Business - Knowledge

CWE Solutions has supplied Reading based sign-maker, Sign Wise (UK) Ltd, with an HP Scitex FB500 flatbed printer.  This is the fourth HP machine that Sign Wise has purchased from CWE Solutions since June 2012 and adds to a line-up that includes a HP L26500 and two HP Z6200s

Gerry Poulton who runs Sign Wise with his wife Pauline, has enjoyed dealing with CWE Solutions.  He says, “CWES were keen to understand my company and what we wanted from our machines.  Nothing has been too much trouble for them and I always feel that they are there for me on the other end of the phone should I need them. “

Gerry confirms that business is booming at the Reading based company and says that turnover increased in the last year by 25%.  The company has built a strong business reputation in the local area and has concentrated efforts on providing a fast and reliable service to the trade customers that account for 80% of the company's business.

Gerry explains, “Other printers outsource their more complicated and larger jobs to us and we have created a niche by being helpful, adaptable and willing to try new things and find solutions.”

Investment in new technology is key to meeting the demands of Sign Wise customers who expect a great finish in a short timeframe. As Gerry explains, “There isn’t much margin for error, we are all working at speed to deliver on time every time.  It’s what our customers need to satisfy their customers.  We need reliability from our machines and HP provides that.”

Sign Wise decided to invest in the new HP Scitex FB500 despite already owning an Oce flatbed.  Gerry considered a range of models when making this latest investment and was attracted to the HP machine not only for its reputed reliability but also for the superior board handling it provides at larger sizes, “We have been getting requests for larger and more complex signs being printed on a diverse range of materials and needed to upgrade to the HP Scitex FB500 as it easily handles 3m lengths and unusual substrates.”

An ideal machine for experimenting, the HP Scitex FB500 can print on a range of substrates including imperfect boards making it a good choice for the more unusual bespoke requests that Sign Wise receives.  In addition, the HP Scitex FB500 can be set to a multi-board simultaneous printing mode, further increasing the capacity of the machine and improving productivity.

The new machine is run on HP original inks which have been designed to adhere to a wide range of substrates and materials.  The price for installing the HP Scitex FB500 was also a major consideration for Gerry.  He says, “I couldn’t ignore the fact that the HP Scitex FB500 cost considerably less than the equivalent Oce machine.”

Part of that saving has been re-invested into standardising the software used to operate the machines at the Sign Wise plant.  After looking at various suppliers Gerry has again opted for CWE Solutions who are supplying the software and providing operator training and an unlimited support package.

In LFR’s latest ‘Spotlight on...’ feature, we focus on Stanford Marsh.  Well known in the CAD and technical space, the company has been making great inroads into the graphics sector.  Is it one of the industry’s best kept secrets?

Stanford Marsh Group was founded in 1965 to provide wide format printing equipment, technical support and consumables to anyone with a wide format output need.  The company has five offices throughout the UK and an annual turnover of over £13 million.  Headquartered in Worcester, the company employs 85 people and - since its inception - has built a very strong presence in the CAD and technical space. 

In 2010, Stanford Marsh decided to deepen its strategic focus into the graphics industry.  As a result of this decision, the company has been heavily investing in the graphics space and created a new division - Stanford Marsh Group Graphics (SMGG) - specifically focused on the graphics space.  Within the Stanford Marsh Group, SMGG has a dedicated sales force, service engineers and nationwide technical support coverage.

The company has an extremely broad solutions portfolio for both CAD and Graphics industries and is the only UK company that can provide in-house manufacturer-led service support, hardware and software sales of leading market brands including Canon, Epson, HP, Océ, Ricoh and Xerox.

As well as the CAD and Graphics industries, Stanford Marsh has also been targeting the relatively untapped 3D print sector with HP and Stratasys machines and this will become a greater focus over the next few years. 

As an established, privately-owned company, Stanford Marsh Group is able to differentiate itself by offering compelling finance deals through its own in-house finance company and cash reserves.  This enables the company to facilitate customers wanting to invest in the most up-to-date wide format digital printing equipment.  As part of its offering, Stanford Marsh Group is also able to offer pre-owned, refurbished machines to its customers.

Jonathan Marsh, managing director of Stanford Marsh Group and son of the eponymous founder of the company, comments, "Unlike much of our competition, we control the end-to-end process - from financing the equipment - if needed - through to delivery, installation and on-going technical support."

"This enables us to ensure our customer service and experience is second to none," he continues.  "We are not reliant on third parties and are able to adapt our processes to meet our customers' needs.  For example, we are able to provide flexible and individually tailored finance programmes - rather than a one-size-fits-all approach - and have the ability to offer 0% finance to customers."

In recent years, the company has gone from strength to strength.  In November 2012, Stanford Marsh Group was awarded HP's prestigious "Market Share Contribution 2012" Award.  In simple terms, the company shipped more HP Designjet printers than any other UK vendor in 2012.  This was the fourth year running that the company has won an award and pays testament to the longstanding success of the business.

In January 2013, the company was also appointed as a wide format print 'Accredited Partner' by Canon (UK) Ltd.  This is currently the highest echelon within Canon's reseller channel programme and recognises Stanford Marsh's specialism within the wide format marketplace.

Epson also has good things to say about the company.  Dominic Gurney, Account Manager, Pro Graphics at Epson UK Limited, adds, "Epson's Large Format Printing business unit has been working with Stanford Marsh Group for almost 2 years. They have been instrumental in helping to sell our SureColor range of outdoor signage printers in the UK.  They have a strong belief in offering the end user the best value deal with a focus on making large purchases more affordable to smaller businesses that are looking to expand.  With a range of finance packages available and their own team of engineers and software specialists on hand, they can provide support through the entire lifecycle of any product purchased."

And it's not just the manufacturers that sing the praises of Stanford Marsh.  Canon and HP distributor ArtSystems' managing director, Steve Hawker adds, "SMGG have always displayed the most professional and passionate approach in all their business dealings, as a supplier we appreciate their honest and dynamic approach and we know from joint conversations with their customers that they display the same conviction in delivering the very best solutions and service possible for them."

On its ability to offer unbiased, knowledgeable and balanced advice, Jonathan Marsh continues, "We have expert industry knowledge and the benefit of being a totally independent supplier.  We work closely with our customers to establish their print requirements and then use our expertise to supply the best-fit wide format solution that's available within the marketplace."

In terms of logistics, the company has its own dedicated fleet of delivery vehicles and drivers and strategically placed warehouses throughout the UK holding huge stocks of ink and consumables.  Again, this ensures that the company is able to deliver products and consumables to its customers in a timely manner and retain control - and guarantee high standards - relating to the entire delivery process.

The company is definitely on the up.  Jonathan Marsh comments, "We really are seeing dividends from our decision to further invest in the graphics space alongside our traditional CAD customers.  Between 2010 and the end of 2012, we grew our customer base by 55% through a combination of acquisitions and more focused marketing activities."

In terms of the future, Stanford Marsh has seen a big interest in 3D printing from its graphics customers looking at ways of expanding their products and services.  "The 3D space will be a key growth area for Stanford Marsh.  We will soon launch a new dedicated website showcasing the 3D solutions we have on offer and will be creating a devoted team to target the 3D sector," continues Marsh. 

"2013 should be a very exciting year for Stanford Marsh Group.  We're in great shape and look forward to making the very most of the opportunities that lie ahead of us.  It's very much a case of 'watch this space!" he concludes.

For more information on Stanford Marsh, please visit www.stanfordmarsh.co.uk

For more information on Stanford Marsh Group Graphics, please visit www.smgg.co.uk

To support Stanford Marsh's growth plans, the company is on the look-out for talented and dedicated staff.  For information on roles currently available, please email info@stanfordmarsh.co.uk

InfoTrends has just completed a new study examining the digital textile printing segment.  The study, called Transforming Textile Printing, explores the textile market supply chain, sizes and forecasts the digital textile printing market, and focuses on the demand drivers for digital textile production.

The potential for digital printing to influence the printed textile market has long been promised, yet only now, with the new dynamics on the demand generation side and the introduction of super high-speed digital printing systems with open ink configurations are fabrics printing companies able to meet new customer demands.

The global textile industry is worth approximately US$1 trillion. Of that, InfoTrends estimates that the value of digitally printed textile garments, décor items, and industrial products is valued at US$10.3 billion in 2012, or less than 1.5% of the total market. Although the digital textile printing market is small in comparison to the entire textile industry, it is growing rapidly. InfoTrends estimates that revenues from digital textile equipment and ink sales will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30.7%. According to InfoTrends, some key trends that are driving this growth include risk mitigation from the retailer and brand community, and on the technology side the emergence of high quality, high spend inkjet print heads, the availability of moderately priced solutions that enable new market entrants, and open system inkjet print heads that allow for multiple ink suppliers resulting in lower ink prices.

Transforming Textile Printing covers digital printing of garments, décor, and industrial products. It covers:

• Digital textile printing hardware systems providers and inkjet print head manufacturers
• Digital textile printing ink suppliers and ink types
• Fibres and fabrics used in textile printing
• Sustainability in digital textile printing

This study is based on in-depth interviews with buyers and specifiers of digital textiles, digital textile print service providers, and suppliers to the digital textile printing industry (hardware suppliers, inkjet print head manufacturers, and systems integrators). InfoTrends conducted 67 interviews in all. The reach was global, with interviews primarily in China, India, the United States, and Italy, with a mix from some other European countries.

For more information on this study, please visit InfoTrends' online store: https://store.infotrendsresearch.com/

Canon has been ranked first among Japanese companies and third overall for the number of U.S. patents awarded in 2012, according to the latest ranking of preliminary patent results issued by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services on January 10, 2013.

Canon states that it 'promotes the globalisation of its business and places great value on obtaining patents overseas, carefully adhering to a patent-filing strategy that pursues patents in essential countries and regions while taking into consideration the business strategies and technology and product trends unique to each location.  Among these, the United States, with its many high-tech companies and large market scale, represents a particularly important region in terms of business expansion and technology alliances.'

The company says it prizes its corporate DNA of placing a high priority on technology. The company actively promotes the acquisition of patent rights in accordance with the management direction of the Canon Group and technology trends while conducting thorough pre-application searches to raise the quality of applications. Through close cooperation between Canon’s technology and intellectual property divisions, the company aims to improve its technological capabilities while further enhancing its intellectual property rights.

In this Business Insight feature - sponsored by EFI and written exclusively for Large Format Review - Rosemarie Monaco, CEO of Monaco International Ltd, an international marketing firm specialising in high technology and services, discusses why print businesses should think very carefully before they diversify their key activities...

"Every major company from Virgin to McDonald’s uses diversification strategy for growth. It insulates them from economic fluctuation and industry erosion. The two major means of diversification are concentric (related) and conglomerate (unrelated).

Owning everything from airlines to wineries, Virgin is indeed a conglomerate with a bevy of unrelated businesses. This way, if in the unlikely event that Virgin Airlines takes a nose dive, Richard Branson can drown his sorrows in one of his vineyards.

McDonald’s uses a related strategy, opening coffee shops such as McCafe to appeal to those who prefer a caffeine rush to hardening of the arteries. The fast-food chain has also extended its product offering with salad bars and “lite” meals to appeal to the wannabe health-conscious consumer.

What is important here is that every company needs to think outside the box if it wants to not only survive, but thrive. The printing industry is no exception. Commercial printers are acquiring design firms and software developers to broaden their portfolios, while large-format printers are examining new specialties such as packaging.

Regardless of your strategy, before you invest in a single piece of equipment, you need to do a little homework. Even before that, consider starting slowly. It will be easier to extend your current offerings before you venture into a new market.

The Homework

First, ask your current customers what types of products you could provide that would make their lives a little easier or give them the benefit of one-stop shopping. Learn about all the types of promotions and projects they get involved with. Maybe that will give you some ideas of what you can offer.

Delve deeply. For example, perhaps you currently work with a trade show or exhibits manager at a corporation. A show manager often works hand in hand with the marketing group. Ask your client what the marketing department does to attract customers to their exhibit stand. Maybe you’ll learn that they’ve been thinking about giveaways that involve packages or personalised labels. Is this a one-time promo? Or is it something you can sell to other clients?

Second, do a little research on growth markets: labeling, packaging, interior design, textiles, etc. When you identify the one that is most appealing ask yourself these questions:

• What type of equipment will you need?
• Will it require add-ons, such as finishing modules?
• Can you work with your current personnel or do you have to hire and train new staff?
• Do you have sufficient space to add new equipment or will you have to expand?
• How much can you charge for the new products? What do companies currently pay? Can you afford to offer a better product with added value rather than relying on a lower price?
• How long is the learning curve?
• Will you be putting a strain on your current workflow or will you need to invest in new print management software?
• What is the sales potential?
• How can you differentiate from the competition?
• If you identify a product that will appeal to a new growth market, such as the textile industry, do you have the sales staff and expertise to approach this market?

Answering all of the above questions will not only allow you to identify the best way to extend your offerings or enter new markets, it will also give you all the information you need for a business plan. And that is something you will absolutely need to get a business loan.

There’s lots of money to be made from extending your product line and entering new markets. Make an intelligent assessment before you invest. The worst thing you can do is implement a new capability with no one to pay for it."

About Rosemarie Monaco: With 25 years experience in the graphic arts industry, Rosemarie Monaco is an expert in technology marketing. She is CEO of Monaco International Ltd, an international marketing firm specialising in high technology and services.

In this bylined article, FM Brooks' Frazer Chesterman - and co-founder of the planned InPrint 2014 show - discusses the future of print and why he believes its future lies in the packaging and industrial print sectors...

"Just after Drupa, print guru Andy Tribute claimed that the future for print lay in the opportunities for Inkjet technology in both packaging and industrial print.  He explained "Inkjet technology has lots of potential in these areas. They are both getting better and better in terms of quality, and these markets are ones that will drive print forward. It is worth owning some intellectual property within the industrial space, at least."

I believe he is right and please let me explain why:

Most manufacturers agree that the huge growth of Digital graphics which probably began around between 2002 -2005 and has continued to grow, is now maturing - and some would even say stagnating.  The great migration from analogue to digital in sign and graphics has taken place and will probably level out by 2014/15. The manufacturers have watched their sales plateau and need to find their next opportunity.

The technology around Inkjet continues to develop towards more and more interesting applications. Advanced print head design is now allowing inkjet to become more main stream in industrial and manufacturing applications, fulfilling the demand for high quality, high productivity and increased reliability in advanced technological applications. This is supported by more sophisticated and complex, but more durable and flexible ink and fluid chemistries.

Combine this with developments in software which allow integration within production lines, product recognition, and print on curved surfaces and direct from internet opportunities and then options for use become really interesting.

So what can be printed on and where are the new possibilities?

Well it is clear that vinyl, paper and card are well established, but what is increasingly becoming more mainstream is the printing onto industrial plastics, ceramics, natural and synthetic textiles. And even more exciting is the growing demand for Architectural glass, automotive glass, packaging, metals and printed electronics.

What is really interesting is where the demand to understand the technology comes from. A couple of months ago, I was asked to attend a meeting of key print buyers from Unilever, Pepsi and Ferrero Rocher, who manage and control these businesses' print packaging. They understand Flexo printing, but were really excited by the possibilities of digital inkjet for short run, versioning, VDP and printing on delicate surfaces.  Forecasts from PIRA on Digital into packaging suggest that as much as 8% of packaging could be digital by 2016, but at the moment only 8% of 8% is being deployed, probably because there is a lack of understanding by the packaging industry on what the possibilities are.

So perhaps it is down to the manufacturers to educate the potential customers on how they can use digital inkjet? Certainly, we need to be ‘leading the horse to water’.  Our new event InPrint 2014 is designed to do just that by showcasing state of the art speciality print and the latest advances in industrial inkjet and 3D rapid prototyping and introduce inkjet technology to a whole new set of customers.

The event takes place in Hannover, Germany between 8th and 10th April 2014, alongside the Hannover Messe, the world’s leading tradeshow for industrial and manufacturing technology for production.  InPrint provides the perfect and unique platform to connect with manufacturers, developers, industrial print production companies and traditional print companies looking to develop new revenue streams and production processes.

This is not like the whole raft of other Print events around Europe. This is for the customer of the future; for them to experience Tomorrow’s World!'