Never Back Down, Never Surrender
As you walk the show floor, you will likely hear all about the latest and greatest wide-format technologies the industry has to offer — and that’s not a bad thing. But as you talk to vendors and determine the next phase of growth for your wide-format business, don’t forget to take into consideration some of the challenges you might face. None of them are so large that they can’t be overcome, but the key to a successful implementation is planning — and to plan, you need to know where your potential pitfalls might lie.
Petra Fetting, Marketing Services & Communication, swissQprint (Booth 1253), believes that, above all, choosing the right equipment for the type of wide-format work you want to do is critical. The key points she believes every printer should consider include, “flexibility (printing onto rigid- and soft media, possibly with the same device); upgradeability (adding additional print heads for more speed); and automation (adding handling options).”
“Purchasing the right printer which will scale as their business grows and ensuring the necessary peripherals are in place to operate the new printer,” agrees Lou Stricklin, Director of Product Marketing, Industrial Business Unit, Oki Data Americas (Booth 2233). “Print shops using wide-format printers need to find a printer manufacturer that will support them as they evolve their business. For someone looking to get into wide-format printing, choosing the printer that will scale with their business is pivotal. Key questions to consider are: What key market segments are you going after? Will you be printing for pay? What are your priorities for the printer — are you looking for a broad-based printer that can handle multiple applications? Or, is print quality of the utmost importance? Are you willing to sacrifice quality for speed?”
The equipment specs aren’t the only consideration, however. Stacey Mahmoud, Director of Marketing/Sales Coordinator, CET Color (Booth 119), cautions printers to be aware of where they plan to put that equipment in the first place. “Space, space and space,” she says. “These machines can use plenty of it, especially if you get a 5 x 10-foot flatbed printer.”
Beyond equipment
The challenges you’ll want to keep in mind extend into substrate considerations as well. “The biggest challenges include identifying the best media, print systems, inks, finishing equipment and RIP software to keep up with demand for immediate turn-around of finished graphics for print service provider clients,” says Mike Compton, Product Marketing Manager, Top Value Fabrics (Booth 2155). “The SGIA Expo offers a tremendous opportunity for attendees to meet with exhibitors and peers who will consult with them to achieve their desired mission and goals.”
“One challenge is to differentiate premium polyurethane (TPU) print media and overlaminate film from other specialty graphics products because they are often described just as ‘non-PVC,’ not as TPU,” cautions Stephen Smith, Industry Manager — Graphics Films, SWM (Booth 4216). “Further complicating matters is that at the other end of the spectrum are low-cost commodity materials like polyethylene (PE) that are also identified as non-PVC. This is why wide-format printers with rigorous exterior applications need to ask their material suppliers for polyurethane materials by name, not just ‘non-PVC.’”
Once you have the right media in place, curing is another challenge you will want to consider, says Rebecca Fuhrman, Digital Market Development Manager, Tekra (Booth 2711). “Specifically when it comes to plastic films, customers expect that their investment into inkjet printing means they have completely dry prints as they come off of their press, and don’t allow time for outgassing before post-processing. It is important to allow for that time, even if they feel cured to the touch, to avoid adhesion issues after lamination, or in the field. We recommend 24 hours, typically.”
Finally, the last challenge you’ll want to consider as you walk the show floor is how you’re going to sell all these amazing jobs to your clients. In particular, says Reuben Quesus, Director of Business Development, Racad Tech, Inc. (Booth 2610). “Online, there are few people doing wide-format effectively due to the nature of the file sizes associated with wide-format. So having a reliable online component is essential for B2B and B2C.”
