The Surface Print.Co

I have been looking for information on how different companies print the wallpapers and what processes they use, The surface print Co. have a really good section on their website, showing the different print processes and thedifferent inks they use I have posted some of the relevant info an pictures below from their website. There are so many different ways of printing wallpaper with different inks, I think this will help me get a wider understanding of the processes and hopefully see which are used for higher and lower qualities wallpaper.

Flock Machine

This is the original Flock machine that The Surface Print Company installed, which allowed Flock Wallpaper to return back into fashion. This will only allow you to print 1 colour flock with the option to use a clear glue print roller and a black glue print roller. This creates a lovely 2 tone Flock effect.

Trim width 20½" (520.7mm)

Floxo Machine

The recently purchased Floxo machine was custom made to Surface Print's requirements. This machine is the only one of its kind in the world and can print 2 colour Flexo in register with 2 colour flock (same colour flock but uses a clear glue print roller and a black glue print roller creating a 2 tone Flock effect)

Trim widths available- 520mm only
4 colour, Units 1 & 2 - Flexo, Units 3 & 4 - Surface/Flock

Flexo Printing

A very smooth style of printing allowing you to print very fine detail. With the improvement of roller technology over the years and the creation of 'High Definition' rollers, Flexo printing can more or less replicate Gravure printing.
The company currently has 3 Cobden Chadwick 6-colour flexographic presses working side by side on a 2 shift system.

Trim widths available are 520mm & 685mm.

Surface Printing

A very old, traditional style of printing creating a lovely hand printed effect. The Company currently has 2 Bradbury Saunders 12-colour surface printing machines working side by side on a 1 shift system. Due to the age of the machines, all the repeat sizes are in the old Imperial style of measuring which explains the repeat sizes below in inches.

Trim width available is 20½" (520.7mm) only.

Sur-Flex Printing

Sur-Flex printing is a combination of smooth Flexo printing and rough Surface Printing.

The company currently has 1 Bradbury Saunders 7 colour surface machine with 2 flexo units attached allowing for 9 colours in total.

Trim width available is 20½" (520.7mm) only.

Raw Materials

- China Clay is the base raw material from which the thick textured ground colours are produced. All inks used are classed as non toxic, waterbased and Environmentally Friendly.

Paper - High quality 120gsm and 150gsm base paper from 100% renewable sources and FSC or PEFC certification is available to print on. Consistency in supply ensures our quality.

Non Woven is the base product that is currently revolutionising the wallpaper industry and The Surface Print company stocks many different grades all with different weights, textures and appearances. A quick description of a non woven is a product which fits half-way between paper and fabric with the difference being that paper is made from cellulose fibres whereas non woven is made from combinations of cellulose and synthetic fibres such as polyester. As a result of these polyester fibres, a lovely "fibrous look" can be made as well as smooth matt finish which suit the premium end of the wallcovering market. Non wovens also have many practical advantages with the main being it is easy to hang as it is a "paste the wall" product and is easy to take down as its "strippable." Due to its high dimensional stability, it has very low wet expansion, will not bubble and edges will not curl. It is also non vinyl allowing it to breathe which helps to prevent mould or moisture and finally it is "recyclable."

Ground Coating

A Miller Shallcross Airknife Grounding Machine applies an all-over coating to the base paper/non woven before it is printed.

Ink Mixing and Colour Matching

A Greaves high speed mixer which mixes China Clay into a very thick, heavy solids mix for wallpaper printing.

Pigments are prepared and mixed by hand prior to printing. The accuracy of the colour-matching and the purity of the colours achieved are vital elements in creating the vibrant appearance of printed wallpapers and borders.

Finishing

The Frastan winding machines produce the standard 10.05m / 11 yard lengths of wallpaper at up to 15 rolls per minute.
The border slitting machine can cut from 2 to 8 borders from a single printed roll.