Screen Americas Is 50 Years Young
Left to Right: Tsuneo Baba, president and corporate officer, Screen Graphics Solutions Co Ltd.; Yoji Otsuka, president, Screen Americas; and Ken Ingram, VP Sales, Screen Americas.
1967 was the first year that television viewers were presented with a full-color primetime lineup. One company that was involved in the development of color broadcasting technology was Dai Nippon Screen. That was also the year that Screen USA opened its doors in Los Angeles, and the next 50 years would see a number of graphic arts milestones, from new process cameras, to computer-to-plate, to digital inkjet, and, today, even wide-format and digital label printing.
At this week’s show, Screen (Booth 2613) is looking back at 50 years of innovation, as well as looking ahead to new technologies that will shape the next 50 years. To that latter end, the company is previewing a new inkjet device that will officially launch later this month. The Truepress Jet L350UV is a next-generation printer for label printing that offers a fifth-color (orange) option for expanded gamut and PANTONE/brand colors. The machine also offers an optional chill roller to contain distortion, allowing it to print on a variety of “difficult” substrates.
Screen is also announcing that the company has developed a set of low-migration (LM) inks for the fast-growing digital food label printing market. “Ink migration” is a phenomenon whereby uncured chemicals in the ink penetrate through the label and/or packaging and can taint or contaminate the food being packaged. “The key to preventing migration is to eliminate oxygen and fully cure the UV inks,” said Mark Schlimme, Director of Marketing, Americas, Screen Americas, during a press conference held Sunday afternoon. The Truepress Jet L350UV+LM features a nitrogen purge mechanism that forces out oxygen during the curing process. The Truepress Jet L350UV+LM is geared toward flexo printers who see opportunities in short-run food label printing. “We’re excited about the new applications this opens up to our customers.”
Screen is also demonstrating another next-gen device, the Truepress Jet 5230NX, targeted for transactional and transpromotional printing. Awarded a MUST SEE ’EMS at this year’s show, the 520NX prints monochrome and full-color and, during monochrome printing, the CMY heads can be withdrawn and parked, reducing ink waste. Another MUST SEE ’EMS - and InterTech Technology Award winner - is the Truepress Jet 520HD with new SC inks. The new inks allow the inkjet printer to print on standard litho papers without the need for a primer or coating, “so users are not paying a premium for coated stocks.” Screen is also showing a technology demo for orange and green ink options. “But,” Schlimme said, “over time, we’ll see where the market takes us.”
One recent installation of the Truepress Jet 520HD with SC inks is Admiral West of Sacramento, CA, a full-service marketing firm. Admail West serves a number of vertical markets, and adopted the Truepress Jet platform not only to differentiate itself from the competition, but to better serve customers. “We had volume problems to meet timelines,” said Kathy Pescetti, President/CEO of Admail West. “We converted clients over to Screen and have had no problems.”
Screen’s EQUIOS workflow solution is also being demonstrated in its partner booths, such as Standard Finishing (Booth 1231), which is holding photobook printing and binding demonstrations.
