Indy Griffiths is, by any measure, an impressive young woman. Not only does she power through her work as graphic designer for Mona Vale company Style Communications, she also runs her own freelance studio and this month, with the support of Visual Connections, she will represent Australia as a ‘Skillaroo’ at the 54th WorldSkills International Championships.

At school, Indy always loved design so there was never much doubt she’d pursue a career in the creative arts. Choosing Graphic Design as her major, she completed her training at Enmore Design Centre TAFE where, as luck would have it, she also came into contact with WorldSkills Australia.

WorldSkills is a social enterprise which fosters skills excellence in vocational, technological and service-oriented careers in Australia, and promotes the importance of those skills to young people, their parents, industry and employers.

As well as regional and national championships, Australian competitors – known as Skillaroos – also compete on the global stage through WorldSkills International. This year’s championship will be held in Kazan, Russia, from August 22-27, where an anticipated audience of 250,000 will watch competitors from 66 counties compete for gold, silver and bronze medals and the title of world champion in their skill.

“The regional championships were held at Enmore so my lecturer suggested I compete,” Indy recalls. “Despite having no idea what it was, I agreed and surprised myself by winning by a narrow margin.”

Qualifying for the national championship created a dilemma for the young designer who, by her own admission, lacked confidence at such a young age. 

“It was daunting to be up against the ‘best of the best’ from around Australia but, with the encouragement of my lecturers and work colleagues, I decided to give it a go – and it’s been an amazing confidence builder,” she says.

No wonder. Indy took out the Graphic Design Technology section comfortably, qualifying alongside 14 other young people to represent her country at WorldSkills Kazan 2019. To go, however, she needed both the permission of her employer and industry support. 

For Style Communications’ owner, Shayna Price, it was a no-brainer. “We make a practice of giving young people the chance to develop their skills and gain experience, and then take great pride in then watching them go out and build their careers,” she says. 

“WorldSkills is a fantastic opportunity for Indy to learn, develop her skills and build her confidence – which can only be good both for her and for us.”

Shayna knows the value of on-the-job experience, having learned the ropes herself having taken a job with Style Communications after completing her own apprenticeship…as a chef.
“It was something of a departure,” she laughs, “but I immediately enjoyed the way that we are not just producing products, but really helping solve problems for our customers. I just fell in love with the business – so much so that, when the original family moved on to new challenges, I decided to take over.”

The ensuing years have had their moments – a major flood and a ransomware attack to name just two – but a loyal local clientele from around the Northern Beaches and a team of dedicated and talented people have kept the doors open.

Indy, she says, joined the team almost by chance, after walking in to get a job printed towards the end of her TAFE course. 

“As soon as I opened the files, I thought, ‘This girl really knows her stuff’. We were looking for a designer at the time, so we offered her the job, and she’s been a real asset. Design is so critical to meeting our customers’ requirements, and I’m always astonished by the quality of her work and the speed at which she does it. We are so proud of what she’s achieved with WorldSkills and we’re excited to see how she fares on the international stage.”

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place for Indy when Visual Connections – the premier supplier’s association for the print, graphics and signage industries – agreed to sponsor her to participate in the international competition. 

CEO Peter Harper says the Visual Connections’ long-standing support for WorldSkills Australia is reflective of its commitment to helping young people like Indy gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to build successful careers in the sector.

“While we often sponsor young print or sign apprentices, nothing is more fundamental to our industry than design,” Peter says. “That’s why we are so delighted to be sponsoring Indy – she’s already an asset to our industry and we’re looking forward to seeing her compete with the Skillaroos in Russia.”

As for Indy, she’s typically downplaying her chances of success in Kazan but, win, lose or draw, there’s one thing she’s certain about – it won’t be her last interaction with WorldSkills.
“It’s been a fantastic experience so, once I’m no longer able to compete, I’d love to give back by being a mentor to other trainees,” she says. “I’ve learned so much from other designers all over the world – and it’s great to be able to bring those skills back to the industry here in Australia.”

Matt Aitken has been named as IVE Group’s CEO after MD Warwick Hay announced his resignation.

Aitken has been the COO at the Australian Securities Exchange listed diversified marketing and printing business since August 2014 and has held a number of key executive roles with the company over the last 20 years.

IVE Group announced the change today with Executive Chairman Geoff Selig thanking Hay for his contribution to the business, particularly through its listing on the Australian Securities Exchange in December 2015.

“I think after five years as the Managing Director of an ASX listed business you have done a lot of heavy lifting and he has looked at some options of where to next,” said Selig.

The change means Hay will leave the IVE Group Board of Directors but will remain employed at IVE until January 31, 2020 and has agreed to a nine month restraint for which he will be paid to ensure a seamless transition as Aitken steps into the group CEO role.

“Warwick has made an outstanding contribution to the growth and evolution of the business during his time as Managing Director. It has been a pleasure to have worked closely with Warwick during this period, in particular through our listing on the ASX back in December 2015. I thank him for his commitment and leadership of the business, and offer on behalf of our board and staff my best wishes for the future,” Selig said.

Hay described his experience at IVE as being very satisfying and commended the business for its solid values, great people and customer focus.

“It has been very satisfying to have worked in a business that has delivered for all key stakeholders since I stepped into the role 5 years ago. It’s been wonderful to lead a business that has solid values, great people, an acute customer service focus, and an ongoing commitment to investment back into the business. I wish Matt all the very best as he leads the business through its next phase,” Hay said.

Of his appointment, Aitken said, “I am delighted to have the opportunity to be the CEO of a business that has been the cornerstone of my professional career. I genuinely believe the value proposition we take to market and the dedicated people we have to support this has underpinned the sustainability and success of our business over a very long period. I look forward to continuing to build on the business we have today to ensure our ongoing success moving forward.”

Kissel & Wolf will be showcasing the impressive Kornit Avalanche PolyPro (with Adelco Dryer) at PrintEx 19. Building on the success of the Kornit range DTG printing equipment, it is the industry’s first digital, industrial process for high-quality printing on polyester. 

The technological innovation is achieved by an innovative ink set and a physical and chemical process specifically developed for low temperature curing, and polyester enhancing functionalities developed to maintain fabric characteristics and provide superior fastness. This unique process prevents dye migration on polyester.  The inks are Oeko-Tex and Eco-Passport certified and do not contain PVCs or other toxic ingredients.

Other products on display at Stand H37 include:
- The Handtop HT1600 Hybrid UV printer, complete with Kyocera print heads and UV ink system from Nutec, capable of printing rigid and flexible substrates. 
- The InkCups Helix UV LED Digital Rotary printer (which makes its Australian debut at the show), designed to print superior quality full-color (CMYKWW + varnish) images on straight-walled and tapered cylinders. Fast and flexible, this cylinder printing machine will be printing cylindrical objects every six seconds on the stand. 
- The Mutoh VJ628 and VC 600 print & cut package – ‘go to’ solution for garment heat transfers and POS signage; and the Mutoh 1638UR, for signage and POS.

NASA recently awarded a $73.7 million contract to Mountain View, California-based Made In Space to demonstrate the ability to produce and assemble spacecraft components in low-Earth orbit. These capabilities could be vital in reaching, exploring, and possibly settling on Mars.

The contract initiates the second phase of a partnership established through NASA's Tipping Point solicitation. The partnership combines NASA resources and the private sector, with industry partners covering at least 25% of the program costs.

Archinaut One is the proposed space vehicle on which the printing and assembly would take place. It is expected to launch on a rocket in 2022.

Once the vehicle is positioned in low-Earth orbit, the spacecraft will 3D-print two beams that extend 32 feet from each side of the craft. As production moves forward, each beam will unfurl solar arrays capable of generating up to five times more power than typical solar panels on spacecraft of similar size.

The potential of these technologies is thought to include:

- The ability to enable remote, in-space construction of communications antennae and large telescopes
- Enabling small satellites to deploy power systems and reflectors currently reserved for larger satellites
- Avoiding the risks of spacewalks by performing tasks currently completed by astronauts

Made In Space began working on Archinaut in 2016. A year later it successfully 3D-printed structural beams in a NASA facility that mimics the conditions of space. Then, at the agency's Ames Research Center in Silicon Valley, they were able to validate that the printing equipment and hardware were capable of withstanding the environmental challenges of space.

The Archinaut group includes Northrup Grumman, Made In Space, Ames, and NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. The program is based out of the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.

At PrintEx 2019 Epson Australia will launch the new SureColor F6360, 44-inch dye-sublimation printer created for soft signage, merchandise, custom décor and clothing manufacturers. The new printer combines enhanced production flexibility with an improved total cost of ownership (TCO).

The new SC-F6360 is designed to replace small format screen printing, with a flexible low-cost solution that enables repeatable high-quality output production with minimal equipment, materials and mess. It produces images that are not only bright and colourful, but also extremely durable. It can be used for imaging onto fabric with 50% or more artificial content such as Polyester, Lycra and Neoprene. It can also be used on PVC, poly film, and materials which will accept a polyester spray and resist damage through short-term exposure to heat and pressure such as ceramic, glass, metal, coated plywood, certain plastics, fibreglass and polycarbonates.
 
The SC-F6360 is designed for easy, flexible, and dependable operation. Jobs can be turned around quickly and efficiently. The printer employs a digital process that enables image creation, editing and customisation, with significantly less equipment, materials, and skill than traditional methods. The process is compatible with text, line art and photographic images and is particularly cost-effective with small to medium production runs. The new model is designed for user-self set-up and can be purchased as a base unit with an integrated auto-cutter for sheet based transfer using a flat heat press or efficient high-speed roll-to-roll production with an optional Auto-Take-Up and calendar style heat press.
 
What differentiates the SC-F6360 is its cost effective operation and superior output quality. Images are processed using Precision Dot Technology and printed using the included Epson Edge Print software. When combined with the advanced Epson ink, MicroPiezo Print Head, and Dye Sublimation process, it enables the printer to achieve output that traditional equipment with 6 or 8 colours would be grateful for, using just 4 inks. The ink ships in inexpensive 1.1L bags and each print consumes very little ink. The printer consumes minimal power and can be operated in a ventilated office environment. Replacing the F6200, the new model supports user self-set-up and a high degree of user self-maintenance complete with self-help videos activated by a QR-Code. 

Whether you’re producing banners, back-lit fabric signs, sportswear, custom cabinetry, furniture coverings, or fashion items, the SC-F6360 has been designed to play a crucial part in the seamless delivery of a total, end-to-end colour printing solution.
 
Key features of the SureColor F6360:
Flexible operation
- Uses roll media from 10 to 44” wide, up to 150mm in diameter
- Easy top loading with improved spindle-less mounting
- Integrated Auto Cutter for simple sheet based output
- Optional Auto Take Up for roll-to-roll production
- Print modes for fabric and hard surface imaging
 
Simpler and easier to operate
- Supplied with Epson Edge Print and Accounting software
- Easy Media Set-up with downloadable profiles
- Colour LCD control panel & on-line help
 
Superior and more consistent print quality
- High quality Epson Ink with a choice of Bk or HDk configuration
- Advanced PrecisionCore™ MicroPiezo printhead
- Epson Precision Dot Image Processing
 
Low Acquisition and Running Cost
- 6L Continuous Ink Supply System with cost-effective 1.1L ink refills
- User self-set-up & enhanced user self-maintenance
- Ultra-low 65W power consumption
- Bulk waste system
 
The SureColor F6360 commences shipping in mid-August with an RRP of $11,695 (ex tax) complete with an on-site warranty and 5 years comprehensive cover (including print heads).

Follow Epson on social media:
Facebook: @EpsonAustralia
Twitter: @EpsonAust
Instagram: @EpsonAust

With increasing demand for more sustainable, recyclable and environmentally responsible products for print, signage and display applications, Australian media supplier Rojo Pacific has announced the addition of new ‘clean and green’ Kavalan printable coated textiles to its existing extensive range. 

It was a couple of years ago now that Rojo Pacific’s John Wright really started to notice a surge in the number of enquiries his company was receiving about eco-friendly materials which could be used as an alternative to PVC coated fabrics and vinyls. 

With the launch of the Kavalan range at PrintEx19 in Sydney next month, Wright says he’ll be the first in Australia to provide print, sign and display businesses with a genuinely viable answer: a high quality, cost-effective and completely PVC-free alternative for everything from banners and flags, to backlit panels, wall and even window graphics.

“PVC composite fabrics are fantastic performers, but they do have a reputation for being complex and expensive to recycle,” Wright concedes, “and the properties of PVC are simply not necessary for every application.”

While not quite as durable as PVC for heavy duty or outdoor use, Wright says Kavalan, from international specialist textile manufacturer, TAYA Canvas, provides an ideal alternative for indoor or sheltered applications, interchangeable graphics for marketing campaigns, or shorter-term outdoor use – and can then be recycled after use.

“Kavalan is lightweight, totally PVC and phthalate-free, biodegradable and 100% ‘clean and green’,” Wright says, explaining that the range – which was launched at FESPA 2017 – replaces the usual PVC film coating with a unique, eco-friendly corn starch coating to create a reliable print-receptive layer. 

“These materials can be used with UV, Latex or dye-sublimation inks for outstanding print quality and then, at the end of their useful life, they can be recycled without the use of solvents. Disposal is easy on the environment too – Kavalan can be incinerated without releasing harmful chemicals – in fact, we know of companies that are putting it into their ‘waste-to-energy’ stream – and if it goes into landfill, its water-based PA coating is fully biodegradable.”

Rojo is bringing five of the Kavalan products to Australia and all will be on show on the Kavalan stand at PrintEx19. Sunlight, is a grey-backed semi-block-out, weldable material for front-lit signage including banners, roll-up displays, display frame systems and exhibition graphics. It can be printed with direct or transfer dye-sublimation, UV or Latex printers and comes in widths up to 5m. 

Moonlight is a 200gsm coated fabric for backlit applications like lightboxes or banners, Butterfly is a two-sided banner fabric with a block-out core for high-impact double-sided banners and roll-up displays, and Gecko is a high-end fabric for wall or ceiling applications. All share a common maximum width of 5m and have been designed for large format digital UV and Latex printing. 

Completing the range is Spiderweb, a 300gsm mesh banner material, which is ideal for window signage. It can also be printed with UV or LX inks, and has a maximum width of 3.2m.

“We’ve been working with TAYA for 15 years as their exclusive Australian agent for signage and industrial grades of PVC coated polyester fabrics and other specialised textiles, so we know them well and understand the quality of their R&D, their innovation and their manufacturing processes,” Wright says.

Kavalan will ideally complement the conventional products in the company’s trusted ROFAB and ROTEX ranges and, like KATZ paper-based display board and other products Rojo has debuted in Australia, reflects the company’s commitment to innovation, sustainability and ‘world’s best practice’ operation. 

“The Kavalan launch is in line with the Business as Best Practice commitment we made in 2013 – that ‘where we can make better choices, we will,” Wright says.

“We are a family company and we are absolutely dedicated to doing what we can to safeguard the future by incorporating life cycle thinking into every aspect of our daily business activities. So, when we are sourcing new products, we are not just looking for higher quality materials that deliver better performance and reliability, but also for sustainability. Kavalan answers those criteria.”

Kavalan will be showcased by Rojo Pacific on the Kavalan stand, Stand L20, at PrintEx19, at the Sydney Showground, Sydney Olympic Park from 13-16 August. The full range is available through Rojo Pacific and its distributors throughout Australia. For more information, call +61 3 9872 1000 or email sales@rojopacific.com.au 

Roland DG Australia, a leading manufacturer of wide format inkjet printers and 3D devices, has released a new instalment in its Roland User video series. The latest video features successful clothing solutions business, Signature Clothing Pty Ltd, detailing their experience with a Roland TrueVIS SG-300 printer cutter financed through Roland Rental Plus.

For over 30 years, Managing Directors of Signature Clothing, Denise and Arn Betteridge, have been running their family-owned embroidery business in the NSW Hunter Valley. A passion for creating tailored corporate and promotional clothing solutions has seen their business grow from humble beginnings in domestic embroidery, to recently purchasing a TrueVIS SG-300 printer cutter. Of the printer cutter, Arn said: “What we really like about Roland is the quality of the print, the fact that it’s a very reliable machine and with the VersaWorks software it just integrates perfectly.” 

Arn and Denise chose to manage the finance for their printer cutter through Roland Rental Plus, the latest offering from Roland DG’s dedicated finance program, Roland Rental. With no upfront investment and fixed price scheduled servicing bundled into the one monthly repayment, Arn believes Roland Rental Plus has made purchasing their equipment and maintaining it, so simple: “For one monthly payment we get not only the machine and what it’s capable of, but we [also] get 6 monthly scheduled servicing.”

Along with the quality and reliability from the Roland TrueVIS SG-300, finance through Roland Rental Plus has helped Arn and Denise become more productive and efficient so that they can focus on growing their business and doing what they do best. “After 30 years in business we can tell you there is a lot of challenges to face and financing shouldn’t be one of them,” says Arn. “Our experience with Roland Rental Plus has given us peace of mind. We can rest easy and I can’t recommend them thoroughly enough.”

To read the full user story and view the video, click here.

With just two weeks to go until PrintEx19 opens its doors at the Sydney Showground at Sydney Olympic Park, Spicers says it’s encouraging visitors to ‘shop smart’ by calling past its on-stand ‘supermarket’ (Stand K28).

“We’re excited to invite visitors to browse through the aisles of our Spicers Supermarket, which will showcase a wide variety of ideas for print, packaging, labelling, signage, architecture and interior design,” says Cyndi Setia, Marketing & Design Manager for Spicers.

The supermarket, she says, will give visitors the chance to discover a variety of solutions illustrated with real-world applications, drawing from Spicers’ expansive portfolio of media and substrates for Commercial and Digital print, Labels and Packaging, Sign and display and Architectural and Interior design.

“At the Spicers Supermarket, you’ll be able to immerse yourself in a Grand Opening retail experience and explore the aisles for trusted brands like Re-Board, 3M Window and Graphic films, Ace Outdoor, Yupo, Palboard, Digitac and Corflute.”

The Spicers Supermarket will also feature the range of 3M Architectural Finishes including 3M DI-NOC, a self-adhesive product range that can be applied to a wide variety of surface materials from walls and partitions, to false ceilings and even furniture.

“3M DI-NOC allows almost infinite creativity to radically redesign spaces without using invasive methods,” says Cyndi. “3M has recently added another 225 new patterns to the range, bringing the total number of designs to more than 1000. The new Matte Series is particularly exciting, offering everything from deep, rich solid colours, to the natural look of Dry Wood and the on-trend industrial vibe of Industrial Texture.”

The Spicers stand will also include a complete workflow featuring the versatile Mimaki™ UCJV300-160 LED UV Print & Cutter, the new and reliable Roland VG2-640 Eco-Solvent Print & Cutter, the super-fast RollsRoller Application Table, and the Neolt Sword ELS Vertical Cutter – reputed to be the world’s most innovative multi-functional automated vertical cutter.

“Of course, our Supermarket will be appropriately staffed by Spicers ‘shop assistants’ – our team of application and product specialists – to assist with everything from choosing the right substrates to creating similarly efficient and productive workflows in their own businesses,” adds Cyndi.

The Mosaica Group, a national distributor supporting dye sublimation and wide format print processes with equipment, consumables and services, announced a partnership with Gravograph, part of the Gravotech Group, a worldwide leader of innovative engraving, cutting and marking solutions for CNC rotary milling/engraving machines and laser systems. As a top distributor for Mimaki who recently partnered with Gravotech, the partnership allows The Mosaica Group to distribute Gravotech’s products including rotary and laser engravers as well as engraving materials throughout the U.S.

This partnership will expand The Mosaica Group’s portfolio of offering equipment that is able to create braille signage along with integrating the Gravograph product line with the Mimaki portfolio of printing systems.

The Gravograph IS400 is one of Gravotech’s top-selling rotary engraving machine designed for a wide range of applications including trophies and plaques, small signage, desk plates, ADA signage, identification of industrial parts and light machining. A variety of jigs and holding devices are available for the IS400. The IS400 offers the ability to create braille signage seamlessly.

Its design offers complete access to the object being engraved with the ability to preview the item with the built-in laser beam, ensuring the engraving is accurate and precise before it’s permanently engraved. Save time and increase production by using the Point & Shoot feature to easily determine the engraving area of any object – no rulers needed.

“I’m excited to be able to offer the Gravograph product line to our clients,” said Randy Peters, President and CEO, The Mosaica Group. “As our clients look at ways to enhance their capabilities, we can make bundle or package recommendations that offer significant savings for investing in both Mimaki equipment and the Gravograph product line.”

Xeikon is set to showcase its complete portfolio of innovative solutions at Label & Packaging Expo 2019.

Xeikon will use this opportunity to highlight the fact that Xeikon technology is much more than a labels platform. The company is set to demonstrate the multiplicity and breadth of solutions they have for a variety of sectors that use both inkjet and dry-toner technology, all driven by Xeikon’s powerful and user-friendly digital front end, the X-800. Xeikon is focused on meeting and supporting businesses looking to diversify and add new revenue streams.

“We are very much looking forward to this year’s Label & Packaging Expo 2019 exhibition,” states Sales General Manager Australia and New Zealand, Trevor Crowley. “The show is the perfect opportunity for us to discuss our latest developments beyond pressure-sensitive labels. We want to advise our Australian customers on what more a Xeikon platform can offer to a converter, and the new business opportunities that are possible with our innovative technologies. Xeikon is looking to showcase its unique solutions designed for those working in the folding carton, wall decoration, POS and commercial print sectors. We want to help converters understand the possibilities and the variety of new markets that can be available using our technologies.”

The flexibility of Xeikon technology will enable converters to diversify and will grow with their business development. For example, converters will not just print pharmaceutical labels for bottles but also produce the small cartons they go into. With the same platform, converters will be able to produce heat transfer labels, and added to this, the Xeikon technology now allows to deliver high quality flexible pouches. The Xeikon platform also offers diversification in commercial printing with the production of high quality brochures, book covers, wall decoration, and point of sale items. In addition, there is the ability to print on a variety of materials without the need to pre-coat.

Crowley continues, “We can offer customers more than just a label press. Xeikon has over 30 years of experience in developing digital technologies. We have recently developed a new advisory tool called ‘TRANSFORM’ that offers digital print solutions tailored for each individual business (transform.xeikon.com). Xeikon continues to innovate and monitor trends. For converters working with folding cartons, it is vital that the product meets FDA compliance regulations. Xeikon’s dry toner technology has been certified for direct dry food contact. Whether converters are producing folding cartons for pharmaceuticals or paper cups, Xeikon’s dry toner technology can now meet their needs and the needs of the consumer. This technology and certification is unique to Xeikon and ensures food safety for flexible packaging and stand-up pouches.”

Visitors will find Xeikon at the show on Stand R36 in Hall 3. Guru Labels – a premium supplier of high quality digital labels in Australia and a Xeikon user for a number of years – will also be exhibiting at Label & Packaging Expo 2019 and will be happy to speak to any potential digital users about their digital journey with the Xeikon technology. From entry level solutions through to high end production lines, Xeikon is ready to share its latest news on the innovative power of its X-800 DFE and its diverse ability to drive a number of digital presses using both inkjet and dry toner technologies. Xeikon is looking forward to meeting the wider print community at Label & Packaging Expo 2019.

Craig Heckenberg has been promoted and become the new Managing Director of Epson Australia and New Zealand as well-known industry veteran and stalwart Bruno Turcato retires from the role after 16 years as Managing Director.

In a stellar career with the company spanning 30 years, Bruno Turcato initially joined Epson Australia as financial controller before being promoted to GM and eventually the first non-Japanese MD of any Epson subsidiary in 2003.
 
Turcato oversaw Epson Australia’s move from making dot matrix printers and PCs to highly successful inkjet printers and projectors. The company now occupies several dominant positions in multiple market categories including selling over 70% of all projectors in Australia. He leaves the company at the end of September 2019 after completing various projects and customer visits.
 
Craig Heckenberg has risen through the ranks over 19 years with the company to most recently become GM of Epson Australia. Epson has had incredible growth under his stewardship including lifting commercial print revenue by over 450% and printer sales by over 170%. He also worked closely with his team to establish Epson Australia as the number one brand in high brightness projectors, successfully launched new businesses including Document Solutions, Industrial Label, Sign and Textile and has created and grown significant new business partnerships for the company.
 
Heckenberg will be responsible for Epson’s entire product portfolio of printers, scanners, projectors, commercial and industrial products for the A/NZ region. He also heads up the leadership team devising and setting the company’s overall strategy, policy, planning and business management goals.
 
Heckenberg said, “I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate Bruno on his amazing 30 year career at Epson. His leadership and presence will be sorely missed by the entire Epson family and we wish him all the very best in retirement.”
 
Heckenberg went on to say, “I am humble and extremely grateful to be given such a wonderful opportunity to lead an amazing organisation which has the best people, products and technologies. I love what Epson stands for and its vision to ‘make the world a better place’, and I am very excited about the company’s future. I am particularly looking forward to creating a new era for Epson in the A/NZ region. My goal is to make Epson an indispensable company for our customers and society by continuing to raise our standards of excellence in all areas of the business.”

A new LED back-lighting kit from Vastex illuminates the translucent acrylic back panel of screen washout booths, improving visual inspection of the screen surface being reclaimed.

Offered in two sizes, in 120 or 240V, the kit is optional on new equipment and can be retrofit to all existing Vastex washout booths and certain other makes.  Both the light and switch are IP65-rated as being dust- and water-tight.

Model VWB-LK2 measures 24 x 2 in. (610 x 51 mm) for booth chambers ≤4 ft (1219 mm) wide, while Model VWB-LK4, at 48 x 4 in. (1219 x 102 mm), is sized for chambers ≥4 ft (1219 mm) wide.

The units attach to the washout booth upper frame with mounting brackets supplied.

Vastex washout booths feature stainless steel construction, frosted acrylic back panels, squeegee shelves and a screen stand-off that holds screens in place during wash-down.  An optional vacuum tool removes excess water from screens for quick drying.

The company also manufactures screen printing presses in one to 10 colours and one to 10 stations, athletic numbering accessories, flash cure units, infrared conveyor dryers, heat presses, screen exposing units, screen drying cabinets, screen registration systems and complete screen printing shop systems, and offers a comprehensive range of training classes for entry level, intermediate and advanced screen printers.

Following Flexographic Technical Assocation (FTA) and European Flexographic Industry Association (EFIA) technical innovation awards, Esko Print Control Wizard has again received recognition scooping a 2019 InterTech Technology Award from Printing Industries of America.

Developed by Esko to respond to a call from the flexographic printing industry to simplify the implementation of screens and dot gain curves in the reprographics process, Print Control Wizard software offers the sector a standardized approach to screen and curve creation. Designed to improve the flexo plate making process and flexographic print quality via Crystal Screens, Print Control Wizard takes process parameters like ink, printing press, substrate and aniloxes into consideration for screen and curve creation. Print Control Wizard outputs a set of Crystal Screens and curves used for plate exposing on a CDI Crystal XPS, resulting in the most optimal flexo print quality. 

Print_Control_Wizard_FinalRobert Bruce, RIP and Screening Product Manager, said: “We are deeply honored to receive this recognition for Print Control Wizard, which has been received so well by our customers and the industry. Printing Industries of America is renowned for its commitment to advancing the graphic arts industry so to be recognized for our efforts in developing our Print Control Wizard technology to boost flexo print quality and simplify the flexo platemaking process, makes our job worthwhile.”

The InterTech Technology Awards programme has been operating since 1978 and honors the development of technologies predicated to have a major impact on the graphic communications and related industries. More than 80% of technologies that receive an award experience commercial success in the marketplace.

To find out more about Esko Print Control Wizard software, please visit here. 

At Labelexpo 2019 Brussels, HP Indigo, the world leader in digital labels and packaging, will showcase a portfolio of digital presses along with a full partner ecosystem created to support profitable growth and new business opportunities.

At Labelexpo 2019 Brussels, HP Indigo, the world leader in digital labels and packaging, will showcase a portfolio of digital presses along with a full partner ecosystem created to support profitable growth and new business opportunities for labels and packaging converters.

HP will be centre stage at the largest label event in the world in the Hall 5 Patio (Stand 5C200), September 24-27 in Brussels. In live demonstrations for visitors, HP’s market-leading solutions will print new, high-value growth applications to diversify business, including pharma, brand protection, food packaging, and IML labels, in addition to sustainable digital flexible packaging and shrink sleeves.

The HP Indigo 8000 Digital Press, the most productive narrow-web press printing at 262 ft (80 m) per minute will run in line with ABG’s Fast Track die cutter. The HP Indigo 6900, the latest addition to the world’s best-selling digital solution with over 1500 installations, will also run in live demos.

The HP Indigo 6900 Digital Press, the world’s best-selling digital printing technology, will be shown along with a world of profitable applications including brand protection, digital embellishments and VDP. The many samples on display will highlight the outstanding versatility of the presses and how thousands of customers are leveraging HP Indigo LEP technology to grow and innovate.

HP Indigo Digital Pouch Factory

Visitors will see the highly productive HP Indigo 20000 digital press for endless possibilities in label, shrink sleeve and flexible packaging production. The HP Indigo Digital Pouch Factory makes its debut at the show, demonstrating how to expand businesses beyond traditional flexible packaging applications using the HP Indigo 20000 Digital Press, Pack Ready Lamination, and Karlville pouch-making machine.

Visitors are invited to customise shrink sleeves and pouches on the HP Stand. Products will be delivered during the HP happy hours.

Digital embellishing

Another highlight at the HP stand is the HP digital embellishment portfolio, including ElectroInk Silver for a rainbow of metallic colours, HP Indigo GEM for digital embellishments including foil, spot, tactile, cast and cure in single-pass printing, and a print-over-foil solution using the HP Indigo 6900 Digital Press in line with the KURZ DM-JETLINER.

In the security area, HP will showcase its brand protection offerings including HP Indigo ElectroInks Invisible Yellow and Invisible Blue coupled with software and cloud-based solutions that allow anti-counterfeiting marks, and protected track and trace solutions.

HP will also demonstrate how to automate and optimise production to produce more jobs per day. Converters can experience online web-to-pack workflow solutions and see how they can produce more jobs per shift and increase efficiencies for brands of all sizes.

Automation

HP will also demonstrate how to automate and optimise production to produce more jobs per day. Converters can experience online, web-to-pack workflow solutions to learn how to produce thousands of jobs per shift and increase efficiencies for brands of all sizes.

The latest version of HP Production Pro for Labels and Packaging is allowing customers to benefit from a faster RIP and better connectivity through the cloud. Additional automation tools to be shown include OEE (Overall Equipment Efficiency) monitoring and EPM ((Enhanced Productivity Mode) Analyzer. Visitors will also learn about the new HP PrintOS Marketplace, a community hub aimed to boost capabilities through HP partner and third-party solutions.

Desktop labelling solutions

HP Specialty Printing Systems (SPS) OEM partners will demonstrate a wide range of desktop labelling applications, from prime and sub-prime through GHS and industrial, enabled by HP Thermal Inkjet Technology.

HP SPS will showcase new print capabilities and features using small footprint and snap-in/snap-out swapping between dye and pigment inks to support a wide array of substrates, including glossy and matte.

In an in-store customisation experience, Afinia Label, the first HP OEM partner to adopt the HP SI-1300 print engine, will demonstrate how desktop label printing offers brands the perfect solution to engage consumers.

HP Service Edge 

Visitors to the booth can learn about the benefits of HP Service Edge from HP services. With HP Predictive Press Care, potential issues or failures can be predicted before they occur, using artificial intelligence and real-time press data algorithms analysing data sent to the HP Care Centre. HP experts contact operators with issue resolution and corrective action before production is impacted.

Narrow web label converters looking to enter the fast-growing flexible packaging market will learn everything they need to know at the Labelexpo Europe 2019 Flexible Packaging Arena, further details of which have been announced.
                      
Seen for the very first time at the show, the Flexible Packaging Arena will showcase both conventional and digital converting of stand-up pouches to GMP quality assurance standards, along with information on the opportunities currently offered by short run value added flexible packaging on mid-web in-line presses.

Bobst and its REVO partners Apex, AVT, DuPont, Esko, Flint Group and X-Rite will show a conventional Bobst M6 combination press with inline lamination – including a world-first showing of GEW’s multi-point UV monitor (mUVm) inline UV dose monitoring system. Xeikon will show for the first time its CX500 digital press inline with a new pouch laminating system.

There will be 30-minute Flexible Packaging Arena demonstrations running several times a day over the four days of Labelexpo Europe 2019. They will also include a presentation from the UVFoodSafe group on the work it is conducting on best practice in UV curing of indirect food contact materials.

Each session will be filmed live and relayed via large screens to show visitors. Sample packs will be available, and representatives from the companies involved will be on hand to answer more detailed questions.

Lisa Milburn, managing director of Labelexpo Global Series, says, “Flexible packaging is one of the fastest growing and most exciting areas of the label and package printing industry, so we decided to incorporate it as a major feature at our 40th anniversary edition of Labelexpo Europe. We strongly encourage visitors to come along to at least one demonstration during the show and see this fantastic collaboration in action.”

Bobst Revo partner technologies include Apex GTT2.0 anilox technology with Bellissima DMS screening; AVT Helios Turbo HD automatic inspection system for wider-web platforms up to 670mm; DuPont Cyrel FAST thermal plates; Esko workflow automation and CDI Crystal XPS flexo platemaking; Flint Group food packaging compliant inks; and X-Rite Pantone colour measurement and standardisation systems.

Matteo Cardinotti, managing director of Bobst Firenze, states, “As the global market for flexible packaging continues to grow, the demand for shorter runs, connectivity and sustainability grows with it. Bobst has recently launched several ground-breaking innovations that will help converters and brand owners to set new standards in these areas.”  

Filip Weymans, VP marketing, Xeikon, adds, “Xeikon dry toner technology has the potential to expand the applications beyond self-adhesive labels – applications which still fit with narrow web converters. Pouches is one of those added value applications. It enables converters to expand their product offering and business potential beyond labels. We see the Labelexpo feature as the ideal platform to educate converters and print buyers on the application possibilities that digital printing can serve today.”

Show visitors can further deepen their flexible packaging knowledge by joining the Flexible Packaging master class, taking place on September 26 and run by Mike Fairley, author of the Label Academy guide to flexible packaging production. Additionally, they will be able to view HP’s food packaging compliant flexible packs on the HP Indigo stand.

Labelexpo Europe 2019 takes place from September 24-27 at Brussels Expo. The show is spread across nine exhibition halls, with over 600 exhibitors taking part.

Digital ink manufacturer, NUtec recently announced its latest UV-curable ink optimised for the HP® Scitex FB 500, 550, 700 & 750 series of printers.

The Amethyst A50-RIG-FB is a premium quality UV ink for rigid applications designed for superior media adhesion and optimised for use on the HP Scitex FB printers.

The A50-RIG-FB formulation is optimised for rigid substrates using conventional UV lamp curing and features a superior colour gamut for bright, vivid images. 

Offered in a 2.5L box container for colours and a 1.7L container for white, the A50-RIG-FB ink can be used on a large variety of rigid substrates including glass and ceramics for indoor decoration, without the need for primers. Provided the inks are used in regular applications, using suitable substrates, these printed images will last for up to 24 months.

NUtec Digital Ink products are supported by NUtec Digital's Ink Delivery System Warranty giving customers peace of mind when converting to NUtec inks.

Neil Green, NUtec Sales and Marketing Director notes, “The development of the A50-RIG-FB ink for HP FB printers shows NUtec’s commitment to offering our customers world class alternative inks. Our latest NVC-free, UV-curable ink offers excellent adhesion and flexibility coupled with great all-round printing reliability. “

“This ideal combination of adhesion, flexibility and reliability is creating many new and exciting business and application opportunities for those converting to our inks,” concludes Green.

For further information visit www.nutecdigital.com or email info@nutecdigital.com.

AFI Branding, an Australian leader in fabric signage solutions, is launching a sustainability initiative, the first of its kind in the Australian signage industry.

On 1st August 2019, AFI Branding, in partnership with BlockTexx, will launch its ‘be sustainable’ initiative, a fabric takeback scheme where all fabric printed by AFI Branding can now be directly returned for recycling. Mimco, a long term partner of AFI Branding, is the first retailer to join the initiative. AFI Branding is inviting the return of printed fabrics to its headquarters in Carrum Downs, Victoria where it will be sorted and separated and provided to BlockTexx for repurposing, all within Australia. Through the program, AFI and Blocktexx aim to divert 100 tonnes of fabric from retail in the first year alone.





Glenn Watson, Managing Director at AFI Branding says: “At AFI Branding, we print over 15,000m2 of fabric per month. So we recognise that we have an important role to play in sustainability. After supplying the signage for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games last year, we were able to recycle many components but not all within Australia. We wanted to change this. We’ve spent a long time researching a 
solution and we are really excited to have created this initiative alongside BlockTexx.”

AFI Branding supply a range of industries within Australia including retail, events and exhibitions and Mimco, Best and Less, and Myer are amongst its client base. The company is confident the scheme will make a significant difference to their customers and to Australian landfill. With AFI’s client’s participation we estimate we can divert over 100 tonnes per year rising to 300 tonnes in year 3.

Mimco is the first retail partner to join the initiative and will commence returning fabric next month with the official launch. Brad Poett, VM Production Manager at Mimco says: “Mimco has proudly been using AFI’s ReFrame system for many years now. Working towards our goal of promoting a good business journey through sustainable processes, we are proud to have worked with AFI Branding through the formative stages of this program. We are so happy that the recycling process will now be available locally and to more clients of AFI.”

‘be sustainable’ – how the initiative works

- Client returns fabric to AFI Branding in Carrum downs, Victoria
- Fabric is sorted and separated and stored at AFI Branding
- Naked fabric transported to BlockTexx textile waste recycling centre from January 2020 onwards
- BlockTexx S.O.F.T.™ process: from fabric separation, BlockTexx creates two high quality recycled materials - 
          - rPET for use in textiles, packaging, food containers, bottles and building products.
          - Powdered Cellulose for use in textiles, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and food products.

BlockTexx Co-Founder Adrian Jones welcomed the partnership and said textile waste in Australia is beginning to gain the recognition it needs from government, industry bodies and forward-thinking companies like AFI Branding.

“Stakeholder collaboration is key to achieving commercial scale impact and making a real difference in diverting textile waste from landfill,” Mr Jones said.

“We will begin processing in January 2020, and it is our goal to divert 35,000 tonnes of textile waste from landfill each year. This partnership is a big step towards achieving this goal.”





For more information on the scheme visit www.afibranding.com.au or to sign up contact AFI Branding on 1300 652 514.

The most popular sign-making and cutting plotter software program for Windows and Mac. Now drivers for over 500 plotter models.

New York and BeiJing, China, Today, EasyCut Studio, a leading developer of vinyl cutter software programs, today announced the launch of its new edition of Easy Cut Studio. To be specific, it is Easy Cut Studio 4.1.0.7 which now supports ability to design in vector and cut the design with a Mutoh Kona, Mutoh SC, Gerber FasTrack, or Liyu SC-A vinyl cutter. Exclusive Print and Cut Technology allows you to print designs to a colour printer and then cut them out with your Mutoh cutter.

Easy Cut Studio is one of the most popular and widely trusted vinyl cutting applications for Mac and Windows. support for all the latest as well as legacy cutting plotters. The software packed with a large selection of tools and features for designing and laying out all types of signs, decals, lettering, posters, and graphic artwork to be cut out using a vinyl plotter. You can also open bitmap graphics or scan logos and convert them into cuttable vector graphics. With countless features and advanced cutting settings, Easy Cut Studio will make your sign design and cutting tasks a pleasure while increasing quality and productivity!

Since it has been a while since Easy Cut Studio 4.1.0.7 was released, an update was pending. According to the engineers working on the product, the update took a while since they wanted to deliver the best-possible results. The team claims that over 200 different cutting plotters were tested. The team even visited a number of cutting plotter manufacturers and talked to different engineers to understand their pain points. All of this helped the developers come up with a one-stop vinyl cutting software with exceptional results and increase your productivity.
 
Easy Cut Studio v4.1.07 includes the following new features and bug fixes:

What new in version 4.1.07:
1. Added support for Liyu SC-A, TC-A, TC-AA and HC-AF Series; 
2. Added support for Mutoh Kona and Mutoh SC series cutters; 
3. Added support for Gerber FasTrack cutting plotter;
4. New Mutoh Kona plotter driver including support for Mutoh 4 point cropmarks for Print and Cut jobs;
5. Added cut selection only and mirror options for Rabbit cutter;
6. Fixed a problem with cutting with Silhouette CAMEO 3;
7. Fixed a problem with editing nodes after cutting the design;
8. Other stability improvements and small bugs fixed.

To learn more about Easy Cut Studio 4.1.0.7, please visit https://www.easycutstudio.com/ 

Pricing and availability: 

Easy Cut Studio version 4.1.0.7 comes with Lifetime License at a starting price of $59.95 USD. This software is available for both Windows and macOS platforms. You can get a free trial of Easy Cut Studio from the official website. Since Easy Cut Studio offers a free lifetime upgrade on its products, the existing users of Easy Cut Studio 4.xxx can upgrade to version 4.1.0.7 easily.

Indy Griffiths is, by any measure, an impressive young woman. Not only does she power through her work as graphic designer for Mona Vale company Style Communications, she also runs her own freelance studio and this month, with the support of Visual Connections, she will represent Australia as a ‘Skillaroo’ at the 54th WorldSkills International Championships.

At school, Indy always loved design so there was never much doubt she’d pursue a career in the creative arts. Choosing Graphic Design as her major, she completed her training at Enmore Design Centre TAFE where, as luck would have it, she also came into contact with WorldSkills Australia.
WorldSkills is a social enterprise which fosters skills excellence in vocational, technological and service-oriented careers in Australia, and promotes the importance of those skills to young people, their parents, industry and employers.

As well as regional and national championships, Australian competitors – known as Skillaroos – also compete on the global stage through WorldSkills International. This year’s championship will be held in Kazan, Russia, from August 22-27, where an anticipated audience of 250,000 will watch competitors from 66 counties compete for gold, silver and bronze medals and the title of world champion in their skill.

“The regional championships were held at Enmore so my lecturer suggested I compete,” Indy recalls. “Despite having no idea what it was, I agreed and surprised myself by winning by a narrow margin.”

Qualifying for the national championship created a dilemma for the young designer who, by her own admission, lacked confidence at such a young age. 
“It was daunting to be up against the ‘best of the best’ from around Australia but, with the encouragement of my lecturers and work colleagues, I decided to give it a go – and it’s been an amazing confidence builder,” she says.

No wonder. Indy took out the Graphic Design Technology section comfortably, qualifying alongside 14 other young people to represent her country at WorldSkills Kazan 2019. To go, however, she needed both the permission of her employer and industry support. 

For Style Communications’ owner, Shayna Price, it was a no-brainer. “We make a practice of giving young people the chance to develop their skills and gain experience, and then take great pride in then watching them go out and build their careers,” she says. 

“WorldSkills is a fantastic opportunity for Indy to learn, develop her skills and build her confidence – which can only be good both for her and for us.”
Shayna knows the value of on-the-job experience, having learned the ropes herself having taken a job with Style Communications after completing her own apprenticeship…as a chef.

“It was something of a departure,” she laughs, “but I immediately enjoyed the way that we are not just producing products, but really helping solve problems for our customers. I just fell in love with the business – so much so that, when the original family moved on to new challenges, I decided to take over.”
The ensuing years have had their moments – a major flood and a ransomware attack to name just two – but a loyal local clientele from around the Northern Beaches and a team of dedicated and talented people have kept the doors open.

Indy, she says, joined the team almost by chance, after walking in to get a job printed towards the end of her TAFE course. 

“As soon as I opened the files, I thought, ‘This girl really knows her stuff’. We were looking for a designer at the time, so we offered her the job, and she’s been a real asset. Design is so critical to meeting our customers’ requirements, and I’m always astonished by the quality of her work and the speed at which she does it. We are so proud of what she’s achieved with WorldSkills and we’re excited to see how she fares on the international stage.”

The final piece of the puzzle fell into place for Indy when Visual Connections – the premier supplier’s association for the print, graphics and signage industries – agreed to sponsor her to participate in the international competition. 

CEO Peter Harper says the Visual Connections’ long-standing support for WorldSkills Australia is reflective of its commitment to helping young people like Indy gain the skills, knowledge and experience they need to build successful careers in the sector.

“While we often sponsor young print or sign apprentices, nothing is more fundamental to our industry than design,” Peter says. “That’s why we are so delighted to be sponsoring Indy – she’s already an asset to our industry and we’re looking forward to seeing her compete with the Skillaroos in Russia.”

As for Indy, she’s typically downplaying her chances of success in Kazan but, win, lose or draw, there’s one thing she’s certain about – it won’t be her last interaction with WorldSkills.

“It’s been a fantastic experience so, once I’m no longer able to compete, I’d love to give back by being a mentor to other trainees,” she says. “I’ve learned so much from other designers all over the world – and it’s great to be able to bring those skills back to the industry here in Australia.”