FLAAR offers professional consulting services for variety of business and industries in the professional printing markets.

FLAAR offers a variety of consulting services for people in the inkjet printing industry.  FLAAR consultant Dr. Nicholas Hellmuth can conduct his consultation services right on-location anywhere around the globe.  He has consulted in Japan, Latin America, Europe, and across the United States.  Consulting services may also be conducted at FLAAR’s facilities located at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio (approximately 20 miles south of Toledo, Ohio).

Professor Hellmuth at ISA Trade Show, Orlando 2002

Dr. Hellmuth was educated at Harvard, trained at Yale (Dept. of Art History), and received his Ph.D. in art history from Karl-Franzens Universität (Graz, Austria).

Dr. Hellmuth and his university team consult primarily on RIP software, inkjet printers, inks, media, and lamination. In addition, he is an expert in giclee, solvent, eco-solvent, mild-solvent, and UV printing, as well as in scanner consulting.  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.

FLAAR on-site professional consulting services are available auf Deutsch, en Español, and in English.  Consulting includes selecting one of three options that best fits your business needs:

Option 1:  Arrive in your city the night before to settle in.  Consulting begins in the morning anytime from breakfast onward and may continue into a working and/or social evening meal.  FLAAR consultant returns back to the university the following day (redeye flights into Toledo are not readily available).  Hence there are two overnights but maximized time for consulting and getting to know each other during the entire day of meetings.
Option 2:  FLAAR consultant(s) arrive the night before to settle in.  Consultation meetings begin first thing the next morning.  FLAAR consultant returns to the university the last available evening flight that day.  Hence there is only one overnight stay.
Option 3:  We fly in to your city on an early morning flight; return to the university on the last available evening fight.  No overnight accommodations.  Continuing consultation (by phone, e-mail, special reports specifically for your needs) is a flat fee per hour.  However in most cases we can solve your problems with a single visit to your site.  Our consultant(s) can sign non-disclosure agreements (NDA), provide exclusivity options, and can adapt themselves to your specific wants and needs.
After we have visited your facility, met your key people, and have established a consulting relationship you may retain FLAAR staff as consultants via e-mail, telephone, or in-person.  More often than not, a one day consultation visit is ample time to provide all the tips, help, info, and consulting services.  This of course is dependent upon each individual business needs and demands.

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.
If you wish to hire Professor Hellmuth as a consultant to come to your company, and/or his staff, or other faculty from BGSU, please send a fax to this effect to FLAAR at (419) 352-1971. Fax number (419) 372-8283 will remain active until Friday, July 20th, 2007
This fax number is not intended for:

• Circumventing the inquiry survey form; or
• Submitting miscellaneous questions before a professional consulting relationship is established

This fax number is only for opening up a professional consulting appointment either with Dr. Hellmuth coming to your company or for setting up a visit to FLAAR’s facilities.  In either case a professional consulting fee relationship is understood.

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 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.

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 fax followed by a day of consulting at your place or at FLAAR’s home facility.

We accept inquiries in Español, Deutsch, and in English

Any time you order three or more FLAAR Reports on UV printers, you can ask for as many of these June 2007 articles as you wish. The articles on UV printers are by Nicholas Hellmuth; the article on RIP software is by Mandy Daniel, color management expert who worked with FLAAR at FESPA and works with FLAAR as a trainer in color management.

FLAAR Schedule for 2007

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).
	Llate June: Vutek, visit the factory to evaluate the QS2000 and QS3200
July 2007	July 1-8: 15th 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,
	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
	Viscom Spain, Madrid, the entire period
	SGIA, Orlando, all three days plus two pre-show set-up days
	FESPA India, New Delhi

Last updated : July 4, 2007
Previous updates: June 27, 2007; May 2, 2006; Jan. 6, 2004 March 28, 2003, June 15, 2003, first posted October 20, 2001