LED, UltraDrop Technology, SuperFlex Ink and Faster, Automated Print and Workflow Offerings at SGIA Expo Boost Graphics Companies' Profit Opportunities 

LAS VEGAS - SGIA EXPO - EFI™, a world leader in customer-focused digital printing innovation, is driving improvements in printing companies' productivity, efficiency, profitability and print quality with the continued proliferation of advanced technology innovations across the EFI portfolio of industrial inkjet and production workflow products. SGIA Expo attendees will see new and upgraded offerings that reflect the expansion of energy-saving, "cool cure" LED inkjet technology in EFI's superwide- and wide-format product lines, as well as the high-definition imaging capabilities of variable-drop grayscale imaging, including new, 7-picoliter UltraDrop™ Technology for premium-quality graphics production.

EFI's exhibit at the Las Vegas tradeshow highlights advanced solutions that fuel printing company success, from imaging technology enhancements and versatile, new inks to automated material handling and best-in-class workflow efficiencies. The lineup of innovative print products on display includes:

• The award-winning flagship of the EFI VUTEk® portfolio, the 3.2m, high-volume EFI VUTEk HS100 Pro UV inkjet press featuring automated material loading and fully automated unloading systems, and a new material edge guide system for printing corrugated board and other challenging substrates at press rated-speeds.
   
• The new EFI VUTEk H2000 Pro UV inkjet printer, a 2m, extensible platform for mid-volume graphics production making its worldwide debut at the SGIA Expo.
     
• The 5m, roll-to-roll EFI VUTEk GS5500lxr Pro LED printer, which features UltraDrop Technology and the greener, more-efficient advantages of "cool cure" LED imaging.
     
• SuperFlex Ink from EFI and 3M for VUTEk GS3250lxr and GS5500lxr Pro printers, a versatile formulation offering superior LED inkjet performance on vehicle wraps, soft signage and outdoor applications requiring higher durability and flexibility.
     
• The EFI VUTEk GS3250lx Pro with UltraDrop Technology, a 3.2m printer offering exceptional-quality grayscale imaging and greener, "cool cure" LED technology in a versatile, hybrid roll/flatbed format. 
    
• The EFI H1625 LED printer, a 1.65m, entry-level hybrid offering that has quickly become a popular production-level LED inkjet device thanks to its high-quality, eight-level grayscale printheads and its superior white ink capabilities.

"The range of innovative EFI VUTEk and EFI Wide-Format products - with printers that feature the superior imaging quality of UltraDrop 7 picoliter technology, the proven versatility and energy-saving benefits 'green' LED inkjet, and EFI's industry-leading white ink capabilities - create important opportunities for signage and graphics professionals looking to expanded their businesses with higher-end production," said Scott Schinlever, senior vice president and general manager, EFI Inkjet Solutions.

Wide-format's new entry point for premium-quality graphics

The 2m EFI VUTEk H2000 Pro printer premiering at the SGIA Expo provides wide-format signage and graphics companies with a more-affordable entry point into high-end production printing while giving them the option to add features - including white ink, clear varnish and roll-to-roll media handling - as they grow their business. The printer brings UltraDrop Technology grayscale imaging to the mid-volume inkjet graphics production segment, providing high apparent resolution and excellent text reproduction along with outstanding smoothness in shadows, gradients and transitions.

VUTEk H2000 Pro users can run rigid, sheet and flexible media up to 2 inches thick on the printer, and it offers standard multi-queue functionality for continuous production. Enhanced hybrid vacuum belt technology on the new 2m UV inkjet printer optimizes substrate feeding.

'A foundation for future growth' in roll-to-roll inkjet production

The SGIA Expo marks the North American debut of the VUTEk GS5500lxr Pro with UltraDrop Technology, a 5m, roll-to-roll printer that delivers extraordinary performance on high-throughput work requiring precise imaging. The printer's LED inks cure at a lower temperature, giving users the ability to print on a wider range of media, including textiles and mesh substrates as well as thinner, less-expensive films that cannot withstand the heat associated with other drying or curing methods.

EFI customers like Bill Duerr, president of the New Jersey-based print firm Hatteras, benefit from the possibilities EFI innovations create in roll-to-roll LED inkjet printing. Duerr's company recently installed the VUTEk GS5500lxr Pro model, adopting the printer's high-quality, energy-efficient production benefits to capture growth opportunities in retail point-of-purchase signage.

"Our continuous effort to evolve with the demands of the marketplace and expand our service offering has lead us to the purchase of our new EFI VUTEk printer," said Duerr. "This printer, with its LED and high-end UltraDrop imaging features, allows us to increase our production capabilities and opens up our capacity significantly. We are thrilled with the purchase and feel it will serve as a foundation for future growth into the retail market while allowing us to provide our clients with a superior product and innovative applications that align with their sustainability initiatives."

Fiery firepower and EFI web-to-print/MIS for streamlined signage workflows

EFI's latest inkjet graphics digital print workflow products, EFI Fiery® XF, version 6 and the EFI Fiery proServer, version 6, are driving the print technologies in EFI's SGIA Expo exhibit. A new FAST RIP (Fiery Accelerated System Technology) feature presented on the Fiery proServer processes complex vector data up to 7 times faster than its predecessor.

Designed for EFI VUTEk printers but compatible with more than 500 wide- and superwide-format printers from numerous major manufacturers, Fiery proServer 6 supports FOGRA PSD certifications and it offers new tiling features for improved usability. A dynamic smoothing feature on the new Fiery proServer ensures superior gradient output. 

The Fiery proServer 6 also touts enhanced integration with web-to-print and MIS/ERP workflows. At the SGIA Expo, EFI will exhibit end-to-end workflow integrations between VUTEk printers, the Fiery proServer, and products from the industry's leading workflow portfolio: EFI Pace™ print MIS software and EFI Digital StoreFront® web-to-print and eCommerce software.

"EFI fuels our customers' success because we listen to them closely, and we follow their clear direction on what they need to improve their businesses," said EFI's Schinlever. "With our full range of options for entry-, mid- and high-level graphics production and our complete, end-to-end workflow, EFI's exhibit at the SGIA Expo shows why our customers continue to excel in the signage and graphics market."

EFI's exhibit is in booth 2413 at the 2014 SGIA Expo. EFI partners Nazdar and Veritiv are also showing EFI Wide-Format printers in booths 3327 and 2785, respectively. For more information about EFI products, visit www.efi.com or call (800) 875-7117.