fespa world issue 54 (part 1) - english

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www.fespaworld.com

It isn’t Easy Being Green!

A way to lighten the load

The Case for UV

A Greener Ink Technology?

Green Business is Good

BusinessFind out why!

WORLD

Decades of

Environmental

Philosophy

Marabusince 1859

1985 Start of LIBRA

family of products

1994 Total abandonment of

heavy-metal pigments

1995 ISO 9001 certification with

specific environ mental tasks

1997 Total exclusion of NVP

in standard UV inks

2003 ISO 14001 certification

2003 SONY Green Partner

certification

2004 Environmental Achievement

Award from SGIA

2007 Complete power supply

from renewable sources

2008 Ultraglass UVGCC

2009 Librastar HF

Go to

www.marabu-inks.com

Bookm

ark

Environm

ent

03 WORLD Green Issue Feb 2009

Editor’s Letter

WORLD

FESPA World. Designed by Kalligraphic Design. Printed by the Manson Group Ltd. Editorial photos supplied courtesy of the companies they feature. The publishers accept no responsibility for any statement made in signed contributions or those reproduced from any other source, nor for any claims made in any advertisement. FESPA World is available to individuals who qualify within the terms of a controlled subscription and by subscription.

Published byFESPA Ltd

Editorial officeFESPAAssociation House7a West StreetReigate, Surrey RH2 9BLTel: +44 1737 24 07 88Fax: +44 1737 24 07 70E-mail: [email protected]

PublisherFrazer Chesterman – Group Managing Director Tel: +44 1737 24 07 88

AdvertisingMichael Ryan – Group Sales ManagerJames Ford – Sales ManagerTel: +44 1737 24 07 88Fax: +44 1737 24 07 70

EditorVal HirstTel: +44 1623 88 23 98E-mail: [email protected]

Graphic designKalligraphic DesignTel: +44 1293 77 64 68www.kalligraphic.com

PrintingThe MANSON Group LtdReynolds House, 8 Porters WoodValley Road Industrial EstateSt. Albans, AL3 6PZTel: +44 1727 848 440www.manson-grp.co.uk

The membership magazine of the Federation of European Screenprinting Associations

Green Issue Feb 2009

Contents04 Green Business is

Good Business Steve Lister explains the business advantages of

being green

06 Green News News updates and Planet Friendly Guide

08 Green ProductsRound-up of the latest green equipment and

materials

14 It’s not easy being green!Mike McEvoy of Sawgrass puts the case for less

aggressive inks

16 Green ShowcaseGreen projects under the spotlight

18 The Case for UVWhy UV is set to be the ink technology of the future

22 Green Print ProvidersFour print companies reveal how being green has

helped their businesses to succeed

28 Green CredentialsIndustry manufacturers and suppliers relate how

they have adopted greener processes

Whatever your personal stance on green

issues, one thing is certain– it is no

longer possible to ignore the growing

environmental movement, which is why

we are dedicating this special issue of

FESPA World to all things green.

As both local and EU green regulations become ever more

onerous, screen and digital printers of all denominations are

having to examine every aspect of their day-to-day activities

to ensure that they comply with these new and exacting

standards. Of course, many companies have whole-heatedly

embraced the whole concept of greenness and have

discovered, in the process, that it offers numerous advantages.

For example, the implementation of a proper waste

management and recycling strategy reduces the fees charged

for landfill, thus saving money, while also freeing up valuable

space within a factory setting.

Further, with so many customers now demanding greener

products and operating procedures, any printer who can

deliver them enjoys a useful competitive advantage and a

greater degree of material success.

Over the following pages you will be able to learn more

about green products and practices, starting overleaf with

an overview by Steve Lister, Business Development Director of

Robert Horne Sign & Display and a keen green exponent, who

explains why green business is good business. On page six,

you can learn more about FESPA’s latest revision to its Planet

Friendly Guide, followed on pages eight-12 with news about

the latest green products. On pages 14-15, Mike McEvoy of

Sawgrass agrees that being green isn’t easy, but suggests

how greater greenness can be achieved with the use of less

aggressive inks. Green Showcase on pages 16 -17 highlights

green projects and pages 18-20 are devoted to UV, with VUTeK

and Mimaki eloquently making the case for its greater use

in the future. Four print service providers reveal how being

green has improved both their production and customer

relations on pages 22-26 and on pages 28-34, you can discover

how industry suppliers are adopting greener manufacturing

methods to reduce their impact on the environment. Hopefully

all of this information will inspire you to find new ways of

making your own operation a little bit greener too and

becoming even more successful as a result!

Val Hirst

Editor

GREEN PRINCIPLES


Over the past two years I

have been working with

our industry’s governing

bodies, equipment and

material manufacturers,

signmakers and print providers, as well as

end-users, in order to understand how they

can balance being green with running a

profitable business.

I have seen real commitment from

companies who want to deliver what they

fundamentally believe in: environmental

best practice, supported by responsibly

sourced, quality products that have been

developed with the environment in mind.

However, I have also been in meetings

where the environment is regarded as a

‘passing trend’ and where the consensus of

opinion is that the economic downturn will

make it easier to ignore green issues.

One thing I do understand is that your

company’s environmental reputation is

earned through its actions and attitudes,

as well as the quality

of the products or

services you sell.

Actively committing

to minimising your

impact on the

environment and implementing strong

environmental strategies will give you a

competitive edge and can also help you

to build better relationships with your

customers.

You can use your environmental

credentials to win more business, as believe

me, more and more customers are now

committed to making their businesses

greener businesses. So, if you have not

already done so, it makes good sense to

start implementing a robust environmental

strategy that covers everything from your

initial design process, to the materials you

purchase, the manufacturing processes

you use and the way you dispose of your

waste.

Of course, the ever increasing

pressures to reduce costs will no

doubt test companies’ environmental

credentials, obligations and any corporate

commitments that they have made. I often

hear customers saying: ‘Green is good,

but I am not going to pay any more for

it!’ Well in most cases that just isn’t viable,

as greener solutions cost more initially –

although often that cost is recouped further

down the line – but my view is that these

customers don’t really have a proper green

agenda if they are deflected at the first

mention of price!

Let’s take a look at what it takes to

become a greener business.

For your company to compete in these

challenging times, it must be efficient

in all areas of its operation, but a good

starting point is an environmental review.

In the first instance, it helps if you set a

baseline from which you can measure

improvements. Analyse the resources

that you are currently using, your raw

materials, packaging, waste, plus your

utility costs. Once you have done this,

you can set targets and measure your

environmental progress.

In a way, it is probably easier to start

at the end of the process than at the

beginning, as by managing your waste

efficiently, you stand to realise immediate

financial benefits. On average, waste

disposal can easily cost sign and display

companies of all sizes up to five percent

of their turnover. Most of this cost is

concealed within labour, storage, energy

and collection/transport overheads. If you

have not already done so, you will need

to implement a three point plan to cut

waste out of your manufacturing processes;

to organise collection and to ensure it’s

being recycled correctly. Landfill taxes

will continue to rise by at least €8-10 and

higher per year from now, as landfill sites

decrease. Waste collection charges will also

rise, so it actually makes good financial

sense to recycle wherever possible.

Recyclability should be factored in

at the design stage and proper account

taken of a product’s whole life cycle.

Ideally, products should be lightweight,

made from recycled materials and

generate minimal waste during the

manufacturing process. They should

also be easily disassembled at the end of

their life and disposed of in a closed-loop

recycling scheme. It sounds simple

because it is, and even if you can’t achieve

all of these principles, it makes sense

to incorporate as many as reasonably

possible.

At this point perhaps we should think

about who is actually responsible for

ensuring that signs, displays and PoS are

eco friendly? The customers? The designers

or architects? The product manufacturers?

Surely this is our chance to add value, by

building in a competitive differential and

properly showcasing our skills?

Once your product is designed, you

should source the best and greenest

products possible. This is not as hard

as you may think.

Challenge your

suppliers to provide a

greener alternative to

the materials you’ve

previously used. For

example, Robert Horne Sign & Display has

an impressive collection of green products

that are suitable for the broad gamut

of sign and display applications, as is

Europoint Display’s EnviroBox range. Many

other manufacturers and suppliers also

now offer excellent green materials, but do

your homework; challenge your suppliers’

environmental claims about their products

and find out what they are made from and

how easily they can be recycled. Do not

mix product types, as once you have stuck

‘something’ on top of another product, you

may have inadvertently made it totally

unrecyclable. If you have the ability to

print direct to a substrate then you will

increase the chances of recycling that

product successfully.

No one said being green was going

to be easy, but in the final analysis being

a green business is actually just being a

good business!

Green Business is Good Business Steve Lister, Business Development Director, Robert Horne Sign & Display explains what it means to be a green business

You can use your environmental credentials to win more business, as believe me, more and more customers are now committed to

making their businesses greener businesses.

GREEN NEWS


Is it really green?

Testing brings peace of mind

Coldenhove papers FSC Certificated Digital dye sublimation is about to become an even greener

process since Coldenhove Papier obtained the Certificate of

the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) for its entire range of

Jetcol digital dye sublimation transfer papers. This certificate

confirms that Coldenhove Papier promotes environmentally

appropriate, socially beneficial, and economically viable

management of the world’s forests.

The company, who is ISO14001certified, also takes an active

role within the Energy Transition Project of the Dutch Paper and

Board Industry, and is aiming for a 50 percent reduction of

specific energy consumption in the chain by 2020, compared to

that in 2005. When it comes to the global digital dye sublimation

sector, Coldenhove has played a leading role right from the

start, beginning with the introduction of Jetcol HTR, a sustainable

solution for digital dye sublimation transfer paper.

It has also looked for and found environmentally friendly

packaging solutions and increased the number of rolls per pallet,

whilst also decreasing the number of transport movements to its

partners. This was further realised in 2008, when it invested in a 3.50

metre wide re-winder, so that all re-winding can be done in-house.

For further information visit: www.coldenhove.com www.fsc.com

Many manufacturers label

their products as ‘green’

without really being

able to substantiate their

environmental credentials,

but Junkers & Müllers has

remedied this by testing all of

its Mediatex textiles in line with

the Oeko-Tex Standard 100

Since l992, The Oeko-Tex

Standard 100 has enabled

textile manufacturers to

voluntarily test the ecological

characteristics of their products

in order to obtain a certification

of compliance. The test bodies

that grant the certificate are

internationally recognised,

completely independent and

work to a uniform standard

worldwide. In recent years,

the Oeko-Tex Standard has

become the globally accepted

guarantee of pollutant-tested

textiles.

All of the tested Mediatex

Berger Textilwarenfabrik has carried out a comprehensive

testing programme on its pure polyester materials and

finishings, such as FR and FR+w, as well as its coated block-out

textiles.

All products have been tested in respect of their contaminant

content, their contaminant emissions when heated during the

sublimation process and their ease of recycling and/or disposal.

The tests were carried out on Berger’s best-selling products,

including Lightex FR + w; Mikro backlightex 270 FR +w; eco

Display 210 FR +w; eco Display 210 FR; crease free heavy satin

FR +w; art canvas 330; samba tent FR+s; blackout night FR

and blackout cloth 335 FR. All achieved acceptable results and

the company is now undertaking to provide accredited test

certificates, free of charge, to customers upon request. It is also

prepared to carry out similar tests on further products in its range,

upon demand and upon payment of a fee.

For further information visit: www.bergertextil.com

The Planet Friendly Guide gets bigger and betterFirst produced in 2004 and designed to provide

screenprinters with a blueprint for environmentally

responsible production, FESPA’s original Planet Friendly

Guide was very well received, so much so, that it was later

translated into a number of European languages.

However, with so much new legislation being introduced,

the guide has now been updated and, for the first time, also

includes much useful information for digital printers, who

are facing similar problems with environmental issues. In

fact, it will provide the most comprehensive and up-to-date

environmental information currently available to screen and

digital printers in one document.

Originally the brainchild of FESPA’s own Michel

Caza, who has also had significant involvement in this

update, environmental specialist, consultant and printing

sector expert Paul Machin has ensured that all current

environmental legislation has been included and plain, easy

to understand English has been used throughout this revision.

In addition to sections dealing with pollution, waste and

emissions, the updated Guide also includes a number of new

sections covering: energy; environmental management;

legislation; action plans to achieve environmental

improvements and suggestions as to the best available

techniques.

The new Planet Friendly Guide, which will be launched

at the FESPA Digital Exhibition in Amsterdam in May, will be

available in English only. It will be offered, exclusively and

free of charge, to members of FESPA National Associations

who will be able to download it in PDF format, via a link to

the FESPA Community. Users will find that this facilitates easier

access to information, as it will include active hotlinks to

more detailed data. In addition, the Guide features a more

professional and easier to follow layout, with information for

small and large printers appearing in specially delineated

sectors. As an online document, it will also be much easier

to update as well as being a much more environmentally

friendly product!

For further information visit www.fespa.com

textiles carry the Oeko-Tex

‘Textile Trust’ logo, which signifies

responsible textile manufacture

and covers everything, from the

raw materials used, through to

the finished product. Customers

can thus be assured that they

are purchasing high quality,

environmentally friendly and

harmless products, which are

free of odour and VOCs, as well

as phthalates, AZO compounds,

formaldehyde or extractable

heavy metals.

For further information visit:

www.jm-textile.com

GREEN PRODUCTS


In line with the growing demand for greener products, manufacturers are striving to provide more environmentally friendly equipment, materials and inks as outlined below

3P offers backlit textile with green appeal 3P InkJet Textiles will be using the occasion of FESPA Digital

2009 exhibition to showcase Value Real Backlit FR, its new

translucent polyester fabric, which facilitates the production

of completely uniform back-illuminated images, without

revealing the lighting source.

This latest member of the Value family is a smooth, wrinkle-

resistant fabric made from 100 percent polyester, which has a

dense structure and pleasing feel and, in common with other 3P

Value products, environmentally friendly, water based coatings.

Value Real Backlit FR is specially prepared for optimising

output with dye sublimation inks for direct printing and can also

be used for transfer sublimation or UV-curable ink. When printed,

it offers deeply saturated and brilliant colours, as well as sharp

and detailed image quality. It is coated with a flame retardant

and meets all international standards for indoor advertising and

point of sale applications.

When used in conjunction with the Philips Affinium LED

Posterbox-Module (ALPM) it provides eye-catching signs and

displays. LEDs deliver a bright, uniform source of illumination,

and save up to 53 percent of the energy used by traditional

fluorescent tubes and lamps, plus their longer life helps to

significantly reduce on-going maintenance costs.

When selecting a material to use with heat calendar units, 3P

recommends that customers choose UV-Transfer Real Backlit FR,

which can be printed with transfer sublimation or UV-curable ink.

For further information visit: www.3P-inktextiles.com

Textile finishing equipment conserves resourcescloth and the water, which

is recycled. In addition, the

separate modules in the

Porta-Wash line use recycled

and fresh, soft water with an

exactly calculated minimum

of 2.50 l/min of fresh water (at

2.50 m width), based on the dye

pollution in the washer, thus

providing optimal washing

with minimum water usage.

The Porta-Wash follows

on from SETeMa’s 2003

introduction of the Portafix

Universal, a steam/air fixation

unit, featuring an integrated

steam generator for the fixation

of all textile dyestuffs. Specially

developed to offer the lowest

energy consumption in its

class, without compromising

quality, the Portafix Universal

Porta-Wash line, for example,

the vacuum slit system pre-

dries the fabric evenly to a wet-

pickup as low as 30 percent,

relative to fabric weight. This

ensures cost-effective drying,

without the need for a heavy

and expensive squeezing

roller system. When used in

combination with the Portafix

Universal steam-dryer, up to 80

percent of the drying energy

will be reused for pre-heating

the cold fresh water in the

Porta-Wash.

To obtain the highest

level of energy efficiency,

each Porta-Wash module is

additionally equipped with a

counter-flow heat exchanger,

located between the fresh

water and hot waste water; air

recirculation at the vacuum

system and thermally isolated

walls. Further, as a part of the

washing process, the newly

developed vacuum system also

removes polluted water from

the cloth, thus maintaining

the required concentration

differences between the

Based in the Netherlands,

SETeMa B.V., which was

founded in 2002, designs

and develops machinery for

the pre-coating/padding,

fixation, washing, finishing

and drying of textiles.

SETeMa has always

regarded low energy and

water consumption as one

of its highest priorities when

developing new equipment

and thus, recirculation and

heat exchangers are now a

standard part of each of its

designs, enabling users to

enjoy the lowest energy costs

and reduce water usage and

waste.

The company has also

introduced a range of finishing

equipment that features a

modular design, combined

with the best possible

performance and low energy

and water consumption. The

modularity of the equipment

enables customers to modify

their line-up as their production

and budgetary needs dictate.

In the newly developed

uses only a tenth of the energy

of competing machines, due to

forced steam circulation and

its capability to regenerate it. It

needs no paper and registers

only 1.5 kWh of heat loss into

the environment, due to the

isolated closed steam chamber.

The built-in exhaust removes

hazardous solvents from the

ink, which easily evaporate

at high fixation temperatures,

thus keeping the working

environment clean.

As one of the first producers

of finishing equipment for

the digital market, SETeMa

produces all of its products in

three cloth widths: 1.85 m, 2.50 m

and 3.40 m.

For further Information:

www.setema.com


GREEN PRODUCTS

Zünd G3 cutting systems are surprisingly greenAs a Swiss company operating worldwide, Zünd strives to

minimise the environmental impact of its products and

operations by using ecologically responsible production

processes.

To further enhance its eco friendly business practices, it

is currently in the process of constructing a new production

facility. Even though the existing Zünd facility already uses

geothermal energy to help reduce its carbon footprint, the new

headquarters will be the first industrial building in Switzerland

that is constructed to Minergie P standards, which represent a

building concept based on stringent requirements for minimal

energy consumption.

Zund’s energy efficient G3 cutting system features an

integrated vacuum generator, variable from 1-9 kW (optional

up to 15kW), which delivers only as much vacuum as any

given cutting/routing application requires, thus dramatically

reducing overall

energy consumption. In

addition, because of the

unique modularity of

G3, the mass that needs

to be moved for each

cutting operation can

be optimised for further

energy savings. The G3

MTS (Multi-Tool System)

makes it possible to combine tooling that precisely matches

cutting requirements, while eliminating the unnecessary weight

of any tools not in use. Designed for 24/7 operation, G3’s quality,

design, and construction is such that the need for maintenance

and service is held to a minimum.

For further information visit: www.zund.com

The ultimate eco friendly textile printer

The Jeti 3324 Aquajet printer from Gandinnovations is the

first three metre, direct–to-fabric, one process printer to use

water-based Dye Inks, thus making it the ideal solution for

all types of soft signage applications.

Using 24 Spectra printheads to output six colours and 400 dpi

resolution, it produces highly saleable work even at production

speeds of 650 sq. ft/hr (60 sq. m/hr), outputting high quality

graphics with an unrivalled colour gamut. In addition, it offers

improved cost efficiency and is 100 percent eco friendly. The

Jeti 3324 Aquajet prints directly onto a full range of knitted or

woven polyester and is the ideal machine to produce trade show

graphics, backlit displays, flags and banners. A paperless dye

sublimation printer, it is fully equipped with an in-line infrared

fixation system, which ensures vivid colours and clean graphics

without the need for extra curing equipment or extended drying

times. The Aquajet comes complete with three high temperature

slitting units attached on rewind rollers, thus enabling the operator

to slit and seal the fabric to the required size.

The Aquajet uses a specially formulated non-toxic, VOC-free,

water-based dye that yields a wider range of vibrant colours, and

output is also fade and wash resistant. It includes a venting system

and air filtration unit to eliminate emissions.

For further information visit: www.gandinnovations.com

Eco-friendly display optionsConstructed primarily of bamboo, a

renewable resource, Premium Panda

banner stands from Drytac are an eco-

friendly alternative to conventional

display solutions for the exhibition, sign

and display sectors.

Bamboo is the fastest growing plant on

earth and is increasingly being used as a

versatile industrial material. Bamboo plants

reach maturity in three to four years and

it is envisaged that it will one day be used

to replace wood and metal. In addition,

it is providing a critical component in the

balance of oxygen and carbon dioxide in

the atmosphere.

The Panda Stand is the world’s first environmentally friendly

retractable banner stand and offers the same attributes as more

conventional products. Completely portable and robustly built, its

precision-engineered retraction system makes it quick and easy

to set up virtually anywhere. Users simply unwind the graphic

stored in the bamboo base and insert the support pole. Designed

to maximise visual impact, the Panda Stand’s eco friendly styling

will underline any promotional message and is particularly

appropriate when used to highlight other eco friendly products,

services and events. When its job is done, the banner can be

quickly rewound into the base and easily transported by one

person.

The Panda L-Stand is another eco friendly, versatile display

unit which is, once again, largely made from bamboo. It features

a sturdy, L-shaped bamboo frame that supports base and top

graphic-rails via a simple tension system. It snaps together in a

few minutes and quickly breaks down into a compact, lightweight

transportable unit. A cotton-cloth carrying bag is included.

For further information visit: www.drytac.com

GREEN PRODUCTS


Sustainable banners with EvolonEvolon is an innovative and

environmentally friendly

media, which is designed for

use in signs, graphics and

other printed output and is the

perfect ‘green’ alternative to

traditional banner materials.

Evolon is PVC-free, produced

without recourse to solvents

and is made from stable raw

materials, which are safe for

both the environment and

human health. Furthermore, due to its light weight, raw

material consumption is greatly reduced. Compatible with

both water-based and UV-curable inks, at the end of its useful

life Evolon can be recycled, but if incinerated or sent to landfill

with standard waste, emits no toxic substances.

It is supplied in weights from 100 g/m up to 180 g/m, can

be printed in widths of up to 2m and sewn or converted in the

same way as traditional textiles, without the need for a special

machine.

Freudenberg Evolon is ISO 14001 accredited and fully

compliant with European regulations on chemical products.

Its media also complies with industry agreements for flame

retardancy, namely: NFPA 701 in the USA, CA1237 for California,

M1 in France and DIN 4102 B1 in Germany.

For further information visit: www.evolon.com

Madico’s Mother Green range hits the spotMadico’s

environmentally

conscious ethos,

underscored

by its ISO14001

accreditation

and ‘clean room’

manufacturing

process in accordance with this certification, has shaped its

new Mother Green range – a new portfolio of environmentally

friendly, non-PVC, inkjet printable films for indoor and outdoor

signage projects.

For outdoor applications in particular, the Mother Green range

provides large format print businesses with the market’s broadest

range of environmentally friendly substrates for virtually any

promotional graphics requirement, including advertising hoardings,

promotional banners, backlits and vehicle liveries.

The range currently comprises 20 films, all of which have been

engineered to match the performance and functional benefits

typically offered by PVC substrates and which includes everything

from clear and white polyester and polyolefin films for short-term

indoor projects, to polyurethane and acrylic based products for long-

term outdoor durable requirements. The Mother Green range also

complements Madico’s existing and successful stable of optically clear

window films, by extending the breadth of available opportunities to

printers and enabling increased consistency in creative projects.

For further information visit: www.madico.com

Water based inks offer a safe solutionSince its inception, the

Italian ink manufacturer,

J-Teck, has invested heavily

in the development of

environmentally friendly

ink formulations. Today, the

company produces only

water-based digital inks and

invests in constant research

to source raw materials,

chemical products and

production processes with

low environmental impact.

It offers a wide range of

inkjet water-based inks for

transfer and direct printing,

which are essentially green,

their main characteristic

being the absence of

Alkylphenolethoxylate (APE).

This chemical is classified as

an EDC (Endocrine Disrupting

Chemical) and, according

to the EEC directive 2003/53/

CE, is considered dangerous

to both human health and

the environment, especially

aquatic life.

J-Teck’s research and

development department

has worked hard to produce

inks that are both ecologically

responsible, and offer bright

and vibrant colours as well as

enhanced performance. When

used in conjunction with piezo-

head printers, they exhibit an

optimal degree of saturation,

and facilitate excellent

printability, fast drying and

very high definition.

The company has also

launched a range of inks for

use on polyester. Its J-Eco range

is manufactured according

to its J-Teck3 Nanodot

Technology, a production

process that facilitates optimal

pigment dispersion, due to

an innovative technique of

reduction in nanoparticles.

J-Eco Subly Nano is designed

to be used in conjunction with

sublimation printing; J-Eco

Flag Nano can be used for

both sublimation and direct-

to-fabric printing; J-Eco Print

Nano is the optimum choice

for direct-to-fabric printing and

J-Eco Print HF Nano provides

a high level of colour fastness

when used with direct-to-fabric

printing.

For further information visit

www.j-teck3.com

GREEN PRODUCTS


MYMEDIA offers green choices

Bedigital, the Spanish manufacturer and supplier of large

format printing products, provides printing and finishing

equipment, as well as consumables and displays, with the

emphasis firmly on green products.

The company has its own sales offices in Spain and

Portugal, together with a distribution network covering more

than 31 countries throughout Europe, the Middle East and

Asia Pacific.

Its MYMEDIA brand covers the broad spectrum of quality

print media for digital printing and includes everything from

standard papers to high quality media, for use in conjunction

with all leading brands of large format inkjet printers.

The company only uses raw materials from FSC accredited

suppliers and all of its polyester and PVC substrates are fully

recyclable. Most of its products are packed in recyclable

cartons and minimum purchase quantities ensure that

customers can order just as much as they need, thus

minimising unnecessary transportation costs.

For further information visit: www bedigitalworld.com

Pröll’s Aqua-Jet rivals solvent inksOriginally founded in 1938,

Pröll KG, which was the first

company to produce inks for

screenprinting in Europe, now

develops and produces ink

systems for screen and pad

printing, as well as chemical

products for coating and

printing onto plastic and

other materials.

A member of the European

Council’s Association of

Lacquer, Ink and Designer

Paint Industries, EuPIA and

CEPE, it has undertaken to

avoid the use of hazardous raw

materials.

The Pröll product range

includes solvent, water-

based and UV curable inks

as well as lacquers, none

of which contains pigments

derived from heavy metals.

In addition, its range of

solvent-based ink systems

is free of cyclohexanone,

isophorone and aromatic

hydrocarbon and it has also

replaced plasticisers based

on phthalates with non-toxic

substances. Its UV inks are NVP

free and it guarantees that

none of the colours are based

on pigments containing toxic

compounds.

In the area of water-

based inks, the company has

a full range of ink systems

for industrial and graphic

applications, which are

suitable for nearly every

substrate. Water-based

screenprinting inks contain

only three percent organic

solvents.

The output quality of

Pröll Aqua-Jet inks can be

favourably compared with

that of solvent ink, when

printing takes place in a

constant temperature of

between 20-25 °C (68-77 °F)

and a humidity of 50 percent.

They are odour free and can

safely be used to decorate

toys, garments and plastics.


www.proell.de

Taking a green approach

Siasprint, who has more than

20 years of experience in the

manufacture of Multicolor

lines with UV Drying Systems,

has introduced UVECO Plus, a

new UV Line that offers some

novel features, such as the

UV Eco Plus Tunnel, a safer

drying cycle and a new lamp

powering system.

The old transformer has

been replaced by an electronic

device that provides the

necessary power, combined

with the added advantage

of constant voltage, which

eliminates the need for extra

power when the lamp is first

switched on. The result is

a longer lasting lamp and

a more constant drying

cycle. The line can also be

completely switched off

when screens are changed,

or during set up. Since lamp

intensity is adjusted via a

pre-programmed PLC, when

there is no printed material in

the UV section it automatically

switches to stand-by mode. The

replacement of the transformer

with the electronic control

system saves 15 percent on the

usual energy expenditure.

The PLC also sends a signal

to the exhaust fans to adjust the

ventilated air at the UV lamps

to a minimum. Every lamp is

connected to a three-phase

electricity supply that avoids

the phase imbalance caused

by mono-phase transformers.

Another notable feature is the

continuous automatic reading

of the UV quantity given out by

each lamp. This system, which

has already been applied

to SIAS UV tunnels, detects

any decrease in power and

indicates when a lamp needs

to be replaced. This ensures

that specifications provided by

the ink manufacturer can be

properly adhered to and the

quality of the finished output

maintained.

The combination of the

new UV ECO PLUS and the

180° rotating refections system

provides screenprinters

with the best combination

for multicolour and single

colour screenprinting lines.

It is standard in all new

SIAS Multiformula and SIAS

Multigrafica machines and is

also available as a retrofit for

existing SIAS and non-SIAS lines.


www.siasprint.com

Hollanders Printing Systems (HPS), has a green approach to

all of its solutions for digital textile print production and its

decision to use only water-based disperse inks is part of its ‘go

green’ philosophy.

All of HPS’ machines minimise the use of energy and water:

the ColorFix, a colour fixation machine, uses less energy than

traditional processes, whilst the ColorWash, an industrial textile

washing machine, uses the least amount of water possible.

At the FESPA Digital Printing Exhibition to be held in Amsterdam

this May, HPS will introduce its newest range of production

hardware, including the 3.2 m ColorBooster XL and the 2.3 m

ColorBooster, which has been designed for carpet printing, both of

which offer low running costs and high-quality output.

The ColorBooster carpet printer includes a multi purpose

heavy-duty winding system to facilitate loading of thick and heavy

material. It also features an on-board brush and suction unit to

remove loose threads and fibres that may interfere with perfect

printing, thus lowering the possibility of material and energy

wastage.

For further information visit: www.hollanders-ps.nl

Go green and save money!

G3 A new generation of Zünd digital cutters.

Win customers over with quality and creativity. Zünd will back you up with the world`s best digital cutters. Profit from greater efficiency, flexibility and productivity. Zünd G3, the latest champion from the world`s market leader. More at www.zund.com

Witness the G3 Presentation at Viscom, Frankfurt.October 30 - November 01, 2008. Hall 3.0, Booth B02

Many world champions have come from Switzerland.The next one just arrived.

Headquarter Zünd Systemtechnik AG Industriestrasse 8CH-9450 AltstättenT +41 71 757 81 00F +41 71 757 81 11 [email protected] www.zund.com


TALKING POINT

It’s Not Easy Being Green!Mike McEvoy, Director of Commercialisation, at ink manufacturer Sawgrass, looks at the complexities of selecting a truly green ink

Going green. It’s a big deal

these days and if you are

in any kind of business

at all, green initiatives

are certain to be a hot

topic. Tightening government regulations

and consumer interest are pushing the

development of bio-friendly alternatives

and ‘going green’ as the natural way of

doing things.

Green initiatives may arise out of a

genuine commitment to doing the right

things to sustainably steward our planet;

a desire to create a safe, pleasant work

environment for employees; a mandate to

achieve the lowest total cost of production,

including minimising investments in

filtration equipment, scrubbers and toxic

waste disposal fees; local or government

regulations and/or industry-driven green

initiatives; or indeed, customer demand

for cleaner, greener finished products.

Whatever the motivation, green initiatives

are here to stay and certainly hold true for

the wide format printing industry.

Worldwide, customers are making it

clear that they want to print super wide

graphics without installing expensive

ventilation systems. These businesses

are looking for the same durability and

substrate selections that they get from

solvent printing, for the same cost. The rub

is, that ‘going green’ within the printing

industry can be a little confusing. With

numerous products on the market, a wide

range of standards that vary from country

to country and even within the industry

itself, understanding exactly what green

means is not easy.

Wide Format InksBy definition, a solvent is a liquid substance

– any liquid, even water – capable of

dissolving another substance. In the digital

printing world, however, the term solvent is

used to describe any ink that is not water

based. Other industry related terms used

to describe solvent inks include soft, mild

or eco. The most confusing of these terms

may be ‘eco-solvent’ ink. To most people,

‘eco’ is short for ecological: however,

most eco-solvent inks are neither derived

from a renewable resource nor created

through an ecologically sound process.

Before discussing the inks available in

the wide format market, it is important to

understand a few key terms and acronyms

that are commonly used in the inks

industry:

> HAP: Hazardous Air Pollutants

> VOC: Volatile Organic Compounds

> TAP: Toxic Air Pollutants

> PEL: Personal Exposure Limit as set by

OSHA, a limit to protect the health of

printer operators.

Several common terms applied to the

various ink types in wide format printing

and the health, safety and environmental

issues associated with each include:

> Ultraviolet (UV) Curable Inks: These

inks have no VOCs but they do exhibit

low PELs and typically have poor

health and environmental profiles. This

means that there are safety issues with

relatively low exposure levels.

> Water Based Inks: These inks have

no VOCs, TAPs or HAPs. The dyes or

pigments are suspended in water and

present little or no safety issues.

> Eco-Solvent Inks: These inks are the

same as light solvent inks. They are less

aggressive, but they exhibit poor health

and environmental profiles. They

contain HAPs and VOCs.

> Full Solvent or Traditional Inks: These

inks use aggressive solvents with poor

health and environmental profiles.

They contain HAPs, TAPs, and VOCs and

have low PELs and in some cases can

be a fire hazard.

> Latex Inks: These inks are pigmented,

water based inks that contain no HAPs,

but do have low VOC emissions.

Defining Green InkAs mentioned before, there are a number

of ways in which to define green ink. One

angle is to look at green products, which

accomplish the job at hand (by providing

the appropriate level of vibrancy and

durability), while avoiding and/or

minimising any or all adverse impacts on

human health or the environment.

Several organisations have

established standards for that, including

the Occupational Safety and Health

Administration (OSHA), the Environmental

Protection Agency (EPA) (www.epa.

gov), as well as local standards, such

as California’s Office of Environmental

Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), which

oversees compliance with California’s strict

Proposition 65 legislation, which governs

the use of chemicals in a wide variety of

commercial applications.

The good news and the bad newsThe good news is not new – solvent based

inks provide rich, vibrant, durable colours

that often offer UV stability, are quick

drying and adhere to a wide range of

substrates. The bad news – solvent based

inks are the bad guys when going green.

In addition to ozone issues, the emissions


from conventional solvent based inks need

to be limited to avoid potential health and

safety issues for the workers using these

inks. Before the present awareness level of

environmental issues had fully matured,

the industry migrated to solvent based inks

because of the solid image quality they

could achieve, in a business climate that

was not fully aware of the worker health

implications and environmental legacy

that these substances bring with them. And

the equipment side of the business quickly

developed printers that were specifically

designed to work with solvent-based inks.

Solvent based inks generally fall into

one of three categories – traditional,

full solvent inks, mild/light eco-solvent

inks, and bio-solvent inks. Although the

aggressiveness of different types of solvent

used varies greatly in each of these, the

common denominator is…solvent.

When trying to determine the relative

severity of the environmental and/or health

impact of the solvent ink you intend to use,

investigate the following:

1 Does the product contain chemicals

that are listed as hazardous air

pollutants (HAPs) or toxic air pollutants

(TAPs)?

2 Does the product contain volatile

organic compounds (VOCs)?

3 Does the product or any of its

ingredients have a personal exposure

limit (PEL) established for it by OSHA or

similar?

4 Ask for the MSDS fact sheets from the

manufacturer, and verify whether

any of the chemicals identified are

on well recognised ‘watch lists’ with

organisations such as OSHA, the EPA, or

California’s Proposition 65.

In most cases, there are alternative

approaches to achieving the quality and

effect your customers are looking for. When

considering which alternative technologies

to implement in your operation, compare

data to see how each performs against

a variety of criteria, as set out in the table

below.

Rapidly changing environmental and

health constraints are placing pressure

on the industry’s choices in today’s

market. There is now a myriad of high-

performance non-solvent ink options

for balancing image quality, flexibility

and stability with a need for regulatory

compliance and environmental protection

– particularly in the wide format arena,

where the print width is 100 inches or less.

These water based ink solutions have

no hazardous material disposal costs,

require no special equipment to capture

fumes – because there are no harmful

fumes – and allow users to avoid costs

associated with government compliance

with regard to occupational, safety, health

and environmental regulations. Recent

advances in eco friendly inks are aqueous

pigment based inks, which offer good UV

resistance. Among these is HP’s Latex ink,

which contains low levels of VOCs, and

Sawgrass’ M ink, which contains no VOCs.

Negating the widely held belief that

water based inks are less durable and not

as vibrant as solvent based inks, Mickael

Mheidle, CEO of Sawgrass Europe, says

“Water based inks such as sublimation inks

or M ink can achieve and even exceed

the same colour vibrancy as solvent based

inks with rich, vibrant, durable colours

and photo quality output.” He adds: “For

indoor applications where a polyester or

poly-coated hard substrate or fabric is the

medium of choice, aqueous sublimation

printing is a green option that is hard to

beat.”

Beyond the business reasons, from

an environmental standpoint, choosing

solvent-free inks, whenever possible, is just

the right thing to do.


GREEN SHOWCASE

The race is on for companies

around the world to adopt

more environmentally

responsible business practices,

and Nike has long been

committed to efforts in this area. This year, it

began a multiyear process to ensure more

sustainable practices at its events, including

the prestigious Nike Women’s Marathon

in San Francisco. With tens of thousands

of square feet of marketing collateral

produced each year for the event, Nike

made reducing the environmental impact

of its printing a top priority.

In need of durable, but eco friendly

signage, the race organisers turned

to digital print company, Splash! San

Francisco, which has recently added a

HP Designjet L65500 printer to its extensive

equipment portfolio. Regan Mahoney,

Splash! San Francisco’s General Manager

explained: “In order to produce more

sustainable printed products for this

event, we used HP’s Latex ink, rather than

the usual solvent inks used by most wide

format inkjet printers.”

Designed with the environment in

mind, the HP Designjet L65500 Printer, HP

Latex Printing Technologies and HP’s new

recyclable substrates, have the ability

to reduce the environmental impact of

printing. With signage locations ranging

from retail stores to other sites along the

course, Splash! San Francisco used the HP

Designjet L65500 to print onto an extensive

number of recyclable substrates, including

HP HDPE Reinforced Banner, HP Dupont

Tyvek Banner and HP Photo-realistic Poster

Paper. And, the company produced it

all whilst also maintaining a healthy

Here we highlight a novel solution for providing ‘greener’ point of sale material and also reveal how two printers have benefited from HP’s Latex Printing Technologies

Independent print management

company Charterhouse has

changed the way telecoms giant,

T-Mobile, produces, delivers,

installs and disposes of its in-store

POS, replacing it with a system of self-

adhesive graphics that are simply placed

over the old ones.

T-Mobile’s previous system was time

consuming and the POS was bulky

to produce and collate, and costly to

transport. It also had to be collected from

a central store, which in itself amounted

to 3,000 trips. Although initially reluctant

to change, T-Mobile was persuaded by

Charterhouse to try another method, which

has been trialled and now rolled out

throughout the company.

“We challenged three suppliers to help

us find a low tack, water based solution

which could be applied to a new large

polypropylene graphic,” says Charterhouse

Account Director Kingsley Holding. “Two

said it could not be done and one, Robert

Horne Group, agreed to work with us.

Jointly we worked with an adhesive

manufacturer to develop a specialist low

tack, water based adhesive.”

The concept is that the existing

graphics are replaced with 100 percent

recyclable polypropylene versions, which

simply have new graphics positioned

over the old ones. This system of layering,

rather than replacing, has lead to a

£600k cost saving in print, collation and

transport. In addition, there is a 30 percent

time reduction to market, 45 percent less

packaging and zero landfill on all non-

paper related POS products.

Charterhouse trained all the fitting

teams to ensure that they understood

how the new process worked and then

conducted store trials and questionnaires.

Workshops were also held to demonstrate

how layering one graphic over another

worked. Every three months the

merchandising teams will take down

the frames and make them ready for

recycling, and install fresh graphics for

that month.

“This project has had results above

and beyond our expectations,” says

Sarah Smith, Head of Retail Campaigns

at T-Mobile. “We are making significant

savings on materials, collation and

distribution costs. We are working towards

having a full closed-loop production cycle,

which means that all waste is tracked and

then reconciled in one central location. We

want to be a socially responsible retailer

and recycle and reuse 100 percent of all

our POS material. Charterhouse has helped

us achieve this.”

For more information visit:

www.charterhouse.tv



GREEN SHOWCASE

Pluscolor is a printing

business that prides itself

on being amongst the first

to market, in terms of new

applications and in adopting

technological innovation. Pedro and

Cesar Augusto, Managers at Pluscolor in

Barcelona, Spain, have transformed the

traditional photo lab founded by their

father, a photographer, into a thriving

business with two production facilities and

an outlet in the city centre. As technology

has progressed, Pluscolor has transitioned

to offer digital printing services to the

Spanish market and beyond, exploring

different technological solutions to produce

a wide range of products for both indoor

and outdoor use.

Describing the expanding business,

Cesar Augusto says: “We started out by

producing traditional photo enlargements,

then purchased a DURST Lambda

to expand into larger professional

photographic prints for galleries,

advertising agencies and marketing

departments. Over ten years ago we

invested in our first plotter and Adobe

Photoshop 1.0! Today there’s a lot of variety

in what we do and a high degree of

customisation using different materials,

such as aluminium, wood, crystal, foam,

mesh, PVC, and carpets. For example, we

printed an image of the Earth seen from

space on 250 sq.m of carpet!”

He continues: “Ten years ago we realised

that digital was the future of the printing

business and we began printing bigger

prints on a wider range of substrates,

expanding our product offering in the

process. In 2004, we bought a solvent-inkjet

printer and although it output decent

quality work, we were less impressed by the

bad odour it produced, the complicated

maintenance routines and the need for

constant operator intervention, so we

sold it and purchased a couple of UV

printers instead. However, when the HP

Designjet L65500 printer was launched,

with its promise of producing durable

output coupled with cleaner printing and

high productivity even at high resolutions,

we were eager to try it, as there is now a

growing trend towards greener products

and we knew that if we could offer an

environmentally friendly printing solution,

we would be able to boost our price point

in an extremely competitive market where

profit margins are under constant pressure.”

Cesar goes on to claim that HP Latex

Printing Technologies has enabled

Pluscolor to stand out from the competition

whilst also significantly improving its

production processes. He explains:

“Printing and output from the HP Designjet

L65500 Printer is odourless, thus eliminating

the need for special ventilation systems,

plus we save time and money on waste

management, as there is no hazardous

waste. There are also no messy, daily

maintenance routines for operators, so they

are happier and we are more productive!”

Pluscolor have only had their HP

Designjet L65500 Printer for a short time but

it has already been chosen for numerous

projects. One of the first was to wrap a

minivan for ONCE (Spanish National

Organisation for the Blind), which will

accompany cyclists during a major cycling

event, the 889 km Vuelta de Catalunya.

This job demanded durability in direct

light in all environmental conditions. The

lower half of the van was wrapped with HP

Permanent Gloss Adhesive Vinyl and the

upper half with perforated vinyl. Outdoor

prints produced with HP Latex Inks achieve

display permanence for up to three

years unlaminated and up to five years

laminated and are scratch, smudge, and

water resistant on a range of media.

Cesar confirms that when Pluscolor’s

customers are given the choice, they tend

to select environmentally responsible print

production and output. For example,

when producing printed material for the

promotion of a pharmaceutical product

at a hotel in Valencia, the client specified

that whilst outdoor signage demanded

durability comparable to solvent ink

performance, the indoor signage for

the hall and dining area had to be

odourless. By exploiting its HP Latex Printing

Technologies, Pluscolour was able to

produce environmentally responsible, high

quality and colour consistent output for

both indoor and outdoor displays from a

single technology, much to the client’s great

delight.


www.hp.com

workplace for its employees. Odourless

prints, produced with HP Latex Inks, which

are non-flammable and non-combustible,

emit extremely low levels of volatile

organic compounds (VOCs) and do not

require special ventilation. Further, they

are not considered to be hazardous waste.

Regan Mahoney continues: “Our clients

understand it’s not just about a green

product. It’s also about how you create

that green product too. The safety of our

workers is the number one priority, and

the HP L65500 certainly helps us achieve

a more pleasant and safer working

environment.” Splash! San Francisco has

equally high standards for its finished

products and Regan Mahoney adds: “The

L65500 offers super-high-quality HP output

with an impressive colour gamut. It’s better

than any solvent machine I’ve worked on!”

Equipped with a six-colour ink printing

system, including a HP Embedded

Spectrophotometer, the Designjet L65500

offers rich colour saturation, plus high-

resolution indoor prints of up to 1200 dpi,

which achieve consistent colour thanks to

HP DreamColor Technologies.

Providing signage using a process

that involved anything other than a

solvent based system wasn’t always easy

for Splash! San Francisco, as until now,

technology that reduces the environmental

impact of printing was limited to

specialised areas. This restricted the

company’s ability to serve certain markets,

including superwide signage printing.

Regan Mahoney concludes: “For years

and years, we tried to stay away from

solvent based printing, but there were

certain categories of client that we couldn’t

service because of that. Now, the Designjet

L65500 Printer has opened up new markets

to us, which is providing explosive growth

for the company.”


www.hp.com



THE CASE FOR UV

Scott Schinlever, Vice President & General Manager EFI Ink Business urges print service providers to make the transition from solvent to UV inks

In the world of superwide format,

solvent based inks have dominated

in the transition from analogue

screenprinting to digital printing

technologies, but that is quickly

changing. Increasingly, sign and display

manufacturers are focusing their attention

on UV curable inks, and for good reason.

According to IT Strategies and other

market research, the market for high-end

solvent printers is flat, while UV flatbed

and roll-to-roll printers are growing at

a CAGR in excess of 25 percent. By 2011,

IT Strategies predicts that there will be

more installed superwide format printers

using UV curable inks than solvent based

systems.

The advantages of UV over solvent are

clear. While solvent inks are less expensive,

UV curable inks typically yield more media

coverage per litre. Because solvent inks

penetrate the media and UV inks sit on top

and bond to the media, coverage (square

feet per litre) can be as much as 30 percent

to 50 percent higher than solvent.

UV inks offer considerable

environmental advantages over solvent

inks as well; one reason EFI, a leader in

the transition from solvent to UV curable

printing with its VUTEk brand, has so

aggressively pursued its development. Inks

supporting VUTEk PV200, PV320, QS2000,

QS3200, and QS3200r models:

> Contain up to 33 percent naturally

derived monomers and oligomers from

renewable resources, such as plants or

biomass;

> Contain virtually no volatile organic

compounds (VOCs);

> Do not contain heavy metals such as

antimony, arsenic, cadmium, chromium

(VI), lead, mercury, and selenium;

> Are not toxic, known to be carcinogenic,

mutagenic or toxic to reproduction,

and comply with the Exclusion List for

Printing Inks and Related Products

(October 2006) issued by the European

Printing Ink Association (EuPIA);

> Are not considered as hazardous waste

under the U.S. waste regulations (RCRA).

What’s more, the use of naturally

derived and organic substances in the ink

increases the overall biodegradability of

the printed matter. UV curable printing has

also opened up a new world of printing

direct to rigid substrates, which has both

economic and environmental benefits.

Printing to rigid substrates is not only

faster, but it is more cost effective. Where it

might require five steps to produce a rigid

display on a roll-to-roll printer, including

mounting and lamination, direct-to-rigid

printing reduces the process to two steps,

with as much as a 40 percent reduction in

time and cost.

Printing directly to rigid substrates

is also better for the environment; more

likely to produce a recyclable product

by eliminating the need to use acrylic

adhesives and polyester or PVC laminates,

which prevents even recyclable card stock

from being recycled.

Still prefer to stay with solvent? EFI VUTEk’s

BioVu solvent inks offer an environmentally

friendly alternative. In an entirely new

approach to solvent based inks, BioVu inks

are the first solvent based inks made from a

renewable resource, namely, corn. Although

more limited in terms of substrates than

UV curable inks, BioVu inks deliver all the

benefits of traditional solvent inks without

the compromises inherent in eco-solvent

and aqueous inks.

For more information about EFI VUTEk

inks, visit www.efi.com

Making the Solvent-to-UV Transition

Manufacturers explain why they believe that UV is the printing technology of the future.

The Evolution offers green benefits

According to Sun llc, UV

LED technology is the

future printing industry

standard and the

company claims that

its new NEO UV LED Evolution printer is

a forerunner of this technology. Sun’s

focus is on the design and manufacture

of green products, without sacrificing

quality, and it believes that the NEO UV

LED Evolution satisfies on both counts.

The printer uses an LED light source,

which is heat-free and, because there

are no toxic emissions, there is no need

for expensive ventilation systems. The

LEDs last for around 40,000 – 100,000

hours, or put more simply, about 14

years of normal 24/7 operation! In

addition, since LEDs use less power

than traditional lamps, energy

consumption is dramatically reduced,

with consequent environmental and

cost benefits.

The printer is designed to work in

conjunction with Sun’s Sunflower ink,

which provides high quality output

on to glass, plastic, metal and wood,

ceramic tiles, banners and paper and

the inherent versatility that comes with

being able to print directly onto a wide

variety of flexible and rigid media. It

also enhances Evolution users’ business

opportunities by opening up new

revenue streams.


www. sun-nsk.ru

fespa world issue 54 (part 1) - english

Documents

green issues

things green

world green issue

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special issue of fespa