Professional consulting services on large format inkjet printers, inkjet media, RIPs, market surveys, expert witness and documentation, including consulting for investors, acquisitions, etc.

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FLAAR offers professional consulting services on UV-cured flatbed and roll-to-roll printers for a variety of business and industries in the professional printing markets.

FLAAR offers a variety of consulting services for the inkjet printing 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, Latin America, 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 especially interested in 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, media, and lamination. 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, as well as in scanning and high end digital photography.

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, most Portuguese and basic French.

Dr. Hellmuth's consulting services are valuable for 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.

Listed below are a few of the topics our consultation services cover. This list is not exhaustive and is only meant to highlight the 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).

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 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.

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.

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.

Contact Info

If you wish to hire Professor Hellmuth as a consultant to come to your company, please contact info@FLAAR.org or 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 fax 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 fax messages.

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.


For screen printers, franchaise sign shops, repro companies, photo labs, etc	For manufacturers of printers, inks, RIP Software, Substrates	For all wide-format inkjet printers, RIP, Ink & Substrates

FLAAR Schedule for 2007-2008

January 2008

If you wish to also hear Professor Hellmuth speak on Mayan archaeology, you can join the cruise in January 2008. Other speakers (on other topics) include two senior editors from Scientific American. Nicholas will speak on the following topics

February 2008

February 27- March 1: Graphics of the Americas, (printers for signage), Miami.

March 2008

March 1-4: Art Expo (giclee, décor & fine art photography), New York.

March 27-29: ISA (printers for signage). Florida.

April 2008

April 1-3: FESPA Digital, Geneva (printers for signage). Geneva, Switzerland.

May 2008

May 17-27: Site Visit case, Zurick.

June 2008

May 27-June 10: DRUPA, Dusseldorf.

July 2008

July 2-5: Art Expo, Shanghai.

January 2007

All-day lectures on UV-curable flatbed and roll-to-roll printers, Seoul, Korea

Training in lamination at Drytac headquarters, Toronto

Two day factory-visit and technology briefing (especially in UV-ink chemistry), Gandinnovations world headquarters, Toronto

Site-visit case study of a print shop with an Inca Columbia, Durst Rho 600, DuPont Artistry (textile printer)

One week at Mutoh Europe world headquarters in Oostende, Belgium; training on eco-solvent and mild-solvent printers. Four reports are the result; three are ready now.

These reports are free so you can sample what we have available

Lectures over three day period on fine art giclee at Gulf Print, Dubai, United Arab Emirates

May 2007

Training in UV inks, factory-visit inspection at their world headquarters (Expedio, Tempo Q)

HumanEyes, training in 3D photography software

Objet Geometries, a visit to their world headquarters and factory (3D rapid prototyping)

Leaf digital camera backs (for Hasselblad, etc), visit to their world headquarters in Israel. (now part of Kodak)

Scitex scanners, visit to their world headquarters in Israel (now part of Kodak)

May 31-June 1, Zund headquarters, Switzerland, two days inspecting the Zund cutters, Zund 215 and especially the Zund 250. Training and factory visit.

June 2007

June 5-9, FESPA trade show Berlin, FLAAR shared a booth with SIP magazine (Verlagshaus Gruber).

Late June: Vutek, visit the factory to evaluate the QS2000 and QS3200

July 2007

July 1-8: 15^th Annual Shangai International Ad, Print, Pack, Paper Expo and meetings at Xaa

July 9-14: Meetings at IP & I in Seoul, Korea

July 17 - August 16: Site-visit case study research on printers in Guatemala

Upcoming

Autumn, lecture in Slovania on UV-curable inkjet printers for screenprinting companies

Training and visits to the leading manufacturers of UV-lamps, both mercury-arc and LEDs

Visits to UV printer manufacturers in Korea

Visits to Taiwan, Thailand,

Sun Company Lectures in Russia

August 2007

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GraphExpo, Chicago. FLAAR has a booth

Sunday, September 9, 2007
12:00 noon - 1:00 p.m.
UV Printer Secrets from the Source: Why You Should Visit Factory Demo Sites

Monday, September 10
3:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.
UV Printer Secrets from the Source: Why You Should Visit Factory Demo Sites

Of several lectures that Dr Hellmuth will present in Chicago and GraphExpo, one is for a series organized by Professor Frank Romano, of Rochester Institute of Technology. Dr Romano is a leading spokesperson for digital printing in general.

Here is the abstract of the presentation by Hellmuth.

Viscom Spain, Madrid, the entire period

SGIA, Orlando, all three days plus two pre-show set-up days

Seminar in Slovenia. November 2007

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