What a year it’s been. The economy continues to offer ‘all the fun of the fair’ plus the occasional bank run. Yet, the print sector ploughs on through. From Screen Process and Digital Imaging’s perspective, digital technology has continued to swell the news pages, while screen has taken a bit of a bashing.

Spartanics and Systec have announced a partnership to provide custom-engineered screen printing systems. The deal is designed to help screen printers maximize yield in applications including flexible circuitry, nameplates, textile transfers, RFID, automotive parts and aeronautics parts.

A new colour management tool has been introduced by Sun Chemical, designed to help brand owners predict how their corporate spot colours will reproduce on a variety of substrates, from clear film to white polypropylene. The SmartColour software system allows packaging developers to see real colour end results anywhere in the workflow by displaying real ink colour on the chosen substrate and matching the desired colour with the ink that will deliver this on retailer shelves.

Printers accredited by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) can specify a personalised FSC poster from Howard Smith Paper (HSP) and according to HSP, demand for the posters has already been strong. Out of 120 FSC certified printers in the UK, 61 have requested a personalised copy to hang in their own office or in that of their customers.

Investing in an Inca Spyder 320+ six colour flatbed UV inkjet printer has enabled Great Yarmouth based printer, Signwaves, to provide customers with a more economical service when conducting short run jobs. The equipment, which is Signwaves' first foray into digital technology, was purchased from distributor, Fujifilm Sericol.

Spectacular alpine scenery, printed by Manchester-based large format digital print specialist, The Image Group, has been installed at indoor snow experience, the Chill Factore. Taking 12 weeks to install, the 3,500m2 graphic is the largest vinyl print in the company's history.

James McNaughton has released an updated version of its Sustainable Solutions brochure giving details of its chain of custody for FSC and PEFC accreditations, its recycled products, CO2 emissions and carbon footprint. Other topics include McNaughton’s environmental product matrix, a glossary of terms and details of the company's environmental consultancy service.

Atech has launched a new-look website designed to make its large format print and media products more accessible to customers. Additions to the site include new products such as the Octopus II which can be used for both rigid and flexible media up to 2,000mm width and 60mm thickness and the PhotoStory CTB, an all-in-one system designed to create photo books and albums. A media section lists the latest in mediaTech consumables, helping users find the right media for their printer. It features inks, papers, films and board to display systems, cutting equipment and accessories for the printing, display and imaging industry.

Fujifilm aims to bring large-format printer technology within reach of all image output businesses with its GreenBox bundle, which has been upgraded to reflect the latest developments found in EpsonStylus Pro inkjet printers, including the new 64in 11880 model.

Marketing solutions company, Capital, has been awarded Forest Stewardship Council/Pan European Forest Certification (FSC/PEFC). This means that environmentally responsible print buyers can be confident they are not contributing to global forest destruction when working with Capital. To achieve the qualification, Capital had to undergo a comprehensive auditing and questionnaire process, tracing its use of forest products through the supply chain to the end-consumer.

Doro Tape UK has announced its new, interactive website dedicated to its expanding range of digital media, complete with downloadable technical specifications and helpful advice.

A Leeds print works was transformed into a private art gallery brimming with masterpieces by the likes of Botticelli, Van Gogh and Gainsborough. The premises of Electronic Print Services played host to the temporary exhibition, first shown this summer as part of the National Gallery and Hewlett Packard’s Grand Tour project.

Digitally printed fabric produced by JM Textiles created a backdrop to a production of Die Fledermaus at the Kuststien Operetta Summer Festival held this year in Tyrol. A total of 800m2 of Mediatex Presto was used in the construction of the open-air stage, which was entirely covered with the fabric.

Two wide-format paper products manufactured by Océ have been accredited as environmentally friendly by the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC). Océ Green Label and Océ Standard Paper Plus, both now carry the FSC logo.

Point of purchase (POP) printer, the Simpson Group has been awarded PA 75 accreditation. It is claimed to be the first UK printer in this sector to secure the Kitemark standard.

These days ‘flying the flag’ means many different things. The origins might be military but today flags are more likely to be found flying corporate logos, as this article explains

In his final article for 2007, Peter Kiddell acknowledges the decline of screen printing in the point-of-sale sector, while highlighting the process’ bright and profitable future in a vast range of emerging, high value markets

There is no doubt that 2007 has been a good year for the digital industry with plenty of new products entering the market and some good, well attended trade shows to showcase these products. Here we look at some of the year’s highlights, in particular the rise of the digital printer in areas where screen previously had the stronghold

Large format print and media distributor, Atech, is now stocking Dickson’s EverGreen media. The planet-friendly products have been developed to reduce waste, emissions and energy and are free from volatile carcinogenic and reprotoxic fabrics such as PVC, pthalates, phosphates, formaldehyde, glycol-ether often used in conventional media. EverGreen products do not create any VOC during production and are said to use 80 per cent less electricity than traditional PVC banner medias.

Following demand for environmentally responsible media, the James McNaughton Group has launched Era Gloss. Produced to the same recipe as Era Silk, with 50 per cent recycled fibre and 50 per cent FSC certified virgin pulp, Era Gloss comes in sizes between SRA2 and B1 and grammages between 100 and 250gsm. It is ideal for CSR reports, brochures or magazines and its FSC accreditation ensures that the virgin pulp used during its manufacture is sourced from sustainable forests.

3M has introduced a new graphics film solution designed to overcome the adhesion problems associated with commercial vehicles, such as deep corrugations or three-dimensional graphic renderings which can cause material lifting in vehicle recesses or cracking due to stress.

Avery Dennison Graphics and Reflective Products Europe has added to its portfolio with a range of professional-grade self-adhesive surface protection films for automotive exteriors. Avery 7000 Functional Films can be used over printed or computer-cut graphics and vehicle wraps, or as stand alone protection for vehicle paintwork.

Developed specifically for imaging applications, Alcan Composites' new Forexprint rigid foam plastic sheet is said to offer super-bright white surfaces coupled with a mid-range price making it ideal for signs and displays.

Broadening its offering to the digital print-on-demand market, GBC Commercial Laminating Solutions Group, has introduced the GBC 620os and GBC 5031, designed to finish one-sided and double-sided narrow-format digital output from HP Indigo/Xerox/Xeikon/Nexpress and Oce Variostream-printers.

Graphics finishing and display specialist, Drytac Europe, has launched a new vertical saw, claimed to cut almost any substrate. The Inglet Cutter is designed to make easy work of MDF, hardboard, acrylic, rigid PVCs, aluminium composite boards such as Dibond and many types of substrate up to 22mm thick. The pneumatic cutter also means foam board and card stock can be trimmed down.

Operators investing in the Jeti range of printers from Gandinnovations can now access a faster and more powerful graphic user interface (GUI) designed to drag and drop, as well as manipulate and manage artwork files.

Trade display specialist, Eurostand Display, has introduced a new point of sale display (POS) range set to provide retailers with a collection of contemporary solutions from a single supplier. Items in the range include an A1-size outdoor pavement unit and A frame; an A4 portrait curved display in anodised aluminium, a double-sided directional snap-frame unit; A3 and A4 menu posts; literature presenters and wayfinding and directional units, also with anodised aluminium finish.

Suitable for use on printed material, photographs, presentation work and signage, Xyron's new Pro 1255 can be used to encapsulate, laminate or apply repositionable or permanent adhesives to most types of creative output. It can be used on documents up to A3 and for larger material, the Xyron Pro 2550 handles jobs up to A1.

As I have said before, writing for a monthly magazine is a bit like working in a time warp. I’m writing this in October, yet the page won’t be read until the Yule log is blazing. Printers are used to working over six months ahead on campaigns but they do not get called to account if their forecasts are wrong