EFI Ecosystem of Digital Print Innovations Fuels Customer Success at International Sign Expo

Orlando, FL (March 22, 2018) — Electronics For Imaging, Inc. (Nasdaq:EFII) provides fuel for customers’ signage and graphics success by offering the industry’s most-complete portfolio of inkjet and production workflow technologies. The EFI exhibit at the ISA International Sign Expo includes one of the industry’s broadest offerings of innovative solutions for signs, display graphics, textiles and more, will offer new business and profit opportunities for attendees.

Advanced inkjet technologies in booth #5000 at the Orange County Convention Center includes EFI VUTEk LED roll-to-roll, VUTEk FabriVU soft signage and EFI hybrid and flatbed LED printers, all driven by the latest EFI Fiery proServer digital front ends (DFEs) for the ultimate in productivity, job control and color management.

EFI and two of its partners, Ricoh U.S.A., Inc. (booth #600) and Nazdar SourceOne (booth #5400) are exhibiting EFI’s newest wide-format printer, a Pro 24f dedicated LED flatbed model that comes with white ink standard and includes a built-in Fiery proServer Core DFE. The flatbed printer has a true 4×8-foot architecture and offers precision imaging, fine detail and outstanding image quality. It is a highly strategic choice for signage, photographic backlit displays, art reproductions, membrane switches, graphic overlays, lenticular prints and other specialty applications up to two inches thick.

International Sign Expo attendees can also take a virtual reality tour at the EFI booth of the VUTEk HS125 Pro high-speed hybrid printer and EFI’s breakthrough Nozomi C18000 press for ultra-high-speed direct-to-corrugated LED inkjet corrugated display and packaging production. Plus, EFI’s exhibit includes a complete portfolio of workflow software that helps businesses drive a stronger competitive advantage including the EFI Midmarket Print Suite and the new EFI MarketDirect customer engagement and cross-media communications platform.

A product portfolio geared toward customer growth and efficiency

The complete range of products gives users a distinct competitive advantage as customers look to diversify their offerings, add work in hot new markets, and develop highly streamlined, integrated workflows to increase throughput and drive down production costs. EFI customer D’Andrea Visual Communications (DVC) partnered with EFI to do just that and has reaped the benefits in its comprehensive retail point-of-purchase, experiential exhibit and home décor production operations.

The southern California company operates numerous VUTEk superwide-format printers and manages them all using Fiery proServer DFEs. DVC directs its overall business and production management workflow using an EFI Midmarket Print Suite with a full range of component solutions for dynamic scheduling, web-to-print, multi-channel marketing, planning, shipping and more.

Just recently, DVC boosted its fabric soft signage offerings with the installation of a 3.4-meter EFI VUTEk FabriVU 340 aqueous dispersed dye-sublimation printer. The printer delivers high-quality images at true production level speeds while keeping running costs low and profit opportunities high. Printing either direct-to-fabric or on transfer paper using the same inkset, the printer produces dazzling displays, high-density backlit signage and more with ultra-high resolution four color printing.

“About 40% of our business is fabric-based, and that percentage is likely to climb with this new printer,” according to DVC Co-owner David Schiller. “Over the years, we have had a number of EFI VUTEk printers – including purchasing six printers in one order about five years ago – and have found working with EFI to be a terrific experience. Their service and support are exceptional, and they are like family to us.”

The complete EFI Ecosystem for signage and graphics

Much like the advanced, fully integrated production operation DVC has in superwide-format printing, EFI’s exhibit at the International Sign Expo highlights how the EFI Ecosystem of products can efficiently and effectively automate and drive productivity throughout a signage and graphics business – from online job submission and production/business management to fast Fiery job processing, high-end output and more.

Another one of the inkjet production products on display, the EFI Pro 16h LED wide-format printer, sets a new standard for entry-level hybrid production. This extremely affordable 65-inch wide Fiery Driven printer includes white ink and delivers a low total cost of ownership and superior image quality for a broad range of applications. The award-winning printer has faster speeds than other EFI entry-level hybrid products, with some print modes offering up to a 30% higher throughput.

EFI also is showcasing its next-generation line of VUTEk roll-to-roll printers with the 3.5-meter EFI VUTEk 3r LED printer that offers the highest speeds and resolution in its class and provides superior quality using EFI UltraDrop Technology 7-picoliter print heads. The printer, which is also available in a 5-meter wide model, won a 2018 Wide-Format & Signage magazine Top Products Award in part for its integrated production workflow offerings, which allow print professionals to do more work in less time. Users can choose a complete set of value-added options, including an inline finishing system for all-in-one printing, x-cutting, slitting and collecting, and white and light colors.

Integrated workflow in the ‘Journey of a Job’ for graphics production

Another product at the tradeshow, version 6 of the EFI Midmarket Print Suite, features EFI Pace as its core MIS/ERP software and drives end-to-end efficiencies. The Suite’s Superwide Format component database streamlines estimating, planning and management in dedicated signage and graphics production printing environments. Plus, the Suite includes a new, award-winning workbench tool and deeper integration with imposition and fulfillment components.

EFI’s new customer communication platform software, MarketDirect Cross Media, eliminates many of the challenges in developing, distributing and tracking customer communications for loyalty programs, offers, newsletters, surveys and more. EFI’s award-winning Digital StoreFront Web-to-Print eCommerce software, which provides an industry-leading print buyer experience designed to win new business, acquire new customers and grow existing businesses, is also on display at the show.

“Whether our customers are cutting their energy costs with our LED printers; expanding into reusable, high-end soft signage with VUTEk FabriVU printers; using Fiery technologies to achieve accurate, repeatable color across their printer fleets; or creating highly automated, seamless workflows to handle everything from order entry to final shipping and fulfillment, they are taking control of their success with the advanced innovations available across our portfolio,” said Frank Mallozzi, EFI’s senior vice president of worldwide sales and marketing. “Our exhibit at the International Sign Expo is a unique example of what our ecosystem approach can do truly transform customers’ signage and graphics operations.”

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About EFI
EFI is a global technology company, based in Silicon Valley, and is leading the worldwide transformation from analog to digital imaging. We are passionate about fueling customer success with products that increase competitiveness and boost productivity. To do that, we develop breakthrough technologies for the manufacturing of signage, packaging, textiles, ceramic tiles, and personalized documents, with a wide range of printers, inks, digital front ends, and a comprehensive business and production workflow suite that transforms and streamlines the entire production process.