Despite a positive outlook for the year ahead, business rates and the cost of utilities remain key obstacles to small business growth plans for 2014, according to the latest research from The Forum of Private Business.
News
Walk and wonder
Soyang Europe is now selling a product called G-Floor for customised flooring projects. The media is based on a high-density clear, flexible PVC substrate, capable of being printed to the underside using either UV curable or solvent inks on a grand-format printer.
Mimaki speeds up JV33
Mimaki has effectively increased the productivity of its JV33 roll-to-roll series of eco-solvent and solvent inkjet printers by adding its Advanced Pass System (MAPS) technology – an approach to discharging ink droplets to minimise, or even eliminate imperfections in high production mode.
Stanford Marsh expands Scottish operations
Wide-format equipment, consumables and support company Stanford Marsh Group has appointed three new staff to bolster its Scottish sales operations.
Esko to show retailers latest POS solutions
Esko will join Popai (the international association for Point of Purchase Advertising) at EuroShop, a retail trade fair (Düsseldorf, 16 - 20 February) to present retailers and brand owners with design, visualisation and production solutions for POS.
Fespa nabs top speakers
Dr. Steven Althaus, director brand management BMW and marketing services BMW Group, will present the keynote address at the Fespa Global Summit taking place on the 6 - 7 March 2014 in Munich.
Xennia gets the nod from Xaar
Xennia Technology’s XenInx Zircon range of digital ceramic printing inks has been given formal approval by Xaar for use in its 1001 recirculating printheads.
Case study from QPS
When the Centre for Advanced Textiles (CAT) at the Glasgow School of Art needed a new source of technical support, word-of-mouth led the team to Quality Print Services Ltd (QPS).
Case study from Roland
Meystyle, a London-based interior decoration firm, first looked to large-format print to further their product offering, as is often the case.
Case study from i-Sub
CIM's new Agfa Anapurna hit the ground running in December 2013 when a client ordered 155 display boards – for completion ASAP – just days after its installation.
Case study from Hybrid Services
Over the past 14 years, Banners For All, of Farnham Common in Buckinghamshire, has become an acknowledged expert in the field of soft signage.
Canon targets in-house POS departments
Canon is targeting in-house poster and POS producers in the retail and hospitality markets with two new 6-colour imagePrograf printers. The 24in iPF6400SE and 44in iPF8400SE sit between the 5-colour dye ink CAD models and the 8- and 12-colour photo quality and production print models.
The Print Futures Awards Scheme grows
Cash grants of up to £1,500 each are available for those aged 16 to 30 to help pay for any costs associated with relevant education or training courses for a job in printing, publishing or graphic arts in the UK. Entries close Friday, 30 May 2014.
Icon takes UK’s first Vutek HS100 Pro
The first EFI Vutek HS100 Pro high-speed digital printer to be installed in the UK has gone to Chime Communications company Icon, which has now fully integrated McKenzie Clark and operates from a single site in Sidcup.