We know that deciding to invest in a laser machine is a big decision.

That is why we are bringing our machines to you. We will be showcasing our latest laser products in Perth

This is your opportunity for a personalised demonstration close to home.

Our laser experts will be on-site and available to answer all your laser cutting and laser engraving questions.

If you’d like to check the application for a particular material, bring a sample along and we’ll be happy to run it through.

https://alfexlaser.com.au/event/perth-laser-cutter-and-laser-engraver/

This new paper, made from grass, provides an eco-friendly label material for organic product brand owners. This label is usable on a wide range of product types (foodstuff, cosmetics, wine, pet foods) and is particularly suitable for labeling clothing.

The manufacturing process for conventional wood pulp uses 6,000 litres of water per ton – compared to 1 litre used in the production of this grass-based product; known under the reference 261. It has a permanent adhesive for small surfaces on a variety of substrates. This general-purpose adhesive is approved for direct foodstuff contact and has been awarded ISEGA Institute certification. As an option, AstroNova can also provide an acrylic dispersion adhesive, which is removable without leaving residue, from a variety of substrates.

The light brown colour of Grass paper means that a vintage-style label can be achieved without the need for additional processing.

As the need for on-demand manufacturing increases across an ever-widening array of substrates, producers in the sign & graphic and packaging industries need a system that offers speed and versatility to meet every request that comes in. In order to remain competitive, companies must offer more material options and quicker turnaround times without diminishing the quality of their product.

As the most versatile digital cutting solution on the market, the Gerber MCT Cutter has all the tools, including laser, to complete the most challenging jobs for a wide range of substrates, while increasing productivity and delivering high-quality results. The innovative system allows users to control target registration, cut file editing and machine production from one, integrated user interface.

Six months after having acquired MCT Digital, Gerber is expanding its MCT digital cutting system worldwide into the sign & graphics and packaging markets. The highly-integrated system of hardware and software has won a number of accolades in the North America market.

“We are excited to bring such strong innovation in digital finishing to the European sign & graphics and packaging markets, and look to build on Gerber’s deep heritage of automated finishing and integrated production software,” said Gerber Technology’s Scott Schinlever, president and chief operating officer, Automation Solutions.

The most versatile cutting solution on the market, the Gerber MCT Cutter, is equipped with an industry-leading 100w laser for textiles and acrylics, as well as 11 interchangeable tools and the industry’s most integrated production and vision-guided software, TigerVision™.

“We went from doing everything by hand to having a giant digital worker who is very accurate and fast,” said Jonathan Merendlender, founder of Printed Ink (Huntingdon Valley, PA) who has been using a Gerber MCT Cutter since October 2018. “Aside from the obvious benefits of custom shapes, 3D lettering, and fabrication, the CNC router drastically cut down on labor and increased capacity almost instantly.”

The Gerber MCT Cutter will be making its European debut at FESPA, the largest international wide format professional printing exhibition that showcases the latest innovations for digital printing and laser cutting.

World class manufacturer, NUtec Digital Ink is further expanding its GBL-free ink range with the announcement of the release of its newest eco-solvent product, known as the Diamond D20-GF ink.

The Diamond D20-GF is a premium eco-solvent ink designed for use on Spectra Starfire print heads such as those found in Gongzheng wide format printers. The D20-GF ink offers excellent outdoor durability and, when used in regular applications using suitable substrates, will deliver printed images that last for up to two years.





The Diamond D20-GF formulation is low smell, GBL-free and offers superior abrasion and chemical resistance, while providing excellent media compatibility across a broad range of self-adhesive and flexible substrates.

Available in either 1L, 2L or 5L bottles with an 18 month shelf life,  the D20-GF eco-solvent ink supports NUtec’s new product strategy which includes the development of more environmentally and operator- friendly digital ink alternatives for its customers worldwide. The company’s ink products are supported by NUtec Digital’s Ink Delivery System Warranty.

NUtec Sales and Marketing Director, Neil Green notes, “While we are continually developing newer ink technologies such as our water-based and UV-curable digital inks, it is our eco-solvent chemistry that remains the first choice for our  customers in the traditional outdoor signage arena. The Diamond D20-GF ink is our latest eco-solvent offering in the GBL-free range and already has our customers thrilled with its performance.“

www.nutecdigital.com

Summa is proud to announce that its brand new L3214 laser cutting machine will be introduced at FESPA 2019. This is the second Summa style laser unit and equipped with a 1.4 m long conveyor bed on a total width of more than 3.2 m, to be exact 3.35 m.

Besides the size, one of its most unique features is the on-the-fly cutting process, which allows for continuous feeding of material to the machine. This will make the user much more productive. While the machine continues cutting, the newly cut material is readily available for pick-up from the conveyor belt. Fast, accurate, and on-the-fly cutting – the L3214 is bound to change the go-to-market strategy for applications in soft signage, home decoration, sportswear and fashion. The L3214 will be on display at FESPA 2019 in Hall A5, Booth F20.

Meet your customers’ deadlines and improve your margin

Summa has developed a unique on-the-fly cutting concept to ensure a perfectly cut product that’s ready to roll off the table. The concept has many benefits to offer, which contribute to higher productivity, enabling L3214-users to serve their customers faster with high accuracy. To illustrate this, when processing typical jobs, the machine even cuts 400 m2 an hour.

At the core of the enhanced productivity lies a top-notch camera recognition system. Instead of getting your files ready, or waiting for the material to be scanned, this Summa L3214 Vision system continuously scans the material and automatically creates the cut vector needed for the job. The system secures continuous cutting, even when the conveyor is moving, saving you a considerable amount of valuable time.

At this high speed, Summa is still able to maintain the high standards for accuracy. A motorized de-reeler makes sure there is no fabric distortion while cutting. The system secures a constant and stable fabric feed onto the vacuumed cutting bed. By creating a loop in the material, the de-reeler relaxes the material, reduces distortion and secures an accurate cut. No more idle periods, yet boosted productivity instead with a perfectly cut product that’s immediately ready for shipment or further processing.

Like all L Series, also the L3214 enjoys the following benefits:

- Cutting quality that exceeds your expectations, thanks to the perfectly sealed edges. 

- Processing textiles with high precision and without fraying by default, through contactless cutting with a laser. 

- Any deformations are automatically recognised by the intelligent camera system and immediately compensated in the cutting vector. 

- Material optimisation reduces waste with the Vision technology because the laser system does not need markers, the cutting designs can be placed much closer to each other, ensuring maximum use of the material. 

- Environment & Safety is a priority. Fumes are removed by the internal extraction system and cutting by laser produces no dust fibres ensuring a clean work environment. The L Series is enclosed to meet the Class 1 standard, ensuring the laser cutting source is covered during operation and machine pauses if the cover is open.

Laser cutting excellence at FESPA 2019

Textile is one of the fastest growing markets nowadays, where on-demand digital printing proved to be the game changer many soft signage, sportswear and fashion brands need. Printed textiles still require finishing and nothing cuts as accurately as laser cutting. The contactless cutting means no fabric distortion, low to none dust generation, no tool wear and no fraying of synthetic textiles thanks to the edge sealing feature. It can be applied to any type of material and secures a quick and precise cutting of even the most intricate designs.

Wim Maes, Executive Director & CCO at Summa nv comments: “Our first model is a crowd-pleaser, especially in sportswear, but large format textiles and on-demand business models, raised the bar and a fast time-to-market is needed. The market asked for a bigger L Series model and we gladly comply. Textile will again be a major focus market at FESPA 2019 with many visitors looking for the perfect match of quality and price. Seekers of excellence in this field will find it on our stand F20 in Hall A5. We invite everyone to experience the benefits of laser cutting first-hand by joining one of the demonstrations and viewing the accurate and fast output the L3214 delivers with on-the-fly cutting technology.”

MUTOH, a leading manufacturer of wide-format inkjet printers, announced that their original LED-UV ink or UL’s US11 ink is now the UL GREENGUARD Gold certified. 

UL’s GREENGUARD Certification Program is a widely used standard for design professionals, consumers and others to find low emitting interior products that promote better indoor air quality. Products that achieve GREENGUARD and GREENGUARD Gold Certification have demonstrated low chemical emissions during normal use. Some products, such as printing inks, are used in a wide variety of applications.

The GREENGUARD test method includes standardised room exposure models for both an office and classroom environment developed by the California Department of Public Health. The stringency of these models is directly related to the surface area of product that will be used in the room. For products that may be used in many applications, UL considers all potential applications and awards certification for the highest surface area loading for which the products meet the GREENGUARD and/or GREENGUARD Gold Certification criteria.

To learn more about the GREENGUARD Certification, go to https://services.ul.com/service/greenguard-certification/  

MUTOH is taking steps to ensure our company and our products are environmentally responsible. MUTOH has been committed to provide customers safe, environmentally-friendly and high-quality products by following industry standards in our product development process.

About MUTOH’s original LED-UV ink; US 11 ink  

The MUTOH US11 ink has been specifically developed for MUTOH’s specialty/industrial UV printers. The US11 ink is capable of printing on a wide range of materials and is designed to bend and stretch with the materials after cured. The ink enables beautiful and versatile layer printing with CMYK + white and varnish colours. Available in cartridges & bulk ink bags, the MUTOH's LED-UV ink features high-productivity, ultra-sharp and high quality outputs.  

Area of Application – printer compatibility

MUTOH US11 ink is applicable to the following ValueJet UV inkjet printers.
- VJ-1638UH
- VJ-1638UR 
- VJ-626UF
- VJ-426UF

Esko, a global supplier of integrated hardware and software solutions for leading packaging, labels and wide format customers, has extended its Kongsberg digital cutting table range with the new Kongsberg C Edge; a completely upgradable table design that avoids costly reinvestment for customers as business grows.
 
The breakthrough innovation in the Kongsberg C multifunction, digital finishing series is designed specifically for signage and corrugated packaging converters.
 
Russell Weller, Esko Product Manager, stated: “The new C Edge is designed to grow with our customers. Invest now and you invest for the future. Unlike other tables on the market, the C Edge is completely upgradable avoiding the impact of having to reinvest when a business expands. The C Edge evolves with a business to unlock production flexibility and profitability, and delivers exceptional cutting quality and milling accuracy at a remarkably cost-effective price.”
 
With high speed production capability up to 75m/min, at an acceleration of 1G, the Kongsberg C Edge enables converters to produce high quality results with fast turnaround to meet today’s dynamic market needs.
 
Suitable for the wide range of substrates used in the signage sector, the C Edge can be fitted with  the new second Fast Tool adapter to reduce manual tool changes and minimise downtime. When two Fast Tools are utilised together, converters can achieve higher throughput with clever tool combinations and improve output quality, especially on signage materials like vinyls. The C Edge is also available with or without a conveyor.
 
For corrugated packaging manufacturers, the C Edge can also be fitted with a heavy duty unit with a 50kg downforce to produce high quality crease lines with a 150mm crease wheel. Efficient and high-quality creasing, even at 100% speed, is supported by CorruSpeed; a unique tool developed for cutting corrugated board at high production speeds without oscillation. The CorruSpeed tool delivers higher quality and generates significant time savings on a range of corrugated applications, even with recycled content.
 
Having a track record of delivering speed, precision and production power through superior engineering and build quality, Esko brings next generation innovation with the C Edge table for converters, supporting them today and in to the future.
 
Kongsberg C Edge is now available to the global market. For more information about the table and its complementary tools and software, please click here

HP has announced the new HP Stitch S series, a portfolio of digital textile printers that deliver fast, precise colour-matching, alongside efficient, simplified processes. It is HP’s latest innovation designed to accelerate commercial digital print adoption.

“Décor and fashion application trends, on demand production and personalisation are boosting digital print growth,” says Jeremy Brew, Large Format Application Specialist at HP. “The digitally printed textiles market is experiencing double-digit annual growth, forecast to reach US$5.5 billion by 2023, according to Smithers Pira. We look forward to more digital print transformations being realised with the arrival of the new HP Stitch S series.” 

The portfolio of printers couple HP Thermal Inkjet technology with industry-standard dyes for superior colour durability. The first-ever built-in spectrophotometer enables Stitch’s fast and exact colour-matching. The introduction includes three new printers from 64-inch to 126-inch wide: the HP Stitch S300 64-in Printer, the HP Stitch S500 64-in Printer, and the HP Stitch S1000 126-in Printer.  

The HP Stitch S300 Printer holds the first user-replaceable printhead, resulting in reduced down-times and service costs. The HP Stitch S300 Printer was designed specifically for new-to-dye sublimation professionals, prototyping departments, and growing print providers. 

“Our experience with HP Stitch S300 has been much easier and faster than other dye sub printers we’ve previously used,” says Teunis Roos, Color Concepts. “Most printers require manual action in terms of head maintenance and alignment, but the HP Stitch S300 is more proactive and automated when it comes to performance.”





Highlights: 
• Delivers the world’s fastest colour-matching - in the printer, in the RIP (Raster Image Processor) and in the cloud 
• Features Thermal Inkjet printhead technology to help reduce time and waste, and achieve repeatable, colour consistency across customer fleets
• Offers continuous high-quality prints with transfer paper and direct-to fabric features 
• Prevents downtime with HP Proactive Services offering pre-emptive support  

HP Stitch S500 Printer enables predictable dye sublimation colour and less media waste for production environments. With symmetrical 2xCMYK printhead configuration and Optical Media Advance Sensor, this 64-inch printer allows for saturated and reliable one pass mode for true top speed. The HP Stitch S500 Printer was designed specifically for high production sites.

Key HP Stitch S500 Printer features include:
• Streamlined production
o Big ink supplies, larger rolls, and HP’s Tension-Sensing Winder allow unattended operations—even overnight, complete with HP Services and cloud fleet management tools.
• Colour you can rely on with HP SmartColour tools
o Confidently distribute jobs across your fleet with colour consistency from printer to printer.
• Cost savings 
o Help avoid reprints and media waste with 1200 native dpi printheads and HP Smart Nozzle Compensation system, saving up to 50 percent floor space with frontal media loading and a spindle-less system. 





New HP Dye Sublimation Paper
HP has also launched a set of new dye sublimation papers for the new HP Stitch S Printer series. These papers are designed and tested as a system with HP dye sublimation inks and the HP Stitch S Printer series to achieve excellent image quality and colour consistency.

The HP Stitch S300 and S500 Printer series, as well as dye sublimation paper, are available now and will be showcased at ISA 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada from April 24-26. Visit us at Booth 1935 and 1919 for a hands-on first look at the portfolio. 

The 126-inch HP Stitch S1000 Printer can be seen at ISA 2019 under exclusive invitation and will make its debut at FESPA 2019 in May. 

Pricing and availability
Information on Australian availability, pricing, and retail destinations will be available in the lead-up to PrintEx 2019. 

Mimaki has released the “JFX200-2513 EX”, a large flatbed UV inkjet printer.

The entry level flatbed will print direct onto a range of materials including white board, transparent/coloured board, wood, cardboard, and metal. Bed size is 2,500mm x 1,300mm.

“The JFX200-2513 EX is an ultimate 2.5m x 1.3m flatbed LED UV inkjet printer that combines high value-added print and high productivity," said Brad Creighton, National Marketing Manager, Mimaki Australia. "The newly developed head unit is adopted to enable production without reducing speed even in white and colour simultaneous printing. This has increased the productivity 200 per cent compared to the JFX200-2513."

“We have also added high value added printing features, including a special Emboss Print function. Most printers make the surface look bumpy with many layers of UV ink straight on top of other layers. Smoother expression is only achieved by stacking stepped layers, so there was a need to manually prepare the data for each layer. The JFX200-2513 EX allows you to create semi-stereoscopic 2.5D print data for stepped layers that are sized differently, simply by common Illustrator/Photoshop operations and RasterLink6Plus. We call this 2.5D Texture Maker, the prints look fantastic.”

The Emboss Print in the Surface Imaging is a technique that enables 2.5D expression using multiple layers of UV ink to add a three-dimensional effect to the surface.

The new 2.5D Texture Maker is a new function of Mimaki genuine rip software, RaterLink6Plus, which allows printers to easily create multi-layered gradation data.

The company says semi-stereoscopic smooth 2.5D print can be easily made, for applications such as interior materials with printed bricks and woodgrain texture, an elevation of thick ink of an oil painting, and embossed letters of signage.

The newly featured Draft mode achieves a higher-grade productivity, realising a maximum printing speed of 35sqm per hour.

Main features

1. High value-added print “2.5D Texture Maker” that enables easy creation of smooth semi-stereoscopic 2.5D data

2. High productivity
a) Print speed in white-simultaneous printing has improved 200% of the conventional model
b) Higher-grade productivity realised by adding the new print mode

3. Stability and safety
a) NCU & NRS automatically detects missing nozzles and performs recovery
b) Links with external interface allow users to meet safety standards that are different by factory

4. Upgraded usability
a) Work efficiency improved by adding the vacuum-controlling foot switch
b) Ethernet connection supported

Electronics For Imaging, Inc., has announced the launch of the EFI Fiery Colour Controller E-25C, a new digital front end (DFE) that drives many of the next generation of Ricoh’s family of colour multi-function printers (MFPs), the RICOH IM Series.

“Our new intelligent Colour MFPs, the IM Series, are affordable, versatile and highly productive systems that have been designed to help seamlessly support the colour intensive workflow requirements for busy office workgroups and enterprise environments,” said Steven Burger, Head of Engineering and Vice President, Portfolio Management, Ricoh USA, Inc.. “The Colour Controller E-25C provides our customers with the power to quickly and efficiently produce high-quality colour documents & prints with accurate and consistent colour.

Key benefits of the new digital front end include:

1.  Increased productivity: print large or complex PowerPoint and PDF files accurately and quickly, as well as high volumes of small jobs from many users simultaneously, allowing workers to get their materials printed faster to work more efficiently.
2. Accurate, consistent colour: print logo and corporate colours correctly, adjust or correct colour, edit or enhance images on-the-fly, and ensure consistent, highest quality output over time.
3. Easily prepare booklets: Fiery VUE, the free “visual print driver,” enables easy merging of multiple documents together, as well as seeing a 3D preview of exactly how a booklet will print.
4. Centralised printer management: with Fiery Navigator, customers can easily manage their fleet of printers over multiple sites
5. Advanced workflow options: Optional Fiery software such as Fiery Impose, Fiery Compose, Fiery Color Profiler Suite, and the Fiery Productivity Package provide advanced make-ready, colour management, and automation capabilities, including integration with EFI MIS/ERP workflow solutions.

Adding the DFE to a RICOH IM Series device helps customers reduce their overall costs by printing more high-quality materials in-house.

“The new Fiery DFE for the RICOH IM series devices sets a new quality and productivity standard for workgroup printing,” said John Henze, vice president of Fiery sales and marketing, EFI. “Customers get the best of both worlds: standard MFP functionality combined with the higher productivity and colour accuracy that helps them be more productive and reduce print outsourcing.”

The new Fiery DFE is available from Ricoh and authorised Ricoh Family Group dealer partners.

Successful legal suit filed against Nazdar and its German distributor Zaro, shows that FUJIFILM Speciality Ink Systems Ltd takes the protection of its intellectual property extremely seriously.

Commenting on the ruling handed down by the Regional Court in Düsseldorf, Germany, Rob Fassam, R&D Director at FSIS said: "This sends a clear message to anyone thinking of infringing our intellectual property. We will continue to protect our investment by filing patents that cover our technology and we will take appropriate action against those who infringe.

"I am delighted that the Regional Court in Düsseldorf has ruled in our favour. We invest significant time and resource developing new and exciting technology that benefits the inkjet industry."

In 2017 FUJIFILM Speciality Ink Systems Ltd (FSIS) filed suit against Nazdar Co., US and Nazdar Limited, UK as well as its German distributor Zaro GmbH before the competent Regional Court Düsseldorf (docket nos. 4b O 22/17 and 107/17). FSIS claimed Nazdar had infringed its UV ink patents EP 1 803 784 B3 and EP 2 383 314 B3 in Germany by offering its 702 & 703 Series UV inkjet inks and declaring them to be chemically compatible with the original inks designed for Fujifilm's Acuity range of flatbed UV printers.

The patents on these inks protect specific inkjet ink compositions providing a range of properties including improved flexibility, jetting performance and adhesion.

In reaction to the infringement actions, Nazdar filed nullity actions against the patents in Germany before the German Federal Patents Court and asked the Regional Court Düsseldorf to stay the infringement proceedings. Furthermore, Nazdar contested infringement, but did also, in reaction to FSIS' patent claims, change the chemical composition of its UV inkjet inks. However, despite redesigning the inks, Nazdar continued to market its UV inkjet inks as 702 & 703 Series and failed to indicate to customers the change in chemical composition in a way that FSIS considered necessary to avoid patent infringement.

With its judgements, the Regional Court in Düsseldorf has now confirmed infringement, injuncted Nazdar and Zaro from offering, bringing to market and any further use of patent infringing UV inkjet inks. It has also sentenced them to pay damages and render account. The Court also approved FSIS's position that the change in chemical composition of the 702 & 703 Series is not sufficient to avoid infringement because Nazdar continues to market their UV inkjets inks as 702 & 703 Series without sufficient indication of the product change.

Finally, while without prejudice of the nullity proceedings at the Federal Patents Court in Munich, the Regional Court in Düsseldorf did not follow Nazdar's invalidity arguments and therefore also rejected the stay motion.

Nazdar/Zaro have filed appeals against the judgements. Irrespectively, the judgements remain provisionally enforceable under the condition that FSIS will provide sufficient enforcement security. A date for the appeal hearing has been set for 7th November 2019. A date for a hearing in the nullity proceedings has not yet been set.

FUJIFILM Speciality Ink Systems Limited is the Technology Centre of Excellence for UV curable ink within the FUJIFILM Inkjet Business Division. Its core skills are the development and manufacture of high performance UV curing inks that are used in many of the world's leading printers.

Independent candidate for Hume, Huw Kingston, believes politicians should put their money where their mouths are. And to show he, for one, is serious about the environment he is doing away with the usual plastic advertising signs and using recyclable waterproof cardboard instead.

‘I tracked down this board made in Sweden, called Oppboga,’ Mr Kingston said. The waterproof outdoor board is named after the Swedish town where it is manufactured. It is made from paper and a biodegradable waterproofing agent. Mr Kingston has spent two decades campaigning against single-use plastics and his conscience would not allow him to put his face up on a plastic board.

‘The Oppbogas will last as long as the Federal election campaign, then they can go straight into the recycling bin.’





Every election hundreds of thousands of plastic ‘corflutes’ go up in suburbs, towns and along country roads throughout the nation. The product manager for Starleaton, who import the Oppboga boards in Australia, John Buitenkamp, said he had tried to interest the major political parties in the product but so far none had taken it up. The boards are more expensive than the plastic corflute equivalents. The material is used extensively for signage in the UK and has been available in Australia for two years.

Mr Kingston has ordered over 400 of the boards and hopes his example will be followed by other aspiring MPs in elections to come. He is campaigning on the slogan ‘There’s a climate for change’ and this is one change he would like to see, regardless of who wins the election. Additionally the Huw4Hume campaign team wear organic, sweatshop free T shirts and the vast majority of printing is done on FSC certified recycled paper.

‘People now take environmental concerns very seriously, and so should our politicians,’ said Mr Kingston, who is running against the incumbent Liberal, Angus Taylor.

Kornit Digital, a global market leader in digital textile printing innovation, has announced the introduction of the new Kornit Presto, the only industrial single-step solution for direct-to-fabric printing. The Kornit Presto solution eliminates the need for pre and post treatment of fabric and allows for high-quality printing on an extraordinarily broad variety of fabric types and applications. The Kornit Presto does not consume water in the printing process, making it the most environmentally friendly solution available for direct-to-fabric textile printing today.

The new Kornit Presto comes with the ground-breaking NeoPigment Robusto, the best Pigment-based ink available in the Industry. Implemented into the renowned Kornit NeoPigmentTM process, the Robusto provides above industry standard wash and rub results and exceptional color fastness across a wide fabric and application range. The Robusto enjoys faster physical and chemical bonding characteristics, enabling a significantly shorter curing time, while providing industry-leading quality and a wide color gamut. The NeoPigment Robusto ink was developed with sustainability priorities and is ECO PASSPORT and GOTS V5 approved.

The Kornit Presto solution suits a wide range of business and application needs in a variety of industry segments, including fast growing segments within the on-demand fashion and home décor markets. It is a highly productive solution, available in multiple configurations and able to print 450 square meters per hour.

Gart Davis, CEO at Spoonflower, the world’s first web-based service for custom, on-demand fabric and design creation and a long-time Kornit customer, commented, “We were thrilled to be able to test the new system and found the Presto to be in a class by itself; it prints beautifully on all kinds of fabrics, in a single-step, with an environmentally friendly dry process, and now at a multiple of productivity.  Our partnership with Kornit continues to be fundamental to our mission to make custom fabric accessible to designers, creative individuals and small businesses all over the world. We can’t wait to get going.”

Kerry King, Senior Vice President of R&D at Spoonflower, added, “The unique integration of the pre-treatment step into the printing process enables a level of efficiency that’s key to our web-to-print business.”

Omer Kulka, Kornit’s VP of Marketing and Product Strategy, also commented, “Kornit is on a mission to reinvent the textile printing industry with game-changing sustainable technologies for growing market segments.  We continue to see demand growth for on-demand production in fashion and home décor. This revolutionary technology is further proof of Kornit’s commitment to address the textile industry’s most urgent needs.”

Lintec Europe has introduced a range of easy-to-apply labelstocks featuring a ‘micro-canyon structure’ that prevents the formation of air bubbles beneath the label upon application.

The labelstock is claimed to be particularly effective for information labels on home appliances or electronic devices, as well as large labels in the graphics market that require a high level of air-release performance. A UL-recognized product, the labelstock is also resistant to blistering caused by outgassing emitted by certain plastic surfaces.

‘The two key advantages of this product is that it is easy to apply and outgassing resistant,’ explained Soichiro Fujinaga, technical manager of Lintec Europe. ‘The labelstock features an innovative air release adhesive mechanism, facilitated by a specially designed textured adhesive surface that incorporates miniscule air channels, hence the name “micro-canyon”. As the label is applied to the surface, the air escapes via the channels, avoiding the formation of bubbles and resulting in smooth adhesion.’

Soichiro said the labelstock is also particularly effective for overcoming the problem of blistering caused by outgassing: ‘Blisters have long been a source of dissatisfaction as they are difficult to remove and they affect the visual presentation of a label. The cause of this phenomenon lies in certain plastics, such as polycarbonates, which emit gasses over time and under the influence of rising temperatures, leading to the formation of blisters under the label. Our product is the ideal countermeasure against this issue and removes the possibility of label delamination.’

With a UL969 certification, the bubble-free labelstock range is compliant with the safety standards issued by Underwriters Laboratories. ‘It is quite common to have products comply with UL Standards, and many home appliances are UL-approved,’ concluded Soichiro. ‘Certification is a responsibility we take very seriously at Lintec and a UL969 label means that our customers can be confident they are investing in a reliable product.’

A new selection of colour-shifting foils, which enable designers to develop eye-catching brand enhancing packaging, has been launched available by Fresnels Innovations.

New ‘Scarab’, which reflects the iridescent colours of the eponymous beetle, and ‘Opal’, which takes its inspiration from the colour effects seen in mineral gem stones, follow the launch of the optically variable foil (OVF) Peacock stamping foil in 2018.

The latest foils will feature as part of a select range of eye-catching colour-shifting effects from Fresnels Innovations, designed to improve recyclable packaging through the use of stamping foil technology instead of inks.

Both are opaque foils but feature within their formulation either basic pigmentation (Scarab) or a reflective surface (Opal).Precision engineered to produce sophisticated optical elements, they deliver highly individual added-value packaging effects, which provide a striking visual appeal designed to catch the eye of consumers in the retail environment.

Unlike colour-shifting inks, which only change when tilted relative to viewing light, the foils also alter colour when rotated. When applied to curved surfaces, the full gamut of colour changes can be seen at a single glance.

Developed for high speed machine application and available for either hot stamping or cold transfer applications, each foil can be applied quickly and easily without the requirement for registration equipment.

COO Dr Glenn Wood said the new products will add novelty to packaging applications: ‘We are achieving similar colour changes to optically variable inks with our foils, thus providing branded packaging with customer engagement and visual effects previously found only on banknotes and other government security documents.’

Fresnels Innovations is working with a Taiwanese manufacturer of folding cartons to produce new eye-catching plastic free packaging, which is both 100 percent recyclable and FSC carton board certified.

Böttcher Australia has officially opened their new manufacturing facility in Smithfield, Sydney. 

Guests from Australia, New Zealand, Asia and Europe joined the President of Felix Böttcher, Mr. Franz Georg Heggemann, South East Asia Pacific Manager Mr. Dirk Odenbrett and Böttcher Australia Managing Director, Mitch Mulligan, to launch the new plant. 

The launch is the culmination of Böttcher Australia’s acquisition of Brissett, creating the regions leading manufacturer and developer of rollers, blankets and pressroom chemistry. 





“Over the past 5 months the team at Brissett’s Tempe plant and Böttcher’s headquarters in Castle Hill successfully relocated into the site we are in today,” said Mitch Mulligan. “The two manufacturing teams and processes are now fully integrated into a combined operation and we are busy converting the entire business across to Böttcher’s world-leading manufacturing methods and compounds.”


Mitch spoke about the real benefits to the Australian commercial printing industry resulting from the merger, noting that not only does is strengthen Australian manufacturing capabilities, its a “‘win-win’ for the industry, securing the future of a trusted local roller manufacturing business and offering our customers an expanded value proposition with the improved lead times, flexibility and continuity of supply which local manufacturing ensures.”





Mitch went on to thank Terry and Craig Brissett. 


“While our backgrounds differ, we share much in common and have been ‘friendly competitors’ for years,” said Mitch. “Both Böttcher and Brissett are family owned companies who believe strongly in partnering with our customers and building relationships on the basis of quality products, reliable service, honesty and loyalty.”


“Böttcher’s philosophy to ‘retain the good things from tradition and create the new from our own strength’. In line with this, we retained the core of Brissett’s manufacturing team, including the centre of knowledge’ –Terry Brissett and his son, Craig.”


Mr. Franz Georg Heggemann, President of Felix Böttcher, had the honour of unveiling the inauguration plaque. 





Franz spoke about the amazing history of the company, and how it has grown and developed over the years. He paid tribute to their team and the close relationships they have with their customers who have been an integral part of the company’s longevity and ability to deliver market-leading products. 


“In six years time we will celebrate our 300th birthday,” said Franz. “Eight generations of our family have worked for this company. The secret of our success is our people, their vision for the future, creativity, and attention to detail and dedication to our customers. Our customers are our reason for being, and we will do everything to make our customers happy. Today, we have a total of 26 factories in 18 different countries.”








Guests were then taken on a guided tour of the plant and its facilities, to see how Böttcher’s market leading rollers, blankets and pressroom chemistry are made, and to also field questions to the experts on hand.








Mitch concluded by saying that, “We are open ready for business and looking forward to maintaining and growing our relationships with our customers across Australia and New Zealand and, are genuinely excited about the future.”





www.bottchersystems.com.au

Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (EFI), a world leader in customer focused digital printing innovation, today announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement (the "Agreement") to be acquired by an affiliate of Siris Capital Group, LLC ("Siris") in an all cash transaction valued at approximately $1.7 billion. Siris is a leading private equity firm focused on investing and driving value creation in technology companies that provide mission critical solutions and are facing technology transitions.

Under the terms of the Agreement, which has been unanimously approved by EFI's Board of Directors, an affiliate of Siris will acquire all the outstanding common stock of EFI for $37.00 per share in cash. The purchase price represents an approximately 45% premium over EFI's 90 day volume weighted average price ended on April 12, 2019.

EFI may solicit alternative acquisition proposals from third parties during a "go-shop" period over the next 45 calendar days. EFI will have the right to terminate the Agreement to enter into a superior proposal subject to the terms and conditions of the Agreement. There is no guarantee that this process will result in a superior proposal, and the Agreement provides Siris with a customary right to attempt to match a superior proposal. EFI does not intend to disclose developments with respect to the solicitation process unless and until it determines such disclosure is appropriate or is otherwise required.

"We believe this transaction delivers superior and immediate value to our shareholders while providing us with a partner that can add strategic and operational expertise to our business," said Bill Muir, Chief Executive Officer of EFI. "We are excited to partner with Siris' highly experienced team on this next phase of growth for EFI."
Commenting on the transaction, Frank Baker, a Siris Co-Founder and Managing Partner, said, "EFI is at the forefront of the digital transition in the imaging and print industry, underpinned by a strong software heritage and culture of innovation. We believe that, by partnering with Siris, EFI will be well positioned to capture this transformational opportunity associated with increased digital inkjet penetration, industrial automation and software enablement. We are eager to partner with management to help the Company achieve its strategic objectives."

Commenting on the transaction, Al Zollar, a Siris Executive Partner, said, "EFI has a 30 year legacy of leadership in the digital imaging market, with strong brand equity and a rich history of pioneering innovative solutions for its customers. The Company's portfolio of mission critical products and services are united by a common thread of impressive technological enablement and software integration. I look forward to supporting EFI's strong team to help the Company anticipate evolving customer needs and drive new opportunities for innovation and growth."

EFI's Board of Directors has unanimously recommended that its shareholders adopt the Agreement with Siris. Subject to the go-shop, a special meeting of EFI's shareholders will be held as soon as practicable following the filing of the definitive proxy statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") and subsequent mailing to shareholders.

Subject to the go-shop, the proposed transaction is expected to close by the third quarter of 2019 and is subject to approval by EFI's shareholders, along with the satisfaction of customary closing conditions including antitrust regulatory approvals. The transaction is not subject to any financing conditions. Upon completion of the acquisition, EFI will become wholly owned by an affiliate of Siris.

EFI will file its quarterly report on Form 10Q reporting its first quarter financial results but does not intend to host a quarterly earnings call. EFI currently expects Q1 2019 revenue to be between $220 million and $225 million.

Equity financing will be provided by investment funds affiliated with Siris. Siris secured committed debt financing for the transaction from RBC Capital Markets, KKR Capital Markets LLC, Deutsche Bank Securities Inc., Barclays, Credit Suisse, and Macquarie Capital.

Sidley Austin LLP is serving as corporate counsel, Kirkland & Ellis LLP is serving as financing counsel, and RBC Capital Markets is serving as M&A advisor to Siris in connection with the transaction. Morgan Stanley & Co. and Greenhill & Co., LLC are serving as financial advisors to EFI, and O'Melveny & Myers is serving as its legal counsel.

For further information regarding the terms and conditions contained in the definitive merger agreement, please see EFI's Current Report on Form 8K, which will be filed in connection with this transaction.

Epson has won its first "Red Dot: Best of the Best" award for its large format printers in the Product Design category (Red Dot Award: Product Design 2019). In addition, five inkjet printers, one scanner and one projector model received Red Dot Awards. This year marks the third successive year that Epson products have been recognised in the Red Dot Award.

Details of the Epson products recognised with the Best of the Best award
SC-T5450/ SC-T3450/ SC-T3450N/ SC-T3400/ SC-T3400N/ SC-T5400 inkjet printers
 
These are high-speed, high-resolution large format printers (LFP) for printing drawings in official bureaus and architect studios or PoP printing in retail shops. We redesigned the LFP, conventionally used for special applications, with a UI identical to business printers and a simple and clean look that fits any office. It provides intuitive operation and maintains a clean office atmosphere. The large touch panel, warning LEDs, and buzzer let you see the status at a glance and give guidance for easy use. We also strived to cut assembly time, streamlining work by developing new legs assembled in three steps.
 
Created in 1955 in Germany, the Red Dot Design Award is organised by the Design Zentrum Nordrhein Westfalen design centre and is recognised around the world as one of the most prestigious awards in the design field. A jury of experts evaluates products announced during the past two years and selects the best designs based on nine criteria, including degree of innovation, functionality, ergonomics, ecological compatibility, and durability.
 
Manabu Kawahara, general manager of the P Design Department in Epson's Printing Solutions Operations Division, says, "I am thrilled. This award is the culmination of a true team effort to achieve product value that exceeds customer expectations. Moving forward, we will continue to provide our customers with designs that delight."
 
Details of Epson products recognised with the Red Dot Award
ET-M1100/ ET-M1120/ ET-M1108/ ET-M1128 inkjet printers





These are A4-sized monochrome inkjet printer that achieve unprecedented compact size by directly embedding the high-capacity EcoTank in the carriage. The totally new EcoTank design puts a single slit on a simple and clean exterior. You can intuitively check the ink level or open and close the tank cover. A unique shape was used for the bottle tip and inlet to prevent filling mistakes. Just insert the bottle - the printer automatically refills ink then stops. Low cost, it also lets you print easily as you go about your daily work.

ET-M1140/ ET-M1180/ ET-M2140/ ET-M3140/ ET-M3170 inkjet printers

These are A4-sized monochrome inkjets with a high-capacity EcoTank that enables up to 6,000 sheets on a single ink refill. The new eco tank design puts a single slit through a simple and clean exterior. You can intuitively check the ink level or open and close the tank cover. A unique shape was used for the bottle tip and inlet to prevent filling mistakes. Just insert the bottle - the printer automatically refills ink then stops. While low cost, it lets you easily perform various printing tasks and reduces downtime and waste.

ET-2710/ ET-4700/ L1110/L3100/ L3110/L3150/ L5190 inkjet printers

These are A4-sized colour inkjets with a high capacity EcoTank that lets you easily perform various printing tasks at low cost. We focused on operability to eliminate hassle and concerns about stains when refilling ink. Not only did we improve front access and the visibility of the remaining ink, we also used a unique shape for the bottle tip and inlet of each colour to prevent filling mistakes. The protruding shape expresses the performance of the high capacity eco tank, and the simple, round design around the tank gives an approachable and familiar feeling.
 
WF-M5799/WF-C5710/WF-C5790/WF-C5210/WF-C5290/WF-M5299/WF-M5298/WF-C579R/WF-C529R inkjet printers

These are A4-sized office inkjet printers that provide high ink capacity while saving space. Boasting a clean design that fits any office, the high capacity ink pack has been built into the unit to achieve a compact size that fits in narrow spaces. The change from conventional ink cartridges to high-capacity ink packs cuts the number of ink replacements and the environmental impact. We focused on operability and streamlining office work, giving the ink packs a simple connection shape for the handle and tray and including a sturdy ejection tray and a tilt panel with high retention and easy operation.
 
SC-T5150/ SC-T5150N/ SC-T3150/ SC-T3150N/ SC-T3100/ SC-T3100N/ SC-T5100/ SC-T5100N inkjet printers

These are full-colour large format printers (LFP) among the smallest in the world for use in offices, architect studios, schools, and retail shops. LFPs are conventionally used for special applications, but with UI identical to business printers and a simple and clean look that fits any office, we designed printers that make it easy for customers to buy their first LFP. For schools in particular we prioritised safety, reducing the outlet port to ten mm so that children cannot fit their fingers inside. The large touch panel and buzzer let you see the status at a glance and gives guidance for easy use.
 
ES-50/ ES-60W scanner

This is an A4-sized sheet-feed scanner. As more companies move away from paper, demand is increasing for mobile scanners that can easily digitalise various documents including photos or receipts both inside and outside the office.
With that in mind, we worked with engineers, improving portability to aim for the lightest weight and smallest size in the class to bring more customers a comfortable experience.

The final product helps prevent operating errors during transport, improves portability for easy use, boasts simple functionality, as well as boasting an attractive design.
 
EV-100/ EV-105 projectors

These projectors are to be used for lighting or video performances of products or exhibits in shopping centers or museums. To better show off the appeal of the product or exhibit, we focused on a simple design that melts into the surroundings. We removed all holes and wiring from the unit sides, which customers notice, for a clean design. The vents, which any projector requires, were hidden in the design as slits with identical patterns on the unit's front and rear. The cylindrical design, made to resemble a spotlight, enables you to install it on the ceiling without negatively affecting the atmosphere.

Please refer to www.epson.com.au and www.epson.co.nz for details of products and services available in Australia and New Zealand.

Effective immediately, the small business Instant Asset Write-Off for new or used assets has increased to $30,000!

Businesses with an annual turnover of up to $50 million can now instantly write-off a piece of equipment that costs up to $30,000 excluding GST, if acquired between 2 April 2019 and 30 June 2020.

The Best Time to Purchase a New Roland

If you purchase and install a new Roland DG machine before June 30 2019, you can instantly write it off in your 2018/2019 tax return. This is great news for the recently released TrueVIS VG2-540 and VG2-640 Printer Cutters, that come in under $30,000. 

Awarded the 2019 ISA Sign Expo Innovation Award in the "Printer" category, judges were impressed with the technological advancements, comprehensive colour choices, improved machine efficiency and increased print-and-cut accuracy of the VG2 Series. 

Matrix Frame (Sydney, Australia) a pioneer of Silicone Edge Graphics, is pleased to announce the addition of four new extrusions to their range.  This brings the total number of extrusions stocked in Australia up to twenty seven.

Two of these new extrusions enable the end user to create frames that can turn 90 degrees around an external corner, using a single fabric face. Multiple returns are possible and this effect can be achieved in both front lit and back lit applications. Stunning effects can be created – particularly around columns and other architectural features.
A new bendable extrusion has been added which can be easily rolled to create circular shapes and frames.  Perfect for creating frontlit custom shapes where required.
‘Shadowbox’ is the final new extrusion to be added to the range.  This extrusion allows for the addition of door and window openings into any Matrix Frame extrusion in both frontlit and backlit applications.  Openings can also be created within frames for shelving and for display purposes.

Established in 2006, Matrix Frame continues to adapt and modify its products to stay at the forefront of the industry. Our aluminium frames and light boxes house eye-catching tension fabric graphics are much more convenient to ship, store, and swap out than traditional prints, which translates to huge savings on shipping costs. Each lightweight aluminium frame is engineered for both flexibility and longevity-easy to assemble, yet able to support countless graphics over its lifetime.

Matrix Frame only sell to trade customers and not to the end client. Trade customers can either purchase the system off Matrix Frame to cut and convert themselves, or Matrix Frame can cut its extrusions to size using state of the art equipment and then deliver the frame to trade customer as a ready to assemble kit.

Matrix Frame are seeking to appoint a network of Distributors and Resellers in Australia and the Pacific region.  

Please contact David Cross on +61 466 892 009 or email david.cross@matrixframe.com.au for further information. Alternatively all information including a full range of videos can be found at: www.matrixframe.com.au