News from SGIA Digital Expo

For Immediate Release
December 9, 2005
Contact: Kate Achelpohl, SGIA
703.359.1301
kate@sgia.org

Arthur Cleary Receives First DPI Innovator Award

Phoenix, Arizona — SGIA today presented the DPI Innovator Award to Arthur Cleary, inventor of the world’s first color inkjet digital printer. This honor, introduced at the SGIA Digital Expo, was created to recognize digital imaging visionaries.

“He has given us the ability to produce single images or short runs at viable costs, without many of the time-intensive steps necessary for convention production. It’s not an exaggeration to say that without Arthur Cleary, none of us would be where we are today,” said Gordon Brown (Vista Image, Golden Colorado), DPI representative to the SGIA Board of Directors.

Brown described a few of the honoree’s ground-breaking innovations:

• The world’s first color inkjet printer, 
• The first color inkjet printer for producing color overhead projection slides, and
• The VUTEk 801, the world’s super-wide digital airbrush printer.

“The VUTEk 801 revolutionized the outdoor promotional market, cutting production times on major applications from weeks to hours,” Brown said, noting that Cleary built VUTEk around the 801 prototype.

“Since then, Cleary’s innovations have acted as catalysts for new and exciting applications for digitally printed color in POP materials, home décor, vehicle wraps and packaging.”

The DPI Innovator Award draws attention to the many creative and innovative people who move the digital imaging community forward. Only SGIA/DPI members may nominate recipients. (Nominees are not required to belong to the Association.) After five years, judging duties will transfer from a committee of DPI members to a panel of past winners.

SGIA — Supporting the Leaders of the Digital & Screen Printing Community
“Specialty imaging” comprises digital imaging, screen printing and the many other imaging technologies SGIA members use, including those they’ll tap in the future. These are the imaging processes and technologies employed to create new products and to enhance existing products including point-of-purchase displays, signs, advertisements, garments, containers, and vehicles. To make the most of your specialty imaging business, take full advantage of the information on SGIA.org.

SGIA press releases and artwork are available at SGIA.org.

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