News

Xerox used Fespa to launch its Wide Format IJP 2000 first shown in prototype at Drupa last year and most recently at Sign and Digital UK. The device uses Memjet’s standard wide-format array with five heads stitched together for a 42in print width.

Lascelle Barrow has replaced Gyorgy Kovacs as president of Fespa. It’s a second stint in the role for Barrow who previously held the position from 1992 to 1996. He will be supported by vice president Ya?ar G?venen.

Dominion has become the first UK company to order the 5m version of Fujifilm’s Uvistar Pro8. Director Tom Clark signed for the machine at Fespa last week. “We’d seen the 3m Uvistar Pro8 last year and were amazed by its capabilities,” he said. “The 5m version suits our requirements for producing super-wide applications such as building wraps and banners, so we can’t wait to integrate it within our production department.”

Magenta Print and Display, Debenhams’ in-house print operation, has bought a Durst P10 320R and Rho 320HS as part of a £800,000 investment programme. The move coincides with a major rebranding across the Debenhams chain, including a £30m revamp of its Oxford Street store in London, and an ongoing plan to increase the 168 UK/Ireland Debenhams stores to 220.

Chris Tester, Magenta’s director of print operations, and Lee Hutchinson, production manager, signed for the two new Dursts on stand at Fespa 2013, where they confirmed that the new machines will replace a roll-fed Nur machine, and together with new finishing kit (including a Fotoba slitter, Seal laminator, sewing machine) and workflow automation software, will increase wide-format production capacity by three times.

Magenta, based in Taunton, has a staff of 90 and handles all Debenhams’ print requirements. Tester explained that investment in the in-house print operation, which acts as a profit centre within the parent company, means Debenhams can “react to market conditions more quickly, be more cost effective, and benefit from more integrated system” than if the print was outsourced.

The Durst machines will be installed within the next three weeks and are expected to be fully operational by the end of July. It is anticipated that they will be used to significantly increase the amount of textile printing undertaken by Magenta in line with the understanding that larger size fabric print will be easier to get in stores, and that the migration will reduce costs

Other new Durst signing include the Rho 1030 for McGowan, and a Rho 1012 for Speedscreen and another for Image Data.

Durst has added a number of printers to its large-format stable including the Rhotex 322 soft signage printer, P10 160 UV flatbed and Rho 512R superwide roll-to-roll printer.

The EDP (European Digital Press association – of which Image Reports is the UK member) has presented its 2013 awards at Fespa. Full details are available on the EDP website and will be in the July issue of Image Reports, but the winners include:

The new print industry alliance GAMA (Graphics and Media Alliance) has already been renamed ahead of its official launch at Fespa 2013 today. The new name is GPMA, which stands for The Graphics, Print and Media Alliance.

POD Ibéria has used Fespa 2013 to introduce the MTEX Turbo Sub direct-to-textile sublimation printer. With a printing width of up to 183cm, speeds up to 110m2/hr and resolution of up to 1200dpi, it has been specifically designed for those with high-demanding print production.

Amid the myriad new printers being official launched by Agfa at Fespa 2013 is the 3.2m wide Ardeco direct-to-textile dye-sub printer with integrated fixation unit. Designed for volume production of soft signage printed onto polyester-based fabrics, the machine uses Du Pont disperse inks and comes in a 12 (Ardeco 2212) or eight (Ardeco 2208) printhead configuration.

Screen has taken the wraps off the Truepress Jet W3200UV that it hinted at last month. The UV flatbed accepts media up to 3.2 x 1.6m and up to 50m thick, printing at up to 84m2/hr. It uses Truepress inks, including white, light cyan and light magenta. Users can specify CMYKLcLm, CMYKLcLmWW, or CMYKWW. Shipments start in October.

Italian-based online company Pixartprinting has ordered three HP Latex 3000 printers. The order follows swiftly on the heals of investment in a Durst Rhotex 322 soft signage printer installed just three weeks ago, ahead of the machine’s official launch at Fespa 2013. Together the machines mark a 1.2m  Euro investment in large-format technology by the company so far this year.

At the launch of the HP Scitex FB10000 Industrial Press at Fespa 2013, HP VP large format sign and display Xavier Garcia, described the printer as “a game changer” in the high volume market where its HDR (High Dynamic Range) technology is expected to help printers shift their retail graphics and corrugated display applications from analogue to digital for increased profitability. The six-colour unit can print at up to 625m2/hr on 160 x 320cm sheets, including a full loading and unloading cycle. It is aimed at those handling 40,000m2+ per month and will cost in the region of 1.5- 2m Euro. Swanline is the first UK company to order the printer which starts shipping in November.

Cross Media 2013 (23 - 24 October 2013, Business Design Centre, Islington) is gathering momentum. The latest exhibitors include Adestra, Circdata, Data IQ, Headley Brothers, Imprint, Kodak, Konica Minolta, Layar, LimeTree, Outbrain, Paperhat Consorcio, Papermule, Pensord, Premier Paper, Semaphore Partnership, Shuttleworth, Sitecore, St Ives Group, Translate Media, Waggener Edstrom, Woodwing, Workflowz and Xeikon.

Further to last year’s contract win with European signage giant Westiform, Headrow-based signage consultant Signlex, has been given the whole contract as part of a multi-million pound roll-out here in the UK.