Media not mediocre
Fujifilm’s euromedia experience brings innovation, creativity and wonderful product names to the world of flexible media for large-format printing.
With product names such as WonderTack, SmoothWall Sticky and FantasTac, it’s easy to see why printers are often intrigued by the many and varied products that make up the euromedia offering. But it isn’t only the product names that are different. At the heart of this rapidly emerging brand of flexible media, and the main reasons behind its success to date, are media innovations that are driving the use and application of large-format print. And it certainly helps being backed by one of the largest names in the printing industry.
As Peter Bray, euromedia sales manager in the UK, explains: “We make no apology for specialising in the supply of roll media for large-format printing. We’re not trying to be all things to all people, and have no desire to sell media in other markets, but with Fujifilm’s expertise in large-format printing and a team of dedicated media experts, our aim is to be the best large-format brand in terms of innovation, print performance, application benefits and quality of service. We deliver creativity and innovation through the wide range of media we offer and their many and varied applications.”
And the company is well on the way to achieving these aims. Launched in October 2008 in the UK, euromedia products are now being used by many sign, display and large-format printers around the country, with a customer base of around 750 printers in the UK, alongside a further 3,000 throughout the rest of Europe.
Creativity and innovation
All euromedia products are hand picked by a team of Fujifilm experts who are always on the look out for new media solutions that can be applied in creative ways, often filling a gap in the large-format market. Heading up this euromedia development team is Murat Kurdu, an industry expert in large-format media and their applications. Based at Fujifilm’s euromedia centre in Cologne, he sources and specifies flexible media from around the world, a role that affords him a rare panorama of the whole industry.
“It’s sometimes an advantage not being a manufacturer,” Kurdu claims. “We’re very close to the market and understand what printers need. We evaluate products to see if they extend the range of print applications for our customers, as well as specifying media for development where we see a gap in the market. And when we want to solve an application problem for a customer, for example to wrap a boat or stick vinyl to brick, we can cherry-pick from manufacturers around the world to get the ideal combination of media, ink and press.”
It was Kurdu’s insistence on finding genuinely new applications that led to the launch of one of the most fascinating products shown at Sign and Digital UK 2010, the unique WonderTack - a solvent printable film which adheres to smooth, flat surfaces without the use of adhesive, thanks to its micro-porous suckers, making it reusable and repositionable. “WonderTack is a great example of what we are trying to achieve,” continues Kurdu. “It brings immediate benefits to the end user and allows a printer to offer something different. It’s a win-win situation all round.”
Advice and guidance
As well as product innovation, the other key element to the euromedia offering is guidance. Bray continues: “Our job is to make it easy for printers to select the right media for a given application, and also add value by advising on completely new applications. Through a combination of a comprehensive catalogue, media swatch books and a highly trained telephone support team, we take the pain out of selecting the right media for a given system and application.”
The other problem printers face is keeping up-to-date with the latest advances in media and inks. “Inks perform differently on different substrates,” Bray continues. “As Fujifilm has been at the forefront of the development of inkjet inks and systems for screen and wide-format applications for many years, it is ideally placed to evaluate and test different media, ink and finishes and advise printers accordingly.”
At the cutting edge
Fujifilm is at the sharp end of developments in large-format printing, and so is uniquely placed to develop media products that take advantage of the latest technologies. As Kurdu explains: “Environmental concerns have pushed the market faster than many expected, something that’s evidenced by the rapid development of UV inkjet printers and the wide range now available. Even so, the graphics industry is only beginning to explore new solutions, with biodegradability stimulating change and polypropylene sales for both indoor and outdoor applications growing at the expense of PVC vinyl over the next few years.
“Another emerging market will be interior design. Architects and designers are increasingly called upon by consumers as well as commercial clients. As graphic print quality reaches near-photographic levels and the range of media becomes more and more diverse, homeowners will use commercial print applications to customise their surroundings, from wallpaper to fabrics to artwork and furniture. While some printers are selling to hotels and restaurants, few have spotted the huge potential of high-margin, customised consumer products.”
As Kurdu concludes: “We have a wealth of experience in the large-format market throughout Europe and we’re looking forward to working with more and more printers in the UK as the brand continues to grow. We feel that the euromedia range has the potential to transform the