Have you given any thought to the Christmas decorations and designs you want to use for your business this year? Before you know it, Christmas will be here, a significant sales period for many retailers. People are on a shopping spree, and of course, retailers like to exploit it. But how do you make sure that you stand out from your (online) competitors? Make sure that a physical visit to your shop in the Christmas spirit is an "experience" that is nothing compared to online shopping. In this blog, we explain how you can do this using print media and how you can stand out with a well-designed Christmas campaign.

Bring the Christmas spirit to shop windows

Online shopping may be practical, but the ambiance is also an essential factor in the shopping experience in December. With a festive décor and matching shop furnishings, you can attract potential visitors. But first, you have to get people passing by to come inside. How do you do that?

• Make your storefront the showpiece of your shop; raise the curiosity of people passing by and make it attractive for them to step inside. Tell your story or message conveniently with an easy-to-apply window film. Use window film as lettering or go for contour-cut decorations like Christmas balls, Christmas trees, and snowflakes to create a beautiful Christmas atmosphere.
• Use material suitable for temporary (Christmas) campaigns; an ideal material for window advertising is easy dot®, a cost and time-saving solution for the busy festive season. Air channels are created because the easy dot® adhesive is not uniform but consists of "dots". This makes it very easy to apply, reposition and remove the film without leaving any adhesive residue. Therefore, your designed, easy dot® stickers can be applied effortlessly by the end-user (e.g., your staff). Simply applying the sticker by hand is sufficient; any air bubbles are easily removed through the air channels in the adhesive. Did you apply something to the wrong place? No problem! easy dot® can be removed carefully and re-applied. Besides white or transparent, easy dot® is also available as a coloured film in the colours of gold, silver, red, blue, green, yellow and black. Perfect for the Christmas season! The colour films can be easily plotted or die-cut and are therefore ideal for window lettering and decorations.

Tip: For shop window advertising, the sticker is best applied to the inside of the window. This way the sticker is not only protected against vandalism, but it is also not exposed to weather conditions. In addition, the sticker adheres much better, because the inside of a window does not (easily) reach a temperature below zero. The sticker can be applied to the inside of the window by mirror-inverted printing on transparent material, making the advertising message optimally visible from the outside.

Transform your walls with print media for wall decoration

Naturally, wall coverings cannot be left out of an attractive Christmas decoration. You can think of several options for the decoration of walls. With contour-cut stickers made of easy dot® material, you can give your walls, doors, and displays a quick and easy makeover. Do you really want to go all the way? Then opt for a wall-to-wall design so that you stand out even more. Do you prefer materials with a more natural look? Then a PVC-free self-adhesive non-woven wallpaper for temporary applications is a good option. Neschen event fleece L-UV adh is an inexpensive self-adhesive non-woven material wallpaper, with a removable adhesive, for almost all smooth surfaces and therefore ideal for short-term promotions such as your Christmas campaign. Want a more luxurious look at Christmas? Then take a look at PVC-free self-adhesive banner material such as FILMOeco Kavalan Gecko FR-AD. This is a polyester textile banner especially for wallcoverings with a water-based PVC-free resin coating and equipped with a removable adhesive. Last but not least, FILMOeco Kavalan Gecko FR-AD, just like the easy dot® range and also the event fleece, is flame-retardant and certified according to EN 13501 (European test standard for reaction to fire).

Involve the floor in your festive decor as well

Shop windows, windows, and walls may be more obvious, but you can also use the floor for advertising and decoration. Floor graphics are ideal for advertising, decoration, or signage because they have high attention value. So use the floor for your Christmas campaign too, because your visitors literally cannot miss it when they walk on it. A good anti-slip certified material is absolutely essential here. Would you like more tips on using floor stickers? Then also read the associated blogs below with the most frequently asked questions about these materials.

Onyx Graphics today announced its new subscription RIP software ONYX Go has been named by the PRINTING United Alliance as the Best RIP Software of 2021. Available with soft-key activation providing near-instant access, ONYX Go is a month-to-month, no-contract, full-featured ONYX RIP solution with up to four Adobe PDF Print Engines (APPE); Job Editor to edit files before printing, unlimited roll-to-roll cutter support for complete Print-and-Cut workflows and supports up to two printers.

The PRINTING United Alliance Pinnacle Product Award competition evaluates products that will be available for sale in 2021. A highly qualified panel of judges from across the printing industry evaluated the annual contest’s 160+ entries in more than 58 categories spanning analog, digital, output, and non-output technologies.

“One of the things I like best about our competition is that it is juried, and judges are basing their decisions on objective criteria. And with outstanding entries like ONYX Go, they had their work cut out for them,” said Ray Weiss, Director of Digital Print Programs at PRINTING United Alliance. “The Pinnacle Product Award competition represents the best of the best among commercial hardware, software, consumables, industrial and screen equipment,” Weiss said. “Congratulations to Onyx Graphics for their deserved win.”

“We are delighted to accept this prestigious award from the PRINTING United Alliance,” said Matt Crawford, Director of Product Marketing at Onyx Graphics, Inc. “When our customers, peers and now industry leaders acknowledge the way ONYX Go is helping print businesses succeed, it furthers our commitment to developing best-in-class software solutions for the wide-format print industry.”

ONYX Go is available in two product tiers: ONYX Go Lite and ONYX Go Plus, to suit the needs of the print business. As part of their subscription, users get unlimited product support as well as product updates with in-product notifications to download the latest version. ONYX Go Lite is ideally suited for new print shops, while ONYX Go Plus is for growing print businesses.

Highlights of ONYX Go products include:

• ICC profiling and Media Manager
• Up to four Adobe PDF Print Engines
• Support for up to two printers
• Unlimited roll-to-roll cutter support
• Automated Print-and-Cut workflows
• Automatic media savings for nested jobs
• Job Editor for file editing and job preparation
• Quick Sets 2.0 and Hot Folders for automation
• Swatch Books 2.0 for colour matching
• Specialty ink support for white ink
• Bleed and Grommet finishing tools

Availability

ONYX Go is available now as a monthly subscription through PSW Paper & Print Limited. ONYX Go is open to existing ONYX users and other customers through a license subscription.

About Onyx Graphics, Inc.

Leading the market since 1989, Onyx Graphics is dedicated to helping customers increase productivity, reduce costs, and gain a competitive edge with superior software solutions for the print industry. Innovative, productive, and delighted customers around the globe help motivate the company to develop and enhance its leading-edge technologies. Global channel partnerships and longstanding relationships with printer manufacturers position Onyx Graphics as a market leader in powerful, reliable, large format printing workflow and print business software solutions. For more information, visit www.onyxgfx.com.

About PRINTING United Alliance
PRINTING United Alliance is the most comprehensive member-based printing and graphic arts association in the United States, comprised of the vast communities which it represents. The Alliance serves industry professionals across market segments with preeminent education, training, workshops, events, research, government and legislative representation, safety, and environmental sustainability guidance, as well as resources from the leading media company in the industry – NAPCO Media. Now a division of PRINTING United Alliance, Idealliance is the global leader in standards training and certification for printing and graphic arts operations across the entire industry supply chain. PRINTING United Alliance also produces the PRINTING United Expo, the most influential days in printing. The expansive display of technology and supplies, education, programming, and services are showcased to the industry at large, and represents all market segments in one easily accessed place.

Hahnemühle has been named German ‘Brand of the Century’ for the third time in a row. The paper manufactory and its worldwide distributed products will now carry the prestigious award and the associated brand logo for a further three years.

“We are proud to be recognised as an icon of the German economy once again. Especially during the time of the Corona crisis, we proved why we live up to the title ‘Brand of the Century’: We were and are always approachable for our customers in more than 130 countries around the world and have our products available. We have developed new products together with partners and done a lot in terms of sustainability,” says Jan Wölfle, CEO Hahnemühle Group.

For the third time in a row, after 2016 and 2019, an advisory board of top brand experts has evaluated Hahnemühle as ‘Brand of the Century. With the renewed award, the manufactory has confirmed its place in the top rank of well-known German brands. “The award is a first-class label for our new business unit ‘Stationery’ 

and a unique selling point in the industry of life science/filtration sector. In 2022 we as ‘Brand of the Century’ will also be celebrating our invention of Digital FineArt papers for inkjet printing 25 years ago,” Jan Wölfle is pleased about the current award and gives a little preview for the months ahead.

As ‘Brand of the Century’ Hahnemühle is represented in the globally recognised trademark register ‘German Standards’. The ‘Brand Bible’ is published every three years by the renowned publishing house DIE ZEIT and presents around 200 traditional and innovative German brands such as Hahnemühle.

About Hahnemühle

Hahnemühle FineArt has been producing paper since 1584. Today’s portfolio comprises traditional and digital FineArt papers for painting and printing and FineNotes Stationery products. Customer-specific development, production and finishing of life science solutions is also of great importance to the company since 1883.

The paper grades are produced according to ancient recipes from high-quality cotton fibres, pulp or fast-growing plant fibres and pure spring water. As an inventor and world market leader, Hahnemühle continuously refines its genuine artists’ papers for exclusive photo prints, digital art and art reproductions. The customised development and production of life science solutions is another focus.

All papers and life science solutions have leading-class quality attributes and excellent ageing resistance. Hahnemühle has a worldwide reputation as a ‘Brand of the Century' . Products are available in more than 130 countries worldwide.

The company is headquartered in Dassel, Southern Lower Saxony; with offices in the United Kingdom, France, USA, Singapore and China.

With its “Green Rooster” initiative Hahnemühle has been supporting both regional and international environmental protection projects since 2008, including reforestation, animal welfare and environmental education programmes. The long-established company produces papers in a protected natural reserve under strict environmental regulations and makes an important contribution to environmental and climate protection around the globe.

For further information on the brand, history and environmental responsibilities visit www.hahnemuehle.com

About German Standards – Brands of the Century

The ‘Brands of the Century’ have a unique history and have earned the trust of their customers, in some cases over decades. A panel of brand experts awards these successful brands every three years. The ‘Brands of the Century’ will celebrate their book premiere on 10 February 2022 in Berlin. The book and a digital strategy are produced by TEMPUS CORPORATE GmbH. Since the beginning of 2018, the “German Standards” have been published under the umbrella of ZEIT Verlagsgruppe.

Keencut is proud to announce that its Evolution3 SmartFold benchtop manual cutter has received a coveted PRINTING United Alliance 2021 Pinnacle Product Award. The Evolution3 won in the category for Lasers/Routers/Cutters (4’x8’ or larger).

The 2021 Pinnacle Product Award winners are a “who’s who” of the industry, and the competition was fierce – tenths of a point separated some entries. The competition is open to all new products of PRINTING United Alliance supplier members. A highly qualified panel of judges from across the printing industry evaluated the annual contest’s 160+ entries in more than 58 categories. “The Pinnacle Product Award competition represents the best of the best among commercial hardware, software, consumables, and industrial and screen equipment,” said Ray Weiss, Director of Digital Print Programs, PRINTING United Alliance.

Everyone at Keencut is absolutely delighted with the award and the recognition it gives to the design innovation and manufacturing quality of the Evolution3 SmartFold.

The Evolution3™ SmartFold is the most advanced horizontal manual cutter for high volume wide format print shops. With faster production, less wastage and improved finish quality, it increases the performance and profitability of the user. The Evolution3 cuts everything from 13mm ( ½”) foamboard to tissue paper and features Keencut’s unique Lift-and-Hover technology for accurate, fast single-handed material alignment. Accuracy is guaranteed within 0.2mm (0.008″) of straight line for the full length of cut.

Paul Moxon, chairman of Keencut, said, “This is an outstanding achievement. The Evolution3 revolutionises manual cutting offering technical developments not found on any other range of benchtop cutters. The award is a fitting accolade for all those who have worked on the development, manufacturing, and sales of this product”

About Keencut 

Keencut designs and manufactures manual cutters for the print finishing and picture framing markets, with world-leading accuracy and reliability. Products are sold around the globe to most countries in Europe, the USA, and as far afield as Russia and Australia.  

We design and manufacture our entire product range at the Keencut factory in Corby, UK. We use the finest materials and state of the art manufacturing techniques to ensure the highest quality and reliability, and our products come with a minimum five-year comprehensive guarantee plus a minimum 20-year guarantee on all rotating and sliding bearings.

With a broad range of manual cutters, Keencut meets the ever-increasing requirements of customers in the sign-making, large & small format printing, and picture framing industries. Our dedication to finding the ultimate precision engineering solution to each application means that our products have a worldwide reputation as the most accurate, reliable and easy to use.

If you are looking for precision and durability in your cutter, choose Keencut.

HP Inc. has introduced a range of DesignJet and PageWide XL Pro devices to equip large format print users with the technology to navigate and thrive in the new normal. The portfolios also deliver advanced photo and colour quality, enhanced precision, and new graphics application potential - all while driving improvements in sustainability.

With the two new HP DesignJet Z Pro devices, HP is offering print service providers (PSPs) and Geographic Information System (GIS) analysts the latest solutions to produce professional photo-quality prints and high precision colourful GIS-generated maps. Meanwhile, the three new HP PageWide XL Pro printers equip PSPs and reprohouses with the ability to respond faster to customer demands and diversify their existing capabilities.

“As our customers continue to grapple with uncertain business conditions following a uniquely challenging past couple of years, we know that expanding their print application reach, an ability to move fast, and outstanding colour and graphics performance define their large format printing needs”, said Daniel Martinez, General Manager, Large Format Business, HP. “This is why we’re introducing the new HP DesignJet Z Pro and HP PageWide XL Pro series. Both portfolios are designed to help users navigate uncertain demand, respond to tighter deadlines and unlock untapped potential in their own offerings.”

Highest colour quality with HP DesignJet

Marking the 30-year anniversary of the very first DesignJet product, the new HP DesignJet Z6 Pro and Z9+ Pro offer PSPs and GIS analysts respectively the highest professional photo quality and precision, along with leading security features.

Thanks to the chromatic RGB HP Vivid Photo Inks, HP DesignJet Z Pro users can now achieve 95% Pantone coverage – 26% more gamut compared to the previous generation – and produce prints with the image quality of a 12-ink printer with just nine inks. Additional features such as the High-Definition Nozzle Architecture (HDNA) printheads and dual drop technology, which reduces visible grain and eliminates the need for light coloured inks, promise prints with clear details and dazzling-contrasts.

The HP DesignJet Z9+ Pro, which offers the widest colour gamut in its category, is the perfect choice for PSPs looking for a professional photo quality printer. Users can customise ICC profiles for their print jobs and achieve desired colour accuracy and consistency.  PSPs also have the option to include the HP Gloss Enhancer Upgrade Kit to produce superior gloss uniformity.

Additionally, the HP PrintOS mobile app lets PSPs take more control of their print operations – from monitoring performance and reacting to issues, to sharing media pre-sets remotely. For the first time, the new HP DesignJet Z Pro printer series also incorporates the HP PrintOS Service Center application. This smart cloud-based solution enables users to gain a single, real-time view of all ongoing service cases, with updates that are accessible anytime, anywhere.

For GIS analysts looking to produce very precise maps, print sharp contour lines and text with close attention to keeping data secure, the new HP DesignJet Z6 Pro is the ideal printer. The Adobe PDF Print Engine enables excellent transparencies and layer reproductions - while HP’s HDNA printheads and HP Pixel Control deliver the highest precision, as well as smooth gradients and distinct shades of colour that are particularly needed for printing complex maps.

HP DesignJet Z6 Pro is the world's most secure large-format printer, promising the best data protection through encrypted communications and Access Control List. Features such as HP Connection Inspector, HP Secure Boot, and Whitelisting ensure the best network protection, putting all worries about data security to rest.

Both the HP DesignJet Z6 Pro and Z9+ Pro also enhance efficiency with the fastest media handling, spindle-less and automatic roll feed. The HP DesignJet Z6 Pro prints twice as fast on plain paper at the same quality while the HP DesignJet Z9+ Pro allows users to print up to 18% faster, with better quality, on satin photo media - and 46% faster on canvas.

Maximise productivity with HP PageWide XL Pro

HP has also announced three new HP PageWide XL Pro printers that enable retail PSPs and reprohouses to respond faster to customer demands, meeting tighter deadlines. Additionally, users will also be able to leverage new short-term applications including the potential to print on boards, cardstock, and paper from A2 to B1, and thickness up to 10mm.

The new HP PageWide XL Pro 5200 and HP PageWide XL Pro 8200 offer print speeds up to 20 D/A1 pages/min, and 4300 ft2/hr (400 m2/hr) and 30 D/A1 pages/min, and 5300 ft2/hr (500 m2/hr) respectively, enabling users to meet short turnaround time. With the PageWide XL Pro 8200 able to print mixed outputs of both CAD drawings and presentation boards, both printers are also capable of delivering full projects two to three times faster than before. With the new HP PageWide XL Pro 5200 and HP PageWide XL Pro 8200, users can also expand their print applications into two-sided, short-term retail posters, which can be easily managed with HP SmartStream.

Designed to help boost profits and cut costs, both the HP PageWide XL Pro 5200 and the HP PageWide XL Pro 8200 enable users to save up to 50% preparation and finishing costs. Using up to three-litre Original HP Eco-Carton ink cartridges, both printers ensure low running costs for CAD drawings and posters. Features such as the versatile stacker, inline folders and auto switch free up operation time, giving reprohouses the power to say yes to more print jobs.

The compact HP PageWide XL Pro 10000 boosts productivity with fast printing speeds of up to 700 m2 (7500 ft2) or 1,000 B1 posters per hour, and can print on different sizes materials, including paper and boards to cardstock and cutsheets. It also provides PSPs with the capability to deliver quick results with instant-dry prints on compatible substrates. With HP PrintOS, PSPs can easily control the operations of their fleet anywhere, anytime – while also enjoying simplified maintenance and fast start-up. The HP PageWide XL Pro 10000 also features the first HP large-format auto sheet feeder and versatile stacker, providing seamless end-to-end cut-sheet workflow.

HP – a partner in sustainability  

• The new HP DesignJet portfolio and HP PageWide XL Pro 10000 printer are all rated as ENERGY STAR 3.0 compliant and EPEAT registered, meaning they use less energy and are certified as environmentally preferred products.
• The new HP DesignJet Z Pro printers are made of 30% recycled plastic, using over eight 16.9-oz (0.5-L) bottles worth of ocean-bound plastic, and are fully compatible with large format FSC®-certified papers, a range of recyclable HP media and free, convenient take-back program for certain HP media.
• Both new portfolios are fully compatible with HP Eco Carton Cartridges, achieving up to 80% reduction in plastic. The outer carton of Eco-Carton cartridges can be disposed of through local cardboard recycling.
• Inks for the HP PageWide XL Pro 10000 printer are UL ECOLOGO® Certified and verified for Nordic Swan Ecolabel printing companies.
• HP PageWide XL and DesignJet prints are recyclable, returnable, or non-hazardous and safe for disposal.

Availability

The new HP PageWide XL Pro series is expected to be available in all major markets starting September 15th, and the new HP DesignJet Z6 Pro and Z9+ Pro on October 1st, 2021.

About HP

HP Inc. (NYSE: HPQ) creates technology that makes life better for everyone, everywhere. Through our product and service portfolio of personal systems, printers and 3D printing solutions, we engineer experiences that amaze.