Operating out of Toronto since 1986, Lamin-8 delivers printing, mounting and finishing services to clients across a whole host of sectors. Customers include commercial printers, graphic designers, architects, schools and students, professional photographers, galleries, artists, and commercial graphics providers.

Lamin-8 also works with a range of private clients, offering high quality print and finishing across all manner of applications. The company recently teamed up with Drytac to complete one such project: a bespoke dance floor for a wedding reception.

The application measured 20 x 20 ft and featured a black and white design, complete with the first initials of the bride and groom, along with their now-family name, the Archers. Other aspects of the design included a lined border around the edge of the dance floor and a large graphic in the centre.

Core challenges for Lamin-8 included ensuring the printed piece would not be damaged by people dancing on top of the application during the reception. In addition, Lamin-8 had to consider issues such as potential slip risks that the graphic may pose.

For this reason, Lamin-8 chose to work with Drytac SpotOn Floor 200. This monomeric PVC film is designed for use in short-term, indoor floor graphics without the need for lamination.

“We have been working with Drytac products for more than 20 years and they are well known for delivering amazing solutions for use in many different applications,” Lamin-8 president Michael Isaacs said. “For this project, we chose to work with SpotOn Floor 200 as we know that it is great for short-term applications. We had used this product before in an airport and were well aware of its qualities.”

Lamin-8 printed all graphics for the application in house using its HP Scitex FB500 flatbed printer and installed the piece on site for the customer.

“Our client was taken aback with the quality and performance of the product,” Michael said. “Another key feature was the removal; this was a quick process that required little effort and left no adhesive behind on the floor.”

Staged for the first time in 2018, the Calgary National Bank Challenger is an indoor competition that is hosted at the Osten & Victor Alberta Tennis Centre, not far from Print Three Calgary’s facility in the Canadian city.

Print Three Calgary has worked with the event on several occasions, including in 2022 when it produced a range of colourful floor graphics. Organizers contacted the printing specialist again for the 2023 competition, requesting another set of floor graphics for a promotional event at the nearby Core Shopping Centre.

The idea was to create a temporary, indoor tennis court at the mall where visitors could take part in tennis challenges at the location to win free tickets to the Calgary National Bank Challenger and various other prizes.

Print Three Calgary was tasked with producing floor graphics depicting the tennis court. These graphics were to also feature official event branding and the names of companies supporting the contest, including both Print Three and Drytac.

Building on the success of the 2022 event, Print Three Calgary once again chose to work with Drytac, selecting SpotOn Floor 200 monomeric PVC film to produce the graphics. SpotOn Floor 200, which was also used for graphics at the 2022 competition, is designed for short-term, indoor non-slip floor graphics.

Print Three Calgary printed a total of 18 panels for the job, piecing them together to create the 36 x 26 ft (11 x 8 m) application. The company printed all graphics in house using its HP Latex 335 printer.

“We have been working with Drytac’s SpotOn and ReTac products on a wide range of applications for a number of years now; they have always been great materials for us to work with,” said Mark Eisan, general manager of Print Three Calgary. “This was another example of this success.”

The goal was to showcase the beauty of director and producer Yorgos Lanthimos’ filmmaking and offer cinemagoers a tangible piece of the movie’s magic to take home. Recognizing the opportunity to contribute to the film’s immersive experience, Kodak stepped in to help bring this vision to life on the printed page.

The result: a bespoke Poor Things postcard collection featuring images captured on the film’s set.

The 11-panel postcard sets were printed on a Kodak Prosper Ultra 520 Press 3-up on Pixelle Enhanced HiBrite paper (185 gsm / 125# text).  Upon printing, the sets were cut, perforated and fan-folded. In total, Kodak produced 110,000 postcard sets to support the global launch of the movie across multi markets including the U.S., U.K. and EMEA.

“The Poor Things postcard collection is not just a promotional endeavour; it’s a celebration of the craftsmanship and artistry that goes into creating memorable cinematic experiences. This joint project has shown that the Prosper Ultra 520 Press is ideally suited to efficiently producing high-quality, high-ink coverage work with short lead times,” said Denisse Goldbarg, chief marketing officer and head of EAMER Sales, Kodak.

A hugely popular event on the NHL calendar, the Heritage Classic is a regular season outdoor game featuring two Canadian NHL teams playing in football stadiums in Canada. The spectacle sees a temporary outdoor ice rink installed in the stadium and the surrounding areas are also transformed to mark the occasion.

This year’s game between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers took place on October 29^th at the Commonwealth Stadium in Edmonton, with the Oilers running out 5-2 winners. The event drew the support of many Canadian companies including WestJet Airlines, which, as the official airline of the game, ran several special initiatives.

One of these was a fan activation area outside the stadium, where visitors were invited to learn more about its beach holidays. WestJet’s agency partner XMC reached out to Pivotal Signs and Imaging, also located in Edmonton, for support with the project.

The activation area was based around a small version of an ice hockey rink. However, the twist was that instead of the usual cold ice surface, this was transformed to mimic a sandy beach. Fans could take part in a scoring game on the surface by shooting pucks into a cut-out hole in the hockey goal at one end of the rink.

Pivotal Signs and Imaging used Drytac Polar Grip to create the floor graphics part of the area. The sandy beach graphics, along with the slogan ‘Love Where You’re Going’, were printed onto the vinyl using an HP Latex 700 printer. Graphics were matched with Interlam Pro Emerytex slip-rated overlaminate to protect the graphic and ensure the safety of those shooting pucks.

“The vinyl was chosen to stick to a hard plastic surface that had low surface energy,” Pivotal Signs and Imaging president Jody Gough said. “We needed it to stay down for two days, and the textured laminate was to insure no one slipped while shooting pucks. Over 2,000 people shot pucks off this with no slips and very little damage to the vinyl!”

Thanks to the introduction of a new Under 16 AA League, the Saskatoon Bridge City Blues is a brand new team that needed both a custom logo and hockey jerseys before kicking off their inaugural season. Huber and his team at Minuteman Press stepped up to design the logo and outfit the team.

Kurt shares, “In May of 1983, Saskatoon lost out on a bid to buy the St. Louis Blues NHL team. While that wasn’t meant to be, we now have the Bridge City Blues here in Saskatoon. For the logo and these jerseys, I’ve been involved in AA hockey and Saskatoon for the last 15 years. They asked me if I would be willing to take on the task of trying to come up with the logo.  So, we threw some names around and one of my suggestions was the Blues.  It was out of respect for the fact that we almost got the St. Louis Blues here, so it plays into the history of our community.”

Kurt continues, “The rest of the board decided to go with the Bridge City Blues so I instructed my two graphic designers to come up with a fresh logo. They came up with four different versions and the board picked the current version that’s now on the jersey. We had the jerseys made through a sublimation supplier.”

As the Saskatoon Minor Hockey Association kicks off its 50^th year in 2024 and the U16AA Bridge City Blues begins its first season, Kurt has one thing left to say: “Go Blues!”

Tint’D specialises in providing film and graphics solutions to a wide range of customers. Its client base includes major brands such as Amazon, Gucci and Starbucks.

Another customer, Safe Software, recently approached Tint’D for support with a wide-scale project centred on a rebrand of the business. Safe Software required the interior of its offices, located near the Tint’D production facility, to be refreshed to reflect its new branding.

Working in partnership with designer 123 West, Tint’D was tasked with creating wall murals and graphics that showcased the refreshed brand. The entire project involved producing and installing wall mural applications and printed cut vinyl onto more than 50 walls throughout the Safe Software site.

For this particular project, Tint’D opted for Drytac’s Polar Premium Air Permanent self-adhesive vinyl with air egress technology in a matte finish. This was coupled with Interlam Pro Matte pressure sensitive overlaminating film to provide protection for the graphics.

All graphics – which were installed in April 2023 – were printed in-house using Tint’D’s HP Latex 700W machine.

“We decided to work with these materials as not only do they offer a significant cost difference when compared to other products, but they also allow for excellent adhesion to the walls with easy bubble-free installation,” Tint’D Business Development Specialist Lisa Shoji said. “The whole team at Safe Software was delighted with the outcome of the final project and loved the graphics.”

The Brooks Exhilarate-BL features 3DNA, a 3D-printed midsole technology that delivers a propulsive, bouncy ride. Brooks will release a limited number of Exhilarate-BL pairs, as part of a test and learn program, to select Brooks Wear Testers and Brooks Run Club loyalty members who have synced their wearable devices through Brooks’ platform, in partnership with DashLX.

Through wearables, Brooks is able to access runner data including their stride lengths, cadences, and other factors influenced by height and weight that will help inform future iterations of Brooks shoes featuring 3DNA.

Nikhil Jain, director of footwear product line management and BlueLine at Brooks, says, “Using HP’s 3D printing technology has allowed our design team to fine-tune elements of the midsole right down to the millimeter in ways that wouldn’t have otherwise been possible. As a brand rooted in the science that every individual has a unique motion path, we’re just scratching the surface in terms of how we can change the underfoot experience and use 3D printing to deliver a premium, performance run experience with the potential for greater optimization.”

Owned by Creative Education of Canada, Great Pretenders designs and manufactures dress-up, toys, jewellery, and accessories for children. The brand recently opened a new space at FAO Schwarz in New York to reach more customers in the U.S. and required help decorating the facility.

The company approached Riverside Print & Graphics, located near its own base in Ontario, to assist with the project. The brief was to create child-friendly graphics that reflected the fairy-tale stories made believable with Great Pretenders.

However, this came with the additional challenge of completing the job on a “rush” basis, with Great Pretenders requiring fast turnaround on the job so that the new space could open on time.

A specialist in delivering high-quality print work at short notice, Riverside was happy to help. Riverside opted for Drytac’s ReTac Smooth 150 media.

All the graphics, which included castle-style wall designs complete with fire-breathing dragons and other mythical beasts, were printed in-house on a Mimaki JV100-160. Graphics were applied to standard flat walls, as well as in and around arch doorways to provide a fully immersive effect for visitors.

“We chose ReTac as we know it’s dependable and easy to install,” said Barb Hayes, customer service representative at Riverside. “After meeting with the customer and providing printed samples, we chose not to laminate the graphics as they wanted more of a realistic finish.

“It was definitely an exciting project as it was such a fun design. The graphics were produced onsite at Riverside Print & Graphics in Canada and were taken to New York to be installed by the Great Pretenders and the Creative Education of Canada staff. They were very happy with the results!

“Special recognition is owed to Meg Forstmanis, Lindsay Eve and Kira Brown of Great Pretenders for their exceptional work in designing and executing this remarkable display. Their hard work deserves all the praise for bringing this project to life!”

Katie Mazur, e-commerce and digital marketing manager at Great Pretenders, was full of praise for Riverside, saying the graphics have received excellent feedback from all quarters.

“There has been a really positive response from the staff and management at FAO Schwarz, as well as customers at the store, and also internally within the Great Pretenders team,” Katie concludes.

The Canadian company has been working with the local university on a wide range of projects for more than 17 years. The latest project celebrated the success of the Winnipeg Wesmen sports teams with wall graphics being produced to decorate surfaces inside the university.

Having worked with Drytac materials for over five years, Lea Marc was already up to speed on the benefits of using these materials for both interior and exterior graphics. However, the challenge in this project was to account for the different surfaces the murals would be applied to.

Lea Marc selected Drytac Polar Grip for the graphics on brick walls and ReTac Smooth 150 for murals that were placed on concrete walls inside the university building. The company purchased both of the materials from approved Drytac distributor, ND Graphics Winnipeg Manitoba.

Working with the marketing department at the University of Winnipeg, the graphics were prepped and printed in-house using an HP Latex 360 before being applied to the walls in April of this year, covering what were previously dull and plain surfaces with eye-catching images of the university’s sports stars in action.

“The university was looking for images to cover brick and concrete walls that would include both inclusivity and newer images in high traffic areas,” Lea Marc Principal Brian Matychuk said. “We were selected based on our ability to provide a finished product that would enhance the images.”

Staff at the athletics department were delighted with the end product, with Brian saying Lea Marc is now looking forward to working with the university and its Winnipeg Wesmen teams on future projects.

“Along with a friendly, caring attitude we continue to gain the trust of both existing and new customers,” Matychuk said. “We are continually trying to supply our base with innovative ideas and solutions.”

Founded in 2017, TF Massif is an incredibly forward-thinking company, developing solutions for some of the most unique applications in the market. Using its technology innovations and green process, TF Massif has developed what it says to be the first product to market to effectively electrify flexible printed graphics.

Until recently, TF Massif had solely been integrating smart flexible LEDs and sensors into printed graphics to bring them to life, with this service being offered to event, trade show and retail clients via its Captiva Innovations marketing arm.

However, for one of its most recent projects TF Massif opted to stretch the boundaries of its technology by partnering with electronic paper (ePaper) specialist EINK to introduce a whole new product offering that not only creates one-of-a-kind effects, but also consumes very little power to be activated.

“Smart LEDs emit light and have a pinpoint effect,” said TF Massif president Judith Stewart. “ePaper, however, is reflective by nature, so it is ultra-low power and allows us to create a sense of movement in a whole new way by activating individual parts or segments of the printed graphics, such as shapes and letters.

“The green circuit production process is fully automated using the TFMassif Circuit Fabrication Tool mounted on a Zünd cutter and is as convenient as vinyl cutting. The Flex LEDs, ePaper and controllers are simply placed like stickers, and the final product is powered by either a 5V USB cell phone charger or power outlet.”

However, a challenge arose when it came to protecting the circuit on the back of the graphic. This required a self-adhesive film with a unique set of properties that would not impact its performance. This task was made even trickier as the lamination of the Flex LEDs, sensors and ePaper with standard self-adhesive vinyl would lead to unsightly bubbles. Having been using Drytac materials in other applications since 2017, TF Massif reached out to the self-adhesive specialist for a solution.

It was soon discovered that the dot adhesive pattern on Drytac SpotOn media would enable a clean lamination, ensuring the circuit was protected.

“The superior adhesive and vinyl compared to competing products ensures the products are durable,” Judith Stewart said. “The response from our customers has been very positive; they understand that our technology innovation opens up a whole new world, creative-wise.

“Integrating accent lights, ePaper and sensors into a rollable poster or banner enables myriad new applications in POP, home and corporate wall décor or branding, advertising, and trade show promotion. Customers are always amazed by how thin and flexible the circuit is, and how a few LEDs or ePaper segments can bring a graphic to life in such a unique way.

“Printed graphics can now be active, interactive and even responsive by integrating, smart flexible components. Imagination is the only limit!”

Prior to the advent of this technology, it was the job of gifted scientific illustrators to take data, field notes, samples and specimens and turn them into scientifically accurate illustrations for use in papers and lectures.

“When I joined the University of Toronto [U of T] in 1963, the technology associated with teaching was starting to change,” said Harold Harvey, a professor emeritus in the department of ecology and evolutionary biology in the Faculty of Arts and Science. “But before that, you would come to your lecture with your hand-painted wallchart – maybe 4 x 5 ft in size – hang it up at the front of the classroom and teach with it.”

In what was then known as the department of zoology, those illustrations and charts were the creations of the late Irene Nosyk, a U of T staff artist from 1952 to 1976. During that time, she produced some 2,000 illustrations, paintings and wallcharts for use in publications and lectures.

It was a remarkable array of work, depicting a menagerie of organisms from marine invertebrates and insects to protozoa. She frequently sketched specimens while peering at them through a microscope. According to a 1957 Toronto Daily Star article, her work “received praise from other Canadian universities and from centres in New York.”

Nosyk was born in Chortkiv in western Ukraine in 1928. Following the Second World War, her family moved to Prague and then to Austria where she received artistic training at the University of Innsbruck, as well as the art academy of the Austrian artist Anton Kirchmayr. As she grew as an artist, her works were included in exhibitions and she was eventually offered a scholarship in Rome.

Before she could accept and continue her artistic training, her family moved to Winnipeg in 1949. Soon after, they moved to Toronto, where her father found work as a lab assistant in U of T’s department of zoology. Nosyk attended the Ontario College of Art before being hired as the zoology department’s illustrator.

Nosyk died in 2016, but the charts and some of her related paintings are preserved at the University of Toronto Archives & Records Management Services (UTARMS), thanks to the care and forethought of Janet Mannone, the undergraduate co-ordinator in the department of zoology for many years; Garron Wells, former university archivist; and Marnee Gamble, special media archivist at UTARMS.

A selection of Nosyk’s work is currently on display in the St. George lobby of the Ramsay Wright building, a reminder not only of her artistry and scientific acumen, but also of a bygone era of research and academia.

This article was originally published in the University of Toronto website.

The new design will span across all physical and digital touchpoints, including packaging, fountain and cooler equipment, fleet, fashion and dining.

The new logo and visual identity pays homage to the brand’s rich heritage while taking a big leap toward the future.

“At PepsiCo, we design our brands to tell a compelling and holistic story. Pepsi is a shining example of a brand that has consistently reinvented itself over 125 years to remain a part of pop culture and a part of people’s lives,” said Mauro Porcini, SVP & chief design officer of PepsiCo. “We designed the new brand identity to connect future generations with our brand’s heritage, marrying distinction from our history with contemporary elements to signal our bold vision for what’s to come.”

Key design elements include:

• the Pepsi globe and wordmark unite to fit into a variety of settings and emphasize the distinctive Pepsi branding;
• an updated colour palette introduces electric blue and black to bring contrast, vibrancy, and a contemporary edge to the classic Pepsi colour scheme;
• given the brand’s continued focus on Pepsi Zero Sugar, the design brings in the color black, further showing the brand’s commitment to Pepsi Zero Sugar in the future;
• a new visually distinct can silhouette, which heroes the iconic Pepsi can as an accessible brand for all;
• a modern, custom typeface that reflects the brand’s confidence and unapologetic mindset; and
• the signature Pepsi pulse evokes the “ripple, pop and fizz” of Pepsi-Cola with movement.

It also brings the rhythm and energy of music, an important and continuing part of the Pepsi legacy.

Specialising in signs and graphics, Ontario-based FastSigns Kitchener-Waterloo regularly works with developers to support their projects in the region and help spread the word about their exciting plans amongst members of the community.

For this project, FastSigns Kitchener-Waterloo linked up with HIP Developments on a project in the Gaslight District, which focused on the transformation of an existing building and making additional commercial space available for lease.

FastSigns Kitchener-Waterloo’s role was to produce and install window graphics on the outside of second-floor windows, with the aim of drawing attention to the new opportunities at the location. In total, the company was tasked with creating 32 window graphics each measuring approximately 3 ft wide x 6 ft high.

The main challenge for the company was temperature, with the job taking place during Ontario’s harsh winter in December. As such, FastSigns Kitchener-Waterloo required a material that would adhere reliably in the cold weather and stand the test of time over the winter months.

After consultation with Drytac-approved distributor ND Graphics, the company opted for Drytac Polar Smooth 150, with all graphics printed onto the film in-house on an Epson SureColor SC-S60600.

“We selected the Drytac Polar Smooth 150 primarily because our rep, Joe Stomp at the ND Graphics London branch, convinced us of the low temperature capabilities of this film,” said FastSigns Kitchener-Waterloo’s owner Rob Richmond. “The customer was extremely happy with the final application. The punchy designs that the agency came up with were great and the Drytac product performed exactly how we wanted it to, with no edge curl or lifting following such a cold installation.”

The building in question, 601 West Hastings, reaches up 26 stories into the British Columbia sky. Premier Graphics were handed the task of bringing a fresh feel to the otherwise-dull stairwells that people use to travel up and down the tower.

Each floor of the stairwell was to feature a printed image of a different scene from the local outdoor area, along with a famous, inspirational quote, adding a completely different feel to the previously grey and uninspiring walls.

The first major challenge Premier Graphics faced was that the surfaces were a mixture of drywall and concrete, while the sheer size of the project, which covered an area of more than 1,600 sf, meant the company had to select a reliable and high-quality material. In addition, the materials had to comply with strict Canadian Fire Ratings.

Premier Graphics opted to use Drytac Polar Premium Air self-adhesive vinyl combined with Interlam Pro Emerytex laminate, purchased through Drytac dealer ND Graphics. The vinyl has a permanent adhesive with bubble-free application technology, which made installation easy.

Premier Graphics printed all the images on its HP R1000 Plus Latex printer, resulting in a series of graphics that now adorn the walls of stairwells up and down the tower. The graphics were installed in late summer of 2022.

Premier Graphics’ general manager, Taylor Sellinger, praised the performance of Drytac Polar Premium Air, saying working with the vinyl meant the company was able to deliver a high-quality application on all surfaces in the stairwells.

“Working with Drytac Polar Premium Air combined with Interlam Pro Emerytex laminate meant we were able to achieve a great look and also deliver graphics that boast a long-lasting scratch resistant finish, meaning the wall coverings will stand the test of time in these high-traffic areas,”Sellinger said. “The client absolutely loved it. Not only did the project meet all technical requirements, but also both the client and the tenants of the building loved that the graphics beautified a typically dark and dreary part of the building.”

Produced for the ‘Constructing Identities’ MUSA exhibition in Miami, Fla., the window mural was designed to recreate a Latinx visual universe, exploring gender identity, religious iconography and Latin American pop art.

The project was the culmination of a three-year process, with research having been carried out in Argentina, Mexico and the Latin American community in New York.

The graphics were printed on a Mimaki UCJV300-160 UV LED roll-to-roll printer. Mimaki USA, a long-term user of Drytac materials, selected Drytac ViziPrint Impress Clear for the project. Ernest Contreras, print solution supervisor at Mimaki USA, said the use of this film meant the piece was able to take advantage of lighting from both inside and outside the venue.

He explained, “During the day, it created a striking wall art piece with the outdoor light shining in, and during the evening, it transformed the area with a backlit effect from the indoor lighting. The ease of installation and removal of the graphics were very important aspects of the decision to use Drytac ViziPrint as the windows needed to be left clean after removal.”

The project was awarded the SUNY PACC Prize and showcased at the Argentine Consulate in New York, as well as the Art and Design Gallery at the Fashion Institute of Technology.

Creative Silhouettes was approached by the City of Toronto and real estate company Brookfield Properties to produce an eye-catching piece of print that would brighten up a large space at the outdoor location.

The aim of the project was not to advertise or promote a product or service, but to introduce a splash of colour to the otherwise dull, beige colour of the building.

Creative Silhouettes used an HP R1000 Latex printer to produce the final graphic, which measured 60 x 35 ft. Installed in early September 2022, it now colourfully towers over passers-by in Toronto.

“We chose Drytac Polar Grip as we have used the product a number of times in the past, so our team is highly familiar with its properties and qualities,” said Giovani Pereira, project and business development manager at Creative Silhouettes. “We have been using this material for the past three years in a wide range of applications. Drytac Polar Grip was the ideal solution for this job in particular as it is able to hold well in both hot and cold weather on rough surfaces, such as the building at the intersection, meaning it will stand up to the elements. The customers were incredibly happy with the look of the final project, as are we as a team.”

“The ability to transform a generic fabric with custom prints creates a sofa that can change with the owner’s tastes and provides a lifetime of value,” said Phil Oakley, director of UK and Ireland at Kornit Digital. “With digital production technology, there’s no need to throw away older sofas. It allows owners to redesign the furniture’s look and feel quickly, easily, and cost-effectively.”

“Our sofas are design-led, offering customers total freedom to create a sofa that is unique and special and doesn’t exist in the market,” said Jacob Peres, co-founder of Cozmo. “Working with Kornit, we’re not only putting creativity in the buyer’s hands, but also allowing the market to respond quickly to changing customer demand. We’re very pleased of our collaboration with Kornit and Raw-Edges, which is unlocking new levels of creativity with highly sustainable digital production.”

The sofa collection was produced using Kornit’s Presto direct-to-fabric digital production system.

Created by Warner Bros. and Superfly X – A Brand Experience company, the FRIENDS Experience is an interactive celebration of the iconic TV show. Thousands of fans of the hit U.S. sitcom are expected to descend on the Yorkdale Shopping Centre to enjoy a number of experiences, including the opportunity to visit replica sets of the main characters’ apartments and view official show memorabilia.

To help promote the event, Superfly X reached out to Global Printing Enterprises to print a range of graphics and hoardings at Yorkdale Mall, an Oxford Properties managed company. These were installed over the Canada Day Weekend (July 1 to 4) at the centre square of Yorkdale Shopping Centre to draw the attention of passers-by.

The eye-catching entrance graphics replicated the famous picture frame installed around the door fisheye in one of the apartments on the show. Other graphics installed outside of the event venue included wayfinding signage, large QR codes that fans could scan to book tickets instantly, as well as famous quotes and phrases from the show.

In total, the graphics covered an area of more than 15,000-sf, but took the team at Global Printing Enterprises, working in partnership with installation specialist Install Nation, just five days to print and install.

Global Printing Enterprises opted for Drytac ReTac Smooth 150 as the material for all of the event graphics.

“The base wall had been painted over vinyl graphics, creating a difficult surface to adhere any type of graphics film to,” said Global Printing Enterprises president Carlo Toscano. “In consultation with Dennis LeBlanc from Drytac, we decided to use an old school multi-layer installation technique.

“When you look at the wall in its entirety, it looks as if we printed the background and graphics at the same time, when in reality, the back black and purple were applied first.

“Then came the challenge; using laser levels, the team at Install Nation installed with precision all the components you see on top of the already installed panels. It’s a longer process, but when done properly and with highly skilled installers it makes for a clean and symmetrical image.”

Carlo added that the flexibility of Drytac ReTac Smooth 150, in particular the ability to install the film quickly and for it to remain affixed with the ability for removability, was essential in the project.

“This product allows the client to change the message if required, update the marketing and add components to the wall without removal of the entire graphic,” Carlo said. “The science behind the adhesive is genius, and without it we couldn’t have completed this project in the manner we did.”

All of the graphics were printed on an HP Latex 3100, which meant the company was able to utilize dual roll printing for maximum printing speeds.

“Drytac ReTac Smooth 150 works extremely well with HP inks; consistent bright and vivid printing with all the advantages of an environmentally friendly ink product that meets indoor air quality standards,” Carlo said. “We believe in using products that are environmentally friendly and, where possible, products that are PVC-free or manufactured using recycled products. Especially for this indoor project, the use of HP inks was essential in providing a safe environment for everyone inside the mall.”

Carlo added, “The client was impressed with not only the quality of print and installation, but also the solution to use multiple layers, as it offered a cost-effective way to introduce new graphics and elements as required.”

Marlin Spring, an integrated real estate company that acquires, develops, constructs, and repositions assets throughout North America, tasked Minoh with producing graphics featuring inspirational wording that portrayed its core principles and aims as a business.

The project included an innovative set of graphics to be placed in and around three video screens installed on an interior wall at Marlin Spring, with the screens overlapping the wording without completely blocking the oversized text.

Other aspects of the job included a graphic that listed all the key amenities in the area local to Marlin Spring’s latest real estate project in Toronto, with the aim of capturing the attention of consumers and showcasing the benefits of living in the region.

The nature of the project led Minoh, a long-term user of Drytac materials, to select Drytac ReTac Textures Linen – supplied by ND Graphics – for the project. Suitable for the production of eye-catching graphics in business, retail, display and home environments, the polymeric self-adhesive vinyl has an ultra-removable adhesive backing, meaning it can be easily repositioned and removed time and time again, without leaving any residue on the surface – even years later.

The graphics were printed by Minoh on an HP Latex 365 printer and installed onsite by Minoh.

“The customer was absolutely over the moon with the look of the graphics after they were installed on the walls,” said Minoh sales manager Steven Mayers. “Such was the success of the job that the client will be looking to use this method again on other projects and we look forward to supporting them with future jobs. The Minoh team was also incredibly impressed with Drytac ReTac Textures Linen as a product, and we will most certainly be using the material again in the future. It was incredibly easy to install and was great to work with, from start to finish.”

First launching the campaign in 2020, Hershey collaborated with HP Indigo and used a HP Indigo 20000 digital press by Brazilian print service provider Camargo Cia de Embalagens Ltda, to develop 320,000 limited edition #HerShe chocolate bars. The campaign, which featured artwork to celebrate the talent of female musicians, illustrators, photographers and poets throughout Brazil, saw huge success. In Brazil, the parallel social media campaign reached close to 2 billion impressions.

Fast forward to 2022, the campaign is being run in collaboration with HP Indigo digitally printed packaging for a third time and will help make ‘invisible women, visible’ by supporting gender equality through a global movement that celebrates female achievements in science, business, sports, activism, and music. This year, the Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Bars will feature a QR code, also printed with an HP Indigo 20000 digital press, that will open consumers’ eyes to the many contributions of women, beyond each bar. Additionally, HP will be unveiling a film with Hershey, amplifying how HP Indigo’s digitally printed packaging can be used, not only to keep food safe and airtight, but also to elevate brand engagement through the co-creation of user generated content, to become the ultimate vehicle for cultural relevance and on-pack storytelling.

“Empowering women, and advancing diversity, equity and inclusion is a business priority for us. We invite new perspectives, ideas, and experiences in everything we do to reflect the diversity of consumers around the world. Throughout the campaign, HP has helped us to open our eyes to the power of digitally printed packaging, allowing us to engage with our audience in a creative and unique way while celebrating women and their achievements globally,” said Santhi Ramesh, CMO International, the Hershey Company.

Commenting on the campaign, Jose Gorbea, global head of brands, agencies & sustainability, HP Indigo, said, “I’ve loved seeing how the #HerShe campaign has evolved over the past three years, and I’m excited to see what other personalized storytelling opportunities HP’s digital print technology can achieve in order to make tangible connections and further engagements with consumers.”

WCD was tasked by planning, design and construction business WII Projects Calgary to create a café/kitchen experience for the business, with the aim of not only overhauling the look of the facility, but also ensuring maximum protection for staff using the refreshment area.

The primary challenge for WCD centred around the protection element, with the company having to source a material that would help cut the risk of the virus spread among workers using the facility, while at the same time not impacting the look of the new images or surfaces underneath.

WCD opted for Drytac Protac AMP, a clear textured polyester surface protection film with Microban antimicrobial protection, which reduces the chance of mould growth and bacterial contamination on high-risk touch-surfaces, such as counters in food preparation areas.

Drytac Protac AMP functioned as a laminate and was applied to surfaces throughout the kitchen area. The clarity of the film meant the graphics design underneath was clearly visible. Additionally, Protac AMP did not impact the performance of the graphics or the food preparation surfaces.

Stacy Underhill, WCD signage solution specialist (national) explained, “With Drytac Protac AMP, WCD was able to provide added protection against viruses and harmful germs. Thanks to its matte finish, we were able to protect the surface’s graphics without light washout to the graphics. The antimicrobial qualities of Drytac Protac AMP also means the area requires less cleaning, which in turn ensures the vinyl-covered areas are much less susceptible to damage from constant wiping and scrubbing.”

Contemporary communication models
The word “haptics” describes the stimulation of the senses, primarily by the perception of physical characteristics. In our increasingly data-driven world and electronic era, we are all confronted daily by the continual and constant communications displayed on computer screens and mobile phones. This visual barrage of data can create a weariness of information fatigue.

However, our thoughts and feelings will always be most dramatically impacted by the power of touch. This is the reason why the physical aspect of “haptic printing” offers such an inspirational and hopeful future for consumer marketing professionals.

Creating a deeper reality
Haptic printing involves the elevation of traditional flat, two-dimensional ink and paper to three-dimensional textures, patterns and sculptured special effects. These decorative embellishments are often accompanied by additional eye-catching, sensory enhancements such as metallic foils, chemical coatings and lamination films.

Haptic printing generates a stronger, deeper and more meaningful engagement with the printed piece because it increases the physical nature of the printed communication format.

The value of dimensional design and sensory print
The impact of haptic physical print experiences is far greater than traditional flat 2D impressions. This is because the human eye perceives the layers of special effects and it resonates deeper into the consciousness. A finger that runs over the embellishments generates more neurological activity than mere optical awareness. The skin encounters a sensation of awareness that transmits information to the brain and embeds itself as a more memorable encounter than is possible with regular printed communications.
As a result, haptic prints get more attention and get held longer in the hand. This opens up new possibilities of successful impact for consumer marketing strategies and brand management tactics.

Creative marketing and better brand management
Haptic printing creates true physical touchpoints and “impact moments”. In contemporary marketing, every micro-second counts. Digital printed special effects create a more interactive brand experience. Dimensional messaging creates memories that linger longer in the mind and fuel consumer decision-making processes by creating greater “perceived value” to products with a higher sense of quality.

The consciousness of content
Improved “perceived value” translates into more “perceived ownership” for consumer purchasing processes. This strengthens and accelerates the inclination to associate value with a particular brand and is the core print project goal of every consumer marketing campaign. Ultimately, a more significant and interactive print experience will be interpreted as an aspect of quality for the product and attribute of the brand itself.

Over time, this type of haptic printing can help secure customer relationships and produce far greater sales revenue than average flat colour printing. The greater optical and physical encounters of sensory special effects become magnets of attraction for buyers and brands.

Marketing “consumer quality” as a brand asset
Sensory-based dimensional printing creates a competitive differential in the marketplace. The higher value of the printed communication piece equates to the product to which it refers. Truly successful brands compete on value and, thus, can command premium pricing that offers higher profit margins. Commodity products compete on price and, therefore, can only survive on supply chain models of mass-market distribution and are always vulnerable to erosions of market share by disruptive forces.

Clocks and credit cards
In business, time is money and every brand marketing campaign is designed to attract and keep attention for as long as possible. The target audience of consumers and shoppers is, conversely, racing against the clock in a very busy world and inclined to try and make purchase decisions as quickly as possible.
However, this dynamic of time and money is precisely why haptic printing is such a compelling solution for consumer marketing professionals at brands and agencies. It creates a more engaging, optical, sensory and interactive print experience that encourages long-term product affinity. It also stimulates impulse purchases in the store, a longer mail moment in the mind and even a sense of unboxing excitement for e-commerce packages when they arrive.

In conclusion, new technologies of dimensional design and sensory communications are actively creating future possibilities of “feeling print” and not just viewing or reading it. This can greatly help energize consumer marketing messages and animate brand images via a greater perception of physical reality – with the power of touch in the hand and the sparkle of light in the eye.

Premier Graphics was approached by the Very Good Food Company and construction firm Pacific Solutions Contracting in late 2020 to produce window graphics to cover up building work that was taking place at a retail location in Mount Pleasant, a neighbourhood in Vancouver.

The project challenged Premier Graphics to create graphics offering a high impact and high contrast design, while allowing adequate ambient light to pass into the facility to assist with ongoing construction work inside. The graphics also needed to cover window panels measuring 21ft tall.

Premier Graphics selected Drytac SpotOn White Matte monomeric PVC film, a solution that is specifically designed for short-term applications, such as point-of-purchase retail signage. The film features a ‘dot pattern’ adhesive that enables easy bubble-free application on a variety of smooth interior surfaces, windows, and glass.

“As our vertical panels of material were so tall, having a material with minimal stretch and good adhesion during cold temperatures on our December install day was crucial for a great final product with minimal seams,” says Taylor Sellinger, general manager of Premier Graphics. “The film met all the challenges, and our panel registration was completely accurate, even while working with such long individual panels.”

The graphics were printed using an HP Latex 365 device and will only remain in place for six months. Sellinger emphasized it was also important for the material to be easily removable without leaving any residue on the windows.

Established in 2006, Premier Graphics re-invented itself in 2020 and is now established as a full-service graphics production and installation company. The business has plans to expand further in 2021, with a new HP R1000 printer due to be installed at its new production site.

The client required Warwick Printing to design, print and install 48 individual wall panels to create a mural spanning the store, but Warwick had to work around shelves of fragile stock while doing so.

The mural was designed to promote the spirits, beer and wine on sale, but also included a ‘Cheers Redcliff’ message. The installation took approximately 11 hours, including the set-up and tear-down of scaffolding, due to the team having to work around the bottles on display.

“The main challenge was figuring out how to reach the 17′ (5.2m) install height with racks up against every wall without having to empty the whole store out,” said Lee Weighill, owner of Warwick Printing. “There was not enough space for even the smallest scissor lift or boom lift and regular A-frame ladders would not get us close enough to the walls in the right position. We ended up using painters’ scaffolding and had to stack two units to get high enough, but it was still a 26″ (66cm) reach to the wall which made it a little more difficult.”

However, the project was ultimately successful. “It was a good day’s work and not one bottle was knocked to the floor!” Weighill added.

The team ran over 260 feet of Drytac ReTac Smooth 150 through its HP Latex 360 printer in order to create the mural panels. The 150μ (6 mil) white polymeric printable PVC film is coated with ReTac ultra-removable adhesive technology on one side, allowing easy installation, repositioning and removal of printed graphics from surfaces.

Over the last two years, Warwick Printing has evolved from mainly offset press commercial printing to more digital wide format work, which has helped the company reach new customers and stay successful amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The shop has pivoted to using Drytac FloorTac in its HP Latex printer to create COVID-related floor graphics, to provide marketing materials for re-opening businesses.

“We have fared pretty well so far during COVID-19,” said Weighill. “Overall business was down significantly, as much as 65 per cent in the beginning, but we have seen some major gains in our wide format and signage division during the same period. I estimate we have done more volume during the pandemic than we did in the previous year and a half.”

The race will be televised on FOX at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday, June 7, 2020. The Roland DG wrap, designed and printed by the graphics pros at the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) Graphics Center, was produced on a Roland DG TrueVIS VG2-640 wide-format printer/cutter.

The team at the RCR Graphics Center exclusively use Roland DG’s wide-format inkjets to print wraps for all of the team’s race cars and support vehicles.

“As businesses begin to ramp up, their number one need is to keep employees and customers safe,” said John Pecaric, president, RRD Business Services. “RRD has been able to address that need by converting some of our existing packaging equipment to produce face shields for companies seeking to protect their essential workers.”

The shields offer a cost-effective solution for businesses where interpersonal engagement is necessary, particularly “essential” workers, including those that are employed in the retail and grocery, restaurant and foodservice, manufacturing, civil service, hospitality and travel industries.

RRD’s face shields are intended to be used as a standalone personal-use face shield, for either a single user or single use. The shields cover the entire facial area and can be custom printed with branding and messaging and are made from recyclable 18pt solid bleached board (SBS) with a 4-5mm polystyrene plastic film to cover the face.

Creative Silhouettes specializes in wall graphics and decals, with 70 per cent of its business in large self-adhesive vinyl for offices and retail stores. The company notes that 80 per cent of this work is installed by the team. It has worked on projects for Apple, Ubisoft, TMX and Oxford Properties, among others.

Hobo Cannabis Company was opening 10 new stores in the Greater Toronto Area as part of a 30-branch Canadian expansion. As each retail space was different, Creative Silhouettes required a vinyl product to meet every demand.

“Our deal with Hobo was to wrap ten entire stores regardless of the surface of the walls – and every one had different surfaces, such as brick, stucco, painted wood and rusted metal,” Giovani Pereira, project manager and business development at Creative Silhouettes. “ND Graphics are our primary supplier of vinyl and equipment so we went to our contact Dwayne Burton for advice. He recommended Drytac Polar Grip and we undertook several print and install tests on all rough surfaces, including floor, and they all worked well.”

Creative Silhouettes used its HP Latex R1000 to print the black-and-white wall graphics with photographic details.

Drytac Polar Grip is an 80 micron (3.2mm) white polymeric self-adhesive PVC vinyl designed for interior and exterior wall graphics, offering durability of up to five years. Its high-bond adhesive is compatible with a wide range of surfaces including metal, plastic, wood, glass and brick and has been rated for fire safety to meet the requirements of public spaces. It works with latex, UV, solvent and eco-solvent printing technologies and is available in white and gloss finishes.

“This shield is a special one for The Canadian Shield team. It serves as a reminder of how far we have come in the span of just over a month, moving from a company of 10 people to one that employs over 300 people, working tirelessly every day to help our front-line and essential workers in the battle against COVID-19,” said the company’s founder and CEO, Jeremy Hedges.

The Canadian Shield manufactures sustainable, reusable face shields that are used to protect frontline healthcare and essential workers from potential exposure to COVID-19. The company was founded in March 2020 by parent company InkSmith, an educational technology manufacturer that retooled its 3D printing equipment to address the critical shortage of medical equipment amid COVID-19.

Within 30 days of the company’s launch, it was awarded a contract by the Government of Canada to produce 10 million face shields by August to be distributed to healthcare facilities and hospitals across the country. This contract accounts for approximately two-thirds of the 16 million medical face shields that have been procured by the government from Canadian companies.

As a result of increased demand, The Canadian Shield has significantly scaled up its operations, including opening a second 50,000 square-foot facility, hiring 300 new staff members, bringing in dozens of new pieces of equipment and adapting its shield design to increase daily production quotas. This increase in production capacity has allowed the company to manufacture the majority of the one million units in the last three weeks. The Canadian Shield says it is on schedule to complete the federal contract order of 10 million shields by August 2020.

Once the contract with Public Services and Procurement Canada is fulfilled, The Canadian Shield plans to extend its reach internationally, providing PPE to healthcare providers and essential workers around the world.

The Ecoline FM is designed to produce flat masks for general frontline workers, manufacturing and the public, with an advanced version providing an end-to-end production line for medical masks typically worn by nurses and doctors.

“Both Ecoline FM machines will help traditional label printers and other niche market manufacturers respond to spiraling demand for general and medical face masks by diversifying into mask production,” said Marco Aengenvoort, managing director of Rotocontrol. “It’s an opportunity to utilize their production expertise and quickly expand their manufacturing infrastructure already in place.”

The machine can produce up to 110 masks per minute. Three layers of material are first laminated, folded and seamed. A crimping tool then ultrasonically welds the two sides of the seal while a die-cutting tool cuts and forms the side seal. Finally, the mask is conveyed to two earlobe string welding stations and then on to the assembly line for collection.

The advanced version features high-tech ultrasonic welding technology, with a line consisting of automatic feeding of reel and nose clip, mask body formation with ultrasonic assembly, automatic assembly, automatic folding and welding of mask, die cut and finished product ejection and waste removal.

The product also includes support for up to six layers of non-woven cloth rolls, automatic tension control of raw materials, ensuring balanced tension, and ergonomic design.

Since the funding program was announced in late March, NGen has received over 900 expressions of interest from advanced manufacturing companies across Canada. Approved projects include the development and manufacturing of ventilators and components, test kits, face shields and a coating material that kills bacteria and viruses on contact.

NGen worked with the Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Canada’s National Research Council, Health Canada and the Public Health Agency of Canada to prioritize projects that will deliver the most immediate benefits to Canadians.

“Manufacturers across Canada have stepped up to the challenge. Their capacity to innovative and mobilize advanced technologies has allowed them to respond rapidly, both in scaling up production of health care products and in delivering new solutions to front-line workers,” said Jayson Myers, CEO of Next Generation Manufacturing Canada. “There can be no better example of how important advanced manufacturing is to Canadians. It’s really been an all-of-Canada approach. Collaboration has been key in fighting COVID-19, and it will remain important as we prepare to open up the economy once again.”

Projects that have received funding include ventilators by Canadian Emergency Ventilators Inc./Starfish Medical (Toronto, ON); ventilator components by BOMImed (Winnipeg, MB); face shields by Molded Precision Components (Oro-Medonte, ON), Mosaic (Toronto, ON) and Burloak Technologies (Burlington, ON); test kits by Sona Nanotech (Halifax, NS) and Response Biomedical (Vancouver, BC); and sterilization coating by Envision SQ Inc. (Guelph, ON).

Produlith is an innovative company focusing on printing, labeling, and packaging design, dedicated to providing its clients with a remarkable experience. The company continuously challenges itself to give customers the best quality assurance.

PCL says its shields create a physical barrier between the customer and retailer, are easily installed on any surface, enable money and products to be transferred through an opening at the bottom, and are extremely easy to clean.

For more information on the protective shields, please email shields@pclgraphics.com or call 416-816-2033.