The Big Picture - June 2012 - (Page 24)

ISA Sign ISA Sign ISABACK TO WORK: Sign ISA Sign ISA Sign ISA Sign By Britney Grimmelsman and Gregory Sharpless Showcasing the breadth of the signage and graphics industry, 540 exhibitors took over Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center in Florida for the 66th annual Sign Expo hosted by the International Sign Association (ISA). With a 10-percent increase in show-ﬂoor size, 87 companies new to the expo, and a 28-percent increase in educational-session registration, the 2012 edition of the ISA Sign Expo o ered reason to believe that perhaps the industry is back on the upswing. “We heard amazing feedback from exhibitors about the activities and interests of attendees – including one manufacturer who sold 11 pieces of major equipment by the end of the show’s ﬁrst day. It is clear that our industry is getting back to work, purchasing new equipment, and investigating new business opportunities,” says Lori Anderson, ISA president and CEO. 24 THE BIG PICTURE JUNE 2012 More than 500 exhibitors showed off the l a t e s t i n n o v a t i o n s t o a n e n e r g i z e d i n d u s t r y. While perusing the latest innovations throughout the show ﬂoor, attendees could text in votes for the next industry “game changers” for the Best New Product and Green Product Showcase. Optiva’s SpellBrite Signage System beat out 31 products to earn the title of Best New Product, while Best Green Product was awarded to the BeBrite Induction Sign Lighter by N. Glantz & Son (see signexpo.org for the complete list of ﬁnalists). Also featured on the show ﬂoor were the Sign Design Competition winners, highlighting the creativity within the sign and graphics industry. And, of course, there were dozens of new products and technologies. What follows is a sampling of the more exciting print-related wares unveiled at this year’s Sign Expo. Also, it’s not too soon to be organizing your next ISA Expo adventure: Sign Expo 2013 is set for April 4-6 in Las Vegas (check signexpo.org for details). EFI Launches EFI R3225 UV Printer EFI (eﬁ.com) introduced its EFI R3225 printer, a 126-in. roll-to-roll, entry-level production UV machine, and the ﬁrst EFI printer that carries neither the company’s Vutek nor Rastek badge. The 4-color (CMYK) R3225 provides eight-level, variable-drop grayscale heads and a top resolution of 600 x 1200 dpi. Speeds range from 939 sq ft/hr in Express mode (2-pass, 300 dpi) to 547 sq ft/hr in Signage Plus mode (4-pass, 600 dpi) and 138 sq ft/hr in Ultra Quality mode (18-pass, 900 dpi). It ships with a complete set of R Series inks, supplied in 3.25-liter bottles. It utilizes a roll-to-roll vacuum platen drive system and can handle http://www.efi.com http://www.signexpo.org http://www.signexpo.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Big Picture - June 2012

The Big Picture - June 2012
Contents
InSight
Wide Angle
Up Front
Business + Management
Floor Your Clients
Destination RIPs
Back to Work: ISA Sign Expo
Job Log

The Big Picture - June 2012