Professionals from all over the world will find innovative materials for commercial and institutional visual communication campaigns (graphics and signage) and for interior decoration. Ecological alternatives to conventional materials will also feature prominently at this year’s fair, which takes place between October 12 and 15.

The big news in the Sign Graphics segment are the monomeric and polymeric vinyls in the vinyl anti-humidity collection range. The waterproofing provided by the anti-humidity liner – with a double PE protective layer – eliminates curling and rippling during printing, finishing and application indoors and outdoors.

In the Decor segment, the textures of the alldecor 2d range stand out, reproducing wood, cement, stone, metal and leather on walls, furniture and other design elements. The possibility of printing with latex and UV LED technology makes it possible to personalize private, commercial and public spaces, including those with the highest demands in terms of resistance and safety.

Both ranges have the PVC Free ecological option and reinforce the “decal – Think Green” commitment for printing and laminating in the visual communication and decoration segments. The PP films do not contain plasticizers, the water-based adhesives are free of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and all the products comply with the European REACH and RoHs legislation, associated with the control of chemical and hazardous substances.

A visit to our stand (5-M28) is also the right time to find out about and clear up any doubts about the rest of the decal portfolio, which includes adhesive products with other unique properties.

The dimensional stability of permanent adhesives, the absence of air bubbles in bubble free adhesives, the combination of permanent and repositionable properties in removable smooth surface adhesives, the high fixation capacity of high tack adhesives and the coating with stabilization and UV protection are just a few examples.

O conteúdo FESPA 2021: What’s New at Decal’s Biggest Event in the Industry aparece primeiro em Decal.

Many companies have already started to make their mark, not only through the way they develop and manufacture their products, but also in the way they communicate with their public. A strong attitude that distinguishes those who follow mere trends from those who stand out for the best reasons.

In this article we share five tips, based on our experience in the large format digital printing market, for producing and communicating in a more sustainable way.

1.
Overcome the myths of price and quality
The first step is to overcome the myths associated with ecological products and the best known is related to the price of materials. When they first appeared, these products had higher prices than conventional ones, however, you can now find solutions with very affordable prices and decal^® is an excellent example of this.

Another recurring myth is that the quality of the materials is inferior and the results fall short of expectations. Once again, our reality in the market proves that ecological options are developed with high quality and the results are just as satisfactory as those obtained using the “usual” materials.

2.
Adapt to new production processes
The focus on sustainability has led to significant changes in production processes in order to move towards a circular economy. At decal^® we also value coordinated production and consumption systems with the aim of reducing, reusing, recovering and recycling instead of the usual extract, produce and discard.

Technology has responded to this challenge with constant innovation. In the case of large format digital printing, it has led to the emergence of more efficient equipment in terms of print speed, energy efficiency, waste reduction and agility with increasing automation, digitization and interconnectivity.

3.
Choose ecologically responsible sources
Raw materials underpin the entire production process and there are countless ways to ensure that they come from ecologically responsible sources. For our part, we are aware that opting for these sources strengthens the sustainability of production, as well as customer confidence.

Examples of this are the certifications awarded by the FSC – Forest Stewardship Council association, which promotes good forest management practices, and by the ISEGA – Industrie-Studien Und Entsorgungsgesellschaft GmbH institute, which tests materials such as paper, cardboard and plastics.

4.
Use less harmful consumables
Regardless of the market segment, large format digital printing jobs need inks and materials. The offer of solutions that are less harmful to the environment has been strengthened and, in the case of inks, solvents should be relegated to the background by eco-solvents, water-based, latex and UV.

As for materials, all the components of the final product must be considered. The various decal^® ranges, for example, include PP (polypropylene) films, produced without plasticizers, UV and water-based adhesives, which emit fewer volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and PE liner, whose moisture protection reduces waste.

5.
Transmit “green” messages
Companies may manufacture greener products, but they often forget an equally important factor: communication. The way they communicate must also be made with sustainable materials, i.e. it’s not enough for the message to be “green”, it must also be conveyed in a “green” way.

The impact of visual communication campaigns is greater if customers are aware that the applications contribute to reducing environmental impact. It is with this in mind that we manufacture self-adhesive products for various types of actions. In this way, we ensure that the message is positive at all levels.

Be part of the new era
There are certainly many steps to go before the road to sustainability is fully covered. However, we have entered a new era in which attitudes have already changed the way many companies produce and communicate.

Do you want to be part of this group?

Discover our PVC Free range, with products for printing and lamination, and get quality work that contributes to the planet’s quality of life.

O conteúdo 5 Ecological Tips to Improve Production and Communication aparece primeiro em Decal.

In this second edition, 650 companies were honored for their leadership, management and performance, after being evaluated based on financial metrics such as turnover, exports and R&D (Research & Development) processes.

Decal, as a Digidelta brand, sees obtaining COTEC 2022 INNOVATOR Status as confirmation that it is on the right track in the development and production of adhesive products for the digital printing market and beyond.

According to COTEC Portugal, this distinction also aims to highlight companies that “set an example for the country” by creating value at a national level, which is a source of added pride and responsibility.

This initiative began in 2021 and is the result of a partnership between COTEC Portugal, various banking entities, INPI – National Institute of Industrial Property and DGEEC – General Directorate of Education and Science Statistics.

O conteúdo Decal Reaffirms Its Position in COTEC’s Innovation Rating aparece primeiro em Decal.

We’re talking about a global itinerary and it’s worth getting to know it. Do you have your World Map and passport handy? Then find out where some of this year’s biggest international fairs are taking place and mark the obligatory stopping points where you’ll get the “evolution” stamp.

Let’s start on the European continent

1st and 2nd stops: Spain
It is in the Spanish capital, Madrid, that the two major trade fairs of the Iberian Peninsula, Digicom and C!Print, will be held. Both are scheduled for September and are already on the decal agenda.

At Digicom we can expect to see the latest equipment, applications and consumables for various sectors of visual communication. Who will be attending this event at IFEMA from September 14 to 16? Digital printing professionals, photographers and designers.

At C!Print, the technological novelties of the digital printing market will be in the spotlight from September 28 to 30. Visitors and exhibitors come from all over the world and can take part in workshops and lectures.

3rd stop: The Netherlands

FESPA, the largest trade fair in Europe, will take place in the Dutch capital, Amsterdam. The RAI opens its doors between October 12 and 15 and decal has already secured its exhibition space with the expectation of surpassing the way it surprised visitors at the last edition.

The completely innovative 360o virtual experience showed the factory from which decal exports to more than 50 countries, and there are many more to come with the 2021 novelties. Among them are products for interior decoration with textures and the possibility of personalization.

We’re heading to Asia

4th, 5th and 6th stops: India

International trade fairs are very important for the large format digital printing market on this continent. One of them is PAINTINDIA, taking place at the India Expo Centre & Mart (Greater Noida) from March 11 to 13, presenting solutions for small-scale production and industrial printing.

In Mumbai, the Convention & Exhibition Center is hosting PRINTPACK, a trade fair for packaging solutions. The date of this fair is still being confirmed, but China Machinex has already been scheduled for the same venue. The event, which highlights solutions for industrial production, takes place between September 9 and 11.

7th and 8th stops: China

From March 4 to 6, all eyes will be on Printing South China. This event has been running for more than 26 editions and this year, the China Import and Export Fair Complex in Guangzhou will once again welcome professionals from various segments of the large format digital printing market.

Bags packed and the journey continues to the Shanghai International Digital Textile Printing Expo (DTPEXPO), to see what’s new in textile printing from July 21 to 24.

9th stop: Pakistan

The 2021 itinerary also includes Pakistan, where the Digital Textile Printing Industry Expo will be held on March 6 and 7. Textile printing for clothing, sportswear and footwear sets the tone for this event.

Also in March and later in November, other segments of the market gain greater visibility in this destination. In the case of 3D printing, with the ITCN ASIA IT & TELECOM SHOW from March 19 to 21 and, in the case of packaging and labeling, with the PrintPak Expo from November 20 to 22.

More to the south, the journey passes through the African continent

10th stop: Egypt

The next stamp in the passport is the Print 2 Pack Expo, held in the Egyptian capital, Cairo. Between September 4 and 6 you can visit a trade fair dedicated to the packaging and large format printing segment, with an exhibition of products, substrates and complementary services for the market.

11th stop: Kenya

Whoever wants to have the “right packaging” for food packaging technology and consumables, stop by the KENYA Print Pack Sign Expo, which takes place in Nairobi from September 23 to 25.

12th and 13th stop: South Africa

The same market segment continues to feature on the 2021 international trade fair itinerary and two events worth highlighting are Print Expo and Africa Print Expo. The former will be held from June 8 to 10 and the latter from September 8 to 10.

We jump across the Atlantic Ocean to the American continent

Last stops: United States of America

The last stops are in this country where thousands of events are already scheduled for 2021. The list is vast and you can choose the most interesting stops for your company at https://10times.com/usa/printing.

When it came to selecting a destination, we opted for two international trade fairs held in Las Vegas. The White Label World Expo, used to welcoming around 20,000 visitors, is scheduled for March 10 and 11. The following month, between April 7 and 9, the International Sign Expo will be held and will include online broadcasting to receive “virtual visitors” from all over the world.

Are you ready to receive the “evolution” stamp?

Throughout this article, we’ve shared several international trade fairs where you can receive the “evolution” stamp in the visual communication, decoration, packaging and textile segments, among others, regardless of production volume.

Grab your passport and get ready to travel the world of large format digital printing. You’re sure to meet us at some of these events, because evolution has been part of decal’s path ever since we started tracing it.

O conteúdo Get ready for the 2021 trade fairs with Decal Adhesive aparece primeiro em Decal.

Three days full of opportunities to present our novelties for sign graphics and interior decoration at the Las Vegas Convention Center, with the aim of creating and deepening solid partnerships.

Stand C10734 will be a privileged meeting point between visitors, our team that brings almost 40 years’ experience to the United States and the innovation, efficiency and ecology of the adhesive products that we export to more than 60 countries.

We will be highlighting the alldecor 2d films, with realistic textures that recreate different materials on walls and furniture, and the PVC Free range for printing and lamination, which claims to be a more sustainable option for the planet and companies due to its plasticizer-free production and affordable prices.

The countdown has begun and we want to share the decal world^® with a guarantee of trust and satisfaction for professionals looking for effective solutions to their needs and a dedicated service.

O conteúdo Innovation and Ecology: Decal at Printing United Expo aparece primeiro em Decal.

The acronym PVC stands for “polyvinyl chloride” and is nothing more or less than a solid plastic which, in its original form, appears as a white powder. Its components are derived from sodium chloride and natural gas or petroleum, which include chlorine, hydrogen and carbon.

One of the properties of PVC that leads to its use is the fact that it is thermoplastic. What does that mean? When subjected to heat, it becomes soft and can be easily molded. When it cools, it regains its previous solidity without losing its new appearance.

Why choose a PVC Free world?

We know that our choices today will dictate tomorrow. That’s why it’s more important than ever for environmental awareness to be reflected in our personal actions and business choices. One way of doing this is by reducing the harmful effects of plasticizers.

By giving us the chance to work with PVC Free decal products for printing and laminating, we believe that we are halfway to building a good future together with the market.

Ecology with extra benefits

We have added six benefits to the ecological aspect of this decal range, which represents an alternative answer to conventional Sign Graphics applications on flat or slightly curved surfaces.

Safety in all spaces
There are many types of environments and, whether we’re talking about hospitals, schools or restaurants, there are demanding criteria that warrant extra care in the properties of the applications. PVC Free products respond to this need.

Technological variety
The complications generated by the migration of plasticizers are recurrent in the use of soft-pvc and reduce responsiveness. Even with a top-of-the-range printer, print quality is seriously compromised and the choice of materials remains limited. With PVC Free products, the problem is solved.

Equilibrium with symmetry
The balance we want for the planet also includes the balance that professionals seek in their work. PVC Free products ensure uniform results in the main types of digital printing technology, including latex, as well as not shrinking the materials after application.

Everyone profits
This is yet another reason why decal products stand out, and this range is no exception, as the investment made by companies is materialized in the presentation of competitive quotes to their customers. The PVC Free option thus proves to be profitable at all levels.

Having what it takes
As we have already said, we have developed our PVC Free products inspired by our “Think green” commitment. This focus on the goal is reflected in the precision of the prints at the color level, guaranteed by the surface treatment with perfect dot definition and fixation.

Transparency
The ecological message can reach everyone without limits when creativity and efficiency are combined. The combination of the transparent properties of PVC free adhesives and decals makes it possible to communicate without noise on glass and glazed surfaces, such as shop windows.

Now that you know more about the subject and the sustainable solutions we offer, do you want to make the world PVC free? Opt for our products and add ecology to your company’s evolution.

O conteúdo How We Made the World PVC-Free: Sustainability and Innovation with Decal aparece primeiro em Decal.

The pioneering project presented by Digidelta raises the quality of customizable products through a coating which, due to its porosity and absorption characteristics, opens up new horizons in the world of digital printing. The research and development work carried out has made it possible to improve existing solutions and broaden the possibilities of applications in terms of definition, color range, adhesion to the substrate, water resistance and durability.

Margarida Duarte, Quality Control & IDI (Research, Development and Innovation) technician, received the award corresponding to the monetary value of €2,000.00 during the ceremony, which was also attended by Armando Mota. For the COO and Business Development Director, this achievement proves Digidelta’s visionary attitude and recognizes Margarida Duarte’s professionalism during the year she dedicated to the project.

Armando Mota also highlighted the “restlessness” and resilience that inspire the search for innovative answers through efficient processes. The result is solutions such as the new DECAL coating, whose matte finish didn’t stop it from having its own shine among the SME candidates. In total, 37 companies based in 14 municipalities in the district of Santarém took part, with projects involving products, processes, organizational methods or marketing.

The initiative by NERSANT – Associação Empresarial da Região de Santarém highlights innovation as a driver of competitiveness. Digidelta shared the podium with Trim NW (Santarém) and Cecílio, S.A (Coruche), first and third place respectively. Its promotion is part of the Ribatejo InovFin project, supported by COMPETE 2020 – Operational Programme for Competitiveness and Internationalization.

O conteúdo Digidelta: Innovation Leader in Digital Printing aparece primeiro em Decal.

Let’s start “at the beginning”: car wrapping… what is it?

Car wrapping is characterized by changing all or part of a vehicle’s exterior by applying vinyl, without compromising the original paintwork. This application can be done on cars, trucks, motorcycles and even boats.

What choices do I have when it comes to personalization?

The personalization of the vinyl to be applied is up to each individual. There are many options for decorating vehicles, which can vary with a wide range of colors, microns and, for the final touch, finishes (matte, clear glossy, white glossy, textured and carbon).

What can it be used for?

You can use this product for advertising campaigns, to protect the original paintwork or even for styling. The application time varies depending on the intended purpose, but you can decorate your vehicle for a period of time ranging from 5 to 10 years.

How is it done?

The car wrapping process takes place in four phases: design, production, cleaning and application. In the first stage, it’s essential to take the car’s measurements and work on the design. The choice of colors is very important at this stage, you must adapt the layout so that the message to be conveyed is as clear as possible, as well as selecting the places to apply vinyl and what type of information and images you want to place.

In the second phase, the choice of materials is made. Taking into account the chosen layout, it’s time to choose the best application, whether with colored vinyl or digitally printed vinyl, solvent or UV LED. Decal recommends laminating with UV LED printing, not only for durability, but also for resistance to mechanical friction.

For car wrapping using digital printing, our advice is to use flexible UV LED inks, such as those used by Mimaki UCJV300, the LUS-170 or the LUS-200, specially designed for this type of application, with great flexibility guaranteeing an aligned end result.

The third phase can be crucial and is related to cleaning and degreasing the vehicle, so make sure you clean and degrease the creases and edges of the panel joints, the mudguards and, where possible, dismantle the side protection plastics to clean, dry and reapply.

Finally, when applying, you should take into account the chosen layout. You should have magnets with you as an aid. When you start the process, remove a good part of the vinyl from the backing paper (liner) and apply with the spatula. Then remove the liner, apply heat at 40°, seal the application with the spatula and put the finishing touches on. We recommend overlapping the vinyl by 20mm whenever necessary.

There is also a fifth operation, that of removing the material, especially in cases where the decoration is occasional. This should be done using a hot air gun to evenly heat the surface from which the vinyl is to be removed and follow the other technical instructions for the product in question.

What are the advantages for your client?

Whoever chooses car wrapping applications to communicate their brand will enjoy numerous advantages. Wherever you go, you’ll be promoting and making your brand visible through your vehicle.

It’s an effective way of winning new customers and boosting your business. Convey professionalism and confidence on the road. Now the company is no longer just the person riding in the car, but also the brand on the vehicle.

It’s also excellent value for money, as you’ll be doing outdoor advertising on the streets where the car passes and parks. What’s more, you can protect the original paintwork, enhancing the value of the vehicle, with the advantage of removing the vinyl easily and at any time.

To keep in mind!

By now you’re probably wondering whether this application on the outside of the car doesn’t involve bureaucratic issues. Each country has its own legislation for this type of application. In the case of Portugal, for example, each municipality has specific rules and you should contact the local authority where the company that owns the vehicle is based.

The method of applying the vinyl requires experience, and it is advisable to have it applied by professionals.

Despite being a long-lasting product, when washing the vehicle some care is needed to preserve its lifespan. For example, vehicles should not be washed the week after application to ensure that the maximum level of adhesion is established.
When using high-pressure cleaning tools, you must ensure that the water temperature does not exceed 60o. The hose should be at a distance of around 50cm from the car and should not point directly at the edges of the film, as there is a risk that the vinyl will start to peel off at the edges.

Finally….

If you want to highlight your brand on your car through car wrapping, but still have questions about this application, please contact us.

O conteúdo Car Wrapping: The Perfect Trend for Personalizing Your Car aparece primeiro em Decal.