Industry News


Roland DGlaunches EMEA virtual showroom for customers R


oland DG has launched new EMEA Virtual Showroom, an immersive digital


environment for customers and dealers to explore its products and services. The first of its kind in the printing category, the new showroom is the next step in the digitisation of the B2B sales journey, a trend that the coronavirus pandemic is set to accelerate. Visitors to the showroom will be able to view and explore beautiful, crisp 360° digital renderings of Roland DG’s flagship TrueVIS series of printer/ cutters. In the coming months, further Roland DG products will be added to the virtual line up including its IU-1000F flatbed printer, LEC2 and LEF ranges. In the showroom, customers can watch end-to-end animations of the products in operation, as well as clicking on hotspots that illustrate specific features with additional information, animation and video. Roland DG has also


C


Positive Branding wins two SME News Awards


ustom workwear provider Positive Branding is the lucky winner of not one, but two, SME News Greater London


Enterprise Awards.


Positive Branding has now been named Best Corporate Clothing Provider and Most Innovative Embroidery Service Provider for 2020. Jonathan Wilton of Positive Branding said: “I am delighted that Positive Branding has been recognised with these awards. We are a small family business and to win in this highly competitive area shows that the hard work and dedication that we put in pays off. "We take great pride in going the extra mile for our customers, to ensure that they benefit from our extensive knowledge and experience – resulting in us providing workwear that exceeds their expectations."


The winners were selected by an independent judging panel because of their contributions to their industry and sector.


PSI 2021 is postponed to May T


he trade show combination of PSI, PromoTex Expo and viscom, which was planned to take place from January 12 to 14 in Düsseldorf, has been postponed to May 18 to 20. This early announcement will hopefully allow time for the impact of COVID-19 across the world to stabilise and when safe to do so, ensure that the event can continue its critical role in bringing the industry together again.


In addition to the face-to-face events, the planned online formats will be postponed to the new date in May 2021.


| 6 | December 2020


developed an Augmented Reality solution letting users view a virtual model as it would appear in their workspaces.


Stephen Davis, EMEA marketing director at Roland DG, said: “At Roland DG we pride ourselves on our strong innovation credentials. This applies to our products, but also the way in which we bring products to market. As we re- establish a new business paradigm post-COVID, we’re taking the opportunity to develop a solution that will have ongoing benefits for our customers.”


The EMEA Virtual Showroom


According to a McKinsey study released in October, between 70 and 80% of B2B decision makers prefer to engage with suppliers through


remote human interactions or digital self-service. To meet this need, Roland DG’s virtual showroom features a sales configurator that helps visitors build a customised order with their choice of bed size, ink configuration and optional extras, all in a mobile-optimised environment.


Rowlinson urges businesses to ‘do the right thing’ and pay the Living Wage


B


Corp business Rowlinson Knitwear has urged more UK businesses to step up and pay the real Living Wage. During Living Wage Week, which took place from November 9 to 15, Rowlinson highlighted the importance of employers acting now to ‘do the right thing’.


Donald Moore, chair of the Stockport-based schoolwear manufacturer, Rowlinson Knitwear, said: “The pandemic is having an unparalleled impact on people’s lives, particularly those in traditionally lower paid jobs.


“Organisations in the position to do so must play their part by becoming accredited Living Wage employers, so people can meet their everyday needs. It’s only fair to pay a wage that reflects the true cost of living, particularly during a year of unparalleled financial upheaval.” Mr Moore asserts that becoming a Living Wage employer needs to become part of businesses’ strategies of ‘building back better’, but is concerned that some UK employers are exploiting the current high unemployment rate to keep wages low. Rowlinson, a Living Wage employer since 2018 and the highest scoring B Corp in the North of England and Scotland, has experienced first-hand the positive impacts of paying the real Living Wage, with colleagues less stressed about their finances and more able to pay their bills each month. One Rowlinson colleague has seen a dramatic change to her living conditions. She said: “Being on the real Living Wage means I have been able to save each month to afford a better home for myself and my family. I have been able to move from my one bedroom flat where I lived with my two-and-a-half-year-old daughter and husband, to a much better home.” The real Living Wage is the only UK wage rate that is voluntarily paid by over 6,500 UK businesses that believe their staff deserve a wage which meets everyday needs. As well as improving the living conditions of their employees, Living Wage employers are also more likely to benefit from an enhanced reputation, improved recruitment, higher staff retention rates and a competitive edge.


Donald Moore, chair of Rowlinson Knitwear


The current living wage is £9.50 across the UK and £10.85 in London. www.printwearandpromotion.co.uk


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  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68  |  Page 69  |  Page 70  |  Page 71  |  Page 72  |  Page 73  |  Page 74  |  Page 75  |  Page 76  |  Page 77  |  Page 78  |  Page 79  |  Page 80