Roland DG reports that, in the months following the strategic and important appointment of Sign + Digital and, more recently, Dublin based Print and Finishing Equipment (PFE) there has been a significant increase in popularity for this leading manufacturer’s wide-format ink-jet solutions. These two very experienced specialist partners now have the Irish market covered for digital requirements, with each concentrating on specific sectors which benefit from their expertise.
John Parle, Roland DG’s sales manager in Ireland, explains: “The types of solution now being produced by us are bringing a new breed of end customer to our attention. Whilst there are still plenty of sign-makers and display producers continuing to invest in our solutions, we’ve noticed a significant increase in businesses considering a move into wide-format digital printing from other areas of the graphic arts arena.”
The primary appointment of Sign + Digital has resulted in a structured base from which sign-makers and display producers can source their Roland machines to help them grow their businesses and move into new markets. With Roland’s former business development manager, Albert Quealy, heading up the Sign + Digital’s wide-format interests, new and existing customers now benefit from high-end technical advice as well as the broadest selection of production options, including print-and-cut and the latest metallic and white ink technologies.
“Sign + Digital is key to us in terms of leveraging the Roland brand throughout Ireland,” explains Parle. “Its showroom and demonstrating facilities carry the biggest range of Roland machines and the types of innovative and creative applications which sign-makers and digital producers can produce using our solutions.”
It was the growth of interest within the commercial print area that led Roland to appoint PFE as a key partner, bringing wide-format ink-jet solutions on-board to complement its existing range of digital and analogue services. PFE now offers the Roland VersaArt RS-640, SolJet Pro III family of high quality printers and, of particular note to businesses involved in proofing, labelling and packaging prototyping, the VersaUV LEC-330 and LEC-540 duo of UV-curable print-and-cut machines.
Parle continues: “Whilst there are plenty of sign and display specialists who can benefit from the versatility and amazing finishes which can be produced on the LEC-330 and the new, wider LEC-540, it quickly became apparent that there was a whole new class of commercial printers out there who needed to be able to proof jobs onto the final material for flexo, offset and, even, gravure.
“Since we’ve expanded our Irish presence to include two of the leading suppliers to the sign and display sector and commercial arena, we’ve seen a tremendous upsurge in interest for all Roland products,” concludes Parle. “We expect this increase to continue through the coming years.”
