JCT Visual Communications has chosen Screen Europe’s newest wide-format printer, the Truepress Jet W3200UV, for its first flatbed printer. The investment in the highly-productive mid-range machine, launched at Fespa in 2013, comes on the back of strong growth at the Bournemouth-based specialist in retail and exhibition graphics — turnover has doubled each year since managing director Julian Turner founded the company in 2011.
Turner originally started JCT to provide clients of his contract graphics fitting business with consistently high-quality display print. “Too often the graphics we were asked to fit were poorly printed,” he explains, “so we decided to take greater control of the product and give clients a complete, reliable service.” Contract fitting is still part of the portfolio but under the umbrella of the JCT Visual Communications brand. Clients include leading retailers Pret A Manger and Pizza Hut.
As well as providing the fast-growing business with essential extra capacity, the W3200UV enables JCT to meet clients’ demand for printing on board up to 50mm thick. It was this that led Julian Turner to embark on an 18-month exploration of the flatbed printer market, and finally to the Screen machine. “We looked at a number of different printers, and showed the results to customers to gauge their reactions. Some models couldn’t match the print quality and colour fidelity our customers demand, while the running costs of others were too high.”
Productivity was a key factor in the decision in favour of the Truepress Jet W3200UV. With a maximum throughput speed of 85sqm/hr, the printer can comfortably cope with the deadline-critical long production runs that enable large retail clients such as Pret A Manger to roll out promotions simultaneously across multiple outlets.
Dependable service support was similarly critical when dealing with major brands, says Turner. “Inca Digital and Screen have an excellent reputation. Screen has a large service organisation, backed by remote diagnostics that effectively give us 24-hour support. The fact the W3200UV is manufactured by Inca Digital in Cambridge also helps us assure clients that we know what we’re doing. All in all, buying this machine shows clients we’re serious about the business.”
Designed and built by Screen subsidiary Inca Digital, the Truepress Jet W3200UV handles media up to 1.6 x 3.2 metres and up to 50mm thick. As standard, the printer takes CMYK inks but four additional channels provide options for light cyan and light magenta and/or two sets of white inks. JCT opted for the top-of-the-range configuration with light cyan and magenta, as the wider colour gamut renders improved skin tones.
In the two months since commissioning the W3200UV has more than lived up to expectations, says Julian Turner. “We, and our clients, are delighted with the quality, the productivity, and the new business the machine has brought in — we’re already handling several thousand display boards a month and it’s likely we’ll be moving into new, larger premises pretty soon. We’re also considering buying a second W3200UV.”
