To mark the company’s debut at this year's 100% Design exhibition at Earl's Court in September, wide format media supplier Soyang Europe will be showcasing two of the latest and most exciting products from its ever-expanding range of bespoke surface coverings.
Taking centre-stage is the new G-Floor product which is set to change traditional perceptions of what is possible in the field of customised flooring. The high-tech new media, developed and manufactured in the United States, is based on a high density, clear, flexible PVC substrate and is capable of being custom printed on the underside using either UV or solvent inks on a grand-format printer.
Because the image is printed beneath the media, the thick wear layer protects the integrity of the graphic. G-Floor is hygienic, easily installed and repositionable, as well as having excellent load-bearing capability, with low noise and sound absorbing characteristics. The range of different finishes provides a safe, effective and hard-wearing grip surface for a wide range of retail, business and public space applications, with an image entirely personalised to the customer’s needs.
Mark Mashiter, Managing Director of Soyang Europe explains, “We’re already finding that the sheer durability and versatility of G-Floor is turning the industry on its head. No other product currently available has such a high level of durability, or is available in such a wide range of finishes or widths. The potential for retail outlets, restaurants, cinemas, vehicle showrooms, fitness centres, hotels, exhibition halls, stages, sporting venues and airports is genuinely fantastic. This product moves the game on from simply printing floor graphics to being able to produce bespoke, creative and visually stunning graphic floors.”
Available in widths up to 3m and thicknesses to suit virtually any kind of flatbed, roll to roll or hybrid grand format printer, G-Floor offers almost limitless marketing and logistical opportunities. Mashiter continues, “This really is a very cost effective product and the speedy installation process coupled with its durability and ability to easily reposition make this a far more viable proposition than conventional laminate flooring alternatives.”
Soyang Europe’s G-Floor product is complemented by AlumiGraphics - a versatile, 100% recyclable, wide-format media made from pliable aluminium foil with a white finish that accepts a wide range of solvent, eco-solvent, latex and UV inks. AlumiGraphics is durable, easy to use, printable direct to the surface with no over lamination required, moulds naturally, without heat, and can be applied to virtually any rough or smooth textured surface.
Andrew Simmons, Sales Director for Soyang Europe explains, “What really sets this product apart is the aluminium foil based material combined with the specially developed top surface, allowing direct printing with no over lamination. The ease of application to virtually any uneven or textured surfaces without the need for heat or trained installers offers significant time and cost benefits to the end-user, making this a highly productive and profitable product to work with.”
Awarded the prestigious ‘Product of the Year’ by the Speciality Graphic Imaging Association （SGIA）， AlumiGraphics is available in two different surface finishes: 'smooth' for interior and exterior wall surfaces such as brick, stucco, concrete or tiled walls; and 'grip', with a slip-resistant reflective surface, perfect for external flooring applications such as concrete, asphalt or paving. Simmons sees huge possibilities for the new product, commenting: “The potential applications for this technically advanced media are probably only limited by the customers’ imagination! Everything from pavements, walkways, escalators and stairs, to car parks, elevators, and walls can be covered with AlumiGraphics, opening the door to the transformation of previously under-utilised surfaces both inside and out into cost-effective, revenue generating, marketing platforms.”
Mashiter sums up his company’s strategy for being at the exhibition and his feelings about the relevance of these products for this particular audience: “Soyang Europe has traditionally been heavily involved in providing media to the wide format sign and graphics industry, but these two particular products have an appeal to a much wider and potentially even more creative market. The scope for these products is so vast and exciting that I think we’re barely touching the surface of their potential. What we’re keen to do at 100% Design is nurture creative partnerships with architects, designers and marketers to really develop the full effectiveness of this product.”