications and, as you might expect, that’s meant significant investment in digital print kit. “In 2007, we made our first investment in digital printing technologies, so that we could offer a wider range of printing services,” says Tim Boore, head of digital technologies. “Throughout its many years in business, the company had earned a reputation for high-quality print and exceptional customer service. So when the time came to purchase a digital alternative to screen printing technology, it was vital that any investment reflected this.”

Nessan Cleary takes a look at this heavy duty UV flatbed, designed mainly to churn out pop materials day after day.

INCA DIGITAL, based in Cambridge, was one of the early pioneers of flatbed UV printers. Its entry-level model is the Spyder, currently available in two versions, the Spyder V, featured here, and the Spyder 320. 

It’s not only sporting prowess that will be on show during the 2012 london olympics, wide-format digital print will also be in the spotlight. Are you limbering up to take part?

Apart from the sporting excellence on show during the 2012 London Olympics the might of the UK wideformat digital printing industry will also be on display. The planned centerpiece of the thousands of square meters output for this once in a lifetime event will be the gigantic digitally printed fabric wrap that is set to encircle London’s iconic Olympic Stadium during the games. The wrap will comprise 336 individual panels – each approximately 25m high and 2.5m wide. Expected to be in the region of 900m long, it will be the largest piece of wide-format digital print ever seen in this country. A truly Herculean job if ever there was one, the wrap was actually canned earlier in 2011 in a bid to shave-off £7m in stadium build costs.

John Pymer, managing director of Certification International, explains how printing companies can unlock the benefits of introducing better environmental practices.

Since 2008, Certification International has seen significant growth in the number of companies integrating environmental practices into their management systems. The number of certificates issued for ISO 14000 has increased by 300%, and many of these have been achieved by companies in the printing industry.

Lesley Simpson, editor of Image Reports, speaks to Justin Murray about Print Project Management, which calims to be a missing link between designers and the advertising agency to print manufacturers.

2012 will be a rocky ride for many so taking early protective measures might make sense. Walter Hale looks at the key trends to help you prepare

ATLANTIC PRINT SOLUTIONS(APS) with our dedicated print industry sales, service and support team have many years experience in designing, developing and supplying our international Extended & Breakdown Warranty programs for the print, sign and digital industries of the UK, Europe and the US. APS offers a wide and varied range of productivity and profit enhancing warranty support and service packages for the UK & European Print, Sign and Digital industries, aimed to provide a competitively priced protection against the increasing costs of breakdown for all types of digital imaging, press and finishing equipment and machinery.

...Sign and Digital UK: Where the Wide-Format industry does business

SHOULD YOU BE LOOKING AT MIS IN 2012? HERE, KGK PRINT PROVIDES SOME FACTS AND FIGURES THAT MIGHT JUST CONVINCE YOU TO DO SO.

The Government has fast-tracked an EU directive that, from 2012, sees payment of invoices standardised at 30 days in the public sector and 60 days in the private sector. But will it help? The Forum of Private Business is sceptical.

David Hudson, partner at Baker Tilly Restructuring and Recovery LLP, throws a lifeline to those of you who fear your business is about to become insolvent with this top tips feature.

As another year draws to a close it's worth reminding ourselves of some of the new kit we've seen and assess the long-term technical trends in the world of wide-format print.

In many ways the digital wide-format print market is a mature sector with the core technologies well established. However, there have been a number of interesting products launched this year.