In April 2016, Lloyd Yates attended Sign & Digital UK exhibition, as he had done every year for over a decade.
Whilst browsing the Roland DG stand, the sign maker decided to enter the ‘Scratch & Win’ competition hoping to win one of Roland DG’s newly launched TrueVIS VG Series print and cut devices. Little did Lloyd know that only a few short weeks later he would be installing a brand-new print and cut machine at his manufacturing base Berkshire.
Axiya Signs, which boasts over 35 years’ experience in the sign industry, was the lucky company that won the competition, selected at random from the hundreds of entries that visited the Roland DG stand - and opted for the TrueVIS VG-540 as the natural choice for their in-house business needs.
Talking about the moment he was told he won the Roland DG printer/cutter, Lloyd said: “When I received the phone call to tell me I had won the machine, I was in complete shock. At first it was the saving on the cost of the VG-540 that I thought would be the biggest benefit but having used the machine for six months now, it’s the ongoing cost-savings that are the most impressive. The ink usage is so economical that I thought the ink level reading was broken at first!”
The introduction of the VG-540 has enabled the business to bring production in-house, eliminating the need to outsource work to a supplier and cutting overhead costs dramatically. Lloyd now only spends a fraction of the cost on what he would previously spend on printing, resulting in much greater profit margins.
“Having not had a printer/cutter machine before, I didn’t know what to expect when we started using the VG-540 but its performance has gone above and beyond anything I could have imagined. The quality of the prints produced by the VG series is second-to-none and even when we utilise draft print mode to maximise efficiency, the finish is far superior to anything else I’ve seen before.”
The consistent high-quality output of the integrated machine has meant Axiya Signs has been able to expand its usual customer offering to include high end signage. Though the company has only been utilising the VG-540 for six months, the high end offering it allows has already helped secure new business opportunities producing quality signage for high-end clients including leading fragrance and alcohol brands.
“The versatility of the VG-540 has allowed us to explore new and profitable markets and work with clients that we wouldn’t have dreamed of working with as recently as earlier this year. With the added ability to print prototypes in-house, our creativity has gone through the roof! We now have far greater creative control, as well as the freedom to take creative risks at virtually no cost, which is key to remain competitive.”
To gain valuable training, Lloyd decided to attend a Roland DG Academy Course to ensure he was using his new Roland DG machine to its full potential. The Roland DG Academy offers businesses and individuals an engaging learning environment and the latest Roland DG technology to educate and inspire attendees on the versatile applications possible.
“It was my father who initially got me into the sign industry at 10-years-old and ever since then, I’ve never stopped wanting to learn. Having not had experience with the Roland DG brand or VG series before, I enrolled on a Roland DG Academy course to ensure I was getting the most out of the machine. Luckily, the VG-540 was easy to get to grips with and the course gave me the opportunity to hear about the profitable ways in which the machine could be used.”
Having been won over by the versatility, quality and efficiency of the TrueVIS VG-540, Lloyd is already exploring the possibility of investing in a second Roland DG machine: “I’ve only had the VG-540 for a short time but I cannot imagine my business without it. The possibilities are truly endless and I’m intrigued to discover what other new and exciting applications and markets are possible with the support of Roland DG.”
Visitors to Sign & Digital will be able to see the TrueVIS VG-640 on Roland DG’s stand, H30, where they can also meet an expert to find out more about how Roland DG can help your business grow.
For more information on the TrueVIS VG Series, please click here
For more information on Axiya Signs and Graphics, please click here
