them with their wide-format lamination needs. One company that can help here is Laaco Laminates, which offers both new and second-hand photo finishing equipment, laminators, cutters, trimmers, eye-letting machines, and laminating films. Commenting on lamination in general, Laaco director Simon Dobson agrees that it can be used for much more than simply protecting printed work. He says: “The over lamination of a print obviously gives it protection but can also enhance the value and look of a print. “You can reduce glare on an exhibition stand with a matte laminate, or high gloss a print for visual impact at an art gallery. Then there are floor graphics, which is still a big market and working with a good, anti-slip film is absolutely essential.” Dobson is hugely knowledgeable when it comes to the subject of lamination, having worked in the industry for 40 years. Supporting customers with all manner of lamination work, the company partners with a number of manufacturers to distribute solutions to the market. These partners include Neschen, with Laaco counting the Neschen ColdLam 1650 among its offering. Billed as an “allrounder”, the machine features a foldable feed table, ergonomic control panel, and integrated compressor and roll-to-roll functionality. As for other options from Laaco, the company is often asked to refurbish old Seal laminators. While these machines have not been available as new for some time now, Dobson says that with some TLC and a new top roller, Laaco can get the devices back up to speed quickly, allowing customers a less expensive route to improved lamination. “It’s great to see a machine recycled and back in service in three to four hours,” Dobson says. Added Value As hinted at by Dobson, materials also play a key role in the lamination of wideformat print applications. Drytac has a range of solutions on offer to the market, with Dennis Leblanc, its senior business development manager, saying lamination can also be used to bring added value to pieces, allowing them to stand out and capture the attention of passers-by as well as bring additional qualities to certain applications. “An excellent example of this is floor graphics; by using films and vinyls that have anti-slip properties, this will help to prevent falls and unnecessary headaches down the line for your business,” Leblanc says, adding: “Some products also feature anti-graffiti qualities and can protect applications such as wall graphics or even painted pieces from damage.” That said, Leblanc goes on to say that lamination is not always required. He says companies should consider the piece they are producing and where it will be installed to see whether lamination is necessary. For example, with UV protection, he says lamination is a must for long-term applications if they are to stand the test of time as these projects will be exposed to the elements and will need support if they are going to survive. Similarly, if your focus is on protecting 45 Issue 256 - December 2024 / January 2025 email: editor@signlink.co.uk the ink layer of a graphic, you should also consider laminating all long-term work – both indoors and outdoors – as well as output that will be situated in high traffic locations such as corridors and hallways. “When considering lamination for finishing effects, this is only necessary on some occasions as most print media is available in different finishes,” Leblanc explains, adding: “Newer print hardware even allows for gloss and matte output from the get-go through their ink setup. “On the other hand, short-term graphics printed onto thicker, more durable media do not necessarily need to be laminated. Aside from this, advances with print media have reduced the need for lamination by offering built-in resistance features. Be sure to understand the media you are working with as this will save time, effort, and money. “For those sign-makers that do require some form of lamination, Drytac can help with our collection of products. These solutions can be paired with our established printable films for use on a wide range of jobs.” Clearly there are many benefits of lamination in wide-format print production. Obviously, it is an absolute must if you are looking to protect print work that is at an increased risk of being damaged. However, lamination also allows wide-format print companies, and indeed their customer, to explore all manner of eye-catching effects that can make the application stand out even more to passers-by – which is the common purpose of many wide-format printed pieces. ▲ Laaco counts the Neschen ColdLam 1650 among its lamination offerings ▼ Drytac offers a wide range of lamination films for wide-format print work LAMINATION
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