Temporary Signage and “EMCs” Continue to Rile City Planners; What Aspiring Sign Shops Need to Know

Published April 22, 2015

There are growing opportunities for print service providers in signage—both printed and electronic—but it pays to do your homework when it comes to signage regulations.

ISA’s Sign Expo Goes Beyond "Sign and Display"

Published April 15, 2015

The International Sign Association’s Sign Expo took place last week in Las Vegas, NV. Richard Romano files his observations from the show.

HP’s New Single-Pass Printer Portfolio

Published April 9, 2015

Yesterday, on the eve of the opening of the ISA Sign Expo, HP took the opportunity to launch five new products in its high-end Latex and Scitex families. These are the HP Latex 370, the HP Scitex FB550 and FB750, HP Scitex 11000 Industrial Press, and HP Scitex 15500 Corrugated Press.

Know Your Wide Format Inks!

Published April 1, 2015

Herein a basic primer on today’s ink options for wide-format printing, from solvent and eco-solvent to UV, from latex to dye-sublimation.

Generation Next: Mandel Graphic Solutions Keeps Evolving with Technology

Published March 18, 2015

After 123 years and four generations of owners, Milwaukee’s Mandel Graphic Solutions has thrived by staying current.

UV Printing: Good as Gold?

Published March 12, 2015

Experts identify new and expanding—and some unusual—markets for UV inks and coatings at day two of RadTech’s UV.EB West.

UV.EB West Showcases Current Trends in Radiation Curing Technologies

Published March 11, 2015

Ultraviolet (UV) and electron beam (EB) curing technologies have been around for decades, but have continually evolved and are well-suited for today’s modern print and packaging production processes.

Lla Llama

Published March 9, 2015

Not living anywhere near Arizona, I was unaware of the recent “Phoenix Llama Drama,” which is apparently not some new reality TV show. Rather, last month, a brace of the beasts escaped while—and I have to quote ABC News here—“making a therapy visit to residents at an assisted living facility.”

ISA Gears Up for Biggest Sign Expo Ever

Published March 4, 2015

New features, sessions, programs, and speakers at the upcoming International Sign Expo aim to educate present and prospective signmakers about the latest business and technology trends in this growing industry.

Instagrammers Can Get a Pizza the Action

Published February 27, 2015

There Goes the Neighborhood: How To Cope with Commoditization in Wide-Format Printing

Published February 25, 2015

Improving technology is causing some wide-format applications to experience that dreaded word “commoditization.” How can print providers fight against it? Can they? Or—most importantly—should they?

A Good Problem to Have? Managing Capacity When Volume Peaks

Published February 19, 2015

Capacity management has proven to be a challenge for many wide-format print businesses, especially as many jobs are specialized or customized in some way. What are the ways that shops are coping with this “pain point”?

Canon Solutions America Celebrates Its Second Anniversary

Published February 17, 2015

As you may have read elsewhere on WhatTheyThink, last week, CSA—né Océ—celebrated its second anniversary with a much-needed (for those of us encased in the frozen tundra of the Northeast) event in Boca Raton, Fla. CSA execs shared updates in the various business groups (Enterprise Managed Services Division, formerly Business Services Division; Large Format Solutions; and Production Printing Division).

Technical Printing Sends Print-for-Pay Providers Back to the Drawing Board

Published February 11, 2015

Technical printing—graphics that serve the architectural, engineering, and construction markets—has been changing in both positive and negative ways, and “reprographics” shops are changing with the times. And it’s not always just about the equipment.

Magnum Force

Published February 6, 2015

There has been a surge of growth in what are called “large-format wine bottles.” Magnums, essentially (or would that be “magna”?), or wine bottles greater than 750ml. Indeed, popular sizes include 1.5 liters, 3 liters, and 6 liters. Now, obviously, some of these are intended for parties and other events with large gatherings, not a quiet romantic dinner for two, lest it descend into drunken anarchy (which depends on your approach to dating, I guess).

Your Niche Or Mine?

Published January 28, 2015

How do you decide what kinds of wide-format or specialty printing products and services to add to your current mix? You can jump into a new niche application as a newbie, or organically expand into new directions. As it turns out, there is no right answer—but plenty of wrong ones.

Retail Trends in Wide Format

Published January 28, 2015

I was talking with the owner of a sign shop recently, and we got to talking about new technologies that sign and display companies were starting to utilize—I was thinking specifically of EFI’s SmartSign Analytics—but he happened to mention other new technologies such as “smart fitting rooms” whereby sensors in a clothing retailer’s fitting room mirror track RFID tags on the clothing you brought in to try on and suggests accessories or complementary items. Sound creepy? It does a bit, doesn’t it?

EFI Connect and the Imaging of Things

Published January 23, 2015

About 15 years ago—give or take—in a monthly humor column I wrote at the time for the late, lamented Micro Publishing News, I proposed the idea of a drive-through wide-format printer for vehicle graphics.

What Is Wide-Format?

Published January 15, 2015

As I was planning the 2015 editorial calendar for our Wide-Format section, I began by drawing up a list of topics that I had covered, topics that were heavily featured at trade shows like SGIA and ISA, and topics tend to get covered elsewhere in the industry press. And aside from the basic technological topics like “Roll-to-Roll Printers,” “Flatbeds,” “Finishing,” and so forth, the majority of the subject matter was on specific applications—and applications that were all over the map (and some even included maps!).

SGIA Webinar Considers Web-to-Print for Wide-Format

Published January 14, 2015

Web-to-print is not a new technology, but despite its many advantages, when evaluating solutions, be sure to ask some specific wide-format questions.

This Is the New Year and I Have No Resolutions

Published January 9, 2015

New year’s resolutions are ephemeral things. January 2, for example, is a kind of Black Friday for gyms and fitness centers, but by the end of the month, the crowds have returned to normal.

Wide-Format Roll-to-Roll Printer Roundup

Published January 7, 2015

In today’s wide-format market, flatbed printers are all the rage and, for certain applications, deservedly so. But the earliest wide-format printers were all rollfed (or roll-to-roll) devices, and it wasn’t until the early 2000s that flatbeds existed as a product category. Flatbeds emerged to take time and materials out of the “print-then-mount” process; after all, why not just print directly on the surface you want the graphic?

What Kind of Day Has it Been?

Published December 17, 2014

2014 has been a year of incremental—but substantial—improvements in wide-format systems. These improvements are creating ever more opportunities in a variety of applications. Here’s what to keep an eye on in 2015.

Business Goes Swimmingly for Digital Dye-Sublimation Printer

Published December 10, 2014

Epson’s beachwear “fashion show” highlights the possibilities of digital dye-sublimation fabric printing, and how it could change fashion design.

Rapid Digital Press Maps Out Wide-Format Success

Published December 3, 2014

With a little research, a clearly defined strategy, and fast, high-quality wide-format printing equipment, Phoenix, Ariz.’s Rapid Digital Press has carved out a successful niche in map and GIS printing applications, and is now poised for growth.

Mimaki Mini-Expo Hits the Spa City

Published November 19, 2014

Mimaki’s 25-city road show includes hands-on product demonstrations and educational presentations that highlight new features of, and top applications enabled by, today’s wide-format printing equipment. Here is a report from one stop on the tour.

SGIA Recap II: Chalk it Up to Experience

Published November 5, 2014

The SGIA Expo was about more than just new hardware—new substrates were also on display, as well as what keeps the hardware productive: color management, production, and RIPing software.

High-Wire Acts: Adventures at the 2014 SGIA Expo (Part 1)

Published October 29, 2014

SGIA Expo exceeded virtually everyone’s expectations. In Part 1 of our show coverage we look at some of the major hardware introductions.

SGIA Opens Another Record-Breaking Year

Published October 24, 2014

Dan Marx, VP of Markets and Technologies at SGIA, talks to Richard Romano at the opening of the 2014 SGIA Expo and discusses another record-breaking year. They also discuss some key trends in the wide-format space.

7 Reasons to Look Forward to Next Week’s SGIA Expo

Published October 15, 2014

For those of us who cover wide-format and specialty graphics printing, the biggest show of the year is the SGIA Expo, coming up next week in Las Vegas. It can be tough, travel being what it is, to muster enthusiasm for far-flung trade events, but there is a great deal of value in getting out of the office and attending these kinds of shows. So in this “listicle,” here are the top seven reasons I am looking forward to next week’s show.

Roland to Kick Off First Ever User Conference

Published October 8, 2014

One day prior to the SGIA Expo, Roland DGA is launching their inaugural ImagiNATION 2014 user group conference, designed as an information exchange for owners and operators of Roland’s wide-format printing equipment.

Graph Expo to Showcase State of the Wide-Format Art

Published September 24, 2014

Graph Expo 2014 kicks off on Sunday. Every year, wide-format becomes a more conspicuous and important part of the show. Here is a rundown of some of the things you can look forward to on the show floor.

The ABCs of DDS: A Digital Signage Primer

Published September 10, 2014

Dynamic digital signage (DDS) is being touted as a hot opportunity for sign shops and other wide-format service providers. But where does one start? And how can digital complement print signage?

Memjet Looks Back At Its First Generation Printheads—and Ahead to Generation Next

Published August 27, 2014

The first-generation Memjet-based devices have hit the market, and have helped wide-format inkjet conquer the speed challenge. What will second-gen Memjet look like?

Big Points: A “This Point Forward” Approach to Wide-Format Printing

Published August 20, 2014

Creating a printing business that can cope with a changing market for print and that is “future-focused”—is imperative as we hurtle toward 2020. If you’re a wide-format printer, you may be halfway there—but that’s no excuse for complacency.

Indy Imaging Fills a Capacity Niche in Wide Format

Published August 12, 2014

Robbie Gordon, President & CEO of Indy Imaging, talks to Richard Romano about their business as a wholesale printer for the sign industry serving industrial sign shops and commercial sign shops.

Adding Value to Signmaking by Adding Digital Signage

Published August 8, 2014

Rick Scrimger, President of Roland DGA, talks to Richard Romano from ISA 2014 about their new digital display studio, the demand for digital signage, and how digital and print can compliment each other.

New Esko Kongsberg Digital Finishing System at ISA

Published July 25, 2014

Bill Hartman, SVP at Esko, talks to Richard Romano about introducing the new Kongsberg V Digital Finishing System at ISA.

HP Announces Additions to Latex Series at ISA

Published July 22, 2014

Xavier Garcia, VP & GM at HP, talks to Richard Romano at ISA about new additions to their latex series. They discuss new inks, the target market, and the main applications for the technology.

Roland DGA's Oransky Talks Products and Trends from ISA

Published July 21, 2014

Andrew Oransky, Senior Director of Marketing & Product Management at Roland DGA, talks to Richard Romano from ISA about the products they showed. They discuss applications of the products and the demands in the marketplace.

Liquid Meddle: Digital Inkjet Makes Inroads in Industrial Printing

Published July 18, 2014

If you look around your home or office (or home office), you’ll notice numerous examples of what I’ve referred to in the past as “stealth printing,” printed materials that don’t fall into what we consider commercial printing, but is a huge market nonetheless.

Catching up with EFI's Guy Gecht at ISA

Published July 18, 2014

Guy Gecht, CEO of EFI, talks to Richard Romano at ISA about what they are showing, LED technology, the companies growth, and what he is hearing from the demands of the customer.

Bordeaux Digital PrintInk Brings Alternative Inks to the Wide Format Market

Published July 11, 2014

Guy Evron, Marketing Manager at Bordeaux Digital PrintInk, talks to Richard Romano about the company and their approach to alternative inks.

HP Scales Up Its PageWide Technology

Published June 23, 2014

At an event in San Diego, Calif., held June 9 and 10, HP announced that they are scaling up their PageWide technology for use in wide-format printers. PageWide made its debut in 2013 in the Officejet Pro X Series of desktop multifunction devices.

Color Management Challenges in the Wide Format Market

Published June 23, 2014

Ed Thompson, Product Manager at Onyx, talks to Richard Romano about the long history of the company in color management for wide format printing.

Notes from a Safari: Nine Big Mistakes That Would-Be Wide-Format Printers Can Make

Published June 6, 2014

Unless you have been lost, you are all too aware that the market for print has been changing, changing dramatically, and not changing for the best. We’ve had this discussion for a long time, so we need not dwell on it here. As a result, many companies have looked to wide-format and other types of specialty printing as a compelling replacement.

Sipe Sets Themselves Apart with MGI Technology

Published June 2, 2014

Steve Hatlem, President of Sipe, talks to Richard Romano about the company and their relationship with MGI. They discuss how the process works and how they use the technology to differentiate their business.

Crystal Clear Imaging Focuses on Sports in Wide Format Market

Published May 30, 2014

Arthur Boisfontaine, Owner of Crystal Clear Imaging in New Orleans, talks to Richard Romano about the business and their focus on sports and the wide format market.

PVS In-Store Graphics Transitions to Digital

Published May 23, 2014

Richard Romano talks to Wes Shin, Co-Owner & GM of PVS In-Store Graphics, about the company and their business as well as their transition to digital.

For O’Neil Data Systems, the Need for Speed Leads to an Inkjet-Driven Transformation

Published May 16, 2014

Next week, O’Neil Data Systems (ODS) will be hosting an HP-sponsored event at their Plano, Tex, facility, which will bring together vendors, customers, and printers from all corners of the digital printing ecosystem to see the company’s high-powered “data-driven publishing” in action, as well as showcase their own contributions to this expanding print market segment.

New EFI Thermoforming Printer/Ink Technology Allows for New Plastic Applications

Published May 16, 2014

Spencer Craig, EFI Director of Business Development, talks to Richard Romano about their new thermoforming technology. Spencer also demonstrates some examples of output.

ISA Sign Expo Showcases Dynamic Evolution of Sign Solutions

Published May 2, 2014

At the International Sign Association’s Sign Expo, the current state of dynamic digital signage (DDS) was reminiscent of a kind of “Cambrian explosion,” with a proliferation of solutions emerging.

Crystal Clear Imaging Focus on Sports Market Drives Growth

Published April 22, 2014

Arthur Boisfontaine, owner of Crystal Clear Imaging, talks to Richard Romano about their business and how they shifted to focus on the sports market.

New Proposal Stresses “Economy of Language” to Save Printing Costs

Published April 1, 2014

Last week, the mainstream media were abuzz with the results of a new study—conducted by a 14-year-old-high school student—that found that the U.S. Government could save $400 million by switching typefaces from Times New Roman to Garamond. While the results of this study have not gone without legitimate criticism, that hasn’t stopped others from proposing initiatives that would save the government even more money through changes in typography.

Signs of the Times—and Times of the Signs: Countdown to the International Sign Expo 2014

Published March 28, 2014

The ISA International Sign Expo 2014 is coming to Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center this April 23–26, with educational and networking sessions starting on the 23rd and the trade show itself starting on the 24th. (Each year, the Sign Expo alternates between Las Vegas and Orlando.) Some new features of the show debuted in Vegas last year, and will thus be new to an Orlando—and thus a largely Southeast U.S.— crowd.

GOA Organizer George Ryan on the Show and Latin American Market

Published March 10, 2014

Printing Association of Florida President George Ryan speaks with Richard Romano at Graphics of the Americas about the show compared to last year. They also discuss Latin American market trends.

...But Is It Art?

Published March 7, 2014

It was a sunny morning Southern California. An ocean breeze was blowing in from nearby Redondo Beach, and as the freight train next door—the bane of our existence—clattered endlessly and rattled the building, we gathered in the first floor conference room of the Torrance offices of Micro Publishing News magazine to evaluate the hundred or so submissions to what, back in 1999, was our Seventh Annual Digital Art contest.

PAF's George Ryan on GOA's Unique Education Sessions

Published March 7, 2014

Richard Romano talks to George Ryan, President of Printing Association of Florida, at Graphics of the Americas about the unique nature of the show relative to training and education.

Alex Nussem on CMA Imaging at Graphics of the Americas

Published March 7, 2014

Alex Nussem, International Director of Sales at CMA Imaging, talks to Richard Romano at GOA. We learn a bit about the company and the products they launched at the show.

RBP Chemical's Mark Heimerl at GOA

Published March 6, 2014

Mark Heimerl, Sales Director at RBP Chemical, talks to Richard Romano about exhibiting at Graphics of the Americas for the first time and tapping the growing South American market.

Colordyne Technologies Explores Latin American Market at GOA

Published March 5, 2014

Emily Kroll of Colordyne Technologies talks to Richard Romano at Graphics of the Americas about their first time exhibiting there and the importance of the Latin American market. They also discuss their use of Memjet technology.

Printware Named Game Changer at GOA

Published March 4, 2014

Tim Murphy, President of Printware, is interviewed by Richard Romano at Graphics of the Americas and talks about the company and discusses being named a "Game Changer" at GOA.

GOA: Printing Industry Trends in Latin America

Published March 3, 2014

WhatTheyThink's Richard Romano talks with Patricia Alvarez, President of Intermarket Group, at Graphics of the Americas about the company and printing industry trends in Latin America.

Fabian Prudhomme of Enfocus on the Latin American Market

Published March 3, 2014

Fabian Prudhomme, VP at Enfocus, talks to Richard Romano at Graphics of the Americas about their new distribution deal with Intermarket as well as the growing Latin American market. They also discuss Enfocus activity in 2014.

Getting a Good Visual Appraisal of Color

Published February 17, 2014

GTI VP Bob McCurdy, talks to Richard Romano about their color viewing products and the challenges of lighting for proper viewing of commercial printing. They also discuss the specific challenges for wide format color viewing.

E Pluribus Unum: “Butterflies & Buffalo” Project Uses Wide-Format Graphics to Document and Celebrate American Cultures

Published February 10, 2014

In this age of poor-quality cameraphone images and unflattering “selfies,” it’s easy to forget how powerful high-quality, professional photography can be.

New CapEx Report Shows Substantial Interest in Investment in Wide-Format Capabilities

Published January 30, 2014

Our own Dr. Joe Webb has just published the results of his latest survey of commercial printers and their planned investments for 2014—Strategies for Management’s 2014 U.S. Commercial Printers Capital Investment Survey and Forecast.

Phoenix’s AZ Pro Uses Vehicle and Fleet Graphics to Keep on Truckin’

Published December 16, 2013

From so simple a beginning. Avondale, Ariz.’s AZ Pro Signs and Graphics, based just outside Phoenix, started nine years ago with a 21-inch plotter—and has seen no less than double-digit growth every year, even during the recession years.

The Importance of Data in 1:1 Marketing and Variable Data Printing

Published December 5, 2013

Richard Romano joins us from the Xerox Gil Hatch center where he talks to Shelley Sweeney, Vice President of Service Bureau and Direct Mail about the importance of data in 1:1 marketing and VDP and how to market it.

Interstate Graphics Feels the Heat with New Thermoforming System

Published November 20, 2013

At the SGIA Expo in Orlando several weeks ago, EFI garnered a Product of the Year award for its GS Pro-TF thermoforming system. Interstate Graphics Inc. (IGI), based in Machesney Park, Ill.—just outside Rockford—was the first company to install the GS Pro-TF.

Graphics Canada Marks Its 50th Anniversary By Looking to the Future of Print

Published November 18, 2013

Graphics Canada is held every two years and celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. To mark this milestone, says Dan Mustata, show manager for Graphics Canada, “we’ve brought together more features, more conferences, and more colocated events than ever.”

Strategic Content Imaging Uses Automation and Production Inkjet to Live Up to Its Name

Published November 13, 2013

It’s less about belts and gears and more about software,” says Ron Diaz, press operator at Secaucus, N.J.’s Strategic Content Imaging (SCI), summing up what he sees as one of the primary differences between digital production inkjet and traditional offset printing. “We have to move four gigabytes of data in a very short period of time.

SGIA Wraps Up Successful Orlando Expo

Published November 6, 2013

At the beginning of day one of the SGIA Expo, SGIA President Michael Robertson had announced a pre-registered attendee count of around 21,000. By Friday morning, the third and final day of the Expo, the count had topped 22,400.

SGIA President Michael Robertson on the 2013 Show

Published October 28, 2013

SGIA President Michael Robertson talks to Richard Romano about the 2013 SGIA Expo in Orlando, the attendance at the show, and trends he's seeing in the wide format segment.

Soft Signage: Ready for the Mainstream?

Published October 25, 2013

Digital textile printing began in earnest in the 1990s, but technology, market, and supply chain challenges have kept it from going truly mainstream. However, all of these challenges—technology, market, and even supply chain—are gradually being overcome, and digital textile printing.

EFI Nabs Product of the Year Award at SGIA for Thermoform System

Published October 25, 2013

Spencer Craig, Director of Business Development at EFI, talks to Richard Romano at SGIA about winning Product of the Year Award for their Thermoform system. They discuss the different applications and details about the process.

SGIA Highlights the "Shining Star" of the Printing Industry—Day 1: The Quickening

Published October 24, 2013

Day 1 of SGIA and WhatTheyThink is on the ground in Orlando and Richard Romano has you covered with the latest from the show as we kick off what is said to be near record crowds.

HP's Joan Perez Pericot on their Latex series and the 3000

Published September 26, 2013

Joan Perez Pericot, Category Manager for HP Scitex, talks to Richard Romano about the success of their Latex Series and their newest addition - the 3000.

The Going Green Interview: SGP Board Member Theresa Vanna

Published September 20, 2013

Wide-Format Goes Mainstream at Print 13

Published September 20, 2013

Wide-format printing has always been an endeavor for the highly creative, and it would be hard to find someone more creative than Armstrong.

Richard Romano Gives His Wide Format Takes on Print 13

Published September 12, 2013

WhatTheyThink Senior Analyst Richard Romano gives his take on Print 13 from a wide format perspective.

Happy Anniversary!

Published September 11, 2013

Two Sides Announces Eco-graphic Contest Winner

Published September 10, 2013

Dave Lewis of Prolist on Their Success in the Mail Service Industry

Published September 9, 2013

Dave Lewis, VP or Sales and Marketing at Prolist, speaks with WhatTheyThink's Richard Romano about their business and their success in the mail services business and relationship with HP and MCS.

Lisa White of Think Ink on their broad ink selections

Published September 6, 2013

Lisa White, General Manager of Think Ink, talks to Richard Romano about their ink portfolio, working with HP, and the MCS Falcon System.

Glenn Toole of MCS on the Falcon System

Published September 5, 2013

Glenn Toole, VP of Sales and Marketing for MCS, talks to Richard Romano about the company and the Falcon System. Falcon is the latest MCS technology developed in cooperation with HP.

Jim Kelley of HP On Thermal Inkjet Technology

Published September 4, 2013

HP's Jim Kelley joins Richard Romano again at the MCS facility to talk about the Falcon system - getting into more about the printheads and other technical details.

HP's Jim Kelley on the MCS Falcon System

Published September 3, 2013

Jim Kelley, Strategic Alliance Manager at HP, speaks with WhatTheyThink's Richard Romano about the MCS Falcon system at their facility in Gaithersburg Maryland.

Patrice Aurenty of Sun Chemical Announces Their Endorsement of X-Rite eXact

Published August 26, 2013

Kevin Karstedt talks to Patrice Aurenty, Business Leader at Sun Chemical, about their business and announces Sun's endorsement of the X-Rite eXact color matching system.

Five Years On

Published August 22, 2013

Go Paperless? Not Just Yet

Published August 13, 2013

The Red and the Black

Published August 5, 2013

Above-the-Cloud Computing

Published July 24, 2013

HP Scitex's Ken VanHorn on Launching a New Color Pack

Published July 22, 2013

Ken VanHorn, HP Scitex Category Manager, talks to Richard Romano about the release of two new inks - orange and light black - that enable printers to print better skin tones and corporate colors.

Second Canadian Facility Receives SGP Certification

Published July 17, 2013

The Two Sides Eco-Graphic Challenge

Published July 9, 2013

The East Enders: Report From FESPA London 2013

Published July 3, 2013

The DLR (Docklands Light Rail) train wended its way through London’s East End and the Docklands and pulled into the station for London’s ExCel Centre. The conductor announced, “Customs House for the ExCel Centre. If you’re going to FESPA 2013, please alight here.”

Green and Wide

Published July 2, 2013

Production Inkjet Heads to Scotland

Published July 2, 2013

A week or so ago, the news went around that Glasgow, Scotland’s Bell & Bain placed the world’s first order for the Fujifilm Jet Press 540W.

Chew Chew Train

Published June 28, 2013