Amid market uncertainties, the 19th edition of Sign and Graphics Imaging Middle East Dubai reiterated why the expo maintains its position as the launching ground for new products for the signage and advertising industries in the Middle East and Africa. With over 400 exhibitors this year, and 43 new ones, the show attracted over 13000 trade visitors.
Demonstrations of the ever increasing applications of wide format printing were among the biggest highlights of SGI 2016, which also presented the latest developments in digital signage, outdoor media, screen and digital printing industries. As traditional sign making technologies are declining, digital technologies are taking over and offer a multitude of applications that enable print shop owners to increase their business and engage in new applications.
One of the wide format printing application highlights of SGI Dubai 2016 was creative car wraps, popular in the US and European markets, is fast catching up in the UAE and other GCC countries. Wrap advertising acts as a mobile billboard, making it easier to target a wider proximity of a brand’s target market. Brand owners are increasingly viewing this application as an impressive addition to their brands’ integrated marketing strategies.
The digital signage component of SGI grows with every new edition. As the retail, hospitality, and healthcare industries in the Middle East region recognize the advantages of digital signage, exhibitors are promoting them as more strategically beneficial as compared to static signage because of the flexibility of updating content. In addition, digital signage can be integrated with image capture, touch screen, and motion detection devices. The application of digital signage for interactive advertising and the reducing costs of installation, maintenance, and purchase indicate the exponential growth potential of the digital signage market in this region.
Another hot topic was digital textile printing that not only caters to soft signage but now also puts its mark on interior design – be it personalised and individualised solutions or short run.
At SGI Dubai 2016 it was evident that print service providers care a lot about the environment. Latex, Solvent-UV, aqueous and UV-LED printers and recyclable, environmentally friendly consumables that were presented at the show received much attention due to their lower impact on the environment.
“There has been a sense of revival in the region in a big way post Dubai’s Expo 2020 win. Due to several upcoming projects in UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia the demand within the industry has grown exponentially and that has also had a positive impact on the show. This edition’s growth is a good indicator that the industry is growing at a consistent pace,” observes Sharif Rahman, CEO, International Expo Consults (IEC), organizers of SGI Dubai.
ME Printer summarises the market sentiments echoed by prominent exhibitors at SGI 2016.
Ride on the growth wave leading up to Expo 2020
A positive indicator for the UAE market in the beginning of 2016 is that it is another step closer to 2020, which according to Mani Nabavi, business development manager at Nabavi Group, offers new business opportunities brought by the several projects underway or planned for the mega event.
“We expect to see an increasing demand for signage driven by the marketing activities in the run up to Expo 2020 in Dubai.
This will also create new printing and signage benchmarks, which in turn will drive demand across the Middle East as printers will aim to catch up to the higher printing and customer service standards,” says Mani.
“Multi-fix widens our market segment with an expanded product range and a larger customer base at different price points. Mactac and Multi-fix are positioned differently and targeted at the high-end and mid segments of the market, respectively. A large number of our customers have adopted both brands for different applications.
We project huge demand for both the brands, as indicated by the buying behaviour of visitors at SGI 2016. The show received a larger number of visitors, particularly from Iran, which is expected to see an economic boom and present huge growth opportunities for the Middle East signage industry after the lifting of international sanctions,” says Mani.
Colour plays a fundamental role in visual communication
Digital printing is a fast-growing market in the Middle East, and printers can focus on delivering high quality images consistently as a point of difference. Stefan Braun, area sales manager-EMEA, Barbieri points out that this is possible only with intelligent and accurate colour measuring technology that can help print professionals deliver the highest levels of image quality.
Barbieri’s product highlight at SGI was the portable SpectroPad colour measuring and process control device. The wireless spectrophotometer measures a wide variety of different reflective media used in professional digital printing, including large and wide format. Measurements can be taken independently without the need of a computer and directly on the printer. Its integrated touch display enables interaction with the device and provides instant measurement results.
“Barbieri is a global specialist in measuring colour, and we develop devices to help print professionals to deliver the highest level of image quality. Our core competence lies in our understanding of colour and its role in visual communication. Together with Giffin Graphics, we aim to educate printers in the Middle East about this competence and how they can achieve accurate results on a wide variety of media,” says Stefan.
Interior decoration is a natural progression for signage printers
The industry is in the early stages of merging signage, fashion, and interior decoration. The future of wide format printing will be a combination of promotional and functional printing. Wide format printers who’ve previously focused only on signage applications are now looking at interior decoration seriously as a natural progression for business growth, according to Pavan Gupta, director, Colorjet.
At SGI, ColorJet launched the Fabjet-Duo, which is equipped with a dual ink supply system that gives the freedom to choose between any two of three inks in one machine by just a flick of a switch. The Fabjet-Duo has been developed for a target audience in the soft signage segment, particularly for producers of soft signage like flags, banners, hoardings, demo tents, vibrant backlits, etc.
“Our new machines are targeted specifically at a niche industry of first time users, particularly entrepreneurs venturing into wide format printing for various applications. The target customer also includes traditional outdoor signage printers who are moving into textile printing. For example, a printer may want to print flags and banners for signage and bed sheets for home use. Such entrepreneurs may not have the volumes to justify investment in machines for each application. However, they could achieve the best of both worlds by starting with the versatile Fabjet-Duo printer and decide later to install dedicated printers for each application as they expand their businesses,” says Pavan.
Adopting a hybrid printing model is the smart way forward
At SGI, Konica Minolta, along with its UAE partner Juma Al Majid Group, presented the bizhub Press C1100 series production machine with on-demand printing capabilities targeted at printers that want to keep up with high volume of orders and demand for quality.
“Currently, only a small fraction of conventional offset printers have invested in digital printing. Konica Minolta enjoys market leaderhip in entry-level solutions for offset printers, which makes it attractive for them to incorporate digital printing within their existing business. Our expertise in the entry-level segment gave us the confidence to move into the mid-to-high volume production market,” says Nayyar.
The market is ready to look beyond price alone
Buying cheap is not always cheap. The cost per square meter on low-end machines can be very expensive. The GCC market is now evolving from price alone to functionality and features, according to Mark Sherman, area director, Screen Europe.
“Such printers are looking to take their businesses to the next level, and they are likely to trade in their existing machines for one that offers much more features, better quality, higher speed, and special applications. We believe the GCC market is ready for this machine. Its high speed and quality will redefine instore promotions. The Screen Truepress Jet W3200 HS is different from all our other products in the market. It’s the ideal production tool for a wide range of applications. The machine prints full commercial quality fast and at a low cost, which allows a fast return on investment,” says Mark.
The Screen Truepress Jet W3200UV HS delivers a speed of 150 square meters per hour at true commercial quality and184 square meters per hour at saleable quality. The standard model, the Screen Truepress Jet W3200, offers a top speed of 85 square meters per hour. If job volumes increase, this system can be upgraded on site to the Truepress Jet W3200 HS specifications; the upgrade allows growth into highspeed, high-volume production.
Screen has partnered with Jacky’s Business Solutions to introduce the Screen Truepress Jet W3200 HS (High Speed) in the UAE, Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar. “Jacky’s are experts in these markets. That’s why we felt this product needed their expertise, and we’ve been hugely impressed with their professionalism. The addition of Screen in the Jacky’s portfolio helps them compete in the high-end segment of the market. It’s a win-win partnership for both the companies,” says Mark.
It’s easy for entrepreneurs to start a sublimation printing business
A large number of small businesses in the Middle East are looking for creative ways to make money. Sublimation printing is a fairly simple and profitable business and a great diversification opportunity for any entrepreneur, according to Darcy Mauro, president, Sawgrass.
“Sublimation printing has applications in personalized gifts, furnishing and décor, garment decoration, promotional products, interior signage, photography and fine art. We provide integrated solutions comprising printers, inks, software, and transfer media, making it easy for entrepreneurs to start a sublimation business, either at home or in a small shop,” says Darcy.
The Sawgrass VJ 628 features a Mutoh print engine with i2 print technology that eliminates banding. It is capable of printing a full bleed on 24” (610 mm) products and is equipped with industrial printheads capable of printing up to 1440 x 1440 dpi. Designed specifically for larger format and high volume sublimation production, this system is targeted at applications such as interior signage, fine art and photographic reproduction or high volume production of personalized gifts and promotional products. SubliJet-HD Sublimation Inks for the Sawgrass VJ 628 System enables for rich blacks, neutral grays and photoquality reproduction.
Sawgrass also displayed the newly launched Virtuoso HD Garment Decorating System, a fully integrated system designed specifically for cotton transfer printing. Featuring ChromaBlast-HD textile inks, ChromaBlast transfer media, and both SG400 and SG800 printers, the system is aimed at decorating white and light coloured cotton fabrics with vibrant, durable images that are soft to the hand.
“In direct response to dealer and end-user requests for an alternative to the current 24” in aftermarket solutions, we worked with Mutoh to develop the VJ 628 System, which offers a wider print area and brings the power of our desktop Virtuoso HD Product Decorating Systems to its next evolution. We also offer free cloud-based design software, CreativeStudio, to make it easy to produce great designs from any computer or tablet,” says Darcy.
Speed, the answer to boosting digital productivity
Hendrik Verbrugghe, marketing director, Canon Middle East, points out that the sign and graphic imaging industry is faced with the challenge of commoditization, with consumers expecting organisations to provide them with faster print runs and personalised prints. An expanded range of printing substrates is a growing need, and advanced graphical capabilities in imaging and display technologies are demanding printing to be done with very high quality.
“The Océ ColorWave 910an attractive proposition for wide format print service providers looking to increase print production capacity and for commercial printers looking for a powerful – yet economical – way to explore new revenue channels. Unlike traditional large format inkjet systems, the Océ ColorWave 910 can maintain maximum productivity regardless of image content, ink coverage or media type,” says Hendrik.
Canon also demonstrate its highly comprehensive range of Wide Format Printers which includes the Arizona 460GT UV-Flatbed that produces near-photographic image quality for printing on rigid or flexible media, Océ ColorWave 700 and the powerful imagePROGRAF range that includes iPF6400s, iPF6450, iPF8400, iPF8400SE and iPF9400s.
Fast growing wide format applications demand versatile printers
China, Taiwan, Russia, Korea, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa are experiencing a surge in wide format application jobs, and the need to produce short run jobs on a wide variety of media has created room in these markets for a wide format printer that could master miscellaneous jobs at a high pace at exceptional quality, according to Mike Horsten, General Manager Marketing EMEA at Mimaki Europe.
Moreover, in order to make the printer’s job load even more practical, it allows for simultaneous printing on two rolls, up to a maximum mountable media width of 1,524mm for each roll. That way, printers can simultaneously handle two different jobs on one machine. The patented dithering Mimaki Fine Diffusion 1 technology (MFD1) processes image data while safeguarding the original image quality. The technology is included in the Rasterlink 6 RIP software and reduces noise.
“The SIJ-320UV is as versatile and flexible as the printers it is designed for in these regions. State-of-the-art Mimaki technology combined with durable and outstanding ink colour reproduction will make sure they can timely tailor each print job to the needs and quality standards of their customers,” says Mike.
Mimaki also launched the UJF-7151 plus industrial small format UV Inkjet flatbed printer, which has a maximum printable size of 710 x 510 mm (28 x 20in).
“Recently, there has been growing demand for digital, on-demand, and plateless inkjet printing because of its ability to quickly provide high-mix and low-volume printing.
The high performance UV inkjet printer UJF-7151 plus enables high-precision ink dot placement and beautiful printing through Mimaki’s proprietary technology and at top-level productivity. The printer improves accuracy, consistency and reliability by modifying the mechanical structure of the print table. Fine lines, edges, and small texts are displayed crystal clear. The solution also enables double-layer printing and colour printing on a white base layer,” says Mike.
The trend is shifting towards soft signage and eco-friendly solutions
Philippe Husni, general manager, Heliozid Océ Middle East, observes: “The wide format signage industry trend is shifting toward textile printers and environmentally friendly media. To accelerate this industry-wide adoption, we offer a complete solution comprising eco-friendly printers, water-based inks, and recyclable media. The Granada printers print mostly on Polyester, which is lightweight, durable, and recyclable.”
The Granada 3200 uses an Epson DX5 print head with an output resolution of up to 1440dpi and printing speed of up to 55 sqm/h, supporting variable sized droplet technology. It features a post-printing online drying system: the fabric enters into the drying process immediately after printing procedure to avoid the sticky dirt generated on the fabric when entering into a twitch roller. The excessive ink droplets passing through the fabric upon printing are collected by the waste ink tank, and it is only required to clean the waste ink tank regularly to avoid drainage of waste water.
“The Granada 3200 embodies the characteristics of high efficiency, low energy consumption and modest prices of digital printing, which presents high investment value for customers engaged in fabric printing, exhibition, home decoration and advertising banners etc. The system can easily handle ultra-thin fabrics,” says Philippe.
Innovation with Latex technology
HP showcased sign and display PSPs how they can innovate and open new business opportunities through HP’s latest technology introductions. HP presented some of its newest solutions for the first time in the Middle East, namely, the recently launched Latex 3100, 370 and HP PageWide XL Printer portfolio, which have been designed to increase productivity and workflow efficiency. Features of the HP booth included an extensive print application area illustrating more than 30 different printed applications across very diverse materials.
“HP’s broad portfolio of large-format solutions demonstrates the cost benefits available to print service providers (PSPs), says Ernest Azzam, Large Format Design regional business manager.
The 64-inch HP Latex 370 Printer with the new 3-liter cartridges prints from traditional signage substrates like vinyl and banners to temporary textiles, canvas and wallpapers, increasing margins and productivity via the ability to change cartridges while printing and maintaining the high quality at high speed, instant dry and scratch resistance benefits of the 3rd generation of latex inks.
HP announced the public release of its new HP Latex software developers kit (SDK), which allows third-party workflow and MIS developers to integrate their tools with HP Latex 370 printers for seamless workflow integration. The HP Latex Mobile App enables users to increase unattended printing by remotely tracking jobs and receiving alerts on the status of the printer on their Smartphone screen.
The new HP PageWide XL Printer portfolio offers large-format printing in color and black-and-white with speeds up to 30 D/A1-size prints per minute, as well as two 775 milliliter ink cartridges per color. HP PageWide Technology consists of more than 200,000 nozzles on a stationary print bar and spans the width of the page, enabling breakthrough printing speeds. Extended time between service station cycles also enables outstanding sustained productivity capacity. HP PageWide XL Printers do the job of two printers in one single device, providing monochrome and color prints at breakthrough speeds up to 60 percent faster than the fastest monochrome light-emitting diode (LED) printer.
‘Print & Prepare’ to reduce downtime
Agfa Graphics showcased its Jeti Mira UV-inkjet wide-format printer for the Middle Eastern and African markets. The Jeti Mira is a six-color and white UV inkjet printer aimed at applications ranging from posters, signage, exhibit graphics and POP displays to niche applications such as DVDs, wood, art reproductions, and personalized objects. Its dockable roll-to-roll option enables printing on a wide variety of flexible media. The Jeti Mira features ‘Print & Prepare’ technology that allows loading of new media while
the printer is still working. The printer features six different vacuum zones – three zones along the width of the flatbed table, at the front and at the back – to ensure the media does not budge as the gantry whisks its way along the x- and y-axes.
Agfa also demonstrated the Anapurna M3200i, a high-speed 3.2 meter-wide roll-to-roll UV-inkjet printer, which prints indoor and outdoor banners and billboards in a six, a four, or a four color plus white configuration. In addition, the company presented its eco-solvent inks for industrial and wide-format inkjet printing applications.
Walter Nackaerts, managing director-direct export, Agfa Graphics says: “The Jeti Mira provides outstanding quality in six colours and its ‘Print & Prepare’ technology reduces downtime and increased productivity. We also demonstrated how the Asanti workflow for wide format printers is driving both the 3.2 meter-wide roll-to-roll Anapurna M3200i and the Jeti Mira. It underlines our focus on a matched component approach joining software, equipment and inks.”
Wide format printers can expand into short format digital presses
The biggest market for Xerox lies in the shift from offset to digital printing. Pankaj Kalra, marketing manager, Xerox Emirates, points out that signage and wide format printers, too, can take advantage of innovative offerings to expand into short format digital presses.
“With the increasing demand for printing in the MENA region, Xerox is focused on providing value add services and solutions to its current and potential customers. We expect to achieve double digit growth in the MENA region in 2016. Printers that’ve embraced short runs and digital printing have exhibited growth despite recessionary trends in the market, and that’s a positive indicator for us,” says Pankaj.
The Xerox Versant 80 provides production press capabilities with offset-quality performance and automated features for optimizing image quality, color and registration. Printing at 80 pages-per-minute (ppm), the device delivers ultra HD, 10-bit image quality at 2400 x 2400 dpi and can handle a variety of media types with a compact Belt Fuser system and Xerox’s EA Low Melt Dry Ink. The Xerox Color 1000i Press includes an optional Specialty Dry Ink Station that enhances documents with metallic gold or silver dry inks or applies spot or flood creative effects with clear dry ink. Printers can migrate to lucrative foil stamping applications such as invitations, certificates and business cards, to short-run, high-value digital production. Multi-pass printing with clear ink adds an extra textural/dimensional feel and the “pop” of the silver and gold inks.
“In order to meet market demands, evolving printing requirements, and competitiveness of the industry players, Xerox is highly committed to innovation and industry leadership. Quality printing equipment will only add value to the business and overall performance when supplemented by meaningful service support. We offer a complete 360 degree approach when it comes to hardware, as we believe workflow solutions, analyst services and customer support with business development services are equally important for our clients, so they can focus more on their core business,” says Pankaj.
Growing applicaton of dye sublimation printing for fashion and sports apparel
Yosuke Yagi, assistant manager, sales development, Roland DG, points out that the ever-growing popularity of sports and fashion apparel opens up new sublimation opportunities everyday, and everything from t-shirts and cycling jerseys to handbags and baseball caps is a possibility.
“The XT-640 is also equipped to take full advantage of Roland Texart inks, which are specially formulated to produce the bold, vivid colors and deep, rich blacks needed for
sublimation applications. The addition of orange and violet inks increases the color gamut for exceptional reds and oranges, deep blues and rich purples, while light cyan and light magenta provide subtle gradations, beautiful skin tones and a remarkably fine level of detail,” says Yosuke.
The XT-640’s features that optimize production and convenience include the Roland Ink System, which uses one-liter ink pouches to facilitate uninterrupted long-run printing. In four-color mode, the system provides two liters per color. The proprietary Roland Ink Switching System automatically switches to the backup ink pouch when the primary pouch runs out. The XT-640 also comes with the Roland Printer Assist iPad app, which further enables unattended printing by allowing users to check printing status from anywhere in the building.
The total cost of ownership is often overlooked
Print service providers now have a wide choice of presses available in the market to buy at various prices. However, they tend to focus only on the intial cost of the machine and overlook the runnning costs. That’s why its important to educate and encourage them to lower their overall cost of ownership by helping them reduce their consumption of ink as well as its price, according to Shihab Ahmed Zubair, business development manager, professional graphics, Epson.
The SC-S series (SC S40610, SC S60610 and SC S80610), which features the latest generation Epson PrecisionCore TFP printhead, is targeted at signage, high-end displays and décor.
Applications include exhibition displays, posters and backlit panels, to POS materials,
vehicle wraps and wallpaper. Working in tandem with a new formulation Epson UltraChrome GS3 or GS3 with Red inks, users can produce a wide colour gamut for highly accurate colour reproduction. The SC-S80610 benefits from the addition of both red and orange ink to expand the colour gamut. A ‘Precision Dot’ high-quality mode makes it easy to improve the overall print quality on a variety of media, which includes clear film, vinyl, canvas and photographic paper.
The SC-F series (SC-F7200 and SCF6200) is aimed at the cost-effective production of superior-quality textiles and promotional goods. The SC-F6200 also offers the flexibility needed to sublimate onto a range of hard substrates. Targeted at companies producing promotional goods, the printer can be used to sublimate onto tailored goods, including mugs and phone and tablet covers. The SCF7200 has been exclusively created and developed for the roll-to-roll textile market.
“The SC-F series enhance Epson’s dye-sublimation line-up by offering customers the chance to expand their production capabilities. All the new models include a number of ways to help customers keep their costs low. High-capacity ink systems mean a low printing cost per square metre, while the use of Epson’s genuine inks ensures less cleaning and fewer printhead replacements are needed to help reduce possible downtime. Disposing of waste ink is now easier and more cost-effective as both printers now include a two-litre bottle to collect wastage. The products are also available with Epson’s managed print service programme, which allows tighter budget control and helps reduce overstocking,” says Shihab.
Digital cutting boosts productivity and lowers labour costs
The cutter has a feature called ‘tandem material loading’ or ‘pendulum’ production in which, loading/unloading occurs on one side, while cutting continues without interruption on the other. This setup increases workflow efficiency, keeps idle time to a minimum and maximizes throughput. With a tandem setup, the cutting surface is divided into two independently controllable vacuum areas, front and back. Each side is equipped with controls for turning the vacuum on/off and resuming production. Once material is placed in the working area, push the button to re-activate the vacuum and processing continues. The machines’ Board Handling System allows high-volume, non-stop production.
“Zund G3 eliminates the bottlenecks in your finishing department by automating all cutting/trimming functions. Manual cutting, with all inherent costs, potential for mistakes, and lack of efficiency, is reduced to an absolute minimum. With optimized workflow, G3 further boosts productivity,” says Ralph Busselot, managing director, Colour Byte.
Create on-demand revenue streams with A3+ graphic arts printers
John Ross, General Manager of OKI Middle East, India & Africa, indicates that professional printers with in-built digital graphic arts technology can open up new opportunities and on-demand revenue streams for creative businesses and print houses.
“Unrivalled media flexibility and stunning high definition colors make the Pro Series a cost-effective option for creative businesses looking to offer more to their customers or unlock a lucrative new revenue stream.
The Pro Series delivers on-demand graphic arts printing and light production, with fast turnaround and outstanding results. We are so confident about the reliability of our above printers that we are offering a 3 years extended warranty upon registration within 30 days of purchase,” says John.
