Our Group

Darkroom Designs

Darkroom Designs Limited (DDL) was founded by Fareeda Hosein, Managing Director (present) in 1989. The services offered then included computer and camera ready artwork, negatives, positives, stats (bromides), photography, typesetting and paste-up. The client base consisted primarily of Advertising Agencies, Printers, Designs Shops and Freelance Artists.

Technological breakthroughs in the early 90’s led to a transition from this conventional form of prepress to a fast-paced, digital workflow. Darkroom Designs quickly asserted itself as a leader in this niche market by investing in state-of-the-art equipment and harnessing the digital know how to implement such. The services evolved to All-digital Design & Artwork, High Resolution Drum Scans, Bar Codes, Wide-format Colour Separations, Digital Photography, to name a few. The Client base now included the end users.

Darkroom Designs continued the trend of pursuing the latest in the cutting edge of technology when at the turn of the century in 2000, the cpmpany created history by commissioning the first Digital Offset Press in the Caribbean. Its sister company Print on Demand Ltd. was launched. And for the first time, offset printing was achieved digitally from computer to press within seconds, bypassing the need for conventional film separations and plates.

Print On Demand

Print On Demand Limited (POD), launched in 2000, acquired the Hp Indigo 1000 - A full-colour (CMYK) digital offset printing press that delivered high quality, quick print jobs such as business cards, annual reports, brochures, flyers, invitations, calendars,tickets etc., with the quickest turnaround times available.

This equipment facilitated quick-print jobs that became the lifeblood of the companies’ work-run to satisfy a new client base desirous of speedy full-colour press work in small quantities between 1 and 5000 copies. The inks used are water resistant and, unlike other digital prints, do not smudge or fade. 2003 marked the second pioneer effort – DDL/POD launched the first six-colour digital offset press in Trinidad and Tobago. The press prints the standard process CMYK colours and any two special colours, one of these being Invisible Security Ink. This ink prints as watermarks, numbering, variable data etc., and appears invisible under normal lighting but fluoresces bright red under a UV light. This process boasts a 100% success rate and is used mainly for concert and party tickets, VIP passes, locally and abroad.

Other notable upgrades followed including the acquisition of the high speed HP Indigo 5500 seven-colour digital offset press in 2008, capable of printing on a wide variety of paper stock and specialty substrates such as frost and clear plastic, white PVC, teslin, styrene and vinyl. At this point, DDL/POD could offer their clients mid to high volume printing runs with the added versatility of a wide range of stock, ink options and personalization. Plus, with two digital presses, 75% of all DDL/POD print jobs could now be processed on the same day and 95% within 24 hours. In 2009 POD also invested in its own Digital Die-cutting equipment eliminating the manual process of ruled, steel dies. This process greatly improves on the quality, cost and time effectiveness of die-cut jobs enabling low to high volumes. The high accuracy of the this digital equipment allows for intricate design shapes that would have been impossible traditionally.

In 2008, riding the waves of success and further diversifying, DDL/POD launched yet another company, iWave enterprises which produces local greeting cards, gift bags and boxes, wrapping paper and specialty packaging for the retail market.

iWave enterprises

The dual prepress and quick print service providers, sister companies Darkroom Designs Ltd. and Print on Demand Ltd. (DDL/POD), launched iWave enterprises in 2008. The idea was born as a result of customers’ demands for quality local greeting cards, gift bags and boxes, wrapping paper and specialty packaging with a strong, local design influence. The companies partnered with Families in Action to produce their 2008 Christmas cards of which 50% of the sales went to this charitable organization.

The iwave brand which was created for retail in gift shops, pharmacies and supermarkets prove to be very successful in both Trinidad and Tobago. The 2008/2009 Christmas range was hailed as being the most original, local designs produced. Customers, both local and foreign, were treated to fond memories of pastelles, ham, sorrel, spices and sweet melodies of pan and parang music from these unique designs. iWave quickly followed with a range of products for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and all purpose events. Apart from developing and adding more designs for these occasions, iWave plans to provide more innovative and exciting prototype and customized packaging to manufacturers, marketing companies and retailers.

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