Hybrid Services is inviting sign and graphics professionals to 'ride the Wide Format Wave' next month and explore ways to add value to their digitally printed output by learning new skills and production techniques.  The company is hosting events on 5th and 6th February at its UK headquarters in Crewe where attendees will be able to join Mimaki’s exclusive distributor - alongside Soyang Europe, Solent Sewing & Welding Solutions, CADLink and Curvorama - for a free, learning experience where they can design, print and finish then take home a selection of interesting applications.

The Wide Format Wave event will give visitors the opportunity to find out how to get the most out of their digital printer, building new revenue streams with real application creation experience that they can take away with them.

“If you’re new to wide-format, or looking at expanding your existing setup, then this is a great opportunity to come and learn how to add new profit centres to your business,” says Martin Morrissey of Miller Weldmaster’s UK distributor, Solent Sewing & Welding.

During the event, print professionals will have the opportunity to use their own artwork to create finished products such as banners, iPhone covers or pull up displays, and will be able to utilise the knowledge and experience of a printer distributor, software company, materials manufacturer, finishing equipment supplier and applications experts so that they leave with real skills and ideas.

Hybrid’s marketing manager, Duncan Jefferies, comments, “In a tough economy, print companies need to look at ways of bringing in new customers as well as keeping their existing ones and this one-of-a-kind event provides wide scope for printers who want to give their customers creative options beyond their standard range.”

“In a competitive market, exciting new products with broad appeal give printers the edge,” says Curvorama’s Miles Harris. “Able to both free-stand and line shell schemes, only Curvorama ticks all the boxes for portable displays – and you can see how to create it for yourself at the event.”

By registering in advance, visitors will receive a free memory stick containing templates for them to save their designs in and bring on the day.

“Giving our guests meaningful projects makes the experience more valid,” says Soyang Europe’s MD, Mark Mashiter. “As a materials supplier, we’re keen to work with people to demonstrate how a broad substrate portfolio can help them win new business.”

Software experts CADLink is also involved in the event, revealing the productivity advantages of their SignLab package as visitors produce a set of stickers to their own design. "Utilising a single software application that is able to provide all of the required design and layout tools for a project, then also RIP, print and cut the completed project streamlines the entire process from start to finish" says Bernhard Nitsche of CADlink Technology Corporation. "The correct software can save the print provider a great deal of production time and costs in day to day operations".