Looking at actual products from Brett Martin, the company recently launched its lower carbon PVC foam sheet, Foamalux Light Bio, which is made using a bioattributed feedstock from the sustainable forestry industry. The substitution of biobased resin, alongside Brett Martin’s renewable energy powered manufacturing process, provides a 20% carbon footprint reduction in comparison to its traditional foam PVC sheets. “Foamalux Light Bio is now our second plastic substrate solution using bio feedstock following on from our Marlon BioPlus polycarbonate sheets,” Louden says, adding: “We see this as a great forward step in the plastic manufacturing industry and we will continue to explore opportunities for bio-based resin substitutes to reduce our carbon footprint. “Foamalux Light Bio is a high quality, lower carbon, white PVC foam board that allows brands to use a sustainable substrate without compromising on quality.” Vibrant and Evolving Market Also in this sector, Perspex Distribution (PDL) offers a range of products. Marketing manager Luke Martyn says the markets remains as vibrant and evolving as ever, with end users seeking new and niche products that help them add value to their offering and create their own unique designs. “Ultimately, customers are looking for reliability, both in terms of quality of product as well as continuous supply,” Martyn comments, adding: “Uniquely amongst rigid media suppliers, PDL boasts over 80% of materials being manufactured here in the UK and the only supplier to offer a basket of sign and print staples such as cast acrylic, PVC foam, aluminium composite, PETg and polycarbonate from UK suppliers. “As UK manufacturers themselves, our customers benefit from the same UK production standards, as well as knowing that the products make a short journey from the production line to our warehouses – sometimes only a few miles.” Taking a closer look at this range, Alupanel aluminium composite, produced in Kent by the UK’s only ACM manufacturer, is available in all grades from PDL. Whether it is a sign-maker looking for specialist traffic signage grades, or a large-format printer seeking high volume printed hoarding for a large construction project, there is an Alupanel grade perfect for the job. For specialist projects, a new fire retardant AlupanelFR grade is now available from PDL. Not only does it meet Class B fire rating classifications, but Martyn explains that after listening to industry requirements, the double-sided substrate is manufactured with a digital matt/matt finish optimised for vibrant digital printing on its signal white surface. Martyn goes on to say that as PDL specialises in thermoplastics, its 41 Issue 253 - June / July 2024 email: news@signlink.co.uk Foamalux Light Bio from Brett Martin provides a 20% carbon footprint reduction compared to its traditional foam PVC sheets Factoid focused core product range enables the company to hold a large stock holding of these products, both fast moving and specialist finishes, as well as offering an exemplary product knowledge to support sign-makers, printers, and fabricators seeking the most appropriate product for their jobs. “We believe strongly in our service and the focus enables us to best meet customer needs for a complete offer and fast turnaround,” Martyn says, adding: “Our UK supply chain also helps us to ensure customer needs are at the forefront of product development and we often take technical teams from our manufacturing partners out to visit our end users – this helps them understand the needs of the customers better and informs future product development.” An example of this is with the Palight range of PVC Foam sheets being brought together under the Palight Plus banner. With this, Martyn says users benefit from a uniform pristine white surface across the Palight Plus, Palight Print Plus, and Palight Print Plus LW variants – leaving print service providers with more flexibility in mixing and matching sheets for their ideal applications. “At PDL, we recently celebrated our 20-year anniversary, and each year continues to see our rigid substrate offering expand as our business grows,” Martyn adds. If one thing is for sure, it is that there is no shortage of options when it comes to selecting and working with quality and reliable materials within the rigid substrates market. Speak with trusted suppliers and manufacturers, including those featured here, about what you are hoping to achieve with the sign applications in question and this will help you to identify the most suitable and effective solution. RIGID SUBSTRATES ► Brett Martin has released a number of sustainable products to the market ▼ Perspex offers a range of sign and print staples such as cast acrylic, PVC foam, and aluminium composite
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