The Pinnacle InterTech Awards recognize significant new technologies that improve or advance the printing industry with exceptional contributions in quality, capability, and productivity
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, October 20, 2022/APO Group/ —
Canon (https://www.Canon-CNA.com) today announces that PRINTING United Alliance has recognised the quality of its large format graphics technology with three Pinnacle Product Awards for its Colorado 1630 UVgel roll-to-roll printer and its Arizona 2380 GTF and XTF flatbed printers, as well as a Pinnacle InterTech Award for its Canon FLXfinish+ technology. Each of the 160+ entries in more than 58 categories, spanning analogue, digital, output and non-output technologies, was reviewed by an independent panel of over a dozen judges made up of distinguished decision makers within the printing industry.
Three Pinnacle Product Awards 2022
Canon products have won Pinnacle Product Awards in the following categories for 2022:
Colorado 1630 winning best Roll-to-Roll UV (under 80 in.)
Arizona 2380 GTF winning best UV/Latex Flatbed ($200K-500K)
Arizona 2380 XTF winning best UV/Latex Flatbed +White ($200K-500K)
Raymond Weiss, Vice President, eLearning and Certification, PRINTING United Alliance, comments, “This juried competition represents the best of the best among commercial hardware, software, consumables, and industrial and screen equipment, and judges are basing their decisions on objective criteria. Some of the categories were decided by tenths of a point—so fierce was the competition this year—and with outstanding entries like the Colorado and Arizona, the judges certainly had their work cut out for them.”
The Canon Colorado 1630 is a 64 inch, roll-to-roll printer that features Canon’s unique UVgel ink technology, combining excellent print quality, best-in-class productivity and expansive application versatility with low cost of ownership. Combining all the media handling and printhead management automation of faster models with modularity of design, the Colorado 1630 allows users to add features as required, keeping the initial cost of acquisition low without sacrificing capability.
Freeing operators to add value in other areas of the business, the Arizona 2380 GTF features award-winning Arizona FLOW technology for zoneless media constraint on the flatbed table. Printing at speeds up to 89 m2/h (958 sq. ft/hr) and with eight colour channels employing Light Cyan, Light Magenta, White and/or Varnish, the Arizona 2380 GFT is capable of handling the most demanding mixed media applications. The 125 x 250 cm (49.2 x 98.4 inches) flatbed table is large enough for most rigid media applications and the available Roll Media Option extends its capability to flexible media up to 220 cm (86.6 inches) wide.
We’re delighted the Arizona and Colorado models and the Canon FLXfinish+ technology have been recognised by PRINTING United Alliance for their innovation
The Arizona 2380 XTF also features Arizona FLOW technology and eight colour channels but offers increased print speeds up to 95 m2/h (1,023 sq. ft/hr). Its key feature, however, is its massive 308 x 250 cm (121.3 x 98.4 inch) flatbed table, which is large enough to accommodate two 122 x 244 cm (4×8 ft) boards simultaneously for continuous printing of most rigid media applications without stopping for media changes. The Roll Media Option also extends its capability to flexible media up to 220 cm (86.6 inches) wide.
Pinnacle InterTech Awards 2022
The Pinnacle InterTech Awards recognize significant new technologies that improve or advance the printing industry with exceptional contributions in quality, capability, and productivity, and are predicted to have a major impact on the printing industry.
The following Canon technology has won Pinnacle InterTech Award for 2022:
Canon FLXfinish+, which in the opinion of the judges “represented a new revolutionary and unique feature of UVgel technology”
The new Canon FLXfinish+ technology features in its award-winning range of Colorado printers, powered by Canon’s unique UVgel inks. FLXfinish+ is a unique UVgel feature that allows large format graphics customers to use only one ink set to produce matte prints, gloss prints and mixed matte and gloss on the same print, independent of the media – without a varnish or additional consumables.
Combining the best aspects of alternative ink technologies in one, UVgel offers the colour gamut and light fastness of eco-solvent, the fit-for-indoor use and quick drying time of latex and the productivity and low-temperature printing process of UV. And with customers benefitting from zero VOC emissions, zero hazardous air pollutants and a low average ink usage of 6.4ml/m2 across the more than 2,500 UVgel engines installed worldwide, UVgel has already proved itself to be a sustainable and cost-efficient alternative for latex and eco-solvent technology.
Eiji Ota, Business Unit Manager, Canon Central & North Africa comments, “We’re delighted the Arizona and Colorado models and the Canon FLXfinish+ technology have been recognised by PRINTING United Alliance for their innovation. These awards exemplify our continued commitment to developing innovative technology and help print service providers find new ways of tackling the challenges and tapping into the opportunities of the growing large format graphics market.”
To find out more about the Colorado UVgel printer family, visit:
This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships
TORONTO, Canada, April 29, 2026/APO Group/ –The Canada–Africa Chamber of Business (https://CanadaAfrica.ca) will convene investors, financiers, policymakers, and industry leaders in Cape Town on May 14, 2026 for the Canada–Africa Financing Forum—a high-level platform focused on unlocking capital and accelerating deal flow across African markets.
This timely Forum comes on the heels of commitments announced by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, deepening Canada–Africa commercial ties and expanding investment partnerships. The program connects leaders from venture capital, private equity, and institutional investors to examine where capital is moving—and where the next opportunities lie—supported by Canadian project partners with proven capacity to deliver on-the-ground.
Delegates will engage directly with finance and investment decision-makers, following the program opening, featuring messages from President Cyril Ramaphosa and Prime Minister Mark Carney, in addition to high-level Ministerial representation.
This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation
“This Forum is about capital deployment, not just conversation,” said Garreth Bloor, President of the Canada–Africa Chamber of Business. “We are convening investors, institutions, and project leaders who are actively shaping transactions across Africa—and connecting them directly with Canadian partners who are ready to work together.”
The Canada–Africa Financing Forum reflects the Chamber’s role as a privately financed, market-led platform advancing Canada-Africa trade and investment through world-class networking and information-sharing events.
Why Attend
Direct access to active dealmakers and capital allocators
Insights into where capital is being deployed and key players delivering major projects
Opportunities to build partnerships across Canada and African markets
Participation in a curated, high-level environment focused on execution
During the MASA 2026 edition, held from April 11 to 18, 2026, ORUN and 1xBET implemented the We Champion Talent program, an initiative aimed at promoting African talent and advancing the development of Cultural and Creative Industries (CCIs)
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –As part of the Innovation Village co-organized with MASA at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan from April 14 to 18, ORUN (https://ORUN.Africa) announces the rollout of its partnership with 1xBET to support a creative Africa that is structuring itself, professionalizing, and scaling across the continent.
We aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency
Designed as a space of convergence between heritage, innovation, and knowledge transmission, the Innovation Village features scenography crafted by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses on creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a major institutional highlight on April 17. Its narrative platform is built around three pillars: memory, structure, and transmission. The initiative aims to position cultural and creative industries as an economic driver for the continent.
“The Innovation Village was conceived as an act of construction. By partnering with organizations such as 1xBET, we aim to demonstrate that it is possible to support African talent, narratives, and creative ecosystems over the long term, with ambition and consistency,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.
This vision aligns with ORUN’s broader ambition to produce, structure, and internationalize African creative industries through events, content, and strategic partnerships.
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of ORUN, part of African Currency Network (ACN).
More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures
ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, April 28, 2026/APO Group/ –On the occasion of MASA 2026, held from April 11 to 18 in Abidjan, MIR Holding (https://MIRHolding.odoo.com) reaffirmed its commitment to supporting the growth of African creative industries by partnering with ORUN as part of the Innovation Village, hosted at the Palais de la Culture in Abidjan. This presence reflects a clear intention to support the scaling of cultural and creative industries so they can fully contribute to job creation and value generation across the continent.
Co-organized by ORUN and MASA, the Innovation Village brought together over several days scenography designed by Ivorian artisans, a program of panels and masterclasses dedicated to creative industries, an immersive experience produced by Orun Studios, and a key institutional highlight on April 17.
At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains
Built around three pillars — memory, structure, and transmission — the initiative carried a renewed ambition for culture: positioning it as a concrete lever for economic structuring and African projection.
By supporting this initiative, MIR Holding aligns with a broader dynamic aimed at strengthening connections between creation, entrepreneurship, content, youth, and growth ecosystems. More than event support, this partnership reflects a commitment to backing platforms capable of structuring value chains, increasing the visibility of talent, and fostering the emergence of strong African creative infrastructures. MIR Holding stands among the main partners of the Village, alongside Africa Currency Network and other stakeholders engaged in this vision.
“With ORUN, we are not only seeking to make culture visible. We aim to help provide it with a framework, a reach, and a trajectory. What is at stake here is the continent’s ability to better transform its creative energy into sustainable value, real opportunities, and influence,” said Habyba Thiero, CEO of Africa Currency Network and President of ORUN.
Mouhamed Dieng, President of MIR Holding, added: “Supporting Africa’s creative industries is not about backing a secondary sector. It is about investing in one of the continent’s most powerful spaces for storytelling, youth, innovation, and competitiveness. At MIR Holding, we believe that Africa’s future will also be shaped by its ability to structure its narratives, its talent, and its creative value chains.”
Distributed by APO Group on behalf of MIR Holding.
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