FLAAR
Digital Imaging Resource Center in Guatemala
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Epson
7500 at FLAAR Digital Imaging Center in Francisco Marroquín
University
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Reviews and product comparisons by FLAAR during 2001-2005, were based on the actual real-life use of products in a digital imaging studio.
One of these studios was located on the campus of Francisco Marroquín University.
We
selected this location for the Latin America headquarters, since
Francisco Marroquín University recognizes the advantages
of acquiring advanced digital imaging technology for their campus.
We also considered the existence of two impressive museums on their
campus: Museo Popol-Vuh (of Maya art and artifacts) and the private
Museo Ixchel of indigenous Maya weaving and textiles.
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FLAAR facilities at Universidad Francisco Marroquín
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Since
FLAAR is a non-profit organization, the use of its facilities is
to assist the public education programs of museums in Guatemala
and Honduras. Research of the FLAAR photo archive is coordinated
with testing, evaluation and reviewing of the Digital Imaging Center.
After 2005, we moved to evaluating larger printers
While we were on-campus we were evaluating primarily printers up to 60" in width. Today we evaluate printers over 5-meters in width. It is not realistic to have a printer of this size on a university campus (besides each model costs a quarter of a million dollars).
So it became more realistic to do testing off-campus, in printshops that had the printers we were interested in evaluating.
We also do evaluations in the factories which manufacture the printers.
Between 2005 and 2006 the university changed focus
When the university president who invited us on campus was retired and a new individual came to organize the campus the new president decided to install several new departments. So the space which our offices occupied were needed for the new programs.
So we thanked the university for the five or six years of their hospitality and we moved off campus. We formed our own new research institute which we named FLAAR Mesoamerica. Today (in 2012) we are an international leader in consulting around the world in the wide-format inkjet printer industry.
FLAAR Mesoamerica continues to grow
Our focus is to bring back to Guatemala knowledge about advanced digital imaging technology. The students who work for us are provided the opportunity to do research in Europe, China, Korea, and across the USA.
Here is a view of our present office facilities in 2012.
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new FLAAR headquarters in Guatemala
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