Electronics For Imaging, Inc., hasreported that Serigraph, located in West Bend, Wisconsin, has acquired an EFI Q3h XP hybrid LED printer to boost productivity and ensure accuracy for color-critical applications.
The company has two locations in West Bend, one focused on in-mold decorating primarily for automotive, appliances, and power sports; and the Specialty Division which provides signs, display graphics, and other materials to retail, quick service restaurants, and more.
“In the specialty business alone,” explained Mark Heimerl, Director of Strategic Sales, “we ship more than 400,000 packages a year. In any given month, we will have 21,000 stores that we are servicing with our print, everything from large format to offset. This includes a variety of kits, floor graphics, and experiential and environmental graphics.” The company also produces graphics to support a variety of events."
Serigraph was previously running three EFI VUTEk h5 hybrid LED printers, but there was not enough capacity to adequately meet peak demands, and the three printers required three operators, increasing labor costs. “So, we began looking at newer technology, and EFI proposed the EFI Q3h XP three-meter hybrid press, as well as the EFI VUTEk Q3r roll-fed press, which would give us significantly more capacity and flexibility while requiring less labor and floor space,” Heimerl said.
The VUTEk Q3r press is designed for high-speed production of flexible media, offering roll-to-roll speeds up to 6,000 square feet per hour. The EFI Q3h XP hybrid printer features ultra-reliable LED curing technology and supports both roll-fed and rigid materials, and is designed for high-volume production environments. Heimerl said that this combination will be a game-changer for the company, enabling efficient use of the hybrid printer primarily for printing on rigid materials, while leveraging the capabilities of the Q3r roll-to-roll press for lighter weight materials used for films, static clings and more. It will also enable the transition away from offset, as work becomes more custom and large runs become fewer and further between. Both presses will be operational by the end of September 2024.
“EFI really partnered with us to come up with the best solutions to meet our evolving needs,” Heimerl said. “And both of these printers are proven in the marketplace. We are confident that they will meet or exceed our expectations, resulting in a more streamlined and profitable operation.”
Heimerl is also pleased with EFI’s service. “We have the same service techs we had with our VUTEk h5s,” he said. “They took some time away to get trained on the new equipment, and now they are back. The tech support has been phenomenal. Very responsive and knowledgeable, and they helped us in configuring the printers to best meet our needs.”
The company has also employed a unique staffing process with its FlexForce initiative. Heimerl explained, “We have about 100 full-time employees in our Specialty Division. But we also have our own flexible workforce. This is comprised of folks looking to work part-time, like stay-at-home moms and dads, but also some of our retirees who wanted to work part-time post-retirement. Since they are employees, not temporary help, they have been trained by us. They just walk in and get right to work.” Heimerl said there are some 140 to 150 people in the FlexForce alone, making it easy to upscale and downscale the work force as requirements change.
