9th NOVEMBER 2009 PP 01-12 TO USE.e$S:Layout 1 4/11/09 11:04 Page 12
> > L A B F E A T U R E
L A B F E AT U R E
LABS LAID BARE
more individuals and businesses,
either with cut sheets or rolls.”
MORE PROFITABLE, VIABLE AND EASY TO USE THAN EVER
“Whilst paper is our life blood, we are
BEFORE, LABS ARE BECOMING A SERIOUS OPTION FOR
continually looking into how we can
MORE RETAILERS ALL THE TIME. THERE ARE STILL A FEW
support customer needs. With this in
ISSUES HOLDING PEOPLE BACK – WE GET THE ANSWERS.
mind we have expanded into
professional photobooks in A4 and A3,
Whilst nobody wants to pass up an generator adding significant value to canvas starter kits and media test
opportunity to make a profit in this their business. packs, plus accessories for preservation
market, it’s fair to say few retailers have ”In the event market the rewards can and presentation.”
spare cash to throw around. If you’re to be extremely high with a captive “Another issue which we have seen
make an investment, it’s reasonable to audience and in most situations the come to the fore – in fact, it’s been
want reassurance that it will be photographer being the only source raised by Pixel readers – is longevity customer is really getting from a print.
returned quickly. to purchase professionally shot images and quality of prints. All of our media Retailers should check what they and
at the event. In this situation the ranges have been tried and tested for their consumers are actually being
addition of an instant dye sublimation their archival properties and their guaranteed as standards aren’t the
print machine that is fast, robust, and suitability with pigment and dye based same across the industry.”
easy to transport can generate a huge inks.” Jurie Gryffenberg, senior Marketing
increase in print sales compared to The longevity of print is a point of manager of Photomart, comments “As
sending prints on after the event. concern for many retailers, who are far as photo lab equipment goes, there
With margins on print sales for the wary of producing a product which will never be a shortage of new
event photographer running at a may not meet their consumers’ high concepts that generally all do the same
huge 80 to 90% the cost of the printer standards or will only do so for a things but in different ways. The same
can be recouped in the first few limited time. Many media and certainly does not apply to the new dye
A spokesperson for Hi-Touch explains: events.” machines now offer a guaranteed sub technology based dry lab systems
“The sales and usage of small footprint As has been stressed recently, the key to lifetime for their prints, but what does like Exan’s, which leap ahead of wet
instant print machines is a growth success is often versatility. Being able to this really mean? labs and other dry lab solutions when it
business both from a retail perspective - produce a variety of products for your “There are four important factors that comes to high speed, low maintenance
in providing convenient and space customer can help you to maximise on cause a printed photograph to fade,” operation whilst maintaining high print
saving print solutions to the end user - every sales opportunity and get the explains Joseph LaBarca, Technical quality, a wide choice of print services,
and in the event market, where speed most out of every potential spend. Director, Image Permanence at Kodak, low print costs and micro footprint.
and convenience for producing instant “We have made certain to offer roll “these are light, heat, humidity and Everyone agrees that things are moving
client solutions continues to offer formats on our print medias, because ozone. Light and heat are the ones you away from more traditional wet lab
photographers great profits. we’ve found that’s what professional hear about all the time but ozone in systems (with the exception perhaps of
”For retailers that have not traditionally photographers and print studios are particular doesn’t tend to get discussed, ultra high volume operators) in favour
had the space to run a minilab, small after - anything from 13” to 60” and and this is what can give some prints of cleaner, convenient and more cost
dye sublimation kiosks in store take up all the standard sizes in between, “ says such a short life. effective dye sub and other dry lab
minimal footprint space and can add Ian Windebank - Operations Manager “Many guaranteed lives of prints are systems.
an additional pull to get footfall in their at The Imaging Warehouse Ltd. “Rolls specified to only apply when the print is “Dye sub technology based dry labs
stores and create other additional sales are an increasing part of our business being displayed behind glass, which have come along in leaps and bounds.
opportunities. With capital outlay being and are becoming more regular in both eliminates the ozone problem. It may Moreover refinements like lustre print
fairly low, the retailer should be able to the amateur enthusiast market as well be said that this print will last hundreds finishing and major improvements in
recoup their investment in 4 to 6 as the professional market. of years, but it’s not accounting for the archival print quality and tonal
months with modest weekly print sales “Being able to produce a range of fact that 90% of prints end up being gradation have taken dye sub based
of 150 6x4 inch prints per week, and products, by printing on a variety of stored in a shoebox or somewhere systems way beyond the expectations
this will reduce significantly as the print media, is hugely important to turn a similar, where they might not be of a vast number of photo retailers.”
sales rise or larger 5x7, 6x8 and 6x9 profit. Many printers now have exposed to much light but are still London’s Lab & Studio Expo takes place
inch alternatives are offered. After this dedicated thick media feeds, either susceptible to ozone. on 10 January at Photomart’s venue in
period retailers then have a pure profit mounted as a separate holder feeding “This may be where people are finding Walthamstow, and retailers can attend
into the rear of the printer or through a their prints don’t last as long as the for information and demonstrations of
front feed. manufacturer says they will. For our the latest machines. With promotions
“In 2008 we branched out with 6 guarantees, we go with the lowest of and deal aimed at maximising on
new canvases, designed to meet those four factors – if the picture will Christmas retail opportunities, there
demand from both the fine art and resist ozone, light and heat for a may well be no time like the present!
photographic user. The photo canvas hundred years, for example, but
range is designed to reproduce high humidity for fifty, then the guarantee
end, everyday canvas requirements, would be for fifty years. We also
whilst the fine art canvases are aimed measure this up to the point where a
at the more discerning fine art printer consumer can see the difference in their
or commercial lab/studio. This area photograph – not the point where it has
has seen huge growth, especially in faded so much it becomes unusable
the roll market and has opened up and they would throw it away. This
the option of canvas printing to many gives a far truer idea of what the
012 PIXEL
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16