What better way to start the new year than by giving ourselves a fresh new look that combines our extensive in-house large format digital printing capabilities with the latest visual graphics technology?

We’ve been in our current home, just outside Leeds city centre in Kirkstall, for 12 years, and we know that there’s no better way to showcase what we can do, than by making sure our state-of-the-art print facility looks as appealing and eye-catching as possible.

So, what have we done?

The first thing you’ll notice across all our branding is our refreshed logo. The sharp corners of the square have been curved off, to give it a softened and tempered look and feel.

This might seem like a small gesture but in our industry, detail is everything and we’re already receiving great feedback about how the logo feels less corporate, which reinforces our credentials as an approachable and friendly bunch!

Signage

This new logo is now the first thing you see on our website and vans, as well as on our brand-new

roadside sign, perched high above Wyther Lane, as you approach our building from either direction. The sign has immediately become a local landmark and features laser cut red acrylic, fixed to a 3mm aluminium composite tray with returns, which again matches the bright shade of red that is synonymous with Digital Plus.

This is then finished with kiss cut vinyl text, which is a lighter cut that only goes through the vinyl decal and not the backing material, like a die cut.

In addition, we’ve also unveiled a large 7 metre long sign on our building, displaying our logo and company strapline. This comprises of a 3mm aluminium composite tray, with returns,wrapped with an exterior grade vinyl. This was then finished with an exterior UV laminate for weather protection and was fully colour matched by our studio and machinery to match our distinctive shade of remarkable red.

We’ve then added a third sign to create a showstopper next to our main entrance. This baby is powder coated and aluminium fret cut with beautiful acrylic lettering and an attractive integrated illuminated system that works on a day and night timer, meaning our brand keeps on shining 24 hours a day!

This is complemented with directional signage and wayfinding step runners to guide visitors to our reception area or collection and delivery points. Again, these feature 3mm aluminium composite, wrapped with an exterior grade vinyl and finished with an exterior UV laminate to give them full weather protection.

Window graphics

Last, but by no means least, we’ve transformed our glass atrium into a powerful marketing tool by creating a stunning large-scale, attention-grabbing window graphic, that looks agonizingly good, even if we do say so ourselves!

To do this we used repositional vinyl, which enables us to swap and change our campaigns on a quarterly basis, in response to products or services that we want to promote, or even depending on seasonal themes or events.

This choice of vinyl is particularly good because it leaves no residue when it’s removed and is finished with an exterior laminate, so it’s ready to face the elements, which made it the perfect material for the job.

Let us know what you think!

We’d love to hear what you think and don’t forget that this is only a small snapshot of the graphics technology and large format digital printing capabilities that we offer clients across all sectors.

If you’d like to find out how we can assist with and add value to your next large format printing project, contact us now at sales@digitalplus.co.uk or call on 0113 2783133.

See more of our signage ideas to freshen up your branding … here

The post New year and a new look for Digital Plus appeared first on Digital Plus.

To see various events graphics being produced at Digital Plus in preparation for doors opening fills us with excitement. Event graphics are some of the most exciting creatives we work on and a long throw away from the COVID/Health & Safety signage (that although was very much needed) was a frequent sight in production for a long period of time.

We sat down with David Brisk, Sales Manager at Digital Plus to ask him what his thoughts were on the event industry trying to find it’s feet once more.

“I think personally for myself and Digital Plus, it’s about one thing, people! Technology is a wonderful thing and something we would struggle to do without in both our professional and personal lives, like many businesses most of our communications are handled electronically – enquiries, quotes and emails are a constant. It’s a standard day at Digital Plus if most of us have sent and received 100 emails a day (which are always replied to the same day)!

So, to bring this back to events, why do I think they are important? It’s simple really, a full day of nothing but talking to potential customers, no interruptions on email or telephone, just 100% focus on your reason for being there, to connect with people.

Digital plus are relationship people, there’s no other way to say it, we thrive in building relationships and finding solutions for customers new and existing, forming long term partnerships. We all see the value in acquiring new business and an event gives you an important stage in that process. Technology may have changed the way we do business on a day-to-day basis, but people still remain at the centre of any decision-making process and an event gives you the perfect opportunity for that perfect uninterrupted conversation.”

Thanks David, as we touched upon at the start of this, it’s been amazing to see the event graphics downstairs. The creatives have been bold to grab the attention of the passers-by, the materials have been varied as has the type of customer we have been producing them for, from National brands with world-wide recognition to local companies looking to increase their enquiries for 2022. Our hope for next year is that our customers who work solely in the event industry can gain confidence moving forward and that the events are bigger and better than ever.

We urge anyone who is on the fence about attending or exhibiting at an event, however big or small, to take the plunge and support the event, support your local business community, and take part in some uninterrupted conversations!

Recently we were lucky enough to work with the fantastic team at The UK Wedding Event for their event at York Racecourse. The client was in need of creative assistance, production and delivery within a 4 day period and we are glad to say we rose to the challenge where others could not!

“Thanks again for everything, brilliant job, great communication and support throughout the process” Rob – Event Coordinator The UK Wedding Event

If you are looking for a solution for your next event please call the team on 0113 2783133 or email mail@digitalplus.co.uk for a competitive quote today!

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We are proud to say that despite the event looking very different and being streamed worldwide on the 16th September 2020, that this year was no different, ending with us picking up silver in the printeriors category. A huge thank you to the team at FESPA for keeping the event in the calendar and celebrating not only the fantastic work done by us and our peers in the UK but also worldwide.

We all know that it has been a particularly challenging time of late in the industry, a reminder of why we do what we do and having it celebrated on the world stage was a pleasure to see.

James Watt Exhibition – The Award Winning Project

Tasked with a brief to create a pop-up exhibition feature, utilising a sustainable material. We offered an alternative to PVC that would be light but rigid and eco-friendly. See the case study in full for this winning project here

Let us show you how we can help with your latest project and get in touch

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Colour check, direct printing to aluminium

Not everyone knows the difference between a grey back vinyl and a white back vinyl. Its safe to say that a customer would normally fit in to one of two types. Customer A knows what they want, how it should be printed, laminated and cut. Customer B knows what they want to achieve but doesn’t know the route to get there, a trusted supplier will handle both types of customer with ease and be on hand to advise on materials, application methods if required and options on costs depending on budgets.

There are many companies who offer Large Format Printing, the best ones will always produce their graphics in house by using state of the art machinery and will most certainly sell you the promise of speed, quality and cost as standard, but what else should you consider when choosing your printing partner? The below will give you some more food for thought when fulfilling this vital role. 

Communication: From your initial phone call, email or face to face meeting the communication is key. A great supplier will ensure they have captured everything required to cost the work and present this back to you in a clear concise manor which relates back to your enquiry. Once the scope of works is agreed and artwork sent, a regular update at appropriate intervals should also be sent. Most commonly at order confirmation, proofing and dispatch stages. Your account manager should always be on hand to assist with last minute changes or contacting you with any information that will have an impact on your brief, it is not unusual for a small problem to escalate into a much more serious one if not handled straight away and efficiently.

In our printer we trust: A promise is but a string of words, does your supplier back this up with consistent delivery against time scales and quality? Printers will be supplying end user and 3^rd parties alike, they are responsible for not just their own reputation but those of the agencies and at times, other printers they supply, often dispatching direct to the end user under plain label. Having a printer that will meet your own high standards from print quality to packaging and delivery is a fundamental part of your own companies success.

Adding a 3D printed element to a project

Specialists: Some Large Format Printers say that they specialise in certain sectors, what this means exactly is something of a mystery to some. A specialist printer will understand the art of large format printing having worked in a variety of sectors, enabling them to pass on the best techniques and knowledge gained to you the client. They should understand the demands or needs of your business type, matching your brief to a solution obtained from working within a variety of different scenarios. A competent printer will service a large mix of clients and have a vast amount of experience that will span across many business types. Testimonial and case studies are key and a supplier should be active in obtaining these to show to any perspective new customer.

Creative: A Large Format Printer should be creative, if you cannot ask for creative assistance from your printer then I would consider looking for someone who can demonstrate this ability and who are in the best position to advise on what will and will not work. Some printers will offer an art creation service, normally from a brief given, some in the industry are known for not entertaining such commitments but as the needs of the market place change you will find a supplier who can do this very well and rival that of some design agencies (as long as the brief is on par). A supplier should also be creative in the solutions it offers, not every solution is an obvious one, if something is not achievable a great supplier will find something that will meet the criteria.

Green: The Large Format Printing industry is not known for its kindness to mother nature but this is changing as material suppliers become accountable for offering alternatives to the likes of PVC and Self Adhesive Vinyl’s. It is important to many business’s now to lower their own carbon footprint and it is OK to ask your suppliers where they stand on such matters and how they are doing their bit to help the environment.

Our home is your home: An honest Large format Printer will have an open door policy for you to come and view the machinery, your work being produced and really importantly meet the people who work there. The printer/client relationship is one built on trust where sight of the printer to the end user (if done correctly) can be beneficial rather than risky, we have all heard the stories of Printer A going direct to End user B, if you trust your suppler this of course should never be an issue and bring a new level of service and understanding to the end user.

Trust in what we do best: At Digital Plus such is our expertise, that we can provide a solution for all visual graphics challenges, whether that’s for architects or agencies or for individuals or businesses within the retail, education, leisure or trade sectors. Get in touch and you can count on our award-winning team of highly-creative-experts to provide the ultimate one stop shop solution. 

Let us show you how we can help with your latest project and get in touch here

The post What should you expect from your large format printer appeared first on Digital Plus.

Hi Owen, strange times, not just for our sector but for the country as a whole, how did you find the lockdown period yourself?

For the first few weeks like most people, I was biting my finger nails at the thought of the whole world crashing and taking Digital Plus with it. During these first few weeks, I had got my head down to plan how I thought this pandemic would affect our business. Whilst doing this, I began to see it has an inspiring moment by looking at this as a fresh start, we had the positive benefit of twenty years trading and a very loyal customer base on which we had concentrated on providing the best service to for many years. With this in mind, my thought process was that when our clients work returned, so then would ours. Keep positive is what I kept telling myself!

Owen Russell – Managing Director

With the country having ground to a halt somewhat, have you ever experienced anything like this before?

We had experienced the 2008 recession and had learnt that by helping our clients through these difficult times we had to improve our communication and product offering, whilst giving the best advice to try to save them money. This cemented our relationship with our customers as they had someone they could turn to.

The 2020 pandemic feels to be a whole lot different to 2008, we have continued over the years to keep in place the ethos of better communication, product and advice but have seen the struggle of many companies trying to restart their business in a slow marketplace take its toll on overall spend. 

We believe that things will not return to normal (whatever the new normal ends up being) for a good few years to come, but in the meantime we will pay even greater attention to our customer’s needs and maintain the higher service and product knowledge that is required to keep new and existing clients trusting in Digital Plus to deliver their success.

Now the government is lifting the lockdown (depending on what that looks like for us all) what do you think our customers will be looking for from a Large Format Printer?

We have been printing a lot of Covid 19 safety products for our clients, which has included branded sneeze screens, floor graphics, window graphics and outdoor promotional signage to keep their staff and customers safe. Now we are beginning to see this type of work dropping off due to business’s having recently opened. The new requirement for our customer will begin to turn to promotion to enable a return back to pre-lock down turnover. 

We supply a vast range of products to aid this return to normality and are well versed at providing solutions in helping businesses promote themselves using large format printing onto a wide range of materials. We also offer an installation service to take the stress out of how and where these graphics are to be displayed and will always give the best advice in order to make their message or promotion as engaging as possible.

Collecting the Gold Award at Fespa

How have your staff responded to the lockdown?

We have helpful and professional staff which I am very proud of.  They always do their best, making sure that our clients are serviced to the high standard at which we aim for. While it has been a stressful time for all (which includes our personal lives) the pulling together and the determination to carry on being one the best large format printing companies in the UK means the future looks bright in spite of the hardship that a lot of business are facing. (You can meet the team here)

If you could offer one word of advice to the industry right now what would that be?

Keep focused and you’ll learn quickly.

In all things we try to find a positive outlook however difficult at times that may be, if you could take a positive experience from what has happened, what would that be?

The most positive thing I would say, would be that our clients have continued to trust in what we do and believe we can deliver their brief however small or large. This has come from our members of staff who have, over the years shown a commitment in delivering a perfectly finished product, be it a wall graphic or a poster. Our foundations are strong as a team and I have full confidence in knowing that anyone using Digital Plus will see the caring nature of our people and our strength in the quality of our ideas and what we produce.

If you had one personal goal, what would it be?

I would say, and I know this may sound like I need to get a life, but I love my work and love to see the graphic projects that we have delivered for some of the biggest companies in the UK finished and displayed. To see the original concepts and hear the conversations when the project is but an idea on paper, turn into stunning displays always amazes me even to this day. The jewel in the crown for me is the global recognition we have received in winning several printing awards which makes me just want to carry on. I may retire when I’m ninety

Large format printing during the 2020 Pandemic will no doubt change the way we do business and has given us the opportunity to concentrate on what we do best, so if you would like to know more about us please,click here or get in touch.

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Where is it going is vital information as we produce many different vinyl’s, all which offer a unique solution these include:

Clear vinyl, used the majority of time for window graphics, printed to the face or in reverse.
The latter allowing the graphic to be installed from the inside with the artwork facing out or printed double sided for coverage both sides of the window. Clear vinyl also comes in a variety of transparencies, at Digital Plus we tend to use a clear, ultra-clear or optically clear, this is especially important when using a spot white in your graphic rather than a flood white as the vinyl showing can be various levels of transparency.

(You can see our artwork saving guidelines which show how to save your white layers here!)

Grey back vinyl, this is a very unique self-adhesive vinyl as it offers a block out layer within the material itself. This is a great solution to use for a whole host of graphics when you are wishing to cover an existing graphic or place the vinyl on something with a strong colour and you do not wish to see that colour coming through. Used in a whole host of environments we have seen this on floors, interior/exterior signs, display graphics in a whole host of business throughout the UK, product POS in retail outlets and much more!

White vinyl, very similar to the above but without the block out properties. Again we have seen this used for large leisure facilities floor vinyl’s, temporary window vinyl’s applied externally for museums and 2 day events, we also use this for many of our property vinyl’s who take advertising their commercial properties one step further than a ‘for sale sign’ by utilising the windows etc on the site itself! Although available in different grades it is also used on many projects where wall graphics are applied, whether that be in a reception area, showroom or meeting room. Large prints for a variety of industries left on the sheets so that clients themselves can remove when required is also a regular occurrence with clients knowing that price per print can often be more economical by holding certain regular messages in stock and calling off when required.

How long for, how long will your message be in situ? This is vital as all of the above vinyl’s are available in a variety of different adhesive levels, ideal for any situation.

• Permanent
• High tack
• Removable
• Re-positional

Permanent, does what it says on the tin! Placed in many different environments from windows to meeting rooms, used for floor graphics and product labels printed by the roll and cut so that the client can peel off when required. If you do not wish for the graphic to budge this is the one for you.

High tack, our advice to clients with high tack is be sure that is where you want it when you apply! This is an aggressive vinyl which we use when we are applying a graphic to a non smooth wall for example or wrapping a wooden substrate for a museum exhibition, once it’s on it is the most difficult to remove but a highly effective solution when required. We often find that a site survey through our Project Plus team can obtain the correct vinyl to use, an adhesion test can be performed at this point. To find out more about this service take a look here.

Removable, short term use and events where only a temporary solution is required is where we tend to see this product being used. Whether this be removable clear vinyl on windows or a removeable floor graphic on white vinyl, the adhesion is less aggressive than its permanent counterpart but still great for the right environment and has known to be down for months at times especially when teamed up with a laminate finish.

Re-positional, one of our favourite products at Digital Plus! This vinyl can be applied and removed multiple times with ease which is great if you are in retail and asking your staff to put up sale vinyl’s on your shop windows or you are creating an event at a hotel where no adhesive can be left behind after removal, available in white and clear we have sent samples of this vinyl to venues where they would never normally let a vinyl be used but welcomed the solution once tested and seen for themselves! We once had a customer asking how many times this type of vinyl could be applied the removed to a drywipe board for a corporate event, we stopped at 150 times!

As you can see, all we need to know are the answers to two simple questions, once we have this information we can advise on the material we should be printing your large format graphics too, samples of all the above are available upon request through your business development manager or account handler.

We look forward to handling your enquiry and hope you are all safe during this difficult time.

The post Where is it going, and how long for? – Printed self-adhesive vinyl appeared first on Digital Plus.

In short, large format printing is the process of taking digitally generated artwork and printing it to large-sized substrates.

What makes it different from traditional printing?

Apart from the machinery used, the main difference is the size of the printing area and the different materials that can be printed on. Most traditional printers have a maximum size of around SRA2 (450mm x 640mm) and you can only use common materials like paper.

Large format printing machines can print up to around 3m x 2m, on to dozens of different substrates. At Digital Plus, we have the capacity to print on to over 50 different materials.

What products are available?

Large format printing allows you to produce a wide range of internal signage, for example, PVC, acrylic or aluminium signs. It’s possible to print wall coverings and window and floor graphics, and external signs can be produced using products such as Dibond and Correx. There are many different ways to print exhibition graphics too, whether freestanding or hung from a ceiling or wall.

These examples are just some of the most common ways large format printing is used. They are by no means the only ways. It’s possible to approach a large format digital printers with an idea for a unique sign or display and they will recommend the best way to achieve it.

What machinery is typically involved in large format printing? 

The machines involved are large flatbed printing machines, which can print as large as 3m x 2m, and roll-fed printers which print to 5 meters wide by any length. We have 5 professional large format printers on site, plus machines for cutting, mounting, laminating and plotting lettering.

The largest print run we’ve completed was for vinyl wall coverings. They spanned 420m² and took 10 hours to complete.

The benefits of choosing large format printing:

• Great for short runs
• Quick turnaround
• Print images as big as you like
• Print long-lasting outdoor graphics (ink contains UV inhibitor)
• Wide range of materials to print on
• Recyclable print materials available
• Materials to suit every budget

Want to know more? Check out this video:

Do you have any more questions about large format printing? You can get in touch on 0113 278 3133 or via sales@digitalplus.co.uk.

The post What is large format printing? appeared first on Digital Plus.

What makes a large format print specialist?

Well, a few things. The right equipment for a start. And the knowledge and experience to produce consistent results. You also need imagination, creativity and a can-do approach.

We’re a team of large format printers based in Leeds

We’ve been providing standout print for clients across UK for over 25 years.

1. We manage every stage of your project, from inspiration to installation
2. Our in-house creative digital design team bring ideas to life
3. We provide hassle-free installation, 24/7

Our team is made up of 24 lovely employees and 9 gigantic machines.

The printing machines…

We have 5 professional printers capable of printing onto materials up to 3 metres wide and can print onto over 50 different materials.

The largest print run we’ve produced spanned 420 meters squared of wall coverings. It was for a school and took 10 hours to complete.

The finishing machines…

We have machines for cutting, mounting, laminating and plotting lettering. This allows us to prepare all our large format print for installation, speeding things up for our customers.

Project Plus

Is our complete print project management service, where you received dedicated support, from concept to completion. The very best large format print projects require and little extra time and planning to get right. That’s why we offer a service that goes the extra mile to deliver this to our customers.

Our capabilities span the full spectrum…

From individually crafted butterflies right through to 80m airport hangars! As large format printers, you never really know what the next request is going to be. But that’s exactly what makes the job so interesting!

Award-winning print

We’ve won numerous industry awards including bronze, silver and gold awards from FESPA – the federation of screen printing, digital printing and textile printing.

The post Infographic: A close look at our large format print capabilities appeared first on Digital Plus.

Digital print with a close eye on quality

Here at Digital Plus, every piece of digital print we create has passed through the hands of several different trained experts before it reaches its end destination.

Why?

Well, it’s partly because applying a collaborative approach to production gets things done. But it’s also because each member of the team has a specialism and is responsible for ensuring their part of the process is executed accurately and effectively.

Our structured approach to production not only helps us to get through plenty of print each day, but it also means we maintain impeccably high standards. Essentially, everyone is accountable for ensuring the finished signs and graphics look the part, meet the original brief and are built to last.

One person who has a particularly important role to play in maintaining these standards is Luke Thirwall. Luke is our Finishing Supervisor and it’s his job to sign off the products we supply pre-delivery and installation.

He checks the content, quantity and finish to make sure the client is receiving exactly what they’ve requested. Noting everything down, Luke ensures the product is fit for purpose and progresses it onto the next stage where it is packed for delivery.

Take a look at this short video to see Luke in action and find out a little more about what he does:

Want to hear more from the specialists here at Digital Plus? Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube for regular updates from the team.

The post VIDEO: How we guarantee high-quality digital print appeared first on Digital Plus.

We can print in full colour onto over 50 different materials and have 9 professional machines for printing, cutting, mounting and laminating. These machines enable us to deal with new projects quickly and effectively, applying the best materials and techniques for the job at hand. Whether it’s a full interior re-fit or a one-off graphic panel, we apply the same production processes to get every job spot on.

In addition to our production studio, we have an upstairs office space including a small showroom containing hundreds of samples and examples. These give an idea of just how many different products we can produce and serve as a useful point of reference when recommending particular methods and materials to clients.

We are occasionally visited on-site by our clients, but the vast majority take advantage of our dedicated project management service and deal with an account manager. This makes it easy for businesses to call up or email over a new design whenever they receive it and their enquiry will be dealt with that same day.

To give you a glimpse into the inner workings of our digital printing facility, we’ve created this short video.

We took a quick tour of the site to give you a step-by-step account of what everything looks like. See if you can spot our staff hard at work and see what’s coming off the printers!

Do you have an important digital printing project coming up? Talk to our team today and we’ll help you formulate a plan.

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