News

13 members of GMG’s professional services team have completed the Digital Print Expert of Fogra (Graphic Technology Research Association) certification as part of the company’s commitment to address issues of process stability and output consistency within all applications of digital print production.

Version 1.3 of Agfa’s Apogee StoreFront, the cloud-based web-to-print solution that enables print service providers (PSP’s) to set up web stores, is now available. This version makes it easier for print buyers to customise print. It also offers additional creative control over the look of web shops and includes the ability to create microstores.

Mutoh will show its first printer equipped with white inks at Fespa 2013. The 64in ValueJet Hybrid VJ-1617H roll-to-roll and rigid printer will be shown alongside the new 64in ValueJet 1624W and 42in DrafStation RJ-900x dye sublimation printers. The ValueCut series of cutting plotters will also be introduced.

Howard Smith Paper Group, Robert Horne Group and PaperCo are now trading in the UK and Ireland under parent company PaperlinX’s banner, though the three UK operating companies will remain as legal entities.

Victor Watson has been presented with a Pro Merito Award by The Printing Charity. Watson, a former trustee and national president of the charity, is also a past president of the British Printing Industries Federation (BPIF) and has been the president of PrintYorkshire for the past ten years. The award is in recognition of his work on the charity’s behalf.

William Smith has added six more satin and matt colours to the 3M 1080 Series wrap films it offers: Satin White, Satin Pearl White, Matt Hot Rod Red, Matt Bright Yellow, Matt Royal Purple and Matt Apple Green. Meanwhile, the addition of Storm Grey and Autumn Gold brings the total number of colours in the iSee2 Total Wrap range to 52.

Heytex has widened its Heyblue digitex PVC-free and recyclable materials portfolio. Heyblue digitex decoflex is a new, flexible decorative material of up to 3.05m width for dye-sub inkjet printing; eclipse is a blockout with fine foam coating that is available in 5m widths and characterised by a very matt and opaque surface structure.

ColorGate's Rip software solutions Productionserver, Filmgate, Proofgate and Photogate are now available in Version 7.20.

Anderson/LA, California, has installed two more EFI Vutek GS5000r 5m UV roll-to-roll printers. They join another Vutek GS5000r, as well as Vutek GS3200, QS3200 and 3360 printers.

Increasing demand for Evolon PVC-free wide-format media has prompted Freudenberg to spend around five million Euros on expanding capacity at its Colmar factory in France. Construction is scheduled for completion by the end of October.

Presentations in the Creative Corner at Fespa 2013 next month will include keynotes from Coca Cola, McCann NY, TBWA and Unilever. The conference programme has been developed to address key topics for the creative community, showcasing what print can do and opening up the relationship between PSPs and end-users.

A fourth generation mild solvent ink range known as UMS is now available from Mutoh for its installed-base of mild solvent printers as well as its ValueJet series. The ink, available in one-litre bottles and 440ml cassettes, replaces the Mutoh MS and MS+ mild solvent inks.

On 1 May Canon UK completed the integration of Océ into its business in the UK and Ireland. Océ is now officially a wholly owned Canon Group company operating worldwide.

Hollanders is continuing its drive to expand its digital textile printer business by holding two open days on 28 and 29 May at its Eindhoven premises. It will show the ColorBooster DS double-sided system and preview the entry-level ColorBooster 250. Visitors will also see the company’s ColorBooster XL and finishing systems.