43 www.signlink.co.uk Issue 267 - October | November choosing the material with the strongest marketing language.” Speaking about the new innovations and the future of the sector, Lister says: “We are seeing credible progress in high-performance fibreboard, PVCfree self-adhesive films, bio-based films, recycled-content products, and modular display systems designed for repeated use. “The next major development will not be one miracle material. It will be better material data, improved traceability, and design systems that allow individual parts to be repaired, replaced, reused, and eventually separated for recovery.” High in Fibre We’ve heard advice about choosing materials and working with them, so let’s now hear from suppliers of these materials to understand what options are available. Premier Paper, a supplier of office paper, packaging materials, and sign and display solutions, has a wide range of products available under its own banner as well as PPB (Proctor Paper and Board) which was acquired by Premier earlier this year. Simon Balderson, commercial director for Sign & Display at PPB, says the company offers an “extensive portfolio” of materials made for the point-of-sale (POS) sector as well as a range of print, display, and fabrication requirements. “Our range includes aluminium composite material, corrugated board, display board, greyboard, graphical board, plus other fibre-based board. We also have specialist substrates such as 3A Impex Polycarbonate, Crylux Acryli, and Foamalite Foam PVC – all suitable for POS, retail graphics, exhibition, indoor, and outdoor signage applications.” Like Lister, Balderson also highlights the shift from plastics to fibre-based offerings in the past few years due to the desire for retailers to shift to more sustainable fibre-based options. The move has also been inflated by cost considerations due to the majority of plastic substrates being affected by the cost of oil increasing in reaction to the conflict in the Middle East. When asked about the installation challenges customers are trying to overcome with materials, Balderson says: “Customers routinely face issues caused by difficult or unpredictable surfaces – things like lowVOC paints, dust, textures, or cleaning residues that prevent graphics from bonding properly. These substrates often look fine at first glance, but they can cause lifting, bubbling, or premature failure once a graphic is applied.” “Drytac’s products are engineered to handle these realworld conditions more reliably than standard films. The adhesives are formulated to wetout on challenging surfaces, maintain bond strength over time, and give installers a wider margin for success even when the substrate isn’t perfect. This reduces failures, callbacks, and reprints, which is ultimately what customers care about most.” A recent product release from PPB is Re-Board Air, a fibre-based board made in Sweden which PPB says is ideal for 2D and 2.5D applications. “Available in 6mm, 9mm, and 13mm, the board is half the weight of Re-Board Premium making it perfect for fast installation and easy handling. Air has bright white liners on both sides offering excellent printability whilst the tilted inverted corrugated core remains to ensure the board is flat and rigid.” Green Giants Another supplier of signage materials is Antalis, a distributor of paper, packaging, and visual communications. Chris Green, director of Visual Communications at the company says the business offers self-adhesive vinyls, printable films, overlaminates, wrapping materials, rigid sign and display boards, banner media, wallcoverings, floor, wall, and window graphics, and sustainable alternatives for POS and retail campaigns. Also speaking about new innovations, Green says: “One of the biggest areas of innovation is sustainability. We are seeing more development in PVC-free films, recyclable and recycled-content rigid media, fibre-based display boards, and alternative constructions designed to reduce environmental impact without compromising printability or performance. This is likely to remain one of the defining trends in signage materials over the coming years. SIGNAGE MATERIALS | DAVID OSGAR Customers routinely face issues caused by difficult or unpredictable surfaces – things like lowVOC paints, dust, textures, or cleaning residues that prevent graphics from bonding properly ▼ Premier Paper recently added Re-Board to its product portfolio, offering various versions including Re-Board Air, ReBoard Premium, and Re-Board Fire Retardant A form of printing that uses multi-layered UV ink to build height and tactile textures 2.5D
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