Print service provider, OPG, based in Lanarkshire, Scotland, has used its HP Latex Printer line-up to produce a range of eye-catching décor for new restaurant business, Cafe Eataliano. The Cafe Eataliano pizzeria, based in Hamilton, called upon OPG’s services to furnish its premises with a full interior décor design package comprising not only vibrant digitally-printed wallpaper, but also textile prints, roller blinds and illuminated glass panel graphics.
“As a brand new restaurant business, we were looking to create an instant hit with customers, and realised that a vibrant and visually-impactful eating environment was equally important as the quality of the menu itself,” said Cafe Eataliano’s owner, Manio Loia.
Themed on Loia’s family vineyard estate in Tuscany, Italy, OPG used its HP Designjet L26500 Printer to produce an array of stunning graphics to show the history of the 30-year old wine-making business.
The print project undertaken for Cafe Eataliano saw the 30-strong OPG, which runs a trio of HP Latex Printers, produce a total of over 40m2 of wall coverings using HP PVC-free Wall Paper. This was complemented by eight double-sided roller blinds printed with a block-out membrane, which adorn the restaurant’s windows.
In addition, four 900 x 2440mm glass panel backlit graphics were printed directly onto 3M Frosted Crystal and 3M self-adhesive clear film and applied to glass partitioning and backlit Perspex panels. 3M self-adhesive front-lit film was applied to an aluminium composite panel and affixed to the wall. Five 800 x 550mm textile-printed graphics produced on DigiEco 100 per cent PE 210g knitted fabric completed the varied ensemble.
According to Alan Watson, general manager, OPG, a key benefit of the HP Designjet L26500 Printer was its ability to run water-based HP Latex Inks that contain no hazardous air pollutants. As well as restaurants, this makes the inks ideal for any location where odour is a concern – such as schools and hospitals.
“We finished installing the entire graphics package for Cafe Eataliano on a Friday and by the Sunday, the restaurant was full of customers,” he explains. “This could not have been achieved with our solvent printers, because the smell would have still been unbearable, as would the ensuing conversation with my customer. Insofar as interior graphics are concerned, it’s a case of being seen and not smelt.”
For Cafe Eataliano’s owner, Manio Loia, an interior décor project that only a few weeks ago remained a vision is now fully realised. “The results are stunning and look totally different to any other restaurant; not my words but those of our customers!” he explains. “The graphics not only decorate the 110-seat dining area itself, but cover the whole interior, including the entrance and hallway.”
“We’ve been fully-booked since opening our doors, and our customers always remark on the graphics, scoring them highly in the feedback forms we provide them,” he continues.
Reflecting the company’s energy-conscious ethos and its stance to deliver print via sustainable means, OPG was recently awarded the highly-coveted ISO14001 environmental management system certification. This independently audited accreditation is used by organisations seeking to improve resource efficiency, reduce waste and drive down costs.
“It goes without saying that our utilisation of HP Latex Printing Technologies proved pivotal in our achievement of being awarded ISO14001, which is a nice badge of honour, and demonstrates our environmental commitment to customers,” concluded Watson.
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