Sign Update

The most popular ranges of Doro Tape’s standard vinyl include the new, softer Aslan C118 polymeric films, great for a large variety of applications, including vehicle graphics, and the Ritrama L100 monomeric films, ideal for most general signage. Both of these are 70 microns and come in a great selection of colours, including metallic silver and gold.

Some really stunning designs can be created with standard coloured vinyl, particularly when used in conjunction with Doro’s fantastic specialist films, such as the Gemstone range, mirror, metallised and holographic effect films, and the beautiful colour-changing Aurora and Andromeda among others. Also popular is the Carbon fibre effect vinyl, which, being from the Durable range, has a five year exterior life, and is resistant to staining, cracking and delaminating.

Work from printers, applicators and end-users form all over Europe was submitted into four different categories:
Vehicle Graphics, Interior Signs, Exterior Signs and Technical Achievements. A special Advertising Prize was also awarded to the entry considered most relevant and groundbreaking from an advertiser's point of view. The top prize for Exterior Signs was won by a UK company, Jupiter Display.

All films in the S-FX Durable, and S-FX Plus ranges can be printed using digital (solvent ink), thermal heat transfer, and screen printing techniques, giving further scope for some really special visual displays and graphics.

Doro Tape has recently added the brand new Shine series; stunning range of glossy coloured metallic films in cherry, azure, magenta, violet and emerald. The films are made up of a metallised polyester, with a coloured soft PVC laminate on top, giving a high quality film with a two-year exterior life.

Also new to Doro this year is a brand new line in glass etch effect vinyl for window graphics, called the EL300 Dry Apply by Aslan. Perfect for graphics on glass, this silver etch film has a special patterned adhesive surface that allows air to escape easily during application. No need for wet application (in fact not recommended), it gives a perfect bubble-free finish. With an outdoor life of up to seven years, this easy to apply vinyl is a great addition to the wide variety of etch effect films available at Doro.

With lots more ranges and a separate website full of digitally printable media, Doro Tape believes it really can offer a vinyl to suit every job.

For more information, either call the team on 08451 651636 or log on to www.dorotape.co.uk or www.dorodigital.co.uk

Versatile portfolio from Metamark

Metamark’s MD class digital materials have a very good appetite for ink and, consequentially, says Metamark, have a characteristic depth and potency of colour noticeably lacking in other self-adhesive materials. The market evidently likes the results and Metamark materials are often specified as reference materials by printer manufacturers looking for the most flattering results from their hardware.

Metamark is convinced that the application of digital printing has much broader appeal than is currently satisfied by the legions of purely white materials that are available. Accordingly, it has applied it expertise in manufacturing printable materials to make other materials print compatible. The company offers brushed and mirrored metallic finishes, a totally clear product with cleanly removable adhesive, and a range of window manifestation films.

Printing on an etch effect film adds a dimensional detail or a wash of colour that the unprinted product misses. Metamark’s etch effect films are able to handle the effect of ink without any problems.

The crystal-clear adhesive used on the etch effect films is designed to withstand humidity and extremes of temperature that would compromise the performance of lesser products.

Even when printed, there’s no way Metamark’s adhesive will betray its presence on the applied graphic.

Having a material for every job a signmaker undertakes still means offering a whole range of coloured self-adhesive vinyl for cut and applied applications. Despite the soaring popularity of digitally printed materials, coloured vinyl is still among the industry’s most commonly used materials and its application is widespread.

Selection of the right coloured vinyl is driven in the main by the performance requirement of the end result. Metamark has expended much time and effort in engineering materials that are the equal of the high-speed hardware they have to work with.

Metamark stabilised around a solid formula for its cut and applied products some time ago. With a high performance face-film and adhesive system supported by a highly stabilised liner, Metamark SignVinyl exhibits characteristic that make it a natural choice for signmakers looking for a material that simply works.

Despite the expanded market opportunity and the advance of the hardware technology that’s blurring the edges of the signmaker’s market, there clearly remains room for deep specialisation. Metamark is a good example of this. Signmakers need a material for every job and so Metamark is right there with the answer and is keeping its customers at the cutting and printing edge.

Visit www.metamark.co.uk for more information.

Range of materials makes Spandex a one-stop supplier

Spandex is the only UK supplier to offer the Avery, 3M, MACtac and ImagePerfect product portfolios making the company a one-stop-supplier for all sign makers and digital printers' day-to-day requirements.

With ImagePerfect Spandex offers the most comprehensive portfolio of carefully selected digital and signage materials to the market. Using the latest technological innovations available, ImagePerfect materials are custom made to Spandex specifications and carefully tested to ensure they meet its stringent quality standards at competitive prices.

In addition, Spandex stocks materials from several other manufacturers plus inks for many popular solvent and UV printers.

Whiteboard and Clearboard Films are two of ImagePerfect’s latest products. These laminated polyester/PVC films have been specifically designed for creating and repairing whiteboards. Both films are resistant to most mineral oils, fats and fuels, aliphatic solvents, mild acids, salt and alkaline solutions. The adhesive has a low initial bond to enable repositionability but builds to form a permanent, waterproof adhesion to most substrates.

Also new are IP 2411 and IP 2412, printable wall papers that have a canvas and sandblast look, respectively.

Due to their non-woven backing, these wall papers are very easy to apply with wall paper glue (for non-woven liner) and have first class removability. The printed material can be cleaned with warm water and soap, using a soft sponge, and the printed graphics are also scrub resistant. Both test results can be categorised as the highest standard in the wall paper industry, says Spandex.

IP 2411 and IP 2412 can be used to personalise home interiors, show rooms, trade shows and many other applications.

For more information about Spandex’s products and services visit www.spandex.co.uk or tel. 0800 772633.

3M Controltac™ Plus Graphic Film - Confident vehicle wrapping for Bartuf Graphics

Digital print specialists, Hull based Bartuf Graphics Ltd has been delighted with the performance of the material.

"Having been disappointed with the poor performance of all the vehicle wrap vinyls we had tested to date, we trialled the latest 3M offering IJ380 from William Smith," explains Bartuf Commercial Manager, Terry Horscraft. "We were immediately impressed with how well it handled and put our whole installation team through the training course."

IJ380 is specifically designed for application of large format graphics onto recessed and corrugated surfaces. It is a highly innovative film that ‘remembers’ its new shape. Because there are no internal stresses left in the film after application it does not ‘relax’. IJ380 has been developed for perfect 3D conformity, and stays in position even in the most difficult application areas with no need for cutting to relieve stress. This not only enables valuable time savings to be made, but also eliminates many of the risks involved in full vehicle wraps.

"We have used IJ380 on all our vehicle wraps since taking it on board and have had excellent results on all types of vehicles from small cars to large trucks. Areas on vehicles such as deep recesses and complex curves which have always been a problem in the past are now confidently dealt with using IJ380.

"We have worked with William Smith for many years now. They are a company that offer excellent back up and technical support and are always prepared to go the extra mile" adds Terry Horscraft.

For further information, visit www.williamsmith.co.uk or tel. 01833 694707.

Shine on with Nikkalite from Victory

Nikkalite is one of the leading reflective brands in the UK sign market and a variety of Nikkalite products can be sourced through Victory Design, the main one being the F4300 Series promotional grade.

Nikkalite F4300 is recommended for vehicle markings, commercial and industrial signage and has up to five years' durability when applied using the manufacturer's instructions. It is especially popular with users because of its conformability and soft characteristics, which makes it easy to apply. The Nikkalite F4300 is available in six colours; white, yellow, red, blue, orange and light green, at 610mm and 1220mm wide.

This product also has excellent lay flat characteristics, making it suitable for screen printing.

Don't forget, Victory Design also offer free delivery on all orders over £100.

For more information about Nikkalite and the range of materials from Victory Design, visit www.victorydesign.co.uk or tel. 01246 570570.

Vinyls for signing and vehicle marking

Also available from Victory Design is a variety of Jac sign vinyl products including both a five and eight year range. Jac Graphics, an Avery Dennison company, is a leading manufacturer of self adhesive films. The Jac serical range is recommended for medium life applications such as exterior/interior signage, public transport graphics and point of sale displays. Jac Serisign high performance film has up to eight year exterior durability and is recommended for vehicle and fleet markings, promotional graphics and longer term exterior signage.

Victory Design also recommends Arlon vehicle wrap products featuring X-scape bubble-free technology for full and partial vehicle wraps. Arlon DPF6000X has a high gloss finish and is the ideal choice for complete vehicle wraps. The media is soft allowing for maximum flexibility around curves and deep channels. Arlon DPF 4560GTX is an excellent application for fleet and partial vehicle wraps with flat surfaces or slight curves.

For more information, visit www.victorydesign.co.uk where both the Multifix and Jac vinyl colour swatches are available online. Alternatively, tel. 01246 570570.

Avery Quick Mount - the name says it all

Avery MPI 3601 Quick Mount is a prime candidate for short-life graphics where time is of the essence at the application point, for example, for bus, tram, and other public transport advertising where vehicles are only available for a very limited ‘window’ of time.

A benefit of Avery MPI 3601 Quick Mount's extra-thick 150-micron caliper is its 99 per cent opacity, which makes successful over-posting of existing graphics possible. The high calliper of the monomeric calendered film also makes it very easy to handle and gives a smooth finished result on all flat surfaces.

This special face film is partnered with a high-specification removable adhesive, which enjoys clean removability characteristics for up to a year after application. Taken together, these benefits make the product a useful stock item for exhibition and event graphics, indoor and outdoor advertising, vehicle decoration, and whenever over-posting is desirable.

Developed for printing by super-wide format solvent inkjet and airbrushing, Avery MPI 3601 Quick Mount offers quality print results in addition to its physical properties. It is also compatible with Avery DOL digital over-laminating films for added durability (up to two years) and surface protection.

Avery MPI 3601 Quick Mount is available from Avery Graphics distributors throughout Europe. More information available at www.europe.averygraphics.com

Highly conformable 3M films impart enhanced graphics reliability

Following extensive research and field trials, 3M now offers a powerful solution to the problem of material adhesion on surfaces with deep corrugations or three-dimensional graphics manifestations found typically on many commercial vehicles. Some graphic films used in vehicle wrapping applications have been known to fail as a result of the material either lifting in the vehicle recesses or cracking due to the high stress levels imposed.

By combining the next-generation 3M Controltac™ Plus Graphic Film IJ380 and 3M Scotchcal™ 8580, this latest 3M vehicle wrapping solution has comprehensively resolved these problems, leading to its use as a preferred solution by a number of major blue chip companies. Described as 'the intelligent printable film solution' with virtually no memory, IJ380 is an ultra-conformable premium-grade, 50 micron-thick cast film with a permanent grey adhesive and gloss finish. It is supported by a five-year external performance warranty and incorporates 3M’s proprietary Controltac™ adhesive technology. This allows the film to be repositioned before activation of the adhesive to ensure precise alignment of the graphics in every application.

Designed for application to flat surfaces, 3M IJ40C includes 3M’s patented Comply™ adhesive technology that assists bubble-free application without affecting the smooth appearance of the face film. With Comply, special channels in the pressure-activated adhesive allow trapped air to escape to guarantee fast and easy application of the film in every situation. IJ40C is a white calendered, 75 micron-thick matt or gloss film incorporating a grey pigmented and pressure-sensitive solvent-based acrylic adhesive and polyethylene-coated paper liner. It is suitable for both exterior and interior intermediate applications, typically signs and displays (including backlit), and fleet and window graphics and comes with a warranty of up to three years.

Developed for medium- to long-term removable signage and fleet graphics (including those involving corrugations and rivets) and offering a performance life of three years, 3M Controltac™ Plus Graphic Film IJ180-10 is a 50 micron-thick white cast film that provides excellent hiding power due to the grey pigment in the adhesive. IJ180C features the Comply adhesive technology and both versions are available in a range of colours. A custom colour-match service is also available from 3M.

For further information, visit www.3m.com/uk/graphicsolutions

Graficast and Grafitack - Get great resultse-

Neil Varley, managing director at GN Signs Ltd would certainly agree. He was delighted with the final result after Graficast was recommended to him and used for the first time recently.

Neil explained: "Having used cast material from another company in the past, I was put off using cast vinyl when covering large difficult areas on vehicles. On the strength of this job I am now quoting on a fleet of 10 vans as an alternative to spraying."

Graficast is available in 47 high gloss colours, including some with grey adhesive to make it more opaque, as well as metallic silver and gold. Graficast can also be used for many other applications. It is extremely thin and flexible making it easy to conform over indents, rivets and corrugations and because of its make-up, will stand up to the most extreme outdoor conditions.

Graficast is produced by Grafityp in Belgium and takes premier place in the vast range of Grafitack self-adhesive vinyl portfolio.

The Grafitack range holds a vinyl type for every application including the ER Series, which is a GEF film (Grafityp Eco Film). This film is free from chlorine and plasticizers,making it safe for use in schools, nurseries, the food industry and nuclear power plants where the use of PVC signs and products is not allowed.

The 200/300 series is suitable for use outdoors for up to seven years. For short term work like exhibition stands, the Promo Series is ideal; whilst the TR100 & TR101 etch effect materials will provide stunning results in shop windows and on mirrors. These are just a few of the films available from Grafityp which offers numerous roll widths and colours in all their ranges.

For further information tel. 01827 300500, alternatively visit the website www.grafityp.co.uk and complete the information request form.