With a 25 per cent growth anticipated in the Middle East printing sector, industry heavyweights HP and Blaze are showcasing the next generation of large format printers at Sign & Graphic Imaging 2006, aimed primarily at the region’s booming outdoor media sector.
Blaze Printing, a Dutch-based company which was recently acquired by HP and is now part of the newly formed HP Industrial Inkjet Division will be participating in Hall 7 whereas HP’s large format division will be participating in Hall 6 said Ashish Panjabi, Chief Operating Officer, Jacky’s Gulf FZE. Jacky’s are dealers for both HP and Blaze large format printing products in the GCC and Yemen as well as for Blaze products in Pakistan.
“Among the highlights of the exhibition will definitely be the HP (Blaze) Turbojet - the world's fastest digital printer, which is capable of printing over 400 sq. m. per hour. The Blaze NILEjet II a 2.6 m digital printer that can print at 720dpi and approximately 18 million shades of colour will be making its worldwide debut at Sign & Graphic Imaging 2006,” he said.
While large format printers are an integral part of the outdoor advertising industry, the systems have also been used with a great deal of success in other areas, for example for display stands and point of sale material.
“Since the introduction of digital, large format printing in the Gulf region, quality and speed have become industry buzzwords; in the best scenarios these machines have resulted in major reductions in production time, providing, at the same time high colour fidelity and accuracy in all forms of printing,” Mr. Panjabi said.
This is the sixth consecutive year that Jacky’s has participated in the Dubai Sign and Graphics show, each year’s participation contributing to multi-million dollar contracts. Among the contracts signed last year, stemming from the company’s participation in Sign & Graphics, is the AED 900,000 contract with Thomas Bennett Gulf LLC based in Dubai.
The show is also effectively used as a platform to reach out to visitors from its target regions – in the Middle East and beyond. In Pakistan, another country experiencing a surge in outdoor advertising, Jacky’s Gulf has also made in inroads, selling large format printers to some of the country’s biggest advertising and outdoor media companies.
The 2006 show will also mark HP Large Format Division’s entry into the solvent printing market. With new products that will revolutionize the printing industry and with HP’s extensive know-how in digital printing, demand for these two new products is expected to far exceed supply initially. Jacky’s are only one of two authorized sales and service partners for the new HP solvent printers in the UAE and other selected GCC countries.
Jacky's Gulf FZE is part of the Jacky's Group of Companies, which is involved primarily in retail, mail order, distribution and e-commerce sales. The Group has direct operations in the United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and agents across the world.
The Group was established in 1970 in Hong Kong as a mail order business targeted towards the tax and duty-free community. Today, the company still serves this customer base from their mail order distribution bases in Hong Kong and Dubai. The customer base spans over 130 countries and includes diplomats and embassies, UN officials and organisations, non-government organisations and some of the finest duty-free outlets in the world.
Jacky's Gulf FZE is a leader in the retail and wholesale sales of electronics, digital printing equipment, commodities, home appliances, IT equipment and office automation products in Dubai and other parts of the world. The company has locations in the UAE, Hong Kong, Singapore, India, Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. The current customer base is spread out over 130 countries and still growing.
