The Big Picture - Wide Format Printing

Pantone has announced Pantone 17-5641 Emerald – a “lively, radiant, lush green” – as 2013’s color of the year.

FESPA has announced that it will partner with the European Sign Federation (ESF) to run a new event – the European Sign Expo, which will take place alongside FESPA in London next year, June 25-27, 2013. The European Sign Expo will complement FESPA’s focus on printed signage and graphics, offering visitors a focused sign event in which to explore channel lettering, signage systems, illuminated displays, digital signage, and more.

KDM P.O.P. Solutions Group, a provider of  retail solutions at the point-of-purchase, has bought the assets of Digital Flexo Services, LLC in Norcross, Georgia.

Digital Flexo Services is a small-format digital printing company with flexographic printing and finishing capabilities. DFS specializes in the manufacturing of sheet and roll labels, IRC labels (Instant Redeemable Coupons), decals, window clings, and providing specialty promotional products such as custom temporary body tattoos.

HP has issued a call for entries for its 2013 Sign & Display Print Excellence Awards. The new awards program is designed to formally recognize HP customers on a worldwide basis for best-in-class large-format graphics that have been produced on HP Scitex and Designjet systems. Winners will be selected in categories ranging from vehicle graphics to retail and point-of-purchase applications, as well as special recognition for environmentally responsible printing.

No, digitizing files hasn’t completely gone the way of the dodo. There are still those clients that will provide you with photographs, slides, and other types of artwork that need to be scanned. Plus, some jobs just lend themselves to utilizing new scans. Perhaps a history-focused project involving photos or slides that have resided in a shoe box for the better part of 20 years or more, or maybe it’s a case where a fine artist or photographer needs his work scanned for the first time (or was never happy with the scans he had produced a few years ago).

Why be “vanilla” when it comes to display options when you can offer something exciting for your client? That seems to be the message this year in looking at the various display systems across the marketplace.

Yes, traditional displays – popup tradeshow units, banner stands, etc. – are still available and always in demand. But if you want your customer’s message to stand out in the crowd, you need to be able to provide some more intriguing possibilities.

The Client City of New York’s Downtown Alliance

The Players Color X (color-x.com)

Tools & Supplies EFI Vutek 3360 EC, Ultraflex mesh, zip ties, grommets

As the market for wide-format digital graphics expands, print service providers look to ink producers for products that are more versatile and environmentally friendly without compromising color or durability. OEM suppliers, their partners and aftermarket ink makers are responding in kind, evident in refinements in eco-solvent inks and newer technologies like latex inks and LED-cured UV inks.

Although we’re now officially out of the recession, the market for signage and graphics remains very challenging and we all continue to face some difficult times as we battle to sustain success in our businesses. To stay viable, you should be constantly examining and evaluating not only the present state of your business, but also its future.

EnChroma, Inc., a California-based company that studies the feasibility of enhancing color vision in humans, has announced the release of a free Color Blindness Test for smartphones and tablets. Adults and children can take this test online at enchroma.com/test or by downloading the free app by searching for “enchroma” in their mobile device app store.