Océ showcases power of digital print with UK photographer at PrintEx19

SPEED. It’s become a metaphor for modern life. The speed of communications. The pace of change. The rush of everyday life. The pressure to deliver products in super-quick time – without compromising on quality or service. That’s where the concept behind a new book called SPEED, and the power of digital print from Océ Australia, come together to tell a powerful story.

SPEED is a visually rich and varied photobook which brings together highlights of a two-decade long journey by London-based photographer Horst Friedrichs, exploring British sub-cultures. Capturing powerful images of everything from mods, rockers and cyclists to motorcycles and vintage cars, this book not only fuels emotion with its fascinating photos, but illustrates the power of digital print.

As a self-published author, Horst knew that digital printing would minimise risk and storage expenses for this project by allowing him to produce short runs cost-effectively. He also recognised that it would allow him to repurpose and monetise his content by presenting it in a fresh and creative way…and getting it to market fast.

The solution was to print the book on an Océ Prostream roll-fed printer on luxurious stock from Sappi.

Now, in partnership with Canon, Horst’s project has been taken to an entirely new level – first at the recent FESPA show in Munich, and now at PrintEx19 – with his images printed on everything from dibond, acrylic and wood, to cardboard, paper and magnetic foil.

“Océ, is of course, the professional print arm of the Canon group, and when we saw the amazing images Canon reproduced using Océ technology at FESPA, we knew we had to bring them to Australia,” says Dale Hawkins, Océ Australia’s Marketing Manager. “The applications we’re showcasing at PrintEx19 range from magazines and posters, to calendars and wall art – bringing the texture and impact of Horst’s images to life and demonstrating how powerful print can be.”

Using both wide-format and small-format print technologies, the company will use its PrintEx display to illustrate how print can create unique and unexpected customer experiences – from home, to the street, to the store – and, importantly, how print businesses can use these technologies to drive their success.

“Whether you want to make your production more efficient, or find new ways to add value to your customers and grow your business, we can show you how at PrintEx19,” he says.

As well as SPEED images produced using a variety of wide-format and small format technologies on a diverse range of media, Océ Australia will also have two brand new flagship printers making their Australian debut on stand – the new Arizona 1300 and new model Colorado 1650 with ground-breaking UVgel technology.

“The Arizona 1300 is the perfect flatbed printing solution for mid-volume sign and display graphics, helping increase production efficiencies and answer market demand for ever more varied applications,” Hawkins says.

The Arizona 1380 GT, which will be on-stand at PrintEx, is just one of six models in the Arizona range – there are three different sized GT models and three larger XT models – providing a range of options for print service providers who want to upgrade their first flatbed or hybrid printer to lift productivity and deliver high quality print across an even broader range of applications.

The Colorado, of course, has already earned its reputation as a ‘game changer’, with ground-breaking UVgel ink technology and unsurpassed levels of automation enabling it to print to virtually any media from self-adhesive vinyl to polyester textiles, with outstanding quality and dramatically lower operational costs.

“The new Colorado 1650 model expands that flexibility even further, using a new version of the UVgel ink with improved ‘stretchability’, that can be bent or folded for soft signage applications, without the risk of cracking,” Hawkins explains. “It also features new FLXfinish UV LED curing with gloss modulation, to achieve flawless gloss or luxury matte finishes, regardless of the media used and without the need to change inks or media.

“Add to that increased versatility – the Colorado 1650 can even print to porous media like uncoated papers, as well as textiles and silicon-edged graphics because the new ink can be ‘fixed’ immediately on jetting.

“We’ll be demonstrating the new model on a range of different applications, to show how easily the Colorado 1650 can produce everything from wallpaper, to decals, to front or back-lit signage, quickly – at speeds up to 159m2/hour – and cost-effectively.”

Hawkins says these live demonstrations, together with support from Océ Australia’s product and technical experts on stand, will give visitors the opportunity to see how innovative print technologies can create new and profitable opportunities.

“We’re looking forward to showing PrintEx visitors how they can fuel their future success with these two powerful technologies that not only create real impact, but deliver high-value solutions which can expand your markets and increase profits,” Hawkins says.

“SPEED at PrintEx19 is a story of creativity harnessed, of possibilities realised and opportunities successfully exploited – all drawing on the power of Océ printing technology and the global knowledge and support base of the Canon family,” he says.