Thursday, 21 Apr 2016 15:48 GMT

Sign and Digital UK day three: Smart signage

As Sign and Digital UK 2016 draws to a close, we take a more in-depth look at just a handful of the companies who have exhibited this year, discussing whether 3D printing has taken off and how signage has gone 'smart'.

Along with the exciting UK debut of its Océ Arizona 1280 GT, Canon showcased a wide range of solutions on its grand stand at Sign and Digital UK this year. The 1280 GT's print quality can be enhanced even further with the option of adding magenta and light cyan.

Also featured on the Canon stand was the imagePROGRAF iPF8400SE for large-format printing and the Zund G3 XL 3200 digital cutter. Back for its second year at Sign and Digital UK was the popular and easy to use Océ ColorWave 700, a machine that is ideal for short-term POS work, and can be left unattended making it easier to use.

We really wanted to give people inspiration and ideas for what they can do and all our machines are representative of high value applications”



Canon has dipped its toe in the 3D printing sector, showcasing the ProJet CJP 660Pro full-colour 3D printer on its stand as well as the intricate applications possible

Derek Joys, market programme manager at Canon, says: "We really wanted to give people inspiration and ideas for what they can do and all our machines are representative of high value applications. We have been busy and have made two to three sales on the flatbeds, while 3D printing has also drawn in interest."

3D printing, a trend seen more than once across the hall, came in the form of the ProJet CJP 660Pro on the Canon stand. Peaking the interest of customers looking to offer something a bit different and add a new revenue stream to their business, the machine can print six million different colours, making it ideal for producing corporate colours.

Radecal Machine Sales were happy to report that 3D printing was also a good draw to its stand, showcasing the Maker Bot Replicator desktop 3D printer at this year's show.
Chris Economides, managing director of the company, aims to help sign-makers who are still trying to figure out how to incorporate such technology into their businesses, which is something he believes some sign-makers are still tackling.

He highlights the Monster 1425 Application Table and the 1325 Piranha ATC (automatic tool changer) as two pieces of kit that have been the most popular on its stand this year.


Chris Economides, managing director of Radecal Machine Sales, says the 1325 Piranha ATC (automatic tool changer) was one of the most popular pieces of technology on its stand

Economides explains: "Sign and Digital UK is a great chance to meet new and old customers, and sign-makers are a big part of our market which is why we exhibit here. We have had a really good response to our show deals."

Smartphones have dominated the market in recent years and one company picking up on this trend was Innotech.

The company, which is the official reseller of Spike in the UK, launched the Spike Laser Measurement Tool by IkeGPS at the show.

It is a laser device that you can attach to your smartphone to measure distances, calcuating the area of a building, for example, which reduces the need for ladders when measuring areas for signage projects. This handy tool makes the survey and estimation process much easier and more convienent.

Kieran Dallow, marketing manager at Innotech, says: "We exhibited at Sign and Digital UK this year to launch our Spike device to show people how good it is; it really is best to see it in action.

"We also wanted to introduce our existing products to visitors such as banners and digital print media."
Drawing in a range of customers from sign-makers to large-format printers, Innotech's useful new product certainly caused a stir.


Canon debuted the Océ Arizona 1280 GT at the show, which has output speeds of up to 33.6m² per hour

There has been a plethora of inspiration at this year's exhibition and speaking to exhibitors, feedback has been positive about sales made and conversations had. A visit to an exhibitor's stand was commonly met with a wait, while customers flocked around companies to find out more, proving that competition still remains fierce and there are plenty of opportunities out there for sign-makers to boost business.

You can also read show reports from Day 1 and Day 2 of Sign and Digital UK 2016.


Special Sign7News report from Day 3 of Sign and Digital UK 2016