Wide Format Imaging

As output providers seek to find new ways to be more profitable, many are taking a look back to where they have experienced growth in the past?mounting and laminating services. Mounting and laminating, as well as other finishing services, provide an ideal way for shops to offer a slew of add-on sales opportunities.

Pressure-Sensitive Materials

"Over the past decade, pressure-sensitive adhesive technologies have taken the lead in image finishing," says Angela Mohni, director of marketing for Neschen Americas.

Mohni points to the trend that pressure-sensitive (P/S) mounting and laminating is an outgrowth of the expansion of digital inkjet printing in the sign and display market. She adds the trend to P/S finishing has also resulted from the expansion and the diversity of the inks and media now available.

"Image finishing adds value to digital prints. It is the step that takes an inkjet print from simple printed image to real-world application. Pressure-sensitive laminating technology removes the 'heat factor' from the production process," Mohni explains.

She says this offers some advantages and puts the technology in a comfort zone for many small sign shops and other new producers.

"First, the initial equipment investment is lower with pressure-sensitive systems because you don't need a heated roller laminator. Cold machines cost less. While P/S materials themselves were traditionally more expensive than heat-activated films, their cost has come down considerably in recent years making a complete pressure-sensitive finishing system a cost-effective solution. Second, modern P/S adhesive technology affords strong bonding with numerous inks and substrates without fear of bubbling or lifting. P/S films will bond with most inks and producers don't have to worry about heat affecting the print surface or causing adhesion issues. Not having the heat factor in the production equation also makes laminator training and operation easier. Third, there is a full range of adhesive-backed media available today that allows printing directly to materials that can be mounted to a substrate without the additional production step of applying an adhesive. This is a timesaving and cost-saving factor that contributes to a higher profit margin for many finished applications. Finally, sign shops are already familiar with pressure-sensitive materials from years of using pressure-sensitive colored vinyl. There is a comfort level to embracing new production steps such as image finishing that employ similar, familiar technologies."

Growth Outdoors

"We are seeing an increase in the growth of lamination for outdoor applications. This follows the forecast from InfoTrends that outdoor graphics will represent the fastest growing segment in the wide-format graphic industry over the next five years. And although more printers are using solvent-based inks, which last longer outdoors than aqueous-based inks, lamination continues to provide valuable solutions no matter which printing technology is used," says Cindy Pilch, senior product manager at GBC.