Finding a cure for the “PVC-free banner headache”
Russell Alexander is the National Sales Manager at Innotech, the leading trade supplier of large format printing materi- als, portable displays, and point of sale solutions.
“At Innotech, we’re always looking into ways we can improve our offerings to customers, and we’ve just launched our new Envirotech PVC-Free Material that conforms to gov- ernment legislations for PVC-free specifica- tions,” he says. The texture, weight, printability and welding capabilities of the material are similar to that of traditional PVC banners, but the materials used help
“One of the common
challenges that printers are faced with when
touting for business with large retail brands and blue chip companies is the frequent request
for printable PVC-free substrates”
- Russell Alexander, Innotech
printers reduce their carbon footprint. According to Russell, finding a “cure to the PVC-free banner headache” has been a challenge facing this sector of the signage industry.
“One of the common challenges that printers are faced with when touting for business with large retail brands and blue chip companies is the frequent request for printable PVC-free substrates,” he explains. “The recent move towards soft signage textile products has been well documented and is still on the rise. However, for external applications and short-term promotions where budgets are under scrutiny, printers have been strug- gling to come forward with an environmen- tally friendly alternative to traditional PVC banners. The call for a material that meets this requirement is nothing new, but as the demand increases, printers are aware that the absence of a solution is becoming an obstacle to securing business.
Some materials have been trialled over the years, but none have been suited to the re- tail market. “One option that is typically used for roadside advertisements is Polyethylene banner materials, which are lightweight, strong and low-cost,” says Russell. “However, whilst its heavily pronounced weave does not pose an issue on roadside skins, the retail market requires a more even material that supports a better quality print finish.”
New print products developed to meet sign maker demand
Grafityp UK Ltd. also returned to the Print Show for it’s second year, and ac- cording to Neil Stevenson, UK Sales Di- rector, the experience was a very positive one.
In addition to being Roland DG’s leading re- sale partner in the UK, Grafityp was there to promote their own vinyl and print media products, including the brand new M-series.
This brand new range (the “m” in which stands for monomeric) was developed in response to the demand from the sign industry, and so far has been well received. “There are 10 products in the range, with some clears, gloss and matte whites,” says Neil. “We’ve got some removable and permanent adhesives – it’s quite a comprehensive range.
All the printable media are 100 microns, which is something we were being asked for more and more, so we switched over to this brand new formula. We always keep an ear to the ground and we found more people were asking for thicker product.” In addition to developing the M-range in response to consumer demand, Grafityp has also cre- ated the odd single product that can be dropped into the line-up to make it stronger. “For example, we were receiving a few re- quests for glow in the dark print media,” adds Neil, a popular product for those cre- ating seasonal graphics at this time of year. “Quite a few of the existing products are thick and heavy and have a tendancy to have a green tinge to them, and people wanted one that they could print onto with- out affecting the colour too much, so that’s what we created.”
“Quite often, we’ll find
that customers have priced a job before taking into
consideration the cost of materials to do it” - Neil Stevenson, Grafityp UK Ltd.
Russell Alexander, National Sales Manager, Innotech.
Available in two weights, 260gsm and 300gsm, the Envirotech PVC-Free Material can be used for every aspect of banner proj- ects. It’s also flame retardant, as it’s been certified to FR-B1 standards.
www.innotechdigital.com
ISSUE 167 NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2016 Sign Update 27
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