Multiple applications from the same hardware is the key theme at this year's Visual Impact in Sydney, which is in its final day today.
As the poster print market becomes ever more crowded vendors were using the show to communicate the ability of today's print solutions to also be used for new applications such as soft signage, textiles, interior décor, as well as POS, outdoor and indoor graphics.
The show had some 108 exhibitors on the floor, with Roland DG once again the platinum sponsor. John Wall, managing director of the company says, “Printers often either have the means to enter new markets with the technology they have, or with a little extra investment can have the means to offer their existing customers more.”
Wall pointed to Roland DG's new LD-80 Laser Foiling unit, which print foil images onto promotional products as an example of a simple way to add a new revenue stream for a $13,000 investment.
Companies such as Neopost, Epson and HP all have multiple application zones on their stands, designed to show printers at the show the different work they can produce from the same printers. Morgan Quinn, product marketing manager at Neopost says, “We often find that smaller print businesses are at first hesitant to consider new applications, but once we show them how straightforward it is they quickly pick it up, and of course new applications means new revenue streams.”
Epson also launched its T-Series printers, priced at less than $4000 for the 24” and less than $5000 for the 36”, which can print both roll to roll and rigid, onto stock 1.3mm thick, and both of which use Precision Core technology.
Oce had its first-time buyer promotion on its Arizona 2200 flatbed printer, which sees payments delayed for the first three months, and the company supplying enough ink and media to produce some 3500sqm print. Dale Hawkins, marketing manager at Oce says, “The promotion means new buyers have the opportunity to get up and running without cash flow pressure.”
HP lanched its first Latex flatbed print system the R-Series, and also launched its first White ink. Mutoh had new roll-to-roll systems and a new flatbed for promotional print, while Mimaki had full size flatbeds and a display cabinet of 3D printed examples. Graphic Art Mart became a dealer forthe Massivit large size 3D printers and had a full size rugby player in 3D on the stand.
Not all exhibitors were focused on wide format, the biggest stand at the show was from Currie Group, which had its mobile showroom on the floor with an HP Indigo 7900 inside and a Horizon bookletmaker inline. On its stand it had a trio of Horizon finishing solutions, including its folder creaser, a die-cutting system, and the SmartSlitter.