Missy Donovan

By Melissa Donovan

Building wraps use a variety of substrates. Some of the most popular are mesh, perforated window media, and banner material. The media used is dependent on the building. Architectural structures range from glass to concrete. Graphics are in areas where wind, precipitation, and UV rays affect wrap quality. It’s essential that a print service provider (PSP) be prepared to wrap any surface type.

Proprietary Positioning
MetroMedia Technologies, Inc. (MMT), based in New York, NY, began in 1987. In its 26-plus years in existence, the company pioneered the digitalizing process of banners and billboards with its proprietary technology—a 32-foot wide printer that completes much of its large scale work.

150 employees round out the current staff, which excels in visual communications in the form of billboards, wall murals, backdrops, and trade show graphics. These applications are crafted in a 60,000 square foot space for high-profile clients located nationwide.

According to Abhi Vyas, VP, marketing, MMT, building wraps have gained a lot of publicity in the last eight to ten years. “It’s the nature of a supersized culture. A growing segment, we notice a lot more brands attracted to it. However, many city municipal codes prevent building wraps from even being installed—so it is hard to grow the application because of this,” he shares.

Popular geographical areas where building wraps are found include Los Angeles, CA, says William Ishida, COO, MMT, citing the weather as the overwhelming differentiator. Most wraps are never installed in freezing cold temperatures, as it makes the media challenging to work with and apply.

MMT relies on a number of media options for its building wrap work, but Ishida finds that in recent years perforated window film has been a popular choice. “Most building wraps use to be mesh, but now there are a lot of glass buildings that do not lend themselves to mesh, so adhesive media works best,” he explains. The staff regularly uses Clear Focus Imaging, Inc.’s products for job requests that benefit from an adhesive-backed media.

For the last three years, the PSP has rotated out building wrap graphics in one location for a regular client. It finds itself printing a 172×72-foot wrap on a monthly basis. Change outs are requested as advertisers schedule space and in each case the turnaround from job submittal to finished product is tight. In less than 24 hours both printing and finishing is completed on these projects. MMT usually outsources the install.

The frequency at which MMT creates the building wraps for this specific location necessitated that it develop a cutter just for this one application. The building is made up of 19 glass panels, with 18 metal mulligans separating the panels to create individual windows. When it comes to the graphics, this equates to 74 separate sections of media printed, cut, and shipped on a monthly basis.

Each wrap is printed on one of its five-meter wide printers. Media brand used varies, but it is almost always an adhesive-based perforated window film because the final graphic adheres to glass. When a Clear Focus product is chosen, it is usually due to its proven reliability in the field and quality of the product.

Practice makes perfect and MMT’s continuous work with the aforementioned customer allows it to refine its building wrap talents.

Custom Commitment
Located in Dallas, TX, XL Digital Imaging, LLC began 13 years ago as a billboard and banner printer. Today it offers vehicle wraps and wallscapes to floor, fabric, and window graphics. A diverse client base includes independent print brokers, advertising agencies, trade show companies, trade shops, and national accounts. It categorizes about 30 percent of its work in the realm of billboard and banners, with building wraps a small fraction of that.

A staff of 25 works out of a 30,000 square foot shop. Hardware found on site includes dye-sublimation, flatbed, and grand format equipment, specifically a PrinterEvolution Evo33 DS and three EFI wide format printers—VUTEk GS3250, VUTEk GS5000r, and VUTEk 5330.

For its larger jobs, XL Digital regularly works with 70/30 mesh from Value Vinyls, the Rio 8 oz. Deluxe Mesh Vinyl Banner. Jack Padgett, GM, XL Digital, says it is both economical and durable, and reproduces well when printed on.

The print provider does not handle the install on any of its building wraps, as a result a project’s finishing aspect is often dictated by the agency placing the order. About 95 percent of the time, reinforced webbing and grommets are used, with a small percentage d-rings.

XL Digital believes in a true commitment to its customers. “We are a highly progressive and aggressive digital printing company specializing in making it happen. When we say we are going to do something, we do it,” adheres Padgett.

A recent job for Fellowship Bible included several large banners to promote the congregation. XL Digital printed a total of 10,500 square feet of Value Vinyls’ Rio 8 oz. Deluxe Mesh Vinyl Banner on an EFI VUTEk GS5000r. Padgett says the mesh product was specifically chosen for this project because it is durable and ideal for outdoor use. The banners were finished with reinforced hems and then grommets were added as the final step. In total the project for Fellowship Bible took a day and a half, from approval to delivery.

While XL Digital is not contracted to print superwide building wrap jobs on a frequent basis, it still regularly works in the realm of grand format and its banner work for Fellowship Bible is an excellent example of this.

Pop Culture
About five miles from the Las Vegas strip, Las Vegas, NV-based Off The Wall Signs & Graphics is strategically positioned to capitalize on a booming geographical building wrap location. Rocky Faith started an installation company in 2005 and recognizing the need to bring print in house, Off The Wall was founded in 2009.

The company specializes in grand format but is a full-service production shop, offering print, install, and design services all under one roof. 16 employees work in a 10,000 square foot space serving clients mostly located in the Southwest.

Its main workhorse is a Hewlett-Packard (HP) Latex 3000 wide format printer and media usage varies depending on the project in question.

For many of its building wrap requests the PSP finds itself turning to Arlon Graphics, LLC’s DPF 47WF. According to Mariela Faith, co-owner, Off The Wall, the company has used this material for both short- and long-term projects. “The application is ideal for install because the product is light without compromising the adhesiveness of it,” she shares.

High-profile building wraps recently placed Off The Wall in the limelight. It was contacted by several television networks to create graphics displays in San Diego, CA during Comic Con. One was to promote Conan O’Brien’s late night show, Conan. “The goal was to have the biggest presence in San Diego to target the Comic Con conventioneers,” explains Faith.

About 35,000 square feet of Arlon DPF 47WF was printed on using the HP Latex 3000. The layout took a week and the graphics were printed in two weeks—with projects from other clients mixed in. In total it was a month long process from the time the PSP received the artwork, sent out color match proofs, printed, finished, and then installed the building wrap.

Off The Wall also created a Comic Con building wrap for ABC’s new primetime comedy, The Muppets, using Arlon DPF 6700 with Series 3220 overlaminate. 11,875 square feet of media was printed on the HP Latex 3000. For this specific graphic, Faith says Arlon DPF 6700 was chosen because it holds up well and the team loves how it handles during install.

While Off The Wall does have its own installation team in house, the size and scope of the Comic Con building wraps necessitated that it partner with Above All Media in Irvine, CA.

It was not the first time the company found itself creating graphics for Comic Con, it has completed print jobs for the event the last four years. “Though there are changes from year to year, we have a great staff that makes sure everything runs smoothly,” shares Faith.

Taking on notable jobs for the entertainment industry places Off The Wall in a special category of PSP. Its management and staff parlay their knowledge of building wraps into pop culture.

A Successful Trio
Each building wrap is different and the media used is constantly changing. It is important print providers understand and educate themselves on the various available media options and the buildings and environments those materials are most compatible with.

From perforated window media to mesh, media manufacturers are enhancing portfolios to ensure print providers are equipped with the best tools for the job. Matching the material to the building and its environment while keeping in mind how long it will be in place is essential.

Dec2015, Digital Output

By Digital Output Staff

Exhibit and display producers rely on superwide devices to create seamless graphics for environments like trade shows, theaters, and sports arenas.

Printing with a grand format device in this vertical market segment ensures that enough fabric is left over to be used for finishing purposes. In addition to the width, other benefits include quality and speed. Digital Output considers anything over 95 inches superwide or grand format.

As turnaround requests increase, exhibit and display graphics producers must be prepared to meet demand and today’s high-resolution devices are equipped to do so.

One Singular Sensation
Print service providers (PSPs) with clients requesting exhibits and displays often favor grand format printing over multiple wide format devices. Primarily because these printers can output a large project, like a stage backdrop, in one continuous run. The alternative is printing multiple times on several printers where color matching between prints and seaming pieces together can become challenging.

“The ability to print consistent color images on large format media allows print providers to deliver high-quality seamless displays quickly and affordably. Since large jobs are printed on very wide media in a single pass, the change of color variations between sheets is reduced,” explains Tod Robinson, channel sales manager, Paradigm Imaging Group.

A grand format printer eliminates the need for stitching panels together, saving on labor costs, says Wen Chen, director, Meijet Digital Technology Inc.

According to Hary Gandy, president, Gandy Digital, many exhibits or displays are eight feet or larger, making superwide devices a natural fit because they can print a graphic on one piece, instead of joining materials from smaller printers together in the finishing stage.

“If you use a large format printer you are going to have to deal with a seam, which can be unattractive as well as potentially labor intensive. In the exhibit and display industry, bigger is better. It grabs the audiences’ attention and makes a greater impact, so you don’t want anything taking away from the visual effect and appeal,” shares Greg Lamb, CEO, Global Imaging, Inc.

Guy Cipresso, VP sales and business development, Novus Imaging Inc., says a superwide device is favorable because it streamlines finishing operations. “Grand format printers can print eight to 15 foot wide rolls on large diameter cores resulting in grand format images having less seams.”

Not only are there finishing efficiencies with larger rolls of material, but Mark Schlimme, director of marketing Screen USA, says there are monetary advantages in running ten-foot material rolls because of the lower media cost.

Pieces and seams affect installation. “The ability to provide a larger display with fewer seams means easier installation and lower costs as less matching is required. This provides a more dramatic appearance to the customer and their audience,” points out Tom Wittenberg, sign and display marketing manager, Hewlett-Packard.

“In the end, it saves the exhibit house time and space—they don’t need to operate as many smaller machines for what they can get out of a larger machine,” explains Michelle Johnson, advertising and events manager, Mutoh America, Inc.

The benefits are “bi-fold,” according to Ed Prieto, digital printing specialist, Media One Digital Imaging Solutions LLC. “It eliminates extra time and hands for finishing, and produces a better quality, one-stop-shop product.”

Versatility is essential to many PSPs and grand format’s size offers it. “A print provider can set himself apart on larger format, high-profit jobs because of the capabilities of size that a grand format printer can produce,” shares Becky McConnell, product marketing manager, Fujifilm North America Corporation, Graphic Systems Division.

We Want More
In addition to size, exhibit and display producers have other requirements. Quality, speed, and more relevant factors are considered when it comes to superwide printing meeting their needs.

“Superwide printers are ideal for exhibit and display producers that need to control printing in house. We are at a point where most superwide devices offer high-quality output, so buyers are selecting options that are more productive, offer better value, and/or have a proven reliable support structure,” asserts Joe Garcia, managing director Americas, Stratojet USA.

When it comes to speed, superwide devices are built to go faster. “Exhibit and display products are typically large jobs where the print speed of one grand format printer can exceed three to six wide format devices,” says Cipresso.

“Speed is the key feature as it permits them to turn large jobs in a very short time. Displays and exhibits do require very good print quality and the current technology can easily meet the most extracting quality standards at very high overall print speeds,” says Terry Amerine, director of product marketing, Durst Image Technology US LLC.

Randy Paar, marketing manager – display graphics, Canon Solutions America, believes speed and quality go hand in hand. “Exhibit and display companies need equipment that provides both the speed and quality to handle not only the demands of quality conscious customers but also the inevitable rush job.”

“Exhibit and display producers’ success relies on the creation and on-time delivery of memorable brand environments and effective indoor and outdoor visual communications programs,” says Ken Hanulec, VP of marketing, EFI.

Beyond quality and speed, labor efficiency is another benefit. “It is typically more efficient to run larger, faster machines due to the lower labor rate, if you have the volume to fill these units. This is due to the fact that you have an ability to run more work with less people on the more production-oriented printers,” explains Larry D’Amico, VP digital imaging, Agfa Graphics.

Schlimme agrees, explaining that industrial built, robust superwide devices are designed to run rolls unattended, “essentially giving the owner a free additional shift of printing.”

How today’s superwide printers are configured is also part of their allure. “Newly designed industrial printheads produce smaller and variable droplet sizes enabling sharp, crisp images. These new three- to five-meter printers can more than double production capacity when compared with older grand format printers,” says Keith Faulkner, president, Splash of Color.

“Grand format printers typically use bulk ink systems to feed printheads. Using larger capacity bulk ink systems not only saves time loading cartridges, but also saves money. The typical cost per square foot for bulk ink is lower, raising the profit margin for the shop,” explains Robinson.

Resolution and Cost
Legacy grand format printers traditionally output at low resolutions. Today’s superwide devices can print at high resolutions. As such, exhibit and display producers have the option to print at a high resolution and lower rate of speed or at a low resolution and faster production speeds. The method chosen depends on the customer, job, and costs associated with it.

“Any printer is going to attempt to run at the lowest possible quality his customer will accept in order to print at the highest speed,” suggests D’Amico. “Unfortunately, competitive pressures keep pushing the quality bar up.”

Lamb provides the example of company A with grainy prints and company B with smooth toned prints, if you were a buyer—which product would you choose?

According to Faulkner, whenever soft signage, displays, or backdrops are subject to close viewing, image quality is the most important objective—even if the print speed has to be slowed down.

Johnson argues that the choice is based on customer expectations. “It’s about the quality that the customer is expecting and what the graphic will be used for. The higher resolution the image, the slower the printer will print, which will inevitably take more ink and more money.”

Wittenberg agrees. “High-end product manufacturers are particular about presentation as consumers see the quality of their signage as a reflection of the quality of the products. Pricing is part of the mix, but is not number one with the higher end. With the less discriminating customer when it comes to quality, higher speeds are in order, since the expectation is that the pricing will be low and competitive.”

In addition to expectations, consider the customer’s specific application. “Many applications are still distance viewing and there is no need for higher resolution. However, growing markets for direct to textile and soft signage also require higher resolution printing,” shares Schlimme.

Ken VanHorn, director, marketing and business development, Mimaki USA, Inc., provides the example of a header graphic that’s 20 feet off of the ground, which can be printed at a lower resolution. With a graphic viewed up close a higher resolution is required, but the text and infographic panels found on that graphic aren’t generally large, so slower speeds don’t have a significant impact.

“A higher print quality will require a slower print mode. This will affect the cost of the finished print, but that is usually more than offset by the end-selling price of the graphic itself,” says Amerine.

Overall, “the price of the job can be affected by the quality demanded, but that is not necessarily the case—this will depend on the business model and the presses that a PSP is currently using,” explains McConnell.

Always There for You
A superwide printer is beneficial for PSPs in the exhibit and display space. The overall labor savings minimizes room for error, heightens production, and eliminates the need for manpower on the production floor. While the size of the physical printer helps, today’s devices are also driven by quality and provide the option to output graphics with near or far viewing distances in mind. The result is a polished backdrop for any environment.

Click here to view the Grand Format Printers Target Chart – an all-inclusive information resource!

Dec2015, Digital Output