Canon’s wide format production printing technologies have again been recognized in the annual PRINTING United Alliance Pinnacle Awards, with six Pinnacle Product Awards and one Pinnacle Technology Award.
The Colorado M-series was the winner in the Roll-to-Roll/Hybrid/Flatbed new technology category, while the Arizona 135 GT, 1380 GTF, 1380 XTF, 2380 GTF and 2380 XTF made a clean sweep by winning each of their five respective UV/Latex Flatbed categories. Canon also won the Pinnacle Technology Award for the recently launched Canon UVgel White Ink.
Open to all PRINTING United Alliance supplier members, the Pinnacle Product Award competition evaluates products that are commercially available in 2023. This year, over 160 entries across 58 categories, covering analogue, digital, output and non-output technologies, were judged by a highly qualified panel of experts from the printing industry.
Colorado M Series
Canon launched the Colorado M-series, a modular roll-to-roll printer with two-speed configurations and UVgel white ink option, in March 2023. Based on a single platform that can be configured to customers’ needs, the printer offers easy in-field upgrades, giving users the option to enhance their printer in line with their changing requirements. Customers can also benefit from the unique performance advantages of UVgel and print a wider spectrum of applications with the introduction of white UVgel ink. UVgel’s unique formulation produces dense, opaque white images in fewer printing passes and with fewer production issues and nozzle-cleaning and maintenance requirements often associated with white ink. This all results in smooth, error-free prints with minimal waste and optimal productivity.
Canon's Arizona 135 GT
This year the Arizona family won all five of the UV/Latex Flatbed categories entered.
- Arizona 135 GT – UV/Latex Flatbed (under $100K)
- Arizona 1380 GTF – UV/Latex Flatbed ($100K - $200K)
- Arizona 1380 XTF – UV/Latex Flatbed + White ($100K - $200K)
- Arizona 2380 GTF – UV/Latex Flatbed ($200K - $500K)
- Arizona 2380 XTF – UV/Latex Flatbed + White ($200K - $500K)
In the past three years, Canon has announced multiple developments across the Arizona portfolio, including innovations in the Arizona 2300 series in 2020, the launch of the Arizona 135 in 2021 and, more recently, the introduction of FLOW technology to the Arizona 1300 series in 2023.
Designed for low maintenance, the Arizona family has automation enhancements that provide users with the capability to support industrial productivity standards and improve uptime. The latest Arizona models feature award-winning, third-generation VariaDot printing technology, delivering high quality, greyscale image reproduction. And with FLOW technology, a Canon innovation that combines a zoneless, multi-origin flatbed with mirrored, pneumatic registration pins, it is quicker and easier to change between boards of any size or shape.
Dirk Brouns (pictured right), VP Large Format Graphics at Canon Production Printing, says: “We’re thrilled to have once again been honored with multiple Pinnacle Product Awards by the PRINTING United Alliance, and it’s very rewarding to be acknowledged across a diverse range of output technology categories. The wide format graphics market is driven by innovation and Canon’s consistently high ranking in the objective quality criteria for these awards is a testament to our commitment to research and development. We’re confident that our Colorado and Arizona product lines will continue to enable users to boost profits, expand their application possibilities and open up new market opportunities.”
Dawn Nye, Program Manager for Pinnacle Awards, PRINTING United Alliance: “The Pinnacle Technology Award competition represents the entry that is truly innovative and most likely to have a significant impact among commercial hardware, software, consumables, and industrial and screen equipment. One of the things I like best about our competition is that it is juried, and judges base their decisions on objective criteria. This year, the competition was fierce and, with outstanding entries like the Colorado and Arizona, the judges had their work cut out for them.”
Canon Production Printing Australia
Canon Production Printing is a global leader in digital imaging, industrial printing and collaborative business services.
“Locally, we have a long history of providing sales, support and service to printers throughout the Oceania Region,” says Canon PPA. “Across six time zones, we provide unbeatable service quality to the digital print markets. We invest heavily in the training, processes and tooling required to ensure that our service team’s knowledge and skills are maintained at a premium level, with an experienced regional service team ready to provide the reliable service print businesses need.
“Since the foundation of the company the desire to continuously innovate has always been in its DNA. The drive to continuously improve and innovate products created a natural match with Canon which has been at the forefront of imaging excellence throughout its 80-year history and has commitments to invest in the right areas and capture growth opportunities, from cameras to commercial printers, and business consultancy to healthcare technologies."
Further information about Canon Production Printing Australia is available at: https://anz.cpp.canon
About PRINTING United Alliance
PRINTING United Alliance is "the most comprehensive member-based printing and graphic arts association in the United States, comprised of the vast communities which it represents. The Alliance serves industry professionals across market segments with preeminent education, training, workshops, events, research, government and legislative representation, safety, and environmental sustainability guidance, as well as resources from the leading media company in the industry – NAPCO Media. Now a division of PRINTING United Alliance, Idealliance is the global leader in standards training and certification for printing and graphic arts operations across the entire industry supply chain. PRINTING United Alliance also produces the PRINTING United Expo, an expansive display of technology and supplies, education, programming, and services."
