LFP - Large-Format-Printing
Five UK Printers Highly Commended In FESPA Digital Print Awards 2008
Friday 11. April 2008 - Textile, decor, packaging and manufactured goods entries receive jurys praise
UK printers picked up a total of five commendations in the FESPA Digital Print Awards 2008, across four of the eight competition categories.
The competition was open to printers from across Europe, the Middle East and Africa and attracted more than 320 entries, which were evaluated by an independent jury in February 2008, and announced at last weeks FESPA Digital 2008 exhibition in Geneva. Just one entry in each category received an award: an additional 25 entries were commended by the jury.
Essex-based Look Digital (www.look-digital.co.uk) was singled out in the Textile category for its project FA Community Shield. This was the companys largest single printed project to date, when they were commissioned to manufacture giant photographic images for pitch display at the FA Community Shield at Wembley Stadium in August 2007. The client required two 27m x 20m pitch banners depicting images of Manchester United and Chelsea players, a 15m x 3m sponsor banner, and 36 sponsor flags. The panels were produced on EFI VUTEk FabriVu printers before stitching and finishing, and the project is believed to be the largest example of on-field branding ever produced.
Interacts (www.interface.rehabstudio.co.uk) of Northern Ireland was among three commendations in the Décor category. The entry, for client Girli Concrete, involved printing a lace design onto concrete panels. Girli Concrete supplied the printer with a lace image and examples of Fortuny textiles, with the brief to create the impression of a Fortuny design, with a traditional textile image, on the concrete. The lace was printed on the panel in one colour (using Mimaki UJF with eight print passes), the panel rotated, image printed in another colour and the process was repeated six times. This resulted in a complex array and build up of transparent colour layers giving the rusted Fortuny look. The lace print design was then cut into a stencil (on a CadCam FB1500 Laser Cutter) and placed over the panel in areas where gold spray paint was applied, heightening the vintage Fortuny look the client was looking for. Finally, the printed and sprayed panel was put under the laser cutter and the lace design was engraved at a larger scale to complete the wall panel.
Mtadigital London (www.mtadigital.co.uk), also printing on VUTEk equipment, was praised by the Awards jury for its entry entitled Barcardi in the hard-fought Decor category. The interior decor project for client Meadow Creative Limited involved production of a series of mirror effect prints, printed directly to 10mm acrylic, backed with gold polish film and over-laminated to produce a hazy effect, all mounted on split batons.
In the packaging category, a single commendation was awarded to print, packaging and prototyping specialists Easibind International of Heanor, Derbyshire (www.easibind.com), for their entry, Two-frame Lenticular Promotion. The project was part of the promotional campaign for the launch of the L.A.M.B fragrance, fronted by Gwen Stefani, and was produced on an HP Indigo S2000.
Graphique Media Solutions (www.graphique co.uk) of Lanhydrock near Bodmin in Cornwall was the only company to receive a commendation in the Manufactured Goods category, for its mixing desk fascia panels for client Allen & Heath. The client produces mixing desks for use in broadcasting, theatres, auditoria, recording studios and nightclubs, and was looking to customise its products to meet the needs of this design-conscious market. Graphique Media Solutions produced a series of contemporary, design-led colourful plates to fit onto the mixing desks. For durability, the plates were cut from 2mm-thick aluminium, which was powder coated white and printed in full-colour UV ink on the companys Colorspan 97UVX printer. Once printed, the plates were coated with a clear lacquer and baked at high temperature to give a durable, high gloss finish.
John Keith of FESPAs UK national association DSPA comments: “Its gratifying to find so many UK printers among the commendations, and to see the creativity and innovation in their entries. One of the DSPAs missions as a support organisation for UK screen and digital printers is to encourage members to shift their focus from their production processes, and adopt the clients creative mindset. These commended entries all demonstrate very vividly how print service providers who embrace this philosophy can set themselves apart from their competitors and establish a true creative partnership with their clients.”
He adds: “I hope that the success of these five companies in this years competition will inspire them and other UK printers to enter work for the FESPA Digital Print Awards 2009, and that we will see many UK entries among next years prize winners.”