Orbus: Leading-edge innovation in soft signage

Orbus is North America’s top trade manufacturer of soft signage and flag graphics for tradeshow exhibits, promotional displays, experiential retail and corporate interiors, and it relies on dye-sublimation solutions from EFI to ensure consistent, highly productive, high-end imaging in exceptionally large volumes. “We have four FabriVU printers overall, so we must be happy with the technology!” said Orbus Vice President of Print Operations Aaron Kozar.

In fact, the Woodridge, Illinois-based company is one of the largest users of EFI soft signage printers worldwide. The newly installed FabriVU 340+ model joins two additional FabriVU printers at Orbus Las Vegas. The company has its fourth FabriVU printer at its headquarters facility, along with a pair of high-volume EFI industrial printers used exclusively for dye-sublimation production.

With the return of conferences and other in-person events, “Our volumes have gone up significantly in Las Vegas,” Kozar stated, “so we needed to add redundancy and capacity with the new 340+ printer.”

Soft signage is expanding into new markets and, according to Orbus Vice President of Marketing Natalie Whited, it is the fastest-growing application among all the digitally printed graphics solutions the company provides. The new FabriVU 340+ model, which delivers a wide colour gamut and deep saturation for higher-end fabric graphics, is up to the task to meet Orbus’s continued growth trajectory.

Premium-quality print for expanding growth opportunities

“That is part of our strategy,” according to Whited. “We acquired Fabric Images in 2021, a business that was concentrated on custom fabric architecture and soft signage, because there is expansion and growth opportunity in the tradeshow, retail and interiors sectors.”

The company has an increasing presence as a provider of retail and corporate interior graphics, and the VUTEk FabriVU 340+ printer is particularly well-suited to produce those types of applications thanks to high-resolution printheads that provide precise, three-level grayscale imaging with no overlay for smooth transitions and perfect crispness.

The upgraded performance comes courtesy of the printer’s new, eight-printhead, CMYK x 2 array, along with new electronics for reliable and consistent premium-quality output of exhibit graphics, backlit graphics, retail fixture wraps, front lit graphics, block-out banners and fabric interior decor. A flag printing kit on the printer easily handles porous media in high-penetration applications by collecting inks without touching the rear side of the media.

As with all VUTEk FabriVU printers, it prints both transfer paper and direct-to-fabric using the same set of high-yield, water-based Genuine EFI Inks.

“EFI is proud to deliver the best-in-class technology solutions that help Orbus remain a leader in display graphics inkjet printing,” said Ken Hanulec, vice president of worldwide marketing, EFI. “The company’s success with our soft signage printers is an important point of pride for EFI of the innovation, value, productivity and print quality we have worked to provide in every one of our 300 VUTEk FabriVU installations worldwide.”

Together at PRINTING United

Orbus’ exhibit at PRINTING United, in booth C9635, featured soft signage displayed on a variety of its backwall systems – collapsible displays, light boxes, fabric structures and more. The company’s booth was printed with EFI VUTEk FabriVU printers and, as one of the largest soft signage trade suppliers in Las Vegas, Orbus also used its FabriVU printers to print the tradeshow signage and booths for several additional exhibitors at the 19-21 October tradeshow.

EFI, in booth #C8107, exhibited the VUTEk FabriVU 340i+ printer, a model with in-line fixation that eliminates the need for a separate heat press in soft signage graphics production. The EFI exhibit also included the company’s advanced UV LED roll-to-roll and hybrid display graphics printers; EFI IQ™ cloud-based business and production management solutions; and a complete portfolio of EFI Fiery® digital front end print server and digital print workflow products for commercial, display graphics and industrial printing.