Soyang Europe - Vast growth in printing on textiles.
According to Andrew Simmons, Sales Director at Soyang Europe, there has been a significant increase in the use of digital print media in hospitality applications.
“Looking at the exhibition and hospitality sectors in particular, we’re seeing a big market for both indoor and outdoor promotional media that has grown significantly over the past two years,” he says. “There’s so much more choice now for sign makers with materials for wallcoverings and flooring media, so the possibilities are open-ended.”
Simmons also notes that Soyang has seen vast growth in textiles, which are being used for interior design, exhibition graphics and retail point of sale. They consequently stock products suitable for these and other common signage applications, as well as substrates that are suitable for short-term promotional graphics and for more permanent installations that last from three to five years.
One key benefit of digitally printed textiles is ease of portability, as sign makers don’t have to worry about using boards to cover large areas and can instead use something that can fit into a frame system and be folded for transport. This is particularly beneficial for retail installations, as graphics can be applied easily by store workers ensuring quick turnaround for promotional campaigns and low labour costs as fitters are not required on site. “The simpler it is to swap out graphics,” says Simmons, “the more opportunity there is to reprint new messages, which of course is a great way of driving print business too.”
Soyang Europe scours the world to come up with new products and present them to sign makers. “Most print companies would be able to use products such as our So Magic wallcovering range and move into markets like hospitality and tourism straight away, because they are fairly straightforward applications,” says Simmons. “Installing wallcovering is as simple as it is at home and with our products printable on solvent, latex and UV machines, there’s a great chance a sign maker will already have the technology to produce a whole new revenue stream.”