Large Format Review - Business News

Mimaki’s exclusive distributor, Hybrid Services Ltd, is offering print companies the opportunity to expand their horizons by investing in a state-of-the-art Mimaki JV34-260 “baby grand” outdoor durable printer. To assist companies in upgrading, Hybrid is providing a £5,000 trade in for their existing 1m wide or larger outdoor durable printer.

The Mimaki JV34-260 uses a double array of the latest generation print heads to deliver a combination of ultra high quality output coupled to speeds of almost 30m2 per hour. With a sizeable printing width of 2.6m it greatly expands productivity as many graphics applications (such as banner stands, exhibition backdrops, pull ups – and surprisingly large banners) can be printed landscape and therefore vastly quicker than if they were output down the length of the roll.

The staggered arrangement of the two banks of print heads delivers an unprecedented output speed and with Mimaki’s vibrant, durable and fast drying SS21 inkset available as standard, printing companies can significantly expand their volume of output with the Mimaki JV34-260. The printer benefits from a two year, fully comprehensive warranty, powerful RasterLink Pro RIP package and a highly competitive list price. An optional Mimaki Bulk Ink System reduces ink costs by 20% and suits volume production applications perfectly.

Hybrid’s national sales manager, John de la Roche, points to the value of the machine as a key reason for companies to invest. “Hybrid’s lucrative offer confirms how attainable the JV34-260 is to any printing company. The Mimaki JV34-260 can really add a competitive edge to your print capabilities – and getting a £5,000 allowance for your old machine makes it even more attractive.”

Companies wishing to take advantage of the offer should contact their authorised Mimaki reseller or Hybrid directly.  A demonstration machine is installed at Hybrid’s UK headquarters. The Mimaki JV34-260 is also available as a dye sublimation model and makes for a very attractive proposition, delivering transfer paper printing at a size especially suitable for exhibition graphics, retail point of sale and soft signage markets.

Potential Mimaki JV34-260 customers who opt for the outdoor durable SS21 inks will also be eligible for Hybrid’s Let’s Do MORE! rebate linked recycling scheme, where an ink credit is earned through collecting spent solvent cartridges for collection by Hybrid prior to their recycling. Further details on this can be found by visiting www.LetsDoMORE.co.uk and information on the complete Mimaki range is available at www.hybridservices.co.uk.

Signs Express (Peterborough) has purchased an annual Tech8 warranty for technical service and support for its Mimaki JV3 printer.  Tech8 is a leading technical support, service and spares provider for the wide format digital printing industry.  Output produced on Signs Express (Peterborough)’s Mimaki JV3 printer won an award for ‘Best Vehicle Graphic’ in the Sign Excellence Awards held at the Signs Express Convention last month. 

The Mimaki printer runs Colorific JV3 inks, supplied by Selectech.  These high quality, alternative inks are fully-tested and proven in the field and have a track record of reliable and trouble-free performance.

On Tech 8’s appointment, Anne Hitch, managing director of Signs Express (Peterborough), comments, “We initially appointed Tech8 for our technical support services as they seemed to know their stuff technically and were reasonably priced.  The engineers had good, sound technical knowledge”

She adds, “As time has progressed, we have noticed an improvement in print quality since moving across to Tech8.  The service provided is excellent.  We did have some initial teething problems, but these have all been ironed out and I am now very pleased with the service and support”

The teething problems Anne refers to relate to the call logging process.  She explains, “There was nothing wrong with the call logging process itself – it was more a matter of us needing to learn how to use it.  Now we’ve got to grips with it, we can easily access all the information we need as and when required.”

Justin Atkinson, Business Manager at Tech8, concludes, “We’re pleased that Signs Express (Peterborough) is happy with the service we supply.  We are also delighted that they won the ‘Best Vehicle Wrap’ award at recent Signs Express Convention with output created on the Mimaki that Tech8 services and supports.  We feel that this pays testimony to the skills and dedication of our technical engineers.”

For more information on the service and support provided by Tech8, please visit www.tech8.eu

Nazdar (Lyson) has announced that QPS, Ltd. has been appointed as Distribution Agent for Northern Ireland for the Nazdar/Lyson digital inkjet product range.

QPS is one of the leading suppliers of Nazdar Digital Inks providing next day service to the UK, technical support and machine servicing.  QPS offers the full range of Nazdar products including wide and superwide format, UV curing and textile inks.

For more details, email chris@qualityprintservices.com or call Nazdar UK on +44 (0)161 442 2111.

Tony Winterbottom has been working in the sign and print industry for over 20 years.  He is part of Robert Horne’s Digital Solutions team - comprising nearly 20 people, including dedicated colour specialists, technical support and installation staff - and has responsibility for sales of VuTEK superwide printers and Zund cutters throughout the UK & Ireland.  The Digital Solutions team as a whole has an annual turnover of over £5m in hardware and digital media terms and continues to grow at a steady rate. 

As national sales manager for Robert Horne Group (RHG)’s superwide products, Tony puts his success in the industry down to the fact that he is a ‘good operator’ rather than a ‘good salesman’.  He knows exactly how the systems he sells work and what they can offer his customers in terms of applications and – crucially – what revenue they can generate.

Tony originally trained as a fine art and graphics artist.  His first roles included working on drawing boards at Blackpool Pleasure beach and working within advertising agencies.  However, the Mac computer was invented, the Mac revolution took over and Tony decided to retrain as a Mac operator.

By the late 1980s, he had joined Granthams and was working on the digitising of corporate logos.  At this time, Grantham’s became a UK reseller for Flexisign software for Mac.  In order to get a company car and one of the first brick-like mobile phones, Tony moved into sales!

Much of his early sales career was spent traipsing round Scotland and the North East with a car boot full of kit including a Mac computer, a scanner, plotters and various media.  His sales tactic was pretty basic - set up the whole workflow and demonstrate the kit to potential customers.  If he won the sale, he also then became responsible for the installation and support of the system.

With the advancement of PC-based computing, CADlink Technology then released a competitive PC-based software solution - SignLab.  Tony moved to the Hitchin-based company and became responsible for setting up and maintaining the UK and Scandinavian dealer network.

As part of this dealer network, Tony appointed the Robert Horne Group as a reseller of SignLab.  This led to a huge increase in workload and Tony found he spent most of his time with RHG.  In 1998, he moved to RHG and set up its ‘Sign Solutions’ team.

On this appointment, he comments, “At first, I introduced Graphtec and Mutoh plotters combined with Signlab.  With the introduction of Roland’s VersaCamm, we then started to sell full solutions.”

He continues, “I joined RHG to add value; to create and build lasting relationships with key customers.  I’ve never been one for the quick sell / mis-sell and my customers trust me and stick with me for a long time.”

Tony focuses on applications rather than the technology itself.  He explains, “I have a very hands-on approach.  Before I go out to sell products, I like to understand them inside out.  I have to know exactly what the kit does and what you can do with it before I am comfortable talking in front of a potential customer.”

“In the early 1990s, I saw the VuTEK printer for the first time at a show in Dubai and was stunned by it.  I’ve now come the full circle and am responsible for the sale of VuTEK’s impressive range of machines across the UK & Ireland.”

RHG has fully committed to the VuTEK system and recently bought a GS2000 machine in order that employees can fully understand what they are selling.  This big commitment from RHG pays dividends as customers return time and again.  Key customers are supplying the likes of Formula 1 Redbull, Morrisons, Marks & Spencers and Body Shop to name a few.

The expected standard of service and support in the superwide arena is high.  RHG has to take a holistic view.  Tony explains, “We take full ownership of the solutions we sell.  The moment the VuTEK machine leaves the manufacturing facility in the USA, it becomes our responsibility - up until the point that the customer is happy to take over.  We install the complete end-to-end solution and even have our own electrician on hand.  The solutions we supply are truly bespoke and come with PCs pre-loaded with the EFI Fiery XF RIP and colour management software.”

Most of RHG’s superwide printer customers have more than one superwide printer.  According to Tony, “The volume is very much there in the commercial print sector.  These superwide installations are designed to run 24/7 and are profitable.”

He concludes, “Ultimately, the sale of superwide format machines is all about applications.  Applications and simple maths.  A simple return on investment calculation is often the clincher.”

Everything for Signs, distributor of all Xerox wide format digital products, has now added ecommerce to its website. This includes all its latex media, complete with profiles.

Sandy Gray, M.D. of EFS said, “In this industry there are a lot of small companies who don’t have time to look at their requirements during the working day. This means that they can order at their leisure. ”

New online ordering facilities can be found on www.everythingforsigns.co.uk

ONYX Graphics has appointed Kevin M. Murphy as President and Chief Executive Officer.

Mr. Murphy brings to ONYX Graphics a wealth of international experience in business management in the printing and imaging industries. He comes to ONYX Graphics from Oce North America (a Canon Group company), where he currently serves as Vice President, Commercial Excellence. In this role, Mr. Murphy has been leading U.S. and European regional commercial transformation of the company's sales, pricing, and marketing organisations. He has held progressive management positions at Oce including International Marketing Director of the Wide Format Printing Systems (WFPS) strategic business unit, based at Oce headquarters in Venlo, the Netherlands.

At Oce headquarters, he was instrumental in implementing a successful re-alignment of the worldwide marketing strategy at WFPS. Prior to that, Mr. Murphy served as Vice President, Sales for Oce North America's Wide Format Printing division, where he was responsible for revenue generation, operating profit, channel strategy and management of 150 employees nationwide. His early career included management roles, both domestically and internationally, in the Office Imaging division at Eastman Kodak Company.

Mr. Murphy holds a master's degree in business administration (MBA) from Georgia State University, and a bachelor's degree in finance from the University of Southern California. He will be based at ONYX Graphics headquarters in Salt Lake City, UT.