Giles Fletcher, General Manager says, “As an early adopter of this green technology we have taken a few months testing new media and fine tuning the machine to give the sort of quality output our clients have come to expect”

Investment in this new technology moves Discount Displays towards their goal of being one of the most environmentally responsible printers in the market. Fletcher adds “The latex printers are being complemented with a range of materials such as recyclable banner PVC and display equipment like bamboo banner stands to offer customers a complete green option.”

He concludes “Our customers love the fact that when their graphics are delivered there are no solvent fumes as the latex print is totally odourless. the colour vibrancy was of a standard we’d never seen before. The high production speed is down to the way it moves the media through, showing that HP has truly researched and delivered on what their customer wants.”

One of the adverts for the clothing chain, showed a young woman climbing a ladder and lifting her top to flash at a security camera. In the other, the model was seen to be taking a photograph down the front of her bikini bottoms, while a lion is prowling in the background.

Both posters use large format printing to carry the cryptic caption ‘Smart May Have The Brains, But Stupid Has The Balls. Be Stupid, Diesel.’

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) said they had already received 33 complaints about the ads and that the posters were likely to cause ’serious offence’ to adults.

The two adverts, from the same campaign, have already featured in Grazia and Dazed and Confused magazine. They escaped the ban due to the fact they were unlikely to be seen by children and because both publications included material covering sexual themes.

The Italian fashion brand defended their campaign and were cited in The Telegraph as saying the posters ‘portrayed a very strong and unexpected image of femininity’. They added that the image with the security camera ‘tackled society’s preoccupation with 24/7 camera surveillance.’

However, the watchdog disagreed, stating the images were unsuitable to appear as posters because they could lead to copycat behaviour and breach rules covering responsible advertising and decency.

The ASA told The Daily Mail: “We considered that the image portrayed socially challenging actions that might be attractive to younger consumers who would be interested in the youthful and edgy fashion range and might encourage behaviour that was anti-social or irresponsible.”

The ruling by the ASA means the adverts are banned from appearing in poster form again.

Discount Displays had previously been experimenting on an older machine and were pleased with the opportunities that the UV technology could offer their business. The decision was then made to source a true production machine that not only delivered high production volume at high quality but was also built to withstand all the rigours of a busy print facility. The FB500 satisfied all the requirements Discount Displays put forward, and more.

Giles Fletcher, General Manager says, “Not only were we extremely impressed with the ease of set-up and use of the machine in the demonstration, the colour vibrancy was of a standard we’d never seen before. The high production speed is down to the way it moves the media through, showing that HP has truly researched and delivered on what their customer wants.”

This new entry-level flatbed brings white-ink to a low-volume machine and described as a smaller version of the FB950. The aim of the smaller footprint was to enables new applications for the smaller printers and sign shops that may not have thought flat-bed technology was a viable investment. The 1.6m-wide machine can handle 6.4cm-thick media and has an optional roll-to-roll kit and speed ranges from 5sqm/hr in photo mode to 37sqm/hr for express mode.

Fletcher continues, “City & West End Solutions were a major part of our decision to buy as we have had a brilliant relationship with this supplier for many years and have bought all of our HP products from them. We have never been let down by their sales or after sales service and when making an investment in new technology such as this, we have the comfort of their experience and skill backing us all the way.”

Discount Displays has a new range of bunting flags in time for the summer season, so here is a brief overview of the different types of bunting and some practical uses.

Economy Party Bunting

This type of bunting is usually made from a poly PVC material, making it lightweight and also cheaper for the end consumer. Perfect for garden parties, a childs birthday and BBQ’s.

Outdoor Event Bunting

This type of bunting is aimed at customers that want longer term use, where regular use or adverse weather can take a toll on normal flag bunting. Ideally used at trade shows and fairs, this bunting is also ideal for fetes or places where the pennants are hung for an extended period of time.

Custom Printed Bunting

This is the ultimate type of bunting when branding really matters, or if you just want to display a personal message. Using in-house design and printing, this material can be printed on in full colour inks that are fade-resistant.

For more ideas on how to improve your outdoor event visit Discount Displays.

Quality – choosing a graphics supplier with in-house large format printing capabilities ensures that your exhibition stand graphics will be top quality, since the vendor will have total control over the printing process.  Ask to see samples of the same size graphics you will be featuring in your trade fair exhibition stand; better yet, ask if they have a showroom so you can see the level of quality that will go into making your entire display an impactful statement of your branding strategy.

Experience – there is no substitute for experience, so choosing a vendor with many years of large format printing experience – especially if you don’t have much yourself – can help you save time and money.  Most experienced large format printing suppliers also offer their customers in-house design services, and post easy-to-understand instructions for formatting and uploading artwork via the Internet on their website.

Delivery – outstanding graphics suppliers pride themselves on delivering their products on time, every time and understand that missing a deadline is simply not an option.  Reputable vendors will offer delivery of your exhibition stand displays and graphics directly to your trade fair site and will assist you with set-up and teardown.  Going with a “one-stop shop” like Discount Displays virtually ensures you will have an on-time, trouble-free experience.

Price – exhibition graphics suppliers who serve a large volume of customers are generally able to provide better pricing since they purchase materials in bulk.  Look for vendors who have already invested in the latest technology large format printing and production processes, which save both time and money and allow them to offer more competitive pricing to their clients.

For more insight into choosing the right exhibition display graphics supplier, contact the experts at Discount Displays on 0844 800 1020 or visit our website.  Operating from a 7,000 sq. ft. factory in Croydon on the outskirts of London, Discount Displays has been in business for over 17 years and are specialists in large format printing, with a large in-house production facility and a 2,000 sq. ft. showroom that displays our comprehensive product line.

Signage technology has advanced to a point where graphics are easily and professionally displayed anywhere you need them.  Here are some of the latest innovations for portable event or retail signage:

Portable Banner Frame – Saggy PVC banners are yesterday’s news.  Lightweight portable banner frames are easy to put up and fold down to fit in the back of a car. Make sure your marketing and advertising message is professionally displayed with a portable banner frame, which features:

• Indoor or outdoor use
• Natural finish 25mm square aluminium tubes with reinforced plastic moulding
• Easy push-fit assembly with plastic flush fit joinings – no tools necessary
• Graphic secured with adjustable looped elastics
• Supplied complete with guide pegs
• Assembled dimensions 1000mm high x 2500mm wide x 620mm deep
• Packs down to 1250mm x 150mm

Display Tunnel — The Display Tunnel is a unique three-dimensional display product that will make your brand stand out from the crowd at any event, indoor or outdoor. The unit is extremely lightweight and based around a coil spring that is easy to assemble in seconds and packs away into a small carry bag. For coping with windy conditions, ground pegs are supplied to anchor the Tunnel down.  For use on hard surfaces, weights can be put in pockets inside the display to hold it in place.

Free Standing Banner Frame — A freestanding banner frame is ideally suited to advertising promotion in retail locations and is an ideal semi permanent banner display solution. Made from sturdy galvanised steel, it can be supplied with weighted bases or ground sleeves for a more permanent fixture. Popular for professional banner display on forecourts, fast food outlets, pubs, and anywhere else you want to get your marketing message across to passing traffic.

Pop-Up Banner Frame — Ultra portable self erecting banners, pop-up banner frames are perfect for use outdoors, at sporting events, golf days, county shows or indoors at exhibitions. Whatever the marketing activity or advertising message, these pop-up banners will get you maximum exposure with minimum fuss.  A very popular alternative to traditional PVC banners and frames, this unit utilizes a patented heavy-duty fibreglass frame allowing you to set-up in just 30 seconds. A vertical frame is available in three sizes as well as a three-sided tower; the horizontal frame comes in five sizes.  All offer graphics printed on both sides in full colour, are waterproof and can be pegged down for maximum stability in exposed outdoor areas.

For professional graphics to go, go to our website or us on 0844 800 1020.

One of the most vital tools to drive traffic to your trade fair booth, retail shop or event is the graphics you choose to display.  Ensuring that your company’s logo, taglines and positioning statements, and relevant images draw attention is best achieved through large format printing.

Large companies like Discount Displays that specialize in large format printing use several printing methods for creating larger-than-life display graphics:

Latex Wide Format — Innovative water-based HP Latex six-ink printing system produces applications — up to 2.6m wide — that impress with rich, saturated colour. These innovative new inks do not produce ozone emissions during printing and contain no hazardous air pollutants or sensitizers. What’s more, these inks are non-flammable and non-combustible. Outdoor prints achieve display permanence up to three years unlaminated and up to five years laminated.  The prints are scratch, smudge, and water resistant on a wide range of media. Prints banners, event and transit signage, vehicle wraps, and other outdoor applications as well as high-quality indoor signage, including point-of-purchase displays.

UV – Prints stunning high resolution printing at very competitive prices with faster turnaround and more choice. Discount Displays can print show stopping full colour directly to:

• Acrylic – stunning back lit signs, corporate branding
• Card and Foamboard – point of sale and trade show displays
• Foamex – a rigid lightweight indoor/outdoor plastic
• Correx – fluted “estate agent” type board. Durable and lightweight.
• Wood – MDF and ply
• Dibond – a metal face sandwich material, lightweight and incredibly strong (steel, brass, brushed aluminium finish, etc.)
• Metal – aluminium / steel – for parking signs, NHS, schools
• Stainless Steel – corporate signage
• Glass – corporate signage
• Canvas – banners and hanging pictures
• Polycarb – anti vandal signage

Large Format Inkjet – Provides fast colour poster printing service using the latest large format ink jet poster printers. The vibrant inks offer long-term indoor and short-term outdoor display use. The large format output from these printers is ideal for retail and store displays such as posters, window graphics, exhibition panels, museum displays, trade show exhibits, graphic panels, research posters, maps, technical drawings, fine art prints, canvas prints and more.

Choosing the right large format printing solution for your graphics is easy with a little help from the experts at Discount Displays.  For more information, visit our website or call us on 0844 800 1020.

Major large format printing companies like Discount Displays are investing in green technology that must meet rigorous standards of high quality printing as well as being kind to the planet.  Discount Displays recently purchased the HP Designjet L65500 Printer, featuring HP Latex Inks and HP Wide Scan Printing Technology that offer large format printing companies a versatile print system that can produce a wide range of applications – from point-of- purchase displays, posters, window graphics and exhibition graphics to vehicle graphics and fleet marking, and a variety of exterior and interior event signage.

The HP technology provides:

• Durable, odourless prints
• Sharp, vivid image quality
• Application versatility
• High productivity

This technology enables Discount Displays to increase print capacity and better serve customers while reducing the impact of their printing on the environment.

Lasting visual – not environmental – impact.

Outdoor prints produced with HP Latex Inks achieve display permanence up to three years unlaminated and up to five years laminated and are scratch, smudge and water resistant on a range of media. Indoor prints produced with HP Latex Inks achieve display permanence in-window up to five years unlaminated and up to 10 years laminated.

Two specially treated HP media, HP Tyvek Banner and HP High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Reinforced Banner, provide both image quality and durability when printing with HP Designjet L65500 Printer using HP Latex Inks. This proprietary new HP media surface-treatment technology produces a wide colour gamut and makes it possible to achieve both durability and sharp, vivid image quality on materials that don’t typically print well with solvent inks.

The variety of HP media includes both outdoor and indoor substrates, and ranges from low-cost, uncoated media to a selection of banner, self-adhesive, film, fabric, paper, mesh and specialty options.

The large format printing experts at Discount Displays can show you can obtain top quality printing while still being kind to the environment.  For more information, visit our website or call us on 0844 800 1020.

Thanks to our in-house production capabilities, we can produce a wide range of business signs, including:

Illuminated Business Signs – high impact LED signs that provide an environmentally friendly alternative to traditional neon signage.  Excellent day and night visibility with a lifespan of more than 11 years!  Provided ready to plug in and switch on.

Pavement Signs — A range of pavement signage, forecourt displays, swing signs, sandwich boards and A-frames for retail and exhibition use.  Ideal for marketing and advertising new products special offers and other point of sale applications.

PVC Banners — Custom Vinyl PVC advertising banners produced using our large format digital printing to create full colour exhibition vinyl banners and outdoor advertising banners that are sure to make any event or promotion a success. We combine low cost with very fast turnaround.

Foamex Signs – Plastic retail signage for indoors or outdoors; lightweight, weatherproof and durable.

Window Graphics — Our store window displays are available in different types to suit any marketing requirement:  one-way vision film allows people to see out, but prevents anyone from looking in; etched glass effect self-adhesives look just like sandblasted etched glass; digitally printed self-adhesive vinyl stickers can be printed in any colour on clear or coloured background; self-cling window stickers are easy to fit and remove.

Light Boxes – Offering a fantastic value for the money, our high tech, slim line light boxes have a revolutionary light source that gives a even light distribution and an incredible 30,000 hours of life. Changing posters is simple with the easy to use snap shut frame. You need no tools and it only takes a few seconds. Our slim line boxes are available in A3, A2 A1 and A0 sizes, and can be supplied plain or with custom printed images.

The next time you need a business sign or event signage, visit our website or call us on 0844 800 1020.

We do all of our large format printing in-house, delivering high quality graphics at a reasonable price and with quick delivery throughout the UK.   We also have graphic artists on staff who can assist you with the design and layout of your large format printed products, or we can work from art files that you provide.

During the holidays, we get lots of requests for reproducing photos or artwork onto canvas, which makes a great gift.  Each of our canvas prints is stretched over a wooden frame to provide a contemporary presentation, and look fabulous anywhere – home, office, retail shop or restaurant.

Special sales promotion graphics

Our floor graphics will floor you with their versatility and the impact they deliver to your in-store sales.  Use them to call attention to new product displays or to highlight special promotions.  These large format floor graphics feature slip-and-scuff resistant laminate and a removable adhesive that make them easy to take up after your promotion has run its course.

Special effects

Discount Displays specializes in special effects graphics, like one-way contra vision that allows people to see out but prevents them from looking in.

We love the professional look of our etched glass vinyl laminates, which looks just like expensive sandblasted etched glass at a fraction of the expense.

Our self-cling window stickers are extremely easy to fit and remove, and are an economical way to customize any window with a professional presentation.

To get cost-effective large format graphics that work for your business, visit our website or call us on 0844 800 1020 today.