Cheshire-based MC Signs (UK) Ltd has established itself over the last twelve years as much more than a sign maker and has earned itself a grear reputation amongst a host of big brand clients, whilst still serving long standing customers in the local area. Specialising in vehicle graphics, fascia signage, shopping centre hoardings and display graphics, the company is able to answer virtually any sign and display request.
With traditional sign making skills allied to a suite of Mimaki wide format printers and cutters, MC Signs (UK) Ltd offers services that range from consultation, design, production, installation and if required, full project management. It’s this sort of wherewithal that has won them high profile clients such as JCB for whom they have provided extensive vehicle wraps and creative work that really shows off the capabilities of wide format digital print.
Combining techniques
Founder and director, Matthew Cooke details the role that digital output plays for his company, using a recent and very impressive truck side graphic for JCB as an example, “We’re able to offer full colour, photographic output for clients, which we typically print to a 7 or 10 year vinyl before over laminating for protection,” he says. “We frequently combine coloured or metallic vinyl with digital print as it gives us greater creative freedom and the ability to merge a range of effects and finishes.”
MC Signs (UK) Ltd’s vehicle bay is almost 20m long and provides an ideal environment for even the largest vehicles (the JCB side panels were some 12m by 3.5m!) and ensures a consistently high quality finish – something Cooke sets his company’s stall out with. “Providing work that exceeds our clients’ expectations is core to what we do here,” he remarks. “It’s frequently the biggest reason that customers return to us for future work, so our attention to detail is paying off.”
Shopping centre branding is a further area of significant expertise for the company and a recent project was the production of a laminated hoarding for The Original Art Shop at the Westfield Shopping Centre in Derby. The 7m long graphic was produced using a Mimaki JV33, printed onto self adhesive vinyl before being laminated and finally applied to the hoarding.
Expert application skills
The JCB work was produced as a combination of part and full wraps and expertly demonstrates the company’s digital print and application skills; whilst delivering a striking piece of branding for their client. “With this much canvas to work with, we’ve got a great opportunity to show off the best of their brand,” comments Cooke. “A high quality digital print, combined with JCB’s instantly recognisable corporate colours creates a visually arresting advert on the side of the truck.”
MC Signs (UK) Ltd has recently branched out into ‘web to print’ with the launch of an online shop, so everyday items such as banner stands and sign trays can be ordered via their website (www.mcsignsshop.co.uk). The site also contains a great gallery of the company’s commissioned work and its history alongside a complete guide to the products and services the company offers. The common thread of quality runs through every element of MC Signs (UK) Ltd’s product range, and core to delivering this is the equipment and materials the company uses.
Using original ink to guarantee quality
Cooke first invested in a Mimaki outdoor durable printer in 2006 and recently added an additional Mimaki JV33 through authorised Hybrid reseller, Graphic Printing Technologies to sit alongside two Mimaki cutting plotters (and their original workhorse machine that continues to output high quality work to date).
“Having briefly tried third party products I know from bitter experience that the only way I can be assured of our printers producing the quality our customers expect is to use genuine Mimaki ink.” Cooke continues; “The JV33 doesn’t miss a beat, so it’s always right first time, every time.”
Looking at their long list of satisfied customers, for MC Signs (UK) Ltd, it’s evidently not just right – it’s top quality output, that’s expertly applied – which is what customers have understandably come to expect.
