FLAAR offers professional consulting services on giclee, UV-cured flatbed and roll-to-roll printers for a variety of business and industries in the professional printing markets as well as on digital photography, scanning, giclee and printing for interior decoration.
FLAAR offers a variety of consulting services for the inkjet printing, scanning, and digital photography industry. FLAAR is increasingly sought after by investment analysts. One investment analyst said clearly that the FLAAR data is valuable for documentation of sales potential, which directions the markets are going, and most of all the true pros and cons of a product and a company, "all we otherwise ever hear is management's rosy picture.”
FLAAR consultant Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth can conduct his consultation services on-location anywhere around the globe. He has consulted in Japan, China, Taiwan, Korea, Latin America (especially Brazil), Europe, Turkey, Greece, and across the United States and Canada.
Dr. Hellmuth was educated at Harvard, trained at Yale, and received his Ph.D. from Karl-Franzens Universität (Graz, Austria). We are also available for consulting for museums, museum exhibits, and field research programs since we have also spent many decades doing field projects in remote areas of Central America.
Dr. Hellmuth/FLAAR consult on UV-cured flatbed and UV-curable roll-to-roll applications, RIP software, inkjet printers in general, inks (all kinds: UV, textile, innovative new inks), media, liquid lamination, liquid coaters, and components. We also provide knowledge on market research. Several printer companies have come to us to ask assistance in acquisitions (either them acquiring another company, or preparing themselves to be acquired).
In addition, he is knowledgeable in giclee, fine art photography, solvent, eco-solvent, mild-solvent, bio-solvent, latex ink, as well as in scanning and high end digital photography. We also assist relative to wide-format inkjet printing on textiles.
For training in color management and ICC color profiles we work together with experienced color consultants who can provide hands-on training. Two of our color management partners are multi-lingual. Dr Hellmuth is tri-lingual (German, English, Spanish) and he can understand Italian, basic Portuguese and basic French.
Dr. Hellmuth's consulting services are valuable for universities, museums, government agencies, manufacturers, distributors, dealers of any size, as well as print shop owners, operators, and individuals.
The difference between reading the FLAAR reports and web site, compared to retaining Dr. Hellmuth for an on-site visit, is that he can provide fresh information not yet published in the written reports, or posted on the web site. Therefore, an on-site consultation with Dr. Hellmuth is invaluable to keeping up with the latest trends and technologies in professional printing.
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Testing an advanced digital camera in Slovenia. FLAAR evaluates medium format, large format, and 35mm SLR digital cameras. We are gradually moving into evaluating 3D scanners and 3D rendering software and associated technology. |
Listed below are a few of the topics our consultation services cover. This list is not exhaustive and is only meant to highlight the consulting services FLAAR has to offer. A brief list of services includes:
- Discussing which printer(s) are optimal for your business, franchise sign shop, museum, studio, university or company's specific needs;
- Explaining of the pros and cons of piezo vs. industrial piezo vs. thermal vs. continuous inkjet technologies for your specific printing needs;
- Discussing which inks and media work in which printers (and which inks and media will not function in popular printers);
- Explaining inks, colorants, media, paper, substrates in a non-technical, easy to understand manner;
- Providing a follow-up list of key contacts within the industry, pertinent individuals in ink chemistry, media/substrates, printer technology, business-plans and strategy;
- Discussing digital image storage options, digital asset management software, computer platforms (Macintosh vs. PC);
- Discussing color management options, training, follow-up, software, color measurement tools;
- Teaching techniques for printing on ceramic tiles, wood, leather and metal foil (even onto solid metal);
- Understanding how to print art onto silk, cotton, and onto other fabrics with a wide format inkjet printer;
- Providing analysis of market potential for the market(s) your company is seeking to enter.
- Market analysis, who are the competitive players (strengths and weaknesses both of products and company per se).
- Trends: what is new and happening behind the scenes:
- What about MemJet? Is MEMS printhead technology realistic, or not?
- What about solvent-UV? Is this the start of a new TREND?
- What about "latex ink"? What is coming later in 2012?
Market Analysis, Marketing Survey Data, etc.
FLAAR also offers market survey information and product analysis for ink, media, hardware, and software manufacturers. FLAAR's market information can help your business focus on the features end-users are most happy with or would like to see improved.
Almost every month investment analysts are coming to ask for information from FLAAR. This suggests that the data and knowledge that we possess is not readily available elsewhere. Seemingly our reputation for blunt pros and cons is becoming better known.
Consulting on large format printer reality in China, Korea, and Taiwan
Are you a Chinese manufacturer wishing to enter markets in Europe, the US, or Latin America?
Are you a manufacturer in the US, Europe, or Asia who seeks a trustworthy OEM manufacturing partner in China?
Are you a printshop owner, manager, or investory seeking to learn the pros and cons of Chinese, Korean, or Taiwanese printers?
Dr Nicholas Hellmuth can assist your company relative to China, Korea, and Taiwan. FLAAR is a good research partner because Dr Hellmuth has first-hand experience inside the Chinese, Korean, and Taiwan factories and demo rooms.
Distributors
Are you unsure which brand or model of printer to distribute in your country?
We can provide you the knowledge so you can decide which printer to distribute or resell in your country.
If you are a manufacturer, we can assist you to judge which distributor in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Eastern Europe, Balkan area, North America, or Latin America might be willing to distribute your product.
Please go to our new www.FLAAR-Reports.org for more information on services for distributors.
Expert Witness
We prefer to do the research aspects leading up to an Expert Witness, since an actual court case appearance is difficult due to our busy schedule. So far, of the lawsuits that have been shown to us, half were inappropriate. So we may be able to save your stress simply as a consultant in advance of the actual case going to trial.
Patent litagation
FLAAR is a good place to start for background information if you are beginning a patent dispute, or if you are already in the middle of a patent dispute.
Contact Info
If you wish to hire Professor Hellmuth as a consultant to come to your company, please contact ReaderService@FLAAR.org. If no answer, telephone 419 823-9218 (Vonage/VoIP service). But this is NOT a telephone number for access to general FLAAR information whatsoever. No information is provided by phone other than to companies and individuals who wish to consider sign professional consulting at standard industry rates; we ask that all other contact be via e-mail please.
These contact routes are not intended for:
- Circumventing the inquiry survey form; or
- Submitting miscellaneous questions before a professional consulting relationship is established
This contact route is only for opening up a professional consulting appointment with Dr. Hellmuth coming to your company or to arrange a conference call. We can sign an NDA or your preferred Confidentiality Agreement if necessary, though that just adds a layer of additional paperwork.
FLAAR serves as consultant for Fortune 500 companies as well as companies who wish to reach that level. Because about 100,000 people every month read the FLAAR reports on our dozen web sites it is not possible to respond to telephone inquiries or e-mail inquiries unless to establish a professional relationship on a fee basis.
If you are an individual, a small business, as well as a large company, we reply to the Inquiry-Survey Form usually within 48 hours, so submitting the form via e-mail is the best way to contact us. There is no cost for the e-mail service. We are not able to respond to random e-mails or random telephone messages unless you seek professional consulting service.
Please understand that due to the size of the readership it is not realistic to handle inquiries by telephone unless we have a working relationship with your company initiated by your email followed by a day of consulting at your place or at FLAAR's home facility.
We accept inquiries in Español, Deutsch, English, French, Portuguese, and Italian.
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Consulting for UV printer manufacturers, available to manufacturers only: ink, media, substrate, scanner, RIP software, printer manufacturers, integrators, parts manufacturers, please request this by e-mail from: ReaderService@FLAAR.org |
Consulting for giclee, decor, fine art photography and scanning.
(FREE Download) |
For all wide-format inkjet printers, RIP, Ink & Substrates.
(FREE Download) |
To obtain this PDF on consulting services for financial analysts and
business strategy consultants, please request this by e-mail from:
ReaderService@FLAAR.org |
FLAAR Schedule for 2016
Schedule for 2010-2016
2016
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January 2016 |
Jan. 10 - 12 : SGI 2016 (Dubai) |
February 2016 |
Feb. 18 - 20 : GoA 2016 (Miami) |
March 2016 |
Mar. 08 - 11: FESPA (Amsterdam) |
Mar. 09 - 12: APPPEXPO (Shanghai) |
April 2016 |
Apr. 20 - 23: ISA (Orlando) |
July 2016 |
Jul. 24 - 28: SIGGRAPH (California) |
August 2016 |
Aug. 18 - 20: FESPA (Mexico) |
September 2016 |
Sep. 07 - 09: Africa Print/FESPA Africa (SA) |
Sep. : Sign Istanbul (Turkey) |
Sep. 20 - 23: Glasstec (Duesseldorf) |
Sep. 20 - 25: Photokina (Cologne) |
Sep. 26 - 30: Tecnargilla (Rimini, Italy) |
October 2016 |
Oct. 21-25: ITMA Asia + CITME (Shanghai) |
2016 |
FESPA Eurasia (Turkey) |
2015
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January 2015 |
Jan. 11 - 13 : SGI (Dubai) |
February 2015 |
Feb. 26 - 28 : GOA (Miami). |
March 2015 |
Mar. 6 - 9: D-PES (Guangzhou) |
Mar. 11 - 14 : APPPEXPO (Shanghai) |
April 2015 |
Apr. 9 - 11: ISA International Sign Expo (Las Vegas) |
May 2015 |
May. 18 - 22 : Fespa (Köln) |
June 2015 |
Jun. 1 - 4: Ceramics China (Guangzhou). |
Jun. 15 - 18 : ShanghaiTEX |
July 2015 |
Jul. 22 - 24 : AFRICA Print/FESPA Africa, Johannesburg |
September 2015 |
Sep. 10 - 13 : Sign Istanbul (Turkey) |
November 2015 |
Nov. 4 - 6: SGIA (Atlanta) |
Nov. 12 - 19 : ITMA Europe (Milan) |
2014
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January 2014 |
Jan. 7-9
: Dubai (SGI)
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February 2014 |
Feb. 21 - 24: D-PES (Guangzhou)
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Feb. 23-26
: SignChina (Guangzhou)
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March 2014 |
Mar. 27 - 1: GOA (Orlando)
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April 2014 |
Mar. 31 - Apr. 3: Ceramics China (Guangzhou)
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May 2014 |
May. 24 - 26: ISA (Orlando)
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May. 20- 23: FESPA (Munich)
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June 2014 |
Jun. 17 - 20: IDPEX (Iran)
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July 2014 |
Jul. 3 - 6: APPPEXPO (Shanghai)
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August 2014 |
Aug 21-23: Sign Africa (SA)
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September 2014 |
Sep 11-14
: Sign Istambul (Turkey)
Sep 16-21
: Photokina (Cologne)
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October 2014 |
Sep 28 - Oct 1
: PRINT (GraphExpo) Chicago
Oct 23 - Oct 25
: SGIA (Las Vegas)
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2013
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January 2013 |
Jan. 20 - 22: Sign and Graphic Imaging Middle East in Dubai |
February 2013 |
Feb. 21 - 23: GoA, Graphics of Americas in Orlando, FL |
Feb. 25 - 28: D-PES in Guanzhou, China |
March 2013 |
Mar. 1 - 4: Sign China in Guanzhou, China |
April 2013 |
Apr. 3 - 6: ISA Sign Expo, Las Vegas, NV |
May 2013 |
May. 21 - 25: PacPrint 2013 in Melbourne, Australia |
May. 29 - Jun - 1: Ceramics China 2013 in Guanzhou, China |
June 2013 |
Jun. 10 - 13: ShanghaiTex in Shanghai, China |
August 2013 |
Aug 21-23: Sign Africa (SA)
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September 2013 |
Sep 8-12
: PRINT (GraphExpo) |
October 2013 |
Oct 23-25
: SGIA (Orlando)
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Nov-Dec 2013 |
28 Nov- 1 Dic
: Sign Istambul (Turkey)
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2012
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February 2012 |
Jan. 31 - Feb. 02: Sign and Graphic Imaging Middle East in Dubai |
Feb. 18-21: D-PES Guanzhou, China |
Feb. 20-23: China Sign , Guanzhou |
Feb. 21- 24: FESPA Digital in Barcelona, Spain. |
March 2012 |
March 1-3: Graphics of the Americas, Miami |
March 22-24: ISA Orlando |
April 2012 |
Apr. 17-19: China Sign Expo (CIEC) in Beijing, China |
May 2012
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May 3-16: DRUPA in Dusseldorf, Germany |
May 22-25: Rapid 3D & Imaging Exposition 2012 in Atlanta, GA
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Sept 2012
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Sept 18-23: Photokina 2012 in Cologne, Germany |
Sept 24-26: Tecnargilla in Rimini, Italy |
Sept 27-29: Reklama in Moscow, Russia |
Oct 2012 |
Oct 18-20: SGIA Expo, Specialty Printing & Imaging Technology in Vegas |
2011
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January 2011 |
January 24-26: Dubai SGI, Sign and Graphics Imaging, the first major international sign industry event in the world each year. 25th January 2011, Seminar Room, Airport Expo, Dubai, UAE. Lectures by Nicholas.
- Seminar 1, 11:00 hrs. Green Inkjet Printing (Ink & Media) vs Greenwashing (over-exaggerated claims)
- Seminar 2, 14:00 hrs. After-Market (wide-format inkjet) Inks: How to Assess and Evaluate
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February 2011 |
February 24 -26: FLAAR at FESPA Americas + Graphics of the Americas (GoA)
Lectures by Nicholas Hellmuth
At GoA: Feb 24: 12:30 PM-2:00 PM New Technologies in Wide Format Printers Feb 25: 12:30 PM-2:00 PM Wide Format Opportunities with resin ink Technology
At FESPA Feb 25: 3:00 - 4:00 Cartón con estructura de nido de abeja: Materiales innovadores y amigables con el medio ambiente Feb 26: 12:00 - 1:00 Impresión sobre todo tipo de materiales: La impresión decorativa para sobresalir ante su competencia
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February 28: Dongguan |
March 2011 |
March 22 - 26: Graphispag Digital Barcelona |
March 25 - 27: Art Expo |
April 2011 |
April 28 - 30: ISA Vegas |
May 2011 |
May 4 - 6: Visual Impact Expo, Sydney, Australia, and PrintEx11 |
May 24- 27 : Fespa Hamburg, Germany, Six of us attended, great expo. |
June 2011 |
June 17: 11:30 AM Lecture Toner at Wide-Format Print Size, How can toner best compete with Wide-Format Inkjet? Santa Monica, C.A. Double Tree Suites by Hilton Hotel Santa Monica, 1707 Fourth Street, Santa Monica, CA, United States |
July 2011 |
July 6 - 9 : APPPEXPO:Shanghai, China. Four of us from FLAAR will attend, including our specialists in textile printers, inks, media, coaters and laminators |
July 18- 22 : Arqueology Congress, Guatemala |
July 20- 23 : Serigrafia Sign, Sao Paulo, Brazil |
August 2011 |
August 16 - 20: Fespa Mexico, we gave not yet decided if we will attend this expo. |
2010
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November 2010 |
November 12 -14: FESPA Asia Pacific – Bangkok, Thailand. |
November 19: FESPA Brussels Belgium. Lectures on Green inks and Latest Digital Technologies by Nicholas Hellmuth.
- 10:20 AM-10:50 AM New technology – Digital Printing
- 11:40 AM-12:10 PM New technology – Sustainable Inks
- 12:10 PM-12:40 PM Panel Session: Innovation, Exploring the drivers for innovation (is it technology; customers; printers; or all of these and more)
- 3:30 PM- 4:00 PM Panel Debate: Developing powerful print, Where print meets marketing (innovative use creates a strong message and provides added value to your customers)
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November 25-28: Sign Istanbul . |
November 29-30: SIM in Abu Dhabi. Nicholas will be one of the speakers at this sign expo:
- Monday 29, Major Lecture Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Tuesday 30, Lecture Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
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December 2010 |
December 7: Costa Rica conference on cultural heritage (Dr Hellmuth will be a speaker). |
Most recently updated February 27, 2012.
Previous updates: November 2011, October 2011, November 15, 2010. August 26, 2009, June 30, 2009, January 23, 2009, October 2008, April 23, 2007, Jan. 6, 2004, Feb. 18, 2003, Oct. 26, 2002, Apr. 16, 2002. |
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